Goddamn bicyclists shouldn't be on the road.

[November 30th, 2005] "Goddamn bicyclists shouldn't be on the road." My passenger reacts to my slowing down so as not to crowd a cyclist. We are approaching a red light, so doing this does not affect our progress, but nonetheless he takes umbrage.

I say, only half-jokingly, "Anti-bike sentiment is not allowed in this cab—you're talking to a former bike messenger." "Too bad, the road is not meant for bikes," says he.

"Actually, the first paved roads in this country were laid for bicycles, specifically for the actress Lillie Langtry and her coterie of bicycling enthusiasts—they were the hot new fad at the time."

He is not impressed. He complains about how cyclists blow stop signs and red lights all the time, but still want protection from the law if something happens to them. The recent cover feature of this paper ("Biker Interrupted," Aug. 31, 2005) is argued over. In the course of debate he says that bikers are stupid to think that drivers will see them. I say that I ride on the double yellow, take up an entire lane if I'm going fast, go the wrong way against traffic, and still assume that I'm invisible. He says that's what you have to do in this dog-eat-dog world. I point out that he has now completely contradicted himself, but he can't even see it.

I swear, when I'm made Grand Czarina of the world, no one will be allowed to have an opinion unless they can defend it with a cogent argument.