Singing Fred

Today marks the return of the "Singing Fred".  The last time I saw him was back in September, so obviously he's a fairweather rider.  Today he was wearing a button-down shirt avec bowtie and slacks.  As I was cruising down Commonwealtha Ave following a car, I hear him singing (Opera as opposed to Journey), and approaching me.  I slow for the upcoming intersection behind a line of 5 cars, who are all turning right at a busy intersection.  Douchebag, decides to go up the right hand side and ignore the 4-way stop, nearly causing an accident.  I'd like to just cruise in to work, since I didn't feel up to riding hard, nor did I want to hear any more opera singer as I got near the Fred.  But, when someone does something dangerous on the road, I do like to hammer it past them and prove the point that their wreckless riding is getting them nowhere...occasionally I want to say something like, "hey, your wreckless move does nothing to endear car drivers to cyclists"...but it usually comes out as "hey, jackass, stupid move."  Since Fred was singing, I thought a high speed pass, narrowly missing him without any sort of "on your left" would suffice.  Back in September, Singing Fred gave me no indication that he was passing, other than that I heard "Don't Stop Believin" as he approached.  So, after a quick acceleration, I was about 10 yards behind Fred as we hit the Route 1 underpass.  He got louder and louder with his rendition of  The Marriage of Figaro.  We hit some congestion, and he wrecklessly passed a cluster of runners and cyclists.  As we got on the MVT, I hit the gas, closely passed him and left Singing Fred behind.  I had to ride a little faster than I wanted, since Singing Fred does spin the hybrid at max speed. He also has the propensity to be a wheelsucker, so I had to accelerate quickly as I passed. Luckily I didn't hear another note.  Unfortunately, I arrived at work a little sweatier than I had planned.

 

With Spring in full swing, the trail is getting somewhat dangerous...rollerbladers, unicyclists, texting riders, military members taking PT tests, people with headphones that can't hear anyone else around them, Team Radioshack jerseys, Trail Time Trialists, and other heros that come out when the weather's good.  Fairweather riders are taking over.  Most are tolerable, but the awful singing is not.