Tuesday, September 21, 2010

"You need to get on the F%&king Sidewalk!"

It has been a while since this type of lovely language has been directed toward me in a threatening manner. That is until last Friday as I pedaled home from work.
I was riding on a residential street. The birds were chirping, it was a lovely afternoon. My neighbors were walking their grandchild down the sidewalk.
I approached my house and passed it so I could go around the block to put my bike on the garage. I then came upon the Yield sign on the corner of Curdes. I looked left and no cars were coming so I began to pedal again only to have to swerve and slam on the breaks as a car traveling so fast down Curdes that,to make a left onto West drive, had to hug the inside corner. I stopped. Got off my bike. He slammed on the breaks and got out of his car. He was a big kid, probably 19 or so. I had my U-lock in my hand. He screamed the above quote at me to which I stated, "Sidewalks are for pedestrians, roads are for vehicles." I said that he should slow down in this neighborhood due to the fact that there is a large population of children that play here. He said that it was his neighborhood to and repeated the above stated language. I got hs plate number as he drove off. But there is nothing that can be done.
This is just one of the thousands of stories that those of us that commute by bike could and would retell if anyone would listen.
I hope that the educational and legislative portions of the Bike Fort Wayne plan attack this sentiment that we all have been feeling from the people in cars who Think that they know the rules of the road.
Be safe out there everyone.

2 comments:

John said...

You should have told him to go look up the definition of a pedestrian and a vehicle. Because a bike is classified as a vehicle, so you were on the road because "roads are for vehicles."

fwbikecommuter said...

Preach on John!
Thank you for reading.
FWBC