School Buses, gears, and passing motorists...

I was running a tad late this morning, so I took the short route (by the scrapyard - in just over 18 minutes woo-hoo!). On my way up one of the hilly residential sections, I came upon a stopping school bus. Well, this is new. I've never been at the head of the (opposing traffic) line for a stopped school bus. Hmm... what to do?

Fortunately, after a moment's reflection (and that's all I had at 15mph), the answer was easy. I'm on a bicycle and I'm over 16. I'm "in" a vehicle. So, I stopped. The law in pretty much all states is clear. Adults on a bicycle are supposed to act like - and be treated like - slow moving vehicles. We're supposed to ride in the street, on the right, with the flow of traffic. We're supposed to obey all applicable traffic laws, including stop lights and signs, one way signs, speed limits (yes, it is possible to break the speed limit on a bike!), and so on.

I stopped, waited, watched the kids board, and then I rolled to the right into the (fortunately wide) berm to allow the line of cars I knew was stacked up behind me to pass before proceeding on to work. I figured that was safer, since they all would inevitably pass me on the narrower stretch just ahead, and I wasn't in that much of a hurry.

The other thing I noticed today is that I'm riding in slightly higher gears than usual. This is a good thing, as it means my fitness level is going up. Perhaps I should take this opportunity to explain a bit about how gears work, but it's an in-depth subject, so we'll save it for later.

I also noticed (I must have been very observant today!) that there are a handful of common types of drivers when it comes to passing a cyclist.

First, we have the "normal" passer. These folks drive up, and assuming it's safe they fade over, give me a few feet of clearance, and cruise on by. I almost don't notice them. It's a nice, smooth slide to the left, and a smooth glide back to the right. If there is oncoming traffic, or another issue, they fade back and wait patiently for the right moment - which usually comes quickly. These are the best. It's sharing the road at its finest. They don't frighten or endanger me, and I don't impede them either.

Then there's the "wide berth" passer. These folks either don't trust my ability to hold a line, or they strictly interpret the lane markings. I'm not sure which. They wait for an opening, and then swerve completely into the oncoming lane to pass, leaving a completely empty lane to ride in. This is somewhat disconcerting, as it gives the impression that the driver thinks I'm crazy or have cooties or something. They also tend to swerve when they shift, giving the impression that they are not exactly in control of their vehicle and might overreact to anything at all.

Then there's the "too-nice-for-their-own-good" non-passer. This is the person who decides that passing me wouldn't be safe or polite at all (even though it would be), and decides to hold up an entire line of cars slowly following me as I (invariably) struggle up a hill at six miles an hour. The driver is, no doubt, doing his best to be conscientious, giving me the respect I deserve as a fellow traveler on the road. Or perhaps he's terrified that even if he pulls a "wide berth" move, he'll somehow blow me off the road into a crumpled heap of bones and aluminum. Unfortunately, all this person accomplishes is severely irritating the twenty people stacked up behind him who, of course, blame me instead of him for holding them back.

Finally, there's the "damn the torpedoes" passer. This is the guy who, through either inattention or pure evil, blows right by, taking as much of the lane as he can grab, and coming dangerously close to shoving me right into the bushes.

Case in point: there was a tree cutting crew blocking most of my lane on the way home today. Cars were having to move about halfway into the other lane to get around the bucket truck, and oncoming traffic was slightly into the berm to make room. It's my turn, so I wait for an opening, take the lane and move past the truck as quickly as I can. Apparently not fast enough for the minivan behind me, who decides to pass me as I'm passing the bucket truck! Pulling all the way into the other lane, he shoves the oncoming traffic almost to the grass, earning an angry honk from someone and nearly causing an accident. All to save the five seconds it took me to get around the truck and back over where he could have safely passed me.

Moments like that make me think twice about riding. Fortunately, for every moment like that, there are a hundred "normal" passers, dozens of folks who wait at intersections for me to pass, or pause and wave me through a left turn in traffic. Plenty of smiles and nods from pedestrians, and even the occasional joking conversation about how much gas money I'm saving. Yes, sometimes it's a little rough out there, but on the whole it's a pretty nice ride.