Today, well, at least about once a week, the local paper's letter to the ed. has some gripes about bicyclists.
I was walking around downtown thinking about why.
There's what, one cyclist per 300, 500 or 1,000 cars driving around? Are these few cyclists ruining transportation throughout the whole city? Are these cyclists causing massive amounts of property damage and deaths? Are these cyclists ruining the very Americaness of America with their... whatever they are doing?
I can see cyclists are being treated like an unprotected minority, irregardlessly (:p) of their race, gender, age or physical abilities. No, cyclists are targets because they are not like the majority. They aren't sitting in cars, magically getting around at high speeds. They aren't paying taxes... well probably not... They don't have insurace... well probably not. They aren't being safe... wait. Now there's a problem I have.
Sure, I'm awful when it comes to signalling, completely stopping, obeying all signage and lights... but am I unsafe? I've been riding a bike around town for years upon years and have yet to get into an accident. The closest I come is when a driver comes close to me in some sort of retaliation or "teaching me a lesson" sort of mentality.
But back to my previous feelings... People group and bond with like people and bonding. A lot of my friends ride bikes. So people that drive ALL the time must similarly bond with other people that drive ALL the time. Well, there's more people that drive ALL the time so I guess they feel they get to make the majority rules. "All cyclists will follow all the rules or else!" Well, as a minority cyclists who follows few rules, I can honestly say I'm not going to start following all the rules cuz they (angry drivers that focus too much anger on people who aren't driving) tell me to.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
As I was eating lunch downtown today, I observed bikes coming and going -- 95% of them on the sidewalk, which is technically illegal downtown.
Let's see there was the two BMX hoodlums doing tricks off the planter boxes outside yia yia's, the grandmother cruising with her shiny new Electra complete with front wicker basket and the "fitness challenged" couple on el cheapo mountain bikes.
It may be technically "illegal" to ride downtown on the sidewalks, but I could only imagine the horror that would unfold if these two-wheeled sorts were kick into the streets.
Just remember to wear your seat belts.
On my traversity to work today, I stopped at the South street crossing. There was a fine cyclist following me on the path a few yards back. There was also a car pulling out of the Tiger Coaching lot. Well, I knew I could beat the car to the island... unless they were one of those muscle cars... punny! But the fine cyclist behind me saw me going and musta figured it was clear. She almost got clammed.
Moral of the story, don't do what gravy does.
Small small world.
I just found out the fine cyclist was Avery.
(Darcy to Nicol)
Post a Comment