Missed connection

[DCAKen]

@ShawnoftheDread 49878 wrote:

Did you close it for him?

I would have, but he was just getting back in as I passed him. I did ask him (not so politely) to shut the door.

[consularrider]

@DCAKen 50012 wrote:

I would have, but he was just getting back in as I passed him. I did ask him (not so politely) to shut the door.

Did you tell him, “Je t’adore.”?

[nikki_d]

To the driver of WMATA bus 5311, route 70 headed northbound at 6:40pm Tuesday-

I guess those love taps on your horn were meant for me, cycling legally in the right hand lane of 7th heading north of I toward Mass? Did ignoring you just make me seem hard to get so you thought snuggling up to me with as you pulled up to those easy girls just waving and flagging you down without even coming close to passing me would be a better way to get my attention? Did you think if I saw how they wanted you I would find you more desirable? You made eye contact so I know you knew I was there. You wanted me to see you, all young and studly behind the wheel of ~22 tons of articulated bus.

But no, I just took my 40 year old middle aged self on north, ignoring you still. Passing the people obviously there waiting just for you. And then you caught up with me again, making sure to make eye contact with me as you pulled along side of me. I thought we had an understanding. But being young and foolish you still seemed to think I was playing hard to get and again you tried to snuggle up with me, like a great blue whale next to a blue fish. But luckily like a blue fish I can be fast too and was able to dart ahead as you came in again, nearly running me into the curb. I stopped and looked back in disbelief. And yelled. I called you out on your stupidity. I made you look foolish in front of those easy girls that were waving and waiting for you. I yelled at you to stop fucking with me.

I don’t know if it was because I humiliated you or because you thought the light on my helmet was a camera, but I didn’t see you for the rest of my trip north. But I have your number and address. I already left you a message this morning and you can expect a love letter in the mail soon.

xo sweetie… until we meet again

[bobco85]

To the driver of the Silver POS (they come in every make and model these days!) on southbound Carlin Springs Rd just before the intersection with Thomas St:

We’re not in England, so you should stay on the right side of the double yellow lines. I know you wanted to pass me, but when I had moved over to the left side of the lane which has sharrows painted on it and then stuck out my arm to the left, you probably should’ve taken that as a sign that I was about to make a left turn. Instead of recognizing that, you decided to sidle your death machine up next to me ON MY LEFT SIDE, your whole car on the wrong side of the road with oncoming traffic only about a block away! Luckily, I saw you in time before I started to actually turn, and I then flailed my left arm, still covered in the bandages after my blood donation today, so you would get the signal to not hit me. The Dirt was strong with me, so I did not curse or give you any “extra” signals as you braked and let me legally make my turn. All you got was a flailing arm and an annoyed “WTF?” look on my face.

This scenario has happened multiple times to me, and I have tried various options including signaling a lot earlier (if you hold your arm out too long, drivers apparently stop believing you’ll turn) and making sure I am in the correct position in the lane for such turns.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Riding home yesterday, my tires kicked up a sizable rock, which then hit a BMW’s door. Poetic justice?

[elcee]

A rare positive missed connection: riding in the biking lane past East Falls Church Metro station on North Sycamore, a Metrobus passed me on my left. It was clearly going to turn right at the next intersection, and I was ready for the right hook … which never happened. The driver slowed down and actually waited for me to ride across the intersection before turning.

I was so stunned that I forgot to note the bus number. Considerate driver, sir or ma’am, you know who you are.

[baiskeli]

@nikki_d 50033 wrote:

To the driver of WMATA bus 5311, route 70 headed northbound at 6:40pm Tuesday…

Nicely written!

[rcannon100]

ME: I bedraggled civil servant forced to endure the dementia of the Arlington hill each evening as I venture back to my home in the hills.

YOU: A young girl in Cherrydale at the bus stop.

ME: Did I offend you in some other life? Did I wrong your family? Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?

YOU: Every night – every night – as I go by on my last mile before home – you flip me the bird – double barreled.

ME: Seriously, there is a Yoga class one block up. Go there and improve your Karma and stop flipping me the bird!!! Seriously!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2750[/ATTACH]

[nikki_d]

@baiskeli 50082 wrote:

Nicely written!

😮 Thank you!

[KLizotte]

@rcannon100 50089 wrote:

YOU: Every night – every night – as I go by on my last mile before home – you flip me the bird – double barreled.

ME: Seriously, there is a Yoga class one block up. Go there and improve your Karma and stop flipping me the bird!!! Seriously!

When she does it, just laugh and smile as if she’d given you a compliment on how nice you look. It will seriously confuse her and completely negate what she is trying to do (which I presume is to piss you off).

[ShawnoftheDread]

@KLizotte 50094 wrote:

When she does it, just laugh and smile as if she’d given you a compliment on how nice you look. It will seriously confuse her and completely negate what she is trying to do (which I presume is to piss you off).

I don’t think this particular girl will be very responsive to his outreach.

[Mark Blacknell]

I’m thinking she belongs to the guy that used to run the Arlington Pediatric Center.

[baiskeli]

This connection wasn’t missed – but in a good way.

On the Custis Trail/sidewalk in Rosslyn, a nice lady who had come out of the Marriott asked me which side of the trail she should walk on.

She was polite and asked for information instead of rudely assuming or getting frustrated. That alone was cool. But she also provided me with a revelation. She had thought that maybe the trail was divided between walkers and bikes by the yellow lane marker, rather than just in two lanes going opposite directions. Some trails are divided like that in other cities. I had never thought of that before. That could explain why some people walk on the wrong side! Maybe we need to paint some directions on the lanes to clear things up. And maybe we should go ahead and divide that stretch of trail to separate bikes and peds (perhaps that’s already part of the improvement plan).

Thanks, nice lady, for being nice and helping me get inside the mind of visitors walking in that area. Have a great time in DC.

[baiskeli]

@rcannon100 50089 wrote:

YOU: Every night – every night – as I go by on my last mile before home – you flip me the bird – double barreled.

You should give her a friendly wave every time, without a hint of offense or anger. That will really get to her.

[Tim Kelley]

Whoosh?

[Author]

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