I had a dream last night that my car was stolen.
Red lights are merely a suggestion to stop I guess.
Here is something I encountered a few days ago. I wish the video was crisper, but it’s not. What you really can’t see is the face on the old lady in that car that honks and peels out a bit. She had an angry look on her face. A look of I hate the world and everyone in it. A look of I hate my life so I’m going to make everyone’s life a living freaking hell.
I never learned the honk before going technique in drivers education class, but my guess is that you do that when you really really want to go but someone else has the right of way.
Quality parenting in the RGV. Here’s a photo I captured from a movie from my GoPro camera on my bike. 3 persons in a car built for 2. My problem is that the child isn’t in a car seat. I couldn’t really tell if anyone was buckled, but my guess is that the passenger was, but the child was not.
Quite the Dream
This is a very important tip. If you feel like the road isn’t wide enough to share the lane, take it.
A Bicycle Built for Two
We had a couple of meetings that we had to attend tonight. I wasn’t going to go, but my training ride was cancelled, so Deby and I rolled out on the tandem. We hit up City Hall and UTPA for some meetings.
We feel that’s important to stay involved and to prove that we’re serious about what we advocate for, we do it, in a major way. We show off all the various ways to get around town. Whether it be biking, walking, or some sort of awesome form of transportation that we haven’t discovered yet.
Riding a non-traditional bike
I have found that riding my long tail cargo bike has caused drivers to react differently to me. For the most part, I get more room on the road. I also get people slowing down to take a look at this beast of a bike. They aren’t sure what they are looking at. Even vehicles on the opposite side of the road slow down to look. I’m not sure this is a positive thing yet. Only time will tell.
Looks like my AirZound works. I think next time I’ll really lay in to the horn.
Flower Delivery
Deby asked me to drive over to work so that I could pick up her flowers that I sent her for Valentine’s Day. I couldn’t believe the request. How dare she ask me to drive to pick up something so light. I rode over on the Big Dummy and placed them right in the side bag. I got them home without incident and intact.
I guess I always have a backup career of delivering flowers by bike if my current job were to ever end.
Dorking out my bike
I think it’s fitting that my gigantic bike has an excessive amount of accessories on it. I have a nice and bright Lumina 650 light, a Go Pro Hero 2, a bell, and now an air horn on my handle bars. I also have a rear light, but I need two just to balance it out and make it feng shui.
I need the Go Pro because people can drive like idiots, and it’s also the only way you can probably get a citation issued to a driver. Video evidence FTW.
I got an air horn because the bell that came with the Big Dummy just isn’t loud enough. It also isn’t burly enough looking for this bike. I needed something a little louder, so now I’m rolling around with 110 decibels worth of air horn.
I’m sure I’ll add more dorky things to the bike. I just have so much room to do so.
I said I would start posting and I really should.
I’m using my Big Dummy to take a bunch of Girl Scout cookies home today. I’m probably doing this biking thing wrong…or maybe not. Who cares.
Riding the 47.2 lbs beast is a blast. It’s smooth as hell and it’s definitely an attention grabber. OK, maybe not for everyone. Somehow I didn’t manage to get some ladies attention despite being on this huge bike, having a bright as hell blinking light, and wearing a bright orange shirt. She backed in to me at an intersection. Thanks to my quick reaction and instant rage switch, I beat the shit out of her trunk. She got out and yelled at me in Spanish….blah blah blah I may have said something inappropriate but whatever, I was pissed.
Time to get this started again
The cargo bike is on it’s way. It’s time to start this car free thing again.
Neville Rooney Longbottom
Dear little Neville has been my companion through this. He has been doing his best to keep me happy at home. So it only makes sense if I was to venture out he would accompany me. Not far of course just somewhere safe and fun. Maybe we will expand our small adventures of Deby and Neville. Right now we watch birds and nap but maybe tomorrow we can go for a short walk around the block then do some birdwatching and napping.
DGM
Survivor
As hard as it was to get out, I needed it out. I realize I have a huge fear of failure but I am not going to let myself or anyone or anything keep me down. Setting goals and dreaming big, I’m a survivor.
DGM
