Old Man, Blue Caravan

It had to happen, eventually. Things had been too easy, too pleasant up to now. So, today it finally happened.

Of couse, *it* is "getting into it with a motorist who is incapable of driving with cyclists on the road." Since I moved down here, I've been shocked at how courteous the drivers here have been towards me as a cyclist. I ride my bike to work usually 4 days a week (I get food delivered to the office on Tuesdays, so I drive that day). Nearly everyday, at some four way stop, of which there are many on my route, a driver who has the right of way will wave me through so I don't have to come to lose all my momentum.

Clearly someone would eventually ruin my streak of great conduct by being a complete asshat and it has now happened.

As I drove home today, I came to a stop at a light which has a right turn lane. As is typical, rather than in the turn lane and have traffic turn right in front of me, I stopped at very right hand side of the thru traffic lane. I then scooted my rear tire over to the left a skosh to make sure I was out of the turning lane.

Enter Old Man Blue Caravan.

Old Man Blue Caravan who was the first car waiting at the light did not like take kindly too me moving my bike ever so slightly in front of his. In fact, he disliked it so much that he felt it necessary to get out of his vehicle to accuse me of cutting in front of him. I'm not sure how what he thought was going to happen. Did he think the light would turn green and I would pull ahead of him and force him to drive at my leisurely 15km/hr home? Or I wonder if he feel slighted, as though he had earned that propitious first spot in the lane and would not have some punk cyclist stealing it away from him. Whatever the reason, after a heated debate as whether I was cutting him off or not, the light turned green and I accelerated and moved over to the right as soon as safely possible. I was rewarded for this by Old Man Blue Caravan roaring past me within mere inches of my rear wheel.

I'm happy to say that there was no accident and the rest of my ride home was uneventful. Oh, and yes, someone did wave me throw a four way when it wasn't my turn after that on my ride home. So screw you Old Man, you're the exception.