The vast majority of motorists are very considerate of bicyclists. They are attentive and either slow down or give a wide berth. The rare person however, is aggressive and hostile. They try to intimidate and frighten the cyclist. They interact with a deep anger displaced to the vulnerable cyclist. The genesis of their hostility is unknown; perhaps they are frustrated in their jobs, unloved by their mothers, or are unsuccessful in bed. We encounter these people in other aspects of our lives. It would be best to remind ourselves that these difficult people are injured in some way, and to treat them with a degree of consideration and tolerance. While turn the other cheek is a good axiom, on a bike it takes some effort to resist giving them the finger.
I said goodbye to Jon and Cindy and began the ride to El Paso with a group of Las Cruces riders from a bike hang out called "The Bean". Blessed by a tailwind, I was in El Paso for lunch. I did a TV and newspaper interview in the afternoon before joining the El Paso bike Club for a light evening ride. Pizza and beer to follow. Randy, a local biker, put me up for the night. I am feeling strong and injuries are abating.
Dr. Bob great to here your wrist is feeling better, it is nice to hear how welcoming the people are in the towns you travel through..except for the occasional aggressive driver =). We miss you at the office but we are all following you faithfully..keep going strong and pedal on....
ReplyDeleteGlad that your are feeling better Dr Bob. Steve has had experiences with rude drivers as well as a crash due to debris on the side of the road. Hopefully your wrist injury will continue to improve. You are very blessed to have met so many kind and generous people since you left San Diego. I'm glad you haven't had to ride alone. We have a map of your journey in the office and we all enjoy keeping up with your travels. Many patients have asked how you are doing and we direct them to the blog. We miss you Dr. Bob.
ReplyDeleteWe were talking about you at our tennis game. Lee Davis subbed for you and Eric Holenda for Ron Guida who has a cold/flu that has gone into his lungs and has not responded to antibiotics so Dan told him to go see a specialist. Glad to hear your wrist is feeling better; duct tape may help as an emergency. You have quite a following. Keep on peddelling for the cause. Will be following you. Roy
ReplyDeleteFor all the bloggers, Cindy and I had a terriffic visit with Bob over the past couple of days. His physical abilities seem to only be outdone by his mental and physical state. At 142 pounds he looks lean and mean and ready to ride... In addition to his strength and determination I found him to be in an extremely calm state of mind. You could feel something inexplicable, something light yet present, like the desert wind whisping past. Perhaps it was his inner peace I felt as it passed on it's journey home
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