Comments
albertogonzalex t1_j5t8uvm wrote
Riding a bike is almost always faster than driving in Cambridge.
niems3 t1_j5uaqd7 wrote
And Somerville, and Brookline, and most of Boston. And especially if you want to go east-west through Camberville or across the river.
elizag19 t1_j5tltdl wrote
In Cambridge. If you only need to ever do things in Camberville.
Master_Dogs t1_j5tpsol wrote
It's a good thing there's a whole system for getting around the metro without needing a car. A system which could be more reliable if business owners embraced bus and bike lanes rather than fight against them.
SheeEttin t1_j5vqb5w wrote
Shame it's often broken, early, late, on fire, or some combination thereof.
Master_Dogs t1_j5vwxcv wrote
Ah yes and Boston's roads are famously free of pot holes and traffic.
albertogonzalex t1_j5tqf3s wrote
In the context of this post, we're talking about the relative benefits of walking vs driving. Camberville is walkable with enough time. And bike able every time, right on time, almost always in less time than driving.
elizag19 t1_j5ur020 wrote
In the context of her original post, it’s not realistic for people who have responsibilities outside the city/area to change transportation methods immediately when they get back to the city. Mostly referring to her forth point.
albertogonzalex t1_j5utp8x wrote
It's absolutely realistic to manage all routine needs within a 10mile radius for most people by bike. I'm just an average person and I do so! Nothing special - honestly, like the post, I didn't realize it was realistic until I started doing it because of the oppressive cult of car culture. But, it's absolutely doable for nearly everyone.
Master_Dogs t1_j5vzbtg wrote
It's not even just about bikes. We have a damn transit system that covers all parts of the eastern part of the State. Plenty of people take the Commuter Rail or buses around. Does it require a wee bit of planning? Yeah. Fortunately most of us are capable of some basic time management. It's not like driving doesn't require factoring in travel time, traffic, etc either. Or the weather or costs or whatever excuse you come up with.
OH and if you do want to just use bikes, you can STILL bring them on most transit options when needed. Buses have bike racks on the front, all heavy rail trains allow bikes during off peak hours, many Commuter Rail trains have a bike car, and really just the Green Line is a hard "no bikes" area but that'll likely change in a few years once we get the new modern light rail cars with like 7 cars a train and completely level boarding with larger interiors.
albertogonzalex t1_j5vzjns wrote
Hell yeah. Walking. Biking. And all forms of public transit are all on the same team. They all have the same interests in terms of infrastructure improvement. And everyone gains when any one of them is focused on. It's just cars vs everyone out here.
Master_Dogs t1_j5vyw7l wrote
Yes, it's totally unrealistic that you consider alternatives. Obviously the Commuter Rail and the 170 bus routes that the MBTA operates throughout the State are unrealistic. It's not like tens of thousands of people within Cambridge do not own a car or do not regularly have access to a car (this site suggests 15,000 households are car free, and another 29,000 only own a single car). I'm sure ebikes and walking and transit are too difficult for people to figure out too. Cars are notably easy to get - you only need to throw $30,000 into the car, spend hours buying it, getting a license, getting registration, insurance, taxes paid, etc. A bike obviously is unrealistic since it's like $3/ride on Blue Bikes or a few hundred for a cheapo beater bike. And ebikes, oh my, so expensive when you can pick on up for like $1500. That's obviously unrealistic, I should go spend $10,000 on a used car with 100k miles instead.
^(/s)
elizag19 t1_j6j1xo0 wrote
That’s a long, sarcastic answer for something about convenience and transportation/responsibilities. I hope you find peace.
Opposite_Match5303 t1_j5tpcpi wrote
Counting parking, it's faster for any trips under 30min in greater Boston. Usually 2x as fast as the T.
bagelwithclocks t1_j5tef9i wrote
If only she weren't the leader of the business group fighting against bike lanes...
