The Bike-paths of Tucson

As I rode out on
the bike-paths of Tucson
I spied an old bikie
in spandex and Nikes

I see by your outfit
that you are a bikie
—-and he said—-
I see by your outfit
that you’re a bikie too

We see by our outfits
that we are both bikies
if you get an outfit
you can be a bikie too

–LE

Riding the Tucson multi-use bike and walking path (consisting of 130 miles of paved trails – also many miles of unpaved trails), we are often assaulted by the bikies partially described in my little satire above (done to the tune of ‘The Streets of Laredo’ – insight from the Smothers Brothers). They either come up on you suddenly from behind or meet you head-on, many acting as bike-path-natzis.

There are ‘guidelines’ signs posted along the path (also known as the Loop). These guidelines boil down to (common courtesy) being courteous of your fellow path users. They are NOT RULES, enforceable by vigilantly bikies… yelling at you… “Bike Path!” as they fly by (where’s the courtesy in that?) as if there were any question as to the nature of the path… and seldom giving you the courtesy of any kind of audible warning when they suddenly appear from behind (they always seem to be in a desperate hurry to get somewhere/nowhere), even when they’re not being particularly authoritarian… Yes, a pet peeve… an observation…