women riders

I like women who ride bikes. I don't mean in a
smarmy, goof way. I like that cycling is available
to most everybody, and women bring a pleasant
sociability and civility to riding.

Besides, women riders are pretty. And smart.

Women riders are pretty smart.
And strong.

And their pleasant presence on the streets
helps to calm down otherwise road raging
drivers.

When you look behind the windshield of a
motor vehicle, you'd see something that
might as well be a mannequin or a robot.
At least, as long as the windshield isn't
too tinted to see through.

But people on bicycles are obviously,
visibly human. Maybe of one gender or
another (or another.) Cars disguise
their drivers, but bicycles show us off,
and show us up as real people. It's so
nice to be real people among other real
people. I luv it.

I guess I just like being human, for a change.

And I appreciate that femininity brings a
distinctly human effect to the streets.

You gals make the Earth turn upon its axis,
and keep us guys from acting like childish
idiots (except currently, in the so-called
Middle East.)


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Tom Keats wrote:

When you look behind the windshield of a
motor vehicle, you'd see something that
might as well be a mannequin or a robot.
At least, as long as the windshield isn't
too tinted to see through.

But people on bicycles are obviously,
visibly human.

This is a real issue. People like the isolation and anonymity of
driving around in a car. They do not want to mix with "those people".
On a bike, you are part of the community. You can talk to people, and
they can talk to you. I like that, but too many people are afraid.

It's going to take some time to change these attitudes, before people
are willing to rub shoulders with their neighbors, to interact with
people on their way to the market, whether it be walking, cycling, or
taking a bus.

The rest of this post, well, is going to generate a lot of heat.

--

David L. Johnson

Accept risk. Accept responsibility. Put a lawyer out of business.

In article ,
"David L. Johnson" writes:
Tom Keats wrote:

When you look behind the windshield of a
motor vehicle, you'd see something that
might as well be a mannequin or a robot.
At least, as long as the windshield isn't
too tinted to see through.

But people on bicycles are obviously,
visibly human.

This is a real issue. People like the isolation and anonymity of
driving around in a car. They do not want to mix with "those people".
On a bike, you are part of the community. You can talk to people, and
they can talk to you. I like that, but too many people are afraid.

It's going to take some time to change these attitudes, before people
are willing to rub shoulders with their neighbors, to interact with
people on their way to the market, whether it be walking, cycling, or
taking a bus.

I hope it happens.

The rest of this post, well, is going to generate a lot of heat.

I love all yez, and I'm so happy to be alive
and among yez.

Being around fellow people makes me feel good.

And the presence of women riders brings a certain,
balanced civility to the streets.

The presence of women sk8boarders on the streets
is delightful.

It's important that streets are seen to be used
by real people, than by androgynous automatons
who need another cuppa coffee to wake up before
they get to work.

Anyone who wants to generate a lot of heat is
welcome to do so. It's a free country.
If folx wanna cool off, I can offer 'em a slice of
watermelon and a well-chilled Jamaican ginger beer
on the rocks. And a bunch o' Love, without being
intrusive or overbearing.

Women have taught me how to be civilized. Especially
certain Japanese public school teachers back in the
1950s. Especially Mrs. Momotani, who was the loveliest
and most positive person I've ever known, and who taught
me how to be dignifiedly humble. Well, she tried, and
some of it took. I hope. I guess I'm largely a product
of the post-war/Cold War era. I've seen the Women's Liberation
Movement, Yippies, hippies, air raid sirens, Russians shooting
doggies off into space, televised mayhem in Viet Nam,
refugees, oil crises, inflation, stagnation, recession,
hard times, and reports of whatever Lindsay Lohan is
up to.

I appreciate the everyday person, no matter what
their gender.

But it's important that people wear their genders on
the streets, 'cuz it serves to show that the streets
are occupied by human beans rather than by machinery.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article ,
l (Tom Keats) writes:

Women have taught me how to be civilized. Especially
certain Japanese public school teachers back in the
1950s. Especially Mrs. Momotani, who was the loveliest
and most positive person I've ever known, and who taught
me how to be dignifiedly humble. Well, she tried, and
some of it took. I hope. I guess I'm largely a product
of the post-war/Cold War era. I've seen the Women's Liberation
Movement, Yippies, hippies, air raid sirens, Russians shooting
doggies off into space, televised mayhem in Viet Nam,
refugees, oil crises, inflation, stagnation, recession,
hard times, and reports of whatever Lindsay Lohan is
up to.

