Honking on the Atlantic Beach Bridge

On some weekday mornings, I get up early and ride out to Lido Beach or Point Lookout. While the ride is almost perfectly flat (my Garmin measured the cumulative ascent at about 75 feet round trip), you are almost certain to run into a stiff wind one direction or the other.

The ride also requires crossing the Atlantic Beach Bridge (ABB). And herein lies the rub.

One side of the ABB has a running/walking path. Bike riding is not permitted on that path; instead one is supposed to dismount and walk his or her bike across the bridge. Failure so to do can result in a fine of 250 smackers, U.S.

Many people misinterpret the sign that forbids riding across the path. The sign DOES NOT PROHIBIT BIKE RIDING ACROSS THE BRIDGE ON THE ROAD PROPER!! Like on every other street or road (other than highways), bike riding is permitted so long as you follow the rules of the road.

Unfortunately, many's the time that I find myself riding over the ABB back into the Five Towns when drivers give me dirty looks, or worse, loudly honk their horns from behind, not because I'm in their way (there are three lanes and at 7 a.m. there is never much traffic), but because they think I'm violating the law and have appointed themselves auxiliary policemen. This is very stupid because honking like that can startle a rider which can really be dangerous, particularly when the rider is riding across the steel grating of a draw bridge. on two very thin wheels.

This happened to me again this morning. A woman both honked at me and gave me a dirty look. And then, at the toll booths below, she honked me again because I was going straight (as was my right) from the right toll booth, when she wanted to veer into the turn-off which was located on my right. I gave her the clentched-fist-high-in-the-air treatment.
-Such are the trials and tribulations of a bike rider who just wants to be left alone.