Oy, I’m again.
Whereas I had two bicycles with me on my trip, it was significantly good to reconnect with the Jones, and a luxurious to be in such shut proximity to that the majority modern of street surfaces:
[I’m talking about the garvel, of course.]
Alas, as a canine returns to his personal vomit, so a idiot repeats its folly, and that’s how I all the time really feel as I’m heading again to the town from the quieter precincts. Certainly, upon my return, virtually the very very first thing I noticed upon crossing the town line–fittingly, in mild of my most up-to-date Exterior column–was a bunch of police vehicles round a motor scooter (whether or not gasoline or electrical I couldn’t inform) that appeared to have been taken out by a automobile within the “protected” bike lane. Right here’s the place it occurred:
In case it’s not clear from the house image, that’s certainly a motorcycle lane and a crosswalk that run proper throughout a fucking freeway entrance ramp. They are saying two wrongs don’t make a proper, however what they do make is a complete clusterfuck. Using a motor scooter in a bicycle lane may work out more often than not, and a half-assed bike lane may additionally work out more often than not, however mix the 2 and the potential for carnage will increase exponentially. In the meantime, the town company answerable for this sensible little bit of city engineering is busy tweeting stuff like this:
I don’t know which is extra ironic: the DOT impugning Robert Moses when their concept of a protected bike lane is a few inexperienced paint alongside one in all his highways, or the truth that whoever had the keys to the their social media accounts for the Labor Day weekend most likely tweeted that from a Robert Moses-built seaside.
Then once more, I’m basing all this on a momentary glimpse of the crash scene I received while exiting stated Robert Moses-built freeway, so I may have utterly misinterpreted it. Possibly it wasn’t a crash in any respect; possibly the NYPD have been simply serving to the scooterist change a tire.
Talking of smugness, I see from Streetblog {that a} “nice bike activist” has retired:
I checked out the linked Twitter thread…
…and one of many causes he cites for retiring is the state of his “psychological well being:”
It’s none of my enterprise and I want him properly, however he did put all this on Twitter so I’ll say I do know from private expertise that all this advocacy stuff has a manner of undermining your individual happiness for those who’re not cautious. I additionally know that it could possibly compel you to start out “skating and not using a stick” and searching for fights, and in reality I’ve encountered him out on the ice on no less than one event:
I do know like 75% of this weblog is me making enjoyable of the stuff bike firms are promoting, however whereas I’ll have my very own hang-ups about stuff like digital shifting, dick breaks, and crabon, I’ve additionally gone on document that within the grand scheme of issues I stand behind them. I actually don’t suppose they’re making an attempt to “preserve the 95% ignorant” like some form of secret society:
If something, you’ll be able to’t go to a mainstream bicycle firm’s web site now with out being inundated with utility biking:
What occurred to all of the scowling roadies?!? It’s all blissful folks in common garments now:
“Simple” this, “purposeful” that…
Frankly it’s disgusting:
I imply yeah, you’ll be able to take challenge with the truth that they don’t appear to have the ability to design a bicycle that doesn’t require A FUCKING BATTERY anymore, however you’ll be able to’t say they aren’t doing their to promote the shit out of sensible, on a regular basis bicycling. It’s virtually as ironic as, I dunno…a bunch of individuals at an unique handmade bicycle present taking about how overrated all this fancy bike tech is:
It’s like listening to the folks at this occasion speaking about how everybody makes too large a deal over cash:
And sure, I say this figuring out full properly that I’m by far the worst offender with regards to taking stuff as a right. As famous above, this weblog is generally “I’ve a bunch of fancy bikes however I feel pushing a button to vary gears is simply so cheesy,” interspersed with tedious complaints about the place I stay.
Fact is we received it fairly good.
