Yelling at Strangers in the Dark

This morning I am glad to be alive.  I believe that as a cyclist I have an obligation to be an ambassador of good cheer and courtesy on the road.  I ride my bike as I would drive my motor vehicle.  I obey all road signs.  I wave and acknowledge when a motorist pauses and allows me to continue first at a stop sign.  I wave and yell at kids playing in their front yards as they cheer and yell as I ride by.

This morning something special happened.  I was riding down a dark country road and just past the Tunnel of Oaks there is a farm house where a pickup truck seems to be leaving the house about the same time every morning that I leave my house.  I notice that as the truck drives down the long driveway I can see the head lights go up and down on the bumpy road in the distance through the trees as I approach where the drive intersects the road that I am riding.  The truck always slows down way before the paved road to let me pass.  I appreciate this as most times a car will speed up and gun it and I am left sucking down exhaust fumes from the car as it accelerates away.  Well today the truck slowed down as usual, but I heard the door open and a man's voice yell out "Yeah, Go Go Go!".  As I passed the truck in the dark I yelled back "Ya Hooooo!"

This is one of my finer moments in bike commuting.  When you ride the same route every day folks get use to seeing you.  You get used to seeing cars and traffic patterns   If the motorist on the road know you are there everyday they can watch out for you and know you are a sane cyclist because you have a predictable pattern.  I am glad to be alive in a world where strangers can yell out encouragement in the dark.

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2013 at 10:57 AM

    I think you should start your ride earlier and wait for that man and give him a present or something else like "keep on with that good vibe with every cyclist on the road!"

    Nice story :D

    ReplyDelete

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