Part of my job is handling all of the donation requests that walk in the door. Sometimes this can be really tough, and most of the time people don’t really seem to appreciate that no matter how great your cause, I just don’t have enough money to give something to everyone…the organizations that raise money for kids with cancer are particularly ruthless…
Anyways, I had a woman come in today to ask for my company’s support for her “Going Green” event. Her organization was putting together an event that brought together various vendors, organizations and other groups that offer “green” products, services or education opportunities. Her goal was to help people from her community find resources to reduce their carbon footprint.
This all sounded like the type of event that I love to support and is in line with my company’s mission. So I asked if there would be an opportunity for us to come out as and be represented as a vendor at the event.
WELL…my question was met with a cynical look and she sharply informed me that the event was mainly for vendors who are “GREEN” companies who have “GREEN” products…
Let me preface my response to her comment with this: I work a company who devotes a lot of time and money to making sure that their practices are environmentally sound. Our business deals directly with people who are passionate about the outdoors, and the company’s dedication to the environment is one of the things I love most about working for them. We are currently on track to be a Carbon Neutral and a Zero Waste-to-landfill company by 2020, we carry over 250 products that are produced under our own label that are ecoSensitive™ plus we carry a wide range of eco conscious products from other manufacturers. Last year alone my company funded and coordinated 785 Outdoor service projects generating over 1.5 million service hours for environmental conservation work. We annually generate 1.1 million kilowatts of clean energy to power our facilities just through roof top solar panels and the list could go on…
But, Rather than blasting this woman and her attitude out of the water I simply said:
“Oh. Well, [my company] is actually really proactive in environmental stewardship. We do a lot to be a “Green” company. In fact even in this store I am one of several people who bike to work, and I do all the store’s off site events by bike.”
To this she responded:
“OH! That’s great! Is that your Prius in the parking lot with the bike on the back?”
I almost laughed. But instead I gave her back a little bit of her attitude and simply said:
“No. I rode my BIKE here. I didn’t drive.”
She looked a little stunned and asked:
“You ride your bike in the cold?!?”
“Yes, and here is my card. Why don’t you send me information about the event and I will see what we can do.”
“Green” is the cool buzzword thrown around a lot these days. I get really annoyed with people who are so proud of their environmental contribution because they own a hybrid car, recycle their cans and glass and only buy “organic” vegetables. If the damage that we cause to the planet could be reversed by everyone driving a Prius, then environmentalists can pack up and go home. Don’t get me wrong, I think that hybrid cars are a good step in the right direction. I think that it is very important to recycle, and I think that there is a lot to be gained by moving our culture towards more locally grown produce that we can carry home in reusable shopping bags. But the attitude of “OH MY GOSH! YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE IN THE COLD!?” doesn’t sit well with me. If you really want to call yourself an environmentally responsible person, you’d better be ready to sacrifice some of the convenience and the comforts that our culture seems to think are God given rights. The suburb that this woman drove from to get to our store is about a quarter of the distance of my daily bike commute. You want to help people reduce their carbon footprint? Then tell them to get out of their cars, get on a bicycle, stop buying crap that you don’t need, start using less and re-using more and stop thinking that because you volunteer for an organization that prints their “Green” mission statement on partially recycled business cards that you are saving the planet.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Escalade Driver
I have had my fair share of run-ins and less than pleasant exchanges with angry drivers. But yesterday on my ride home I had the worst confrontation yet. I was stopped at a red light about a half mile from home. The lane was a “go straight or turn right lane” and there were no cars in front of me. While I was sitting there waiting for the light to change, the driver of a Black Cadillac Escalade (at least I believe that is what it was) started honking at me…
Now, this is not the first time that I have been in this situation. The driver wants to turn right on red, but I am in the way. Some drivers seem to think that since I am on a bicycle, I am required to move off the road to let them get around me. Legally, I am required to ride as far to the right as is practicable in the right-most lane that is still going in my direction of travel. So in this situation, I am legally stopped where I am supposed to be. Now in the past when I have come to intersections where I am going to be in the first position at the light, I would stay near the right hand tire track in my lane, but being on the right side of the lane gave some drivers the impression that it would be safe and acceptable to cut in front of me and turn right, essentially performing a “right hook” while I was at a standstill. This move is not only dangerous and discourteous, it is illegal. It only took that happening a couple of times for me to start claiming the lane when I came to the first position at an intersection. This is still legal and I have found, for the most part, that it is a much safer option. It makes drivers aware that I am going to be entering the intersection like an automobile and prevents impatient drivers from performing the standing right hook maneuver…
So, back to the story…I was in my claimed lane in the first position at a red light when the driver of the Escalade starts honking at me. After the 3rd honk I turned and stared at the car, but said nothing. When the light turned green I started into the intersection and as usually happens, the driver revs their engine in an attempt to scare me. As I am going through the intersection I hear that the honking driver, instead of turning, is coming through the intersection behind me and coming up fast and close. He speeds past me passing very close and yells obscenities out his open window. As he passes me, he cuts me off and slams on the breaks…
Now, when you have an angry person who is trying to hurt you with their 2000+ pound car, if they stop the car it is not a good idea to ride past them and get in front of the vehicle, so I stoped rather than trying to ride past. Now up to this point none of this is new. I have had people cut me off and slam on the breaks and honk and yell and pass me to closely…all of that is sadly routine. However when I stop my bicycle the driver gets out of the car and come running up to me screaming. This caught me off guard. I have not had a driver get out of their vehicle before, and it was also apparent from the driver’s body language that he was ready to fight. My actions at this point weren’t really thought out, I was just reacting to the situation, and in hindsight, I would do it very differently if confronted this way again…
As the driver runs at me, I don’t back down, instead I stood my ground, I think this caught him equally off guard, and his body language changed. Instead of looking like he wanted to try and beat the crap out of me, he seemed to decide the better option would be to yell at me. As best as I can remember it, the “conversation” went something like this…
Elliot: “Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?!”
