Tour of Midtown
Considering it was supposed to snow*, it's been a beautiful weekend. Yesterday and today Miss America and I went out to take in the sights of Midtown (and probably some exhaust fumes) and visit some of the coffee houses.
Here she is at Atlantic Station. You know you only get 8 minutes on the meter for $0.25?! I bought a mocha at Starbucks and sat on a nearby bench to people watch. A little kid came up to look at the bike. I guess any bike draws that sort of attention, though I think because this particular bike is so ugly, it gets noticed by those interested in bikes and those who aren't interested but can't look away :). I'd might as well have ridden in on a horse and hitched it up to a parking meter.
Here's Miss America outside the Borders on Peachtree. This is her good side.
Riding on the bike really puts you "out there" in the environment. You're not closed off in the shell of a car, you can interact with people crossing the street by simply talking to them rather than waving them along as you do in a car and they talk back to you like you're another pedestrian. Even making contact with other drivers can be more personal but so far that hasn't been so in the best of ways. Usually its a shaking of the head for "I know you see me, do NOT keep moving." or a waving of the hand for "Your headlights are heating up my ass, back off." You have to be ever-vigilant and pro-active because people are zombies when they drive. They're talking on their cell phones, smoking a cigarette, and looking for something in the passenger floorboard at 40mph while their kids are watching Disney movies in the backseat and the gps is telling them they just missed their turn. But around here there are also plenty of pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters so hopefully the level of awareness is a little higher than other places one might ride, though I can't depend on that.
* Note to self: Guess I owe Jen Smith $5, find way to get out of paying.
Here she is at Atlantic Station. You know you only get 8 minutes on the meter for $0.25?! I bought a mocha at Starbucks and sat on a nearby bench to people watch. A little kid came up to look at the bike. I guess any bike draws that sort of attention, though I think because this particular bike is so ugly, it gets noticed by those interested in bikes and those who aren't interested but can't look away :). I'd might as well have ridden in on a horse and hitched it up to a parking meter.
Here's Miss America outside the Borders on Peachtree. This is her good side.
Riding on the bike really puts you "out there" in the environment. You're not closed off in the shell of a car, you can interact with people crossing the street by simply talking to them rather than waving them along as you do in a car and they talk back to you like you're another pedestrian. Even making contact with other drivers can be more personal but so far that hasn't been so in the best of ways. Usually its a shaking of the head for "I know you see me, do NOT keep moving." or a waving of the hand for "Your headlights are heating up my ass, back off." You have to be ever-vigilant and pro-active because people are zombies when they drive. They're talking on their cell phones, smoking a cigarette, and looking for something in the passenger floorboard at 40mph while their kids are watching Disney movies in the backseat and the gps is telling them they just missed their turn. But around here there are also plenty of pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters so hopefully the level of awareness is a little higher than other places one might ride, though I can't depend on that.
* Note to self: Guess I owe Jen Smith $5, find way to get out of paying.
posted by outpostbabu at 4:03 PM
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