Monday, July 1, 2013

Happy Cadana Day!

So this is the 100th Tour de France.  That's a lotta Tours.  Given all the practice, you'd think by now they'd have straightened out at least some of the kinks:

Nope.

As I understand it, the bus remained stuck until retired sprint sensation and international sex symbol Mario Cipollini arrived on the scene and freed it by lubricating it with his abundant natural oils and secretions:



By the way, I shouldn't have to tell you to always wear a jersey while cycling.  Sure, Cipollini can go shirtless, but that's only because he has a follow car to carry his stuff for him.  The rest of us don't have that luxury.  I mean, what are you going to do with that banana if you don't have any pockets?


Eew.

This photo was taken by a reader in Prospect Park, and I imagine his first thought was "Does that Fred have a tail?" before he got closer and made this gruesome discovery:



It's either a powerful argument for jerseys with pockets or against bib shorts, depending on whether or not you like your bananas infused with ass sweat.

Actually, I predict that in 1,000 years roadies will in fact evolve to have tails, which will greatly facilitate drafting:





Why?  Because Citi Bike:

But the officer who slapped Briar with the ticket told him police have ramped up their efforts with the rollout of the popular bike-rental program.

Hmm, that's funny.  Hundreds of people are killed by cars in New York City every year, but I don't remember a similar ticketing blitz on drivers when Zipcar launched.

Anyway, while the rank-and-file dimwits may be celebrating this increased ticketing of cyclists, they should know that it's only going to encourage me to break more laws while I'm on my bike, especially when I'm in Brooklyn.  Think about it: $190 is a lot of money to pay for running a single red light on a bicycle.  However, if you've run like a thousand red lights before that without getting caught, then at least you really only paid $.19 a light.  That's a pretty good deal!  Therefore, if you're 81% more likely to get a $190 ticket for running a single red light, then you better make sure you run a shitload of red lights in the mantime in order to amortize that expense.

It's called the Costco Approach To Civil Disobedience.  I mean, what's more American than buying in bulk?

Not only that, but the more the police make it clear that they're cracking down on cyclists just because, the less inclined I am to be a good little girl while I'm riding.  For awhile there, when all the bike lanes were coming in, I was so grateful that I generally made a point of following the laws--not only because it was easier to do so, but because I also wanted to show my appreciation.  Now, I'm a lot more selective, and here's my general approach to red lights:


(Thanks for the advice, I'll take it into consideration.)

The danger with running red lights on a bicycle is that everybody is convinced that they're doing it safely, when in reality not everybody has the good judgment they think they do.  Sure, some cyclists do just slip through safely while not bothering anybody, but other cyclists are fucking idiots.  That's why we have laws: ideally, it eliminates the variable of poor judgment and makes everything black and white.  Stop at the red.  Done, and done.

However, while this makes sense on "paper," it doesn't apply to me.  That's because I really know I have good judgment.  This in turn makes me special, and therefore I am above the law.

See how that works?

OK, so here's when I don't run red lights:

Major Intersections

You may think the intersection of Houston and 6th is clear, but what happens when one of those speeding motorists the cops never tickets comes roaring along?  (Yes, they will ticket drivers, but not for speeding.)  Or what happens if you drop your sunglasses or your smartphone or that Cookie Puss you're portaging while you're halfway through and you stop to pick it up?  "No criminality suspected" for them and splattsville for you, that's what.  So I hang out and wait.  It's really not so bad.  I just do some people watching and nibble on my Cookie Puss.

When There Are Police Around

This should be common sense, but I'm always amazed at how many cyclists run lights right in front of the police during times of highly-publicized bicycle crackdowns.  Usually these cyclists are wearing their "gentrifier infantry"-issued Bern helment and riding some kind of brand new off-the-rack "urban"-style bicycle, so I assume they're recent arrivals and just don't yet understand how things work here.  (Naively, they think all these bike amenities mean the city is actually bike-friendly, which it is not.)  This isn't to say you always know when the police are around, since sometimes they're in an unmarked car or on foot, but if there's a white and blue car and it says "NYPD" on it there's a pretty good chance it contains police.  So if you see one of those, don't run the light.

When I'm Riding a Citi Bike

I don't want to give those tabloid douchebags any ammo, so I follow all the laws whenever I ride a Citi Bike.  Plus, there's even a shallow aesthetic consideration, because you actually look really stupid when you break the law on a Citi Bike.  It's like robbing a bank with a blunderbuss while dressed as a Pilgrim--sure, you're still technically dangerous, but everybody's going to laugh anyway.

