I got to be a big jerk this morning. I took the scenic bike route to work today, and as I was coming up around a wooded-in corner I saw a hefty old pedestrian fellow slogging along in my lane. I was going uphill so I was traveling pretty slow… but apparently not as slow as I thought.

I usually “ding” people with my bell if they’re walking dogs or they have little kids running around, but I don’t bother if I’m going slow and it looks like there’s lots of room (I make enough noise wheezing and panting). So as I stood up and took my first hard pedal to pass him, I wondered to myself “What are the odds someone’s coming around that bushy corner?”

Turns out 100%. One of those 10-speed velo-drone racer types going full-out through the woods in his full-body spandex racing outfit came whipping downhill out of nowhere. I veered back into my lane (and off the other side) and jammed on my brakes, my tires locked up and chirped loudly while I skittered up alongside the poor walking bugger who was minding his own business. I apologised profusely and he later seemed fine, but you should have seen the way he leapt off the road and dove for cover. Bad judgment call on my part. I literally only saw one bicycle on the entire ride in to work, and it was right at the moment I couldn’t see ahead in the lane. Good thing I was going slow.

Anyhow – for scaring the bejesus out of an old man this morning – I feel some Karmic Punishment coming on.

Bike picture stolen from Joe Tordiff, snarky dialog bubble by me.