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<DIV><SPAN class=343110516-17082006><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I
promise to be nice, look you in the eye and smile.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=343110516-17082006><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>John</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
bostoncriticalmass-bounces@bostoncriticalmass.org
[mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces@bostoncriticalmass.org]<B>On Behalf Of
</B>TSmith4918@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, August 17, 2006 11:57
AM<BR><B>To:</B> list@bostoncriticalmass.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> [*BCM*] Boston
Bikers<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial size=2>
<DIV>Just some rambling:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So, someone splain to me the following about Boston bikers; why is it
so dang hard to get a friendly response, a nod, wave, or acknowledgement of our
fellow bikers in the area?...could it be:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A. FEAR: People are too preoccupied avoiding becoming hood ornaments
that they are oblivious to other bikers.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>B. CULTURE: People in this area never look you in the eye even
when walking to driving...why should biking be any different? c'mon,
It's not like we're in santa monica or anything: this is
serious!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>C. CLASS: Unless you're wearing the latest in lycra/spandex
day-glo clingy fashion (personally I've gravitated to cotton, yeah, I know,
sweat and all) why should they waste their time on a recreational biker.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>D. SNOBBERY: ok, so my bike is 20 years old with cracked
fenders and dirty rims (comes from commuting 12 months out of the year), does
this make anyone unworthy of a nod?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>E. AGEISM: ok, so I am almost 50, it's not like I am hitting on
anyone from being friendly, especially if we're whizzing past each other at a
cumulative 30 miles an hours.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>F. LACK OF GOOD BREEDING: don't need to say much on this.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>G. URBAN/SUBURBAN CLASH: I do bike thru Chestnut Hill to get to
work...do I look to urban-scary-like? c'mon I'm almost 50 (see E)! and I wear
baggy clothes (see C)...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>H. THE MYTH OF BIKER UNITY: maybe I am expecting too much,
rather than see the bikers I encounter as brothers and sisters in the struggle
for liberation from petroleum products, maybe we're just individualists doing
our own thang with little in common. Haven't we all felt a little twinge
of "hmm, I know I'm probably just a little faster than that biker up the
road..."?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I. NO REASON AT ALL: that's just the way it is.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It's not that hard to acknowledge each other: critical mass does a
great job once a month; here's hoping for a little more nods and waves out
on the roadway. It's a good way to recognize what we're doing as a biking
community for fun and for meaning.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Old guy.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>