So I started riding bike on the streets of Sioux Falls in 1993. One of my first experiences was a school bus driver driving me in the ditch on West 12th street, and if that was NOT enough of insult to injury, while sitting in the ditch the bus driver pulls over and stops, opens his bus door and proceeds to tell me to get off the road. So this is how it all got started 32 years ago, peeps thinking bikes don’t belong on the street. Since I have been riding I have been in ZERO accidents involving cars. Now I have wiped out on ice, potholes, cracks in the sidewalk etc, but never had a one-on-one with a vehicle. Most would say that is luck, but I think it is because I am a defensive bike rider. In fact on my commute to work I usually have 2-4 close calls, usually a motorist not paying attention or they don’t see me (not their fault). You have to be constantly aware of your surroundings, and to tell you the truth, it’s kind of fun riding to work when you are trying to avoid danger. Would that make me a masochist?
So I was riding my bike down Minnesota avenue last Thursday night coming from 57th and Minnesota going North. I ride in the street as much as possible and take the full lane when I can. But, the reason I have a bike is so I can short cut it on my commute, some times the trail, sometimes a sidewalk, sometimes thru a parking lot DRIVING LANE. ALL COMPLETELY LEGAL ON A BIKE (you can’t ride bikes on the DTSF sidewalks) but anywhere else in town, as long as you yield to peds (stop until they pass).
So this BOOMER driver follows me from the interstate to Hy-Vee and as I walk in he approaches me and says, “I’ve been following you on your bike, and you are a menace.” I was kind of shocked because I have been taking this route for 4 years and ride it the same way. I said, ‘Huh?’ He says you were riding in the road, then you got on the sidewalk, then you rode across the Mcdonalds parking lot. I said, ‘So?’ He tried to say it was illegal. I told him to check the ordinances, it is legal and I tried to walk away. He kept calling me a menace. I told him that walking up to a stranger and calling them a menace is extremely rude and the law is on my side. I also told him I have had it with Anti-bike peeps, and said you need to review the laws instead making ones up in your head. He says, ‘I own a Harley.’ I laughed and said, ‘Yeah, that’s a motorcycle, not a bike.’ That is the other thing, peeps always want to compare e-bikes to motorcycles. Most class 2’s have about 1 horsepower, more advanced ones can have up to 4-6 horsepower, so NOT a motorcycle MORONS. Also, I always check my average speed monitor when I get home. Usually it is 14 MPH. Yeah, I am a 14 MPH menace. LOL. When I cross intersections I hit the throttle and can usually hit 25 MPH, but once across I hit brakes and retain normal speed. I am not tearing it up 25 MPH all over town, just to cross DANGEROUS intersections. Also, car vs bike, car wins every single time, so I guess I am wondering why I am the problem and not the Boomer in a car stalking me? There was a part of me that wanted to call the police and tell them about this old fart harassing me, but he was kinda cute in his 1962 haircut and faded plaid shirt. I really think the city needs to do an education marketing program to drivers and the laws that apply to bicyclists, because most peeps in this town don’t have an F’ing clue. I often tell people that the reason drivers yell at me is because they are jealous they are not enjoying their commute in their 4 wheeled coffin, because that is all it is.
This rudeness in the older generation is no surprise, they feel emboldened by their senior hairless leader. I guess if I was retired, I would just enjoy it and not chase E-bikers. I will gladly pay your Medicare and SS if you just slip away into the night. You have it all, why take if from me? I have often said the Boomer gen should be called the A-Hole gen, because they just take and take and can’t understand why you won’t shove your head up their asses.
Oh, and the SFPD has been harassing bicyclists DTSF, because you know, DTSF has NO crime besides battery powered bicycles. But the tub of lards don’t want to solve ‘real’ crimes just stuff they can do from the dashboards of their cars while sucking down their FREE 32 oz Coke from a C-Store.
So let’s review; bikes (acoustic) and Class II can ride on the trail, the street and the sidewalk legally. And if you don’t agree with that, lobby the council to change those laws, but please, don’t approach me at the grocery store and call me a menace because your old rotting brain doesn’t know the laws on the books. Yeah, there is a menace in Sioux Falls, and it’s mostly embodied by Boomers in this town. The next time I get approached by one of these folks, I hope they put an extra coat of Polident on their dentures.
l3wis