BobbyG

My wife and I were driving home tonight past Colorado College whose mascot is apparently a bike ninja. I've been bike commuting through their quad for 25 years so I know to expect un-lit, un-reflective cyclists. Sure enough I can just make out the dark form of a ninja cyclist up ahead in the right lane, silhouetted against the upcoming traffic light.

We pass the cyclist and stop at the light. I look to my right just as the cyclist appears in my passenger window and is lit up by the streetlight above. It appears to be an unhelmetted female in a black peacoat on an upright 26-inch bike with a basket and metal fenders holding a beer and cigarette in her left hand.

As there was no cross-traffic she wasn't slowing and intended to pedal through the light. Just then, to her right a hatless guy in a dark jacket riding a 90s mountain bike rode into the light of the intersection. He had been salmoning against traffic, and each noticed the other at the last possible moment.

Each braked to a quick stop and may have even bumped front wheels. Nobody fell, and the young woman didn't even drop her cigarette or beer.

So all, in all it ended up being a non-event, although the timing between the two phantom-like bikes and their respective sudden reveals under the street lamp was very cinematic. The two of them stood there straddling their bikes and laughing like some hollywood "meet-cute".

My wife said that would have made the beginnings of a great romantic comedy provided that neither was driving a car. That would have been a tragedy.

Dave Cutter

Yeah sorta sounds... hot.

canklecat

I haven't witnessed a salmon-ninja collision yet, but I've just barely dodged many a solo salmon ninja in my neighborhood. Mostly folks who've been de-horsed -- lost their license, or could afford a car due to the economy, and the bus doesn't serve our unfashionable end of town well enough to accommodate folks who have to work later than 9 pm downtown or wherever the jobs are.

I try not to fuss at them, although I did at one the other day headed right toward me in the bike lane at night. Didn't penetrate. They've been conditioned by old myths that cyclists are supposed to ride against traffic.

keg61

..."They've been conditioned by old myths that cyclists are supposed to ride against traffic." WOW!! that's scarey, i'm 55 and can't remember ever being told to ride against traffic, in fact I was always taught the opposite.. peds walk against traffic, bikes go with the flow

rumrunn6

hysterical

Wildwood 

News flash: college students are reckless

Can you ride at night with beer & joint in hand (Colorado) and deftly avoid other moving obstacles?

RiPHRaPH

there is no "I" in team, but there are 2 of them in millennial.