On 4/6/2011 2:34 PM, [email protected] wrote:
I believe the physical isolation and socio-economic segregation afforded by
the automobile are integral to the cultural alienation and political
bipolarization which afflict our times. There can be no meaningful
discourse among us if we spend most of our lives withdrawn into suits of
armor - metaphorical or actual.
For it is not merely the shells of automobiles which separate us - it is the
lifestyles and community patterns we have built to accommodate them.
This is a huge philosophical issue...
I have an adolescent in the house. He comes down from the bedroom in the
AM with these large, gold head phones on his ears, and the iPod plugged
in. We have precious few minutes to interact, and there is this barrier.
The same goes for joggers and bikers and walkers who insist (hmm) on
iPodding their way through the outside world. iPods are great (I do NOT
own or use one), but there are already enough elements (car, ipod,
media, e-interactions, kids and adults staring at texting devices when
you are trying to talk to them...) that separate us from actual
interaction with other humans. When I bike on paths, I use my bell a
LOT. 50+% of the time the passee does NOT react because they can't hear
me. Are they aware of birds? Voices? The Wind? Water? Emergency sirens?
What is so important on their ipods that they can't just leave it off
while they are walking and especially biking? is the world that
insidious or obnoxious?
All I can do is be a good rider and be courteous and stay out of the way
of those heavy vehicles. Perhaps others will see and do the same
(especially the 'stay out of the way of heavier vehicles' part)
Oh yeah... I try to strike up one 30 second conversation with other
bikers waiting at a red light per day... you never know who you will meet.
Mark
PS. Anyone got a decent late 80's 57-58CM steel road bike with wide
clearance through the chain stays and fork? I'm looking for a new 650B
conversion project bike.
--
Mark Evans
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