By Gayda Jean Collins —
Go wildly amid the smog and traffic and remember what joy there may be in cycling. As far as possible without undue surrender, be on good terms with all drivers.
Use your lungs loudly and clearly; and yield to others, — even to the rude and obnoxious; they, too, have more horsepower.
Avoid reckless and aggressive drivers; — they are menaces to your life. If you compare yourself and your vehicle to motorists and automobiles, you may become arrogant and proud; for always cars will be inferior to bicycles.
Enjoy your commuting as well as your centuries. Keep in your own lane, however narrow; it is a real possession in the changing, treacherous world of traffic.
Exercise caution on all your rides; for the road is full of idiots. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many bicyclists aspire to new PRs and bicyclist’s lives are full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not get hit by a car. Neither be too cynical about motorists; for in the face of all paths and trails, they are as perennial as the grass.
Yield quickly to the horsepower of the auto, begrudgingly surrendering your right-of-way as necessary.
Nurture enthusiasm to sustain yourself mid-season. But do not distress yourself with too many miles. Many bonkings are born of fatigue and dehydration.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. Yours is a legitimate vehicle, no less than the cars and trucks; you have a right to be here.
Whether or not it is clear to you, te motorist will get his and you’ll get yours. Therefore be at peace with the bicycle gods, whatever you conceive them to be.
And whatever your route and mood, in the dynamic confusion of traffic, keep safety in your mind. With all its idiots, pollution, and broken glass, it is still an open road.
Be cheerful. Strive to ride.
Gayda Jean Collins is a cyclist in Las Vegas, NV. This is her parody of Desiderata.
