Dear [Grimlocke],

On behalf of Governor Deval L. Patrick, thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. We have forwarded your letter to Massachusetts Department of Transportation  for further review. If necessary, please be assured you will receive a response as quickly as possible. We are committed to addressing your concerns promptly.

Again, thank you for contacting Governor Patrick’s office and please feel free to contact our office in the future with any questions or concerns you may have regarding other matters.

Sincerely,

Governor Patrick’s Constituent Services Office

617-725-4005

www.mass.gov/governor/contact

I’m happy that I’m getting word of some action, if not seeing first hand. I also haven’t seen any dangerous behavior for.. wow about a week. I’m not on the streets as much as I am in the warmer months, but I still cover at least 14-20 miles of the worst roads in the area, every day. Today I have the pleasure of taking Cambridge up to the River Street bridge, up River and along Prospect – possibly one of the crappiest rides in the city. We’ll see what I spy along this route, aside from debris – strewn and potholed shoulder, gridlocked cars and jaywalking peds.

Good Morning Gabrielle Collins,

I am sorry that you had to write again. I sincerely apologize for the actions of the bus operator of bus 2294. The Instruction Department as well as the Cabot Area mobile inspector have been monitoring the Harvard Ave/Cambridge St intersection since your tip. Additionally, the operator of bus 2294 has been identified and will be disciplined for his actions. We will continue to pay extra attention to this intersection and change the behavior of those operators who are violating traffic laws and putting our customers in danger.

Sincerely,

John J. Houghton

Superintendent

Cabot Garage

This is a nice development, but we shall see if my observations of this intersection show a difference in activity. Meanwhile I will continue to take steps to affect change on the attitude of apathy toward hazardous driving by the MBTA operators.

[Grimlocke],

Thank you for your e-mail concerning the route 66.  I apologize for reckless driving exhibited by one of our employees. MBTA Bus operators must complete a comprehensive Defensive Drivers Course prior to being certified to operate an MBTA vehicle in passenger service. This operator has been identified and will be re-instructed on her duties and responsibilities as a professional driver. Any further violations of the MBTA’s Rules and Policies will subject her to more severe progressive discipline up to and including recommendation for discharge. Additionally, I have forwarded your correspondence to the Instruction Department in order for them to include the intersection of Cambridge Street and Harvard Avenue in the Safety Related Compliance Program. This intersection will be monitored by Safety and Instruction personnel to ensure all traffic rules are strictly followed. Again, I apologize for your unpleasant experience with the MBTA.

Sincerely,

John J. Houghton

Superintendent

Cabot Garage

We’ll see if this has any effect whatsoever on how the busses treat that intersection in the coming months. I’ll keep reporting my observations.

In other news, Boston Biker reports on a meeting tomorrow regarding upcoming work on the Western Ave/River Street Bridges. Wednesday, February 3, 2010. 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Honan-Allston Branch Library, 300 North Harvard Street, Allston MA. This is of immediate interest to me today of all days because this will be the first week.. well – EVER –  that it would behoove me to use the River Street bridge, since I’ll be going to yoga in Inman Square. However, as bikers ’round this way know, River Street and Prospect Street are death traps of the highest caliber, and therefore I avoid them with extreme prejudice. I will probably opt instead for the BU bridge and Brookline/Colombia to reach Inman – taking me a bit out of my way for sure, but reducing the possibility of me becoming road pizza. Now, if the meeting tomorrow were about this entire route I would be VERY excited indeed. Alas, that is not on the agenda. I will probably pop in on my way home, but not for long. Yoga again tomorrow, you see.

In January, that is. God I hate the cold. It’s not that I don’t find it manageable to ride in – I have only taken the bus once this winter, and that was to the Slutcracker cast party, because I fully expected to be too drunk to ride (which is a feat in itself) and I wasn’t off with my prediction. It’s just that everything is so sloooowed doown and extra complicated. In May you can just throw your shoes on, slap your lock under your belt and GOGOGO to wherever, when ever. In january you have to check your temp wiget, find extra socks, locate your thermal shirt, whine about the fact that your face muffler is still soaked with boogers, Cat-Crap your goggles. etc etc etc… so not necessary. I mean, necessary, but not in any way acceptable. Grumble.

