Today my commute went down 9th Street NW. One lane (of the about 4--all going one direction) is marked in huge white letters on the pavement "BIKES AND BUSSES ONLY) with the appropriate bike and bus symbols. Cars always drive in this lane, and there's nary a traffic cop to enforce the lane restriction (grrrr)
So today, I took the lane, and it felt great! I got a few honks and at least one "salute", which I deftly tossed back (I shouldn't do that, it just makes people madder). The more cyclists stake their claim to what is theirs (the road), the more acceptable it will be to drivers. Well, that's the theory at least.
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Thread: commuting hazards continued
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07-31-2006, 05:59 AM #1
Ain't Love a Surprise?
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07-31-2006, 11:29 AM #2
Sue
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I tend to give an inane non-salute wave back, which I realize may invite trouble, too, since it projects a "this may be a vulnerable human" visage instead of my usual "unpredictably eccentric" (or "oh, that's just Sue") one. The finger might actually send a better message (sounds like a doctoral dissertation! Let's do the research...)
I still can almost sense the "oh! a bicycle is there!" perception sometimes , and I hope that that gets logged into the memory and the next intersection that person is just a little more likely to recognize a bicycle image just a little sooner. (It's how things work in my brain.)
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07-31-2006, 11:32 AM #3
I love headwinds! Really?
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nah: I always Smile a Huge Smile and wave back! I'm just assuming they're honking coz they're my fans and they've come out to support me on my daily commute!!
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming: "Yeah Baby! What a Ride!"
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07-31-2006, 12:18 PM #4
Ain't Love a Surprise?
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That's the best way to handle it. Plus, they might think you know them, and then wonder who you are...yes, I'll start waving and smiling, too. Thanks!
Originally Posted by CorsairMac
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07-31-2006, 01:54 PM #5
I like bikes
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on Saturday we went through a busy town center and a lady in a hummer
needed to turn right in front of us. She stopped her car, tapped her horn
made eyecontact. so we stopped and let her go. It was really great to
have a motorist be so careful (for a change)
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