…By someone who really thought they were in the Tour de France.

No Children Were Injured…

…In the writing of this blog. It is, however, only a matter of time before the headline reads, “Child Killed When Cyclists Fail To Obey Traffic Signals”, or “Cyclist Operating at a Reckless Speed Kills Innocent Child.”

What Are You Ranting About Now?

As you may or may not know, Monday to Friday, from 5 PM until 7 PM, cars are allowed to enter Prospect Park using the Grand Army Plaza entrance and use the parks interior roadway to travel all the way to the circle at Coney Island Avenue.

When my schedule allows, I enjoy taking this route. It provides me with a calming respite from the days stressors as I travel through this beautiful primordial forest. I also enjoy driving at no more than 20 mph. Believe me, this is a time in the day when I don’t want to rush. (When our schedules allow, my daughter and I enjoy taking our bicycles out for a few leisurely laps around the park. Leisurely because we often stop  for water and those heavenly ice cream bars sold near the bandshell.)

It is my habit to drive in the left hand lane. Doing this provides me with an extra microsecond of reaction time should someone dart out into the roadway. This is especially useful since so many people are enthralled by their I-Pods, I-Phones, Droids, and other distractions which could place them in great danger were I not looking out for them.

Now, I share the roadway with joggers, walkers, in-line skaters, and cyclists. They have a buffered lane to use until the park closes to vehicular traffic. I can’t tell you how many times I given Tour De France wanna-bes a gentle beep of the horn to let them know they are in the wrong lane, only to have them tell me to “Use the other f*****g lane, a*****e!” And that was from someone whom I’ll graciously describe as a lady. At least, it sounded and was shaped like a lady.

I’ve learned to let moments like this go,  since, as a NYS licensed insurance agent and broker, I am well aware of the consequences of using my vehicle as a weapon to intentionally inflict damage or harm to a person.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I am too pretty for prison.

The behavior which really angers me with these arrogant fools in spandex clothing is their complete disregard for the safety of pedestrians, especially little kids. On more than one occasion, I’ve stopped at the red light at the pedestrian crossing located near the baseball fields, only to watch as cyclists, too interested in keeping up their momentum, barely avoid hitting small children. On one occasion, a young mother was crossing with the light, and more than a few fools in a peloton nearly hit her and what appeared her child of no more than 2-3 years of age. Some dads leaving the baseball fields with their own children got into a shouting match with the offending cyclists, and I really thought they’d use the baseball bats to rearrange some heads.

While no one suffered any injury this time, I’ll never forget the look on that mothers face, a look of stark terror, knowing she and her small child were nearly hit, not by the cars which legally stopped for the red light. No, she and her little one were nearly done in by folk who think the park belongs only to them. Just imagine if they did ban cars from the park, anyone not speeding on a bicycle would have to leave too.

Tomorrow, Part II.