Short blog today, did 35 miles, met a cool guy who actually warned me of his passing with a gentle "on your left!" I freaked. How refreshing. I complimented this, and so we talked a bit. Just a cool guy, an older gentleman from Tolland, which is a pretty area also. I'm sure he's like West coast, as inevitably I always get along with out-of staters here.
I like my easy-breezy Bloomfield route, though, no stress. Everybody is cool.
Then I get back to West Hartford.....
Mom carrying lacrosse stick in her left hand, riding her mountain bike behind four tiny tots on the wrong side of the road, setting up the beautiful innocent three year old who insisted to be in the lead for the classic "crosswalk slam".
I freaked. I gently told her to see this website: http://bicyclesafe.com/.
I said "just wanted to let you know that crossing wasn't techically safe. This website explains why"...
She was like "uh, I gotta get up there"...So I rode along side for only ten seconds.
But I think I got through for a sec.
If I had four kids, I'd be out of my mind.
What else can you do? People never say: "Hey thanks for pointing out my ignorance, wow I was really stupid back there.." People naturally don't like "being told what to do".
You should have seen this little girl. Pom-poms, the whole deal. I rode to the front of the pack to guard her from possible SUV-ism until Mother Hen caught up. Then I sped off with an ahimsa prayer.
Cars run the stop signs all the time in this neighborhood, seeing this kid get whacked would send me over the edge, trust me. I mean she was like so tiny, smiling....
I think Mom listened though. Maybe I'll see her again . I told the first guy about this site, he was like "wow, cool, never heard of that one!" I think he gets it. He has enough miles under his belt to know that it's really an ongoing process.
For me, I rode to school every day for four years in high school with no problems, no near misses.
Things were just so different back then.
Then we have the GQ guy today, 20 minutes after soccer-mom lady, like "how's it goin?" what this guy was wearing was worth more than three of my bikes. So of course he weaves through the center of two lanes of cars and runs a red light, crossing the dreaded Trout Brook drive, right past a cop, sitting in the parking lot,who of course does nothing. My jaw dropped.
An older woman in neon came riding up behind me.
"did you see that?? I can't beleive he did that!!!" I was waving my arms, flailing.
"yeah, he gives us all a bad name!"
I forgot to get her name, but we made it across with me in the lead, my mouth foaming. I was muttering "godammitt... rackafrackagadasucka..."
She chose to ride with no helmet, long stringy hippy-hair flowing in the breeze. This is fine with me.
This is kind of like one of those Harley Davidson things, you accept that it's a risk, but generally your Karmic pattern is pretty sound, so you may survive by awareness alone. OK fine.
Then I go talk to Todd the Kid at the bike shop. Three weeks ago, a lady whacked him while he was sitting innocently at a stoplight. I have come close to having this happen to me.
" I think she looked right through me" He said..
His insanely expensive carbon bike is damaged, but he shrugged:
"I'm just glad I'm ok"
I'm telling you this kid is years ahead of many riders. I hope he makes a million dollars someday.
Just then, they roll up another bike for delivery, a pink girls bike with pom-poms which need to be attached. The little girl looks alot like the one on the road a half hour before. I have to leave at this point, as I might start crying.
peace out
Prayers and hope (got hope?)
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