Driver: “F*ck you! What are you doing blocking the f*cking lane when I am trying to turn?!”
Elliot: “I’m going straight through the interce…”
Driver: (about 2” from my nose yelling and pointing a finger in my face) “Not blocking the whole f*ucking lane your not, you’re a bicycle, I’m in a car. I’ll run you over you faggot! You shouldn’t be in the f*cking road!”
Elliot: “You want a bet?! I’m a legal vehicle on the road, I have a copy of the laws, do you want a copy?!”
Driver: “I don’t give a f*ck about what that says, you don’t be in the road, I’ll run you down!” (The driver starts walking back to his car)
Elliot: “Dude, you are such a loser!”
Driver: “F*ck you!”
At this point the driver gets back into his car and screeches away. There were a couple of guys in a parked car who rolled down their window and told me that they were sorry for what happened because they thought that bikes had a right to the road as well. I thanked them and rode home.
Looking back I realize that I made some major mistakes in how I handled the situation. First off, I didn’t get the driver’s license plate number, so I can’t file a complaint or police report. Second, I didn’t immediately get off of my bicycle when I saw they driver get out of his car. If he had decided to attack me, I would have still been partially clipped into my pedals and would not have been able to defend myself very well. (a big rule of bicycle defense is to put the bike between you and the assailant.) Third, I tried to logically defend my rights to the road by engaging in a verbal argument with a road rage driver. In the future if I am ever in a similar situation, I will immediately get off of my bicycle and call the Police. As with most difficult situations in life, I learned some hard lessons from my mistakes. I sincerely hope that the Escalade Driver is able to get some professional help for his anger issues, and that my confrontation with him does not escalate his rage towards the next cyclist he passes on the road.
Riders, be careful out there
Now, this is not the first time that I have been in this situation. The driver wants to turn right on red, but I am in the way. Some drivers seem to think that since I am on a bicycle, I am required to move off the road to let them get around me. Legally, I am required to ride as far to the right as is practicable in the right-most lane that is still going in my direction of travel. So in this situation, I am legally stopped where I am supposed to be. Now in the past when I have come to intersections where I am going to be in the first position at the light, I would stay near the right hand tire track in my lane, but being on the right side of the lane gave some drivers the impression that it would be safe and acceptable to cut in front of me and turn right, essentially performing a “right hook” while I was at a standstill. This move is not only dangerous and discourteous, it is illegal. It only took that happening a couple of times for me to start claiming the lane when I came to the first position at an intersection. This is still legal and I have found, for the most part, that it is a much safer option. It makes drivers aware that I am going to be entering the intersection like an automobile and prevents impatient drivers from performing the standing right hook maneuver…
So, back to the story…I was in my claimed lane in the first position at a red light when the driver of the Escalade starts honking at me. After the 3rd honk I turned and stared at the car, but said nothing. When the light turned green I started into the intersection and as usually happens, the driver revs their engine in an attempt to scare me. As I am going through the intersection I hear that the honking driver, instead of turning, is coming through the intersection behind me and coming up fast and close. He speeds past me passing very close and yells obscenities out his open window. As he passes me, he cuts me off and slams on the breaks…
Now, when you have an angry person who is trying to hurt you with their 2000+ pound car, if they stop the car it is not a good idea to ride past them and get in front of the vehicle, so I stoped rather than trying to ride past. Now up to this point none of this is new. I have had people cut me off and slam on the breaks and honk and yell and pass me to closely…all of that is sadly routine. However when I stop my bicycle the driver gets out of the car and come running up to me screaming. This caught me off guard. I have not had a driver get out of their vehicle before, and it was also apparent from the driver’s body language that he was ready to fight. My actions at this point weren’t really thought out, I was just reacting to the situation, and in hindsight, I would do it very differently if confronted this way again…
As the driver runs at me, I don’t back down, instead I stood my ground, I think this caught him equally off guard, and his body language changed. Instead of looking like he wanted to try and beat the crap out of me, he seemed to decide the better option would be to yell at me. As best as I can remember it, the “conversation” went something like this…
Elliot: “Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?!”
Driver: “F*ck you! What are you doing blocking the f*cking lane when I am trying to turn?!”