When I'm Riding With A Child

This is a little bit for safety, but mostly because I don't want to embolden the sorts of judgmental dickweeds who leave lengthy comments on Citi Bike articles about how cyclists run red lights with babies.

When There Are Pedestrians Nearby

If you run a light while pedestrians who have the light are trying to cross the street then you suck.

When There Are Cars Coming

Duh.



And here's when I do run red lights (with due discretion, of course):

Shitty Little Intersections

You know those little T-shaped intersections on quiet streets where there's a traffic light?  Yeah, fuck that.

When I'm Making A Right Turn

You know how you're not allowed to make a right on red in New York City?  Yeah, fuck that.

When I'm Dressed Like a Fred

If I'm going to unwittingly help fuel the anti-bike backlash, I figure I should at least try to make sure I'm dressed like a Fred.  Everybody hates roadies anyway, so what's the difference?

When The Infrastructure Sucks

When there are bike lanes, bike signals, and so forth and you have the luxury of following traffic laws I believe you should do so.  However, all bets are off when you're in some suburban area where cyclists are less than an afterthought and you don't see a single pedestrian for miles.  We all know that sometimes following traffic laws on a bike is the more dangerous option.  So that's when you need to go into survival mode.  Run lights, ride on the sidewalk, whatever it takes.

Lastly, here's something I just received via email that has nothing to do with any of the above:



That made hurt my brain.

97 comments:

Anonymous said...

PORT LAND

wishiwasmerckx said...

First?

mikeweb said...

Oh Canadia!!

wishiwasmerckx said...

Pipped at the line! I'll take a Sagan second...

Tetanus the Clown said...

Top ten

ChamoisJuice said...

thinking about baseball....

Anonymous said...

Toppeth Tenneth

Anonymous said...

Fast company

Comment deleted said...

Enjoyed the crossing of Corsica yesterday. Now the Tour moves to pay cable, so fuck it.

babble on said...

Goooood Monday!

f said...

Does Dubstep Rider store ice cream in his buttcrack?

all_your_doping_belongs_to_Levi said...

oh snap!

The HGH/EPO cocktail is working!!!!

I got the recipe from Levi Leipheimer.

McFly said...

BUST HROW

Freddy Murcks said...

I am expecting to see Snob sporting a fetching free-floating, artichoke do the next time he appears in pubic.

present yaskery

Esteemed Commenter DaddoOne said...

now snobby,

I completely agree "crackdowns" mean nothing but the city being douchey. However equal, reliable and consistent law enforcement around cycling really will help to make the "bikeen" not only safer but more accepted.

I know you know this because the list you gave for the runs/don;t runs means you aren't running more than three lights a week.

keep up the good work! we all have proud for you!

Anonymous said...

Ain't NOTHING FUNNY about no BANANA in no TAILPIPE!

Comment deleted said...

It's just an ass monkey portaging his lunch.

Marcel Da Chump said...

Don't touch that banana!

Anonymous said...

Happy Canada Day, Babs, Commie, et al!
How does one celebrate this holiday? Do you exchange cards and gifts?

ChamoisJuice said...

Last post:
biggest schmuck on the kibbutz , putz , fondle his schmeckle while he waits for the "Moshiach"

This post: NO YIDDISH!

I will take the Carvel reference and the everyone hates roadies. They really do!

babble on said...

OMG you're right! All this time I've been careful about the traffic laws cause I don't want another ticket, but AMORTIZATION is the key.

Yer soooo clever, snobbers. Cheers.

McFly said...

No worries bro that banana is hermetically sealed.

But it's still beyond reproach gross.

Personally, I would have put it in the front.

BikeSnobNYC said...

Esteemed Commenter DaddoOne,

We've come a long way in acknowledging that cars and bikes are not the same and that some bicycle infrastructure is needed.

However, we haven't yet gotten to the point where we've acknowledged that applying the same fines to cyclists and drivers is completely absurd.

When we get to that point I'll be more behind "consistent enforcement."

As it is, it's ridiculous.

--Wildcat Rock Machine

babble on said...

Beaches, bbq's fireworks are the order of the day. Had to do an early ride, cause it's actually hot in Vancouver this weekend. I think the last time it got hot here was five or six years ago... gonna be a lot of skin in this town today. That's the way I like it!

mikeweb said...

That video is a great advertisement to never, ever, buy a GoPro. Ever.

