SELF RIGHTEOUS AND WRONG!

yesterday I joined up with 12 other riders from the DCMTB squad for a road ride
our initial intention was to hit the trails and do the MOCO EPIC loop
but... the tornado with its high volume rain of days prior had us thinking that there would be risk to damaging the trails
so... we left the knobbies and went for the skinny tire road bikes


the loop was scripted buy BBQ host Chris Danaceau 
we met up for a ten am departure from his Gaitherburg home
I of course showed up after ten holding up the crew
but we left out quickly enough... not far off from our intended departure time


the route was a good mix of country roads in Montgomery County
it is interesting for me to ride in a group and on roads with so few cars
it amazed me how infrequently we encountered any car activity
which was great... it gave me the opportunity to focus on the wheel in front of me


now... I am not going to rant about my getting dropped on the no drop ride
this "bitch" session is about the inappropriate thinking of some of the drivers around us


for the most part the cars that passed gave us plenty of space
there was one line of motorcycles that passed close enough that I could feel the heat of their engines
so much for two wheels good
but really... the guy that won the prize was the joker in his under armor gear driving the burgundy convertible


it was the tail end of our ride
the group was once again a group and we gathered one last time at a traffic circle within view of Schaffer Farm and the Germantown Soccer Plex
with just a few miles to go we set off 


pretty much single file
maybe a bike or two abreast we rode all the way to the right
for the most part cars made friendly passes
not as friendly as I would like... but I get it... they have places that they need to be
and well... we all time things such that we will arrive exactly when we NEED to be there


so we are riding along exiting the suburban neighborhood 
our bikes are in line and there is a red light ahead
a car passes to the right
this burgundy car with its driver dressed head to toe Under Armor gear


as he passes he is beeping his horn as if to clear cattle from the road
then he weaves his way in between bicycles and cars into the right hand lane
at this point he singles out one rider from the DCMTB squad
he is honking and yelling with his bumper inches from Batbayar's rear wheel


my heart rate is accelerating
I am fearing that this man may use his car as a weapon
Batbayar stays cool... but stays in his way
the car driver is demanding that he get out of his way... claiming that the cyclists are breaking the law


I maintain calm
not wanting to force this conflict into anything crazy
I just listen to the rants of this mad man and watch to be sure he does not do anything crazy
really... there were enough of us that we should have pulled him from his car and gave him a wedgie 
but that is not how we played it


we looked and listened
the rebuttal was simple...  what he is doing... what we are doing is not against the law... you do not know what you are talking about


WHAT AN ASSHOLE!


even if it were against the law... who made this man the one to administer punishment?
what a jerk! 
several hours on the bike... 60 miles logged... for the most part the car to bike encounters were positive
but this guy
this guy was a total menace and is more than likely a self righteous prick each and every day
more than likely not just towards the cyclists


it was good to just let him go
a shouting match would not have reversed his thinking


this man... like so many people should take a second to learn the law
to learn other's rights and his limitations
my guess... he made his right hand turn and went Zero to Sixty in seconds flat... never caring if the speed limit is 45MPH on this stretch of road