That's right folks, a non-political post. I know I've been going all pyscho on the politico blog thing. I will get back to it before long but for now, I'd just like to ease back and talk a little about the last two commutes.
Yesterday morning it was gorgeous in Watsonville, warm and sunny by 8:30 but I knew that I would be passing through Aptos (i.e. land of perpetual bone chilling fog) so I bundled up pretty well. Liner in my leather jacket, throat warmer, gloves. Nothing too unusual.
As soon as I got on the highway, I saw the motorcycle cop a few hundred yards ahead of me and knew that the commute would be substantially slowed down as a result.
Once we got into Aptos and the fog rolled in, I'd rolled up behind him and was shadowing him move for move through the sluggish traffic. I couldn't believe it but the cop was riding without any jacket on, no full face shield and very light gloves. I was amazed that he didn't pull off to put on some more gear. But nope, he rolled along, signalling his lane changes and didn't lane split until traffic was nearly at a dead stop. Still, it was kind of fun to roll with the cop and it reminds me that I need to get a print out or get a copy of the motorcycle license book to keep with me in case some cop decides that lane splitting is illegal. Just so I can point out the page that does says it legal.
And, on to today's ride in. First off, if you are already on the highway and you see a long string of cars coming down the on ramp and you don't get over to avoid being tangled up in the slower moving merging cars, don't get all pissy about it and try to cut me off because you're too stupid to plan ahead. And yes, I am talking to you Mr. Cool in your convertible Mustang and four day scruff.
Second, it seems like there are alot more roadkilled animals on the roads right now. I think I counted five in the short commute I've got. The last was far and away the worst because I happened to be behind a pickup that kicked up some roadkill goo. Luckily I had my face shield down but damn, I actually saw little red bits of squished animal go flying past my face. Very, very nasty.
Back east there are people that actually have the job of scooping up roadkill. Here it seems like they are allowed to just be run over again and again until the animal is mashed completely into the road leaving a slippery and pretty nasty looking red mess. I will have to check my bike at lunch to make sure there are no nasty little red bits drying on the front end but bleh, what a rough start to the day, eh?
A Wee Politicking I Shall Go
Sorry, I can't help but get a little political. Bush's measure to kill off overtime pay has, itself, been killed off! A new email from the Working Families e-Activist Network says:
Responding to a deluge of phone calls, letters, faxes and e-mails, the U.S. Senate handed President George W. Bush a stinging defeat Tuesday when it approved a measure to put overtime pay guarantees in writing, not just in Bush administration press releases.
More? Check out Boston.com's Senate demands overtime pay for all eligible workers despite Bush administration proposal.
And if you want to get in on the news, go to Union Voice. They have plenty of actions going on right now. The Overtime Pay initiative is just one of many.
0 comments:
Post a Comment