"Better to write twaddle, anything, than nothing at all." --Samuel Johnson

"I write to discover what I know." --Flannery O'Connor

16 August 2009

Diagram 2.



I am in the grip of an obsession with Venn diagrams. They're so useful!

10 August 2009

Questions I Have Been Asked About Cycling.

10 children's BMX bikes welded together to form one standard Portland adult bike.


Part One--"Yes.":


"Do you bike everywhere?"

"Do you ride in the rain?"

"Do you ride in the snow?"

"Isn't it dangerous?"

"Aren't you scared?"

"Do you ever get cold?"

"Don't you get hot?"

"Has anything been stolen from your bike?"

"Have you ever wiped out?"

"Do you ride in the street?"

"Do you ever take the lane?"

"Do you shout at drivers?"

"Are taxis worse than regular traffic?" (I'd rather ride next to a CTA bus.)

"Are there lots of potholes?" (#2)

"Do you ride on the Lakefront Trail?"

"Have you ever ridden downtown?"

"Do you wear a helmet?"

"Do you have lights on your bike?"

"Do you ride really fast?"

"Do you have brakes on your bike?"

"Is that a good workout?"

"Do you do Critical Mass?"

"Do you save a lot of money?"


"Give me every bike you've got on you, NOW."


Part 2-- "No.":


"Do you ride with a fixed gear?"

"Have you ever been doored / hit by a car?"

"Do you ride on the sidewalk?"

"Do you ride on the ice?" (see above in "Yes" category: "Have you ever wiped out?")

"Doesn't it ever get old?"

"Don't you ever wish you could just drive somewhere?"

"Do you hit cars with your bike lock?"

"Have you ever hit a pedestrian?"

"Do you have a lot of gears?"

"Do you have a lot of gear?"

"Do you have a speedometer/odometer?" (but I want one!)

"Do Chicago cops enforce bike traffic laws (which protect pedestrians from cyclists)?"

"Do Chicago cops enforce bike traffic laws (which protect cyclists from motorists)?"

"Do you ride while listening to your iPod?"

"Do you ride while using a cell phone?"

"Can you do any bike tricks?"

"Do you follow the Tour De France?"


Part 3-- "Only if there's traffic around.":

"Do you obey traffic signals/signs?"


He meant to do that.