| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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twelve. i'd grown out of them too fast, broken them. so anyway, i'd use my mom's bike. she never rode it. beautiful, bright green 21-speed fuji. so anyway, on the fourth of july, 1999, i rode it down to the store and back, we needed groceries before going to the fireworks and i didn't have my licence yet. the damn thing kept on slipping the chain. once. twice. then *snap* the derailer broke. my mom said i could have it if i went to get it fixed. even so, it sat in the shop for over two years. today, i pulled it out and took it to the repair shop. after 30 minutes and $18, i am the proud owner of an excellent bicycle. yay! |
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but i intend to ride it everday and build up my legs so i can use it after i leave home and can't afford a car anymore. i need to get a helmet. |
I used to bike everywhere. Yesterday, I decided that I needed to start biking to work again. It's been about a month. The last time I biked, my old, weak outer tire let a bubble of inner tube out and it went off like a gunshot. I replaced both, and rode home. Today, that tire is completely flat because the tube's connection to the valve was defective. Going to have to get another damned tube tomorrow. |
i biked down to safeway (1/2 mile) and back. except i had to walk the last big hill. i'm going to bike to safeway and back every day until i can do the whole way and then i'll try albertson's. |
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whats next...helmets to cross the street? |
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i actually have a helmet, but it's the one i used when i was six years and and it was supposed to be replaced back in '91. i've been in a baaaad accidents where i managed to scrape knees, elbows, hands, chin, forehead and sprain a wrist all at once. thank goodness i was wearing a helmet that time. barky dogs + gravel + bicyclists = bad bad awful. |
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bicycles ain't got no seatbelts! nor airbags for that matter. |
thats idiocy. Bicycles arent cars and don't belong on the same pavement cars are on. |
boring (ok damascus) has MAYBE one quarter mile of sidewalks total. so its either cutting through people's fenced yards or taking the road. for bicycling or walking or driving. there's no other way, really. don't you live in l.a.? major cities are more likely to have bike trails and bike lanes than a small shit town like mine. |
Just have to be smarter then the guy driving the car which shouldn't be too hard. And what the fuck is wrong with steel plates in the head? |
I was just reminded of this when i went downstairs to have a smoke and im greeted by about 4000 fans/tourists and paparazzi...oh and nic cage getting his hands and feet imprinted on the sidewalk. but back to bikes. yes there are tons of bike paths, and i ride on sidewalks. also in my neighborhood we have designated bike lanes up and down sunset blvd. a lane between parked cars and traffic. even with that, i prefer to bike on the sidewalk. I prefer to bike in neighborhoods as opposed to main streets. |
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And he'd been drinking. And some people don't have cars. Biking in town may seem like idiocy to you, where you are, but there are more bikes than people in this city. They are an accepted and encouraged form of transportation. Most main streets have bike lanes. You have to register your bikes here. Cops will stop you if you bike at night without a headlight. That's a law too. Most mike helmets don't effect your vision. Good ones, anyway. |
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I allways wear a helmet now,. This time last year i was cyling back from the shop after having my bike serviced, for the seccond time, when, in my street, i discovered they hadnt fixed the gears properly AGAIN! when i hit a car, went over the handlebars and into the back corner of the car. I was apparently unconscious when a neighbour found me. I was taken to hospital, had to have brain scans etc and went unconscious a couple more times, had to spend a day and night on the high dependancy ward, and 4 days in hospital, instead of going on holiday to Center Parcs! Now i have a really good looking helmet(Bell), it doesnt restrict my views, or hearing, and its quite slimline. Id rather look dumb than be dumb as a result of another accident. I love cyling, but unfortunately my Freewheel and chain need replacing and I need a new bottom bracket as the bearings are worn, and I cant afford it at the moment! |
Furthermore, there are no bike paths, so one is forced to venture onto the open road, which is heavily populated with hicks, facists, and...SUVs! |
You can ride your bikes anywhere,here.Even through the drive thru bars.You just have to be careful,and dodge all the coon-ass drunks. |
i've got head and tail lights for my bike. i'm going to get a couple thingys to keep the rain off the tires and a shelf to go on the back so i can keep saddlebags. but man oh man is my butt sore. it's good for me though. exercise! gotta love it. gonna get my helmet on saturday so i'll be safer. |
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A lot of bikers aren't so great about the peds though. I haven't hit any myself, but I've seen quite a few. A lot of the bikers around here seem to have some sort of animoscity toward peds. Probably has something to do with getting kicked off the sidewalks. I'm always impressed by the die-hards who bike all year around. Studded bike tires or bike tire chains... Bundled so much you're surprised they can see... |
we've talked about the san francisco bikers...critical mass people before. Bunch of arrogant ass fucks. If you are going to bike, you bike to a different set of laws. You can go places cars can't. You arent a threat to cars. Fuck riding on the street with traffic stopping at all the lights. Ride where you can to stay alive. Cut through parks driveways and sidewalks. run stop signs if safe use alleys, ride the shoulder down a one way street. Bunny hop the sidewalk. Jump the handicap ramps. I bike like i used to skate. |
they slow down behind you and pass when the going's good. i once had someone honk at me, years ago, when i had no clue they were there. nearly jumped out of my skin. |
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i live on a dead-end street. the only outlet is to a major road that runs from damascus to portland, the speed limit being 45 miles per hour. don't want to bike on this road? fine, walk or drive. i've ridden along the highway too, but the shoulder is much wider and i use the crosswalk. |
No cars have ever hit me, and I've only hit one. And that was because someone saw me, freaked, and did the worst possible thing, which was slam the brakes. I was counting on that old lady to not see me and just keep on going. |
apparently a one time mayor of lawrence, ks was arrested or ticketed for riding a bike while intoxicated. |
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lapis, this made me think of you: http://bicyclefilmfestival.com/ |
the bicycle film festival came to portland for the first time last year and didn't do as well as they'd hoped. portland's a smaller city than what they normally show in, the theater was waaay uphill from most of the city, too many programs to choose from, etc. we already have filmed by bike (based in portland, something i try to volunteer for every year), bike pron and a multitude of other bicycle-related entertainments here. oh well. how's babyland? my cousin's expecting in august (the first portland baby in six years) and she's glowing. |
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i thought you wrote bike porn which would be totally awesome. babyland is glorious, actually. it's really tough, but it's just getting better and better. she's like a little person now, with preferences and a personality. she's a party girl, hates to stay at home and gets fussy and bored. so we go out a lot. keeps us both happy and amused. is your cousin having a boy or girl? my sister is due late august too. |
nobody knows yet, so far we know it's a baby. it's funny, a generation ago nobody would find out these things ahead of time... i guess it's good to take a look and make sure the baby's healthy, but mystery's good too. |