Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Risky Business

I use my ears a lot to listen to my environment while riding. The sounds one hears can give a pretty good indication of what's going on. When something doesn't sound quite right, it seems fairly obvious to me. I also posses the personality flaw that compels me to fill the roll of good-Samaritan. It was a four door Ford Focus that rolled past me when I recognized something that didn't quite sound right.

I rolled up to the entrance ramp for South Bound Highway 100 from Glenwood. The light was red and cars were slowing down for the light. I rolled up to the light passing cars in the right turn lane when I spotted the Focus again. As the tires slowed to a stop, I recognized the source.

The good-Samaritan kicked in and I approached the rear of the car. Spotted the toddler in the car seat, noticed the driver's side window open a crack in the rain. I tapped on the window and said: "Your rear tire is flat!"

She looked at me with a look of being mildly annoyed with my interruption of her phone call. Cigarette in her left hand, cell phone lowered from her ear in her right hand.

"The rear one on my side... Yeah, I know."

The light turned green and off down the entrance ramp she sped.

I did what I could. She was obviously not very concerned with her own personal health, safety, or that of the young one in the back seat.

It made me think about piloting a vehicle at freeway speeds in the rain. A vehicle with a flat tire (down to the rim I might add) with which hand? The one with the cigarette or the one with the cell phone.

Me, well... It made me think about how I will take my chances on the comparatively quieter city streets on my bicycle. I had a lovely ride home in the rain.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

By "young one" I hope you meant "dog" or "plant" or a copy of the 60s Mexican film "La Joven"...and not "child*.

Reflector Collector said...

Matt, Sadly no.

Jim Thill said...

Sounds like an interesting upbringing. Maybe the kid will grow up to become a famous writer.

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