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on red lights also. I might also add that when sitting at a red when there's pedestrians crossing or about to cross, stay the fuck out of the crosswalk. That's a another dick move. You might still want to be aware when making right on reds, Snob, that's how I got my one and only red light ticket about 2 years back. Though at the traffic hearing Officer Prinzo of the 1st precinct was barely able to remember any of the details besides the intersection. He told the judge that I 'proceeded to cross 6th ave. one lane at a time' when I had actually made a right turn onto 6th ave. I lost anyway.

Last week when I was a couple of blocks away from getting to work, I stopped at the light at 6th and 43rd - behind the crosswalk and between 2 traffic lanes. I saw a CitiBiker pull up to my left in what would've been the bike lane if there was actually one on that stretch of 6th, and proceed to block about half of the crosswalk. I yelled over in my best gentle advisory voice "Hello, on the Citibike, you don't belong in the crosswalk". He began backing up and I yelled thank you.

BamaPhred said...

Is banana shorts guy suffering from a crackdown of sorts?

I have to run the lights in my neck of the woods. A bike won't trigger the light to change, you can sit there all day, or until something more substantial comes along.

dnk said...

I just got a jury duty summons. My plan is to dress like a grand fred complete with clicky shoes and a banana stuffed into my asscrack.... and booom! I will be selected as Jury Foreman in an instant.

Freddy Murcks said...

McFly - If you're going to stuff the banana down the front of your shorts, it's best to first wrap it in aluminum foil.

several ourbot

Anonymous said...

Canadians have to do EVERYTHING almost exactly the same as americans, but slightly different. Your culture is so different and unique.

God bless the queen.

mikeweb said...

-unless you need to get through airport security that is...

Anonymous said...

I mostly stop at lights in NYC except non-busy intersections or usually in parks as long as no pedestrians are crossing. I suually run most lights on Riverside Drive riding south heading back from the GWB with the rest of the flock, but only because there is no intersections on that side of the road, however, I am very careful to look for pedestrians crossing which many of my brethren unfortunately do not. I ALWAYS stop for pedestrians and other cyclists when they have the right of way. When I do stop at lights I stop before the cross walk, versus most cyclists who rudely roll trough the cross walk often through peds. I have only gotten one ticket in some 10 years of daily riding in NYC and that was at a trap in Central Park by a Park cop, so that does't really count. The amortized value of that ticket was probably about $0.01, or 14 dollars Canadian. Bottom line, use your brain and if you fail to do so, be prepared to pay a stupidity tax.

babble on said...

Mmm skin...
:)
oh no! Oh help... I am the horned devil.

erikbeng said...

BRADLEY WIGGINS LOVES ICE CREAM!!!

C. said...

Why treat pedestrians with kid gloves?? Often, YOU have the green light, and there's a herd (or is the technical term "sh!tload") of them jaywalking. I just pick a line and blast right through. Within reason. Your results may vary.

P.S. Scranus

Esteemed Commenter DaddoOne said...

snobby,

oh...well, the cycling tickets here in Massachusetts are limited to $20 fines - in my eyes that might not be enough but sure, if they are still hitting you up "auto" money when they ought to be hitting you up for "clown bike" money, I guess i see your point...

...I guess my biggest problem is that it SEEMS the only way to get the douchebags to stop cutting the peds off is to ticket them harshly.

recumbent conspiracy theorist said...

Oh recumbabe where art thou!

rural 14 said...

Rural 1st!

MUCH RAIN

Luckily I can take cover under my wheel eyebrows all day.

How about that copper who delights in lighting up, then turning right in front of me when I'm on the tandem with the now not so small kid as co-pilot, and telling me he could give me a ticket etc. 3 times so far; I called in after each episode. They like to try to humiliate one in front of one's child / unfortunately I will not back down - "badge number / I believe we have to agree to disagree, we're going now" - shaking with anger. For sure politically active cyclists with a high profile in this small pond are well known and targeted (not just me, but anyone who rides year round and takes the lane etc)


ChamoisJuice said...

Humiliate you in front of your child? You are already making him ride a tandem??? Does it get much more humiliating? Do you wear matching jerseys?

Anonymous said...

Snob, Mikeweb, et al,
I'm pretty much in line with your "rules of the red". Watching a pedestrian start to cross with the light but then freeze in terror as I come rolling up to a stop having expected me to blow through is our collective shame. OK, not that dramatic, but a shame nonetheless.

