by the time
so this morning the temperature at the airport, as i rode past it, was 73 °F; the dew point was 68 °F. it is humid, and we will likely be getting thunderstorms. ah, summer!
yesterday on the way home (on state at research park drive) a fellow told me to "get on the sidewalk", through the open passenger-side window of his pickup truck. we were pulling up to a red light, so it was a perfect opportunity to engage, but i decided not to, opting for a withering look into his rearview mirror, followed by contemplation of my front wheel. it is hard not to feel somewhat cowardly for taking this approach, but i know it was the right thing. experience has shown me that persons who say things to bicyclists are not usually interested in a contructive debate on the merits of vehicular cycling; it is more likely a case of misery loving company. there really are very few, if any teachable moments in traffic. we are all usually too wrapped up in near-field experiences to handle abstractions like rights and responsibilities.
it can be hard to remain calm, all the same. i get filled with righteous anger when my well-being is threatened by someone who is sprinting for, in essence, nothing: a "good" place in line at the next red light, or that last sprinkle doughnut in the coffee room. but i just let it go, let it go...go mellow, a-go-go.
the song that won't leave my head this morning is "you to thank" by ben folds.
time to get to work on something. then we can talk about the tour de france.
yesterday on the way home (on state at research park drive) a fellow told me to "get on the sidewalk", through the open passenger-side window of his pickup truck. we were pulling up to a red light, so it was a perfect opportunity to engage, but i decided not to, opting for a withering look into his rearview mirror, followed by contemplation of my front wheel. it is hard not to feel somewhat cowardly for taking this approach, but i know it was the right thing. experience has shown me that persons who say things to bicyclists are not usually interested in a contructive debate on the merits of vehicular cycling; it is more likely a case of misery loving company. there really are very few, if any teachable moments in traffic. we are all usually too wrapped up in near-field experiences to handle abstractions like rights and responsibilities.
it can be hard to remain calm, all the same. i get filled with righteous anger when my well-being is threatened by someone who is sprinting for, in essence, nothing: a "good" place in line at the next red light, or that last sprinkle doughnut in the coffee room. but i just let it go, let it go...go mellow, a-go-go.
the song that won't leave my head this morning is "you to thank" by ben folds.
time to get to work on something. then we can talk about the tour de france.
posted by cicadashell at
11:50 AM
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