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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Include Peabody in that list!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
bostoncriticalmass-bounces@bostoncriticalmass.org
[mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces@bostoncriticalmass.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Jon Ramos<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, July 31, 2008
11:45 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Boston Critical Mass<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [*BCM*]
Longfellow/Cambridge Bike Police, Systemic Change,Courteous <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Mass.</st1:place></st1:State>..</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>try
biking in the <st1:City w:st="on">Malden</st1:City>, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Everett</st1:place></st1:City> areas... they honk and yell "Get
on the sidewalk!", and much much worse. I lived there for 6 years,
and I decided to move to a more bike friendly area. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Areas
like that really NEED a Critical Mass... they dont deserve a Courteous Mass
yet ;)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>----- Original Message ----<br>
From: "TSmith4918@aol.com" <TSmith4918@aol.com><br>
To: list@bostoncriticalmass.org<br>
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 11:38:28 AM<br>
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Longfellow/Cambridge Bike Police, Systemic Change,
Courteous <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mass.</st1:place></st1:State>..<br>
<br>
<br>
</span></font><font size=2 color=black face=Arial id="role_document"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><<making mental note not to honk or
yell at any female bikers on <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Huntington
Avenue</st1:address></st1:Street>>><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>yer a saint, Kate! I
usually kindly offer the same instruction about traffic laws but not nearly so
calmly and collectedly...<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>----------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>In a message dated 7/31/2008 11:25:23
A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, ziegler.kate@gmail.com writes:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;
margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>I just want to say, firstly, that
I've really enjoyed all of the discussion that's been going on the past few
days. There have been a lot of interesting perspectives brought forward, and
though I don't necessarily subscribe to all of them personally, I think sharing
and seeing all sides is essential.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>That being said, I was really struck by someone
else bringing forward the idea of systemic change - this really is the heart of
the issue, as I see it, and I think between all of our individual road rage and
buggaboos on a daily commuting basis, the larger systemic picture gets lost too
often. Still, this is the argument I tend to take on when challenged - the
problem is not specifically motorists or cyclists, but the system in which we
all operate. The basic system and culture needs to be changed to alleviate the
tensions of biking in a city as unfriendly to bikes as <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:City>. Yes, I run red lights - I slow down
first, and look, but I would much sooner keep moving that have traffic honking
and swerving around me when the light turns green. Yes, I move between lines of
traffic, because I've been rear-ended when stopped in a lane. Yes, I ride more
than three feet away from the curb, often taking a lane, even in moderate
traffic, but if I'm moving at a reasonable speed I will always do so, to avoid
dooring and debris. Would I opt to ride differently and follow the rules if it
were safe for me to do so? Of course.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>On a study abroad experience in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Geneva</st1:City>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Switzerland</st1:country-region></st1:place>,
I biked everywhere. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Geneva</st1:place></st1:City>
has raised bike paths, bike traffic signals and bike turning lanes. You can
rent bikes for free with a 10 franc, refundable deposit. Women bike in their
heels and men bike in their suits. While certainly this is a European-style
ideal, it makes a world of difference - and running a red light from your bike
lane most often would mean collision with other cyclists, not collision with
cars.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Another city that has made some radical
changes to promote cycling and human friendly spaces in general is <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bogota</st1:place></st1:City> (I'm dying to go!)
- this video with the former mayor highlights a lot of the changes made, and
explains the challenges and obstacles in doing so. </span></font><font
color=black><span style='color:black'><a
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGycx75mqRk" target="_blank"
title="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGycx75mqRk"><font color=purple><span
style='color:purple'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGycx75mqRk</span></font></a></span></font><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>On a slight tangent, I had an interesting
altercation on my ride to work this morning - On the underpass on
Huntington, going under Mass Ave, a woman pulled next to me, rolled down her
window, honked and yelled that the road is not a bike lane. As is my standard
reaction, especially in the morning commute downtown, I kept my eye on her car
and of course caught up to her a few lights down. I got off my bike, crossed in
the crosswalk and stopped at her car window, and began to explain (calmly, I'd
like to emphasize - I always try to be polite and calm, as people are usually
so startled at being recognized from inside their rolling castles that being
angry would only escalate) that traffic law both allows and requires me to ride
in traffic, not on the sidewalk, and that I'd like to apologize for any
inconvenience to her. Mid-speech, she rolled up her window, locked her door and
RAN A RED LIGHT to get away from me. I've never seen such a thing, in all the
people I've stopped and all the biking I've done. And really, I can think I'm
that intimidating. Any similar experiences, anyone?</span></font><font size=2
color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Back to my argument for systemic change
(and I think Courteous Mass is a great addition to Critical Mass in
awareness-raising!), this is also and interesting video on bike-friendly
cities: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rwwxrWHBB8" target="_blank"
title="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rwwxrWHBB8"><font color=purple><span
style='color:purple'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rwwxrWHBB8</span></font></a></span></font><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Peace and safe riding,</span></font><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Kate</span></font><font size=2
color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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</blockquote>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:black'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:7.5pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Get fantasy
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:7.5pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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