Stuff and Things and Junk and Stuff.

STUFF-AND-THINGS

Or, as they say, another day, another doll hair.

On Friday I posted an array or random visual fodder that’s been collecting dust on my electronic shelf, and I suppose that today I will continue a smidge more of the same, but we’ll see what develops as I hunt and peck and hunt and peck.

It was also on Friday when I came across the news that a woman who hit and killed a teen in Ontario is now suing his family for a million dollars due to a severe shock to her system as a result of the crash“, and that “her enjoyment of life has been and will be lessened.

Is this real life?

Maddeningly, it is.

And just as I buried my face into my hands in disbelief, I came across the following Facebook post by a person named Tremayne A. Higby;
tremayne
Tremayne’s loose grip of the English language and American health care system aside, naturally I find their perspective repugnant.

Though as with any case involving a motorist hurting or killing a cyclist, Heaven forbid it happens, but chances are better than good that they’ll get off with a few fines and a slap on the hand.

As I concluded in other corners of the AHTBM house in a village, while I find this perspective sickening, I don’t condone organizing a lynch mob here. If contact is to be made, I would just ask that it’s done in a thoughtful manner. Fighting anger and vitriol with the same never ends well.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Just remember- What would George do?
dalai-lama-dontbeanasshole-copy
Of course that’s what he would do, and what we should do, but most importantly the thing one has to do when faced with that kind of complete insanity is to take a deep breath, push your chair away the desk and leave the room towards something like this;
sunday
bv
Though even chores aren’t left very far behind when you come across a scene where dopes cut the corner through a perfectly good switchback.

So, like the good martyr I am, I did some log lifting;
logjam
Even with a head full of hate induced cob webs, it felt good just to exhale.

In a final twist, and in reference to the entry of today’s post, I’d like to note that at the conclusion of my ride, I ran into Gentle Fred and Young Carl. We were standing roadside shooting the breeze about nothing in particular, when a truck full of big bikes and people clearly too lazy to ride them to the trail drove by and bellowed out the window, “GET OFF THE ROAD!

Because ever since that Alanis Morissette song came out, I’m not clear on what’s ironic or not, but I’m pretty sure that was.

Now, moving over into the mail bag, I have a few odds and ends to take care of before we’re dismissed.

The first being from Kevin;

Just read your bit in Bicycle times liked your Eddy Merckx story. Have one similar, in 1988 I think, the Bike show was in Atlantic City New Jersey. One morning I went out on the boardwalk outside of the hotel and who was standing there smoking no less, Eddie. I was a little shocked and could only manage “Eddie you smoke”? He blew smoke in my face and grunted oui. That’s it my big brush with fame.

The Bicycle Times piece that Kevin mentions is an interview in the new issue that was done with me in a fifty rapid fire questions style.

The interviewer asked me who the most famous person I ever met was, which apparently was Eddie.

And our exchange was just about as noteworthy as Kevin’s was.

Then Jeff from Maximo Supremo resident All City Bikecycles made the contact with a photograph by Tom Robertson proving once and for all that being loaded down with your haul from the local farmer’s market is no excuse not to get some rad on;
panierpitchTom Robertson
Just make sure your eggs are protected.

And as long as I’m giving a hat tip to advertisers, I’ll again note that Pentabike is having a Taxation Reclamation sale of their hugely popular Side Car Unit;
SideCar ACDC for those TAXATION COMBO STORE
Not only that, but my old friend Pentabike Dave did me the huge honor of penning a short bit detailing our history together here.

He may be a complete derelict, but he’s my derelict, and that’s all I could ever ask for.

And lastly, just because I kinda have to keep whipping this horse until it either dies or runs away from me, I’ll make mention again that Voler very kindly re-opened the order window for the brand spanking new and sickeningly attractive 2014 AHTBM kits until the 18th of May, with a ship date of June 16th though the 20th;
AHTBM6-01
As I’ve said previously- If you wanna be fast, that’s your business.

But if you wanna look fast? Let that be mine.

And it’s with that, that we’ve come to the conclusion of the stuff.

And things.

And junk.

And stuff.
newlittleskull

Spread this like it's sick

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9 Responses to “Stuff and Things and Junk and Stuff.”

  1. Largo April 28, 2014 at 5:38 am #

    Typical douchebag response to bikes on roads; you don’t pay gas taxes so you have no right. I’m guessing this guy is a Canuck, probably in Ontario, probably commutes to work to a different municipality than the one he lives in, doesn’t pay taxes there, but has no issues using that municipalities infrastructure.
    Fuck, gotta go work out some aggression…….

    • Stevil April 28, 2014 at 5:55 am #

      Utah. Where the health care is apparently free.

  2. Matt April 28, 2014 at 7:06 am #

    I’m working on “The Middle Finger Manifesto,” which will explain that while I do responsible things for bike advocacy in much of my professional and spare time, a metaphorical (and sometimes real) middle finger is often the best response I have found to total ignorance, homicidally-designed infrastructure, and inattentive road users.

    Anger is a tool, just like any other, as is outrage, as is force. When assertive riding and following “the proper channels” gets you nowhere, sometimes you need to be in the face of those who would injure you with the old universal language. Sometimes, “you almost killed me back there” isn’t good enough. I’ve regretted using that middle finger about 50% of the time, but the other half of the time I felt like I got through to the person, and in one case was even able to follow up with a more reasoned conversation (on the guy’s front lawn, he was a little surprised I was able to keep up with him the whole way from where he tried to force me off the road back to his house).

    I keep the Middle Finger close to my heart, ride with full awareness that I have it available to me, and take it out as infrequently as possible.

  3. Johnno April 28, 2014 at 8:42 am #

    That clown has to be from S.FL. He’s either some redneck Neanderthal booger eater or a BMW driving , cell phone texting douche pipe late for his hair salon appointment. I bet I pay more taxes then he does anyway! Go back to NY!

  4. Ben April 28, 2014 at 8:43 am #

    Tremayne there expresses one of my all time favorite sentiments from those with his perspective in the statement “You’re risking my life”. I think he means “endangering”, but either way I have to straight up laugh that someone would think that in a car vs bike scenario it’s the driver of the car whose life is at risk. I know every time I almost run over a Squirrel with my truck I think “whew, that was close. I coulda died.”

  5. Ken April 28, 2014 at 1:04 pm #

    Man, that dirt looks awfully inviting.

    • Dan May 8, 2014 at 8:18 am #

      …like my sweet lady’s muff.

  6. jim cassa April 29, 2014 at 9:08 am #

    Whenever I get riled up about anything, my wife tells me to “put it in my blog”. Since I don’t have a blog, I’ll use yours. I guess this guy has a point. After all, my 160 lbs of rolling thunder sure does beat up those roads. Plus, my beat up old commuter bike is worth about $10.00 so my registration fee would be about $1.25 which wouldn’t be worth the DMV paper work. But if added to the fees for our 2 cars it still won’t help. Still, the “court of public opinion” has never been known for sanity. I say if they want more cars on the road we should give it to them. How about a Ride-to Nowhere car driving protest. Everyone get in your cars during morning rush hour and really clog up traffic. You know, where clown noses, blare metal and gangsta rap with all the windows rolled down, honk our horns and wave like maniacs. On second thought maybe it’s not a good idea, they already hate themselves, er, I mean us enough

  7. ulysses ronquillo May 1, 2014 at 6:52 am #

    Just when I regain faith in humans, you bring me back to reality. However, I still choose to believe that the majority of folks out there are good. And, reasonably intelligent. Tremayne Higby is the anomaly.

    I hope, anyway.