Sorry, I'm late to complain about the same thing yet again

Last Sunday, there was an important event in the downtown Boston that I obviously missed. Hundreds of cyclists rode through the city to demand safe streets, namely - more safe bicycling infrastructure like real, protected bike lanes, not just those with painted lines.

Thanks to @bostonbikeunion for leading the #MakeWayforBikeLanes charge today @ the Public Garden! Safe streets for people now! @marty_walsh pic.twitter.com/ngKwqdSZa6

— LivableStreets (@StreetsBoston) April 23, 2017

Boston is one of the oldest American cities and was built long before the car era started, which means that there are plenty of narrow streets with limited space for large vehicles -perfect locations for pedestrian (or ped+bike) zones. Despite that, cars dominate the downtown. You would think that in XIX century, following excellent examples around the world, the City of Boston would want to change this obsolete design and open its streets to people. I'm guessing it's not going to happen anytime soon. Citizens of Boston may want it, tourists may want it, even daily commuters may want it, but the city doesn't give a damn. There is simply no political will to change things, despite deaths of numerous cyclists in recent years.

But then I'm thinking that maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe the City doesn't want to change anything because most people are perfectly happy with status quo. The same people think that it's not drivers' fault that people are dying on Boston streets. No. They think that "cyclists are the worst thing that happened to this city" and they have solutions to it.


First, of course, as a cyclist you have no right to demand safe infrastructure if you don't wear a helmet:

Next, know that you are a parasite who uses roads for free, because you don't pay "road tax":

Then, clearly, if you want to ride in the city, you have to be licensed and registered:

Finally, you certainly don't deserve any respect and place on road because it's so obvious that you never obey the rules:

I think it becomes perfectly clear now that our city does the right thing. No stupid protected bike lanes are necessary. Citizens don't want them. Instead, they want all cyclists to be helmeted, taxed, licensed, registered, identified, painted red, beaten up and kicked out of the city.

Then, we'll finally find our peace.