I went bicycle riding in one of the local parks a few days ago. It's a trail called a"singletrack", because it's mainly a single track through the trees, very narrow, with trees close in on the sides. It's quit possible to hit or clip a tree with only a moments distraction. There are plenty of scars on the trees to demonstrate this. Here's a bit of stream-of-consciousness dialogue from my last ride:

Yesterday morning I went for a ride on the singletrack path in my favorite city park, lots of trees on each side, you have to pay attention, very twisty trail. I'm normally thinking about what direction I'll dive off the trail into the trees if someone zooms up from the opposite direction (I don't have a history of dismounting gracefully in panic stops). That morning, my thoughts went something like this:

Oh, boy, there were a lot of cars with bike racks in the parking lot... maybe I should keep ringing the bell on the handlebars... nope, keep your hands on the bars, you wobble around enough as it is... this is nice, another half-hour and it will be too hot... whoa, nearly caught the handlebar end on that one... what's that in the middle of the path ahead... can’t quite make it out... it's a squirrel, why is he staring at me like that, get out of the way... GET OUT OF THE WAY... oh, great, now he's trying to outrun me down the twisty trail about two feet in front of me... I go right, he goes right... I go left, he goes left... I think he's toying with me... he looks back, I'm not sure if he is really trying to get away or checking to make sure he hasn't lost me... I'm beginning to suspect this wasn't an accidental meeting... wow, he sure can corner better than I can... he's got the whole forest to play in, why pick here and now... he dives right off the path... aaiieee, there's that nasty root drop, anchors out, pay attention... I come to a stop and swear I hear high-pitched squeaky laughing from back there.. maybe more than one.

Initiation rite? Maybe. For all I know, they even have a secret handshake. But if see a squirrel on this path next time I'm riding, I'm not slowing down.