The bike almost certaintly isn't hers. You never see women ride a bike like that. She probably borrowed it and that explains why the saddle is too high.
does anyone really care if the saddle is too high? it hardly matters. it's just a bicycle. maybe her bike had a flat and she borrowed her boyfriend's. maybe she likes riding like that.
Not so shocking - at least not overhere. People generally only say hi if they know each other, or if they're polite - but that's becoming very rare.
As for the conflicts between pedestrian and cyclist. These conflicts are regular. Plus, people change sides like they change underwear. People on bikes have an automatic distrust towards pedestrians and car drivers. And when they become a pedestrian they distrust people on bikes and in cars. And when they get in a car, they distrust cyclists and pedestrians. Whatever hat you wear, really...
The problem with bikers is, they think they own the road. If you've got a traffic accident involving a bike and a car, the fault is the motorist's by default, and bikers ruthlessly abuse this privileged status.
I'm no fan of cars, but as a pedestrian incarnate, I meditate as I walk. Cars are not a problem, because they adhere to traffic rules, so you always know where you've got them, no need to pay real attention to them. Bikes, however, you always have to be on the alert, because these egomaniac psychos are all over the place. Really destroys the reverie of a good walk.
Once, I had a job ten kilometres from my home, walked to and fro every day. Shitty job, but I loved the walk. Only time of the day where I could be myself, not bothered by emails or mobiles and whatnot. Only fly in the soup was the bikes. They are the real traffic terrorists in CPH, not the drivers.
Um, perhaps the commenters here didn't catch the joke: There is _no conflict whatsoever_ between the cyclicst and the pedestrian pictured, because they are both in their own right-of-ways, going about their business, thinking their own thoughts, without having to fear a collision.
Honestly, people, let a touch of sweet irony into your lives, and support proper infrastructure for all forms of transportation!
You guys are hilarious - thanks so much for putting a big smile on my face and disrupting my sad Leonard Cohen iPod reverie. I'm sure the Rose Bay ferry commuters now think I am mad ; ) Oh no - is this the start of my cycle chic commentary..... Hi from sunny Sydney, the most dismally non-cycle friendly city on Earth. We're starting a revolution !
Irony or no irony, the post obviously triggered a sensitive nerve. And like I commented, the conflict between different road users is very, very real in Belgium.
The conflict and the discussion has actually been going on for quite a while through readers letters in some media here. And a lot of those readers writing those letters sound a hell of a lot like Erik. So 'the conflict' is very real in some parts of the world. Alas.
As an American currently living in Mexico I'm finding the whole 'conflict' quite humorous. Pedestrians have the right of way in the States and it's darn annoying that it's gotten to the point that they don't even check out the traffic before crossing. If I'm darn sure I can give them a good scare without hitting them, you can betcha I do! I think of it as teaching them a lesson that might save their life in the future. As for Mexico - it's lovely as far as the autos/bikes/ped 'conflict' goes, because respect for that lovely little virtue COMMON SENSE still reigns supreme. Cars have the rules and they more or less follow them. Cyclists respect that cars are bigger and peds respect that if anyone's going to get hurt in a collision with either, it's going to be them. I hate that that's not the case in the United States anymore. Is this also no longer the case in Denmark?
That saddle is too high...
ReplyDeleteThe bike almost certaintly isn't hers. You never see women ride a bike like that. She probably borrowed it and that explains why the saddle is too high.
ReplyDeletedoes anyone really care if the saddle is too high? it hardly matters. it's just a bicycle.
ReplyDeletemaybe her bike had a flat and she borrowed her boyfriend's. maybe she likes riding like that.
people never awknowledge each other here. what's so strange about a cyclist not nodding to a pedestrian or vice versa?
ReplyDeleteAren't Danes shy and reserved? No one says his in Denmark unless they're friends.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteYes.
There are upsides, though. If you flash someone a little smile, she'll most often beam back a broad grin out of delighted surprise.
I agree that it's probably not her bike, but the size differential makes for at certain dainty elegance.
/Erik.
Not so shocking - at least not overhere. People generally only say hi if they know each other, or if they're polite - but that's becoming very rare.
ReplyDeleteAs for the conflicts between pedestrian and cyclist. These conflicts are regular. Plus, people change sides like they change underwear. People on bikes have an automatic distrust towards pedestrians and car drivers. And when they become a pedestrian they distrust people on bikes and in cars. And when they get in a car, they distrust cyclists and pedestrians. Whatever hat you wear, really...
The problem with bikers is, they think they own the road. If you've got a traffic accident involving a bike and a car, the fault is the motorist's by default, and bikers ruthlessly abuse this privileged status.
ReplyDeleteI'm no fan of cars, but as a pedestrian incarnate, I meditate as I walk. Cars are not a problem, because they adhere to traffic rules, so you always know where you've got them, no need to pay real attention to them. Bikes, however, you always have to be on the alert, because these egomaniac psychos are all over the place. Really destroys the reverie of a good walk.
Once, I had a job ten kilometres from my home, walked to and fro every day. Shitty job, but I loved the walk. Only time of the day where I could be myself, not bothered by emails or mobiles and whatnot. Only fly in the soup was the bikes. They are the real traffic terrorists in CPH, not the drivers.
/Erik
Um, perhaps the commenters here didn't catch the joke: There is _no conflict whatsoever_ between the cyclicst and the pedestrian pictured, because they are both in their own right-of-ways, going about their business, thinking their own thoughts, without having to fear a collision.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, people, let a touch of sweet irony into your lives, and support proper infrastructure for all forms of transportation!
Wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe conflict between cyclists and pedestrians is eternal and existential. There can be only one.
/Erik
lol... it's really sad this conflict... it happens a lot, you know ?...
ReplyDeleteThanks, upright biker, for the Irony Reminder. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou guys are hilarious - thanks so much for putting a big smile on my face and disrupting my sad Leonard Cohen iPod reverie. I'm sure the Rose Bay ferry commuters now think I am mad ; )
ReplyDeleteOh no - is this the start of my cycle chic commentary.....
Hi from sunny Sydney, the most dismally non-cycle friendly city on Earth. We're starting a revolution !
Irony or no irony, the post obviously triggered a sensitive nerve. And like I commented, the conflict between different road users is very, very real in Belgium.
ReplyDeleteThe conflict and the discussion has actually been going on for quite a while through readers letters in some media here. And a lot of those readers writing those letters sound a hell of a lot like Erik. So 'the conflict' is very real in some parts of the world. Alas.
As an American currently living in Mexico I'm finding the whole 'conflict' quite humorous. Pedestrians have the right of way in the States and it's darn annoying that it's gotten to the point that they don't even check out the traffic before crossing. If I'm darn sure I can give them a good scare without hitting them, you can betcha I do! I think of it as teaching them a lesson that might save their life in the future. As for Mexico - it's lovely as far as the autos/bikes/ped 'conflict' goes, because respect for that lovely little virtue COMMON SENSE still reigns supreme. Cars have the rules and they more or less follow them. Cyclists respect that cars are bigger and peds respect that if anyone's going to get hurt in a collision with either, it's going to be them. I hate that that's not the case in the United States anymore. Is this also no longer the case in Denmark?
ReplyDelete