Thursday, July 2, 2009

House always win + Rant!

Just like when you are playing the crazy odds at the casino, the house always end up winning eventually no matter how long you can keep a winning streak going. Today, I dared the weather again and it didn't respond on my way to work, but on the commute home, it decided to rain a bit on me. It wasn't bad really, a bit of a refreshing drizzle is a better description. It wasn't even for the whole commute, maybe about 10 minutes. My shirt was dry by the time I got home. I'm taking it as a sign of things to come tomorrow.
I thought I was pretty fast this morning, but I guess I didn't break the average 30km/h mark, coming a bit short at 29.5. Still, that's nothing to complain about. I could definitively try to game the system by choosing where I stop my watch to get better results but I'm pretty happy with a 55 minute commute. The ride home was pretty much the same.

Now, something happened to me today that warrants a rant. Skip to the end if you don't want to hear it. On my way to work, one of the friendly motorist rolled down his window, slowed down and yelled a very inspired "GET OFF THE ROAD" at me. He sped up in time to catch the red light at which point I stopped by his car and listened as he told me I was slowing down traffic and I should get off the road. I tried to remind him about the laws in Ontario allowing me to use the road just as much as a motorized vehicle but his answer was that I should be using the "bike paths". The setting wasn't conducive to a real exchange as he sped up when the light turned green, but if he had time to listen to me, I would have explained that in Ottawa, the "bike paths" are not really bike paths at all. Most of what people refer to as "bike paths" are really NCC owned multi-use pathways. These pathways are regulated by a set of rules to ensure everyone's safety. I agree wholeheartedly with those rules that will ensure the safety of all, including grandma with her walker, the kids on their tricycles and little Trisha walking her down with a retractable leash. Unfortunately, the multi-use nature of the pathways ensure that bikers get only left overs. We don't get priority, having to yield for just about anything bigger than a squirrel and we have to respect the 20km/h speed limit. This is why I do not use the "bike paths".

Now, everyone I sat down with and explained my reasoning for using the road eventually comes around and understands that I am not crazy, I am not using the roads to be in the ways of cars and I do not have a deathwish. Please, friendly motorists, consider this when you pass me on the road. I always stay as close to the edge of the road as I safely can and on days like today, unfortunately, the road is not wide enough to pass since they are doing some roadwork. Rest assured that I will try to find an alternate route to work, but unfortunately, all the routes I know seem to share the same fate with regards to narrowing because of constructions, you can blame the economic stimulus package if you wish.

Thank you!

Oh, and today, the day after Canada's birthday, the playlist included only Canadian (Quebec-based even) artists: Arianne Moffat with her beautiful Aquanaute and Synthesthesia with a driven Akathisia.

2 comments:

  1. Arghhhhhhh. Drivers like that make me mad. Before I left and lived 5 years in London I thought cyclists were the biggest pain in the arse. Then I became a cyclist while I was over in London and totally changed my tune. Now I'm back to driving (I finish work v late at night and it's dangerous riding to my house at that time) and I make sure I'm really patient with cyclists.

    Here's my theory: cyclists have MORE right to the road because they're hardly taking up any space, they're not stinking out the environment with their fumes and their not clogging our hospitals with their obesity!!! Scream that next time some dude gives you sass! Argh!!

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  2. Happy Belated Canada Day!

    Sorry to hear about the commuter who yelled out such a rude comment. I hope it didn't ruin your day! What are people thinking?!

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