Chit Chat 14 - The Quest To Stay Open

[JY Kelly]

I know people that swear by them, but forward controls are the most uncomfortable thing ever. I don't see how you ride that way.

I don’t anymore. Thieves saw to that. No forward controls on this…

[HPD260]

I don’t anymore. Thieves saw to that. No forward controls on this…

I still like the look of that bike, even if I do prefer Euro manufacturers.

I'd like to test ride a Street Glide, but the last time I rode something at Harley they called me 10 times in seven days trying to get me to come back and buy something and it's soured the experience a good bit.

[JY Kelly]

I still like the look of that bike, even if I do prefer Euro manufacturers.

I'd like to test ride a Street Glide, but the last time I rode something at Harley they called me 10 times in seven days trying to get me to come back and buy something and it's soured the experience a good bit.

LOL

[dudme]

Of everything in that pic, my JEANS are what you focus on, Dud?

Man do I miss that bike.

Yes, it was some of my best work. Even you didn't know it was photoshopped.

[Talon]

Especially being from a city like Houston. The oldest structures here are only about 100 years old and there's very few of them because we'll knock down an entire block and replace it with a horrible tilt-wall shopping center.

Public transit is also looked down on in Houston. This bus stop is around the corner from my apartment and is typical for Houston.

I live two miles from my office and if I wanted to take the bus to work it would be a one-hour trip, and that's arriving at 6:30 and beating traffic. Our busses and tiny train line is looked at as being for the poor and homeless. Sidewalks are poorly maintained, we have no bike lanes, and like too many major cities here, a car-first mentality. It's really s****y. I didn't even see a bus for an hour after getting home.

If you want to get angry about Houston and American-style cities/suburbs, watch the Not Just Bikes channel on YouTube.

I remember riding the bus home from jury duty back in 2015. Even though I lived way past the Beltway, they make you go downtown for jury duty. Luckily my husband worked down there so he was able to drop me off in the AM, but I would get finished before him so I took the bus home a couple days. Figuring out the right bus to take was tricky, it wound itself through the city in confusing snake-like patterns, took probably 80+ minutes, and still dropped me off at a business park 1 mile from my house. What a painful way to get around town. My old house was exactly 17 miles from downtown, btw.

[Spoon]

I like the public transit in Philly. Granted it's also the first place I've been that even has useable public transit... and it's far from perfect. But I love being able to just park my car and be done with it until I need to leave the city.

If I could bike around and feel safe, that'd be amazing. But I think that's only ever going to be a dream. There's no way in hell I want to bike along side Philly drivers. Even on roads that have a "bike lane". A faded white line on the road isn't doing anything to keep some idiot from plowing into me.

[Talon]

I like the public transit in Philly. Granted it's also the first place I've been that even has useable public transit... and it's far from perfect. But I love being able to just park my car and be done with it until I need to leave the city.

If I could bike around and feel safe, that'd be amazing. But I think that's only ever going to be a dream. There's no way in hell I want to bike along side Philly drivers. Even on roads that have a "bike lane". A faded white line on the road isn't doing anything to keep some idiot from plowing into me.

Yeah, that's the right call on your safety. A few weeks ago 2 brothers from California were run over during an official bike ride/race in Southern Utah. The woman drove right over that painted line and killed both of them. The worst part is both of the men were riding the event with their sons, so those two young people had to watch their dads die in front of them. Paint is not cycling infrastructure.

[JY Kelly]

Yeah, that's the right call on your safety. A few weeks ago 2 brothers from California were run over during an official bike ride/race in Southern Utah. The woman drove right over that painted line and killed both of them. The worst part is both of the men were riding the event with their sons, so those two young people had to watch their dads die in front of them. Paint is not cycling infrastructure.

And I will bet lunch that the woman was indignant and swore that it was someone else’s fault.

[HPD260]

Cycling isn't even an option where I live. It's seven miles of 3-4 lane road with a 55mph speed limit and no sidewalks to the nearest grocery store from my place.

My commute to work is def out, at 37 miles on way.

[Talon]

OK, so I have a new "hack" to ride on these "unrideable" roads. I started volunteering as a bike guide for disabled athletes (hand cycles, wheelchairs) and ride with them during marathons/half-marathons. Then the police close the roads for you! The only downside is the races start around 7 or 8 am so I have to wake up around 4:30 or 5:00 on race day. I get to ride nice roads, the AWD get someone situated a little taller to point out holes/bumps in the road. Win win!

[Feenix]

I love being able to just park my car and be done with it until I need to leave the city.

This is what I love(d)* about Toronto. When I used to go downtown/visit, I simply parked at one of the subway stations near the edge of the city and bought a day-pass for transiting into and about the city. The cost was only about 4 transit trips, which pays for itself quite quickly, especially on weekends where a single day-pass covers two adults.

Toronto transit isn't incredible by any means (visiting Japan has moved my transit goalposts), but it works pretty well at non-rush hours.

*I haven't been on transit since pre-covid, so this may be outdated

[HPD260]

Well I just sneezed and it caused a crown to go flying out of my mouth, which means an emergency dentist appointment for me tomorrow.

How's everyone else's Wednesday going?

[DanDickly]

Well I just sneezed and it caused a crown to go flying out of my mouth, which means an emergency dentist appointment for me tomorrow.

How's everyone else's Wednesday going?

ACK.

That one cut, because I'm going in next week to get a crown fitted...

[Talon]

Well I just sneezed and it caused a crown to go flying out of my mouth, which means an emergency dentist appointment for me tomorrow.

How's everyone else's Wednesday going?

Bruh, that's the worst. My hubs knocked some teeth out some years ago and he had to wait all night to go to the dentist in the AM, but was in pain the whole time. I hope you're not sensitive in that spot in the meanwhile.

To answer the question, I got a call from a dog rescue about a pup that needs a new home. We're gonna go meet him on Friday. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[JY Kelly]

Bruh, that's the worst. My hubs knocked some teeth out some years ago and he had to wait all night to go to the dentist in the AM, but was in pain the whole time. I hope you're not sensitive in that spot in the meanwhile.

To answer the question, I got a call from a dog rescue about a pup that needs a new home. We're gonna go meet him on Friday. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Cool! What kinda pup?