Master_Dogs t1_j5tpnnr wrote
And bus lanes. The bitching and moaning about parking in North Cambridge got those bus lanes turned into rush hour lanes and off hours they're parking and loading zones. The 77 bus could allow this business owner to live north of Cambridge, easily commute to her shop and walk around and catch the bus when they need to get somewhere faster than walking.
mtmsm t1_j5uld4n wrote
Exactly
ClarkFable t1_j5twi0m wrote
If only winter didn’t exist.
ik1nky t1_j5twzfc wrote
So far there have been 0 days this winter that I couldn't bike. A few days ago was close, but I also wouldn't have driven if it were any worse.
[deleted] t1_j5tycsm wrote
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mtmsm t1_j5ul8ch wrote
I rode my bike to work yesterday.
Master_Dogs t1_j5uke1j wrote
If only there were bikes with wider tires. Idk why they wouldn't make such a bike... Maybe even stick an electric motor on one of those, some fenders and a rear rack so you could ride it year round.
Darkest_97 t1_j5vu0vv wrote
Lemme just store a bike for all occasions in my small apartment
FewTemperature8599 t1_j5vxk6j wrote
No room for a bike, better save space and get a car. Big brain thinking
Master_Dogs t1_j5vzlvc wrote
Darkest_97 t1_j5w6w5g wrote
Imma be honest there's more spaces for me to park my car than there is to fit another bike in my apartment
Master_Dogs t1_j5vwsvr wrote
Lemme just store a 4000lb car on the street for all occasions too. Total enough space for all (checks notes) 100k people of driving age to do so within a 7 sq mile City.
drkr731 t1_j5wa3u9 wrote
my SIL bikes to work every day here (doesn’t own a car). I commute solely on foot and by train as my SO uses our household car to get to work out of the city. We basically never use the car within the Camberville or Boston area…i’ve lived in Cambridge specifically for over 6 years and have never had an issue not having a car
ClarkFable t1_j5wfw4a wrote
So you’re telling me you are both lucky and don’t have children?
Master_Dogs t1_j5x6j3x wrote
Yes, famously children cannot walk, bike, or use transit. There's definitely no method of getting kids around without a mini van. It's fake news that they're capable of walking alongside a parent, riding a bike in a kids seat or even on their own once capable, and obviously teenagers never ride transit.
Actually, kids under 16 can't drive either, so maybe we should petition the State to let 10 year olds drive. Honestly some of them might be better at following traffic laws than many motorists I see around here. And yes, before you say bUt CyClIsTs RuN rEd LiGhTs!! I'll point out that literally no one follows or enforces traffic laws around here.
drkr731 t1_j5wh38z wrote
I mean, while I don’t have children, many of my fellow residents in my building/neighbors have small children and don’t own cars. it’s not that uncommon. My SIL doesn’t have children but is a teacher who bikes a few miles to work each day and works odd hours.
I have a good life and I’d like think i’m lucky to enjoy where I live and the people around me, but I don’t think that’s really tied to our choice to have previously lived without a car / currently choose not to use a car much of the time
bonefish t1_j5tl8s8 wrote
I love to park my ebike right in front of her shop when I make my appointments at the masseuse next door. I am always on time for those appointments along with my many other responsibilities.
blackdynomitesnewbag t1_j5tlzth wrote
That’s one of the most entitled things I’ve read here. My god. “I’m late all the time cause I can’t stop walking." Leave sooner? Her store is in Porter. It’s got a T stop and two bus routes. Take one of those? Also, it takes me longer to drive to work than walk if I also have to park.
taguscove t1_j5sw71h wrote
She should consider getting an ebike. Or moving to Indiana
Master_Dogs t1_j5tq2bq wrote
They could move their shop to the Burlington Mall. They'd get:
- ample free parking
- 0 bike lanes
- all the walking they could want around an indoor shopping mall
They'd probably lose half their customers who don't own a car and another chunk who do but won't drive to Burlington to listen to bike cabal rants, but hey, they could live out their dream of walking a bunch.
pjfry_3000 t1_j5us8no wrote
And lose the remaining, driving, customer base to Twist Bakery, which offers a larger variety and better baked goods.
shimon t1_j5x00g6 wrote
I avoid gluten and didnt know about this - thanks for the recommendation!
