A cyclist's thank you to Somerville

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

I want to thank...

the dog walkers who reliably block the cedar street bike path with leashes strung like Shelob's web. Also appreciated are their glassy, uncomprehending stares as I slow my bicycle to a near-stop to avoid catching Fluffy in my spokes. And I love dogs.

Thanks to the irresponsible moms with their ICBM-style children who love to play chicken with my bike as I commute to work each morning. There's really nothing like a little potential toddlercide in the morning to pull off the wool.

Thank you to the drivers that rev their engine and cut to the right to squeeze me into parked cars, because, well, presumably you just can't tolerate the idea that I'm making progress on the road while you're stuck in a jam. Additionally, thank you when I sneak past you anyway and you lean on the horn for ten seconds because I kicked off of your bumper.

Thanks to the state legislators bravely fighting the good fight to require cyclists to purchase insurance and attach license plates to their bicycles. I look forward to the day when we have to register and pay tax on each pair of shoes.

Finally, a big general thank you to everyone who's ever stolen my lights, stolen my seat, stolen my bike, mangled my wheel, stepped directly out in front of me, threw a plastic bottle at my head, heaved a shovelful of snow directly into my path, let the air out of my tires, stuck a stick in my spokes, pulled their car directly in front of me and stopped, hit me in the face with their double-wide umbrella, screamed in my ear as I rode by, plowed into me head on at 2 am on 9/11/10 while I had the right of way and then sped away, or locked another lock around my bicycle as a prank, to everyone who simply failed to recognize the fact that people are fragile and your road rage is not a legitimate excuse to endanger the lives of people who are just trying to make their way around their city.

OK. Thanks. I feel better.

Comments

[dcltdw]

To be fair, there's a state law that requires drivers, while within Rt 128, to test their horns every 3 miles or 3 minutes, whichever comes first. Just to, y'know, ensure that they are in working order.

Or at least, that's what my wife and I have inferred from driving around here.

*toot!*

[inahandbasket]

Amen.

Kudos to you for still riding in this weather, I'm a wus and won't be out again until this crap thaws. :-)

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Cheers. This is the first day I actually walked to the bus. I felt so lame.

Re: Minor quibble

[rollzroix.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guess my post crossed with yours....

It's primarily a bike path

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

That said, I like sharing with conscientious pedestrians and their pets, human or otherwise.

Cedar St. COMMUNITY Path?

[rollzroix.livejournal.com]

Or is there a Bike Path I'm not aware of?

Re: Cedar St. COMMUNITY Path?

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

You're not aware of it.

[ursomniac.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

You should also remember to thank the cyclists who:

* drive recklessly around pedestrians;
* ignore red lights, stop signs, one way signs, and
places where they're supposed to dismount;
* ride with headphones on;
* AFTER hitting a pedestrian (in the crosswalk on a "Walk" light) just look back to make sure they're still alive as they pedal off... (happened to me twice, and my disabled roomie once).

IT's these people who cause the rest of us to be less concerned about how cyclists "feel". You might find people are more courteous when you also are practicing courtesy.

I'm sorry that happened to you and your roommate

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Some of those behaviors are deplorable. I hate that some cyclists give the rest of us a bad name. I also attempt to be extremely courteous while biking.

That said, given their 360-degree visibility, the judgment of an experienced cyclist should be trusted at stop signs and red lights.

[thebostonreader.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could answer a question I've been wondering about as a driver - if I'm approaching behind a cyclist is it better to swing around them or drive along behind? I worry that I'm scaring them if I drive behind them and don't pass, but if I need to cross the median line to pass, is that more frightening?

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Please go around them! They're used to it, and having a car hover behind you is far more distracting. That said, make sure to give them at least a couple inches. Sometimes big potholes or parked cars whose doors swing open can force a cyclist to the left unexpectedly.

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

I get so annoyed on the bike path with people with dogs. Little kids I can deal with because they're unpredictable and run around everywhere (and frankly, they're cute). But dogs are meant to be on leashes, and people should be smart enough to keep them from taking up the entire path.

[valadil.livejournal.com]

The worst ones are the extending leashes. Not only are they 20 feet long, they're damn near invisible if you're moving fast enough.

[csbermack.livejournal.com]

You shouldn't be pushing off someone's bumper. It's not yours. If you want people to respect your vehicle, respect others'.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

uh, seriously.

don't touch my fucking car. i've had cyclists slap my car even - you know what's a bad idea? making a "thump" noise suddenly on someone's car while they're driving. asshats.

[seltzer92.livejournal.com]

so what did you do with the 2nd bike lock? did you have to cut it off somehow?

[emannths.livejournal.com]

Until the behavior of the other users changes, you might want to consider taking roads instead of the path. I started avoiding bike paths long ago to avoid encounters with runners, strollers, dogs, etc. Sure, you have to make sure you're not going to be killed by a car, but I'd rather it that way than having to worry about colliding with a stroller (and you can go faster). Plus, the rules of roads are (in theory, at least) a little better defined than the path, which makes for a more predictable trip.

While OP singled out some specific offenders, the general message of "please be respectful of other users," whether on a sidewalk, path, or road, is a good one. Just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

The reason I like the path better is because it's the least hilly way for me to get to work. I can't deal with the hills on my crappy bike.

[veek.livejournal.com]

The comments so far signal a lot of frustration on the part of pretty much everyone who uses Boston-area roads. The more people use roads around here, the more bad feelings accumulate. And it's for good reason, you know? The roads are systematically bad, and we're stuck in a million stupid cycles of people lashing out at each other.

