Beware the tag sale, my friend! Beware the yards o' crap!

Tag sales are a particular hazard for the cyclist. Cars swerve abruptly or stop in the middle of the road while the driver checks out the goods on display, parked car doors are liable to swing open at any moment forcing the prudent cyclist to ride in the middle of the road (just because you can't see someone in the car doesn't mean they're not there, bent over to retrieve their purse from the floor and about to open their door as you pass) and stopped cars pull back out onto the road without even a glance behind.

And now the menace has moved next door! Just before 7 yesterday, I awoke to the sound of raised voices. Two of my neighbors were having a combined tag sale, and the set-up necessitated much yelling back and forth between the houses. The first cars arrived for the sale by 7:30, even though the signage indicated that the sale would start at 9:00. By the time I left the house on my bike at 8:30, the block was littered with cars.

There's a repeat performance today, although there was considerably less shouting during the set-up. Frankly I don't see the appeal, but that's just me. I understand getting rid of stuff, but you couldn't pay me to stand around my yard trying to sell it. It's either crap which means it gets trashed/recycled, or if it's still good it gets donated to charity.

Meanwhile I'm sipping coffee, preparing to hop on the bike, and hoping that the sale ends today.