tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post5003349045691165908..comments2024-03-13T09:47:40.487+00:00Comments on Cockpit Conversation: Walker, Texas Ranger?Aviatrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-28212112115965070792009-02-14T11:03:00.000+00:002009-02-14T11:03:00.000+00:00So true. To me, being European, the feeling might ...So true. To me, being European, the feeling might be stronger because a lot of people walk or ride their bikes almost everywhere in Europe. And it always seems to me that the most friendly places have a lot of pedestrians and bikers (oh, how do I like Nijmegen, Utrecht and Amsterdam!) and the seemingly scary ones have none (Lake Havasu City, AZ). It definitely has to do with culture, therefore places in the Netherlands tend to rank high and desert cities tend to rank low, but within the U.S., a college town like Bloomington, IN with a lot of bikers also seems friendly and some streets an NYC that have a bad reputation didn't scare me at all, even at 2a.m., because there were people walking in the streets and subway stations.<BR/><BR/>Up the bike punx, oi.<BR/><BR/>The above phrase really is funny, because<BR/><BR/>bike = punks<BR/><BR/><I>is</I> true in some places in the U.S., and you really can go as far as negating this logic which yields<BR/><BR/>(no bike) = (not a punk person)<BR/><BR/>and still finding it true when observing the streets. It would never work in Europe, though, where, for instance, elderly folks on bikes are a common sight not because they don't have the money for cars but because they enjoy riding their bikes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-70174667811476339932009-02-13T16:24:00.000+00:002009-02-13T16:24:00.000+00:00Bill: you wondered if Texans are overweight. All ...Bill: you wondered if Texans are overweight. All of America is laughing. Not at you, at Texans. Because the Southern states are known for THE WORST food. Delicious, yes. Cheap, as Aviatrix said. Abundant, my goodness, yes. But if we CAN fry it, we will. We fry SANDWICHES for God's sake.<BR/><BR/>And then we refuse to walk anywhere. But in defense of my fellow Americans, everyone had a car in the very rural area where I grew up because it was essential for getting around. Everything was AT LEAST 30 miles from everything else. Walking 45 miles to school seems a little third world-y to me.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, that's our reason. I don't know what excuse urbanites use.Callsign Echohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07394192594808060440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-58620884192367201972009-02-13T06:26:00.000+00:002009-02-13T06:26:00.000+00:00Best panhandler line ever, heard in San Francisco:...Best panhandler line ever, heard in San Francisco: "Spare change for a sex change..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-58051189372530411162009-02-13T04:32:00.000+00:002009-02-13T04:32:00.000+00:00I wonder if the people are overweight with all the...I wonder if the people are overweight with all the riding in cars?<BR/>Just a thought. :-))Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-44452874621088404072009-02-13T04:16:00.000+00:002009-02-13T04:16:00.000+00:00@GreybeardThe best panhandlers are in Santa Barbar...@Greybeard<BR/><BR/>The best panhandlers are in Santa Barbara, CA. Home to Oprah, Nancy Reagan, Michael Jackson and many other rich and famous folks.<BR/><BR/>There you'll find tanned, shaggy, healthy young folks with their baskets or guitar cases holding up signs saying "Help me see the world," or "I want to travel." True story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-20756401924561929372009-02-13T04:13:00.000+00:002009-02-13T04:13:00.000+00:00Amsterdam is the most bike accessible city in worl...Amsterdam is the most bike accessible city in world. It actually has more bikes than people. I wonder what happens to locked bikes when people move... or die? Are there traffic police that take note and take the bike?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-3893719947713420902009-02-13T04:01:00.000+00:002009-02-13T04:01:00.000+00:00re: "triggers my 'something wrong here' reflex"I'v...re: "triggers my 'something wrong here' reflex"<BR/><BR/>I've had this same reflex leave me uneasy for no reason many times just due to cultural differences. Once in Port of Spain, Trinidad, when visiting a friend's brother, I was driven into a neigbhorhood where I was the only white face and there were cars up on blocks in the street and in some driveways. The homes were rather small and "ramshackle" to my Canadian eyes and if this had been a city in the southern USA (especially during these years), I'd have had reason to be nervous.<BR/><BR/>My new acquaintance's home was beautifully kept and clean and he served up a wonderful, home-cooked supper. This was just a regular neighborhood in POS. I became much more comfortable as I learned to concentrate more on the people, less on the surroundings. But I immediately recognized your meaning in that phrase above.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing your insights on your travels. Always enjoyable.Aluwingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16518739658424324739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-6522269924381038132009-02-13T03:50:00.000+00:002009-02-13T03:50:00.000+00:00Re: Portland Oregon...Panhandlers walk there, and ...Re: Portland Oregon...<BR/>Panhandlers walk there, and some of them scare me to death.Greybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11919862790973521778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-83675134830571397002009-02-13T03:49:00.000+00:002009-02-13T03:49:00.000+00:00I've been to Portland and I know! I'm looking for...I've been to Portland and I know! I'm looking for a photo I took there.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-21552597004153117622009-02-13T03:43:00.000+00:002009-02-13T03:43:00.000+00:00In response to "Welcome tot he US, nobody walks" H...In response to "Welcome tot he US, nobody walks" How about 'welcome to Texas, nobody walks'?<BR/><BR/>There are many places in the U.S. where that isn't the case, but there aren't enough of them. Aviatrix, you should visit Portland, Oregon, or other progressive cities some time :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-70983352127393773332009-02-13T03:06:00.000+00:002009-02-13T03:06:00.000+00:00Your winter bike is the one that won't make you cr...Your winter bike is the one that won't make you cry when the rims rust through from salt, and the bottom bracket is half gone anyway. You can put those big stupid pedals with spikes on so you can ride in boots, and use "Deflector Shields" instead of fenders so they don't get clogged with snow. <BR/><BR/>People who have expensive cars even have winter cars. They leave the fancy one in the garage until the snow and ice are all gone.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-4485809995104708812009-02-13T02:54:00.000+00:002009-02-13T02:54:00.000+00:00Welcome to the US; nobody walks. As for being in ...Welcome to the US; nobody walks. As for being in a bad vs good neighborhood evidenced by nobody walking, I don't think it matters. Even in bad neighborhoods, nobody walks. They will use the family car, have friends come pick them up, etc. <BR/><BR/>Lastly, this sentence is really telling: "You could tell they were their winter bikes, not their good bikes, but they were riding." The fact that you have "winter bikes" is astonishing. I ride bikes all the time. I have 2 bikes and put 2,000 miles on them annually, but I don't have a "winter bike".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-56057452536266247602009-02-13T01:48:00.000+00:002009-02-13T01:48:00.000+00:00If you walk, the zombies will get you.If you walk, the zombies will get you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-81658285927458160862009-02-13T00:15:00.000+00:002009-02-13T00:15:00.000+00:00Cue the twilight zone music...Cue the twilight zone music...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com