Biker Rude

[Satzaroo]

Usually, I am courteous to other people, except when I am venting in anonymous online forums. But last week while I was riding my bike, I made a smart-ass remark to a fellow biker. A bit of background: I don't ride my bike for pleasure: I use it for strenuous exercise on Sunday when the fitness center is closed. I always pedal tenaciously—I don't allow myself to slow down or coast downhill. Stop signs don't deter me; I look both ways and then scoot around them. I do defer to cars; but when I sense that anyone (whether on foot or on a bike) might get in my way, I blow my new loud horn so that I can safely zip by them. Last week, as I started on my route, I noticed a biker slowly moving along on one side of the road. Afraid that he might move to the right as I was preparing to zip past him, I fiercely squeezed my trusty horn twice. The man turned around as if petrified, saw me coming, and blurted out that I had startled him. Just as I was going triumphantly past him, I bellowed: "I guess my horn works pretty well, doesn't it?" Normally, I would have apologized for the unease that I had caused him. But that day, I was more concerned with my own needs than his comfort. Later near the end of my workout, I spied him again, going in the opposite direction. I could have then stopped to make amends, but that effort would have interfered with my regimen. I hope that I can regain my humanity the next time I ride my bike—as long as I can, of course, keep on pedaling like a marathon wannabe.

[MN Dave]

Stop means stop. 

We pass on the left where I'm from. We say, "On your left" and zip around.

I was walking with my wife on the path one day and some biker kept saying "on your left" and "earth to people" and I was thinking, yeah, what's your point? Go around already. He obviously expected us to leap off the path when he said those things. Uh-uh. Wasn't gonna happen. We gave him an earful as he cycled away.

[MN Dave]

Oh, and just like turn signals on cars, beeping your horn doesn't help if you do it at the last second.

[Scarpia]

Usually, I am courteous to other people, except when I am venting in anonymous online forums. But last week while I was riding my bike, I made a smart-a*s*s remark to a fellow biker. A bit of background: I don't ride my bike for pleasure: I use it for strenuous exercise on Sunday when the fitness center is closed. I always pedal tenaciously—I don't allow myself to slow down or coast downhill. Stop signs don't deter me; I look both ways and then scoot around them. I do defer to cars; but when I sense that anyone (whether on foot or on a bike) might get in my way, I blow my new loud horn so that I can safely zip by them. Last week, as I started on my route, I noticed a biker slowly moving along on one side of the road. Afraid that he might move to the right as I was preparing to zip past him, I fiercely squeezed my trusty horn twice. The man turned around as if petrified, saw me coming, and blurted out that I had startled him. Just as I was going triumphantly past him, I bellowed: "I guess my horn works pretty well, doesn't it?" Normally, I would have apologized for the unease that I had caused him. But that day, I was more concerned with my own needs than his comfort. Later near the end of my workout, I spied him again, going in the opposite direction. I could have then stopped to make amends, but that effort would have interfered with my regimen. I hope that I can regain my humanity the next time I ride my bike—as long as I can, of course, keep on pedaling like a marathon wannabe.

With that behavior you'll end up splattered on the pavement someday.  Natural selection in action.

[Scarpia]

Based on your recent post to the forum, I can only assume the worst has come to pass, you went over the handle bars, and are currently recuperating from brain trauma.   

[Josquin des Prez]

Satzaroo cannot into Jewish humor.

[CD]

Speech is usually the preferred method of communication in the real world.

[snyprrr]

Satzaroo cannot into Jewish humor.

??

[knight66]

??

What's the matter?  Are you not a sufficient genius to understand that already? 

Mike

[Mirror Image]

Usually, I am courteous to other people, except when I am venting in anonymous online forums. But last week while I was riding my bike, I made a smart-ass remark to a fellow biker. A bit of background: I don't ride my bike for pleasure: I use it for strenuous exercise on Sunday when the fitness center is closed. I always pedal tenaciously—I don't allow myself to slow down or coast downhill. Stop signs don't deter me; I look both ways and then scoot around them. I do defer to cars; but when I sense that anyone (whether on foot or on a bike) might get in my way, I blow my new loud horn so that I can safely zip by them. Last week, as I started on my route, I noticed a biker slowly moving along on one side of the road. Afraid that he might move to the right as I was preparing to zip past him, I fiercely squeezed my trusty horn twice. The man turned around as if petrified, saw me coming, and blurted out that I had startled him. Just as I was going triumphantly past him, I bellowed: "I guess my horn works pretty well, doesn't it?" Normally, I would have apologized for the unease that I had caused him. But that day, I was more concerned with my own needs than his comfort. Later near the end of my workout, I spied him again, going in the opposite direction. I could have then stopped to make amends, but that effort would have interfered with my regimen. I hope that I can regain my humanity the next time I ride my bike—as long as I can, of course, keep on pedaling like a marathon wannabe.

You're very lucky you didn't get that horn wrapped around your head. You bikers think you own the roads or at least the sidewalks. Perhaps next time, you won't be so lucky.

By the way, making smart ass remarks to strangers isn't a wise thing to do. As Scarpia said, I'm surprised you're not one with the pavement by now.

[snyprrr]

What's the matter?  Are you not a sufficient genius to understand that already? 

Mike

LOL!

[Bulldog]

You're very lucky you didn't get that horn wrapped around your head. You bikers think you own the roads or at least the sidewalks. Perhaps next time, you won't be so lucky.

By the way, making smart ass remarks to strangers isn't a wise thing to do. As Scarpia said, I'm surprised you're not one with the pavement by now.

I'm confident that Satzaroo is a much more cautious bike rider than his posting might indicate.

[CD]

You bikers think you own the roads or at least the sidewalks.

I bike more or less out of necessity, but in my city it's illegal to bike on the sidewalk — and it would be an egregious mistake to say that cars do not own the world road.

[Satzaroo]

Mike can into Christian distemper.

[Mirror Image]

I bike more or less out of necessity, but in my city it's illegal to bike on the sidewalk — and it would be an egregious mistake to say that cars do not own the world road.

I was just joking around when I said "You bikers..." There aren't that many bikers around where I live and the ones do ride usually go to one of the parks. I hardly ever have any problems from bikers.

[CD]

That's what's terrible about internet discourse — you read snarkiness into posts by otherwise nice people. No harm done.

[Mirror Image]

I'm confident that Satzaroo is a much more cautious bike rider than his posting might indicate.

I hope so!

[Scarpia]

I'm confident that Satzaroo is a much more cautious bike rider than his posting might indicate.

I'm starting to think the Satzaroo has a dissociative disorder.

[Satzaroo]

Psychobabble is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

[Scarpia]

Psychobabble is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

What about just babble?