BTW, check out the "Invitation to a Dialogue" letter in the NYT

He has priors

mikeweb said...

xyxax,

Yes, I get that 'deer frozen in the lights' looks pretty often. I just smile and say 'Hi'.

babble on said...

I am friendly to peeps, too, except when they are doing their best to door me.
It's amazing how far a smile goes.

janinedm said...

Re: pedestrians. There's one time when it's okay to proceed. Sometimes, well after the light has turned green, a pedestrian will stand on the corner and decide if they're going to cross anyway. usually, they'll refrain if they see a car but will start to cross anyway if they see a bike (or maybe they don't even see us, I don't know). This is a teachable moment, but you have to apply liberal use of the bell out of fairness. Sometimes, I'll make eye contact and give a little shake of my head as if to say, "Best not, thanks." There is no excuse when they have the light or the light just changed.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who hates it when people sit in the crosswalk or intersection . I've only been bike commuting for two years come Labor Day, so I figured it must be some sort of tip handed around by people "inside the cycling community." When I ask, I always get some gabba gabba about being visible, but I've always stopped before the crosswalk and have never had the feeling that I was particularly endangered by it.

Disregard for cop cars as insane. Especially the last week of the month. I do not understand the attitude that it's the business of any police department, especially the NYPD, to be fair or just. They're there to bust you if they feel like it and you give them an excuse.

Jerome Giggles said...

hey cops - ok - reliably and consistently enforce the law. you can start here

http://cyclistsinternational.com/?p=5300

Grump said...

Snobby, your rules for running red lights are exactly the same as mine. My rules for stop signs are in the same vein....Of course, if you have an error in judgement, it might be in the same artery.
Living in the midwest, I didn't realize that NYC didn't have right turn on red. Do you also miss out on the great money making "Red Light" cameras?
.
.
.

Anonymous said...

cookie. puss.
proper spondee.

Cat 6 Champ said...

I agree we should not block the crosswalks. But when there is room I will roll through to the far side and wait for the light. Out here in SF we have single lanes with bus island dividers downtown. You create a dangerous situation if you stop at the line and make people behind you line up next to cars and buses. You also avoid the pedestrians that don't get across before the light changes (intentionally or by mistake).

janinedm said...

Grump, we're just getting red light cameras as of last week. Only in school zones and only in the hours before and after.

BamaPhred said...

Short attention span second post

There are, I do believe, fewer pedestrians here than there are cyclists, and that's not many. I watch out for them, no matter what they are doing. Its good for them, and its good for me.

No comment necessary on "Cadana"? I thought it was sly, or maybe a typo from being dipped in clarified butter.

mikeweb said...

New York City has had red light cameras for a long time. My friend got a ticket from one about 15 years ago and I got one when driving about 7 years ago. Right now they're trying to pass a bill for New York State to allow speed enforcement cameras.

McFly said...

Hey Babs does "dooring" you include a knob?

DOOR SLAM

leroy said...

you know, ken kesey's merry pranksters had a bus. it went further. just sayin.

Grump said...

Where I live (In the great almost out of suburbia Chicago area), most tickets for "Red Light" cameras are given for "rolling" "right turn on red" turns. I've never seen it, but I wonder if those cameras trigger a flash photo if a cyclist does a flying right turn.
.
.

JB said...

The stuck bus is first-year engineering school stuff. Just deflate the tires and roll on through.

Anonymous said...

Canada isn't soooooo bad

McFly said...

JB. You're a f--king genius.

Matt said...

Maybe it's going national. This morning I was riding through the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and espied a cop car lurking behind a tree in the shade by the Stop sign that begs to be run, it being at the bottom of a hill and all. I signalled my turn, came to a full stop, put my foot down, ostentatiously checked left, ahead, right, then left again just for good measure, then proceeded. Eat it, copper!

State Fair isn't until late August, poor buggers must be bored. They should watch the Tour.

benighted lleilien

RoadQueen said...

Holy crap I'm late, and I don't even have time to stay!

Working for the man is a real pain.

Happy Monday all!

Histsmi son

wishiwasmerckx said...

This is where I part ways with many of my fellow cycling enthusiasts. I ALWAYS run the red light whenever it is safe to do so.

Cars and bikes share the road, and when both are traveling at speed, those conflicts are for the most part avoided.

The place where car and bike compete for the same little bit of real estate is at the intersection.

If you can take yourself out of that equation entirely, it breeds resentment from the motorist, but I'd rather be resented than sit there sucking C02 and god knows what else from the tailpipes, then getting the equivalent of baseball's brushback pitch despite my state's 3-foot law.

