BlaringSmelly

Record-breaking day in my short cycling history. Today we started from Seattle, Gas Work Park near Fremont to be exact. We started after a late lunch, I didn’t think we’d have enough time to reach Woodinville then with remaining strength still make it back before the day turned dark. But once we started, I was determined to make it all the way.

Getting there was fairly easy, today was no exception. Thinking I will probably stop for breaks in the returning journey, I asked to get a head start. Paddling and breathing took more efforts, the gear was adjusted so I can conserve energy. I was making progress surly and steadily. I didn’t make any stop to rest except one time I stop to wait for ktula. After a while I got tired of waiting so I hopped back on the road.

I got pretty hungry when I reached UW. Likely Ivar’s Salmon House was just off the trail. Fish and Chips were the kind of hearty grub I was looking for. Docked my bike at the rack, I joined group of hungry people in the chaotic scene of ordering and picking up food at the fish bar.

As I was enjoying my satisfying meal, I saw a mini van pulled into the parking lot, trying to squeeze into the space in front of the bicycle rack. Two people came out of the van to guide the van getting as close to our bikes as possible. Pardon my French, what were these fuckers thinking? By parking there, the van was blocking the bikes from getting out and other cyclists to use the rack.

That was clearly not a parking space for cars, still the mini van tenaciously inched its way in. I threw down a half-eaten fish piece to rescue my bike. I stopped the van before it physically about to touch my bike. I told them I’m moving my bike before they blocked me in. I didn’t hide my disapproval of what they were doing. I told them this is not a parking space.

The woman came out of the van agreed but sounded like there’s nothing she can do about it. I checked out the driver, an older man was behind the wheel. Probably stressed out from having to drive the family around unfamiliar city. Still, that was no excuse to be disregard of others. If you ever see this Oregon plate green van on the street, don’t forget to wave at it with your middle finger.

On a brighter note, my returning time was about the same as getting there. At first I thought I came back in a much shorter time. Turned out it was just a human error.

Last Friday I was heading to Post Alley to meet up with some coworkers. Halfway there a guy stopped me, he wore a clean blue tshirt, friendly face, nice biceps, looks normal.

“Excuse me miss, may I ask you a question?”

I nodded.

“How old are you?”

How odd, that’s the second time in two consecutive weeks a random guy asked me this question! The first time was last Wednesday. A black kid walked by, stopped me and popped the same question.

This time I got curious, I said to him, “You know, I’ve being getting this question a lot lately. What’s up with this?”

Of course he didn’t have an answer for me. I have to wonder why and how it came about that asking a woman’s age became the icebreaker.

I can’t speak for everyone, I know I’m flattered when someone checks my ID or acts surprised when I reveal my real age. But for a stranger on the street to ask me how old I am, I immediately associate this person with illegal activities. Criminally offending an underage is a big no no. People go to the big ass pounding jail when they cross that line. And that’s why he is checking my age.

What about other women? Would they be intrigued by random guy’s out of nowhere age survey? What kind of responses would the guy get? Is there study to show the success rate of guys scoring any woman this way? In my head, I can’t simulate an outcome that’s to the guy’s advantage.

Saturday morning on my way to Green Lake, I got off Aurora/99 from Green Lake Way exit and stop at the first traffic light. A wheelchair person was slowly and steadily crossing the street in front of me.

As you can see from the map, a triangle shape island is located in between crossing from A to B. The wheelchair person made his way to the island but couldn’t continue the 2nd half of the crossing. An old man in his big old car stop right on the crossing line. The disabled access to the cross line was completely blocked as well. The wheelchair person signaled his intention to cross the street. The old man moved his car few feet forward. With him already illegally stopping on the cross line, there was no room for him to go further without driving into the street traffic in front of us. So he backed up a few feet, that put him right back to here he were.

The whole time there was not a single vehicle approaching his lane or behind his car. But he refused to backup behind the cross line where he as a driver was supposed to be in the first place.

The wheelchair person waited and attempted to steer his wheelchair perhaps around the vehicle to cross the street. But there was just no way with the old fool and his big car there, not budging a bit.

Eventually the light turned green. The big old car carried its apathetic driver away. The wheelchair person had to wait for the next red light to finish his crossing.

It’s no news certain people simply shouldn’t be driving. What I saw that day was mere reflection of one driver’s indifference to regulations and lack of courtesy to other people. Unfortunately there were too many drivers on the road that’s exactly like this one. There was time I was one of them. Since I started riding motorcycle and taking public transportation, I found myself under the mercy of careless drivers. These days I’m more aware of pedestrians and cyclists when I’m driving. Other people’s safety should be again and again emphasis to new drivers. It’s our nature to do what’s convenient for ourselves. But for the sake of everyone else, we need harsher punishments for irresponsible drivers.