Oy, I’m again.
Whilst I had two bicycles with me on my holiday, it used to be specifically excellent to reconnect with the Jones, and a luxurious to be in such shut proximity to that the majority stylish of highway surfaces:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_9780.jpg?resize=736%2C981&ssl=1)
[I’m talking about the garvel, of course.]
Alas, as a canine returns to his personal vomit, so a idiot repeats its folly, and that’s how I all the time really feel as I’m heading again to town from the quieter precincts. Certainly, upon my go back, virtually the first thing I noticed upon crossing town line–fittingly, in gentle of my most up-to-date Out of doors column–used to be a number of police automobiles round a motor scooter (whether or not gas or electrical I may just no longer inform) that seemed to were taken out through a automotive within the “secure” motorcycle lane. Right here’s the place it came about:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-04-214426.png?resize=736%2C641&ssl=1)
In case it’s no longer transparent from the gap image, this is certainly a motorcycle lane and a crosswalk that run proper throughout a fucking freeway front ramp. They are saying two wrongs don’t make a proper, however what they do make is a complete clusterfuck. Driving a motor scooter in a bicycle lane may determine as a rule, and a half-assed motorcycle lane may additionally determine as a rule, however mix the 2 and the potential of carnage will increase exponentially. In the meantime, town company chargeable for this sensible little bit of city engineering is busy tweeting stuff like this:
I don’t know which is extra ironic: the DOT impugning Robert Moses when their thought of a secure motorcycle lane is a few inexperienced paint along considered one of his highways, or the truth that whoever had the keys to the their social media accounts for the Exertions Day weekend more than likely tweeted that from a Robert Moses-built seaside.
Alternatively, I’m basing all this on a non permanent glimpse of the crash scene I were given while exiting stated Robert Moses-built freeway, so I will have utterly misinterpreted it. Possibly it wasn’t a crash in any respect; perhaps the NYPD have been simply serving to the scooterist alternate a tire.
Talking of smugness, I see from Streetblog {that a} “nice motorcycle activist” has retired:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-04-085647.png?resize=736%2C134&ssl=1)
I looked at the related Twitter thread…
…and one of the crucial causes he cites for retiring is the state of his “psychological well being:”
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-04-085826.png?resize=736%2C259&ssl=1)
It’s none of my trade and I want him smartly, however he did put all this on Twitter so I will be able to say I do know from non-public enjoy that all this advocacy stuff has some way of undermining your individual happiness for those who’re no longer cautious. I additionally know that it might probably compel you to start out “skating with no stick” and on the lookout for fights, and in truth I’ve encountered him out at the ice on no less than one instance:
I do know like 75% of this weblog is me making a laugh of the stuff motorcycle corporations are promoting, however whilst I could have my very own hang-ups about stuff like digital moving, dick breaks, and crabon, I’ve additionally long gone on file that within the grand scheme of items I stand in the back of them. I definitely don’t suppose they’re looking to “stay the 95% ignorant” like some type of secret society:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-04-222541.png?resize=736%2C218&ssl=1)
If the rest, you’ll’t seek advice from a mainstream bicycle corporate’s site now with out being inundated with software biking:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_9775.jpg?resize=736%2C876&ssl=1)
What came about to the entire scowling roadies?!? It’s all satisfied other folks in common garments now:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_9776.jpg?resize=732%2C549&ssl=1)
“Simple” this, “practical” that…
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_9777.jpg?resize=736%2C995&ssl=1)
Frankly it’s disgusting:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_9778-1.jpg?resize=736%2C598&ssl=1)
I imply yeah, you’ll take factor with the truth that they don’t appear in an effort to design a bicycle that doesn’t require A FUCKING BATTERY anymore, however you’ll’t say they aren’t doing their to promote the shit out of sensible, on a regular basis bicycling. It’s virtually as ironic as, I dunno…a number of other folks at an unique hand-crafted bicycle display taking about how overvalued all this fancy motorcycle tech is:
It’s like paying attention to the folks at this celebration speaking about how everybody makes too giant a deal over cash:
![](https://i0.wp.com/bikesnobnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/party.jpg?resize=547%2C417&ssl=1)
And sure, I say this understanding complete smartly that I’m through a ways the worst perpetrator in terms of taking stuff as a right. As famous above, this weblog is most commonly “I’ve a number of fancy motorcycles however I feel pushing a button to modify gears is in order that cheesy,” interspersed with tedious proceedings about the place I reside.
Fact is we were given it lovely excellent.