Red means go, bitches!

wishiwasmerckx said...

Speaking of bananas, when you say "He went bananas" and when you say "He went apeshit," aren't you actually saying the exact same thing?

Udder said...

My law breaking includes:

1) Riding faster than 13 mph on the bike path.

Where did they come up 13 mph??

2) Blowing by riders, runners and rollerbladers on the bike path without ringing a bell or yelling "On your right!"

I find it safer to get in front of them as quickly as possible with no warning. With a warning, sometimes they weave or are startled.

3) I almost always take the street car lane over the painted line bike lanes.

The closer to the curb or gutter you are (where the bike lane is), the more glass and debris there is.


Quizno's said...

Mmmmm... Toasty.

Dee Dee said...

Is that a banana is your butt crack or are you just excited that it's Canada Day?

Bike Tinker said...

I try to respect the crosswalk, whether on a bike or in a car. "Don't be stupid, don't be a dick."

ETF said...

"That's why we have laws: ideally, it eliminates the variable of poor judgment and makes everything black and white." Laws don’t “eliminate the variable of poor judgment” they reduce the variable of poor judgment.
“Or what happens if you drop your sunglasses or your smartphone or that Cookie Puss you're portaging [as a driver} while you're halfway through [an intersection] and you stop to pick it up? "No criminality suspected.” Poor judgment or worse stupidity is generally not considered criminal behavior. If that was the case, we would all find ourselves in the slammer, at least all the rest of us, because as you said, you are lacking in bad judgment and are therefor above the law.

Anonymous said...

Quite right about the cops, but it goes not ways: when I'm riding up St. Nicholas Ave. past the 28 Precinct, and the parked NYPD vehicles block the bike lane (which they do, the whole block, 24-7), those officers will just have to deal with the fact that I'm going to shake my head and post occasional blog comments about it. So, reciprocity.

Anonymous said...

That was supposed to be "… goes both ways …".

Anonymous said...

On an unrelated note - there obviously is light at the end of the tunnel: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/sunday-review/the-end-of-car-culture.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0

esteemed Commenter DaddoOne said...

udder,

why are you "blowing by" path users?
paths are for chilling, not drilling.

ETF said...


Mr. esteemed Commenter DaddoOne .

You are so right, but there are those who cannot chill! The concept of "chilling out" is chilling to them.

Anonymous said...

Kittel needs to share any bonuses he received with the people who hung that banner.

That was like 20 Christmases in one for him.

Anonymous said...

Oh and Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian lovies--including you Babs!

mikeweb said...

I have a 'head shaking' moment whenever I see 'leisurely' cyclists on the bike path going 12MPH slowly come upon a walker/ blader/ skater going < 10MPH and while literally 3 feet behind them give the old bike bell a hearty "Brrriinnnngggg!!". You know, as opposed to simply saying 'Hi, excuse me, can I get by? Thanks'. I guess they're stuck in the driver mentality of 'my vehicle has this thing that makes noise to tell people to get out of my way, so let me just use that'.

mikeweb said...

Hey Frills!!

janinedm said...

esteemed Commenter DaddoOne, some people are the kiss up, kick down types -- blowing past people on bike paths (without warning!) who are probably returning from rides longer than their weekly commutes, but not confident enough to just ride in the damned street with us able-bodied grown-ups.

Anon, 4:31. Right next to the 29th precinct is fine. The part to watch out for is after 125th where the college is to the West and the projects are on the East. Those streets are sleepy. The lights easy to run and (I've heard) they hand out tickets there when they're bored. Worse, they'll let you go through a few lights and let the fines pile up.

Jimboner said...

mantime.
cookie puss.

Dooth said...

I obey the traffic laws...something to do with sharing the road. And since I got my new single speed coaster brake bike--you gotta try it.

My Two Cents said...

RN RD
STP LHT,
PSSY!

Anonymous said...

Me like bike, Me drive bus, Me get bus stuck, Me sad now, Me go drink wine.

Lumpen Fredetariat said...

@ Cat 6 Champ, it's true that on Market St the crosswalks are wicked-wide, so there is always room for some encroachment - at least until we get some more green boxes.
And roundabouts (sorry, traffic circles) on the quieter streets! They make so much more sense than four-way stops or lights, and I never understood how Americans can't seem to get their heads around the concept.

ETF said...

