not everyone has gotten the memo... EVERY LANE IS A BIKE LANE!


Peter Beers.... Bicycle Ambassador 
Every Lane is a Bike Lane

Check out Peter's Shots from Around Town
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrogringo/

EVERY LANE IS A BIKE LANE!

yesterday I was riding my bicycle across town... I made a multitude of cross town rides yesterday
all short errands

each time I took similar but different routes
some of the paths I chose were less trafficked than others



on one of my returns to my house I was passing the Box Stores by the New Target
the New Target that is no longer so New
I was on Park Road... the road that I live on
as I passed Pho 14 the road was pretty congested
so I split the lanes on the right and then moved to the left and then back to the right
moving through the gaps large enough to fit my wide mountain bike handlebars

my timing was perfect
I hit the light by Sacred Heart Church and then the queued up to be the first in line to cross 16th Street
the first set of cars behind me turned left and then right
putting a Metro Bus on my tail
the engine rev-ed behind me in a threatening way

I was not sure of the intention of the bus driver... but I did feel threatened... whether or not it was his intention
the engine rev-ed and the flat front end of this massive rolling structure nipped at my rear wheel
I was riding to the right side of the lane
but there is not enough room for the bus to pass in the same lane me on my bike

then there was a gap where there were no parked cars on the left
it was a fast and furious move
the bus driver gunned it
zipped around me on the left

it was heart racing... I was not going that fast
it is true... my gearing on the single speed mountain bike is slow as a beach cruiser
even when hectically over spinning.... I do not go that fast
so I was passed

I was passed aggressively fast and aggressively close
definitely obnoxiously fast and obnoxiously close

GREAT RANDOMNESS WHEN I SCAN FOR OBNOXIOUS ON THE GWADZILLA PAGE
http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=obnoxious

well... I was passed by this Metro bus
which put me right behind the bus 
my view was obstructed
and I was breathing in the vehicle exhaust

then in less than half a block... the city bus pulled to the right to pick up or maybe drop off some passengers

his efforts put me at risk
or at least made me feel terribly uncomfortable
and for what?
maybe save his three or four seconds to get to the next Bus Stop?

what makes the bus driver think that he and his bus have a greater right to the space?
I am occupying this space
RESPECT THAT
I was within the limits of the law
I was in the lane
I was maintaining my lane


I did not enjoy that encounter... the thought of the "Worst Case Scenario" did not bring me pleasure

Worst Case Scenario
http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=worst+case