I've been riding for over 50 years. Now I'm in a new home, new city. And this city has a lot of new bike lanes all painted bright green. It's still very much a vehicle-oriented city though. Suburban sprawl might've been the case here two or three decades ago. Now growing beyond. Very dense near the freeways. New homes all three-stories and taller, narrow townhouses, tiny parcels. Businesses still very suburban. Shopping strips have endless parking lots. Boulevards wide and fast. Camera-monitored traffic lights. You get the idea about context.
So I thought I'd take advantage of cycling for weekly errands instead of driving my car. Post office, bank, groceries, convenience store, etc. Helps for personal fitness, too, I'm thinking. Too much working from home. Indirectly good for the environment I guess, reduce congestion, whatever. But mostly, for me it's just a change of pace from driving. And getting some cardio. I'm not one of those who ride rain or shine.
However, not only is there a complete lack of means to stop and lock the bike, but the attitude of NEARLY EVERYBODY here is that they hate cyclists! We have a Nextdoor chat group, but every time I post something about cycling safety, there comes these sly, sarcastic and underhanded comments that always escalate into insults, ridicule and ultimately complete post removal. Cycling is controversial?!? WTF? And it perfectly resonates with the confrontational store owners too. One time I called the cops on them, and the officer was shockingly dismissive of a cyclist like me — complete unsympathetic shoving and a huge contrast compared to my usual appearance getting out of the car. And I ride an expensive bike, too. It's not like I'm a novice or a scruffy skidrow bum. It just shows how many people truly hate cyclists. One person (in the chat group) blames me for pedestrians HAVING TO MOVE out of the way. On and on.
WTF is happening?
Have I entered some kind of "twilight zone," where, as soon as I get on my bike, I'm considered the most despised scum on earth? This is Fremont, CA.
Anybody relate?
So I thought I'd take advantage of cycling for weekly errands instead of driving my car. Post office, bank, groceries, convenience store, etc. Helps for personal fitness, too, I'm thinking. Too much working from home. Indirectly good for the environment I guess, reduce congestion, whatever. But mostly, for me it's just a change of pace from driving. And getting some cardio. I'm not one of those who ride rain or shine.
However, not only is there a complete lack of means to stop and lock the bike, but the attitude of NEARLY EVERYBODY here is that they hate cyclists! We have a Nextdoor chat group, but every time I post something about cycling safety, there comes these sly, sarcastic and underhanded comments that always escalate into insults, ridicule and ultimately complete post removal. Cycling is controversial?!? WTF? And it perfectly resonates with the confrontational store owners too. One time I called the cops on them, and the officer was shockingly dismissive of a cyclist like me — complete unsympathetic shoving and a huge contrast compared to my usual appearance getting out of the car. And I ride an expensive bike, too. It's not like I'm a novice or a scruffy skidrow bum. It just shows how many people truly hate cyclists. One person (in the chat group) blames me for pedestrians HAVING TO MOVE out of the way. On and on.
WTF is happening?
Have I entered some kind of "twilight zone," where, as soon as I get on my bike, I'm considered the most despised scum on earth? This is Fremont, CA.
Anybody relate?