So Spring arrived with a sickening thud the other day (last week, four inches of snow; yesterday, 68 and sunny) and with it, a creeping sense that I should balance my corpulent carcass on the miniscule seat of my three-year-old bicycle and put some miles on it. (Really; I should probably have an escort vehicle with an "oversized load" banner. I look like an elephant riding a mouse.) Best way to do that is to simply ride the infernal machine to work.
Interestingly enough, there are incentives to biking to work this year that will probably be delineated in an extensive MiM post not too far in the future. (We all got an E-mail from our increasingly parsimonious management along the lines of, "Look, about that parking space. They really do cost a lot of money, and...well...do you REALLY need to drive to work?)
On the other paw, I'm well aware of the reputation that cyclists have on busy city streets, and also aware that that reputation isn't entirely undeserved. We do kind of have a habit of coming right outta nowhere. (You'd think the silly hat would make us more noticeable.)
I want to be the good cyclist, the one that doesn't make motorists' morning commutes any more difficult and stressful than it has to be. I looked up the road rules for my community only to discover that there aren't any - helmets aren't required, you can ride on the sidewalk if you want, and traffic laws are more like suggestions. (Blow right through that four-way stop. Ain't no thing.) The phrase "Just do what you think is the safest thing to do in your situation" kept popping up on the websites I was reading.
So the other day I was doing a dry run, wearing my silly hat, pedaling dutifully to the office on a Sunday to see whether it was practical to use my bike to commute. (Answer: yes.) However, I grew up cycling in a very rural community, all dirt roads and distant farms, and yesterday I was sharply aware of every single possible item of note on the path - pedestrians, vehicles, potholes, street litter, all of it. ("Hubcap!") It was kind of a lot to take in for someone determined to be a courteous two-wheeled commuter, especially one in an increasing state of physical fatigue. (What idiot put City Center on top of a HILL?)
So who here cycles to work, and is there anything in particular to keep in mind to stay safe? Also, who here has to deal with cyclists on their way to work, and what do they do that drives you INSANE? I was boggled by the fact that there aren't any hard rules for cyclists in this city, and a bit surprised that more of them don't wind up as hood ornaments. In short, how can I be the good cyclist?
Interestingly enough, there are incentives to biking to work this year that will probably be delineated in an extensive MiM post not too far in the future. (We all got an E-mail from our increasingly parsimonious management along the lines of, "Look, about that parking space. They really do cost a lot of money, and...well...do you REALLY need to drive to work?)
On the other paw, I'm well aware of the reputation that cyclists have on busy city streets, and also aware that that reputation isn't entirely undeserved. We do kind of have a habit of coming right outta nowhere. (You'd think the silly hat would make us more noticeable.)
I want to be the good cyclist, the one that doesn't make motorists' morning commutes any more difficult and stressful than it has to be. I looked up the road rules for my community only to discover that there aren't any - helmets aren't required, you can ride on the sidewalk if you want, and traffic laws are more like suggestions. (Blow right through that four-way stop. Ain't no thing.) The phrase "Just do what you think is the safest thing to do in your situation" kept popping up on the websites I was reading.
So the other day I was doing a dry run, wearing my silly hat, pedaling dutifully to the office on a Sunday to see whether it was practical to use my bike to commute. (Answer: yes.) However, I grew up cycling in a very rural community, all dirt roads and distant farms, and yesterday I was sharply aware of every single possible item of note on the path - pedestrians, vehicles, potholes, street litter, all of it. ("Hubcap!") It was kind of a lot to take in for someone determined to be a courteous two-wheeled commuter, especially one in an increasing state of physical fatigue. (What idiot put City Center on top of a HILL?)
So who here cycles to work, and is there anything in particular to keep in mind to stay safe? Also, who here has to deal with cyclists on their way to work, and what do they do that drives you INSANE? I was boggled by the fact that there aren't any hard rules for cyclists in this city, and a bit surprised that more of them don't wind up as hood ornaments. In short, how can I be the good cyclist?
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