As I anticipate the ride in Malaysia, I am reminded of past rides. On one, I was working with a friend as a sweeper at the back of the group. It was a great ride in the making! Everyone in the group was riding smart and safe. The weather was favorable – warm with a slight breeze and just enough clouds in the sky to take the edge off the sun that could have punished us all day long.
For the most part, the car drivers were aware. In a moment that we both noticed, a random arrogant driver started to act in an unsafe way with two of our group’s riders up front. Before I could even think of what I could or should do, he was gone. I heard the move before I watched it unfold. Dropping down two gears, his sport bike accelerated into the gap! With a calculated weave in and through traffic, at times on the shoulder of the road, the space between him and the unfolding drama was quickly disappeared.
As I recall the scene, my mind drifts to to a psalm. It was as if I was catching a glimpse of what things could be when “fire blazes out before him, flaming high up the craggy mountains.” (Psalm 97.3) It was stunning and inspiring to watch. Even as I think about it, I am reminded of the following.
Friends act when needed, with or without an invitation, because they are friends. The sweeper’s role is to help others in distress! In this case, there was no hesitation, just engagement.
When others need help, it is all about them, not us. In calculated moves that balanced safety with an aggressive response, within seconds he was right in the mix, taking charge, placing himself between danger and those at risk, forcing the right outcome.
When we debriefed at the next fuel stop, I realized he did not see that he had done anything special. He had done what he said it would do. Everyone was safe. It was now time to ride.
