Bad idea

Tuesday, 9 December

On my way home last night, meandering through a neighborhood between arterials for a couple of miles, it struck me how really enjoyable it was to pedal along and admire the Christmas lights on (and in) houses. This is a very low traffic area, so riding doesn't require so much attention. It occurred to me that it might be fun to get a group of cyclists together to go caroling--on bikes--through a neighborhood like this one. Honestly, it took me at least a block to figure out why this would not be a good idea:

1. I've heard cyclists sing "Happy Birthday." I'm not sure anyone would recognize their group-sing rendition of any Christmas carol.

2. Too many people these days have helmet-mounted headlights. Turn your head to look at/talk to your neighbor, and that Christmas carol would be filled with expletives from the victim you just blinded.

3. I think that pedaling, singing, and steering a bike in a group requires more coordination than most of us have; it would be a massive crash fest. Even at a sedate pace, that doesn't sound like so much fun. "Hark the herald----slowing----angels sing...."

I tried to work out how to do this on tandems, but I'll leave that to Henry and just enjoy this particular quiet, well-lit neighborhood each night on my way home.