SuperAwesomeBlog

A while ago I wrote a posting called “When I Love You Is Not Enough” outlining my problems with Valentines Day.  I was in the store yesterday and it looked like someone took an Uzi to cupid’s pimp wagon – pink and red balloons splattered everywhere, overpriced flowers littering every free surface, overpriced chocolates soon to be discounted filling up shelf space nearly everywhere.

As a gay man, a married one at that, I’m *so* thankful that my husband and I don’t have to deal with this bullshit. It’s so unfair that straight guys get taken advantage of on this day, spending absurd amounts of money spoiling their partner with the spoils of this unfair holiday… all of it disguised in a thick layer of “romanticism.” I call “bullshit” on this.

What’s romantic about a stressful day where a guy has to blow $100.00 on a dozen roses, try to get a seat at a packed restaurant full of other stressed out guys, and then after a stressful week worrying if he can prove he actually loves his woman, suffer erectile dysfunction as his reward…?

Why can’t being romantic and saying “I Love You” be an every day thing?  Why not go out on “dates” every now and then… make being romantic more than a once a year affair? Ugh.

The short answer is yes. For a longer answer, read Lisa Neff’s article at 365GAY.com – it’s enlightening. Not only does the Salvation Army passively discriminate against gays but they also actively lobby Congress to fight equality for gays.

When you see that red kettle just keep on walking… why don’t you give money to a charity, local or national, that doesn’t discriminate? Here are some good options:

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Goodwill Industries

Lambda Legal

One Iowa

Check your local area and see if there are any causes worthy of your support. A little change can do a lot of good – just make sure you like where that change is going!

Before I start what is likely to be interpreted as an anti-bicycle rant I want to make something clear.  I have three goals when I drive my car:

1. Don’t kill anyone.

2. Don’t die.

3. Get from point A to point B.

Now, as I write this I just got home after nearly running over a man on a bicycle driving at about 5pmh on one of the busiest roads in town.  He was in the middle of the right lane driving like he was a car. The bicyclist was slowing down traffic in the right lane, causing everyone to change lanes to go around him, conjesting traffic in the left lane and nearly causing some accidents there too!  I was furious.  Not only was the man seriously constipating traffic he was endangering his own life and others.

This was one of several near misses I’ve had over the last month.  Earlier last week I saw a bicyclist ride up to some cars at a red light, weave in and out around them, and run the red to take a left through a busy intersection.  Remarkably he didn’t die. There are many more examples and I’m sure you’ve seen a number yourself.

Now, in case you’re not familiar with the differences between a “car” and a “bicycle” here’s are some before and after pictures of a rear impact to both classes of vehicles to help illustrate my point:

Above is a 2010 Ford Taurus.  On the left is how the car normally looks, and on the right is how the car looks after a rear collision.

Above is a typical bicyclist riding on the road like he’s in a car.  On the right is what a bicycle looks like after getting hit in a rear collision.

You don’t want to see the bicyclist.

I love my bicycle.  I ride it whenever I can, but when I do I try to be cautious and defensive.  Bicyclist need to stay to the right on streets, and only ride on them if no sidewalk is available.  It’s for everyone’s safety.  Simple as that.