Friday we got out of work early as a reward. Cool by me, since it means traffic would be easier getting home.

I'm on the bike with saddle bags. Got an orange safety jacket, flashing rear light, helmet, all that commuter stuff. I'm on the right side of the road - it's a little moist so I'm doing my curb hugging one-foot off the stripe.

Location: Orlando Florida, southbound on 1792, 250 feet short of Lee Road.

Anyway, I'm riding along and two cars squeeeeeze past me on the left, really, really close. Like what the hell? So I'm thinking, fine. Glance back, no traffic. Swing out and take the lane, something like a third out. We'll see how well this works.

And suddenly I've got a big white hood next to my knee, so close I swear I can feel the heat off his engine. Even though I've taken the lane and forced him to lane-change out, he's only going over half-a-lane and still pressing past. Why is there never a cop around when...?

And he's by me and I'm looking at the back of an Orange Country Sheriff's cruiser! That's right - the same people who SHOULD be enforcing this rule are breaking it (and perhaps my spine)! I was so surprised I didn't even think to get his unit number.

Still, when I got home, I went onto their website and told them when and where the incident took place. Of course, let's be honest - if there is an officer down, they know EXACTLY who and where its happening. If there is a report of a violation, we're going to place the "did you get the unit number? Well, there isn't much we can do..."

That pissed me off to royal extent that the people who should be defending our tenuous roadway rights actually endanger us.

Way to go, Orange Country!

Strange thing today. Rolling up the Lake Destiny frontage road (a two-lane road with nice clean bike lanes on either side). Saw I was overtaking a rider with a yellow reflective jacket - one like I'd like to get (mine's orange, too small and not very reflective). But strange, I noticed that the cars were all slowing down, touching their brakes as they passed him.

Eventually I drew up behind him and then I saw a couple of things.

One: He had "Share the Road" across the back of his vest. Okay, that's groovy.

Two: He was turning up his nose at using the bike lane, and was actually a foot out in the travel lane. That's right, there is a nice bike lane all ready for his use and yet he's making it a deliberate hassle for the overtaking cars.

There is a group in town (a kinda religious/fundamentalist/terrorist bunch) who believe that bikes should plant themselves firmly in the street, taking their 'legal piece' of the road. They call people like me curb crawlers and such. Inexplicably, they will reject bike lanes even when they are right there, going their way. And that's what this guy was doing - cruising a foot and change beyond the line, exercising his God-given right to be a total asshole (and likely be run the fuck over by the first texting fuv to overtake him).

I just wrote about this Americanism HERE, and I'm tired of it. Does everything have to be confrontation? Does every pedestrian have to walk in front of me, every car push on me, and now every bike stage an Occupy Asphalt protest while I'm trying to get to work?

Of course, every driver who has to go around this guy (who is rejecting the lane motorists bitch about supporting in the first place) is carrying this anger off with them. Maybe next time they won't give a cyclist a break. They'll press a little harder, honk a little longer and consider a little less the idea of alternative transport. After all, why would they want to be an asshole like this guy?

Back in the moment where I was overtaking this guy (remember?): so now I need to crank around and make sure I have a lot of room. I don't want to squeeze down his right on the lane, so that leaves swinging nearly out to the double yellows to get around him on the left.

Like there isn't enough risk along the daily ride - now I get a little more. On principle.

Popular western (i.e. American) culture holds that the English are a fragile, cultured (even socialist) lot while we’re a brawny, can-do bunch. But nothing could be further from the truth.

In my recent trip to London, I observed countless English cycle commuters making their way to work, in absolutely frigid temperatures with light rain forecast. Yes, driving in the city is a pain and you pay a congestion fee (something like ten bucks a day) so maybe they are forced to ride. Whatever. But I saw men and women riding in, doing what it took to get them where they were going, not complaining, getting ‘er done (as we are prone to boast).

Really, how many American women can you imagine riding a bike to work in 30 degree weather? Most Yankee damsels, deprived of their fuv’s, would quail in their suburban tract homes without the slightest inkling of an alternative.

Further, there seems to be a blunt practicality with the English commuter; unlike Yanks with their spindly carbon-framed toys, the British bike is Hawker Hurricane strong, with fenders and mounting racks. They run with lights (because to not do so would be stupid) and wider tires (because slicks are). And they don’t sport flamingo suits – they don compact yet serviceable weathergear, usually with reflector bibs tossed over their shoulders. Form over fashion in every regard.

But really, there is a utilitarian grace to their commutes – they don’t have an agenda of riding in traffic or holding anyone up. They tend to follow the rules. They wear helmets and gloves. They keep to the left and remain watchful of car doors. They are professional in their cross-town journeys. As a commuter, I can actually take pride in how well they do it.

Of course, I’ve read London has reached a tipping point. Cyclists are so common that motorists anticipate them and know how to get around them. That’s not to say that there aren’t conflicts and regrettable accidents, but riding in Orlando (statistically one of the worst places on Earth to ride) it looks like heaven to me. Here, it’s chaos. Motorists are vehicular bullies who excuse their murderous behavior as divine right. And cyclists who are juvenile clowns, riding in black at night, no lights, no gear, no external awareness, no hands on the handlebars, dicking with Ipuds.

Yankee riders reject the idea of gear, reflectives, lighting, and discipline because they believe it’s a more honest, macho way to ride. English riders know better. So which culture is more can-do? Really, which?