Confessions of a Commuter

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Nalian · #91 Unread post by **Nalian** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 3:53 pm

You can pick up a set of "work duty" rain gear at Home Depot or Lowe's for $15..thats what I did for my MSF.

Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:19 am

CNF2002 wrote:
I was lied to. I was lied to by every 50's biker movie and all of the commercials. As soon as I got on a bike I was supposed to be surrounded by hot chicks, and they were supposed to be flashing me on the freeway. A full bus of college cheerleaders are supposed to leap from the emergency exit in the back and land on the back of my bike while I did a wheelie into the convenience store to harass a shopkeep.

I've had my bike for a year and I can tell you, such a thing has not happened. Not once!

VermilionX · Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:24 am

CNF2002 wrote:
I was lied to. I was lied to by every 50's biker movie and all of the commercials. As soon as I got on a bike I was supposed to be surrounded by hot chicks, and they were supposed to be flashing me on the freeway. A full bus of college cheerleaders are supposed to leap from the emergency exit in the back and land on the back of my bike while I did a wheelie into the convenience store to harass a shopkeep.

I've had my bike for a year and I can tell you, such a thing has not happened. Not once!

you need to change your bike.

CNF2002 · #94 Unread post by **CNF2002** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:14 am

Tuesday
Miles: 7,206
Mood:

Confession #31- I'm guilty of auto-profiling.

The rain is gone and the sun is out. That marvelous, shining, beautiful, sweltering hot, eye-numbingly bright, humidity-making, god-awful, horrific please give me a freaking cloud please, sun!

The season changed from perfect riding weather to tropical storm downpour to good old "outside for 1 minute and sweat like a pig" weather.

There's an older blue bike along my commute. He appears to be commuting as well, because I see him quite often. I envy him, because while he is wearing a tank-top, I have all this heavy gear on. Not that it matters at 60mph, and to be honest the bugs do hurt less on the armor than on the skin, but it sure would be nice when I'm stuck in traffic. Unfortunately I just can't imagine taking the risk, so I'll just have to sweat it out. It's not that bad, really.

I'm guilty of auto-profiling. I can safely say that all of you are, too. We identify the types of drivers (both their style and who they are) by what they drive. I know, I know, you are going to tell me that not all drivers can be stereotyped by their automobile. Yes, I'm aware, but really, go with the odds. Does the 1992 Chevy Truck with chrome trim, cutout taillight covers, and velvet-covered dashboard leave any doubt? Do you think the driver of the bright yellow Honda with a 12 inch tall spoiler, fat tailpipe, and poorly-fitted fiberglass replacement bumper belong to a 84 year old great grandmother of six?

I identified a new stereotype for autos this morning; inferiority complexes. This includes just about everyone who drives a suped-up Honda. Have you seriously seen a Dodge Viper racing along on the freeway? No, they have nothing to prove. The only ones racing (typically at night, in pairs) are the slow, junky little Hondas that are worth less than the cost of the fiberglass extras glued onto them. The only ones who seem to have a need for speed on the freeways are the ones whose cars are completely incapable of any real speed.

A couple of them were on my commute. One in a lane, who suddenly raced onto the shoulder to cut in front of everyone, and another who quickly picked up behind him. The second one sounded awful. You know how most of these modded Hondas sound like leaf blowers? This one had a similar sound, but it was extremely high-pitched; a leaf-blower with ring-damage perhaps.

No matter. It was amusing as they cut onto the shoulder, passed everyone, and by the time they reached the offramp (which was their destination) I had already passed by them in the middle lane.

Ah, the middle lane. You remember me telling you about it, right? Pure golden real estate.

I think, to further my amusement, I shall carry a few pocket-sized copies of the The Tortoise and the Hare. I was fortunate to have grown up with parents who put a book in my hand instead of a remote control. There are some things that X-Box can't teach you, although by their driving style and automotive choices, the Fast and the Furious is teaching them quite a bit. It's too bad none of it translates to reality, but you have to applaud their restraint. They didn't attempt any flaming tailpipe donuts.

imorgan202 · Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:35 pm

While I was born in'83, I have to agree with you--I'm perfectly happy with 5mph over at MOST with my '71 350cc....then again, my WRX could always take any of those Hondas, so I never tried....

Ian

VermilionX · Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:50 pm

imorgan202 wrote:While I was born in'83, I have to agree with you--I'm perfectly happy with 5mph over at MOST with my '71 350cc....then again, my WRX could always take any of those Hondas, so I never tried....

Ian

i like the WRX... i think it's better than the EVO.

Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:08 pm

I too auto-profile. Usually spot on. THough i HAVE seen the 40 something in the ricetastic honda before....

VermilionX wrote:
imorgan202 wrote:While I was born in'83, I have to agree with you--I'm perfectly happy with 5mph over at MOST with my '71 350cc....then again, my WRX could always take any of those Hondas, so I never tried....

Ian
i like the WRX... i think it's better than the EVO.

WRX's are slow next to EVO's. STi's are a slight slower than them, more likely to come down to driver skill.

DragonSlayer · Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:49 pm

CNF2002 wrote:There are some things that X-Box can't teach you

yes, but everyone of the age to drive played nes snes or genesis, and those teach much more than books ever could. for example the game BoogerMan taught me to flick boogers at enemies and they eventually die, also from many RPGs i learned to be a great slayer of dragons.....

maybe you're right

roscowgo · #99 Unread post by **roscowgo** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:09 am

DragonSlayer wrote:
CNF2002 wrote:There are some things that X-Box can't teach you
yes, but everyone of the age to drive played nes snes or genesis, and those teach much more than books ever could. for example the game BoogerMan taught me to flick boogers at enemies and they eventually die, also from many RPGs i learned to be a great slayer of dragons.....

maybe you're right

X-box? nu uh. Tandy 3

You want entertainment, and a startling education on just how well a 5 year old can cuss? Give him one of these.

Great blog.

#100 Unread post by **Jamers!** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:04 am

VermilionX wrote:
imorgan202 wrote:While I was born in'83, I have to agree with you--I'm perfectly happy with 5mph over at MOST with my '71 350cc....then again, my WRX could always take any of those Hondas, so I never tried....

Ian
i like the WRX... i think it's better than the EVO.

And they are both slow next to BMWs which are still slow next to bikes, which in turn are slow next to planes, which are slow next to rockets, which is slow next to light.

JWF