Yesterday, Family Day, February 15, 2010, I went for a little ride, here is the route.
I want something explained to me, what is a shared use lane? Because on Scarlett road near the Humber River there is a sign, that states that the right lane is a shared use lane. Is a shared use lane a place where the city cannot afford to paint a white line for a bike lane but the road is wide enough anyway? I am sorry if my tone sounds frustrated but even in broad daylight, Scarlett road is terrifying. I was rolling down the hill at over 50km/h and hit some rough patches and all I could think of was The Eagle, too scared to ride alone on the decents would always wait for the rest of the Pelaton before going down the hill. I really wish the city could afford some road repairs.
Riding in the Winter, on dry roads, presents some interesting sights. For example, the Humber River at Bloor was snow covered, I was hammering just as fast as I could, there was a steep hill climb coming, but I couldn't help but steal a quick glance at the white blanket between the lush Evergreen trees over my right shoulder.
Really I shouldn't complain, in sub zero weather I burned through almost 80km at an average of over 27 km/h, consumed over 3000 calories and still hurt a day later. The truth was Monday was a good day for a ride, the auto traffic was relatively light. The temperature, almost tolerable.
Despite what really was a good ride I managed to come up with a list of the three most dangerous or otherwise ill conceived things the car drivers did on the near empty roads:
3. I guess because the previous day was Valentine's day some people see red and their thoughts turn to matters of love. I saw red and wiggled my toes to warm them up. In front of me was a guy who almost missed his advance green, I was making a left and was stuck behind him. I got fed up with waiting in the cold and rode around him. Our protagonist, finally pulled away from his sweetest to drive and found himself stuck behind me. He honked when I forced him to drive (at the posted speed limit) behind me. Frankly I'm of the opinion that people should stop making out while driving and concentrate on the road, his wife wasn't too happy at being stuck behind a cyclist either, she yelled something pretty rude at me.
2. Another young man honked at me, and yelled, while I was in the bike lane. Personally I ride as far from parked cars and door prizes as possible. If a driver needs both the car lane and a bike lane, should they be operating a moving vehicle on our highways? Anyway this honking adventure was probably not wise given that we were one city block from 22 Division.
But the winner of the Ignorant Driver award for Family Day is worse than both our intersection lover and honking big behemoth, combined! The ignorant driver of the day has to go to:
1. A parked car in a no stopping zone and a bike lane, with a baby on board rear window sticker. So I am to drive safely when around them but they can endanger me any time they want? I must remember to drive drive like a reckless lunatic the next time I see a Baby On Board sticker. (Too bad I don't drive much anymore.)
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