Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Goin' to the dawgs


I've lived in both red states and blue states. They have different cultures. Take the blue state where I currently reside. I notice how often I see people walking their dogs. What's notable about that, you ask? What's notable is what's so often missing from this picture. How frequently I see people walking with dogs rather than kids. A dog culture replacing a child culture, where dogs become substitute children. That's not something I saw very often growing up. There's been a sea change. 
I see some people, not just with one dog, but two, three, four or more dogs. Now that's their business. But when dogs outnumber kids, that's a problem. That reflects inverted priorities.
I also notice a biker culture. I don't mean motorbikes, I mean bicyclists. Not just individual bicyclists. Often they come in groups. They apparently belong to formal or informal biker clubs. And they're suited up in biker uniforms, as if they were racing in the Tour de France. 
They often bike along nature trails, where they compete with pedestrians. The bikers have to dodge pedestrians, and vice versa.
Now, I understand why people like to walk along nature trails. They enjoy the scenery and seclusion. But the bikers are moving too fast to take in the scenery. Not only that, but when you're on a bike, you have to pay more attention to potential obstacles. Your focus is on avoiding an accident. So what's the point of scenic bike routes? 
Frankly, I think that for a lot of these bikers, bicycling is an alternate religion. It makes them feel virtuous. Part of their Green ideology. 
After all, there are many other forms of exercise. And there are other ways of getting around. For instance, I often see skateboarders frequenting supermarkets or fast-food joints. They don't do that to send a message. For them, that's an efficient way to get around. Quicker than walking, and saves on gasoline. 

6 comments:

  1. Did you visit my town when I wasn't looking? Sounds precisely like it. [/uncanny]

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  2. I don't have a dog in the dogs outnumbering kids discussion but the offering on cycling seems little more than trolling. Are you being serious?

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    Replies
    1. Since you present no counterargument, your comment lacks seriousness.

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    2. The original "argument" does not appear to be serious.

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    3. Your comment does not appear to be serious.

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  3. I live in a pretty snooty town. We also happen to have a big cyclist community.

    >>"And they're suited up in biker uniforms,"

    I've never understood the point of this. There is no practical benefit to dressing like that, considering that they aren't in the Tour de France where every second could count. There is no stylistic benefit to dressing like that, considering that they look ridiculous. And it certainly isn't comfortable to be wearing such tight fitting outfits.

    >>"They often bike along nature trails, where they compete with pedestrians. The bikers have to dodge pedestrians, and vice versa."

    There used to be some train tracks stretching along my town. The county pulled up the rails and laid down some pavement to turn it into a nature trail a few years ago. It's been taken over by cyclists. Last year a cyclist ran into a lady who was walking down the trail. She ended up dying from her injuries.

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