Reader Letter #6

One of the many eloquent letters sent to me via Rivendell after the publication in the Rivendell Reader of my article 1,001 Nightmares - about being scared off my bike.

From: BZ
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006
Subject: Response to Maynard's article (RR#37)

I read with great empathy your experiences in dealing with an out-of-control driver and your subsequent parking of your bike. I think your conclusion about never being spoken to that way again, willingly, is the proper attitude to take.

I am a 49 year old, 6’6” 260lb Riv (and others) rider. I ride and live in the congested Northeast. I make every attempt to obey traffic laws and never willingly make a nuisance of myself to motorists. Still, for some folks that is not enough.

Years ago (about 18 I think), there was a local guy who used to shut the engine of his open-piped truck off, glide by me and then bump start his truck to try to give me a scare. It worked the first couple of times, when the big engine sputtered to life. One day he came by and when he did his little trick I gave him the finger, pretty as you please. He went up the road and pulled over.

When I caught up with him he got out and asked if I had a problem. I stopped and laid down my bike. As I was hopping around in the middle of the road trying to get out of my slippery plastic-soled cycling shoes, I yelled at him, “Yeah I got a problem and you’re it!” Being a big guy helped in this situation, but being really pissed off also helped. I stood there in my socks waiting for something to happen. He got into his truck and drove off. I saw him several times after that, but he never did it again.

I’ve since confronted absent-minded and hostile drivers several times since. The most extreme example was following a chopper pilot into a biker bar and announcing that I was looking for the A-hole riding the Blue Harley with license plate yadda-yadda. That ended with the club President dressing the guy down in front of everybody, and did he think he was some sort of hero by “dusting” some guy on a bicycle.

My point is, in the extreme, I’m willing to take an ass-kicking to be out there on the road and so somebody else better be willing to take one (potentially) to risk my well-being. If you’re not willing to go all the way (ill-advised at best), let it go when that stuff happens unless a cop happens to witness it.

BUT do keep riding, at all costs, no matter what the bastards say or do. It’s better to die doing something you love than to avoid it altogether. Hopefully that won’t happen but I think you catch my drift.

As for a newer, bike-friendly place to live, there are probably going to be plenty of suggestions on that one.

Best of luck to you and remember, the rubber bits go on the bottom.

BZ