Today's experience encapsulates my perception of Republicans vs. Democrats.
With heavy grocery bags strung along both arms, I stepped into a crosswalk. In Washington State, drivers are required to stop for people in crosswalks.
An aggressive jerk in a massive long truck cut me off. He turned right and roared across the crosswalk. I stopped, backed up and waited. A "LET'S GO BRANDON" sign that means "F##K YOU BIDEN" was in his back window.
Five minutes later on a busy road, a woman in front of me graciously stopped at a crosswalk to let a bicyclist cross the road. The bicyclist gratefully waved. She had a "Washington State Democrat" bumper sticker like mine. My hero.
Your thoughts?
This can also be regional within states. Here, I often give the right-of-way to drivers who want to be 'nice' and let me take it. Sometimes it comes to a stand-off.
I lived in Seattle from 1973 to 1993 and aside from Wa drivers who can't stay out of the passing lane on the freeway I had very few rude experiences, either driving or riding my bicycle.
I moved to the east side of the state and a huge difference in the drivers. Easy to pick out the republicans. Rude and dangerous to cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers. Parking lots are a fucking nightmare around here in Ellensburg. I have had more very disagreeable experiences in parking lots in Ellensburg in the last 7 years of living here than in ALL my 54 years of driving.
Here not stopping for a pedestrian is a $295.00 fine. Carry a camera and make sure you get the license plate. Perhaps a go-pro on the topof your head, placed in a hat.
I live in SE Alabama and we have one REDNECK MORON who drives around town in his POS Pickup ... WITH A 5' by 3' CONFEDERATE FLAG Fluttering from a pole mounted in the bed of the truck...nope...NO RACISM HERE...smfh...someone needs to paintball that SOB...and BURN HIS TRUCK UNDER A FUCKING CROSS...
When I see people in vehicles with giant flags flapping, I chuckle to myself about the lowered fuel mileage.
Some people think it is cute to be aggressive with their big ass trucks to bicyclists and pedestrians.
Hate media shrieks that they are somehow less than human and a threat to the American way of Big Fossil 4Ever!
Hit and runs are rarely ever really prosecuted.
"Oh...you thought you hit a raccoon. OK. Let us help you wash that blood off the hood. And give us that bike helmet with head in it. We'll make sure it goes away."
I had a guy that pulled out in front of me yesterday. He really seemed to be enjoying it. I called him a Fuckhead out the window.....I was too shocked to do much more, it was that close and sudden.
I really shoulda done one of 2 other things: Jumped out of my truck and smashed his with something. Not too likely as he would have drove off before I could find anything useful
OR
Hit the accelerator instead of the brakes.
Now IDK his politics, but if I had to guess.............And I did stew on that son of a bitch for about 1/2 hour
I have learned about the MAGA's that they are the hurray for me & Eph you crowd. They are the my way or the highway crowd. Democrats still have a modicum of etiquette & manners as we care about people. MAGAs care about themselves. Other than John Wayne Gacy of course.
Your experience is exactly what I have experienced with repub drivers. They are rude obnoxious people! I sometimes wish I could drive a huge truck with a plow on it to scrape them off the roads!
Anyone is capable of being an arsehole. Also, anyone is capable of being kind.
PS – Love the sign!
Thank you.
My favorite sign for climate crisis marches, front and back:
Totally unrelated, but...
A girl I knew in high school went to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She is/was Mormon and I don't know why she chose to go to supposedly the least Mormon school in the state but whatever.
She and a girlfriend were waiting in the drizzle at a bus stop when suddenly a great big limo pulled up -- and from the back seat Marie Osmond asked if they wanted a ride.
I've never heard what Marie's politics are, but my friend and I both decided that she's likely a good person. Ha, ha.
I've heard MO say that she absolutely refuses to comment on whatever her politics may be.