June 08, 2006
The Giddiness of the Xtracycle
I've long known that happiness is directly proportional to time spent on the Xtracycle, with extra points for extra bodies. Since Bike to Work Week, Gary has pretty much cut his Muni use in half, as we've been biking home together (or rather, he's been pedaling me as far as his house) almost every day.
Yesterday we upped the ante by adding to the load his new computer, printer, and a cable that I'm sure didn't need a box that big. Never fails, by the time we're at his house, we're both grinning like idiots.
Posted by Elizabeth at 05:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 22, 2005
Comedy of Errors, and a Bike List
Fun with Phone Lines! My advice when dealing with SBC, or any other organization with rooms and rooms full of customer service agents: keep calling back until you get the answer you want. Quick Quiz: what's the difference between binding posts and a tagged phone line? Answer: lots of money, even though they both serve the same purpose!
I'm hoping that since someone had no trouble cutting the phone lines (twice) the week we moved in, the SBC technician will be able to get into wherever the lines live to tag them on Saturday. I'm tempted to ask why they didn't tag them when they installed them in their unidentifiable-binding-post states on Tuesday, or even when they came to tag the OTHER line yesterday, but I know that would merely expose me as an overly rational, practical person.
***
Today's Bike List tells a story:
- 1 tiny piece of glass embedded in a tire
- 1 block of wondering why the hell the bike was making such odd noises all of a sudden (um, that would be the rim on pavement)
- 2 hands somewhat greasy from removing the rear wheel
- 1 unexpected train ride home with the wheel in hand
- 1 sad (but still gorgeous) bike keeping me company in the office while I wait on hold.
Posted by Elizabeth at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2005
Bike List #2
Zipping past cars stuck in traffic on Market Street whilst on the bike induces much glee. A word not to be confused with Twee. Yes, I'm still annoyed about that...
Anyway, these are my favorite time-saving, non-SFBC-sanctioned [er, illegal] moves for shaving an extra few seconds off the bike commute:
--running red lights
--running stop signs
--making right turns against red lights when the sign clearly says No Right Turn On Red [Gratuitous Obscure Fact That Illustrates My Worldliness: it's never legal to make a right turn on a red on Montreal Island.]
--riding on the sidewalk (to go left where the sign clearly says Right Turn Only)
--riding the against traffic in the wrong bike lane (during the half a block right before the office only, and only if there's a convenient break in traffic for me to get across the street... and yes I realize it's annoying that I complained about this in the first Bike List since I do it myself. Oh well. If there were ever other people in that bike lane, they could blog about how hazardous it is to avoid me...)))))
I do try to ride outside the door zone whenever possible. This has nothing to do with my being a rule-abider, which I am, other than this list (and maybe a few others); it's because I'm convinced it's only a matter of time before I get doored. If you do want to follow the rules, check out this handy guide from SFBC. I love them. Especially when they do free valet bike parking at events.
Posted by Elizabeth at 08:56 AM | Comments (0)
June 21, 2005
Introducing the Bike Lists!
In the first installment of what I imagine will become a regular feature illustrating the various ways to die (or just get annoyed) en route to work, I present the inaugural list:
Hazards to Avoid While Riding Legally in the Bike Lane (in no particular order)
--Homeless folks with shopping carts
--Double parked cars
--Delivery trucks
--Mail trucks
--Bikers going the wrong way (ie, straight at you)
--Drivers that insist upon passing, only to cut you off to make right turns
--Muni busses that insist upon passing, only to cut you off at the bus stop
--Drivers that pull out from their parking spots without looking
--Drivers that swerve into the lane for no apparent reason
--The infamous car doors
I'm really enjoying the new commute, AND I appreciate the opportunity to face my mortality, twice a day. It's quite invigorating. I highly recommend it.
Posted by Elizabeth at 04:24 PM | Comments (0)