Engineer-Poet's Journal: The #$&*!ers are trying to kill me

Nothing drives home the realization that you're living in Podunk more than encounters with rednecks.

Especially when they are encounters which could easily be fatal.

I broke a bit early from work on Tuesday to get in some mileage on my bike while I still had daylight. I had no real difficulty with traffic going my way, but on the last leg back into town I was run off the road by opposite-direction traffic coming into my lane (head on) to pass.

Not once, but twice in the space of a few minutes.

This constitutes reckless disregard for life and safety. I am going to consult the police about the legality of carrying small balloons of paint to mark the cars of such dangerous drivers, plus whatever's necessary to deal with the ones who decide to escalate.

No, I have no intention of leaving the roads. I can see these idiots coming, but I can't stand most other forms of exercise and giving it up is a road to ruin.

Re:

[DisownedSky]

Carrying around a heavy steel I-beam would be excellent exercise.

Well...

[nizo]

You see officer I was just riding my bike and this guy almost ran over me; that must be when the paintball gun fell out of my backpack and peppered his car. Honest.

Be visible

[ces]

Make sure you can be seen. Bright clothing regardless of lighting conditions, lights if the light is getting dim.

Still some assholes will try to run into you even if you are wearing florescent yellow head to toe and are lit up like a Wal-Mart parking lot.