Last night I rode to Coolidge to be a Tip Monster for the production SHOW – a film, burlesque/drag extravaganza and book signing with local photographer and long-time PRC supporter Henry Horenstein. Haven’t gotten around to unpacking my panniers yet, but I have the sneaking suspicion that a tub of silver glitter has exploded in there, because I was leaving a Tinkerbell trail all the way home.

I’ve finally linked all my hot hot cohort’s pages to my blaaargh so when I write about my exploits, you can follow the link and figure out just WTF I’m jibba-jabbin about. And ALSO, so you can check out all these fine performers and see what they’re up to on any given week, because if you haven’t yet you’re missing out, bigtime. So clicky! Go. DO IT.

I want to give props to a guy that I pass every day on my homeward bound commute. This policeman is always directing traffic at that wonky intersection on the Brookline side of Coolidge Corner. At first, I would ride through and he would scowl at me along with all the motorists, but with persistant smiling, I have broken his resolve. I now get a smile every time I ride by him, and today he quipped, ” nice goggles! “. I’m glad he’s there, keeping an eye on stuff, and I feel safer for his presence. Hats off to you, my good man.

NOW WITH WINGS!!

My beloved H-Bomb and Pugatch finally got hitched last weekend. I don’t usually do weddings, let alone cry at them, but this one… well, I guess you’d have to know the history of Grimlocke and Princess Pink Shoes to understand. Heather and I go back a long time. We met when I was just out of college while working at a designer jewelry company, and began a fast friendship based on lots of nights in the big city, blind dates and ill advised hookups. Eventually we both moved into town and got rid of our cars, becoming perma-pedalers in the Boston area. Together we’ve been members of the Boston Cyclistas, SCUL, The As Yet Unnamed Bike Gang for Cool Kids, among many other fly-by-night gangs, and spent a good many hot summer nights biking,  skinny dipping, running around getting bitten by mosquitoes in city parks and drinking under bridges and playing crazy games. I can only hope this is just the beginning of our fun together.

Congratulations, Heather and Dan!

Venturenaught: Krankenberry

I selected all the bits myself and purchased them on the internets, but major thanks to the super helpful and mega knowledgeable people at Ace Wheelworks in Somerville.  They put the whole thing together for me, since I don’t have any tools beyond your average chainbreaker or pedalwrench-con-bottlecap-remover. Now all I need is a set of neon green or magenta panniers! Someone link me, I’ve been looking everywhere!

I highly doubt he ‘asked’ the kids to get out of his way, especially if it was who I think it was.

A few weeks ago, a truck from Brighton Towing pushed me into the curb while I was traveling in the bike lane in the Brookline end of Harvard St., southbound. When we reached a red light, I hollered ‘Too Close’, at the driver, as I am wont to do when speedy parasites infringe upon my lanespace. When he caught up with me again, he swerved into the bike lane ON PURPOSE this time, screaming out the window. Assault with a deadly tow truck, I’d call that. Anyway, I found out his name is Jay, via calling the number ON HIS TRUCK. Idiot.

Seems someone got their just desserts at Brighton Towing, probably for following this same driving/public relations pattern. I really hope it was our good friend Jay. Karma is a dirty bitch, and I buy her a whole lot of drinks.

If you see a silver convertible BMW with the license plate NCN and a faded pair of Red Sox underneath the plate driving around today, tell the fat entitled bitch behind the wheel that Grimlocke the bike vigilante says Hi. She’ll probably know who you mean. Also remind her that the bike lane is never a casual parking spot, even if you ‘have a child in the car’, because yes, I do indeed have all day, and yes, I will call our good friends the police. Because yes, I am a smartass bitch. I chose it as a hobby because I have a knack. I should have taken a picture of this chubby twit.

On the topic of things I should have taken a picture of – the second person I stopped to be a smartass bitch at today because they were parked in the bike lane was actually a woman with a beard. I just kept riding. Some things you just have to let go.