on the bike...

on the bike... obeying the law... breaking the law... no matter what my actions are... I am no more safe when on the bike rolling through an intersection with the GREEN LIGHT is no more safe than rolling through the RED LIGHT it is a matter of putting myself where I am most safe in my car I am nearly rear ended each and every time I make a complete stop at a stop sign what makes me think that I should make a stop at these intersections on my bike... after all... none of my bicycles have bumpers it is all about trying to put myself where I am most safe the other day when cruising home from work I was rolling the final blocks of what was a very rewarding hour 20 on the bike was feeling pretty spry although I was not going so fast ahead I saw the countdown of the crosswalk indicating the lights about to change the path was clear... there was no left turning traffic... so I stepped out of the saddle and started in on some acceleration the path was clear no cars in front of me no pedestrians stepping off the curb nothing... then... unexpected... out of no where... at high speed... no no consideration of me an oncoming car makes a wild U-Turn RIGHT FUCKING IN FRONT OF ME so... I am slightly out of the saddle in an almost sprint position body weight more over the front wheel than the rear in a moment's haste I slam on the brakes still closing distance on the vehicle which is at this point directly in front of me my rear wheel raises slightly the road is damp and I skid slightly on my front wheel luckily I am able to decrease enough speed get the rear wheel back on the ground and slowly dip around the back end of the vehicle rather than t-boneing it it all happened very fast the driver was as shocked as I was he did not see me until he fully obstructed my path we were eye to eye as I hit the brakes rather than hitting his passenger side door as I rolled past the front of the car I turned to him my heart was racing I was pleased to be on the bike and not under his car words left my mouth... F_CKING C_NT! YOU F_CKING C_NT! in a too cool for school I got a reply... You Alright. sort of implying... everything is cool... you did not get hurt... maybe saying... that he knew he was in the wrong... and if he were not in the wrong he would cause some sort of damage to me for speaking to him that way my heart was racing... the pleasure of being alive outweighed any other emotion I continued the final blocks home headed down Park Road a small car driven by a large round man passed me fast and close not the right time to be picking a fight with me he got stuck at a Red Light the light turned green just as I hit the intersection... maybe a second or two after I entered the intersection obnoxiously I took the full lane then this poor victim of the obesity epidemic started to tailgate me okay... I was being obnoxious for taking the full lane sort of carrying on a conversation with a person who has no idea what I am talking about angered at the first incident... I carried on the energy to the second incident with him tailgating me I glanced back then I drifted into the clear lane of on coming traffic... slowed so that he could drive along side of me I gestured as if to speak... I got nothing he rolled on his way... I went on mine each thinking the other to be the asshole me happy to get home alive wondering if the behavior of the U-Turing driver will be modified in any way in the future