Day 2: When cars attack!

Mondays are usually my rest day. Sunday involve hard training rides and Mondays I usually just commute to work and that's it. Well, not when I am doing 1,000 miles! And what a day it was...

Commuting to work was uneventful as usual, but I had no idea how exciting my evening ride would be. I was planning on doing about 20 miles after work and meet a friend for dinner at 7PM. Said friend called me about a quarter through my ride to say he wanted to eat now. So, I headed directly home. I took a route I normally don't take, it's got a lot of traffic, but it would be faster.

I'm sitting in the left hand turn lane, with a white Dodge and a red VW behind me. You pay attention to these things when you are cycling. Well, after what seems an eternity, the arrow turns green. I hop on my pedals and accelerate hard and drft out towards the right hand curb. Suddenly, the white Dodge drifts over to the right, turn signal flashing. I realize, I AM ABOUT TO FLY OVER THE HOOD OF THIS CAR! I yell "NO!" and pass her on the right, hoping I can get around her before the turn. I look to the right and see two Mormon kids riding ILLEGALLY on the sidewalk. The white dodge stops, I pass and the Mormons pass. Situation avoid! *SCREECH!!! BLAM!!!* Hmm, I think there was an accident.

Apparently, the red VW couldn't stop in time and took out the rear left panel of the white dodge. I went back to the scene and gave my details to each party. They were both nice and I kept iterating that the important that everyone is OK. The man driving the VW had a daughter with him. The woman driving the dodge seemed slightly irritate but calm.

Both parties were extremely upset with the Mormons. Riding on the sidewalk is DANGEROUS. People think it's safer, it's not. You are a hazard to pedestrians and cars don't see you. If the woman in the white dodge had made her right hand turn, they would have been severely injured. I could have possibly followed her in the turn but it would have not been a head on collision.

At any rate, an exciting day and a reminder that biking is very safe and fun when done correctly.

Keep the rubber side down!

Daily Miles: 17
Running total: 65