[MD] Stop Global Warming

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Case]
But you have crossed the line with your slight on minivans. I love my minivan.

[Arlo]
OK, amigo. Don't take this personally, I don't like painting with 
broad strokes, but this is one of my peeves. Nearly every single one 
of the "dangerous" situations I've encountered while on my cycle 
involves a minivan. Not an SUV. Not a sports car. Not delivery 
trucks. Not 18-wheelers. Not even sea-green queen-size family 
truckster station wagons. But minivans.

I don't know what it is, but I've learned the most important lesson 
for riding is... give minivans a wide berth. Avoid them. Slow down 
and just stay away. They cut you off, they pull out in front of you, 
they tailgate you (which is insanely dangerous to do to a bike), they 
drive 85 in 25 zones and 25 in 65 zones. Beyond this, I can relate my 
top 10 worst moments (won't do it all here), and every one of them 
starts "so there was this minivan..."

Random top ten encounter. Around 10pm driving home from library. 
Small country road, very twisty. Clear, but dark. Posted speed limit, 
20. I find myself being tailed, to the point where I could almost 
TOUCH the front end of the car behind me. With my left hand, I turn 
and signal "back off a bit". This is immediately followed by the 
horn. And again and again. Now this moron is riding my tail AND 
blasting his horn. We hit a small straight-path and I slow down and 
pull over a bit to let him pass. Horn blasting he guns the engine and 
ONLY STRADDLING THE CENTER LINE, he flies past. I see a middle finger 
in the window. I was just flipped off. Then to top it off, he cuts in 
EARLY, nearly pushing me off into the dirt. Now I'm pissed. And ready 
for a fight. So I follow at a slight distance, and pull into the 
driveway and dismount. Fists clenched and ready to scream, as I see 
this 55-60 year old woman step out, with a shopping bag and then she 
opens side door and a small kid steps out. She glares at me. I just 
shrug and drive away.

While this would be a sad but unique encounter in normal conditions, 
it has played out repeatedly over the years. Four times I was nearly 
run off the road. All four times... minivan. Twice I had someone DEAD 
STOP in the road ahead. Both... minivans.

I come to realize that the overwhelming majority of minivan drivers 
are bitter, rage-filled people and seeing me (and others) on a 
motorcycle just brings out all the frustrations about their own lives 
that have built up over the years.

I'm sure you are different, Case. :-)

PS: By the way... 18-wheelers and sports cars are the NICEST company 
on the road. Never had a trouble with either....