[/caption]Riding a bike in real world traffic can be frustrating. It is easy for me to get a bad attitude about the people I interact with out there. Like the oblivious douche in the Tundra who smacks you in the back with his ridiculously oversized mirror. Or the princess driving her Lexus the half mile between Starbucks and her treadmill while talking on her cell phone who pinches you into the curb while making a right turn and doesn't notice.
But then there are the good experiences with people. Sunday, while doing a quick lap to pick up the New York Times, I got a flat-- normally an annoyance. But while sitting at the bus stop in front of Henry's to fix it, I had a great conversation with an old lady about life. I forgot about the injustice of pavement and it was the highlight of my day.
Saturday, I met up with the "I Love to Bike Mid-City Bike Blast" at the City Heights Farmers Market. A bunch of adults and little kids cruised around the City Heights area and checked out some cool urban gardens in public spaces and back yards. People in cars ignored us. People out on the streets interacted as we cruised by. A good time with cool people. Some pics are here and here.
The common denominator is people getting around without cars. They just seem nicer and more in touch with their world. Even the spandex snob on the $8,000 Cervelo will give you a nod of respect as he blows by you. It's probably like Miller said in Repo Man, "[t]he more you drive, the less intelligent you are."
I really enjoy getting out on the dedicated paths where I don't have to deal with the Studebakers and their less intelligent owners. Today, I made up a 42 mile round trip to mail a package to my sis using the paths in the South Bay and up to Coronado and back. Totally pleasant:
coronadoandback
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