8TH AVE BIKE HIT-AND-RUN: LET'S LEARN A LESSON, PEOPLE

Consider yourself forewarned: I'm about to get on my self-righteous, bloggy high-horse (yes, more than usual).

So, since Saturday (weekend before last) was so stupid gorgeous outside, I took my new bike out for a spin around the Slope.  I haven't owned a bike that actually worked properly in a few years, so this is the first time I was able to really ride around here.  Since then I've had every intention to shoot off my mouth about how there's no way you can truly understand how insanely important a bike lane is until you've actually BEEN on the roads and had to avoid the fucks who idle in the dedicated 9th Street lane. Which, of course, is still totally true.  But last Thursday night around 11, I heard a huge crashing sound outside of my window, popped my head out, and saw a biker on the ground, his front tire lodged under a pickup truck. And not two seconds after I opened my window and yelled down to see if he was okay, the truck fucking sped away.

Thank god that there were a couple of other guys with him, and one who saw the whole crash happen; the four of us were able to get the plate number and details to 911.  Hopefully dude's okay; he looked like he was just in shock, but he was carried away in a stretcher, regardless.

Which brings me to my point.  Cars: I don't care if you find bikers annoying.  Yeah, a lot of them ride like assholes and yes, sometimes unavoidable shit happens.  B-U-T bikes are going to be on the road whether you're down with it or not, and this is the kind of shit that happens when stop signs get glossed over or you try to beat out a biker making the same turn as you.  And I obviously shouldn't have to tell you not to hit-and-run if something happens...because it's a fucking felony.  And bikers, you're not off the hook, either: Sacrifice your cool points and WEAR YOUR FUCKING HELMETS.

Finally, the hit-and-run driver was in a black pick-up truck with a commerical logo on the driver's side door, NY plates 4028GT.  If you see this piece of shit on your block, give the cops a ring.