# To the woman who went off on me at the GGB today...



## txzen (Apr 6, 2005)

Wait. Before I go off, let me rant.

Sunday, a beautiful day in the Bay Area. I’m returning from my ride and on the way back home to SF, stop at the stop sign at the top of the parking lot near the Bridge to enjoy the view, the bikes, and to hydrate. This is the usual resting place before everyone goes to/from Sausalito or the headlands loop. It’s mid-morning, little traffic. I stop on the side, facing downhill to the bridge with the direction of traffic, just past the curve and am the lone cyclist there. 

From the other side, a voice: “Hey! You might want to move to side in the gravel since there’s sometimes people screaming down the hill into the parking lot and you could get hit.” It’s a couple – he in his late 40’s, she in her late 50’s, the touring bike crowd. A friendly warning, though I feel in this case I am well-positioned, far over, not blocking anyone. I ride there every weekeng - sometimes during the week as well. I’ve been on that hill when there are clueless masses blocking bike and car and been annoyed by it. This is not one of those times. I don't want to be rude, but I feel that they're being overly cautious here. I take it these are the types that ride in packs and SCREAM out every minor obstacle on the road, announcing the presence of a passing car or cyclist (usually me) with bullhorn voices that nearly knock me off my bike. But I don't want to start anything. I'm a nice guy. Really. 

“Thanks”, I say, “but I think I’m pretty far over. I don't think I'm in the way. I’ll take my chances”. With a smile, I should add.


I am unprepared for the bile about to be thrown at me by the older lady. 


“Well THAT’S JUST GREAT. Don’t worry about inconveniencing other people. Just think about yourself and be selfish. Who cares about anyone ELSE.”

“Umm, what?”, I say, taken aback by the tone. Her dial has gone up to 11 in no time flat.

“Yeah, WHO CARES about other people. Why don’t you just go ride with your Critical Mass friends. They’re also real considerate.”

“What does this have to do with Critical Mass?”, I ask.

“DON’T YOU READ THE PAPER? They attacked people last week! It’s people like them and you who upset everyone else and are why I’m afraid some driver will try to run me over on my ride!!”.

“Yes, I do read the paper. I don't ride with Critical Mass. I don't LIKE Critical Mass. Lady, why don’t you just go ride your bike. It’s a beautiful day, I’m just trying to enjoy myself, and…”

“NO, you’re ruining it for the rest of us! And….”

Frankly, at this point it is no longer a conversation. They are taking turns calling me out for being some sort of meanace. She is literally screaming at me, and I’m politely asking her to leave me alone, to go for a ride, and to have a nice day. And to shut up. Repeatedly. I am not screaming, cursing, or anything. 

“WELL, it’s hard to have a nice day with people like you around”, she huffs.

“Lady, I’ll have a nice day as soon as you roll away from me too.”

“But YOU’RE STILL ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROAD, inconveniencing everyone and causing trouble…”

“I tell you what, I’m about to roll over to THAT side of the road – how do you like that?”. 40-year old guy is increasingly quiet. 

I’m about to lose my cool when they finally roll away to whatever cave they crawled up out of this morning. 



To her: though I was raised not to say this, I must say…from the depth of my heart…go F yourself. I mean seriously.

Thanks to the other cyclists on that side – the one guy on the vintage Colnago who said under his breath what I felt as he rode off, and the other two who agreed that the asylum apparently has started a cardio program.

I had to pop down to Crissy Field and do a hill repeat just to bleed off the adrenaline. Sheesh. What a nutcase.


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## akod (Feb 18, 2007)

Sounds like somebody missed their daily meds this morning. What a crazy couple. Like people don't have anything better to do? That spot is packed with all kinds of tourists paying no attention at all and nobody ever notices. You're sitting there minding your own business, on what is likely a nice road bike, and they hassle you? And what in the world did anything have to do with Critical Mass. What wackos!!!!


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## Crampandgoslow (Dec 27, 2005)

txzen said:


> , she in her late 50’s,


Meh, merely an LSD flashback for an ex-hippie. Maybe you should have told her she looked like Jane Fonda and complimented her on how well she looked _for her age_.  

Well, good on you for taking the high road, except at the end, there.. :thumbsup:


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## Otago (Aug 6, 2006)

*Stop bashing older women riders*



txzen said:


> Wait. Before I go off, let me rant.
> 
> she in her late 50’s, the touring bike crowd.
> 
> ...


Well, obviously you have a problem with strong, older outspoken women, and clearly you are anti equal rights.
According to you macho types, once a woman is past the dating age, she is no longer useful and certainly not someone who has any rights to speak out whatsoever... No need to listen to her opinion on anything, especially something involving bikes.
You'd probably even object to her wearing spandex unless she has a perfect cheerleader body.
Oh yes, we know your type.......ruling the road like you have a special pass from God.

