It's hard out there for a stingy, eco-friendly young lady.

Now that I'm no longer a student (read: no longer have a U-Pass), I've been riding my bike most places to save money. Usually it's fine. I've been a recreational city rider for a while, so I'm confident enough, and while my mother frets over my safety I've always figured if I'm cautious I'll be fine. It's also a great season for riding and the weather has been very forgiving (except that fuckin wind).

Mainly my riding consists of the 4-mile-each-way commute to work. I take a heavily frequented route, which is reassuring to know I'm not alone out there. Yesterday on my ride home:

1. The guy in front of me got clipped by a car that was pulling out from a light that had just changed green. The side of the car bumped his shin and the mirror got his handlebar. The guy was fine, as the car was only going 10 miles per hour, maybe, but he cursed at the driver, rightfully so. The driver was either a malicious bastard or COMPLETELY clueless. I was frazzled.
2. I was riding between cars parked at the curb to my right, and a huuuuuuuuge line of cars waiting at a stop light to my left. This is one of the most unsettling situations since space is very tight and you never know who's going to swing open a door. So I was riding quickly but cautiously when two dudes and a dog stepped from the sidewalk to cross the street in front of me, like right in front of me, giving me not much room to brake, and I thought I was gonna bowl over the dog. However I managed to swerve around them, and in an entirely nonthreatening way said "watch it". I didn't yell, I just sounded annoyed. Then one of the dudes yells back at me: "PEDESTRIAN RIGHTS!". Seriously, bro? You think I don't appreciate pedestrian rights?? If I could describe myself to an employer in three words, one of them would be "pedestrian", and all it entails. I know that pedestrians have rights, but if they don't want to die (or at least be considered a self-important dick) they won't step in front of quickly moving traffic. Bikes are no exception.
3. And while we're at it, all those guys who can't stand being passed by a girl can suck it. I am NOT very fast so this has only happened a couple of times, but it pisses me off. My conclusion is that if I can pass them then they must be pretty slow and have no business trying to prove anything.

To recap: I need a car. Or scooter.