The Shredded Schrader

While not all MBTA drivers make a game of running red lights, even a single driver poses a risk to our lives and is something worth speaking up about.

Here’s the cool part;  the MBTA will listen.

If you see dangerous and/or illegal activity conducted by an MBTA driver and you would like such actions to end, follow these steps.

1. Make note of the time, place, route, bus number, and incident
2. Call (617) 222-3200 with the information at the ready
3. Courteously provide the information they request
4. When the time comes, ask for a response
5. Report your experiences along with any email address or numbers you may obtain.

Inspired by the near murder of my dear friend Grimlocke, I finally finished what I’m now calling Battle Hymn of the Cyclist.

Remember, cy-cling  and cy-clist. Once again, to the tune of  Battle Hym of the Republic. And now… FROM THE TOP!

When the union’s inspiration through the cyclist’s blood shall run,
There will be no power greater than our bikes beneath the sun;
Yet what force on earth is weaker than the lonely ride of one,
But the union makes us strong.

[Chorus: ]
Solidarity in cycling,
Solidarity in cycling,
Solidarity in cycling,
For the union makes us strong

Is there aught we hold in common with the speedy parasite,
Who would run us off the freeway and would crush us in his flight?
Is there anything left to us but to organize and bike?
For the union makes us strong.

[Chorus]

Will we sit here complacent as our brothers each are doored
Will we choke on smog and smock emitted by the motor hoard
Or will we ride together and bike for something more
For the union makes us strong

[Chorus]

Between our legs is placed a power greater than their crowded roads
Greater than a hundred motors magnified a thousand fold
We can bring to birth a new world on the ashes of the old
For the union makes us strong.

[Chorus]

They are wasting untold barrels and never seem to learn,
That without a change of vision, their future will be burned
But we’ll free ourselves from oil, and claim what we have earned
For the union makes us strong.

Today my good friend Grimlocke was almost killed when an MBTA bus ran a red light.  Her report is detailed in a compelling post that was soon picked up by UniversalHub.com. As she reminds us, this is not the first time. In 2007 a cyclist was killed in the same area.

Action must be taken, lest next time it’s not a “nearly.” How many more cyclists must die before people take action? If the standing government will not defend the people, we must defend ourselves. I encourage people to organize and advocate for our safety, spreading awareness and engendering change.

Here’s how to take action:

Talk to people, get the word out there, speak up when you’ve been wronged! Go onto the streets, go to town meetings, go wherever there are people to hear you.

And if you don’t want to leave the house… Contact the mayors of Boston, Somerville, and Cambridge, DEMANDing that they as well take action. The safety of their citizens should be their number one priority. Remember, we too are people deserving of fair and just treatment. While I usually advocate more direct action above the heads of the standing government, we must exhaust all avenues. Our lives are on the line.

Ride in solidarity, fellow cyclists. Only together can we survive.

Sick of not being seen? Strike back with 1680 Lumens of crazy! I mean, umm… “get noticed…” Or, of course, you could just make onlookers vomit. Now with a disco mode (!) for those who didn’t react to the other settings.

One morning I return to my company’s bike locker to discover that the front tire of my bike is flat. In a stroke of genius, I decide that I will detach the tire and bring it by the bike shop on my way home.

FAIL!

After three grueling weeks of pissing away my time and money riding the T,  I reunite my tire and bike. Excited to once again be on the road, I hurry back to work without caring that it’s 9 degrees outside.

FAIL!

Well, after about two minutes past the point of no return, I started caring. Apparently a lack of gloves, winter jacket, and anything else warm is a problem when this far below freezing. Next thing I know I’ve lost feeling in my hands.

Lesson: Riding without handlebars is especially useful if you do it with your hands in your pants.

A half of an hour later and I was warming myself over a bottle of rum with my coworkers in the lunchroom.

See you on the roads!

On my way to work each day, I often weave through the posts at the end of the bike trail at Alewife. Today was no different, I leaned right, I leaned left, I…. Slid sideways? My entire bike slipped from underneath me and slid sideways. Yet somehow, SOMEHOW, I didn’t spill.

I’m actually quite good at that. Abrupt stops, sharp turns, and last minute recoveries as the former two fail come natural. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I’m an absolute clumsy spaz and over the years have had to either adjust or…  get eaten by a lion. The second is that, in addition to falling over during daily activities, I seek out doing crazy stuff.  And one particular manifestation is… inner office riding.

It’s like mountain biking, but when you only have a road bike and an office place you can sneak into at night. It’s actually a lot of fun. Speeding around the parameter, avoiding late night employees, and navigating through cubicles. And, uh… slamming into a wall. But only once!!!

And that’s my life. Falling sideways, able to appreciate both up and down just if they were right and left. I couldn’t think of a better way to live.

Touched up old verses, tried to do the same for chorus, but it’s giving me trouble. Remember, cy-cling  and cy-clist. Once again, Battle Hym of The Republic FROM THE TOP!

When the union’s inspiration through the cyclist’s blood shall run,
There will be no power greater than our bikes beneath the sun;
Yet what force on earth is weaker than the lonely ride of one,
But the union makes us strong.

Solidarity through cycling,
Solidarity through cycling,
Solidarity through cycling,
For the union makes us strong

Is there aught we hold in common with the speedy parasite,
Who would run us off the freeway and would crush us in his flight?
Is there anything left to us but to organize and bike?
For the union makes us strong.

Solidarity through cycling,
Solidarity through cycling,
Solidarity through cycling,
For the union makes us strong

They are wasting untold barrels and never seem to learn,
That without a change of vision, their future will be burned
But we’ll free ourselves from oil, and claim what we have earned
For the union makes us strong.

Please help me out with more versus or a better chorus? So far it’s just a modified Solidarity Forever. I’d like to get more verses in there.

Yes, it’s that time of the Month again. The UCTW are having their first ride of the month. Keep an eye out for us on the road. There’s a couple new cyclies  riding with us, so I’m looking forward to it with a little more zeal than usual.

The next draft of Cyclist Solidarity is almost finished. I may post it after the ride, so keep an eye open for it… if you care.

Ride together, fellow cyclists!

So, Friday night I was tweaking out in my room (continuing progress on the whole losing my mind thing I’ve been working on lately) when I finally tipped the scale and needed to get out of the house. It seems that lately, any time I get anxious I simultaneously crave going for a ride. As it seems healthier than drinking or working, I’ve been humouring this new coping mechanism.  I jumped on my bike and started to ride… And, as expected, I soon began to unwind.

Navigating between cars in my work’s parking lot (without hands of course),  I suddenly noticed that my front tire was a little low on air. So I whipped out my pump… and let me tell you, nothing finishes a long relaxing ride like a flat front tire and a presta with the valve tip snapped off. I called a fellow cyclist to come bail me out.

After digging around for awhile, we located the snapped off piece. Then, in shorter time than it took us to find it, we lost it again. All I could say was… Hail Eris! We laughed, pulled crazy shit in the parking lot and retreated home laughing.

The irony that while my blog is called the Shredded Schrader, I ended up shredding my presta… only hits me now.

SNAFU and SNAFlUff!

I bring you a new periodical! Each week (or some other time unit), I will be reporting on the offenses of a speedy parasite.

For the first article, I already have one in mind. An employee of a certain towing company threatened a friend of mine both verbally and physically (started to run her off the road with his truck, with obvious intent). Name and employment information were collected and I will be sharing these in the spirit of complete disclosure… and action.

I will also be accepting submissions.

Remember, only on the road is yielding permissible.