On Wed, 2009-07-15 at 11:21 -0700, Aaron Thomas wrote: > > I came up behind a woman crouched over the aero bars on a time trial > bike. I maintained a distance of 6 feet or so, waiting for a break in > the automobile traffic to our left in order to pass her. Before that > happened, however, she looked back and yelled, "are you out for a free > ride today, mister? Go do your own training ride!" > > Perplexed, I asked her to repeat, which she did, this time peppering > her phrases with a few F-bombs and an injunction to stay away from her > because she doesn't even know me and doesn't want me drafting off her. > > What? Drafting? Come again? I wasn't drafting, I explain, but rather > was at least 6 feet behind and waiting for a safe moment to pass. And > what does it matter if you don't know me? I don't get it.
There are some mighty paranoid women out there. In the course of commuting to work over the span of 29 years, on three or four occasions I've been stuck behind women on a very narrow section of bike trail along a stream that goes under the highway and railroad bridges, then comes up onto the Mount Vernon bike trail. There are several sections where I won't attempt to pass because the narrowness of the trail and the lack of visibility make it extremely dangerous. They've screamed at me, as this woman did at you; they've demanded that I pass; one acted with a level of rage and hostility that might have been appropriate if directed towards a would-be rapist. There's no knowing what's up with people like that. Perhaps it is fear, as has been suggested. Maybe they've been assaulted on the bike trail. It doesn't do for you to take it personally. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
