So finally it looks like the weather may have changed. It seems like it has rained every weekend for the last 6 months- yes, I know they don’t call it the wet season for nothing!
Anyway, today was the first Saturday in a while where the sun was out and it wasn’t even overcast or threatening rain. So many people like me decided to get their bikes out of the garage and go for a spin. I just span around town a bit- no time to go on a big journey, but it was fun. Except for the idiots on other bikes.
Picture this. The sun is shining, it’s not too hot and lots of people are out and about in their vehicles. I am stopped at a red light in the right hand lane of a two lane road. I am the first vehicle in my lane. I have a ute to my left and a four wheel drive behind me. The light changes colour. I am pretty aggressive taking off from lights, but as soon as I hit the speed limit I stay there. So I am on 60 in the centre of the lane. I hear a Harley coming up on my left. There is no mistaking that sound. Meh, I figure, if that douche wants to speed past me then go for it, at least the sound of his exhaust will go with him! Oh and of course he was in a singlet, shorts and thongs, but that appears to be Harley uniform up here. Even though the road is marked at 60km/h, it seems most people want to do it at 70. Cars are overtaking me in the left hand lane, but I don’t worry. I have every right to observe the speed limit.
Then it happens. I am in the zone. I thought I was aware of vehicles surrounding me, but somehow I missed the most amazingly idiotic excuse for a bike rider I have yet to experience on two wheels. A Kawasaki Ninja overtakes me in the right hand lane! That’s right, in my lane with a planted median strip. Once the shock had died down I noticed the cars around me were being a lot more aggressive. I was the biker doing the right thing- obeying the speed, sitting in the middle of the lane, observing vehicles and pedestrians on either side and yet two of the three bikes that the cars around me had seen had sped off acting like <insert preferred profanity here!> I was the one left to cope with their anger.
No doubt these drivers have gone home complaining that all bikers are just an accident waiting to happen, and road deaths would be halved if bikers weren’t allowed on the streets. But it is not all of us. Unfortunately this afternoon it was 2/3 of us though. And I was the third left to cope with drivers anger. Still, I hope the weather stays like this for a bit as it is still the most exhilarating experience riding on two wheels!
