and I ask... where is your U Lock?

Meredith runs into an issue on the Contra Flow Lane on 15th Street
www.youtube.com

it is funny...
whether on bike or in my car
the behavior of those around me on the cell phones never stops irritating me

the other day I picked up my boys from school
with both the boys in the Honda Element we drove on down the somewhat narrow two lane two way street
the street is narrow with parked cars on both sides
cars often move more towards the middle as they move up and down this street to avoid the risk of hitting a car door as it opens

I know the risks of this from both directions
some years ago I was nearly doored on this stretch of road on my bike by an anger/irate car driver who claimed it was my fault that she did not look back as she swung her door wide open in front of me
while I also know this because I opened my car door and tagged a car's rear view mirror just a few weeks back

on this day there was no door issue
but there was some issue with oncoming traffic
a truck was coming up the hill but feared it could not edge between the car in front of me and the parked cars
it appeared that the car in front of me was hesitant to make the pass between the oncoming truck and the parked cars because the car behind the truck was so far into our lane that there was no reason to move forward

the car behind the truck did not move from their position
the car in front of me moved through slowly barely squeezing through
I followed suit
when I was along side of this car that was several feet in my lane I noticed that this woman was on her cell phone
I slowed and stopped and gestured for her to roll her window down
she ignored me
she either ignored me or did not understand my gesture to roll the window down
because my sign language predates the use of electric windows

well... this woman still on the phone was still not moving
she was no longer in my way... but she was still irking me
so... with my window down I reached over and opened her car door
this of course made her angry

well... hmmmm....
which should make someone more angry?
someone opening a car door uninvited
or another driving with their cell phone glued to their ear?

the woman had her kids in the back seat of her car... more than likely... she is a parent of a child at my kids school
that makes no difference
maybe when she approaches me to set things straight I will start talking on my phone and obstruct her path and ignore her all the while
and if she tries further to get my attention
I will get belligerent

and yes I will.