random aggression

The other night I'm cycling home, and a car heading towards me completely cuts me off turning left into an laneway in front of me. Very close call, with me swerving into the road, where there are fortunately no cars coming up from behind. I'm shaken and a little bit mental with rage, and turn around to follow the car down the laneway. I'm not really thinking at this point, just riding hard to catch up to the car. When I'm about three car-lengths behind the car, it stops. I stop, now maybe a car-length away. All I can think now is, "What the hell was my plan?" He sits there. I sit there, motionless in the glow of his tail-lights, trying to work out the next move. His window rolls down, and a male voice calls out, "I apologize." I'm speechless. I nod my acceptance, turn, and ride away.

This could have ended so many ways, many of them horrible. In a movie, he would have gotten out of the car wielding a baseball bat or something. I'm so very glad my life is the way it is, and that I don't live in a hyper-violent movie, even if I *do* make bone-headed moves like this sometimes that could totally lead it in that direction.

To the guy who apologized... my heartfelt thanks for not killing me, both when you cut me off and when I followed you, seeking redress.