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Peter Flax Profile picture
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6 Nov, 4 tweets, 1 min read
I somehow didn't see this until this morning. Man, there's a lot going on here.
I have seen people go BALLISTIC if you touch their car. It does not matter what crime they committed before that, to them a stranger slapping the side of their car is a huge escalation. I think that's ridiculous of course but I don't want to go to the hospital over that.
Second, I'm not surprised by this: "The Virginia tags come up in D.C. DMV records with almost $9,700 in unpaid fines, two dozen of them for speeding on the same stretch of Southern Avenue Southeast where a pedestrian was killed last year." (from news story on the incident)
Lastly, being a white guy who rides a bike, the nature of this conversation, especially in a place like DC, makes me super uncomfortable. No way I would have gotten into it with those two. This is not a criticism of the filmer; just my own POV,

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More from @Pflax1

Peter Flax Profile picture
8 Nov
As a handy reference piece, here are the top 10 reasons drivers get angry at bike riders.
1. “I sometimes see them roll through stop signs when the coast is clear.” Image
2. “One rider was in front of me and I had to change lanes to get around her.” Image
Read 11 tweets
Peter Flax Profile picture
9 Jun
Why do drivers get so mad about cyclists riding through stop signs? A quick thread.
Preamble: I've seen a few good conversations on this topic recently, full of on-point observations, but maybe not hitting the big picture.
Executive summary: Drivers hate bike riders rolling through stop signs because they have an issue with the existence of bike riders on the road. It's literally that simple.
Read 9 tweets
Peter Flax Profile picture
7 Jun
It's unfortunately not uncommon these days to see public officials talking about mandating that bike riders get licenses, special insurance, and helmet use. I wanted to write a short thread outlining why they all are horrible bad-faith ideas.
nypost.com/2021/06/06/sim…
The first, most obvious reason: They won't work—in fact they'll make things worse by discouraging riding (which is the intent). Don't be fooled that they'd make anyone safer or add a layer of useful personal responsibility; the point is the optics to look tough on naughty riders.
Second, what would emerge would be discriminatory. Given the state of US policing, the ultimate losers would be young Black men. Other POC, like delivery and restaurant workers, and the homeless would also suffer. These ideas would lead to harassment and targeting and injustice.
Read 6 tweets
Peter Flax Profile picture
6 Jun
Was thinking this morning about Unbound Gravel and why, exactly, that race and events like it have captured people's imagination—and perhaps what traditional sanctioned racing doesn't provide.
People want more than a workout and a competitive environment to test themselves—they want adventure and experiences and self-expression. Whether it translates to good TV is really besides the point because it revolves around immersive participation.
Adult life can be tired and disconnecting, and I think most folks don't fantasize about getting yelled at (or dropped early on) at a crit, where you literally can't participate if you're in a sleeveless jersey. People are willing—excited even—to suffer, provided it's fun too.
Read 6 tweets
Peter Flax Profile picture
21 Apr
As some of you know, I wrote a bunch of tweets yesterday about wheelie culture (due to the bogus arrest in Perth Amboy). I saw a bunch of replies expressing questions, concern & disapproval about the safety of these kids styling amid traffic on city streets and had some thoughts.
The executive summary is that if you see young folks who don't look like you doing sick wheelies on busy city streets and worry or complain about safety, you're missing the point of the culture and likely assessing Bike Life from your POV rather than that of the participants.
Imagine having a position where you say you admire the spirit and creativity of graffiti but kind of just wish it was mostly displayed on art gallery walls and schools if it has the right message. This limits, appropriates, and entirely misses the subversive DNA of the art form.
Read 10 tweets
Peter Flax Profile picture
19 Apr
I was exchanging tweets about bike helmets with someone I admire and they made a sort of joke equating my position about bike helmets, about people making choices about what's right for them, with masks. If I'm going to be truly honest, this bugs the shit out of me.
I think the root of the problem is that tons of people, even really smart people & folks who ride, have a simplistic perception of what helmets can do. They are like seat belts or condoms for bike riders and everyone should wear one. They surely do something so why not wear one?
So I pretty frequently interact with people who simply have no idea that someone semi-credible sounding is going to jump in their TL in defense of not wearing a helmet. To them it's like arguing against seat belts or masks for Covid. I really don't enjoy what follows.
Read 5 tweets

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