Christina over at bmorefixed is basically awesome. She, amongst tons of other girls out there riding, makes me feel better. I stole this from kteket's flickr, which is as equally awesome.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Ugh!
I can't help but feel completely hopeless after some random person in a car calls me a bitch on my ride home today. Not to mention watching another car full of drunk women deliberately swerve at my friends and then at me the other night. A girl I was talking to today in class about cycling had no idea bikes were allowed to be on the road. I can't help but think it's pointless to try and change people's minds about bikes in this city. I love riding my bike and the happy things and awesome friends riding a bike has brought to me, but damn, it's scary sometimes. If I get hassled, me being a young girl on a bike, I can't imagine the kind of shit you boys get. Is this just Memphis? The South? What is so evil about a bike? The other night when Brett and I were riding through an intersection (with a green light) a woman in a car (stopped at the red light) was shouting as us, "REALLY!? REALLY!?", like she couldn't believe we were on bikes. I think that's the weirdest one I've gotten so far. She basically was implying, "you fucking dumbasses, why the hell would you ride a bicycle?". We all work so hard here in Memphis, trying to do the right thing for ourselves and our community by riding a bike, but the only reward we ever get is harassment. Riding by Republic Coffee about a week ago, someone on the patio shouted "This isn't Portland!". No it's definitely not even close to Portland, but what does that person get out of discouraging me from trying to make Memphis a cycling city? Who are we hurting? I'm perfectly content with loving bikes and knowing that some other people never will, but does that make me a bitch? Does that make me worth swerving at with a car? We deserve encouragement, recognition, and respect instead of blind and ignorant hatred. I usually don't let motorists get to me and definitely never let them see me bothered or just affected at all, but they have been persistently evil lately. I guess I should spend less time on the internet and more time riding, like Christina.
Christina over at bmorefixed is basically awesome. She, amongst tons of other girls out there riding, makes me feel better. I stole this from kteket's flickr, which is as equally awesome.
Christina over at bmorefixed is basically awesome. She, amongst tons of other girls out there riding, makes me feel better. I stole this from kteket's flickr, which is as equally awesome.
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"It's not Seattle, either!" is what I would have yelled to the person at Republic Coffee, followed by some slight epithet like, "yuppie douche!" Maybe that wasn't slight...
ReplyDeleteBut whatever. Keep riding, come to public meetings, support LBS's, and Shake them haters off!
Politely educate as many people as will listen. The other people unfortunately will remain blissfully ignorant.
ReplyDeleteDon't get discouraged.
I've got no patience with folks who won't treat the bikes with safety and respect on the road. But I've also got no patience with the bikes who, after I've spent several blocks and finally safely passed them, pass _me_ in the gutter on my right while I'm stopped at a light and then get right back in front of me. The cars aren't the only ones who need educating.
ReplyDeleteWhile we're educating the car drivers on how to treat the bikes, though, let's also clue them in on not running down the pedestrians. It's like people on foot don't even exist. Scary.
cara look at cultur you know it's just people
ReplyDeletebut seriously check out http://www.shopcultur.com/
it's up and runnin and don't be mad at me blame phil the board monitor at TT if you wanna it's his store
Our internet's out, Charles. But yeah I was checkin' that site out the other day. Not quite stocked up yet, but still cool.
ReplyDeletestocked decent he opened earlier than originally anticipated as like a preview open but um yeah that store is tight for money bags
ReplyDeleteHEY GIRL i'm friends with tiffany clark my name is jessi wade it's a longish story how i got here but in short:
ReplyDeletei definitely feel your pain here in murfreesboro!
sometimes i think it's just so difficult for people here in the bible belt to accept anything that is made out to seem "counterculture" or what the fuck ever...
the other night as some friends and i were riding home from bike nite, IN THE BIKE LANE, a cop drove past us and said over the loudspeaker "there's a sidewalk guys, you need to get on it"
needless to say we all had some comments and i probably almost got us in trouble... ANYWAYS
don't get discouraged, stay safe out there, and the only thing i can think of to help drivers to be more understanding (and to stay alive!!!) to to be twice as aware of them since most of them choose to be unaware of me! dummies!!!
hopefully i will see you at the memphis alleycat... if not i probably will never meet you but i'll totally be lurkin your blog bebb