Declining Relationships Between Cars and Bicycles in Seattle?

Declining relationships between cars and bicycles? There is no relationship and there never has been one. In 2006, I taught summer school and commuted by bicycle from Capitol Hill to Snohomish (70 miles round trip). I did the best I could to abide by all traffic rules, be polite, and use routes that Snohomish Country Transportation suggested for bicyclists. I was yelled at, cursed at, honked at, and had numerous people try and run me off the road. When I would wait in line at stop lights, I had people yell at me that I did not creep up on the right side of the road (even though that is against the law).

I was even assaulted. A man threw a starbucks cup out his passenger window and hit me on the head/helmet with it by Harvey Airfield. Luckily, I was able to keep control of my bicycle and not fall down.

One morning, I stopped at a 4 way stop and a man started yelling and cursing at me to pay my taxes. Frustrated, I yelled back that I do own a car and pay taxes and he should be ashamed of himself for cursing at a teacher. He used a litany of profane words, said he was going to get me fired, and said he wished he could shoot all bicyclists.

It is hard to try and remember plate numbers when you are going 20+ miles an hour on a bicycle. The few times I did remember a plate, I would call the police and was pretty much laughed. People told me it was the price I paid for wanting to ride a bicycle.

In the last few weeks, The Conversation (94.9 KUOW) has had people talk about how great bicycle commuting is and it gets easier over time, and most motor vehicles are great toward cyclists. I think they are all in la la bicycle land because this has not been my experience in Seattle, King County or Snohomish County. I have tough skin and will use my bicycle as much as possible, but it can be a very unpleasant experience more times than not.

Without more support of the police targeting people who have road rage toward cyclists, nothing will get accomplished. It is basically a lose/lose situation for bicyclists.

The Driver Purposely Hit Bicyclists and Why is He Not in Jail!?

In Seattle on Friday, It was Critical Mass time. A bunch of cyclists get together and drive through the city. As can be imagined, a 100 plus bicyclists take up the whole road for a way.

This Friday there is reports that a man was angry about having to wait for the bicyclists. He hit 2-4 people, sent some to the hospital and at least 1 bike was destroyed. Now this group does not take kindly to this and pulled him out of his car and bashed him up.

Violence At Critical Mass

I am not saying that beating up the guy was right, but the police heard reports the guy started it. I know it is a he said/she said, but the damage to the bicycles and the reports from others are enough to arrest the guy in the car. He did a wrong too! He used his car as a weapon. It can be a deadly weapon too!

I have been hit by a car on my bicycle. It was not my fault. It was scary, there were no life threatening injuries, but I had a fractured rib, my knees were quite banged up and now I can not run, and it has effected my life. This man needs to be arrested.

But I guess that is why we need critical mass in the first place. I commuted a 35 mile one way (70 mile round trip) commute to my work 2 summers ago when I taught summer school. People were plain rude, even when there were bicycle lanes. It was awful. I hope there is some justice in this matter.

The More Secret, The More Hype, and really Brad and Angelina Get a Life

I have seen articles here and there recently that Brad Pitt and Angelina Joli are angry and photographers and going to sue and scuffles and this and that. Give me a break.

First of all…. you are in a profession that makes you well known. People are going to notice you and are going to try and take your picture and take your autograph. Duh! If you don’t like it, then why in the heck are you “famous”. Leave all your work that includes public speaking and acting and this and that.  I don’t want to hear from you anymore.

That is the problem. As much as these folk hate professional photographers (sorry folks that is what they are), They sure do a lot to get themselves out there. You can not have your cake and eat it too. Meaning… you can not want your photo and the hype some of the time and then say… stop! I don’t want it just now. Please.

So you both have put your self in the spotlight. Now you have babies. Think about it people. How many times do your relatives have babies and everyone wants to see it and hold it and all this and that. How can that be different from famous people? And you create more hype by selling (whoring?) yourself out to a magazine for tons/millions of dollars. I would just have walked out of the hospital and held up the babies Lion King style and had been done with it.

And on a side note… 5 kids? I know some are adopted, but give me a break. Someone needs to teach them birth control or tie Brad’s tubes. That is waaaaay too many children for a family. I don’t care if you can afford them or not. Life expectancy is much higher, they are not needed in the fields, and more than a couple children is just plain extravagant in a very negative way. Too much of the conspicuous consumption model. Not a very good example to be setting.

