Fun with Bicycles

Bicycles are fun and an integral part of life when operated in the proper manner. It's the accidents and misadventures - intentional or otherwise - that might set you back. They really don't come with a user manual so creative uses of the bicycle usually take precedent. There are laws for bicycles however they are rarely enforced which leaves the bicycle as one of the last forms of true and free expression in public spaces.

 Bicycle uses include delivering things, acrobatics, getting to work, exercise and getting from point A to point B. You can get a DUI on a bicycle but chances are you'll get a ticket for improper light equipment first. Pay the ticket or they will suspend your drivers license. When pedaling very fast, make sure you don't look down for too long - you might end up in the air doing a one and a half gainer from the trunk of a parked buick, landing on your back on the hood of the car. After what seems like an eternity, your trusty bicycle will fall directly in front of you in a heap.  If you were travelling fast enough, and you are riding a Schwinn Le Tour 12 speed, you might be lucky enough to have only one clean point of impact - only bending the frame, allowing you to re-attach a smaller front tire. Switching to a beach cruiser is recommended after incidents like this. 

Getting to work on a bicylce is always preferable as long as the distance to work is less than a few miles. I have met people that have ridden their bicycles from Miami, Fl to St Augustine, Fl - they were a wreck and so were their bikes. Riding through rush hour traffic is always fun and it generally aggravates automobile drivers. The above mentioned Scwhinn Le Tour used to get me to community college faster than a car, so I rode it to work. In dire situations, your bike can be used as a weapon. The bicycle can be thrown at attacking dogs or used as a defense mechanism from attacking humans. It can also be utilized as a quick get away in hostile situations. If projectiles are being cast, you can easily swerve away from them. Alternate paths are also much easier to negotiate. Riding your bicycle to a bar eliminates all worry of legal entanglement. Bring your dog, he'll appreciate watching all the fine people come and go as he's tied to the bike.

Bicycles are good for your health and driving less in cars is good for our sanity. With gas prices exploding, maintenance and insurance issues, the bicycle is a great alternative. How do you feel after a bike ride? Chances are, better. How do you feel after driving for an hour? Chances are, worse. I say - Give me the bike- and I'll be just fine.