Bike the bend is tomorrow and let me tell you, motorists are PISSED!
For those of you who do not know what "the Bend" is, it looks like this...
And you bike it like so;
A family bike ride that celebrates the use of the bike and shared use paths that our cities have built, and for one day pretends that anyone gives a shit about cyclists.
The Motorists are still having none of it. Seriously, I am going to spare you the details because the end of the story is better than this part, but you know me as an honest guy, right?
So you are just going to trust me here as I have none of this documented except the links you click. Regardless, this is me talking. ;)
Bike the bend is kinda cool. You and your friends, and yes...whole family, can ride about 30 miles on streets unencumbered with the help of local law enforcement keeping cars at bay from 6:30 am to 11:30 am on a Sunday morning. Problem is, Only four cops signed up to do the event, and some people are a little concerned.
As they should be.
On a post that has since been deleted, a local news affiliate reported via the Book Face, the same thing I just told you and the very first damn comment was some jerk who spouted off some anti-cycle speak which I can paraphrase thusly...
"well, ya shouldn't be on the God damned roads to begin with! You don't even pay wheel tax..."
Well first of all, you kinda sound like this Bitch
Two;
I pay wheel tax on three cars ass hat, how many fucking times do I have to say it?
I wish I could say that it ended at that but sadly it did not. See, cyclists are not fond of being called out for simply riding bicycles and are no more happy when you tell them to "get on the fucking sidewalk." At which time the motorist made sure we knew that he would be using those "blocked" roads that were sans Officer to get where he was going and that we "better watch out."
I kid you not that one person (anti-bike) actually threatened physical violence upon another (pro-bike) to the point that several people began wondering if their safety was in jeopardy.
Truly unacceptable to say the least, but the whole thing can be summed up like this: for a couple hours on a Sunday, they close some of the roads so people can explore the city by bicycle.
The money raised helps build more infrastructure but it also pays almost $10,000 dollars to local Police officers for the event yet no one wants to do it. Now they argue that they are overworked, etc... what with the South Bend 150 festivities and all but are you really saying to me that you do not want more double time hours directing traffic for bicyclists for 5 damn hours? Shit, you could still be home in time to drink beer and watch the NASCAR race!
Where do I sign?!
This event in itself is meant to bring awareness but all this advocacy means NOTHING if I still get yelled at on the road. Secondly, it gives me little hope for what type of awareness we are creating here if this ride is the kick off of "Bike to Work Week," and before we put foot to pedal we are already being threatened by drivers. You have heard me tell stories about "BLOWING" red lights, but you will be happy to know that I now follow ALL rules and regulations relating to myself as being considered "traffic" when I ride in the road. Not only for my own safety but to further bring awareness that cyclists need to follow the rules of the road (as much as it kills me to say that). That means that by law, I am to use the roadway like a car when on a bike.
Unfortunately, one of the dick turds that did not get the memo ran up on me during my commute home last night and it did not go so well.
Let me paint for you a picture;
(literally Microsoft Paint ;)
You have me, riding at about 25 mph and then sitting up to coast towards the red light at the intersection. Using the whole lane to come to a stop like traffic would (as I have begun doing since this has been happening more and more) it was then that a fuck stick in a KIA Soul thought it wise to cross the center line to go around me to which I responded, "Fuck You" and went back around him just as stopped traffic began to move.
Not one to be deterred, he waited until we were back up to speed before passing me again, this time from the left hand turn lane whilst screaming "find a fucking bike lane ASS HOLE!"
This was the first and so far only time that I have actually threatened a motorist with physical violence. Not only did this jerk off put me in danger but he committed a moving violation to do it at a relatively high speed putting everyone around us, who wasn't aware of what was unfolding, at risk as well.
Without thinking I sat up with both middle fingers flying and "asked" him to "get out of the fucking car mother fucker" (or something like that) and I meant it. Not only is there NOT a bike lane any where near my route;
but really, ass face?! You want to go there with ME? REALLY?!!!
Well, needless to say I was a bit more than furious and while I have had the evening to simmer down a bit, I still wish I could have pulled him out of that shit box and broke my foot off in his ass.
Rest assured that I will be looking for that same KIA Soul on my commute yet this morning and the week to follow because nothing make a person want to "Bike to Work" more than revenge.
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