What a Beautiful Day!
Living in midtown Atlanta you never know what you'll see. Yesterday it was a beautiful day as I was biking home from the bus stop. I was almost home just one more street to cross and this older lady was across the street from me. She was dressed nice, like she was just getting off work- she was waving her arms and obviously flagging me down. I figured she needed directions or something, so I crossed the street and asked her if I could help her. She smiled really big and held her arms out, palms up and exclaimed- "Isn't this great! What a beautiful day!" I agreed and moved on telling her to enjoy the rest of her day. It was a little strange at the time, but pretty cute upon reflection.
Being a commuter is secretly VERY enjoyable and seemingly misunderstood by many. My co-workers seem to think I've lost my mind and am trying to save the planet. I am now being called "Miss. Green Queen" and dork. In reality it makes me feel like a kid again on my bike. This is the first time since I was in high school that I don't care how far, how fast I go, or what my bike looks like- I don't even have an odometer on my beater bike and I really like it that way. Using a bike for basic transportation is quite liberating, it gives me a sense of freedom that I haven't felt since I was a 12 year old on a summer day when I realized I could ride all the way across Anchorage and back just on the bike trails! Of course city commuting is a bit different and I would only recommend for adults for several reasons...
Bike Lanes: I get dropped off from the bus on West Peachtree- which is the CENTER of Atlanta and one of the busiest streets at 5pm M-F. There is a bike lane, now I am NOT fast as I am trying to enjoy my ride and be safe. My bike weighs a ton (I haven't weighed it yet but guess 35+ lbs??) and it's an OLD hybrid- this all equals the opposite of speed. So I have the traffic on my left, of which daily there is swerving by motorists to switch lanes and horns being blown. Compounded by the commuter buses making their stops IN THE BIKE LANE, it's a little unnerving. To make the matters worse there are cars parked along my right side of the bike lane. This makes me nervous of being 'doored' so another reason I ride slow in the bike lane.
Sidewalks: These are slower paced which I like, but I am sure that this is a distinct line that I cross where the other bike commuters look at me as though I am retarded and my bike is junk. My bike may be junk, but it works and I'm not retarded- I just hate to be scared of vehicles, and darn it I'm comfortable here. But the sidewalk raises other issues, pedestrians. I guess that Atlanta has a lot of foreigners, and in foreign lands they must walk on the left side like they drive on the left side. This is my best guess for why people walk of the left side of the sidewalk. Then there are those that can't seem to walk in a semi-straight line, so they swerve all over while they talk on their cell phones- or maybe they just came from happy hour. But I have noticed they usually wear suits and carry briefcases, hmmmm.... Then my favorite the people (ladies in workout wear that are walking) that walk three people wide and look right at you and don't move. It's like a weird stare down domination thing- I usually slow to a stop on the far right side and smile as they pass. There is a flow if everyone follows the guidelines of staying to the right except to pass- that works!
Moving between streets/bike lanes/sidewalks: I am very, VERY careful with this because I can see the obvious challenges and I'm not sure if this is correct bike etiquette. But I ride slow and cautious, always looking both ways and stopping and waiting at all red lights. I ride how and where I am comfortable, and where it feels fun! I am not sure on bike 'laws' but see other people doing it and I have to say it feels really good! It is awesome to be able to ride the sidewalks then cut through some streets, then cut through the park and then a parking lot- what freedom! I realize how I've been a SLAVE CHAINED TO MY CAR- STUCK IN A METAL BOX!!!! I thought I gained freedom when I was 16 with my drivers license, but it was just the opposite- it was a sentence to work to pay for gas and stick to a pre-determined grid system of streets for LIFE. But I broke through and now I see the Matrix for what it is.
Being a commuter is secretly VERY enjoyable and seemingly misunderstood by many. My co-workers seem to think I've lost my mind and am trying to save the planet. I am now being called "Miss. Green Queen" and dork. In reality it makes me feel like a kid again on my bike. This is the first time since I was in high school that I don't care how far, how fast I go, or what my bike looks like- I don't even have an odometer on my beater bike and I really like it that way. Using a bike for basic transportation is quite liberating, it gives me a sense of freedom that I haven't felt since I was a 12 year old on a summer day when I realized I could ride all the way across Anchorage and back just on the bike trails! Of course city commuting is a bit different and I would only recommend for adults for several reasons...
Bike Lanes: I get dropped off from the bus on West Peachtree- which is the CENTER of Atlanta and one of the busiest streets at 5pm M-F. There is a bike lane, now I am NOT fast as I am trying to enjoy my ride and be safe. My bike weighs a ton (I haven't weighed it yet but guess 35+ lbs??) and it's an OLD hybrid- this all equals the opposite of speed. So I have the traffic on my left, of which daily there is swerving by motorists to switch lanes and horns being blown. Compounded by the commuter buses making their stops IN THE BIKE LANE, it's a little unnerving. To make the matters worse there are cars parked along my right side of the bike lane. This makes me nervous of being 'doored' so another reason I ride slow in the bike lane.
Sidewalks: These are slower paced which I like, but I am sure that this is a distinct line that I cross where the other bike commuters look at me as though I am retarded and my bike is junk. My bike may be junk, but it works and I'm not retarded- I just hate to be scared of vehicles, and darn it I'm comfortable here. But the sidewalk raises other issues, pedestrians. I guess that Atlanta has a lot of foreigners, and in foreign lands they must walk on the left side like they drive on the left side. This is my best guess for why people walk of the left side of the sidewalk. Then there are those that can't seem to walk in a semi-straight line, so they swerve all over while they talk on their cell phones- or maybe they just came from happy hour. But I have noticed they usually wear suits and carry briefcases, hmmmm.... Then my favorite the people (ladies in workout wear that are walking) that walk three people wide and look right at you and don't move. It's like a weird stare down domination thing- I usually slow to a stop on the far right side and smile as they pass. There is a flow if everyone follows the guidelines of staying to the right except to pass- that works!
Moving between streets/bike lanes/sidewalks: I am very, VERY careful with this because I can see the obvious challenges and I'm not sure if this is correct bike etiquette. But I ride slow and cautious, always looking both ways and stopping and waiting at all red lights. I ride how and where I am comfortable, and where it feels fun! I am not sure on bike 'laws' but see other people doing it and I have to say it feels really good! It is awesome to be able to ride the sidewalks then cut through some streets, then cut through the park and then a parking lot- what freedom! I realize how I've been a SLAVE CHAINED TO MY CAR- STUCK IN A METAL BOX!!!! I thought I gained freedom when I was 16 with my drivers license, but it was just the opposite- it was a sentence to work to pay for gas and stick to a pre-determined grid system of streets for LIFE. But I broke through and now I see the Matrix for what it is.
Comments
What a beautiful blog. I enjoy reading.
Grma
I prefer walking to biking... biking hurts my neck.
Stay the course! And keep blogging. I like reading yours.