A few weeks after bicyclist Christopher Evan Rock was run over by a semi-truck trailer on Mission Street, I am still feeling extra cautious around cars.
A friend has insisted that due to the aftermath of having another guy on a bike killed on Mission and Bay, drivers are being extra careful around us. But I don't buy it. To me, the whole "good responsible driver" argument will forever be negated by the technology of the automobile - i.e. cars are heavy machinery that move quickly and have blind spots, the intentions of the driver has little to do with it.
That being said, the folks at People Power are excited at the prospect of Cal Trans giving in to their demands that large "Bicycles May Use Full Lane" signs be added to Mission Street. It is for them a political victory, one I must admit, may help our cause.
Then again, a few days ago as I was trying to cross the intersection of Western and Mission (where Western ends from a steep downhill), a cement truck made a left hand turn right in front of me, even though I had the right of way. Fine, I figured, it's a cement truck, it was going downhill, I won't get upset. Right after the truck though came a woman in a Mercedes who did the exact same thing, I had to brake to avoid her, and gave her the open handed gesture I've seen in Arab countries. She responded w/ a sheepish "my bad" look and kept on driving. Ah, the romance of Spring.
Two words for folks riding out there, "stay alert."
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