Yesterday I was riding my bicycle on a wilderness trail when suddenly there was an SUV coming straight at me traveling about 30 mph or maybe a bit faster. I jumped off the trail and let it go by. The woman driver looked like she was in a complete panic. I am not sure how she got onto the trail, or where she thought she was going.

Encountering a car is not totally unexpected. There are maintenance trucks that creep along. Sometimes I go faster than they do. Sometimes they pull over and let me go by. Occasionally, a driver expects me to get off the trail so they can proceed.

Occasionally the police are out on the trail. When we had bicycle police, they often rode the tail. When we had motorcycle police, they took over for the bicycle police. I understand our city manager considers both bicycle and motorcycle unsafe and has instructed all police officers to drive cars instead. So, occasionally, I encounter one or more police cars prowling as they search for someone. Most of the police cars follow the standard protocol and stop to allow bicycles to pass. Some do not follow that system and instead expect the bicycles to get off the trail so they can pass. But even when their lights are flashing and they are after someone, they seldom go much faster than the typical pace for a bicycle.

I expect to be marginalized on city streets. I expect that one third of the drivers are under the influence of drugs, cell phones, or hamburgers. I expect that one third of the drivers believe they automatically have the right of way even if their light is red and my light is green. I rejoice that about one third of the drivers look for bicycles and share the road.

I enjoy the side roads, the country roads, and the trails because there are fewer automobiles. But they are everywhere, even where you don’t expect them.