In Search of Mister 19D

I went for a quick 30 mile ride this evening and I ran across a person that I just have to find.  I'm not sure if I will be able to sleep until I do -- I feel THAT bad about what happened.  Please allow me to explain and help me find this outstanding citizen of Clay County South Dakota.

Crossing the Hwy 19/50 interchange heading north of Polaris, I looked back in my mirror and noticed a truck crossing the intersection.  I first feel I must apologize to the driver as even though he was probably an 1/8 of a mile or more away, I was on his road.  Quickly I realized the error of my ways and I moved over onto the inside of the wide shoulder, on the other side of the white line and corresponding rumble strips.  Even though there was a little gravel where I was at, going over further would have proven more dangerous.

You came up slowly in my mirror, and even though there was nobody coming in the other direction, you chose to stay inside of your lane, seemingly as close to the white line as possible, maybe yourself worried that crossing that center line may be seen as suspicious behavior should an officer be anywhere near.  I must say you approached carefully and slowly.

As you pulled up next to me, I looked over and gave you a nod.  You passed me ever so slowly, which I have to tell you was a pleasant surprise as I rolled along around 20mph on a 65mph road.  Apparently it was at this point your foot must have accidentally slipped and stomped on the gas pedal causing your diesel truck to spew out a dark cloud of pollution in my face.  It was then I realized that something was wrong!  I don't think enough pollution was coming out of your truck!  I'm very worried for your health as I really believe that something is wrong with your exhaust.  Something must be clogging it up.

This clogging is potentially life threatening and I was trying immediately to figure out the best way to get your attention through the cloud you left behind.  As I raised my hand to get your attention, I thought at the same time that I should get your license plate number so I could trace you down, but I was only able to get the first three numbers of the plate:  19D.  Through the cloud of emissions and my sunglasses, I believe it was a maroon truck along with your extra wide mirrors which mean that you must pull something on occasion. 

It was then that I realized that my hand that was raised must have had a bad cramp as only my thumb and middle finger were extended.  I thought back to my childhood and remembered my parents telling me that combination of fingers meant something really bad.  You must have noticed that also as you slowed down again.  Finally all my fingers came up and I motioned for you to come on back so I could apologize for my completely legal and safe cycling that caused you to feel uncomfortable.

Apparently you misunderstood my attempts and you sped away.  I was hoping that you maybe lived on the Bluff Road as that is the way I was going to be going and I may be able to find you again, but alas, you went North on Hwy 19 past the turn.  Luckily for me, Clay County is fairly small so I hope that somebody out there may help me identify you so that I may sit down and apologize for all the things that I didn't do wrong.

I really feel that without sitting down and discussing this man to man, not only will this misunderstanding stand in the way of a potential beautiful friendship, but I will wonder if the potential blocked exhaust is slowly filling your truck, slowly killing your few precious brain cells.  So please, if you are reading this, or if a person who knows you is reading this, contact me soon so I can sleep without the guilt of wondering if you are okay.  Sleep will most certainly elude my guilty conscious until you do.

Mr 19D xxx, please allow me the opportunity to talk with you.  You seem like such an important man in your big diesel truck.  Surely you will give this puny bicyclist the opportunity to right this wrong face to face. 

A Father's Advice

"Always expect the other vehicle to do the stupidest thing possible and you will always be safe." - Cecil W. Brady, Jr.

My Dad didn't always have much in the way of worldly advice, however I do remember a few dirty jokes, and a few 'songs' that shouldn't be repeated. Ever. However, the advice above has always been with me. I can't tell you the number of times that it has saved me an accident both in a vehicle and on the bicycle.

One place that I've always felt pretty safe is stop lights. If there is a place that I have always scanned with my peripheral vision quickly and merrily went on my way, it's a stop light. Enter yesterday at noon.

I was on my way to the Dakota Dome for my cycling workout. There is a new stop light by the Law School (Rose St.) that is a nice addition, because at noon it can be a bear getting across Cherry St. and it's not as busy a light from the North/South as Dakota St. -- hence, it's a great light for bicycles.

As I dropped off the side walk between the Business School and the Law School the light changed. That gives me all of about ten seconds to get across the street before it changes. I put the hammer down as the countdown commenced: 10....9.....8....7....6....5....Awesome! Going to make it with plenty of time! As I focused on the countdown and I was zipping across Cherry St., out of the corner of my eye I see a Blue Minivan type vehicle - newer style - coming WAY too fast. Yep, it's not stopping. I'm going to get thumped. I swerved as far to the left as I could (thank goodness no car was coming towards me) as the driver FINALLY noticed me and locked it up.

