Dear Guy in the Blue Van......

I'm sorry.

When I was riding my bike home today, I heard a car behind me. I confirmed it by looking in my mirror, and I waited on the far right hand side of the road to make the left turn I needed to make.

The car passed, I heard another car (way) behind me (I thought), and at the last possible second I threw my left arm out and darted across the lane into the turning lane.

I thought you were farther back than that. I never would have turned in front of you if I had known you were that close. I heard you hit the brakes, and I'm so glad your tires didn't squeal when you did so.

I fully expected you to turn around and come confront me after I had made my turn, and I wouldn't have blamed you. I might have felt better, because it would have given me the chance to apologize live and in person.

Emphasis on live.

Please don't judge all bicyclists by my stupid action today. For the most part we pride ourselves on being as safe as possible on the roads, and we really, really don't get out there just to piss you drivers off. Sometimes our abrupt movements on the road are the result of hazards you can't even see from your car, such as rocks, glass, or grooves in the road. Sometimes, however, they are the result of not paying enough attention and making a snap decision without thinking it all the way through.

Please don't judge me too harshly either. I am not an idiot most of the time.

To punish myself for an act of idiocy, I added 4.5 miles to my route home. The adrenaline rush helped my average speed.

But I don't recommend it.