I rode 35 yesterday. Granted, I did not pick the most traffic free roadway. Another officer and I (both of us on our road bikes, out of uniform, off duty) often ride together and we set out for a nice, steady recovery ride. We ride single file, most the roads are 30 mph, so we are not holding traffic up too much, we coast along at 22-25 mph. I had my one ipod bud in.
SO I am pedaling along in my zen state, pulling while my partner drafts, when a big pickup truck pulling a speedboat roars past, so close to me that the side mirror nearly grazed my ear (he had plenty of room, and it was a no passing zone, and I had no shoulder). He then pulled ahead of me and swerved so that his boat moved quickly into me. I was able to brake hard (yes, back brake) and luck was that my partner had dropped off my wheel...there was no place to go to the right and avoid a potentially disasterous wreck (and on my new bike!!!). It barely, barely missed me.
I seldom lose my temper. My patience, yes. My temper, no. But I lost it here. I yelled, loudly, with a shake of my fist, "WHAT THE F*$*K!!!" and stood up and pedaled hard. I swear, if he had had a stop sign in sight or a light, I would have caught him. I am not sure what I would have done had I caught him. At least gotten his LP, and gotten a ticket mailed to him. It would have meant going to court, but I would gladly go for it.
I have been yelled at, I have been not seen and nearly run over, I have been brake checked, but never, never, so genuinely threatened. Agh. I was so, so angry.
IDIOT.
Rant over.