Bike ride today. Almost got hit by a flexcar. Flexcar is a kind of time-share vehicle service supported by the city of Seattle (some other cities have it too). Flexcars are usually tealish green honda civics, and it is this kind of car that almost hit me today.

Stopped traffic on broadway ave (a 2 lane, heavily controlled street), I was riding up the right side (a.k.a. "the bike lane") with much room to spare on both sides at a very leisurely pace. Flexgenius decided to pull one of those surprise right turns (signal? check? whats that?) into the parking lane when I'm next to him. He doesn't even stop as I cross into his front windshield FOV. I practically hover sideways to avoid him. If I had stopped, my bike would be L-shaped by now. I finally hear his passenger yelling at him that there is a bike directly in front of him and could he stop looking up or wherever the hell it was he was keeping his attention while he drives forward. Inches, maybe 4, is a good description of the clearance I had when he stopped.

I had all my lights on (halogen headlight, blinky tail), it was daylight (seattle style daylight, but still. not sunset.) and I'm wearing the yellowest, most visible jersey possible. My bike is also nearly incandescent yellow. Good thing I got that yellow shirt yesterday.

Jeez. This isn't that interesting, but I'm annoyed.