Monday, May 19, 2008

The Next Thing Is Already Here

If you want more context for this post you'll want to read "Give My Regards To Your Grandmother."

Andy:

Thanks so much for your thoughts on bicycles in Sioux Falls. Very enlightening. I've listened hard to your arguments. I have a few thoughts.

How was your motorcycle ride to work? Do you wear a helmet when you ride? I toured J&L a few weeks ago with my fourth grader. Our guide ran down a list of essential gear to have when riding a motorcycle. You think bike shorts are weird? How about all that leather in 80+ degree weather? I guess there are things about motorcyclists and what they wear I don't understand. I do know that motorcyclists and bicylists share some of the same roadway concerns.

It sounds like your bicyclist friend performed a left turn from the right lane by first stopping in the intersection and waiting for clearance. This seems to violate the law that "bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as all other vehicles." I agree that your frustration is valid.

Please know the legal definition of a vehilcle does not care if the vehicle has a motor.

I do have some jabs for you. Your willingness to talk about your understanding of the law without bothering to even read up first - makes you sound incurious. Like George Bush.

Your request that the cyclist take to the sidewalk doesn't work. There is not a sidewalk in that spot. To get to the sidewalk a bicyclist needs to cross Cliff Ave. If you'd like to petition the city to put sidewalks on both sides of all streets you'd become a big fan of a lot of people.

Finally, your talk of using a gun in your situation - really sucks. Even if it is just a bee bee gun.

Thanks Andy. If you'd like to have a couple local cyclists on your show sometime I could get you a couple pretty quickly. They'd be smiling, happy and entertaining but would still encourage you to, you know - come here and say those things to my face - instead of our lycra covered asses.

6 comments:

bikingbrady said...

You are a master of witty diplomacy. This is why I did not respond to him. I get too emotional.

Marrock said...

For me, diplomacy doesn't go much further than an aluminum baseball bat drilled out and filled with sand...

I commend you on your restraint.

mytzpyk said...

Yeah, people don't understand Jimmy Carter either.

mytzpyk said...

I'm not very happy with my previous comment. Sorry. I'd like a retraction.

SD_pedalpower said...

MC,

ewe the MAN.

Thanks for all you do...

gad2357 said...

I want to send a $1.02 or in pennies to Andy—one penny each from 100 cyclists and my 2 cents. I think that $1.02 (that's $61.20/hour) is more than enough compensation for the probably less than a minute that he was inconvenienced by the cyclist. I'm sure his esteemed mother, who told him to always ride on the sidewalk, also told him that not all in life will be convenient for him. He probably just forgot that in his hurry to get wherever it was that he was heading.

Thank you mytzpk for sticking you neck out on this matter.