Bike rage is getting to be a common thing. One thing I talk about when teaching the Traffic Skills or Commuter classes is road rage, and how to deal with it when it happens to you or to a riding buddy. I stress keeping your cool, and not letting someone else's irrational anger ruin your ride, or your day. Life's way too short for that sort of foolishness.

A little parable that a fellow LCI share with me a few weeks back has stuck with me, and is probably a good thing to pass on...

The Law of the Garbage Truck
One day, I hopped into a taxi and took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when, suddenly, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. *My taxi driver slammed the brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! *The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. *My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. *I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" *This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
He explained, "Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. *NEVER take it personally. *Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on with the routine life." *Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets.

And when you wave at folks, use all five fingers, and not just the middle one...

Tom