I'm sorry about all those things you listed that frustrate you. I hope that you -- and everyone else -- keep on the best you can.

I try to address this morass by following road rules scrupulously. Among other things, this means I TAKE my right of way when I have it, whether as a driver or a pedestrian. I think that this is what it'll take to get everyone to chill the hell out: creating predictability on the streets. I wish municipal authorities were pouring their energy into that.

[ifotismeni]

amen!

[daviscubed.livejournal.com]

Well, I think we all learned reaffirmed something today.

[leko.livejournal.com]

I agree with everything until you get to the part about kicking off someone's bumper. That's a dick thing to do, and I'd be totally pissed if someone kicked my car.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Did you miss the part where they basically tried to cut me off with said bumper? I actually wasn't very clear. :P

general complaint

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

and thank you, cyclists, who enjoy riding down the near center of the road at a leisurely pace, ignoring my car behind you. i could squash your smug ass into a parked car, but i try to be a respectful driver and you know, not injure people on a regular basis.

bane of my driving existence around cambridgeport, seriously. and cabs and other drivers too who can't just PULL THE FUCK OVER when it's appropriate.

last night we were leaving to go out to the club, and someone was parked in the road while they shoveled out a spot - when there was a driveway to pull into right across from them, and a dead end straight ahead where they'd be unlikely to block anyone else. but no, they tried to tell us to back up down a one way and find some other way to get where they were going. HA. of course they gave in when jedi got out and yelled at them, but damn.

assholes, everywhere, everyone.

Re: general complaint

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Yeah cyclists need to move over to the right when possible.

[808.livejournal.com]

F*** Me! How can you hear the bikes when there are so many damn airplanes over head!?!

[pensivewombat.livejournal.com]

Oh man, you win. One might even say i laughed out loud.

Counter-complaint

[david-grana.livejournal.com]

As a pedestrian, I just LOVE it when I need to step off into a snow-bank to let a cyclist ride by on the poorly-shoveled Memorial Drive, only to NOT be thanked or even acknowledged for the courtesy.

Also, it's great when cyclists decide that they don't need oncoming lights on Mem or the BU Bridge, so I get to shuffle out of the way at the last minute when they blaze down the sidewalk at 6 PM.

Re: Counter-complaint

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

I'll always lift a hand to the person who steps into snow to let me pass. :)

Somerville is a great place to ride

[derekp.livejournal.com]

I find Somerville to be a pretty accommodating place to bike. Don't think so? Try some other places not named Davis, CA or Portland, OR.

Sure, I've had plenty of run-ins with the types of people you list, but shit happens. Irresponsible and aloof people exist in all walks of life. Plenty of pedestrians and drivers have run-ins with irresponsible cyclists...

On the whole, Somerville is a safe place to ride. They've been doing a good job in keeping cyclists in mind with recent reconstruction projects. In the 7 years I've been bike commuting, things have gotten better and better. Attitudes towards cycling are changing. Your antagonistic post certainly doesn't help, though.

Re: Somerville is a great place to ride

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Doesn't help? But I feel much better now.

[squirrelitude]

Ugh, and here I was hoping to read about a fellow cyclist talking about all the nice things the city and citizens have done, not a sarcastic rant. :-/

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Sarcastic rants are what I do!

[blinkidybah.livejournal.com]

Thanks to the state legislators bravely fighting the good fight to require cyclists to purchase insurance and attach license plates to their bicycles. I look forward to the day when we have to register and pay tax on each pair of shoes.

Sorry, this is totally valid. If I walk into somebody/a car/a stationary object, the only thing I'll damage is my pride. You slam your bike into a mailbox or parked/stopped vehicle or a person, shit's gonna get broken. And I'm sick of bikers just riiiiiiding away into the sunset because lol no responsibility for knocking my ass over :-/

[emannths.livejournal.com]

Just because they don't have a license plate or insurance doesn't mean they're not responsible for damage or injuries they cause. Should we stick license plates on the butts of pedestrians so that we can more easily issue jaywalking tickets using red light cameras?

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Passive Aggression, surely the most effective way to make somebody like you and change their opinion.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Who said anything about wanting to be liked or a desire to change opinions?

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Thanks to the state legislators bravely fighting the good fight to require cyclists to purchase insurance and attach license plates to their bicycles.

I'm so glad they've solved all of the state's other pressing issues and can move on to deal with the rampaging hordes of violent, destructive cyclists.

I lost my ability to deal with cycling here after living in Denver for a few years. My neighbor nearly killing me by passing within 6 inches (when she had plenty of room to move over more) helped with that.

Parrots + opinion I agree with

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

= you win an internet

[gruene.livejournal.com]

"Thanks to the state legislators bravely fighting the good fight to require cyclists to purchase insurance and attach license plates to their bicycles."

Huh??

Massachusetts just repealed a long standing law that gave cities and towns the option of requiring bicycle registration within their municipal borders. Given the high cost of enacting such a program and the unenforceability of it, (the original legislation provided for a one dollar fine), no town in the entire commonwealth required this.

Here's information and the new Bike safety law that repealed this provision:
http://www.massbike.org/resourcesnew/bike-law/bike-law-update/

Here's the text of the old, now repealed, Chapter 85 Section 11a that provided for the licensing option:
http://law.onecle.com/massachusetts/85/11A.html