Bike Bitch

[liveonearth]

I rode my bike to school today. It is a lovely sunny pleasant day, and I left hours early and took it easy on the ride. In Lake Oswego I must ride in the road for about 12 blocks because there is no bike lane and the sidewalk is nearly impassable with posts and benches and signs. I was cruising about 1/3 of the lane out from the curb to miss all the gutters, when this old lady in a shiny new black cadillac crept up on me. I didn't realize how close she was until her rear view mirror hit my handlebar. I wobbled but regained my balance, and shouted at her "I can't believe you did that". After that I rode in the MIDDLE of the lane until I was out of the rich old people zone.

It took me a full hour to ride in this morning. I wasn't pushing as hard as I did the other day when I made it in 47 minutes. And there was a headwind. So I think an hour is a good estimate for my biking time.

I have an hour and a half before classes start. I'm going to see about indoor bike storage and visit the book store. This is my first opportunity to simply loiter about the school.

Comments

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

Oh, GEEZ. I'm glad you are OK. Friggin' idiots on the road!

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

I think she was just rich and felt entitled to the entire lane without bikes in her way--a repugnican probably......soon as I can locate it I am going to carry something on my bike rack that sticks out and scapes the shit out of the next car that comes that close.

stayin' alive, stayin' alive...

[xplorher.livejournal.com]

aw aw aw aw stayin' aliiiiiiiive!
(you know the disco tune! c'mon! sing along!)
hi T!
hope you're wearing a helmet and gloves..and those old bats keep away from you on the road!
I am back online for bits...and it was good to read about your new adventures...
I am facing the fact that I am getting one or two knee operations comin' up soon.
I'll tell you about it on the phone sometime.
remember we have free verizon minutes..so whenever you have time and wanna chat..give a call eh?
I'm going back to work for a coupla weeks to finish out the season..light duty style.
Just took 3 weeks off..gobbled up my sick/annual leave...so now I'll go back to make some easy $$..but am mostly in cell range.. toddlooo!

Re: stayin' alive, stayin' alive...

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

What do you mean---TWO knees? ARGH. Hang in there sista. I do wear a helmet but not gloves. What I need is a SPIKE sticking out toward the road to keep the old bats from getting too close. Put a little flag on it. Threaten their paint jobs. Yeah.

Re: stayin' alive, stayin' alive...

[xplorher.livejournal.com]

please please please wear gloves too...cuz I know how sucky it is to fall on pavement w/out them. it's reallllllly sucky. protect yo'self sistah!

Re: stayin' alive, stayin' alive...

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

I have gloves, will use them .... when I damn well feel like it! Ie: when it gets cool enough that I'm not biking damn near naked. =-]

stripes and spikes

[xplorher.livejournal.com]

yea! lots of spikes!!!
and spots and stripes!

Re: stripes and spikes

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

OOooooooooh you remind me of Ani----I got stripes and I got spots too!!! I haven't found my spikes yet.....gotta visit the bike store and see what they've got. In the basement there is lumber with nails sticking out. It would work but it's heavy....

Ani

[xplorher.livejournal.com]

hey grrrl, yes, I was quoting Ani. :o)
on my way to work yesterday I had a brush with death. some jackass veered into my lane and was driving about 50mph head on with my truck! it was a shiny new maroon trans-am..the driver was a large clean cut native american..with both his hands on the wheel..as if it were an intentional act of insanity. I ran off the road and cried...but am alive!!

intentional insanity

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry that you were tormented yesterday! I also have been run off the road in what seemed to be an intentional manner. It makes me wonder.

intentional insanity

[xplorher.livejournal.com]

and now OWCP denied my claim! (for knee surgury)I'm going over the edge!

Re: intentional insanity

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Don't give up, and don't burn any bridges. Those fuckers always deny the claim at first. Get a lawyer. =-] And keep that edge in sight, even if you go past it for a while. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

It's not safe to ride a bike on streets that are filled with oblivious and self righteous drivers....but safety is not the main thing I seek in life, so I do it anyway. I'm sorry your friend got bruised.