XPost: nyc.announce, nyc.general, nyc.politics 
 XPost: nyc.transit 
 From: dogglebe@yahoooo.com 
  
 On 8 Sep 2006 20:06:12 -0700, "Peter T. Daniels" 
  wrote: 
  
 > 
 >Phil wrote: 
 >> On 8 Sep 2006 14:53:49 -0700, "Peter T. Daniels" 
 >>  wrote: 
 >> 
 >> > 
 >> >Obwon wrote: 
 >> >> On 7 Sep 2006 10:38:33 -0700, "Peter T. Daniels" 
 >> >>  wrote: 
 >> >> 
 >> >> > 
 >> >> >Obwon wrote: 
 >> >> > 
 >> >> >> You wouldn't know it from talking to drivers, eh? 
 >> >> >> "Road Rage", ring any bells?  Just the other day 
 >> >> >> I pulled my bike into an empty parking space and 
 >> >> >> prepared to dismount,  intending to go into a store 
 >> >> >> just beyond the sidewalk there.  As I made to dismount, 
 >> >> >> a van pulls up,  heads into the empty space,  and the 
 >> >> >> driver immediately goes into hysterics,  throws an arm-waving, 
 >> >> >> face distorting,  throat gurgleing fit,  because I'm blocking 
 >> >> >> his way.  What in the world was his problem that he couldn't 
 >> >> >> wait,  for even the few seconds it took me to get off the bike 
 >> >> >> and haul it onto the sidewalk where I could lock it to a lamp 
 post??? 
 >> >> > 
 >> >> >Placing a bike (or a motorcycle) in a parking space is always 
 >> >> >inappropriate. How could he tell from your behavior that you weren't 
 >> >> >fixin' to leave it there? 
 >> >> 
 >> >> Because it was a bicycle,  no motor,  just pedals, which he 
 >> >> could obviously see.   So he would know that I wasn't going 
 >> >> to leave it there,  I was heading for the sidewalk to lock it to 
 >> >> the meter. 
 >> > 
 >> >Then why not ride to the curb? or up onto the sidewalk? Whether to take 
 >> >a parking space is a split-second decision, and your obstruction could 
 >> >have had him driving around the neighborhood for half an hour. You said 
 >> >you were "preparing to dismount" (whatever that means) in a parking 
 >> >space. 
 >> > 
 >> >Bicyclists are probably the most thoughtless road-users in the city. 
 >> >Just once, unfortunately, I watched a traffic(?) cop pull over cyclist 
 >> >after cyclist that ran straight through a red light on (probably) 
 >> >Seventh Ave. in the 20s. 
 >> 
 >> First you tell him to ride up on the sidewalk.  Then you comment how 
 >> cyclists are thoughtless?  Do anyone see the irony with this? 
 > 
 >I didn't tell him to ride on the sidewalk. I told him to ride up onto 
 >the sidewalk in order to "dismount." (What is he, a gymnast?) 
  
 You asked him why not ride onto the sidewalk?  Aside from the fact 
 that it's dangerous, it's illegal. 
  
  
 Phil 
  
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