Daily commutes tend to be routing and same o, same o. Every once in a while little things happen to keep them interesting.
On the morning commute as I rode up to a traffic light, I passed a few vehicles on the right as we normally do. One guy in a pickup was a little miffed and when he passed me he felt the need to "gun it". Slow traffic allowed me to pass him again and naturally he had to "gun it" again when his turn to pass came. A half mile later, we re-read that chapter at a traffic signal.
A block later, I turn onto a side road which begins a five mile route through the private grounds of an aslyum, a short stretch of back roads, and an abandoned section of State Hospital property that drops me in the middle of the industrial park where I work. A couple of shortcuts through parking lots and I'm on the mains road leading to my building. Guess who has to pass me again? he he Love it.
On the way home I got behind this combination farm tractor/truck, with an overfull load of hay and towing a trailor also overfilled. I got to draft it getting my speed up to around 30-31 with no problem. Great thing is that the first car acted purposely I'm sure, as a sort of safety vehicle. He kept back quite a ways which allowed me to stay toward the middle of the road without concern.
While drafting the truck driver weaved a couple of times and I noticed that he did this to see if I was still on his back. When I turned off a couple of miles later, I gave him a salute, he waved back, and the car finally passed me with a courtesy toot. Everyone shared and everyone got along just fine on this road. Very nice.
I don't usually pass people on the right, fearing the right hook. There are some exceptions.
ReplyDeleteI am always baffled by people like that pickup driver, who make such a stink about passing you. Last night, someone floored it to pass me (there was no need, they had plenty of space), and I could hear something acting up in their car. Probably their transmission.
Would you screw up your engine passing another car? Why do it passing a bicycle?
That's really cool about drafting, I have never tried that. Sounds fun!
Were you speaking in a fake Italian accent while drafting?
ReplyDelete(Sorry, I just saw Breaking Away for the first time.)
Could it be that the Pick-up was "gunning-it" just to make you aware that he was passing you? It could be the pick-up's version of a courtesy toot ;-)
ReplyDeleteI would prefer that than to be suddenly suprised by a silent running Prius appearing "all-of-a-sudden" next to me.
If I ever get a Prius I would mount speakers in the front and pipe through Ferrari Engine sounds when in all-electric mode :-)