Who needs a crib when you've got a Mundo?
This song is what I rock out to when I need a little unwinding while I ride. It's a good soundtrack for my post today.
We all get them. Those helpful little words whispered (or yelled/screamed) out the window of a giant car driven by someone who hasn't been on a bike since it had training wheels on it (if even then) or maybe by some passerby, wandering around with no one else to direct their opinions towards. Helpful people who want to remind you that the bike lane/sidewalk/Mars is the correct place for you to be riding. They are the ones who think you are magical enough to plow through garbage bins, leaf piles, broken glass, or even their own car door that they just flung open. Maybe they just wanted you to know that you should use your turn signs because they can't understand what you meant by holding your arm out to the left with your finger pointing in that direction as you look over your shoulder trying to judge traffic so you can make a left turn from the proper lane. I think that maybe because we aren't protected by four walls of steel that somehow were are open to all sorts of ideas and suggestions about our riding.
Don't even get me started on the ones who then want to criticize my parenting skills.
Sometimes I wish that I could do the same for them. "Put away your cell phone!" "Use your own darn turn signal!" "Stop speeding up behind me, it's a red light!" "Don't you know that children under 12 shouldn't be in the front seat and babies shouldn't be given juice in a bottle??!" "Really, your kid needs their own TV to go to the store?" How would they like that? Doesn't make you feel so hot, does it?
Today, I finally came up with the perfect answer to every single person who wants me to abide by their biking "rules": "I'm riding safely and legally and that's the best I can do." It's simple, to the point, non-confrontational, and exactly true (and I don't have to explain to my three-year-old what that word mommy just said meant). I will have you notice that I said safely before legally. Although I do not advocate breaking laws, there are a few laws that were made with cars, not bicycles, in mind and in a crunch, my children's safety comes first (also, sometimes we're not heavy enough to trip the signal lights and I'd be waiting forever to cross an empty street).
However, it is a fantastic feeling that I get from the majority of people who shout out "You rock, Mama!" "Right on!" "That is so cute!" "That is so cool!" and so on. It's easy to focus on the negative people and feelings but it's so awesome to know that so many people are rooting you on--inside and outside the biking community and from all walks of life. So, keep shouting about how awesome I am and keep your negative opinions to yourself, I'm truly sorry if I made you 30 seconds late to where ever it was you had to get to in such a hurry (while you drive one handed, talk on the phone, and eat a cheeseburger at the same time as driving your deadly weapon).
Don't even get me started on the ones who then want to criticize my parenting skills.
Sometimes I wish that I could do the same for them. "Put away your cell phone!" "Use your own darn turn signal!" "Stop speeding up behind me, it's a red light!" "Don't you know that children under 12 shouldn't be in the front seat and babies shouldn't be given juice in a bottle??!" "Really, your kid needs their own TV to go to the store?" How would they like that? Doesn't make you feel so hot, does it?
Today, I finally came up with the perfect answer to every single person who wants me to abide by their biking "rules": "I'm riding safely and legally and that's the best I can do." It's simple, to the point, non-confrontational, and exactly true (and I don't have to explain to my three-year-old what that word mommy just said meant). I will have you notice that I said safely before legally. Although I do not advocate breaking laws, there are a few laws that were made with cars, not bicycles, in mind and in a crunch, my children's safety comes first (also, sometimes we're not heavy enough to trip the signal lights and I'd be waiting forever to cross an empty street).
However, it is a fantastic feeling that I get from the majority of people who shout out "You rock, Mama!" "Right on!" "That is so cute!" "That is so cool!" and so on. It's easy to focus on the negative people and feelings but it's so awesome to know that so many people are rooting you on--inside and outside the biking community and from all walks of life. So, keep shouting about how awesome I am and keep your negative opinions to yourself, I'm truly sorry if I made you 30 seconds late to where ever it was you had to get to in such a hurry (while you drive one handed, talk on the phone, and eat a cheeseburger at the same time as driving your deadly weapon).
Who needs a picnic table when you've got a Mundo?
We LOVE ArtBeast!
On a different note, I did get a chance to hop on the Linus for a quick trip to my folks' house and back (I thought I would have to leave a bike there and wanted one that was....em...expendable...sorry, Linus. I always do love riding it. I realized that the Linus is like an old best friend whom you never get to see anymore and when you do, you pick right back up where you left off and wonder why you never get to visit anymore. It reminds me of a time when I was free from children, work, and other duties (like shopping for an entire family, a dog, and three chickens). The cute little rack at the back tells me that it is not made for passengers and that makes me smile at it's uselessness (relative, of course). After putting nearly 1000 miles on the Mundo since mid-March, it's fun to have take a spin on the little sporty Linus. Tomorrow, I know that I'll be chugging along again on the old work truck/minivan. The Linus is already parked back in the shed. But I do love that bike and I just had to make sure that the Linus got a little shout out.
My sweet little Linus...and a chicken.
And...we also made it into the Sacramento Bee. Although, no photo to admonish.
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