Shining 'cross this dark highway where our sins lie unatoned

It was cold yesterday morning, but not too cold. Minus 4 degrees Celsius, if I remember correctly. That's a fine cycling temperature. It's a hell of a lot better than plus 30, that's for sure. One sweats in those conditions, and risks arriving at work in need of a shower. Yeah, it's gross. On those days, I ride slowly, slowly. But yesterday, the roads were clear but not because the City of Toronto finally managed to properly clear the roads. The warm weather had intervened and returned the roads to a more cycling-friendly state. They were flat, ice-free, open.

At this time of year, I think people start hankering for spring. It's a bit too soon. Yesterday morning, I saw a guy cycling with no gloves and wearing only a fleece for warmth. Clearly, he suffers from delusions. Later, waiting at a traffic light (something many cyclists don't bother to do), I heard some music. At the next light, I realized that the music was coming from a car right beside me.

I guess he thought it was spring. The windows were down, the cold air flowing through his hair. If one is going to blast the tunes with the windows down, certain musical choices have to be made. Some music just doesn't work, especially in association with certain automobiles. I mean, you can't blast Madonna...well, unless you are driving a PT Cruiser or a VW Beetle or maybe even a Mini Cooper. I don't think it is OK to drive a muscle car are treat the neighbourhood to the musical stylings of ABBA, for example.

So, I look over and notice that this dude is driving a nondescript American-type car. Out of his windows came My Father's House, from Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album. I was actually quite stunned. Most people on the planet consider Nebraska to be one of the most boring albums ever made. Not this guy: he had it cranked. But, I realized that his car agreed with the music.

This morning it is snowing again and the roads are being dusted in white.

A Conversation with a Driver

Have you ever had a conversation and later wished that you could redo it? I had one the other day, when a co-worker asked if I still cycled in the winter.

"Yes," I replied.

"Are you one of those cyclists who take up a entire lane?" she wanted to know. Man, her antipathy and fury towards cyclists was so complete, I thought she was going to lose it, but she added a meek laugh at the end to cover up her anger.

I said something like, "occasionally, we have to use the entire lane because of potholes, manhole covers, grates, ice, snow, etc. What I should have said is "are you one of those drivers who park or drive in the bike lane?"

And then, she asked, "are you one of those cyclists who swerve around cars?" I said something like, "I go around cars that are turning right, because it is safer, and I do pass cars that are driving slower than I am cycling. I pass taxis that are picking up or dropping off fares, because, otherwise, you might get doored."

What I should have said was "are you one of those drivers who opens your door without checking to see if there are bicycles coming? Are you one of those drivers who turn right in front of cyclists without shoulder-checking? Are you one of those drivers who pull over to the side of the road without shoulder-checking? Are you one of those drivers who get in their car to take a two minute drive to pick up milk or cigarettes from your corner store? Are you one of those drivers who is contributing to global warming while I freeze my face off in winter while I get some exercise?"

And, I just found this in the Highway Traffic Act:

Use of radio headphones prohibited

215 No driver of a motor vehicle or operator of a bicycle shall, while operating the motor vehicle or bicycle on a highway, wear, on both ears, headphones which are used for the purpose of listening to a radio or a recording.

So, Running42K, you are a law breaker.