So remember…. if you put your self out there, people will want to see you, talk with you, and take pictures of you. Even on a micro level. Hell… as a teacher… students want pictures with me, they see me somewhere and have to say hi, and I sign countless numbers of yearbooks. Some from students I have never had and just “know” me. It is silly, but if I want to stay in this profession, I get used to it. You movie stars should too!

I will gladly take your place.

Runs on the Bank and What is Real Family Planning

This last week, there have been several runs on the bank. People racing to banks to get their money out. Some people not getting their money because Indy Mac has been shut down and taken over by the FDIC. Now most will get their money if they are under the $100,000 guarantee. If you have not started to get worried before, now might be the time. This is just what happened when the great depression started. different area of the economy started it, but it is still the same thing. And the USA is definitely not “Its A Wonderful Life.”

But the crux of the problem comes down to one huge thing: People living beyond their means. And not by a little. Here are some things that young people today need to consider as they hit the magical number 18 and become official big people.

Family: Or better yet Family Planning. There is this myth in the USA that babies make it better. They will love you and you will feel happy. Studies have already come out recently that show that married couples that do not have children are much happier than couples that do.

Speaking from experience, you should not be having kids if you can not afford them. I will tell you right now, growing up poor sucks ass! There is nothing wrong with being frugal (keep reading below), but I can tell you right now, when you are sick and you can not go to the doctor because you have no insurance and it costs too much really blows. When your whole family has to go pick black berries every summer for money, that blows. When other families have vacations, or do things like go to the zoo, or fair, or museum and you can not because you are poor, that blows. Too many people think that when they get married, it is baby time. It is NOT. If you have a lot of loans, debt, or do not make enough money, do not have kids. Wait or even never have them. For me, being fiscally responsible means I will more than likely never have kids. Someone told me once that I had the personality to be a Murphy Brown, if I really wanted to. Yes, I could raise a child on my own. But I do not have the money to.

So you are a little older and have fucked up and had kids and can not afford them. What do you do? It is called being frugal. Get rid of the fluff and stuff, and deal with experiences. The first thing you need to look at is your housing situation.

First, I am not advocating children sharing rooms. I think in general that each child in your family should have a room of his/her own. As someone who had to share a room growing up, it really sucks. It is even more important when you have an odd number. There was only one boy child and 2 girls in my family. My brother never had to share a room, and that was the worst. It is an inequity in the family that is uncalled for. But if really pinched, you got to do what you got to do. But…. Here is what you need to think about. Do you really need a house? Could your family live just as well in a town home or condo? Do you need a house that has a rec room and a den and a family room? How about a house that just has the bedrooms, living room and kitchen (with maybe a side area for a dinner table). Really, that is all a family needs to get by. Other rooms are nice, but not required.

Renting. Have you ever thought about getting out and just renting. Many times it is cheaper than a mortgage. IF something breaks or goes wrong, the landlord fixes it. Not you!

Location of your home. Great… you like living in the boonies, but the nearest grocery store is 20 minutes away. Is that really practical. How about moving to the city. There is affordable housing/renting in many cities. It may take a while to find the place, it might be a little smaller than you want or does not have all the bells and whistles, but at least you can walk to the grocery store or library or park. Less car repairs, less spent on gas, more exercise, and really more fun in the long run.

Frilly stuff you do not need. Do you need cable TV? No. I have not watched TV from my own device in over 2 years. I still have a TV, but use it for videos. And with the new digital stuff coming, it has started here in Seattle and before when I could not get any channels, it is not fuzzy anymore and you can hear sound. I tried it out after listening to NPR on the conversion. So you would still have some TV.

Net Flix that flix and other smaller cost things. I do not use them. I check out from the library, I get things at Garage Sales real cheap. Value Village or Goodwill, and then there is always half price books. Then you can sell your items back and get some more money for more things. It is on the cheap.

This is all part of real family planning. There is nothing more than what makes me what to yell is seeing a family of 5 or 6, they are dirt poor, and they are all unhappy. I want to scream…. why did you have children when you can not afford them? Can’t you give a couple up for adoption so the kids can have a decent upbringing? People think this is soooo unPC, but it is the truth. No one wants to grow up poor. So why are so many parents insisting on doing that?

Knowledge is Power! Stop being ignorant!

I can remember as far back as 5 years old that there is a lack of logical thinking with my parents. Now I could never articulate the feelings, but there was always confusion.

It got worse as I got older because with knowledge, the realization that my parents were just plain ignorant. Especially my mother because she got married before she finished high school and only later got a GED. She lied until I was about 23 years old and when I have vague memories of her going to community college, it was not for a 2 year degree like she had always said, but to get her GED because she could not get any jobs without it.

