I was riding in the bike lane approaching a bus waiting to make a
right turn. He was in my way. He was in my lane. Just standing there,
waiting for some dawdling pedestrians to cross the street. I looked over
my shoulder and swerved to go around him on the left. He started
turning then, at the same time a pickup truck came out of that side
street to make a left turn. The driver obviously had no idea I was
there, but I’d seen him, so I slowed down. I got pretty close to him,
but I don’t mind giving the right of way, because it beats being run
over.
Behind him, surprisingly, and much more dangerous than an oblivious
pedestrian, appeared an oblivious fellow cyclist going the wrong way, on
my bike lane, at regular speed. When we spotted each other we stuttered
a bit, then almost collided.
Never assume that someone very proximate isn’t just in the middle of
doing something stupid and unpredictable. And when doing something
stupid and unpredictable yourself – and we all end up doing
unpredictable, even stupid things, if only by momentary distraction,
that we’re sure we’ve really really thought through – please! Make sure
that you have.
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