Nearly A Goner

Bike ride to work was pretty good. Light traffic for some reason..

Afternoon, not too bad. Traffic was heavier, but seemed 'normal'.. for L.A. anyway.. overall pretty good..

..that is, until I nearly won a prize..... of the door variety

I generally try to stay out of the door zone, but somehow I wandered a little close to the parked cars and wouldn't you know it, someone flings their door wide open causing me to hit the brakes (luckily I ride with my hands over my brakes in heavy traffic), slightly swerve in the small space I had after I took a quick glance to my left to make sure I wasn't gonna get squashed by a car/bus/truck, and curse very loudly throughout the ordeal. I think my squeaking front brake, along with the cursing, might've helped them notice me enough to pull their door slightly closed (not all the way of course), but enough for me to squeeze by and catch my breath behind a stopped bus.

I feel pretty lucky. I think if I were a couple inches more to the right, I would've been a goner, or if they had opened their door a second later.

Man.. I'm gonna go have a beer now..