It’s Friday, which suggests the primary work week in New York Metropolis with congestion pricing is formally drawing to a detailed. So how’s it wanting to date? Properly, it appears to be wanting good…relying on the place you’re going and who you ask:
I’ve been skeptical that congestion pricing will work in a metropolis the place individuals already flood the streets with automobiles regardless of the various tolls and crushing visitors and excessive insurance coverage prices and parking complications all the remainder of it, however I’m more than pleased to be confirmed flawed, so I’ll be watching with curiosity–although admittedly I spend little or no time contained in the congestion zone nowadays, so I don’t know the way a lot I’ll be seeing firsthand. For awhile there I used to be commuting by bike to and from Brooklyn twice per week, which did take me proper by the congestion zone:
[Not Brooklyn, and not inside the congestion zone.]
Properly, I’m nonetheless commuting to Brooklyn twice per week (sure, I’ve an entire second life you already know nothing about, and whereas I can’t let you know something about it, I’ll neither affirm nor deny rumors that I’m an in-demand beauty surgeon), however I confess I gave up doing it by bike. So why is that? Is it as a result of I’m a “woosie?”
Properly, yeah, I’m undoubtedly a “woosie,” however that’s not likely why. Finally, I simply couldn’t get round the truth that a 35-mile (kind of) spherical journey between the Bronx and Brooklyn in all probability price me at the very least an extra hour a day over the subway. I imply I might in all probability beat the subway if I commuted on a race bike in stretchy garments, however then I’d have to alter and all that stuff, which might completely negate any time-savings:
Additionally, as I’ve in all probability talked about, whereas I take pleasure in using bicycles as a lot or greater than absolutely anything else on this planet, I additionally like studying, which is hard to do on a motorbike. By the best way, I requested the AI to create a picture of “Bike Snob NYC Studying A E-book Whereas Driving A Rivendell Bicycle In New York Metropolis” and right here’s what it got here up with:
It actually nailed it this time, and I for one welcome our new pc overlords.
Anyway, using a motorbike is nice, however sitting in your ass and studying can be fairly good, too, and now that I’m a subway commuter I’m studying greater than I’ve in years. After all the plastic seat of a subway isn’t essentially the most nice place to take a seat in your ass, and when it’s freezing out prefer it has been this week the subway is full of much more raving lunatics than it normally is, however general I’m saving time and studying stuff I wouldn’t have an opportunity to in any other case so it’s a fairly good commerce. And whereas I’ll spare you the rant about every thing that’s flawed with the subway, I do take into account myself a subway fan. Astute readers could even have seen my transit-themed Christmas sweater in my latest YouTube cameo:
Nerdy sufficient for you?
[My wife picked it out, but still.]
I additionally completely do the Vacation Nostalgia Rides:
Although the gang it attracts might be mildly disconcerting. In case you suppose bike persons are dorky, practice individuals make bike individuals appear to be a bunch of A-list celebrities. They’re like that bizarre child Ralphie meets in “A Christmas Story” once they’re ready on line to satisfy Santa:
So will congestion pricing profit my even nerdier straphanging alter ego? Perhaps so. Within the quick time period I believe one of the simplest ways to enhance the subway system could be to shoot individuals who don’t use headphones. However I’ll attempt to hold an open thoughts.
Fortuitously, life in New York Metropolis isn’t all cramming your self into subway automobiles, and you may also set your self up fairly good for using if you already know what you’re doing:
And I do know what I’m doing:
So now that I’ve bought the Roadini, do I nonetheless even want the very similarly-named Roaduno?
Frankly, I resent the query. I imply take a look at this! How might I not have a Roaduno?
I admit I did discover myself pondering of turning it again into an precise singlespeed now that I’ve bought the Roadini, however the singlespeed/triplespeed actually is the very best of each worlds:
Okay, I do know what you’re pondering:
However we’ve already established I’m “woosie.” And with a 17-tooth cog within the again and that 42/32/20 MicroDrive up entrance I’m lined for just about every thing:
And but, it nonetheless satisfies that singlespeed craving a few of us can by no means fairly shake. Clearly some individuals don’t care about singlespeeds and don’t need them. However if you’re a singlespeed particular person, and also you’re utterly sincere with your self, you’ll admit that that is the way it works:
It’s a must to have a singlespeed
You like using your singlespeed a lot you begin wishing it had gears
You promote your singlespeed and get one thing else
You miss having a singlespeed so that you get one other one and the method begins anew
However by satisfying each the singlespeed and geared craving without delay, the Roaduno places an finish to this vicious cycle as soon as and for all:
It’s important for my psychological well being.
