San Mateo Daily Journal
OK, Thanksgiving is over. Let’s proceed into the insanity (and fun!) that is the month of December!
As I contemplate the traffic jams around our shopping centers and downtowns, I am reminded about the benefits of not owning a car and of getting around mainly by bicycle. I’m not adding to the gridlock or air pollution, I’m less likely to put on holiday pounds and I usually get a parking space right by the front door of my destination, sometimes locking my bike to a curbside tree or sign post. I realize it sometimes rains at this time of year, but I have found there are many dry and downright warm days too. And even if the sky is actually precipitating on you, you can only get “so” wet, no wetter than that. You probably won’t melt! Taking a hot shower and changing into dry, warm clothes after returning home from a wet bike ride are a couple of the most pleasant bike-related experiences you can have.
g If you’re a person who, for whatever reason, can’t ride a bike, you can contribute to the good will of the season by being nice to a bicyclist. Here are three easy ways to do that.
1). Make contact.
Stay awake and aware. Look around you. Expect to see pedestrians and bicyclists, among other road users. Give a smile and a wave as you acknowledge the existence of others. I don’t drive a convertible, but my head is always out in the elements, and I never use ear buds or headphones to listen to music while bicycling. This means we can talk to each other. I enjoy yielding to pedestrians and saying, “Go ahead!” with a smile. Some of my most amusing moments on the bike have involved talking to people. Early one dark morning, biking along El Camino Real in Redwood City, with all my lights flashing, a police officer pulled up next to me at a red light. He rolled his window down, smiled and said, “I love all your lights!” Another pre-dawn morning on an almost-deserted El Camino Real in Atherton, I was stopped next to a motorist at a red light for what seemed like a very long time.
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