Bear in The Woods

In the Early 90's I went with a friend I had since grade school to Northern California (Weaverville). We went to a bar (The only one) and had a few beers and decided we was going to drive up a mountain to the fire station lookout. We were nearly to the top after driving for 30 minutes in a rented car and hit a locked gate.

We turned round and about half way down the beer started to work on my bladder and asked him to pull over. We got out and both were doing our business and he said, "Did you hear that?" I told him I heard nothing so we got back in the car and backed out of a little pull off in the road and as soon as he turned his headlights back down the road there was a large black bear running away about 50 feet away running down the road. I don't know much about bears an figure he was just curious. But I remembered telling him there is nothing out here but dark, I was wrong.

I don't think black bears are dangerous, but am glad we got back into the car before we found out.

Are black bears dangerous, anyone know? He had white fur on his back legs like socks if that helps.