It’s Not A Man’s World. And, It’s Not A Woman’s World, Either. It’s A ME World!

Yes, it really is all about ME, ME, and ME!  Nothing else matters, just ME!  I don’t care about anybody else, I just care about ME!  Courtesy, kindness and morality, heck no!  It’s all about ME!  Did I mention it was all about ME?

So, why do I putteth forth this gargantuan cluster of ME’s?  Well, the subject of ME was swirling around in my head during, and after, my regular training ride today.  With the cluster of selfish, dangerous dolts behind the wheel of motor vehicles about off the proverbial hook, even if one is just a once-in-a-blue-moon rider, they know motorists have ZERO respect for a cyclist’s mere, puny existence.

There was a time when it used to be just careless automobile drivers to keep a watchful eye out for, but it has since escalated to commercial vehicles, and yes, even school buses.  Just short of the Pope running us down in a hurry to get to Mass, in my view, the problem of lack of concern from the driving public for cyclists has now reached its crescendo.  The final nail, at least for me, was driven into my psyche today.  You ready for it?  OK, here it comes:

Law Enforcement Officers (LEO’s). 

Yes, it finally happened.  A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s patrol car pulled out in front of me, making a left turn across my bow, coming from my right.  Oh, he eventually saw me, but that was after he almost had me splattered across his windshield.  And, for the record, I was wearing a bright red riding kit, a super bright front strobe was blazing my way, I was following all of the applicable laws of the road we must share, and still it was not enough to keep me out of the potential harm and negligence of another. 

It was all of the former proactive safety measures, combined with my common sense in expecting him to cut me off, which kept me out of the local community emergency room.      

So, what does this prove?  Well, in addition to everyone out there only looking out for themselves (ME, ME, ME!), we, as cyclists, must be extra-proactive to ensure our own survival.  We must ride in accordance with the Vehicle Code, wear bright, hi-visibility clothing, with super-bright, flashing lights on even in the daytime.  Remember, and too bad it has to be this way, but the only person responsible for our own personal safety is us. 

The precious resource of Common Sense must not be trusted to others.