45 mile per hour zone. There were several bicyclists on the road to the right of us. We drove very carefully. As we drove along, we discovered a bicyclist racing down the mountain at what appeared to be his top speed, as fast as we were. He started out to our right. We wanted to pass him safely but couldn't because every few feet he would veer into our main, not all that wide, lane in front of us. It was frightening. We had the feeling he was trying to tease us, to intimidate us, to dare us. Had we been going faster, he could have easily caused us to crash into a car coming up the mountain toward us.
We figured he was a young fool and kept our speed slow so that he could go ahead of us most of the way down. As we approached a turn-out, he suddenly slowed down and nearly RAN INTO US. Can you imagine how terrified we were? You would expect a car to run into a bike. But a bike hitting a car? It was as if he had purposely tried to pull in front of us so closely that we would have to ram him. Fortunately, we stopped just in time and let him go ahead of us. It was inches close. At the first turn-out, the first opporunity, we pulled over to the right and let three cars that were behind us pass.
My husband saw the driver of the first car that passed us give this extremely careless fool of a bike-rider a vulgar insult with his hands. We kept slow -- 33 and 35 maximum miles per hour.
I guess the bike rider met his match somewhere along the way because, as we approached the end of the road, he pulled over to the right and let us pass him. We didn't speed up. We drive an old car. And we don't want to get into accidents. Life is too precious for such foolishness. He just waited for us to pass.
But really! If you ride a bike, ride carefully. Be considerate of motorists. And if you are not riding at the maximum speed allowed, keep to the right. It is the law in our state. Don't try to claim the road. That can be deadly. Slow vehicles keep right. You may think you are going very fast, but think again.
The speed limit, I will remind everyone was 45 miles per hour. That bike never hit the speed limit. We know because we were virtually pacing it, staying as much as we could a safe distance behind it and, measured by our speedometer and a roadside sign that stated our speed, we never exceeded 33 and 35 miles per hour.
Fools who do not value their own lives should stay off bikes. Use public transportation instead. Bikes are dangerous. Please. Value your life. Don't compete with cars. Be courteous.
That bike rider should be very grateful because he had us behind him keeping faster cars from hitting him. I'm sure he doesn't see the situation that way.
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