Times they are 'a Changin

This morning on my commute in I passed TWO other cyclists on their morning commute. Now while city commuters will be like, BFD I pass like 500 people riding bikes on my commute, this is a pretty big deal up here in Cow Hampshire.

I have seen other riders in the morning but they are always just local cyclists that I know out for a morning ride. I have never seen anyone else on their way to work before. Part of me was pleased that people in the area are finally looking into alternative methods of travel. I think there are a lot of people in the area especially some of my coworkers that live well within a manageable commuting distance but still drive in to work.

Unfortunately part of me was also not pleased when I saw both of these riders. The first individual I came up on was riding on the left hand side of the road. Seriously that is like cycling 101. Consider yourself a car, easy as that. Riding where he was is so dangerous for everyone, I was cringing watching him ride up a small rise to a blind corner in the middle of the left hand lane. Granted N. Ashland Rd. is relatively low traffic and the speed limit was 30 where he was, but I can guarantee if a car had come around that corner at 30mph he would be dead. I hope hes British for his sake.

Then the next person I came up on was cruising down Rt. 175 not wearing a helmet. I remember back when I was 12 and wearing helmets meant you were not cool and I didn't want to wear one either. But you aren't 12 and not wearing a helmet means you are an idiot.

So yeah...times are changing, people are trying out more sustainable options of a lot of things but in true American fashion not always using their heads. Maybe I should offer a community learning course on the basics of getting to work on a bike....hmmmmmm