One less car - this is what cyclists like to say when they talk about transportation cycling. One more person on a bike in the city equals one less car on congested streets.
This morning on my way to work, I realized that one more bicycle on the road equals one less roadkill as well. First I passed something that resembled a cat. I can't tell for sure because its head was crushed. Then was a turtle with a flattened shell. I had my camera with me but I decided that taking such pictures to illustrate this post would not be welcomed.
By the time I got to my office I started thinking: have you ever killed an animal riding your bike? It just doesn't happen. There is no physical way of decapitating a cat with your bicycle. Those poor creatures would have more chances of survival if more people ride their bikes. I never thought about it before but riding a bike changes my perspective as I am more observant of things lying on the road. When you drive a car you just speed by and don't even think twice if that bump on the road was a rock of that poor cat's head.
Squirrel in the fork. Is it real or fake? (Source: BikeSnobNYC)
I started bike commuting when I had a job that started really early in the morning, well before buses are running. I have never hit anything with my bike, but I have had a few close run-ins with skunks (as in, something runs out from behind a car at 4am...that's a funny looking cat...oh wait...brake!), but I have yet to be sprayed (fingers crossed).
ReplyDeleteI was riding home from work today on an arterial road and there was a lovely breeze and I was really enjoying my ride, when I looked down for one second and then looked up there was a beautiful black cat on the shoulder and I was heading straight for it and luckily it jumped out of the way just in time. I would have had to swerve out into the road to avoid hitting it, but thank goodness it hopped up unto the embankment. And then I got the creeps from seeing a black cat. Two weeks ago I was in Boston at the Old North Church and a black cat jumped up on the pews right in front of me as well. I'm beginning to worry :).
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