Epiphany #2

[betagirl]

Hey Duck, you're take is pretty much mine. I didn't want to not ride through there because of the bad element. It's a very residential neighborhood, with families and children. It's just poor, and the societal ills that come with that. As for the street cleaning, the city does sweep through there. I've come up on street sweepers before. The residents also try to sweep in front of their homes on the street. I just don't think they can keep up with it.

The guy who came out of his house to help I don't really doubt that he wanted to help. I just didn't think there was anything he could do. I did say no thank you very nicely and resumed working on my tire. The same with the woman who stopped by me. There were times I wondered while riding if someone knocked me off or the like, would people come to my aid. Part of me was sure they would.

Speaking of getting knocked off, as I relayed my story to a friend at school she told me about another student who was riding a few blocks north of my route, and got knocked off his bike by some teenagers. When he got back on to ride away, they knocked him off again. They apparently shot a paintball gun at him initially and he thought he'd actually been shot.

So, while I don't want to shy away in fear, there's a fine line between being open minded and stupid Today I start my 15 mile commute instead of 10.

[Bex]

This isn't a bicycle story, but one time when I was traveling alone, I stopped at a gas station in a bad part of Birmingham, AL. I guess I was just stopping for something to drink, because I'm now remember that I was parked on the side of the building. Before I took off, I popped some sort of herbal pick-me-up (I used to be big into the herbal stuff), and I hear this "psst ... psst" ... I look up and there's a "gentleman" in another car behind the building, and he asks me if I have any more pills. WHAT??? I told him it was a vitamin, and got myself out of there quickly.

I recently had a problem with my rear wheel on my way in to work, and not having the proper tool with me (shame on me) and this being the second time I had to stop and try to fix the problem, I called work and someone was coming to get me. While waiting, a gentleman pulls up and asks if something's wrong with my bike. I told him I had a ride coming, but thanks. He went on, circled the parking lot, then approached me again in his car, asking if I needed help. I said, "No, I'm fine, I'm fine" - he yells out, "Yeah, I know you're fine, that's why I came over!" OK, bubba, BYE BYE, go away!

[Kitsune06]

Just curious... Do you guys use Slime in your tubes?
I've noticed that while, yeah, it does add some weight, I feel totally naked without it. I've never had a flat while running tires with it in (or have gone flat only to pump it up again, go a mile, and have it sealed)

I just can't imagine not using that or kevlar belting or SOMETHING on routes that shady/dangerous/whatever.

a few grams of protection are worth lots of oz of mace, I think

[betagirl]

I don't use slime. I've heard mixed reviews on it, mostly bad though. The kevlar tire does a better job, but even with that I've gotten 1 flat. But that one is one of those was it glass through the tire or a valve stem issue. What I do know is I don't need to use performance tubes any more.