Ever had weird things thrown @ you...

[run it, ride it]

When I lived in a small tourist town and rode my horse along a short stretch of road to get to the fields, people would throw beer bottles at us, swerve their cars toward us, sneak up behind and lay on the horn, sidle right up beside us and try to touch the horse, etc.

Deliberately trying to spook a horse, believe it or not, is still illegal under the highway traffic act. Horses also still have right of way on all but major thoroughfares. When you see one it is courtesy to slow down and move into the opposite lane if possible. Most people don't know that. I don't expect them to--I make sure my horse can handle traffic before I take him out. But c'mon, THROWING something at a HORSE?!

These people have no idea how the animal will react. I think they just want to see what will happen. It's the same thing when they throw objects at a cyclists: hey, what will the cyclist do? We can outrun her so it's safe! The difference is that the cyclist is a slightly more rational animal with a better concept of traffic than the horse.

After those experiences, whatever happens on the bike seems tame in comparison. I've had a few drunkards throw beer cans and food (and miss), the usual horn blasts and cat calls, middle fingers, "let's race!" getting spit on, etc. The worst thing that can happen is a fall from just a foot above the pavement--not a buck ten feet in the air onto pavemet! A bike won't spook and run straight out into traffic or take off with you, either. And if the bike gets hit by a car, you just get a new one. The horse? We're still managing injuries from a road accident that happened years ago (no vehicles involved. Freak accident).

Also two weeks ago I was running on the road and some crazy middle-aged woman swerved her SUV onto the shoulder as if she was going to hit me, then swerved back at the last second. She got the WTF?!?! arms and a solid middle finger. Too bad I missed her plates!

Usually I'm disgusted/pissed off/frustrated for a few seconds, then just laugh.