I really enjoy bicycling in Springfield. We have so many good things going for our community, among them: a grid street pattern, flat terrain, a bicycle route system, and downtown streets that are mostly narrow with low speed limits.
Now add the progress the STAR Team of Ozark Greenways has made recently and we have the makings for a winning application for a bicycle-friendly award from the League of American Bicyclists. We’re working on a March application — more about that soon.
The only reason I record honks on Carbon Trace is because they are so infrequent. Highlighting them helps me demonstrate just how stress-free my time on the road is around town.
So there I was, minding my own business, riding down the street, when all of a sudden … honk!
Just a little while ago I was coming back to campus from downtown (enjoying coffee at the Mudhouse while grading papers). I was east-bound on Walnut and had just passed through the intersection at Kimbrough. It’s necessary to take the lane there because the road is temporarily narrow. Walnut then widens to a comfortably sharable lane.
The driver was well behind me coming through the intersection. Many yards farther on she pulled into the other lane to pass me — an entirely safe and appropriate maneuver. But as she passed she honked — still slightly behind me.
The road was clear in both directions.
As she passed I looked to see if it was someone who knows me because there was just no obvious reason for the honk. And, nope, never saw this person before in my life.
It will likely be weeks before the next honk. Springfield is really a great place to ride a bicycle.
Comments 11
funny, someone honked at me this afternoon and it was the first honk i’ve had in months.
i was heading from my office downtown to panera for lunch.. i was heading south on south ave. and someone was behind me and honked while still behind me. there was no oncoming traffic, and i stayed where i was.. then they passed me w/ no problem. so i’m not sure why they did it.
Posted 12 Nov 2009 at 3:58 pm ¶Odd. Keri at Commute Orlando has a theory: It’s all about asserting ownership/dominance.
BTW, the Star Team meets Wednesday night. Are you interested in attending? We like to recruit new meat
Posted 12 Nov 2009 at 4:13 pm ¶Yep… territorial silliness… like the geese along Lake Eola that get all bent out of shape if you walk to the water’s edge.
Love the ones who get right next to my left ear on an empty 4-lane road, then lay on the horn. In what other arena would people feel compelled to be hostile to another person who was not affecting them at all?
It’s not as bad here as people think, but your area certainly seems more civil.
Posted 12 Nov 2009 at 6:25 pm ¶I had one a few weeks ago. I was heading north on Fremont just before Grand and a truck came up behind me and honked and passed. I started talking, more to myself than anything, saying “you don’t need to honk at me, I know you’re there.” He looked in his rearview, saw me muttering to myself and waved a hand. Reminded to be courteous, I waved back.
I think he might just have been trying to be proactive. It’s possible that people who only ride in cars (or trucks) don’t really know how loud a honk is when you’re on a bike. Maybe he thought he was keeping me safe. I dunno…
Posted 12 Nov 2009 at 6:34 pm ¶Kelly… I’ll bet that’s true in some cases. In all cases (or as much as I can), I try not to react at all. I’ve never had anyone wave. But I’ll keep an eye out.
Keri… Missouri is a fairly polite place in general. So we do have that going for us.
Posted 12 Nov 2009 at 8:06 pm ¶Andy, you’re falling behind. I’ve collected three honks to your two – and I even got an interview with one of my honkers afterwards. She honked because she thought I shouldn’t be in the middle of the lane. I think that’s pretty common.
The asserting ownership honks can get a little scary, but are a lot less common.
Posted 12 Nov 2009 at 11:39 pm ¶I have yet to get a honk in the Queen City. This might have to do with a few things. I rock a punked (read “stickers”) out WWII German helmet and I will not be intimidated to hug the gutter.
@Kelly: It’s nice of you to wave back with all your fingers. I don’t know if I would have such courtesy.
Posted 13 Nov 2009 at 9:00 am ¶Steve, if your lane position causes no inconvenience or delay (ie. nearly empty multi-lane road), it’s a territorial honk.
I had a guy honk and pass me on the left then cut back to a right turn lane that he could easily have gone directly into because I had moved farther left to facilitate that. Of course, the light was red and he couldn’t turn, so I pulled up in the thru lane next to him and asked what his problem was.
He said, “you were in the middle of the road!” I said, “I was making room for you to get in the right turn lane.” He repeated, “you were in the middle of the road!” OK Rainman, whatever.
That’s territorial. He was so offended that I would have the audacity to ride “in the middle of the road” that he totally missed the fact I was making it easier for him to go on his way.
Posted 13 Nov 2009 at 9:40 am ¶Steve… Three is not many. That’s cool. I’ve yet to encounter a situation in which I can interview my honker. Maybe next time
A.J… Yep. Sounds scary
Posted 13 Nov 2009 at 10:52 am ¶I don’t know why this would be the case, but I feel like ever since I put a blinking red light on the back of my bike, people in cars have been a lot more angry at me when I ride at night. On Halloween I was riding on Kimbrough and some frat-lookin’ guys honked and yelled at me to get out of the way. And a couple nights ago, I was riding on St Louis, just west of National and some guy honked at me and then THREW A HUGE CHUNK OF ICE AT MY HEAD. If it would have hit me I could’ve been hurt really bad. Oughtta start wearing a helmet, I guess? Before these two incidents it had been months since anyone honked or yelled or anything, really weird.
Posted 14 Nov 2009 at 3:49 pm ¶Ty… Wow, that’s not cool. The “frat” thing seems to have been in play the few times I’ve been honked at near campus.
Posted 14 Nov 2009 at 7:21 pm ¶