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Rather, I don't know why other people yell at me.
(Language warning: some potentially offensive curse words in the third story. I tried to partially censor them, but they're still pretty obvious.)
I'm a bike commuter (not a "cyclist," in my own opinion--I don't think I qualify for the spandex permit). Unlike a few I've encountered, I do follow the rules of the road for bikes. I stay in the bike lane; I signal when I turn or stop; I wear protective and reflective gear; I stop for signs and lights, etc. Somehow, people still feel the need to yell at me.
No Crossing
A few days ago, I learned from one driver that it is illegal for a bike to cross the street. Ever. Anywhere.
I reached an intersection and needed to make a left. It's not safe for a bike to do that with traffic in the left turn lane at this intersection, so I crossed to the corner, stopped, pushed the crosswalk button, and waited. When the little white man-shaped light came on, I started to pedal across the street, which I thought was legal*. I glanced behind me and saw a guy in a yellow car trying to turn right. I was in his way. He saw me and stopped his slow roll forward, but in a matter of about two seconds, I watched his face transform from Driving Normally to Oh Crap I Have to Hit the Brakes to I'm Mad to I Have to Honk at This Guy.
It was actually kind of funny. He deliberately reached for his horn, gave me a blast from it, and yelled out his window: "You can't cross the street, stupid! You're on a bike!"
He went on his way. I shook my head and laughed.
*According to the Oregon DMV cyclists' handbook thing, it is legal as long as I'm not within the crosswalk, in which case I'm supposed to get off and walk. I was not in the crosswalk in this case; I was next to it in what would be a bike lane if one existed there.
My What?
Out of a minor paranoia, I make sure my pants are pulled up and my shirt or jacket is pulled down whenever I bike. I'm a bike commuter, not a plumber, and I prefer to say no to crack.
That's why I was thoroughly confused when a car full of girls drove past, and I heard one of them yell through the passenger window:
"Blargle blargle butt cheeks and blargle."
"Butt cheeks" was pretty much all I heard clearly.
Teenage Boys Think They're Funny
I'm in the eastbound bike lane. On the opposite side of the street, I see two teen boys (14 or 15, probably) on bikes in the westbound bike lane. As we passed, they decided to yell at me, obviously hoping for some kind of reaction.
The first one yelled, "Sh*t! Ni**er! C*ck! SH*T-NI**ER-C*CK!"
The next one apparently couldn't think of words fast enough, so he just made a noise that sounded to me like a drunken coyote trying to say "bear" and howl at the same time.
Was I supposed to be intimidated by this?
Truck Passes Bike, Bike Returns Favor
This is my favorite.
Two guys in a big pickup rumbled past me while I was in the bike lane. Their truck had some big tires, jacked up shocks, big exhaust pipes, and lots of other add-ons to make it seem large and powerful. As they passed, one yelled derisively, "Get a car, loser!" The other called me a hippie.
About five minutes later, I had turned onto a very busy street. Busy with cars, that is. It was not quite gridlock, but it was stop-and-go traffic with maximum speeds of about 5mph. The bike lane was clear. I just kept going, passing the stopped cars. And I just happened to come across the wanna-be monster truck again... stuck in the heavy traffic, rumbling but barely moving. I slowed down as I passed just long enough to say, calmly and with a smile, "Try a bike!"
(Language warning: some potentially offensive curse words in the third story. I tried to partially censor them, but they're still pretty obvious.)
I'm a bike commuter (not a "cyclist," in my own opinion--I don't think I qualify for the spandex permit). Unlike a few I've encountered, I do follow the rules of the road for bikes. I stay in the bike lane; I signal when I turn or stop; I wear protective and reflective gear; I stop for signs and lights, etc. Somehow, people still feel the need to yell at me.
No Crossing
A few days ago, I learned from one driver that it is illegal for a bike to cross the street. Ever. Anywhere.
I reached an intersection and needed to make a left. It's not safe for a bike to do that with traffic in the left turn lane at this intersection, so I crossed to the corner, stopped, pushed the crosswalk button, and waited. When the little white man-shaped light came on, I started to pedal across the street, which I thought was legal*. I glanced behind me and saw a guy in a yellow car trying to turn right. I was in his way. He saw me and stopped his slow roll forward, but in a matter of about two seconds, I watched his face transform from Driving Normally to Oh Crap I Have to Hit the Brakes to I'm Mad to I Have to Honk at This Guy.
It was actually kind of funny. He deliberately reached for his horn, gave me a blast from it, and yelled out his window: "You can't cross the street, stupid! You're on a bike!"
He went on his way. I shook my head and laughed.
*According to the Oregon DMV cyclists' handbook thing, it is legal as long as I'm not within the crosswalk, in which case I'm supposed to get off and walk. I was not in the crosswalk in this case; I was next to it in what would be a bike lane if one existed there.
My What?
Out of a minor paranoia, I make sure my pants are pulled up and my shirt or jacket is pulled down whenever I bike. I'm a bike commuter, not a plumber, and I prefer to say no to crack.
That's why I was thoroughly confused when a car full of girls drove past, and I heard one of them yell through the passenger window:
"Blargle blargle butt cheeks and blargle."
"Butt cheeks" was pretty much all I heard clearly.
Teenage Boys Think They're Funny
I'm in the eastbound bike lane. On the opposite side of the street, I see two teen boys (14 or 15, probably) on bikes in the westbound bike lane. As we passed, they decided to yell at me, obviously hoping for some kind of reaction.
The first one yelled, "Sh*t! Ni**er! C*ck! SH*T-NI**ER-C*CK!"
The next one apparently couldn't think of words fast enough, so he just made a noise that sounded to me like a drunken coyote trying to say "bear" and howl at the same time.
Was I supposed to be intimidated by this?
Truck Passes Bike, Bike Returns Favor
This is my favorite.
Two guys in a big pickup rumbled past me while I was in the bike lane. Their truck had some big tires, jacked up shocks, big exhaust pipes, and lots of other add-ons to make it seem large and powerful. As they passed, one yelled derisively, "Get a car, loser!" The other called me a hippie.
About five minutes later, I had turned onto a very busy street. Busy with cars, that is. It was not quite gridlock, but it was stop-and-go traffic with maximum speeds of about 5mph. The bike lane was clear. I just kept going, passing the stopped cars. And I just happened to come across the wanna-be monster truck again... stuck in the heavy traffic, rumbling but barely moving. I slowed down as I passed just long enough to say, calmly and with a smile, "Try a bike!"
Well played, sir. Well played.
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