Automobiles @ MindSay

An interesting part of $4 gas culture is observing how many motorcycles are on the road these days.  Admittedly, I never payed a whole lot of attention to such things before I got a bike, but it's interesting to see.  I regularly pass 15-20 bikes in morning rush hour.

It's funny, though, to see how bike culture has changed.  When I was young, I remember that it was split into BMW snobs, rice-burner types, and Harley-Davidson gang wannabes.  The Beamers and Gold Wingers were always listening to the radio, the Jap bike riders would wave to each other, and the Harley Riders ignored everyone else.  I can still remember riding somewhere with my dad at about 12, and I asked him why a Harley rider hadn't returned a wave. 

What a difference fifteen years makes!  The BMW/Gold Wing "cowling 'n' cruising crowd" is still a bit oblivious to the other riders, but the HD crowd is a lot friendlier.  They'll return a wave, and they'll chat at stoplights.  The funny part is, most of them ride a Harley for show, but most of them still have that one rice burner they started on back in the garage.  It's amusing to hear that Harley rumble pull alongside, expecting to get ribbed for a bike that whines, purrs, and pops, and then I end up meeting a guy who says, "I have a bike just like that back at the house."

That's not to say that everyone from the Harley universe is fine with coexisting, but things have definitely thawed.  From my perspective, it's easy to see why.  The new traffic stats are in, and car deaths are down, but motorcycle deaths are up by a pretty sad sum.  From that perspective, every new motorcycle commuter is one less oblivious "cage" driver.

It's sad to have to look at things in such a perspective, but I realize why bikers look at car drivers the way they do.  The other night, I got hit by a lit cigarette.  The night before that, a minivan jumped into my lane and we were running parallel in the same lane, side by side...only inches apart...before he realized I was there.  Then, there was the time I almost got creamed by a Denali by a soccer mom on a cell phone in a gas station parking lot.

Traffic friction is nothing new, but it gets really dangerous when you lose your 2000-pound safety net.  Most newer bikers are just discovering this for the first time, as I am.  It's different being on the receiving end of driving near someone who is applying make-up, reading a newspaper, eating breakfast, or doing the cell phone thing while driving a sheet-metal battering ram.

It's good that the older bikers are being so friendly to the new kids, like me.  It would be nice if the rolling palace crowd would get onboard, but the best thing would be if drivers would roll down the windows, put the cell phones away, and turn off the "beating heart" subs. 

Some of us are cutting back on our energy consumption and having a little fun while we do it.  It's also funny how many Obama stickers are on new SUV's.  So much for reducing your carbon footprint, you fakers!  The McCainiacs are great, too...crabby sedan drivers who don't use turn signals.  If you can't cut your energy use, Republicans, or you can't reduce your carbon footprint, Democrats, at least you could drive safely.

So, next time you get on the road, forget that bomber sticker.  Instead, shut off the A/C, open the windows, get some fresh air, and drive safely.  Look for those single headlights, listen for the wind-down of a bike exhaust, and give that guy on the cafe racer a little room.  You may just save a life.

what i miss most about music, listening, singing, anything.. is i dont have an escape anymore.

 

I am so close to out of here.  im waiting for manhattanville to get back to me.  ive done everything i can do.  now pray. 

 

if i dont get in im going to wcc. 

 

final. 

 

i just think i got the shitty combo.  this could have worked had things been different.  but they werent, and this is life.  i am taking charge of my future.  and my present.  i am proactive. 

I almost bought a Jeep today. I was approved for the loan, close to signing on the dotted line but I held off and walked away. Boy it was hard but I did it.

I talked them down as low as they would go and we were about $75.00 away from what they wanted and what I was willing to pay. It was a beauty, hard top, 23,000 miles, 2003. I know when the right one comes along I'll get it but damn it's hard to wait.

Carless in LA.

 

Sound like an oxymoron?

 

I’m going on a week now of having no car. Don’t think I’m a third-class Angelino who has to ride the bus or take the MetroLink. I miss my baby!!! I’ll get it back tomorrow, fixed and shiny like (almost) new. I’d be lying though if I said though that in some way, in some weird way, I haven’t missed my car at all. I can say that because it’s only been 6 or 7 days. If it were more permanent I would feel differently. In the time it’s been away however I’ve walked a whole lot more around my house and around my neighborhood (a very good thing), to the store, to work, to the bank, to the post office, to Wahoo’s and to Blockbuster. I’m pretty good about consistently exercising so I don’t need to get out and exercise more, but the extra miles on my Reefs can’t be a bad thing. Fresh air feels good. the sounds of other cars, trucks, ambulances, bicycles, rollerblades (streetsounds) that you can only hear when you’re out of the driver seat and paying attention to what goes on around you rather than yacking on your mobile phone.

 

Honestly? It felt liberating. It shouldn’t take having to be away from my car, or the phone, or computer to rediscover life in its more natural, organic state. We attach so many gadgets and modern technologies to make our lives more convenient, more productive, more efficient and no doubt they are, but I’ve found it refreshing the past few days to be without.

 

Try going without your cel phone for a day. Don’t turn on your computer and log onto the internet. Just for one day. Only when we can do without for short periods of time, do we appreciate what we have when we do. We become owners again of our tools and our toys, of our lives and not slaves to them. Next time you have a quick errand to run nearby your house or work, leave your car parked in the garage. Walk, rollerblade, ride your bicycle. You won ‘t regret it.