I could sew do that!

By admin 　http://icouldsewdothat.com/archives/718

Given that I live in the city of Baltimore and I work only 3 or 4 miles as the crow flies, technically I should be able to ride my bike to work. I don’t have a road bike, but I do have a hard tail mountain bike, so I decided that I would give it a whirl. If the bicycle commute panned out, then I could always purchase an inexpensive commuter and still save plenty of money over the course of a year. So, I planned out a route that would allow me to stick to bicycle lanes, through relatively safe neighborhoods and along streets that I’m familiar with. I live in the Lauraville neighborhood of Baltimore City and I work in Canton. I planned my route to take me from my house, around our Lake Montebello, down Charles Street, past the Inner Harbor, Fell’s Point and finally stopping at my building.

This actually made my commute more on the order of 9-10 miles, but it was all downhill on the way to work so I wouldn’t arrive too sweaty. I tried to find a local gym that would let me purchase a discounted pass for the showers, but no dice. I’d just have to pack deodorant, a change of clothes and some baby wipes and fix my hair and makeup after I arrived. On the first morning I loaded up my backpack and set off to work, bright and early and building in extra time to ensure that I could follow all of the traffic laws, make safe crossings and stick to my bike lane. Unfortunately I quickly learned that bike lane or no, people considered me to be a traffic annoyance. On the first day people had two clear car lanes to choose from, but still insisted on edging into my bike lane and driving me uncomfortably close to the sidewalk. I also noted that on occasion in Baltimore City, even on major streets, the bike lane would, for seemingly no reason at all, cease. That’s right, it would just end. Straight into a line of parked cars. This meant that I had to quickly take a lane that would be filled with cars traveling at least twice the posted 25 mph speed limit. I kept pace with traffic despite the fact that it was quickly exhausting me to try not to block any hurried morning commuters in their cars. Then I had to deal with buses, pulling in and out of the lanes of traffic and unable to see me, or not caring…who knows which. There wasn’t a lot of honking, but people would ride very close behind my tire, rather than switching to the left lane to pass. A few areas where the road split and cars whizzed by me a little too closely made me pretty nervous, but I survived. I arrived at work no worse for the wear and in good time. It took me about 45 minutes. I could go a shorter route, but the roads are dicey, the neighborhoods lined with boarded up houses and no bike lanes, sharrows or even signage present. I decided to stick to my route. The way home was all up hill and the entire downtown area was so gridlocked with people in every lane, including the bus and bicycle lanes, so I got off and walked a fair bit. When I could safely return to my bicycle I did, but uphill was tough. I slowed to a near crawl as I cranked up the steep hills of Charles street and began the long slow climb home. My legs pumped battery acid and I was sweating through my cycle shirt, but I could go home and shower and it took me only 60 minutes or so. I liked that I didn’t have to work out. I’d already burned far more calories than I needed for the day. Day two began to go downhill. Several cars intentionally cut me off. People stopped so close to my bike at the traffic lights that despite the fact that I was into the crosswalk, hurried drivers playing with their radios, or cell phones, or coffee or just thinking about those TPS reports that are due that they nearly ran me over. On my way home, people honked and angrily gave me the one finger salute. Accelerating behind me, then crossing in front to slam on the brakes was apparently a new driving technique to allow people to more  quickly move through the grid lock. I left work 30 minutes or so later than planned which put me squarely into downtown rush hour traffic. I snuck onto the sidewalk a few times because I was terrified to make left turns. I walked my bike in the crosswalks instead. I considered hopping onto the local buses a few times, but they each have only one bike rack and it was always full. Our free Charm City Circulator would have been a great option to avoid the steep uphill of Charles street, but they don’t have bike racks at all. I made it home, now very tired from working my legs 20 miles a day, but I survived. Finally, day three. My last ride in Baltimore City. About half way to work, right near the congested area of Union Memorial Hospital and Johns Hopkins University, where lots of other bikers ride the lanes and kids cross the walks on their way to class it happened. I heard a car speed up and come dangerously close to me in my bike lane and a guy yelled out, “Hey, get your dumb ass out of the road”. I looked confused, I felt indignant. I mean, I was following all of the traffic laws and I even planned my route to be extra long just to stay in the damned bike lanes. In fact, I was one less car on the road and it seems like these honking, speeding jerks should just give me a break. Then it happened. He rolled down the window, pulled close beside me and hit me squarely in the back with a can of dog food.

Apparently this kind sir was tired of my bicycling shenanigans on his road. I called my husband, angry and insistent that I was doing the right thing, right? He didn’t understand why I wouldn’t just ride on the sidewalk. What was wrong with me? That was his reply, and did you get his tag number. Well, I refuse to give in and ride on the sidewalk. It isn’t safe for me, for the people who actually belong on the sidewalk because they are walking, or even the angry commuters in their four-wheeled land yachts who seemed so intent on running me over. Why? Because cars aren’t looking for something moving as fast as a bicycle to shoot across the road from sidewalk to sidewalk. If you are in the lane of traffic at least they have some idea about where you are traveling. So, I’m a little sad about having to admit this, but I gave up. The concerned monks and nuns at my meditation center were the last straw. Even they thought it was a dangerous, terrible idea. So, while I’d like to say that I was able to conquer the city by bike. To green up my act and make a stand for bicyclists in the city. While I may cut down on my carbon footprint and save some dough, in the end I decided it wasn’t worth my life. I decided to take some time, go back to driving and try again another day, but this time by bus. Stay tuned for a report on how that goes. Wish me luck, I’ll need it.