Walk Right.


In Canada cars drive on the right hand side of the road.
All of them.
Think of the chaos if some people drove on the right and some people drove on the left.


Yet there are so many people who insist on walking on the left hand side of the sidewalk.
It's the same logic as driving.
If we all follow the same simple traffic rules things move along (more) smoothly.

It's not a difficult concept and most people do walk to the right.

But there is that small percentage who insist on walking on the left.


Is it that they are that detached from the world that they just don't notice?


Is it that they are just that stupid?


Or is it some sad passive-aggressive thing where this is how they draw attention to themselves or how they attempt to exercise some power in the world?

Bicycles.

I do get the whole bicycle movement.  It's good exercise, it's good for the environment etc.  I understand.

(I don't ride a bike - downtown Toronto for me is just too busy - I'm kept busy trying to be aware of everything going on around me just walking.)

I hear a lot from bicycle activists (on TV, magazine articles) about unsafe conditions for riding and how dangerous car drivers can be for bicyclists.

But I'm a senior citizen and a pedestrian and there are many times when I feel really threatened by bicycle riders.  
They ride on the sidewalks (even in places where there are bicycle lanes on the road).
They come to a corner at a light and then cut you off making a sharp turn into the pedestrian crossing which somehow suddenly is a "bicycle lane". And then give you a dirty look for being in THEIR way!
They make a turns right in front of you.

I've heard bicycle riders say, "I know what I'm doing and I'm in control of my bike so pedestrians don't have to worry".   That seriously is not a lot of comfort and it certainly doesn't feel like I'm safe when they go barreling down a crowded sidewalk or fly out of an alleyway without appearing to look anywhere but straight ahead.

I don't drive in the city anymore but people I know who do find some of the stunts bicyclist pull on the road totally incomprehensible.

And yes, I have seen pedestrians do some pretty dumb things on the street as well.

One thing (of the many) that bothers me about air travel is the head rests.

They no longer put a fresh towel type thing on them for each flight.

I can't avoid touching it for the whole flight, and as I give in and put my head back I can't help thinking about whose greasy hair and dirty skin have been touching it before me and what I might be transferring to myself.

Low-rise pants for men.

What are people thinking?

The only people they look halfway decent on are those who have an absolutely flat stomach and abdomen.

For the rest (majority?) of us who weigh more than the ideal there's no way to wear these pants without them riding low down on the gut and making it look even bigger than it is.

The most flattering look for a rounded figure is for the waist of the pants to ride around the largest part of the bulge, above the hip bone.  It's never going to make a gut look flat but it accentuates it the least.

This is one of my many grievances with the fashion industry.  The dominance of "The Look" over what looks good on a real human.




Another reaction I have to low-rise pants is that when I see someone wearing them (especially skinny jeans) I can't help but think of Mr. Potato Head with the huge head and body and these little stick legs poking out of the bottom.

Pizza used to be a luscious thing with lots of sauce and covered with toppings.

Now we have thin crust pizza with "gourmet" toppings.

A thin coating of tomato sauce and a tiny sprinkling of toppings usually dumped toward the centre with nothing but bare crust around the outside.

For which they charge a small fortune.

Plus a significant amount of cash for a tablespoon or so of additional toppings.

We really are suckers to fall for this scam.