My Strange, Wonderful, Wonderful, Strange Bike Ride Home Today

What a collection of short stories I rode through today as I pedalled downtown Edmonton.

 First, the very predictable blow-through-a-red-light move from the driver of a big shiny pickup. The prospect of obeying the law was simply too much:




The encounter at Jasper and 101 St left me with a few thoughts and questions. 

  • For those wondering what an Oregon Stop is, this was it—performed elegantly by a two-ton behemoth in front of a pedestrian. 
  • Those who would make the story as car versus bike are blowing smoke. It has always been a story of the unexpected consequences of overprotected vehicle drivers versus the law. 
  • Instead of a licence plate, or in addition to a licence plate, wouldn't it be neat if the postal code of the driver was visible? Does he live in the downtown neighbhourhood he's disobeying the law in?
  • What, if anything, does Starbucks think about the infraction? They live right there. Do they live there?
  • Would it be a good idea to have laws that permit the registered owner of the vehicle to be charged with a red-light infraction based on the video from my GoPro camera? A GoProsecute camera, perhaps. 
  • Michael Jackson was something.
                                                   *****

 On 104 St, another kind of city presented itself as, at a red light myself, I spotted a man with a Blue Jays cap on the sidewalk. With no windshields in the way and no roofs blocking us, we had a nice conversation about Roberto Osuna saving Game 2 of the ALDS against Texas earlier in the day. Happy Thanksgiving, we wished each other. 

Topic of conversation: Blue Jays
                                               
                                                *****

Rolling down 102 Ave, coming across 107 St, there was a parked car on my left and open road beyond. Except it wasn't open road at all. Take a good look: 



This twist left me with a few thoughts. 

  • What a selfish, lazy, asshole of a driver, if this wasn't an emergency.
  • Another 50 feet and I get left-hooked in the most surprising of fashions.
  • We don't need a protected bike grid downtown. Things are just fine the way they are.
  • Those who would make the story as car versus bike are blowing smoke. It has always been a story of the unexpected consequences of overprotected vehicle drivers versus the law. 
  • John Hiatt is something. 
                                             *****

At 109 St, with no roof in our way, with no windshield preventing conversation, I had a nice talk with a convertible driver as the first snowflakes of the season fluttered down on us. We wished each other Happy Thanksgiving.

Topic of conversation: White snow

                                               
                                                *****
I was contemplating all of this until I got back to the west end, where I picked up two boxes of pistachio Jell-O powder at Andy's IGA for the Watergate salad Shelagh is making for Thanksgiving. 
Andy's IGA

                                                  *****

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