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cycling through gotanda

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

While cycling to my barber's shop today, I heard the honking of a horn from a car behind me. Looking back I saw a small truck bearing down on me.

Scooting into the lane to the left (despite their being parked cars there), I made way for the driver who for some reason felt it necessary to menace me by veering unnecessarily into my lane. He wasn't avoiding anything, he just wanted to scare me.

Well the problem is that I didn't so much scare as get incensed. I watched for him to get caught up at a light, and zipped up beside him where he was waiting. Rapping on his glass, I motioned for him to lower his glass so we could have a dialogue about his driving. He gave me a smug look and shook his head. I yelled through the glass that I had a right to ride on the road.

Not liking that, he pulled out a small camera and started to take a photo of me. So I gave him a big smile and a wave, and went round the front of his truck to take a photo of his license. He started blasting away on his horn, but I wasn't going anywhere until my iPhone finally got the pic. This pic.

品川４００　て５７−７６

So if you're ever in Tokyo and see a dangerous driver and his license plate is the same, I'll testify on your behalf that the man has a history of aggressive and stupid driving. I don't know if it's a small penis thing, or a hatred of cyclists or gaijin or sunny days, or if maybe he was raised by wolverines. But this guy is a dangerous nut.

Three good things that happened today:

1. I was not killed

2. I did not get into a violent situation

3. The rest of my day went very well indeed