Now, for those of you who are not familiar with the beautiful city known as Austin, Texas or the "Live Music Capital of the World," there is a big push by the trendy hipsters, err... the former hippies, err... the citizens of Austin to promote the use of bicycles. So, if one is a student at the University of Texas or a techie who works downtown, there are many opportunities to be able to get to and fro on a bicycle.
I am all for cutting down on pollution and helping the environment, but there is something that I am not all for. And that something are the bicyclists who just breeze through a stop sign, and even red lights, without a care in the world. As a driver, there is a care in my world when I don't want to accidentally kill or run over one of these buffoons on a bicycle!
If someone chooses to help the environment, doesn't safety and preservation of human life fall within that realm as well? I mean, it can't be helpful or peaceful when a 1,500 pound cage of steel impacts "aluminum on wheels." Better yet, doesn't a bicyclist get a better leg workout if they have to stop and then start again? I would think so.
I wonder if bicyclists who run red lights and stop signs are a glimpse of what our society is slowly becoming. That being a society which is more lazy and self-centered. I can hear the thoughts of a bicyclist now,
"Hmmm...Stop sign. Well, I could stop. But I have to be to class in 5 minutes because I woke up late because I spent all night partying (or playing World of Warcraft) and I just really don't think the rules of the road apply to me. Oh, there are cars at the intersection but I know they see me, so f*** them. I am going because I don't need to stop..."
Well Mr. or Ms. Bicyclist, I hope you are right. I hope those cars at the intersection do see you!
And then...
I know! Most of them are nuts. I hate to stereotype, but there are enough ignoring the rules of the road that I am always looking for them. I almost flattened two of them at the same time a couple months ago. Would have been their fault, but I don't want it on my conscience regardless. I was driving north on Guadalupe, sitting at a red light to turn onto 30th (in front of CVS). I'm the 2nd car in line and the car in front is going straight so I can't turn right on red. I've got my blinker on. As the light turns green I can see in my side view a bike coming up the shoulder fast. I get to the intersection to make my turn before he does and start to turn the wheel, but luckily I'm watching him and realize he's just going to slam into the side of my car. I stop and yell out the passenger window at him and he suddenly realizes what almost happened. So he veers right and into another bicyclist who is also disobeying the rules of the road. This one's riding on the sidewalk and was going to do the same thing - shoot across the intersection without looking for cars turning. They both go flying over their handlebars and land in a pile on the road. I shake my head at them and slowly make my turn around the two morons who have just had a bad day, but not nearly as bad as if the accident they just had, had been with my VW.
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