Knowledge is power. Now I am not saying that all people need to go to college. Or all people need to be hugely politically active, but people need to have some sort of intelligence. Just because you have book smarts, does not mean you have knowledge or power. Take the Hitler case. Highly intelligent, but highly retarded at the same time. Manipulative no doubt.

People have gotten away with forced ignorance for years in the states. It is perpetuated by religion. Most have a false translation of the bible, where the editors add stuff that is not there. Or they even change things. For example, most references to feet most bibles are not feet. The Hebrew translation is Gentiles. You will be hard pressed to find a non academic book that will have reference that it is gentiles and not feet. Ha! But people go along and do there thing ignorant of everything.

While religion is a hot topic, let us go to something a little more neutral. Polite society, courtesy, and etiquette. People of ignorant of what to talk about. We had an open day before my brother’s wedding and some of us went to a museum. Waiting for our 2nd tour, my mother called her second husband and started asking some very personal medical information. Disgusting. Inappropriate.

Thank you notes. People do not send them. I do not know how many countless letters of recommendations I have written (at the last minute too) for students. Not even a thank you card.

Being a house guest. While a physical gift not necessary, you better pay for a nice dinner, if transportation is involved, money for gas, and those types of things. Ask before you use or take. Be clean, especially if you are sleeping in the person’s living room.

What if comes down to is selfishness. People want to live in their own dream world and only think about them. They become stupid. They become powerless. Then they wonder why they feel like they are being screwed over on a multitude of levels. Being knowledgeable takes work. Many people work so hard in some areas, but slack dog in the ones that are the most important.

Stop Being Stupid People!!

Its Official… Seattle Does have one of the worst Drivers!

It has been all over the news lately in Seattle. People are aghast that they are bad drivers. Time to wake up and smell the roses people!

Seattle drivers are bad. Partly to blame are the road conditions themselves. A lot of people drive in the far left lane (the passing lane) because if you drive 30 plus miles on the freeways, there is no middle lane. You end up having to move lanes all the time because there are no lanes that do not go straight through except for the passing lane. With idiots that do not go the speed limit (and I am not even talking about faster than the speed limit, I am talking just even the speed limit), it is awful.

But that is only a small part of the problem. People forget stop sign rules. Person on the right has the right of way and than it goes clockwise. Duh! I have just started going at stop signs because people just sit there and look at each other. I have places to go and people to see. Get out of my way and DRIVE.

Freeway Onramps. There is a on ramp so you can get up to speed. I do not know how many times I am up on someones tail and honking my horn because they are going no faster than 30 when we hit a 60 mile an hour freeway. On ramps are so you speed up.

Merging in general! The idea is that you get to the speed the traffic is at and then every other one policy is used. People on the freeway will speed up and slam on the breaks to not let anyone in. Mergers will just cram on the side and cheat and go up to the last possible point to cut in. It creates a huge bottle neck.

Defensless Drivers! This comes in the form of old people who should not be driving, mothers with their nasty snot nosed kids they feel they need to entertain while they are driving, rash idiots who are weaving in and out of traffic. Look up on You Tube the show Almost Live and look for the Ballard drivers skits (Lynnwood hair is funny too, but a tangent from this blog). Old people who do not have the capability to drive. My mother might not be old, but classic is when she looks to the right, she turns the whole sterning wheel to the right. Same when she looks to the left. She drives with her foot on the brake. you jerk as you riding as a passenger. She spaces out, can not flow with traffic. And the worst, goes 5-10 miles under the speed limit because “it is safer.” No its not. I hate when people like her say it is a limit and going under it is fine because you will not lose control. If everyone went the limit it would be fine. Phantom traffic jams are caused by people who are not going the speed limit.

Something needs to happen around here. People need to honk their horn more. Call 911 or if there is a phone number on a delivery/business vehicle that. If we start making people responsible for their piss poor driving, maybe we can speed things up in this city!

Bible Class Ponderings (week 2)

Well it is fast coming to the end of week 2 for my classes this summer (one of them being a bible as lit class). Just finishing up with Exodus and moving on. Here are some thoughts:

People who read the bible literally are fucked up! And I think most people who say they are literalistic are faking it. They have never read the bible. There is some very kinky weird shit.

Lot’s daughters doing it with their dad. Ew. polygamy.  People rubbing their child’s foreskin on their husbands. Yada yada.

