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Trucker Man-gel
By admin | August 30, 2010
Bike riders and motor vehicle drivers occasionally find themselves at odds with each other. Too much traffic and small to non-existent shoulders on roads make turf battles between those with two wheels, and those with more than two tires a sure thing. Pedaling down an unusually busy street today made me very aware that driver tug of war was ripe to use as an excuse for acting on pent up road rage. A sidewalk ran the length of my intended path, so I quickly adjusted course to make use of it.
I was safe until about fifty feet ahead a huge semi had pulled out so far readying to make a turn it was covering the very sidewalk necessary to keep me out of harm’s way. A jittery feeling invaded my stomach as I eyed alternatives to colliding with the truck No side streets to my right. Only a drainage trough buffered the space to my left. Panic was about to set in when I noticed the truck driver’s head turn in my direction. Seconds later, his truck lurched backward. Amazingly, the cab came to a halt well behind sidewalk boundaries.
Getting closer, an outline of the driver’s face became clear. I waved at the trucker man-gel for his kindness. Far from exhibiting road rage, trucker man-gel had saved me from an ugly collision or wipe out. His smile was visible through the cab’s window. Not only had he paved my way, he had done so with pleasure. Some people would have gotten out of the way begrudgingly. That’s what sets man-gels apart from the crowd. They enjoy making life easy for themselves and everyone they contact. Trucker man-gel broke all the rules frustrated drivers practiced, and that was a welcomed surprise.
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