I got home tonight, switched on my computer, and spotted the following two posts on Twitter, both by someone named @taybridge:
Tweet the First: "#ottbike - Dear bonehead. Passing on the shared path with inches to spare and almost clipping me and a runner is stupid. Smarten up."
Okay, fair enough, can't argue with sharing the multi-use paths. But then he follows it up, literally less than a minute later, with:
Tweet the Second: "#ottbike - One more thing about the path. The parkway has two paths. Why, during rush hour, stupid cyclist, are you riding on the road? Argh"
Well, I didn't answer either one (although I almost answered the second. But 140 characters isn't enough time to explain that sometimes you wind up on the parkway because the path isn't going where you need to go, etc. etc.) I'd like to mention, though, that these two comments, hard on each other's heels, are a bit depressing to me. To this guy, bikes shouldn't be on the path, because they're dangerous to joggers and walkers, and shouldn't be on the road, because they should be on the path.
Circular much? What you're telling me, @taybridge, is that bikes don't belong anywhere. And that's why I'm not getting into it with you.
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I find that sort of attitude a lot - personally, I'm a road cycler - I DO think it is dangerous for both pedestrians and me when we're sharing the same path -especially as so many have bluetooths and ipods that make them oblivious to the ring of my bell.
ReplyDeleteThe most disappointing thing, looking at his twitter profile, is that he's actually a fan of professional cycling, and cyclists. Based on that I'm tempted to try and convince him of the error of his tweets. I'm on twitter blackout right now, until I can catch the replay of Tour tonight, otherwise I'd do it now
ReplyDeleteSomeone suggested googling my twitter handle (I am @taybridge). :) All these years ago I said the above. And through the joy of 140 characters, the gist was missed. Now we have 280. My point was, that the Parkway, at rush hour, is a #$%^ show at best. People speed, people are in a crazy hurry, and there isn't safe passing space - so, for a cyclist (I'm a long time one), it's a risky calculated-risk when the multi-use path shadows the path way, so why not use that. :)
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