You've seen the the people I'm talking about; the idiots who feel the need to drive while talking animatedly on the phone, or who are trying to eat. Women who put on makeup, men who shave. I've seen both in the last week. Nothing irritates me more than idiots in the driver's seat.
Yesterday, however, I was the idiot.
I'm not sure where my head got off to, but it certainly wasn't on my shoulders as I was heading home. As the weather has been absolutely gorgeous here the past week, I've been riding the bike to work every day. As a motorcyclist in an urban environment, I am very attentive when driving. I watch everyone and everything, constantly. It's the only way you can survive the blacktop chaos that is rush hour in these parts.
Yesterday was not my day though. Coming out of the parking lot at work, I got annoyed at the line trying to get out, and cut through the line of cars and then cut some poor lady off as she was making a right. After realizing that, I told myself to knock it off, and just drive.
Then as I was heading up Rt. 28, I found myself in the type of situation I usually try to avoid. I was in the center lane with an SUV on the left of me, and one on the right. And there I was, like an idiot, coasting along right in their blind spots. The SUV on the left made to turn into the center lane, and I goosed the throttle, not only getting ahead of them, but making the pipes rap a bit so she knew I was there. After I was in front of her, I just shook my head in a kind of "Geez yer dumb" way.
But it wasn't all her fault. Yes, she should've looked over her shoulder to check, but what the hell was I doing sitting there in the first place? I know better than that. So the "Geez yer dumb" shake of the head was repeated, this time aimed at myself.
I made sure I paid extra attention on the way to work this morning. It's stupid stuff like that that will get a motorcyclist killed, so all senses were at 100% this morning. I got my comeuppance though: I had an asshole in a BMW cut me off, missing my front fender by about 2 feet. I gave him a justified "Geez yer dumb" shake of the head this time.
So to all those riding the cycle today, be careful out there. And to those of you in cages....you be careful too!