what was that? is that all there is? who is this? this is it.

this time it's for real

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around 11:50am southbound 5th Avenue near Pike Street.

Busses pull over to pick people up. That’s what busses do. Bike messengers go around stopped busses. That’s what bike messengers do.

A bus stopped in the right lane and I went around it, still in my lane, cruising in the 2 or 3 foot gap. No big deal. Happens all the time. But I guess it made the guy in the center lane nervous so he honked at me. I put out my left hand palm-up wondering what he was honking at. Then he pulled up next to me and yelled “the rules of the road apply to you too.” and I said “that’s right Bro” as I knocked on the passenger door of his large SUV three times with enthusiasm. Because I didn’t break any rules and I was in a hurry to file at the courthouse by noon.

When I touched his vehicle he got a little more fired up and shadowed me up 5th to about Seneca when he yelled “you see these lights?” and I just kept riding because I didn’t see any lights, riding only two feet from the side of his car I didn‘t notice much except that he might pin me into the next bus that‘s was stopped ahead.

Then he really starts yelling “Hey! Hey! You see this? PULL OVER” and he flashes his badge. I saw his badge and then I noticed his moustache. Then I finally stopped and got off my bike at 5th & Madison mostly worried about not making my noon filings. I didn’t say a word, just looked at the ground and feigned the respect that this law enforcement official seeks in his daily work life.

But officer unmarked SUV never got out of the car. He just yelled at me some more about rules of the road and then drove away. That was no SPD officer, I guess he was some sort of bullshit Federal Cop or maybe he was a Podunk detective from Chehalis that had never seen a bike messenger ride in traffic. The unmarked Seattle SUVs are obviously cop cars with all the do-dads and accessories. It was just a silver SUV with an angry moustache behind the wheel.

I made my court filings with copies to the judge’s mailroom by 11:58am.

I’ve been honked at and yelled at more in the last two weeks than in all of the last year. Is it because my riding style has changed? Hell no. If anything I’m slower and more cautious in my old age and I have a healthy respect for most motorists.

I think it’s because of rising gas prices.

Bike Messengers

helping the rich get richer since 1896

5 Comments

yeah, i tried to beat a red last week.... right, left, all clear, mash and go. Oh, except the unmarked sedan coming the opposite direction. He wanted me to see more than his badge... he showed me a nice piece of green paper. These unmarked cars are starting to show up all over. sucks.

i tried to stop at a red yesterday...i got a fat lip and a bum knee, now i can't work until i file an L&I claim.

We had a surge of cops downtown for a bit because some bum hassled the mayor. Unmarked cars increased foot patrols my favorite alleys were denied to me. I think it is the high gas prices that are bringing out the shitty side of the driving public.

I wonder if that kid can play the banjo

Hay I'm from Chehalis, and I can pretty much guarantee you if that cop had been from Chehalis he would have run you over...

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