This morning it was a bit chilly, but not freezing. There was water on the road from last night's rain, but it was not raining. So I decided to take my motorcycle to work. That's what I have rain gear for, after all, and any day on two wheels is just better.
So, I decide to avoid the interstate and take Hwy 80. In Pearl, just across from the Krystal, some idiot cager in a black SUV (Ford Explorer looking) with some kind of white wings sticker on the blacked out back window just pulled casually and slowly out right in front of me. I had to brake so hard the rear wheel started coming around on my right side. The bike started going down to the left. I'm not sure what exactly I did - released the brakes, leaned to the right, kept the front wheel straight - but I got upright and straight. Then I started blowing the horn. I'm sure the idiot didn't even notice.
I was praying for a red light so I could run up, pull them out of their cage and give them a good yelling at. Unfortunately, the gods didn't see fit to grant me that. They did, however, let me pull up along side them when they turned left at Walgreen's and I went straight. I hit the horn then flipped them off as I went by. I'm sure the idiot didn't even notice.
Oh... and if you think calling a car/truck/van a 'cage' is derogatory, well... maybe. But it is also accurate. When in a car, you are surrounded by steel bars - a cage. I'd say that most car manufacturers call the passenger compartment the roll cage.
I'm borrowing a metaphor I saw on a forum - think of it as a shark cage. Divers in a shark cage feel safe even when surrounded by danger. Drivers in a car cage feel safe and therefore don't pay much attention to the dangers around them. Like the guy who just pulled out in front of me, because, hey, he's safe with all the steel around him, the airbags, seatbelts, etc.
I was very glad that I had my leather chaps on under my rain-pants. Legs would have been spared road rash. Torso not so much right now.... under the rain jacket was only my dress shirt and a t-shirt. Need a Leather Jacket or armored textile jacket.
So, I decide to avoid the interstate and take Hwy 80. In Pearl, just across from the Krystal, some idiot cager in a black SUV (Ford Explorer looking) with some kind of white wings sticker on the blacked out back window just pulled casually and slowly out right in front of me. I had to brake so hard the rear wheel started coming around on my right side. The bike started going down to the left. I'm not sure what exactly I did - released the brakes, leaned to the right, kept the front wheel straight - but I got upright and straight. Then I started blowing the horn. I'm sure the idiot didn't even notice.
I was praying for a red light so I could run up, pull them out of their cage and give them a good yelling at. Unfortunately, the gods didn't see fit to grant me that. They did, however, let me pull up along side them when they turned left at Walgreen's and I went straight. I hit the horn then flipped them off as I went by. I'm sure the idiot didn't even notice.
Oh... and if you think calling a car/truck/van a 'cage' is derogatory, well... maybe. But it is also accurate. When in a car, you are surrounded by steel bars - a cage. I'd say that most car manufacturers call the passenger compartment the roll cage.
I'm borrowing a metaphor I saw on a forum - think of it as a shark cage. Divers in a shark cage feel safe even when surrounded by danger. Drivers in a car cage feel safe and therefore don't pay much attention to the dangers around them. Like the guy who just pulled out in front of me, because, hey, he's safe with all the steel around him, the airbags, seatbelts, etc.
I was very glad that I had my leather chaps on under my rain-pants. Legs would have been spared road rash. Torso not so much right now.... under the rain jacket was only my dress shirt and a t-shirt. Need a Leather Jacket or armored textile jacket.