Oh, and Civil Rights.

That's a biggie. A very important and very big biggie.

The Jimi Hendrix burnt Stratocaster was recently
auctioned off to a private purchaser. Too bad.

I'm almost inclined to set my bike alight and
hurtle down the street on it.

But I think not.

OTOH, well, maybe ...


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

I'm almost inclined to set my bike alight and
hurtle down the street on it.

But I think not.

OTOH, well, maybe ...


cheers,
Tom

What, is it a Huffy?

In article ,
"Pat" writes:


I'm almost inclined to set my bike alight and
hurtle down the street on it.

But I think not.

OTOH, well, maybe ...


cheers,
Tom

What, is it a Huffy?

It's a hodge-podge, but the furthest thing
from a monstrosity.

It's a beauty.

I appreciate my bike as much as you
appreciate yours.

Me 'n my bike have been through a lot together.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

David L. Johnson wrote:
Tom Keats wrote:

When you look behind the windshield of a
motor vehicle, you'd see something that
might as well be a mannequin or a robot.
At least, as long as the windshield isn't
too tinted to see through.

But people on bicycles are obviously,
visibly human.

This is a real issue. People like the isolation and anonymity of
driving around in a car. They do not want to mix with "those people".
On a bike, you are part of the community. You can talk to people, and
they can talk to you. I like that, but too many people are afraid.

I'm always getting asked for directions when I ride. A few weeks back
a guy flagged me down because he had a massive trailer he needed to
unhitch from his truck. 'bout gave me a hernia, but I helped him.


Bill

__o | The bicycle is the noblest invention of mankind.
_`\(,_ | -- William Saroyan
(_)/ (_) |

David L. Johnson wrote:
Tom Keats wrote:

When you look behind the windshield of a
motor vehicle, you'd see something that
might as well be a mannequin or a robot.
At least, as long as the windshield isn't
too tinted to see through.

But people on bicycles are obviously,
visibly human.

This is a real issue. People like the isolation and anonymity of
driving around in a car. They do not want to mix with "those people".
On a bike, you are part of the community. You can talk to people, and
they can talk to you. I like that, but too many people are afraid....

What I really get tired of are the uneducated and often stupid questions
and comments I get when riding a bicycle. I am tempted to buy an old
Schwinn and flip the drop bars over so I look like a DUI cyclist.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

In article ,
Tom Sherman writes:
David L. Johnson wrote:
Tom Keats wrote:

When you look behind the windshield of a
motor vehicle, you'd see something that
might as well be a mannequin or a robot.
At least, as long as the windshield isn't
too tinted to see through.

But people on bicycles are obviously,
visibly human.

This is a real issue. People like the isolation and anonymity of
driving around in a car. They do not want to mix with "those people".
On a bike, you are part of the community. You can talk to people, and
they can talk to you. I like that, but too many people are afraid....

What I really get tired of are the uneducated and often stupid questions
and comments I get when riding a bicycle. I am tempted to buy an old
Schwinn and flip the drop bars over so I look like a DUI cyclist.

Just get a pair of earplugs, or respond with: "I no
understand" in a non-anglophonic fake accent.

Or rant about how the alien Mother Ship in earth orbit
is capturing your brainwaves.

People will quickly leave you alone. They might even
chip you a buck or two, just to get you to leave 'em
alone, as they scurry far away from you, and cross
the street.

As for stupid questions & comments, I remind you of
the Steve Martin routine in which he is asked by
an adjacent sitter-downer: "Mind if I smoke?"

To which Steve Martin responds: "Mind if I fart?"

Anyways, there's a paper published somewhere, about
how the presence of women riders on the roads & streets
is a positive, traffic-calming influence for everybody.
I'll see about looking it up and posting the link.


cheers,
Tom






--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Tom Keats wrote:
I like women who ride bikes. I don't mean in a
smarmy, goof way. I like that cycling is available
to most everybody, and women bring a pleasant
sociability and civility to riding.

Besides, women riders are pretty. And smart.

Women riders are pretty smart.
And strong.

I figured this out 30 years ago, most of my cycling buddies didn't.
Dating female cyclists worked great, marriage even better (sample of one).

Not to be smarmy either, but if you're on a long ride and have to stare
at someone's butt for hours on end, it's a no-brainer. Sociability and
civility are nice, but aesthetics is my #1.