I never fully felt the feeling that everyone is trying to kill us. That is not until my last 3 rides. I live in rural area, but I commute to Philly everyday. On the way home there’s this one intersection that generally is risky because of the layout.

Here’s a picture of the intersection (link)

As you see there are 4 lanes of traffic, 2 in each direction. If you notice, the arc of the cars…they are shifting slightly to the right. What you don’t see, is that on the other side of the intersection there are 3 lanes going my direction, one turning left at the next light and 2 going straight.

Actually, the person who was driving the car, for google maps, made the same damn mistake….(link) They changed lanes in the middle of the intersection. Instead of remaining in the right lane that goes straight, they shifted in the middle of the intersection to the left lane going straight. Last night on the way home, someone did this to me, and I was pretty much lined up with their front fender…I laid on my horn and pointed over to the right lane…but the lady just looked at me and continued to cut me off, I had to brake and get behind her and then into the right lane. This was the second time this occurred to me on my bike.

Further along the way, there was another backup in traffic, to limit the number of times I have to stop and to allow a continuous flow of traffic, I just move forward in first or second gear moving. Again someone came over into my lane when I was lined up with their fender.

THEN to top it all off, a bug nails me in the neck at 55 mph!

On the way into work this bloody morning, traffic comes to a stop, I check my mirror, and see that this small pickup has changed lanes, his front end is in my lane, his rear is in the right. Apparently, this pissed off the Range Rover behind them who decided to pass the pickup on the left (turn lane) and pull in front of me (there wasn't enough space, but traffic wasn't moving. This just really boiled my blood! I hate people!

 

This is the part that had me laugh out loud ..lol ... I can just imagine you getting more and more nouty and then wham ..the bug hits you ..lol ..sorry you are having a bad day Nick ..cheer up ..you just made us all laugh :-) :-) :-)

Jules

 

Thats when you get off your bike and head butt there window with your helmet. Don't forget to scream like a MANIAC too!
Always works...


I hear you bro. I hate people when Im driving or riding. And for some reason, I get road rage pretty easy even tho I know stuff is different nowadays. Instead of yellin at each other and maybe throwing the finger around.It just gets a lot worse.

Take it easy woo. Becareful on your way to work to homie. Sounds crazy.

 

I hear you loud and clear, Woo, and on the subject of bugs at 55 mph, this is what happens when a hornet/wasp hits your helmet and goes inside your leathers..........and there I was on a freeway offramp, beating at my chest like Tarzan, in between the cars and trucks........may be funny now, it wasn't at the time........[X(][X(]

[IMG]local://upfiles/22903/7D8682DA24584548B9013FF7D7A4D2C6.jpg[/IMG]

 

lol..sounds like a bad day..i hate riding in traffic, good thing i live in the sticks!!

That hornet..lol..i can picture that now..

 

I got stung by a wasp on day riding in the countrysideand I pulled over to check things out. After I pulled ou tthe stinger from my ribs, a lady who was washing her car came over to ask if everything was all right. She insisted that I stay for tea and a sandwich with herin case I had a reaction. Nice lady...bad wasp. I reallyhate hitting those big, juicy bees that spat all over your visor. Its all green and yellow.....ick!

 

Nice, hospitable people, the Canucks - out here you'd probably have been mugged !

 

I looked pretty retarded last summer when I must have rode through a few bees. They got caught between my jacket collar and my neck. ****ing bee stung me in the neck. I'm like smashing the brakes trying to get into a driveway all the while grabbing my neck like I'm haveing some alergic reaction. Never took my gloves and helmet off so fast before or after that.

My new pet peeve is that now that gas prices are so high people seem to think they will save gas by doing 30-35 on the 35mph street that has 1 light every mile. How can one possible save gas when their car doesn't even have a chance to shift into OD.

 

I had a wasp fly into my helmet once, through the open visor. The little bugger waited patiently, buzzing and crawling around my ear, until I pulled out of traffic, came to a stop, took off my gloves and sunglasses and unstrapped my helmet. He waited to sting me until I had the helmet half off. I guess I can't blame him, he was getting squished against my ear by the helmet padding.

That was twenty years ago and I still think of it every time I open my visor while moving.

 

If you are continually having problems with a route, it may be time to find a safer way and give yourself some more time to travel if it is longer. My route to school isn't the fastest but it keeps me from crossing 5 lanes of busy traffic during rush hour and gives me stop lights/right of way at every intersection. Plan around being safe.