I apologize in advance for the title of this post, but I am honestly not being racist or homophobic or anti-scooter...I am accurately describing the person next to me in traffic.
So I am driving with the family in the Rondo with the windows down through a shopping plaza, slowly, enjoying the day. At a stop sign, an individual on a scooter is next to me in the left lane. When it is clear to go, we both do. I am talking to my family and just cruising along. The scooter is pacing me exactly, keeping about even with my front fender. The rider is looking over his shoulder at me again and again, but I have no clue why. He has no turn signal on, he is not signaling manually, and he is not speeding up to get in front of me. I figure he is checking out my hot wife. (Not knowing he was gay yet).
This goes on for a while, and then he starts saying something, but I can't make it out over the buzz of his mighty 50cc thumper. I check for signals again...nothing. I am traveling slowly, so he can get in front of me if he wishes, and I'd slow down even more if he was out front and signaling. But he stays next to me, blah blah blahing about something...I assume he is on a cellphone or radio or just crazy. Perhaps he is trying to tell me something, like my gas cap is open, so I figure that at the next light in 10 feet or so I can hear him.
He decides to grab the brakes and get in behind me. OK, whatever. Then at the lights he starts yelling at me to pay more attention and look out for bikers. (He also confirmed that he was gay, I am not sure why) As a biker myself, I was a bit put off by his behavior, considering I was being extra cautious around him and specifically trying to decode his intentions. I explained that he should take the MSF course and learn how to ride before he gets out into traffic. I am assuming that he wanted to get over into the right lane, but I cannot fathom how he thought pacing me and yelling was the right approach. I suggested using a turn signal or hand signal next time.
He then started hurling obscenities my way, in clear view of my children. This flustered me enough that I accidentally put the car in reverse, causing him to drop the scooter when he saw me going the wrong way. I apologized for causing him to panic and wished him well and went on my way.
So kids, if you want to ride your scooter on the road, please learn how to do so first. You may be yelling at some psycho who will not stop when he realizes he is in reverse!