Mr. Mike Web 5:16, I don't know where you ride, but here in the big city, every "walker/ blader/ skater " and pedestrian has those f$@#&g ear buds on and don't seem to hear "Hi, on your left, move the hell over, "Brrriinnnngggg!!", etc. I've thought about putting a semi tractor air horn on my bike to get the attention of these morons.

yankees suck said...

so in the Boston area we have these things called "rotaries" - and at one of the busier "rotaries" there is this ongoing construction all summer, so there are state troopers doing their best to make things even worse. this "rotary" also happens to be a major bike thoroughfare, so in addition to the typical clusterfuck of cars, there's a clusterfuck of every sort of person imaginable riding mostly single-speed dutch bikes and vintage 10 speeds (not because they're hipsters, but because they're actually european and/or an old person)... anywho... while I'm sitting behind about 20 of these people waiting for this particularly douche-y looking statie to wave us through - this asshat dressed like a roadie (and somehow carrying a tennis bag?) blows right by the entire line, the trooper, and almost gets squashed by a mercedes SUV. needless to say we were all very happy when he's up 100 feet ahead getting a ticket.

Anonymous said...

If this site were called Car Snob NYC with commenters (and the host) endorsing running red lights and stop signs, wouldn't we think they're crazy?

JB said...

Yes, because car =/= bike.

aKansasKid said...

If you can't follow the rules of the road, stay on the sidewalk with the rest of the kids, please.

Anonymous said...

In NYC traffic laws and penalties , car= bike ($)

Anonymous said...

BARB EQUE
hot meat cooked slow

Bicycle Victoria are cunts said...

>However, we haven't yet gotten to the point where we've acknowledged that applying the same fines to cyclists and drivers is completely absurd.

In that great helment land down south - fucking ozstraya - the bicycle organisations actively lobby to get fines for cyclists *raised* to match drivers - it is now a $160 fine for not having a damn bell. Increases respect for cyclists dontcha know. Fucking cunts.

Anonymous said...

In my world the laws of traffic must yield to the laws of physics

Anonymous said...

Why does it hurt when I pee?

Anonymous said...

I got it from the toilet seat.

ETF said...

Lemmings!

McFly said...

Oh dear. Phil Liggett has such a man-crush on Peter Saggin' that Simon Gerrans beat him and he STILL tried to give the win to the Slovakikstanian.

Udder said...

esteemed Commenter DaddoOne said...

"udder,

why are you "blowing by" path users?
paths are for chilling, not drilling."

ETF said...

Mr. esteemed Commenter DaddoOne .

You are so right, but there are those who cannot chill! The concept of "chilling out" is chilling to them.

Did you read the whole post? I want to get by the distracted and wandering as quickly as possible to avoid trouble. I'm not malicious, just practical.

And to those who think it's wimpy to ride on a bike path vs. the street, fuck you. Sometimes it's the quickest way from point A to point B.

lagatta à montréal said...

Why Cadana? That sounds a bit like cadenas, one of the words for "lock" in French.

La police are doing the same thing here in Montréal, ticketing cyclists for nonsense such as a missing reflector on spokes or pedals. I think it is a money grab.

Is a "Fred" the same thing as a "Mamil"? (Middle Aged Man In Lycra).

Unknown said...

Thank you for bringing cookie puss to everyone's attention. sadly you forgot about fudgy the whale

Legitimate Golf said...

Snob, your red light ideology pretty much mirrors my own. i.e. you speak the truth. It's all a terrible mess here in NYC by now though. When I pull up to red lights I see the pedo's hanging back on the curb, looking at me all nervous expecting me to roll right through the crosswalk, even though they have the light. I stop of course, and then they proceed but what time wasted.

What good is a system if nobody trusts the system. You end up with a million sad little time-wasty moments like this everyday. We have all failed the system.

The worst offenders around here (East Village) are actually the flipflopped Megans and Tammys. That's right the chicks are taking over as leaders of the douche vanguard. They cruise through red lights and weave through peopled crosswalks with a breezy nonchalance and tunnel vision that has to be seen to be believed. "If I just don't look sideways towards the oncoming traffic or those pedestrians, then there's no problem" is how these young ladies seem to be pedaling through life.

That and I have also noticed a big increase in the number of wannabe tough bike chicks riding down 2nd ave, cutoff jean shorts, riding their freewheel+single front brake faux-fixie setups, "ON YOUR RIGHT"-ing their way down to the Williamsburg Bridge. Fuckall.

Anonymous said...

That guy is "Banan-Ass"