The Dangerous Dance

Riding your bike aggressively during rush hour along a main thoroughfare is an exercise in faith. You place your life in the hands of the hundreds of strangers who share the road with you. You have to trust that drivers and passengers won't open their doors as you ride only inches away. You pray to God that the bus won't clip you as it passes on your left. You hope that the guy signaling to make a right turn in front of you checks his mirrors and sees you approaching.

Yeah, I suppose you could ride conservatively, but where's the fun in that? You can't get your heart rate up by riding like a granny (no offense to the grandmothers out there). There's something to be said about the rush you get when doing the dangerous dance called bicycle commuting.

Well, my faith was shattered today when BMW in front of me on my ride home from work tonight was cut off by a bonehead in a pickup. The BMW stopped on a dime. I didn't, and I ended up sprawled out on its trunk. I know what you're thinking, but let me assure you, the bike is fine. I just need an allen wrench and 10 minutes to get her back in riding shape. On the other hand, I suffered an extreme blow to my ego. Rear-ending a car while riding your bike is pretty damn embarrassing.

Note to self: Use more caution when drafting off of BMWs. They have really good brakes. Now excuse me as I read this Bicycle Commuter's Guide.