Disrespecful Drivers

I don't often get so angry that I start to shake.

I am right now.

We all know the biking on the road can be hazardous. Even when one follows all the laws, regulations and recommendations, it's still dangerous. More dangerous, I would argue, than a motorcycle, because people at least seem to respect motorcyclists. Now, I could rant for days about the close calls I've had by cars, trucks, busses, etc. driving by so closely that I could touch them. But that's just part of life as an urban cyclist. I'd like to point out that I do attempt to follow every traffic law, both for cyclists and for motor vehicles. On occaision, I have to make a decision to not do so. I do this when following the law would be actually more dangerous than not doing so.

What isn't part of the standard fare is what I just faced. Here's the situation. I'm biking down a side street of town (which I pick so I can avoid several heavy intersections, avoiding extra risk to both myself and other drivers). I see up ahead a small hatchback pulling an illegal U-turn in the middle of the street. So, I slow (as I would in a car) to let this person do his thing. However, he botches it, ending up half in a driveway, completely blocking my lane, and halfway block the other lane. Now, I realize would be a good time to point out that illegal U-turns shoud really be reserved for european cars that can actually pull it off without it becoming a 3-4 point turn. However, that's beside the point.

Anyway, I pull to a stop, giving the guy plenty of room, and wave him on. He just sits and stares at me. I wait, and then decide to do something I know is illegal, and pull onto the sidewalk so I can get around him (as opposed to cutting behind him to stay on the street, and chancing him backing over me). As I'm trying to get around him, I notice that he has succesfully finished his turn (drive, Forrest! Drive!), has reached over (as he's driving, and keeping pace with me so I can't get back on the road), unrolled his window (it's a old-style manual crank window) and is yelling at me. He's yelling at me to "Learn some fucking manners, you little punk!"

Lets revisit the situation. He broke the law, forcing me off the road. He didn't even break the law effectually. And now he's preventing me from rejoining the traffic flow, all the while yelling and cursing and insulting me. Repeatedly. I fail to see my mistake in all this, or how I've shown him anything but tolerance and courtesy. Fortunately, he turned opposite directions at the stop sign - frankly, though, I'm not surprised that he didn't chase me down.

Oh well. He probably just failed an exam. On the other hand, maybe I really am a punk and need to learn some manners. In which case, I invite you to paraphrase the end of my Atheism post: Go ahead and hate me. Girls like a punk, someone who has no manners, someone who's considered dangerous, on the edge. Sweet.