Bedrock & Paradox

I dream of a hard and brutal mysticism in which the naked self merges with a non-human world and yet somehow survives still intact, individual, separate. Paradox and bedrock.

Wear your helmet

And not just if you’re doing bunch sprints. On the way home yesterday afternoon I had two asshole driver encounters in the space of a kilometer; the first a suburban passing me six inches to my left on Higgins just south of the bridge (the bike lane disappears so I take the whole lane, which tests some folks’ patience it would seem), the second at the Higgins roundabout where a black Tranam tried to come around me in the roundabout, twice. (Again, the bike lane disappears 30′ before the roundabout so I take the whole lane.) Summertime, the living is easy, locals antsy, and the tourists clueless.

DaveC

4 responses to “Wear your helmet”

  1. Vito Avatar
    Vito

    I'm just wondering about why you would decide to take "the whole" lane and not just move to right as far as safety deems.In Minnesota we are required to ride over the right so as not to impede traffic.I'm just curious and not being judgmental. Believe me I've had my share of encounters with asshole drivers and some recent deaths have left me a bit gun shy. Stay safe!

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  2. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    Vito,For several reasons:In both cases loads of cars are parked on the side of the street, and I refuse to ride close enough to get doored. Given that this almost puts me in the middle of the lane anyway, I might as well ride right in the middle.In the first instance mentioned each direction has two lanes, but two blocks south of where I was when the SUV zoomed past the lanes split and my road in the centermost lane staying straight. If you ride to the side you risk putting two lanes of traffic between you and where you need to merge, and then you have to stop and start again, the subsequent lack of momentum in my mind making the cyclist a less predictable thing for cars. My rule is when in doubt, act like a car, which is the second reason. I may be a bit slower than cars might like upon occasion, but I try to move in ways drivers will find familiar and predictable, which is safer for everyone.Normally Missoula drivers are the nicest to cyclist I've ever seen (except maybe Portland, OR), which more than anything is why those two incidences stand out.

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  3. Enel Avatar
    Enel

    Good reasoning Dave and I agree.I doubt your helmet will do you a lot of good if an SUV hits you though:)

    Reply
  4. Vito Avatar
    Vito

    Good enough for me. I do the same when riding main street here. (no bike lanes)

    Reply

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