I would LOVE to report to you the license plate that I've become so famous for calling out, but I was so close to the van all I could see was a guy in his uniform (Army? ROTC?) and beret in the passenger seat. Far too close to SEE the license plate. I got a quick glance back at the driver and it appeared that he was on a cell phone (SHOCKING!) but I couldn't confirm that as I was too busy being amazed that I didn't get hit.

I should have stopped, but my adrenaline was on high and I just pedaled on. I did look back and hold my arm out in a "What the heck was you thinking?" motion. The van was still stopped in the middle of the intersection briefly before deciding that being in the MIDDLE of the intersection wasn't the place to be and he went on. There is a part of me that hopes this near accident encourages this person to cut down their distractions when they drive. It just may save a life. It may be mine.

Dad, I miss you but I'm not coming to join you just yet. Thanks for some of the best advice I ever received and it now will be applied at stop lights as well.

First Idiot of 2010

It's been awhile since I've felt the need to blog about poor driving in my "calling out idiots" section. The time has come.

In my crude drawing below, I'll try to set the scenario. I was coming to work and there is a one block section with stop signs on both ends. Also keep in mind that I'm not what you would call a slow commuter as a rule. As I'm closing in on the stop sign a car ZOOMS up beside me.

Unfortunately my oath to keep my cool in such situations went out the window when I realized they was trying to squeeze me out AT THE STOP SIGN after I had taken 1/4 of the lane to prevent this. I glared back, used a 'mild' expletive that roughly translates to "stupid donkey". They didn't pull up beside me completely once they realized I was mad, but I made sure to glance back to check the license plates.

BUT WAIT...The car is now in the PASSING LANE, STOPPED at the stop sign and traffic is coming both ways on the street. I can't go, they can't go. Does this story get better? Yup. A car is turning TOWARDS the car now stopped on the wrong side of the street. I shake my head, laugh, and cross the street.

For this piece of brilliant driving:

SD Plate 19AX25 - Welcome to "The List"

A New Idiot!

There have been a few minor idiots on the road as the weather has become warmer, but this morning I have an idiot of special mention.

32 degrees in South Dakota means commuting to school by bike for the Brady family. I had the trail-a-bike hooked on to mine for Carson and I had Austin just off my back wheel. A Silver Lincoln pulled up to the stop sign by the med school, looked right at me, and slowly -- not even in a hurry -- pulled straight in front of us. I had to lock up the brakes and Austin had to swerve to miss me.

Even through my yelling the guy didn't even look again. It was either morning sleepyheadedness (it's a word, look it up), idiocy, arrogance (leaning towards this), or a little of each that caused even Austin to get upset. Austin simply said "That was really stupid" to which I replied "Yes it was and I shall blog about it". Austin laughed and onward we went to school.

So in the spirit of calling out idiots:

Silver Lincoln with South Dakota

plates 1PT801....YOU ARE AN IDIOT!

More Poor Driving

As we explore deeper into our "Calling Out Idiots" series, this next entry is more on the line of bad/unsafe driving than all out idiocy. However, it still deserves mention here.



From my house to the curve that turns into Sunset drive is not very far as seen above. In my usual style I got out of the driveway this morning and started hammering away, I'm guessing at my usual 15 mph or so on snow packed street. There were no cars coming when that I could see when I left the driveway. By the time I got to the curve there was a Tan Jeep 4x4 taking the inside of a moderately blind curve pushing me into a more icy area. I've had worse things happen to me, but in these conditions and the fact it was on a moderately blind curve, it just wasn't very smart.

I will leave the license plate out THIS time, so should this local driver read my blog per chance, consider this your warning. I may be feeling generous since you had an Obama sticker in your back window.

Late Edit: Okay after a "blogger intervention" of sorts, here it is:
SD Plates 19AT81 - the consensus is.....YOU ARE AN IDIOT!

Calling Out Idiots

I decided to start a new, more evil practice of "calling out idiots" on the road by posting their license plate on my blog. Is that stepping over the line? Maybe. Do I care? No. Let's begin, shall we?

As I was coming into work at a rather rapid pace a Silver Ford Explorer (or one of the other gas guzzling minions) was pulling out of a driveway. I quit pedaling for one stroke fearing the idiot would pull out completely. Then, much to my amazement they stopped, apparently seeing me so I started hammering away again so I could get by in a timely fashion. But NOOOOOOO they pulled out of the driveway, all the way across the street, causing me to lock up my bike and slide sideways on part ice/part pavement conditions.

Trust me when I say they seen me in their mirror as I made sure they did. So, here's to my first official calling out of an idiot.

Iowa Plate 695ABU - YOU'RE AN IDIOT!