A while back, a man in his 70s looked at my bike skeptically.
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A while back, a man in his 70s looked at my bike skeptically.
"Why do your ride it?"
When I said "saves money," "doesn't pollute," he scoffed. But he agreed when he said it was good for my health.
I forgot to tell him real reason: Joy.
Day in, day out, my bike makes me happy.
🧵
@straphanger@urbanists.social
wicked beautiful bike -
@falcennial @straphanger
- "saves money"
[scoff]... ok mr richpants mcmoney, I'm sorry.
"it doesn't pollute like a car does."
[scoffs]70 suddenly seems like enough, time to finish living.
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A while back, a man in his 70s looked at my bike skeptically.
"Why do your ride it?"
When I said "saves money," "doesn't pollute," he scoffed. But he agreed when he said it was good for my health.
I forgot to tell him real reason: Joy.
Day in, day out, my bike makes me happy.
🧵
@straphanger I started riding to work a month ago and it really is so much more fun.
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A while back, a man in his 70s looked at my bike skeptically.
"Why do your ride it?"
When I said "saves money," "doesn't pollute," he scoffed. But he agreed when he said it was good for my health.
I forgot to tell him real reason: Joy.
Day in, day out, my bike makes me happy.
🧵
& now I'm thinking about the old guy I met at the grocery store bikerack. Don't know what moved me to speak to him, except he seemed agreeable & was older than I was. (I was probably 45 at the time.)
"Can I guess that you're older than 50?"
He nodded.
"Can I tell you a story? 15-ish years before, a friend of mine seemed very troubled by my lack of car & dependence on biking for travel. 'What are you going to do when you turn 50!?" (She was ≈10 years older than me.) >>
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& now I'm thinking about the old guy I met at the grocery store bikerack. Don't know what moved me to speak to him, except he seemed agreeable & was older than I was. (I was probably 45 at the time.)
"Can I guess that you're older than 50?"
He nodded.
"Can I tell you a story? 15-ish years before, a friend of mine seemed very troubled by my lack of car & dependence on biking for travel. 'What are you going to do when you turn 50!?" (She was ≈10 years older than me.) >>
(What I didn't have the presence of mind to reply with was, "A damn sight better than if I •don't• stay in the habit of biking!")
After gentleman & I rolled our eyes at my friend's attitude, he said, "Would you like to know how old I am?"
"Sure!"
"92." Whereupon he mounted his bike & peddled off.
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"it doesn't pollute like a car does."
[scoffs]70 suddenly seems like enough, time to finish living.
@falcennial @adriano @straphanger "the practice of compassion"?
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A while back, a man in his 70s looked at my bike skeptically.
"Why do your ride it?"
When I said "saves money," "doesn't pollute," he scoffed. But he agreed when he said it was good for my health.
I forgot to tell him real reason: Joy.
Day in, day out, my bike makes me happy.
🧵
@straphanger Answer I gave 10 years ago:
it's faster than walking.
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When I was in my 20s, I decided that I was going to live a car-free life.
Almost four decades later—no regrets. Opting for transit, trains, bicycles, buses, and subways has taken me to great places, and given me the kind of life I always wanted to live.
More in the latest High Speed dispatch:
@straphanger I had an old Bianchi like that in the mid-'90s. That Celeste green is burned into my soul. What a beauty.
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@falcennial @adriano @straphanger "the practice of compassion"?
@dadigi@hessen.social @adriano @straphanger for the innocent, for the peace loving, the kind, the generous, the just, the protectors, the helpers, the compassionate, the open minded, the loving, the caring, the respectful, and the deserving always. categorically.
not for the cruel, the derisive, the snide, the destructive, the hateful, or even the sarcastic. for those, only fairness and justice.
this is not a difficult concept my friend. I would expect it to be self evident.
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@dadigi@hessen.social @adriano @straphanger for the innocent, for the peace loving, the kind, the generous, the just, the protectors, the helpers, the compassionate, the open minded, the loving, the caring, the respectful, and the deserving always. categorically.
not for the cruel, the derisive, the snide, the destructive, the hateful, or even the sarcastic. for those, only fairness and justice.
this is not a difficult concept my friend. I would expect it to be self evident.
@adriano @straphanger did I misread Rando Calrizian's comment or is there a fediverse user who wants me, for some reason, to show compassion to creatures who deride people for wishing to live in a safe climate?
because I do not think I am going to do that.
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@adriano @straphanger did I misread Rando Calrizian's comment or is there a fediverse user who wants me, for some reason, to show compassion to creatures who deride people for wishing to live in a safe climate?
because I do not think I am going to do that.
@falcennial omitting mr Grescoe who I am not sure wants to continue on this tangent, I'd say that there's a difference between saying "this person should be killed" and "70, time to finish living" which is mostly "I don't really care if you die tomorrow" which is not about cruelty or compassion, only disgust and contempt.
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@straphanger I had an old Bianchi like that in the mid-'90s. That Celeste green is burned into my soul. What a beauty.
@mxhdroom It’s got some rust now, but still goin’ strong!
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When I was in my 20s, I decided that I was going to live a car-free life.
Almost four decades later—no regrets. Opting for transit, trains, bicycles, buses, and subways has taken me to great places, and given me the kind of life I always wanted to live.
More in the latest High Speed dispatch:
@straphanger much appreciated, thank you.
#Cycling -
J jwcph@helvede.net shared this topic
