I just got flipped off!

Nobody reading this needs me to explain just how much of a cyclist I am. It's pretty evident that I'm into it, just look at my choice of photo for my profile. And as such I'm the type of guy who will stand up for the rights of cyclists. This normally seems to occur in my simply taking my allowed space on the road. I try to set a good example and show motorists that it's easy to coexist with cyclists. Of course I have been flipped off, yelled at and for some unknown reason (mostly in Alberta) I've been called a fag by motorists. The funny part about that is that the motorists calling me a fag a probably football fans. You tell me, which is more homoerotic:












Anyway there are however times when I'm not in favour of what I see cyclists doing. There are some real morons out there that almost seem to go out of their way to piss off people who aren't on bikes. And since these people probably don't ride as much or as extensively as I do they are less likely to feel the repercussions of their actions. Whereas I may have to deal with the irate motorist the next time he sees one of those "damn idiots riding a toy in the streets".

Recently I have had issue with a number of cyclists around the university area. The walk to campus takes me along a rather heavily used bicycle route. Part of the reason it's frequented by cyclists is the path that is next to the driving lane and separate from the sidewalk. Thus giving everyone ample space to get to where they need in safety. So when I see someone riding a bicycle on the sidewalk I tell them that there is a bike path for them to ride on.

Well this morning as I was walking in I noticed a cyclist coming up behind me as I walked under the train bridge. As he passed I said to him that "There's a bike path". But I got no response. I mean he didn't even look at me, react or anything. So this kind of pissed me off. I know it's irrational but I can't stand it when someone on a bike takes this better than me attitude when I'm not on my bike. Because let's face it, if it came down to any level of riding skills/strengths I would crush these college commuters. Hell this dope didn't even have a helmet on. And it's not like the could claim it was to prevent it messing up his hair because he was wearing a baseball cap...sorry about the little rant, I just have this thing about people not wearing bicycle helmets. Anyway after not getting a response from him I decided that maybe he needed to have this message reinforced a little. So ass he rode away (slowly I might add) I shouted to him "Hey! There is a bike path for bikes!". Well at least this time I got a response, he didn't look back but he did flip me off.

What can I say, some people are just asses. So remember, if you are pissed off by cyclists, look closely at them. The ones you are pissed at are probably the idiots riding in jeans and a baseball hat not the flamingly gay guys in bright spandex, shaved legs and wearing helmets.