Crazy PEDESTRIAN!

[Trek420]

"Question is, what could I have done to avoid this?"

probably nothing. My motto is if any car/ped can do something moronic they will. ;-) Just glad that you're ok.

"should I have wasted 15 minutes arguing with the numbskull about using the crosswalk properly, looking both ways before crossing a busy street?"

Probably not. Was it Oscar Wilde who said "I refuse to have a battle of wits with the unarmed"?

"....or even stopping to make sure his leg was OK?"

glad you did that!!

"What's the point?"

S*** happens with jay walkers all the time. At minimum they see bike and think "toy" and do not comprehend we are car speed so they plow into us.

Or these are not athletes, no spatial sense/coordination or....it's what happens when cousins marry. ;-) Sorry bout the catty remark.

=^..^=

Like Thursday ride home I turn a corner fast and a gal is jaywalking (not 10 feet from the crosswalk of course) I motion for her to stop and she keeps right on a goin', she's got a "lights on nobody home" look I took a chance and sped up but wondered cause she looks clueless. I felt bad about it but yelled as I passed "I am going 20 mph, like a car, don't jaywalk" but don't know if she heard or understood me.

Gonna muse and be philosophical here. This community is full of wise, wacky, wonderful, witty, SMART women. One of the things about being above average inteligence whether slightly like me or waaaaay above and I'd venture to say all here are "smarter than the average bear" is that most people we will encounter in life are, well, at minimum equal to or less smart than you. It's simple math.

We all do dumb things right? I drove my bike into the car port! Why did I even date my ex in the first place? Red wine with fish? Sheesh.

So we just have to watch out for the other folks. Glad you are ok.

[bikerchick68]

I'd have pepper sprayed him! Well... a girl can dream can't she???

[Trek420]

yikes, we're all getting pepper spray happy on this board.

Just my luck if I used it....wind would be going towards me and spray myself.

[yellow]

I'd have pepper sprayed him! Well... a girl can dream can't she???

BC, that's tame compared to what popped in to my head!

[bikerchick68]

trek LOL... yeah wind and pepper spray are bad...

yellow... DO TELL!

I'm on the Crisis Team with the local PD... I've seen enough not to take my safety for granted... I don't live in fear of what may happen but certainly don't want to be a "good victim" either! I carry pepper spray in my vehicle, with me on the bike and especially if I go for a power walk... that being said I DO know the laws on it's use and know I couldn't really spray the dumb pedestrian... tempting as it may be...

[Bustertb]

I went to Sports Authority and bought pepper spray that I can wrap around my wrist where it is 'ready to go' at a moments notice after I was bike riding on a rural road by myself and this guy passed me in his car googling at me. Then as I started up this steep hill a little ways up the road he was at the top waiting for me. As I was almost to the crest of the hill he asked me if I was riding alone! I thought to myself, why don't you just say, "I'm gonna beat you up (or whatever else he had in mind! ) and take your bike". So I told him no, my husband was up ahead and kept on peddling. I know God gave me the strength to crest that hill and shoot past him.

[Trek420]

Bustertb "was bike riding on a rural road by myself and this guy passed me in his car googling at me. Then as I started up this steep hill a little ways up the road he was at the top waiting for me. As I was almost to the crest of the hill he asked me if I was riding alone! I thought to myself, why don't you just say, "I'm gonna beat you up (or whatever else he had in mind! ) and take your bike". So I told him no, my husband was up ahead and kept on peddling."

Busterb, I hope you reported this to police, local bike clubs etc. Sounds serious. I'm glad you're ok. This jerk needs to be locked up somewhere.

For my 10 year service anniversary at work I get to choose a gift. Choices include: pearls, ring, watch with no HRM functions imagine that, nixed them all, picked the buck knife. I don't know what the law is on that, don't care. And yep I deeply pacifist at nature and would do everything to never use force.

[roughingit]

Bustertb "was bike riding on a rural road by myself and this guy passed me in his car googling at me. Then as I started up this steep hill a little ways up the road he was at the top waiting for me. As I was almost to the crest of the hill he asked me if I was riding alone! I thought to myself, why don't you just say, "I'm gonna beat you up (or whatever else he had in mind! ) and take your bike". So I told him no, my husband was up ahead and kept on peddling."

Busterb, I hope you reported this to police, local bike clubs etc. Sounds serious. I'm glad you're ok. This jerk needs to be locked up somewhere.

