How the other 90% lives

01-19-2005, 12:39 PM

I got a sense of how the other 90% lives yesterday.

First, in the morning, I drove my car to where our bicycle club has its
offices. I drove out there because I wanted to drive when the meeting
was over to a second meeting I had that night, and then drive back
(very late), home.

It was bumper-to-bumper on the freeway, the whole way, that morning.
Once I ditched the car, it was a pleasant 40 minute ride in to town
from the club's offices.

Then, when work was over, first, I had to ride through downtown to get
back out to the club. Usually I just ride from my office out to the end
of the CBD to get home; to get back out to the bike club, I had to
through the middle of downtown and out the other end. I gave myself 10
extra minutes of sanity time and told myself I wouldn't freak out in
traffic.

After waiting in gridlock through two light cycles at 3rd and Stewart,
I officially decided I had had it. I hopped on the side walk and rode
around the obstruction (a bent articulated bus taking up several
lanes). Then, I ended up filtering between endless stalled cars for
eight or ten blocks. They were stuck, hoping for an eventual place on
the freeway. I find filtering scary, spent the entire time yelling
warnings that I was coming through, and by the time I reached the end
of it, I could feel my heart racing. But at least I got through it. How
long would it take the average automobile in that mess to go those few
blocks?

Then I rode through the Eastlake neighborhood. Soon, I came upon
another huge blockage of idling cars. The cyclist in front of me hopped
up on the sidewalk, and, after a bit of hesitation, I did the same. We
rode along for maybe a quarter of a mile on the broad, empty sidewalk.
We left the sidewalk to get on the University Bridge, and suddenly
there were no more cars. So I don't know why it was so jammed up before
-- maybe to get on the freeway at at different point?

How do people stand it? I realize I live such a sheltered life of
commuting, where I just either ride the bike or take the bus. I never
have to idle in traffic. If I want to go faster, I pedal harder. If I
am stuck in a motor vehicle in traffic, it's usually in a bus, and I
can snooze or do the crossword and someone else has to cope with the
mess.

Maybe a few have jobs where they must have a car, and maybe a few live
very far out and "need" to drive. But what about the rest of them? I
don't get it!

Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ])
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