Commute

[darkemeralds]

A bus driver, with whose bus I had been playing "Notice me" for about ten blocks on the way in to work this morning, pulled up next to me at a red light, slid open his window, and said, "I just wanted to thank you for riding so safely. I wish everyone on bikes would ride the way you do--it makes my job easier. You signal, you keep up a good pace..."

"I try," I said, astonished. (I'd been expecting an admonition--it happens at that particular intersection sometimes) We chatted for a couple of seconds till the light changed, and I rode on, a little bemused and trying to figure out what I'd done to win his approbation.

True, I signal--especially lane changes. True, I keep up a fairly good pace (this is not something I was able to do at first, but I've gotten faster as I've become stronger and lighter). I'm keenly aware of my surroundings in that area, specifically because there are buses and I'm obliged to take the lane with them. I was wearing a white sweater, so I was pretty visible.

But really? I think it was the hair.

Comments

Bikes

[cattraine.livejournal.com]

I lived in Eugene for 12 years (and I hope to move back home to Oregon soon) and I don't know how many times I cursed bikers who like zoomed right in front of the car at intersections (not even looking) cut in front of the vehicles, etc. and at night, no lights no reflective gear, nothing. Heart attack material.

Re: Bikes

[darkemeralds]

I follow a number of bike blogs and am a daily, year-round bike commuter myself. I hear these kinds of stories all the time on the blogs, and witness them on the streets of Portland routinely.

Avid (not to say fanatical) cyclists seem to want it both ways: as a group, they advocate for safe bike infrastructure and tougher penalties for motorists who injure someone on a bike, and at the same time loudly assert their right to do whatever they please at any speed in bike lanes, in car lanes, on the busiest car thoroughfares--anywhere--and decry slower, safer bike-riders (like me) as getting in their way.

I'm not saying that the same individuals assert both sides of this argument, just that bike culture is divided. I suspect that the divide is largely age-based, and that many of the younger, more hotshot bike riders really don't have much experience behind the wheel of a car.

Me, I cycle pretty much the way I drive (stop at red lights, signal, observe right-of-way, etc.), and I have a very clear idea of how I appear to the motorists all around me. For that reason, I prefer to cycle whenever possible on bike boulevards, quiet side streets, and bike paths.

The fact is that while most Portland motorists are bike-aware and bike-savvy, many of them are also really impatient. When I have no choice but to take the lane on a busy street, I get buzzed and squeezed far more often than I like. I get shouted at on occasion, and zipped-around to be cut off with surprising regularity.

I'd like to see as much separated infrastructure as possible. The hotdogs just want to ride where they want to ride.

[tehomet]

Nice bus driver. :D

[darkemeralds]

I find for the most part that bus drivers are a pretty mellow, laid-back set of people--and they generally exhibit courtesy and caution when I'm riding my bike in our shared territory, but this surprised me.

[andeincascade]

That silver hair - it's got superpowers! *g*

[darkemeralds]

Hee! It does! \o/

[runningwater]

I thought, "it's the hair" right off! *L* Oh, the poem you linked to yesterday...love it.

[darkemeralds]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I found it very memorable.