Wednesday, July 18, 2007

I got a Road Rage Wrack


So here is a cycling story that I still feel a little guilty about. Not.

I was in my car, on my way home, stuck in traffic and on Ladue Road going south just under 270. I was in the left lane that, which I assumed was the left turn lane. I was going to be continuing straight so I jumped over to the right lane, only to find that I had abandoned the correct lane and now had to merge left as my lane was ending. I put on my blinker and looked in my rear view mirror to find my way back to where I was. There was a gap and I began to merge. Well, you know the story, this guy didn't like that fact that I was going to merge, and gunned it so I couldn't complete it, like a redneck POS, shameless A-hole, he felt it his obligatory response to keep me from merging. He cast his stone first.


There was really no reason not to let me in other than he thought it was his duty to discipline me, keep me from having it that easy, punish me for thinking that I would have a smooth transition. It might have appeared that I was cutting in line, just the opposite; I had made a mistake by changing lanes in the first place.

So normally I would have pushed my way in and freaked him out by “near missing him” but he was road raging and I backed off a bit it. I rolled down my window and said: "Hey, are we in Argentina", because the last time I saw such disregard for fellow drivers, I was there. If you take a lane in Buenos Aires you pay for it with a honk, gesture, every time you turn the wheel or give it some gas. It is customary.

He looked at me kind of funny. And said: “Yeah, well why you don’t just make me".

“Brahahahahahahaha” was all I could come up with.

Was he serious? Make him do what? Indulge on Dos Elche? Hike into Patagonia?

I was appalled. Not at the implication but at the lack of attempt to respond with anything better than "Wanna make me"?

It was then that I saw a bicycle wrack on the back of his SUV with a Specialized S-Works Mountain bike hanging from the rear. I noticed several things right off the bat. First, it was a rear mounted bike wrack, not nearly as pure “style wise” as a roof mount. He also had a lock and cable dangling from the receiver hitch, a clear violation of manor. Not to mention that it was a Saris. The bike was a 03-04 26 inch, a little over as far as I am concerned, padded seat, yech.

I followed him up to the next light where I was turning left. And rolled down my window again. I said: Dude, your bike sucks and I will shred your legs when you are ready”.


He says, “yeah, but you...you shouldn't cut in line”. Sigh, again, totally lame response from said puke.

So dude, please, do yourself a favor, get your ass on my blog and let me know when you want to ride. No fists, no cussing, just a little fun watching you gasp for air. You will see things my way. You are much younger, much more aggressive in your thought process, apparently. You need to chill out. Get beyond whatever it is you feel is wrong in this world. At the very least, understand that your rebuttals are way cliche. Disappointing.

I won’t make fun of you, even though I know that your kit is a club fit.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ralph your lucky on that one, the last time someone said something to me following a "road dispute" we just got out and fought.

Shame was I was a college freshman, where that behavior is somewhat expected. Yet he was a white collar businessman.

I think the young ones are only more volatile, and not really out for a debate.