Taking the Burke Gilman trail to work, I often get the block by pedestrians trying to cross at the crosswalks. They stand in front of my bike and get in my way so that I have to maneuver around them when the light turns green, apparently unaware that cyclists are faster than them. Not a big problem since there is usually plenty of maneuvering room. And I am partly to blame since I don't like positioning my bike right at the edge of the street given how easy it would be to accidentally slide into traffic.
But tonight the Montlake Bridge was up. I placed myself just behind the cyclist in front of me who was right at the gate. Beyond the gate is a hundred yards of narrow sidewalk on the bridge, on which it is often difficult to pass people who don't keep to one side. While the bridge was up, pedestrians gathered around me. I was ready to bolt when the gate opened again, but two of them moved right in front of me, including a woman blabbing on her cel who seemed to be unable to determine that the cyclist who was in front of her 1 second ago will be catching up to her in 1 second. They walked abreast, blocking my way, for some time before I was able to weave between them.
When you know a cyclist is going to smoke you in 2 seconds, why do you bother pushing your way in front of them? Are you really that clueless to your surroundings?
I suspect these are the same folks that talk non-stop on their cel phones or putting on makeup while driving, in their own little bubble and completely unaware of what's going on around them.
I need to start carrying a "pedestrian beatdown stick"!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Yeah the 'bubble babblers' suck. Many people are ignorant of what goes on around them, unaware that they must interface with the workd. We can only hope that a large smoke-belching diesel human transportation device will take them out, being driven of course by one of their own kind.
Post a Comment