Moses seems like a big weenie. Pretty much all he was like was “Oh no god, I can’t do that whine whine whine”

And let’s face it. Right now… you can only be in god’s eyes if you are a descendant of Abraham and circumcised. God says it. In Exodus. There you have it. Dudes, better run out and get the snip if you want to be one of god’s people. ha.

That was a quick overview, but have more reading to do and leave tomorrow for a wedding over the weekend.

Barry Ackerley’s fault for the Sonics Leaving Seattle ~ Or how the Coliseum got fucked up!

Clay Bennet is an ass. He is a no good scoundrel. I am glad the sonic names and colors will stay here in Seattle. At least we get one set of banners, but as far as I am concerned, no banner should go to Oklahoma. A team might be going there, but it is truly not the Sonics. Many people besides the two towns could care less about the team leaving, but it is a pride thing for Seattle. It is our one team that has actually accomplished something cool. Yes, it was the late 70’s, but it is the best Seattle has been able to ever produce. My mother even has a picture of me as a baby being held by Jack Sikma. I wonder how she was able to get that!

People blame Schultz and people blame Bennet. They are at fault yes… BUT people are forgetting the Evil Barry Ackerley. I can say Evil on many accounts and not just because of the Seattle Coliseum and the Sonics. I have had other associations with the Ackerley group on a very small scale in my days at not-for-profits.

So… What did Barry Ackerley do? The Seattle Coliseum was renovated in 1994-1995. And let me tell you. The stadium  needed it. Big time. That is not what the problem was. The problem was Barry Ackerley was so selfish and jealous, he fucked up the renovations. That is what we are arguing about today correct? Bennet says the Key Areana (formerly Seattle Coliseum) is not good enough. 13 years later and it is horribly out dated.

So what was Ackerley’s jealousy? It came down to he did not want to share the Key Arena with any other major sport event. First, the load and unload debacle at the Key… he made it designed that way. Guess what!? In the seating and event area, specific designs were made to make sure that the ice arena was not Olympic size so there could never be a Major NHL team or that any national or world Figure Skating events could be held at the Key. This includes in door soccer and many other world events. Ackerley wanted the Key for himself and his team. And the Key was renovated in a fucked up manner. I use harsh words because it is the only way to describe how a stadium renovated in the mid 90’s could be so awful.

So now there needs to be a law suit against Barry Ackerley. He made the Key arena what it is today and it is a worthless piece of metal and concrete. He is the reason the Sonics name and colors are in Seattle, but no team to play for them.

About the only thing that is left for the key is possibly curling. But even then, there is probably questionable compressors and the Granite Curling Club is still a better rink except for the lack of seating capacity.

More Big Brother Laws ~ Or How I Want Tickets for Other Distractions

I can not stand big brother laws. Laws that are either common sense or plain stupid. Coincidence type laws too. For example, there is a law in Washington State now that says drivers must tie down their speakers because because one kid got in an accident and a passenger was killed because a speaker hit her in the head. Now we have a law.

There is almost never a time when I do no wear a seatbelt. I always do. But really… a law for one. Survival of the fittest I say. I actually know through acquaintance three different people who were either killed, or severely wounded because of a seat belt.

Now comes the biggest stupidity of them all. Cell Phones. So now stick a headphone in one of your ears and block out even more of your hearing. People who are bad drivers with cell phones are also bad drivers with their children in the car, or when they are listening to music or putting on makeup or shaving. Let’s create thousands of specific distraction laws so or police have more frivolous things to do besides FIGHT CRIME! Police are supposed to keep us safe from bad people not enforce silly big brother laws.

My first new law. Parents with their kids in the car. You can see the cars go down the road. They serve and parents yell at their kids or try to feed them or turn around to talk. Leave them be. Let’s make a law that there needs to be two parents in the car with children under 16. That’s it. Keeps the roads safe right!? I am being sarcastic. This would be just as stupid too.

I have heard these arguments from walkers and bicyclist that most of the near misses are with cell phones. I would beg to differ. In fact, I was hit by a car on my bicycle from someone who just was not paying attention. He was just being inattentive. Should we make laws for that too?

If everyone would wake up and realize that bad things happen to ALL PEOPLE, we would not need these big brother laws. People would realize that freak accidents happen. There would be a general consensus that some things are just smart (I.e. wearing a bike helmet). But for those that choose not to do the smart things and something bad happens… well that is just the way the cookie crumbles. We can feel sad, but realize that they should have known better. No laws needed!