Biking in Tampa

This sign is on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Tampa, directed at southbound bikers in the northbound lane.

I often ride Bruce B. Downs on my bike. Northbound, there is a bike lane the whole way. There is also a sidewalk that goes from narrow and bumpy, to a gap consisting of a dirt path, to wide and smooth. Once you get to the wide sidewalk, you have two good options for bike riding.

Traveling southbound is the problem. Riding on the wide sidewalk, you have three options when you come to the dirt path: 1) ride the path and maybe fall off if you're on a road bike; 2) cross six busy lanes of traffic to get to the southbound bike lane; or 3) ride the wrong way in the northbound bike lane just long enough to get to the narrow, bumpy sidewalk. I always choose option 3. I only need to ride the wrong way for a minute, then the crappy sidewalk for another minute, to get to my street. And apparently lots of other bikers make the same choice, because someone thought it necessary to put this sign up.

My problem is not that the authorities are imperfect in ensuring safety for bicyclists. My problem is that they're spending my tax money to put up signage that illustrates a problem but does nothing to fix it!

Opt out of: Driving everywhere just because it's easy or because bicycling is still unusual in your community.

Revolutionary Act of the Day

Today I will finally end my relationship with Bank of America. I decided quite a while ago that I must stop giving my business to corporate banks. Today I am one step closer to that goal.

I would eventually have reached this decision based purely on a customer service standpoint. Bank of America nickel-and-dimes me with fees I don't completely understand, they have lousy hours, they are slow to clear deposits, and they pollute my landscape with excessive branches and advertising. My credit union has very limited fees, which are easy to avoid, and all aspects of their service are excellent. I also earn interest on my fee-free checking account, which I think most banks these days are unable to offer.

But of course, to me the problem goes far beyond customer service. Even if those characteristics of BoA and my credit union were reversed, I would still be going to retrieve my money today. I can't allow the profits from my savings to be exported out of my community and into the hands of shareholders and executives. I can't support an industry that helps destroy our economy and then gets bailed out by taxpayers. I can't be complicit in the bubble/bailout economy.

Yesterday, Bank of America managed to get one last insult in. In the years that I've been dealing with them, I've somehow failed to understand that there are no branches in Tampa that you can walk into after 4:00, despite being disappointed by this fact over and over. My tiny credit union is open until 5:00, so why can't Bank of America keep just one of its 17 branches open until 5:00? Oh, maybe it's because they have 17 branches.

Today, I'm going to be there when they open. "Knock knock, bitches! It's nine a.m.! Time to say goodbye to my money!!"

Opt Out of: corporate banking; the bubble/bailout economy.