Elliot: “I’m going straight through the interce…”
Driver: (about 2” from my nose yelling and pointing a finger in my face) “Not blocking the whole f*ucking lane your not, you’re a bicycle, I’m in a car. I’ll run you over you faggot! You shouldn’t be in the f*cking road!”
Elliot: “You want a bet?! I’m a legal vehicle on the road, I have a copy of the laws, do you want a copy?!”
Driver: “I don’t give a f*ck about what that says, you don’t be in the road, I’ll run you down!” (The driver starts walking back to his car)
Elliot: “Dude, you are such a loser!”
Driver: “F*ck you!”
At this point the driver gets back into his car and screeches away. There were a couple of guys in a parked car who rolled down their window and told me that they were sorry for what happened because they thought that bikes had a right to the road as well. I thanked them and rode home.
Looking back I realize that I made some major mistakes in how I handled the situation. First off, I didn’t get the driver’s license plate number, so I can’t file a complaint or police report. Second, I didn’t immediately get off of my bicycle when I saw they driver get out of his car. If he had decided to attack me, I would have still been partially clipped into my pedals and would not have been able to defend myself very well. (a big rule of bicycle defense is to put the bike between you and the assailant.) Third, I tried to logically defend my rights to the road by engaging in a verbal argument with a road rage driver. In the future if I am ever in a similar situation, I will immediately get off of my bicycle and call the Police. As with most difficult situations in life, I learned some hard lessons from my mistakes. I sincerely hope that the Escalade Driver is able to get some professional help for his anger issues, and that my confrontation with him does not escalate his rage towards the next cyclist he passes on the road.
Riders, be careful out there
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Hamster People
I ride my bicycle at night a lot. I have actually come to love riding at night, especially on warm summer evenings. It is at night that I most often see wildlife, I frequently have the bike trails to myself, and traffic is usually much lighter and much less angry.
On one of my regular routes from work to home I pass a large fitness center. The building is made up of floor to ceiling glass windows right at street level, so at night time you can see all of the people working out inside. On many summer nights I have passed what looks like a regular Spinning class. Now I know that a lot of people really enjoy Spin Classes (and for those of you who don’t know what it is you can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indoor_cycling ) but I really just don’t understand it. In fact when I really think about it I start laughing out loud (which, once again makes me look like some deranged guy on a bicycle.)
Seriously though, when you think about it…spinning is like watching human sized hamsters running on their bicycle shaped hamster wheels. People in these classes sit on their butts while driving up and down hills to the fitness center, climb on to a bicycle that has been re-designed to not go anywhere and welded to the floor and then pretend to ride up and down hills...only to get back into their cars and drive back home (up and down hills.)
When riding a bicycle outside, you are able to see and smell and hear and feel and experience the world around you first hand in a way that is profound and yet intimate. The very act of traveling becomes exercise, self propelled power that tests your body against the challenges of nature, fatigue and your own desire. It simultaneously forces you to interact and respond to a rapidly changing horizon and landscape. Your body goes through the torment of every climb to earn the glorious prize promised from each descent. Muscle and Machine work together to move you cleanly and efficiently forward in a way that is so carefree you almost forget the humbling and beautiful fact that you are your own source of power, your fuel is the bounty of the land, and your exhaust the sweat from your brow and quiet sigh of joy let out slowly at the end of the day looking back on the miles crossed, the worlds explored and the journeys yet to be had…
And people trade it for a sweaty guy in the front of the room with a microphone telling you to pretend you are pedaling really fast up a hill?
On one of my regular routes from work to home I pass a large fitness center. The building is made up of floor to ceiling glass windows right at street level, so at night time you can see all of the people working out inside. On many summer nights I have passed what looks like a regular Spinning class. Now I know that a lot of people really enjoy Spin Classes (and for those of you who don’t know what it is you can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indoor_cycling ) but I really just don’t understand it. In fact when I really think about it I start laughing out loud (which, once again makes me look like some deranged guy on a bicycle.)
Seriously though, when you think about it…spinning is like watching human sized hamsters running on their bicycle shaped hamster wheels. People in these classes sit on their butts while driving up and down hills to the fitness center, climb on to a bicycle that has been re-designed to not go anywhere and welded to the floor and then pretend to ride up and down hills...only to get back into their cars and drive back home (up and down hills.)
When riding a bicycle outside, you are able to see and smell and hear and feel and experience the world around you first hand in a way that is profound and yet intimate. The very act of traveling becomes exercise, self propelled power that tests your body against the challenges of nature, fatigue and your own desire. It simultaneously forces you to interact and respond to a rapidly changing horizon and landscape. Your body goes through the torment of every climb to earn the glorious prize promised from each descent. Muscle and Machine work together to move you cleanly and efficiently forward in a way that is so carefree you almost forget the humbling and beautiful fact that you are your own source of power, your fuel is the bounty of the land, and your exhaust the sweat from your brow and quiet sigh of joy let out slowly at the end of the day looking back on the miles crossed, the worlds explored and the journeys yet to be had…
And people trade it for a sweaty guy in the front of the room with a microphone telling you to pretend you are pedaling really fast up a hill?
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