For my 10 year service anniversary at work I get to choose a gift. Choices include: pearls, ring, watch with no HRM functions imagine that, nixed them all, picked the buck knife. I don't know what the law is on that, don't care. And yep I deeply pacifist at nature and would do everything to never use force.

Buck Hunter 110? That's what I carry too, handy lil bugger! You never know how useful they are until you forget to take them with you!

[Selkie]

Reading this thread make me realize that this rudeness/self centeredness/lack of courtesy problem isn't limited to the DC metro area. The rudeness/selfishness/"it's all about ME" attitude is the norm here. Maybe it's because I come from Pittsburgh, PA, where kindness and courtesy was the rule, not the exception. At least it was in 1987 when I moved to DC strictly for employment reasons. It probably has changed, since this seems to be a national problem. I miss living in that sort of place, where people seem to care about each other.
I've had so many close calls on the "multi use" trails around here that there are days when I want to give up riding. Forget cycling on the roads, as the drivers are even worse. I have to admit that many of my fellow cyclists are at fault, as they go way too fast for the "traffic," don't warn when passing, run stop signs, cut corners, wear those insipid IPODs, etc. I actually worry more about them than I do the walkers/joggers, some of whom I see as "trail blockers" due to their refusal to get over. Anyway, there are blind corners where I actually start saying Hail Marys to protect me from any kamikazee cyclists who might cut the corner at high speed and run into me (it's almost happened several times). I think the unsafe cyclists cause a bit of "rebellion" in the walkers/joggers who end up hating all cyclists, even those of us with manners. My new tactic that seems to work is that after I warn people that I'm going to pass and they don't move, I get behind them and say "I can't see around you to pass" and I hang there, but only if I truly can't see around them or if there are walkers/joggers in the left lane. If it's clear, I will go around them. Most of the time when I'm behind them waiting for a "safe" passing situation, they get over and some have actually apologized. They don't like someone on a bike trailing them at slow speed. I always thank them for moving over, too. Kindness goes a long way, and sometimes, I'll pass or encounter them later and they will smile & wave.
I've actually had people thank me for warning them that I was going to pass because so many cylists around here won't take the time to do so.

[yellow]

yellow... DO TELL!

Oh, it was something like "that little segment o' the gene pool should be terminated immediately!" Up to you to decide how it should be stopped!

[nuthatch]

Gonna muse and be philosophical here. This community is full of wise, wacky, wonderful, witty, SMART women. One of the things about being above average inteligence whether slightly like me or waaaaay above and I'd venture to say all here are "smarter than the average bear" is that most people we will encounter in life are, well, at minimum equal to or less smart than you. It's simple math.

Now I'm gonna feel all "smartypants" all week long. Thanks, Trek! I needed that after I busted my seatpost bolt tightening it this morning.

[AutumnBreez]

What a hoot! This posting had me laughing.
I say-
People.....what idiots we can be....Animals on the sideline must be laughing at our silly human bloopers.

Loved the qoute .....
"I refuse to battle witts with the unarmed"
CLASSIC!
Actually that whole reply was on mark, and loved the clever witty wording. I tend to be sarcastic anyway, so it was fun to read. AT TE, we are- "Smarter then the average bear" SO TRUE!
By the way.....
I am also glad you are ok and not injured

[CorsairMac]

Now I'm gonna feel all "smartypants" all week long. Thanks, Trek! I needed that after I busted my seatpost bolt tightening it this morning.

Funny: smartypants wasn't what came to mind when I read you had broken your seatpost tightening the bolt....I was thinking more along the lines of Herculisa!!

[nuthatch]

Funny: smartypants wasn't what came to mind when I read you had broken your seatpost tightening the bolt....I was thinking more along the lines of Herculisa!!

It was astonishingly easy to do. I had to order a new one from REI and the mechanic said the bolt might be a bit large for the frame, causing me to tighten beyond its ability to flex. No, I haven't started my upper body workouts yet! I'm so paranoid about my steel frame getting rusted that I took everything off and hung it upside-down after it got wet on my bike carrier one day. Oh, well, it was a learning experience.

[DirtDiva]

Some stupid git stepped right in front of me today. I really, really thought that "look before you cross the road" was one of those things that was drilled into you all but in utero! There was just nowhere to go but shoulder-barging straight into him. Luckily, some combination of muscle-memory and reflexes had me well enough clear of the bike by the time I hit the ground and I got off lightly with three bruises and no damage to my dear Tass. The pedestrian was fine, but I kinda wish my foot had connected with some tender parts or other as I unclipped...