The Shredded Schrader

July 16, 2010

Time to get the laundry!

Filed under: Journalism — Danimal @ 8:33 pm

There’s about $60 in pounds of laundry at the local (half a mile) laundromat and I need to get it. This amounts to the need to transport several bags of laundry… with my bike and without a trailer. Looks like I’ll be making a few balancing act trips wish me luck!

Oh, it just started to thunder and lightening. Sweet!

May 27, 2010

WO ∴ Awesome!

Filed under: Journalism,weather overground — Danimal @ 11:40 am

The storm died down just as we hit the road, but whatever; Weather Overground WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY GOOD WEATHER!!! We had a fantastic time beguiling the unexpecting masses with partial nudity and the majesty of song (Electric Six high voltage smashups do it better at the gay-bar, gay-bar). We finished off the night with some bloody carnage and then disbanded.

March 10, 2010

Google Maps now offers biking directions!

Filed under: Journalism — Danimal @ 11:46 am

When I have a chance I’ll play with the new feature. Feel free to go ahead and play with it yourself!


http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/biking-directions-added-to-google-maps.html

UPDATE:

The option seems to be available to everyone but me…

March 9, 2010

Complaint filed with the MBTA

Filed under: Journalism,Vigilantism — Danimal @ 4:56 pm

The following was submitted via the MBTA’s support form.

Hello,

At around 8:45am today (March 9), bus number 0199 came to an abrupt halt in the street, next to (but not in) the Dawes Island Park bus stop. The driver then negligently let the passengers off while parked in the street (again, outside the bus stop; in the middle of the lane). This caused the passengers to almost collide into several cyclists who were (legally) passing to the side of the bus as the law permits given a single lane and adequate room.

I have been assured that the MBTA cares about the safety of its passengers. I look forward to seeing this promise put into motion.

I sincerely thank you for your time. We have a mutual interest here and I am glad we can work together for it.

I hope to hear from you in regards to this incident,
[Danimal]

’tis the season!

Filed under: Journalism — Danimal @ 11:32 am

March 5, 2010

MBTA responds to Accusations

Filed under: Journalism — Danimal @ 9:01 pm

I encourage readers to visit and comment on the MBTA’s response to recent accusations regarding safety (see last post).

Don’t do what I did and fail to take a deep breath before commenting the first time. Remember, the comments will need to be approved first.

Solidarity!
Danimal.

March 1, 2010

At 11pm on WBZ-TV we are heard.

Filed under: Advocacy,Journalism — Danimal @ 10:55 am

This is one of those special (and far between) moments when I am actually… speechless…

“Hi [Grimlocke…] The actual story airs tonight at 11pm [on WBZ-TV]. The MBTA actually gave me video from inside the bus of your second incident. You can see the bus going through the red light.. and you can see you on your bike.”

Solidarity!
Danimal.

February 27, 2010

Bicycle lanes are not for parking, mam.

Filed under: Journalism,Misadventures,Parasites,Vigilantism — Danimal @ 3:03 pm

There is this awful stretch in front of Alewife where motorists rejoice in abusing the bicycle lane. I have gotten into arguments with motorists over this before. Some times the exchange is openly verbal as I wheel up to their open window to have a chat with them about safety, and some… slightly more obscure. My most recent experience leans towards the latter. The crime deserved something special.

I was heading home from work driving Nostrildamus, The Slothful (an abandoned bicycle from the 80s that I recently liberated and restored), when the motorsite in front of me came to a sudden stop in the bike lane, threw on her hazards, and ran into the daycare, pausing momentarily to glance around guiltily. I may have been seen, but I didn’t care.

If this was an emergency, if she was seeking help for problems with her auto-mobile (they are especially susceptible to these) she did the right thing by pulling over in the manner she did. In emergencies, it is entirely acceptable to pull to the side of the foremost right lane. The bike lane is a lane like any other, except with certain restrictions vetoed in certain situations such as these. However, this incident didn’t wasn’t in that sort of situation. As I would soon observe, she was just going into the building to retrieve her snot-nosed kid.

After figuring out what she was up to, I pulled to the side of the road and rummaged through my backpack for pencil and paper. Soon after producing them I had written an informative, albeit potentially hopefully disturbing note. It read as follows…

Bicycle lanes are for bicycles, not for parking.

You endanger the safety of cyclists.

You have been reported.

I slipped it under her wind-shield wiper and hid behind a pole, awaiting her return. After all, I could not categorize this post as Journalism if I bailed before I had the whole story! Even if I was the one making the news…..

After a considerable stretch of time she returned to the car with her kid. On her way to her side of the care she froze as her eyes met the note. As she picked it up I declared victory and road away in search of another adventure. (As a side note, I found it. I can’t write about it here, so ask me in person).

What sort of example is that for your kid? Jeez.

I wrote down her license plate number for my personal records. I struggled with myself a great deal over whether or not I should share it. At last I decided against it, choosing instead to file it away in a database somewhere. I will keep an eye out for her to see if she becomes a repeat offender. Picking up her kid from daycare is probably a regular event. Next week I will see if her antics are also a regular event.

Solidarity my fellow cyclists! Bike on.
~ Danimal ~

PS.
For the sake of your amusement I should note that the notice was printed on the back of a recycled article on the environmental sustainability of beer production. Coincidentally, my environmentalism has also been satisfied. Hail Eris!

January 29, 2010

MBTA almost kills another cyclist

Filed under: Advocacy,Journalism,Parasites,Solidarity — Danimal @ 4:33 pm

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.

October 1, 2009

Introducing: Featured Parasites!

Filed under: Journalism,Parasites — Danimal @ 1:35 pm

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.

Create a blog and join the revolution!