Rides 9/2: Chirality and Michael Jackson

After my mishap on Friday, I decided to wear regular shoes on the bike today, hoping to somewhat reduce the likelihood of my falling down. I also wore some socks with pictures of bikes on them, hoping to somewhat reduce the likelihood of my forgetting that I rode a bike to work and then taking the bus home. Victory accomplished on both counts. 

I guess the Tuesday after Labor Day is supposed to be the worst traffic day ever, but I didn't much notice any change except for maybe a few more runners running on the running paths. I guess I'm out of touch with the experiences of real commuters. That's what I get for not riding on the highway. Also, congratulations to anyone who managed somehow to successfully not drive recklessly around a child today. I saw many tweets from many public agencies and news organizations suggesting as much, so if you managed to do it, way to go! You are the real heroes. Maybe this is a bit cruel. I really don't mean to disparage anyone advocating safer driving- that's a really great thing to advocate! I guess I'm just not terribly happy that we have to periodically remind people to be careful with their cars so as not to grievously injure vulnerable children. It'd be nice if, I don't know, that was always top of mind. But sadly, it doesn't always seem to be, so let the reminders fly. Trivial or not, if they help, they help. [Ugh. This got kinda serious and maudlin. Sorry!] 

The ride home also happened. It was uneventful. I managed to wait behind other bicyclists at red lights, treating lines like other lines that I encounter in everyday life. I didn't find it especially onerous. I thought about stopping in at a McDonalds, marching to the front of the queue and ordering a cheeseburger, then turning back to all those I passed, unapologetically announcing that "shoaling" is no big deal and that getting cheeseburgers isn't a race and they should just get over it because whatever, but I didn't do that because, after all, we all know that that's something that people are just not supposed to do... because stopping for a cheeseburger on the way home totally ruins dinner. No other reason though. 

15th/Pennsylvania/East Capitol. Sometimes Capitol Hill feels so far away from everywhere else, but I guess that depends on the everywhere else. FUN FACT: The Folger is putting on King Lear. FUN OPINION: King Lear with monkeys, aka King Kong Lear would be an even better play but Shakespare lacked the imagination and/or access to top-flight monkey actors to pull it off.