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<DIV> Although I don't feel that I lurk online as much as I may at the monthly gatherings, I would like to comment on several recent threads, I have been bicycling in our fair city since 1981 amongst other forms of transportation. I regularly converse with my local reps ( I live in Mission Hill) I know some of you are my neighbors and I have spoken with many bicyclists in this city due to my job driving a taxi! </DIV>
<DIV> There is both a large spike in bicycle riding due to the inefficiency and cost of the T and there appears to be a disturbing increase in bike theft. Recently one of my roommates almost had his bike stolen in allston, it was locked with a cable lock to a tree in front of Herrells on the corner of Harvard/ Brighton</DIV>
<DIV>a white guy in his late 20's with a green pick up truck, also he had a shamrock tattoo on his upper right chest and several other bikes in the back was attempting to cut the lock w /boltcutters in the middle of the day. When confronted he dropped the bike and drove off.</DIV>
<DIV> What's especially frightening is the bikes that are being stolen are not the top of the line bikes but </DIV>
<DIV>well, others, like lee I often ride a "frankenbike" that looks funky, my roommate has a crappy old mongoose that I gave him assembled from spare parts, I'd like to be able to post a lookout for this guy, not some kind of vigilantism but just an awareness.</DIV>
<DIV> OK Taxi's another thread entirely but relevant because as a cyclist I have had many a run in with</DIV>
<DIV>the 3rd world driving experience, taxi driving and it's apparent belligerence is just a piece of the transportation puzzle, most cabdrivers are from other countries because the cab s are a public service it would take too much time to go into this but they are not hired they buy there way into a job the city makes a ton of money and bears very little responsibility, most drivers don't even take road tests in this country it is often enough to have a license in another country and exchange it for a state license The greater injustice is that many of these guys are reacting to us out of fear and ignorance. The transportation industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy with most people being independent contractors, no benefits no health insurance and subject to random unpredictable enforcement. I almost received a parking ticket this past Thursday for stopping at a red light. This is true I had to argue with the meterperson that I was merely stopping for a red light, not attempting to live park. This is a subject which I could go into much depth and is much more complicated than most people realize. Remember the cities own taxis and sell the licenses, the "cab companies" do not own taxis or hire the drivers.</DIV>
<DIV> Thirdly and I'm sure I will be widely flamed for my comments but I am unhappy with the current bike bill because it allows the police to ticket bicycles and cyclists for a variety of moving offenses and as I have stated in the past I personally feel that having to stop at a red light is a violation of my civil rights, not that</DIV>
<DIV>I don't stop but if it's safe I cross, too often I see cars driving thru a right on red w/o slowing down. If I remain stopped at an intersection for any length of time the peril increases. To a motor vehicle this is a minor infraction to a cyclist it is often life or death. I feel the laws of physics supersede those laws of humankind </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Sorry for this longwinded rant and thanks to all who take the time to read it.</DIV>
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