Stupid Cager AND a Dumb Cyclist

[Skippy]

Rant

Stupidity occurs on both two and four wheels. I managed to see both in the space of about an hour.

I was riding my bike to the gym this afternoon. There's no bike lane, but the road is pretty wide and I was toward the right margin, speed limit 25 with me doing 15-20. I approached an intersection controlled by a traffic light and there's a guy trying to make a right on red into my lane. As he was already nosed several feet into the lane and was inching forward, I figured he didn't see me. I was right. I moved to the left and slowed slightly, figuring I would have to avoid. I was right. As my front wheel was almost into the intersection, he pulls halfway out into the lane, then finally sees me and slams on his brakes. I continued past him and back over to the right side of the lane. He passed me some time later.

About an hour later, I took a different route home after concluding my workout. I was proceeding in the bike lane along a road with a 35 mph speed limit and bike lanes going both directions. Then I saw a guy on a bicycle (with no PPE of course) riding ON THE SIDEWALK while TALKING ON A CELL PHONE. I gave him a dirty look, but he just waved obliviously.

/Rant

Edit: And don't get me started on the old guy who flew by so close he missed my right handlebar by about two inches, then saw the radar speed sign and slammed on his brakes. BTW, this was a 25 zone and I was doing 23. Why do people feel like they HAVE to pass a bike?