Let the Biker Beware

     I feel blessed to have made it in to work today.
     At the 65th Street crossing from Target to the Kroy Pedestrian/Bike Pathway a car ran the the red light, speeding through the crosswalk where I was about to cross.   It screeched to a halt just past the crosswalk.  It was not blocking any traffic where it stopped, but suddenly it started backing up to where it should have stopped in the first place.  It clipped my back wheel as I tried to evade it.  I confess I called it a name under my breath. 
     Matthew 5:  22 "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." 
      Ok, I had cause, but the 2nd part of that scripture appears  independent of the 1st.  And what I said was "Idiot" but I think it's close enough.  Do you really think I am danger of 'hell fire'?  for that I mean.  I am afraid I have done worse things than that in my life.
       I also applied the term to myself for not being more watchful.   The car was in the wrong, but as Pancho says in The Man of La Mancha, " whether the pitcher hits the stone or the stone hits the pitcher, it's going to be bad for the pitcher."  The bicyclist should always be vigilant.
        There were also an unusual number of cars pulling out of parking places which I needed to beware. 
        On the flip side, more than one car waited to make their legal turn and let me cross the street ahead of them when I was prepared to wait for them.  It always warms my heart a little to see the small courtesies many drivers extend to bicycles.
       If I were Andrew I would now make a spiritual application about always being on guard against the wiles and sneak attacks of the devil. But I will leave that to you.