Abusive "Cyclist" On Morning Ride Rant

So, headed out early this morning for a nice, easy 30 miler. Still dark, nobody out. Post-apocalyptic traffic situation. Sitting at a red light with a lone car to my left, waiting for it to turn. Suddenly, to my right, a "cyclist" cruises past me doing maybe 13 mph. As he blows through the light with absolutely zero hesitation whatsoever, he says rather loudly to me the rather unfriendly and socially inappropriate word for a human backside that begins with a and ends with e. Now, there is absolutely no traffic, given the viral situation and early hour, but this light is at a very busy and dangerous intersection and it is one I would never, ever run under any circumstances. But it is a pretty long one.



So, I had a moment to consider the rather shocking experience I had just been subjected to on my happy, pleasant little morning ride. And as I did, I became more and more angry. I am constitutionally exceedingly patient. I am virtually never angry about anything. Just does not hardly ever happen. Like, ever. I tend to live in acceptance most of the time. I have to, given my health situation.



Not today. Today, I decided, you know what--no, you don't get to blow through a red light with no taillight and no helmet and call me an a*****e. Not occurring today.



I waited for the light to change. It took forever. Finally, it did. He was way, way out in front of me. Maybe going more like 15 mph, actually. I took off. He stayed on the same normally very busy street and continued blowing through red light after red light. I took a left and rode along the waterfront where there are no lights and no people, due to the apocalypse. Finally caught up to him and asked him why he felt it necessary to call me an a*****e while I was trying to have a nice, pleasant, law-abiding ride. He said nothing. I asked again. We were both heading for the same bridge, as it turned out. I let him go on, thinking it was over. Then, twenty yards ahead of me, he started berating me again. More name-calling.



Was just not having it this morning. Caught up again and told him he was the reason people despise cyclists so much. That he had violated the law about ten times in the seven remarkably unpleasant minutes I had known him. That he had no freaking right to be calling other riders names and ruining their rides. Etc., etc. He called me a psycho. I did not appreciate that very much. Then, I told him what I really thought. I think there was some colorful language employed.



I watched him blow through another insanely dangerous intersection and went on about my own ride. Took maybe another three miles to calm down. So unusual for me to let someone rile me up like this. Just never happens. But you know what, I just wasn't having it this morning. These punks give us all a bad name. It's no wonder non-cyclists sometimes have such a negative take on us as a group.



I decided I would enjoy the rest of my fifteen miles. I said good morning to every single cyclist and runner I encountered on the way back. Every one of them replied in a friendly and cheerful tone. All of them. Most folks around here are pretty pleasant most of the time, as it turns out.



I know not to engage with people like this guy. I do. But something was different this morning. This moron had no right to run around spewing venom on citizens. So, I told him what I thought. And you know what? It felt pretty darn good...