Getting around on lakeside area highways and by-ways can put your nerves on edge on the best of days.
Heading out in the car on errands a few weeks ago I experienced a huge adrenaline rush when a motorcycle whizzed past me on the passenger’s side just ahead of the intersection where I intended to turn off to the right.
As I recovered my composure and a normal heartbeat, I began the mental draft of rant against daredevil two-wheelers. Before I was able to sit down at the keyboard to put irate thoughts into word form, I ran across a Facebook post about a motorcycle-versus-SUV collision that had occurred in La Floresta.
Fortunately, the biker and the driver survived the crash. I later learned that local traffic cops determined that both parties were at fault: the driver for making an illegal u-turn and the biker for traveling at breakneck speed.
The Facebook account sparked a heated discussion among followers. Motorists groused about imprudent motorcycle buffs driving like maniacs, weaving through lanes of traffic. Bikers aired bitter beefs about drivers who hog the roads, showing no respect or concern for them, so vulnerable to injury and death in accidents.
Analyzing the back-and-forth dialogue totally changed my frame of mind. Since then I’ve more closely observed roadway behaviors on my day-to-day outings. The conclusion: it’s a jungle out there and there’s ample criticism to go around.
Yes indeed, many motorcycle drivers put themselves in mortal danger. They speed about, often switching lanes in haphazard fashion, startling drivers of larger vehicles as they thunder by. My estimate is half of them don’t wear helmets or outfits appropriate for adequate safety.
Cautious bikers are a rare breed. One day I found myself behind one who was actually driving in the middle of the lane, as ordained by law. My attention was captivated by such an unusual experience. I’ve heard tales of other drivers who become impatient with folks on motor scooters who ride at the leisurely pace such modest vehicles allow. These irascible beasts are prone to honking and cursing as they buzz past the scooters, threatening to run them off the road as they swerve back into the lane with inches to spare.
Motorists in general tend to be oblivious to what’s going on ahead, beside and behind them, living examples of the term “asleep at the wheel.” They often brake without warning, halting in the middle of the road before navigating turns. Watch out for those so busy yakking on cellphones or conversing with passengers that they never peak at their rearview mirrors.
Non-motorized cyclists are not exempt from risky practices. You see them blow through intersections and pass stoplights with nary a glance at what’s coming at them from all angles. And what’s up with all the pedestrians who seem to have turned jay-walking into a local fine art?
Considering the amazingly low rate of roadway fatalities in these parts, perhaps we owe thanks to dash board saints and rosaries hung from mirrors for keeping us safe from so many perils.