- I think that I have learned that there is a way to determine the general disposition of a driver from the tone of exhaust of the car being driven. Hard to tell though.
- I've come to the conclusion I don't care for people who drive Saabs. (Apologies to you if you are a good guy/lady.) It seems that I've been "buzzed" on many-an-occasion by a Saab wielding idiot.
- I find myself fantasizing about riding my bike in shorts and a teeshirt.
- I find myself looking forward to riding a different bike with tires that don't buzz on the ground.
It has been a tough week and I am feeling tired. Wrapping up today day #130 in a row riding to and from work. If it were easy to get in the car and go and if I weren't so stubborn, today would have been easy to drive. Fortunately, I've made driving more inconvenient than riding. Glad that I did, it actually felt better than I thought it would.
Had to laugh on the way home yesterday. I was way too hot so I stopped and changed jackets pretty close to my departure. I continued on my way thinking how nice it was outside. Riding along in two thin layers of wool and a light weight wind-breaker. Got home, looked at the thermometer to discover it was 1. :)
-3 this morning. Dressed just right.
MTD/YTD - Assuming I make it home tonight - 615
8 comments:
I have the similar thoughts while riding in traffic. I think people who drive Pontiacs are to be given extra caution. I think they're a bunch of nascar wannabees and they don't want us on their track.
The reason, I think, is that when I commute by bike, I allow myself to get into a very defensive mindset. If I could drop my animosity toward the auto drivers and maintain a detached, self-protective mindset, I'd be better off. This is the sort of stuff I think about while riding.
Huh.
I have found in my experience that people who drive Volvos are the biggest buzzers.
-neighbor Matt
Shit.
We own a Volvo. And when we drive it, not often, we are quite careful around cyclers of all sorts.
And on top of that, I was looking at older model Saab's last night on the 'Bay.
And on top/top of all that:
We had to go to the DMV yesterday for our first Minnesota licenses [should have applied for them 6 months ago when we first got here]... and the only question I missed on the test was...
"In a car, how much space do you need to give a bicyclist when passing?"
I selected, "At least the width of your car".
It was wrong. They wanted 3 feet. :(
Well, at least I think like a cycler and not a motorer.
-Me
If it makes anyone feel better, we too used to own a Volvo wagon. And my brother owned a Saab. My studies and observations are not very scientific.
If I wanted to claim science, I would have pointed out the obvious: pickup trucks with straight pipes!
Though, I find myself strangely attracted to the idea of getting a truck with the pipes drilled through the pickup bed sticking straight up like a big-rig truck. That'd be cool!
I should have added the following disclaimer:
Apologies to 99.9% of Volvo owners for my sweeping and unfair generalization.
130 days in a row is awesome! Counting consecutive days a great way to stay motivated.
It was -25 with wind chill the other morning on my way to work. I didn't prepare for it and the last mile hurt. Thanks for the clothing pointers.
I empathize with your focus on riding every day, and not missing a day. The logistics of getting my work clothes together for the next day, getting the suit bag packed, laying out the riding clothes, etc. is more effort than the ten mile ride to work, sometimes, and requires some obsessing. After seven years of commuting year round, I find myself missing about one day a week lately, since there always seems to be something I could do with the car if I had it at work.
I enjoy reading your posts.
Ironsides, Maryland
In the Duluth, I've found the biggest (literally) buzzers are the city buses. I feel like they think of me as just another inanimate obstacle they have to squeeze by. They've buzzed me so close that if I leaned over I could probably touch my shoulder to the side of the bus. I usually sit up in the saddle and give them the WTF gesture with both arms raised .
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