It’s a tough world out there. Especially for cyclists.
Cabs, buses, lorries, potholes, no bike lanes, bike lanes with cars in them, pedestrians not paying attention, cobblestones, other cyclists, and a long list of other things that can make our journeys scary. Life and death scary. It’s important to highlight these and do what we can to make them better.
However, we do need more space to highlight the bikeable good out there on the roads.
For example, my good friend Jamie was riding downhill on the famous Jazz last week when a van rolled down its window at the light at the bottom of the hill. The driver was so impressed with Jamie and the unassuming Jazz for their speed that he just had to tell him. How cool is that? I’ve had great moments like this too – at a light, I had a female driver tell me she liked my skirt earlier this year. One driver told me that he thought my lights were really effective and he spotted me right away. I crave the ‘good mornings’ given to fellow cyclists on the Innocent Railway path in the mornings. While these moments aren’t necessary – they sure make me pedal faster and often make my day.
It’s important to highlight the reality of the cycling experience. But this isn’t only the crap stuff, but also the really good stuff. So tell the world your #bikeablegood stories.
I agree! I reckon that almost every ride i go on leaves me with something #bikeablegood to talk about; an encounter with wildlife, a meeting with someone odd, or just a sight that makes me go…eh?
This is the stuff of life. Forgive the shameless plug, but i reckon until you’ve had a twilight encounter with a peacock, you haven’t lived: http://ragtimecyclist.com/2013/11/04/a-ride-on-the-wild-side/
Brilliant tale!
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