But instead of speaking out forcefully when in the presence of this strong, dynamic, forceful woman, you instead choose to hide behind your supposed tranquil nature, until she is gone and until you think you can find a sympathetic audience in this primarily male forum.

We're onto your tactics and your anti-female, anti-boomer prejudices. 

BTW, this wasn't the woman was it?
https://media.portland.indymedia.org/images/2006/06/340952.jpg


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## LouD-Reno (Mar 28, 2006)

Hey Otago, 

Admit it, that's a picture of you isn't it......


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

If you're considerate, you move over to the gravel there.

The woman is still a nutcase, but why stay on the road?

Edit: Also, I manage to nearly kill a couple people on the bridge every ride, due to their stupid behavior. Usually not worth a rant on either side.


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## smw (Mar 7, 2006)

Otago said:


> Well, obviously you have a problem with strong, older outspoken women, and clearly you are anti equal rights.
> According to you macho types, once a woman is past the dating age, she is no longer useful and certainly not someone who has any rights to speak out whatsoever... No need to listen to her opinion on anything, especially something involving bikes.
> You'd probably even object to her wearing spandex unless she has a perfect cheerleader body.
> Oh yes, we know your type.......ruling the road like you have a special pass from God.
> ...




What?:crazy:


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## txzen (Apr 6, 2005)

SilasCL said:


> If you're considerate, you move over to the gravel there.
> 
> The woman is still a nutcase, but why stay on the road?
> 
> Edit: Also, I manage to nearly kill a couple people on the bridge every ride, due to their stupid behavior. Usually not worth a rant on either side.


I guess I'm not considerate, nor are the majority of the people I see there week in and week out. Only if there is a large group of people do I see someone on the gravel there. With the conditions as they were, I was located away from the bend, alone, and far to the side. 

I've had near misses on almost every sunny weekend on the GGB with the Blazing Saddles crowd and no, it's not worth a rant either. But this was not a sometimes cyclist. And her rant was absusive. 



> We're onto your tactics and your anti-female, anti-boomer prejudices.


My sarcasim meter is broken, so I have no idea if this is a joke or not. I was not being sexist or ageist descibing the pair - merely descriptive. You post is sexist, assuming that I only had issues with the woman - you don't mention the man or the fact that I identified him as 40ish (my age as well, I should add) - and needlessly knee-jerk stereotypical. If your post is not a joke, the tone would suggest you two are related, that's for sure. 

I didn't say, nor do I think she should have been ignored due to her age or sex. She should be ignored because she is a looney.


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

I often see riders standing there and see riders having to adjust their lines as they enter the parking lot. Do I think you committed a grave sin? Of course not...I wouldn't even have mentioned it to you if I was there.

But a lot of people wait there, clog up traffic for cyclists and drivers, and are generally oblivious about it. You may have been paying attention and in a position where people are likely to see you with plenty of time, but it's a blind corner, and I don't think this lady would've flipped out if you were an inch from the shoulder...so there's probably some truth to what she was saying.


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## happy fun ball (Aug 11, 2005)

The ageist misogynistic menace store called . . .


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

I was riding on the back roads of Cave Creek Az, when I woman pulled up next to me and told me that I should not be on the road becasue there is no bike lane. She took off before I had a chance to explain the rules of the road to her, so I just muttered an obscenity into the wind, and continued. You can't please eveyone, so ya gotta please yourself.....

b21


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## walrus (Jan 29, 2004)

I think they have a section over at craigs lists for this kind of post, missed connections.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/cgi-bin/personals.cgi?category=mis


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

*Chill*



txzen said:


> Wait. Before I go off, let me rant.
> 
> Sunday, a beautiful day in the Bay Area. I’m returning from my ride and on the way back home to SF, stop at the stop sign at the top of the parking lot near the Bridge to enjoy the view, the bikes, and to hydrate. This is the usual resting place before everyone goes to/from Sausalito or the headlands loop. It’s mid-morning, little traffic. I stop on the side, facing downhill to the bridge with the direction of traffic, just past the curve and am the lone cyclist there.
> 
> ...


Better to rant here than rant there. Those folks won't listen to you, and if you "roll over there" you're the aggressor and the one in handcuffs (if you're lucky. The guy who pulls out a gun and unloads it into somebody's head is usually a "quite white guy in his 40s.") Are you an ageist misogynist? Maybe, but the folks critiquing you are aging, elitist, anti freedom of speech hippies  

If I were to analyze what happened the lady probably wasn't really mad at you, but at Critical Mass (and I was furious with it), and was just venting. Or maybe she was just a jerk.


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