Place + Thyme: Photoblog from Ottawa, ON

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Signs of fall: The cycling gloves have been pulled out of storage. Speaking of cycling, tomorrow is Car Free Day in Ottawa (ok, clarification "car free four hours on a two block stretch of road). Since there is a session on commuting, but it is offered during work hours (irony strikes again), here are some tips for bike commuting in Ottawa:

1. Learn to swear. You can't spell bike commute without the f word.
2. Buses will pass you REALLY closely at high speeds. Beware the vacuum effect.
3. Buses will stir up any dust on the road and toss it in your face. Save putting final touches on make-up for the workplace washroom. Unless, you live on PEI and that gentle dusting of red soil gives you a bronzing effect...
4. Don't bother learning the rules, because drivers don't know the biking rules. Like the snarly mini-van lady who yelled at me last year - I gave her a good dose of #1.
5. Signal when you can, but odds are the road is too cracked or rough to attempt signalling safely.
6. Take up more of the road than you think you need. Those parked car doors can open quickly. Besides - it's YOUR road too.

More later...

September 21, 2004 || Category: Ottawa 2004 || Comments (8)

Comments

No. 6 all the way! If you give the cars a chance, they'll squeeze by and nearly nail you to the curb. The busses suck, too; catch that headwind on the Portage bridge!? It's enough to knock you over!

ao / 09.21.04

especially #6 ! I think parked car doors opening unexpectedly are the most dangerous part of cycling and we are far safer in the middle of the lane (and legally supposed to be there)

trish / 09.21.04

Portage's bike lanes lick. I'd like to kick the person who thought the bike lane and the bus lane should be beside each other! Pefect! Nothing cyclists love more than 20 tonnes of scrap metal flying towards them!

Lana / 09.21.04

I got to practice #1 tonight. Biking along Wellington, this car came speeding from behind and passed *really* close. Too close, I yelled "holy fuck"... then, channelling my inner Lance Armstrong, pedalled and caught up with the guy at the next set of lights. I cycled next to him, turned to the driver's window and yelled "look where you're going next time".. It lacked the F word, but I still felt better.

Lana / 09.21.04

awe man! i've been meaning to let loose on this one!!! It's a record summer for me. I got into 2 serious bike accidents this summer - both resulting in the replacement of new bike parts and about 3 weeks of looking like I have a skin disorder because I was typically coverred in oozing bandages. Saturday's commute involved a squeeze into a recessed sewer drain that is most likely about half a foot under the pavement line. I caught up to the guy at the base of the hill and almost smashed his side window in and pulled him out of his car. I thought of sprawling him across his hood in the middle of the intersection for a royal spanking. I know, I'm a bit of a tenacious one. I think i'm going to supe the Bianchi up with an detachable bat. If a car comes within swinging distance - it's fair game. I've made three calls to the city so far this year concerning some dangerous areas. I've recieved nothing but a thank you for your concern. "We'll have someone look into it." Right!

pat / 09.22.04

Now I understand why people have the portable tire pumps attached to their frames. They can double as a whacking stick.

What is the number to call at city hall? Today is probably a good day to vent on them.

Lana / 09.22.04

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