« Not quite an attack dog | Main | That's not natural »
June 20, 2008
Bike to work day
Keeping a close eye out, originally uploaded by Jeremyhughes.
So, every Friday lately I've been riding my bike to work. I like this a lot, because I can actually get to work faster by riding my bike than I can by taking the elevated train or driving. Not that I would I drive to work; it costs me as much to park as I get paid!
Of course, there is also a dearth of bicycle parking downtown now. Most bike racks are filled by the time I get there, so I usually lock my bike to a street sign, which I am sure will one day lead to my bike's demise.
Needless to say, biking in the morning has led to the inevitable: things that annoy me. God, I get annoyed easily. My fellow bicyclists annoy me.
The number one annoyance is the cyclists who try to pass you when you are stopped at a red light, only to be repassed by you once you start moving again. I've noticed that bicycles, unlike cars, move at vastly different speeds. Some people have fancypants road bikes and dash along at twenty miles an hour. Others lollygag down the street, taking their sweet time. I like to think I'm somewhere in the middle. Anyway, you get your fancypants road bike guys who will slow down as they approach a red light, then blow by you once the light changes. This seems kind of show-offy to me, but I guess it's acceptable once you see they are two blocks ahead of you after about thirty seconds.
On the other hand, the occasional lollygagger will also do this. This is bad, because not only is some guy rolling along at a leisurely pace, you are now behind him and have to pass him. This requires leaving the not-very-safe-anyway bike lane, and inching out into actual traffic.
A close cousin to this is the guy who is behind you, but then cuts in front of you while you are stopped at the red light. I once wrote about how I hate when people do that at crosswalks, but it is also not cool when you are on a bicycle. Would you do that on a car? I think not.
I think the biggest problem with bicycling in the city is that there is little in the way of rules. When you drive, there are certain things you know you aren't supposed to do. Some are actual laws, some are "unwritten rules." But bicyclists, especially those who aren't hardcore cyclers, tend to do what they want. By no means am I an expert cyclist, but I like to think I keep it reasonable.
Nevertheless, I love riding my bike to work. It's fast, it wakes me up, and it burns some calories. I've even found a route that is all bike lane. What's not to love?
entry no. 1170
Posted at June 20, 2008 10:06 AM