Master_Dogs t1_j5x6vbr wrote
Interesting, never heard of that bakery. I like that they respond calmly to negative reviews, offering to talk or make things right. I saw no mention of bike cabals influencing their Google maps page. A+ business skills. 👍
Next time I have a craving for mall food court food and I'm too lazy to bike over to Cambridgeside I'll check them out.
RacketyMonkeyMan t1_j5vsccu wrote
Or she could get a real bicycle.
pelican_chorus t1_j5u3mkf wrote
> Fourth, maybe people who dislike cars should take on more responsibilities and obligations
Wow, some real "Ok Boomer" energy there...
drkr731 t1_j5wb2it wrote
yeah, she could have left it at a nice message about how walking is a nice option and it’s good to live in a walkable community. She just HAD to throw in a jab at people who don’t use a car.
On top of being obviously ridiculous as a whole, I’d bet many of the people unable to afford cars at all likely deal with more responsibilities and challenges than those who can afford one.
pollogary t1_j5ym78k wrote
Interesting that I have a full time busy job and lots of other responsibilities and manage to not own a car.
Reasonable_Move9518 t1_j5tz08u wrote
Wait until she finds out about buses...
It's like a car, but it's bigger and you walk to it, and then get off and walk to where you want to go... like say a gluten-free bakery.
Trains are the same... but bigger and don't run in traffic... except in Brookline.
pattyorland t1_j5vcmfh wrote
Have you ever gone food shopping by bus? It's not fun.
You'll probably have a significant walk on one or both ends (hope you have a good folding cart). That assumes your house and the store are within walking distance of the same bus route.
You have a limited choice of stores. Porter Star Market is ok, Market Basket or Trader Joe's not so much.
And even a route that's frequent by T standards like the 77 can easily leave you waiting 15-20 minutes.
That's why I got a bike. But that doesn't work for everyone.
Real walkable cities have affordable grocery stores right there in all residential neighborhoods. Like Cambridge used to.
On the plus side, having the Daily Table, Target, and H-Mart right there near transit in Central is a positive change. I hope we can see more of this.
Forward-Candle t1_j5vhoyx wrote
Grocery shopping is the only time I use my car on a regular basis. Dealing with bus routes and scheduling is just not worth the trouble. Come spring, I'm hoping to add some storage on my bike.
drkr731 t1_j5wbbub wrote
same here. Our household car is basically used for one job commute out of the city and groceries. Pretty much everything else in the metro area we do on foot or with the T.
SteveInSomerville t1_j5xdj1b wrote
I finally caved and bought this Burley Nomad bike cargo trailer to hitch to my organic (lol, I mean non-electric) bike. It lets me bring a whole week's worth of groceries for two people home from whichever store I want. Previously, I was using pannier bags, but that's more like picking-up-a-few-things or shopping-for-a-party sized. I love it! Plus it has a cute orange flag that reminds me of the Schwinn I rode as a kid.
zepporamone t1_j5tq2fg wrote
If only one of those responsibilities or obligations she had was to leash her obnoxious fucking dogs in Danehy Park. Instead, she walks around yelling into a phone and ignoring them while they make aggressive runs at leashed pups. I feel like I've really missed out on all those "smiles and comments with strangers" as she ignores everyone asking her to pay attention and leash her (ehhh, perfectly average lookin') dogs.
Eilasord t1_j5w0bbr wrote
Call animal control next time. They’ll come right down.
CenterofChaos t1_j6mlbrk wrote
It's surprising they haven't ticketed her already, they sit in the parking lot by the fenced dog run in the afternoons.
Harmony_w t1_j5v8lt0 wrote
She's lucky no one has kicked her dogs to get them to stop
jujubee516 t1_j5tl3gl wrote
She could have stopped after the third point and would have sounded much more pleasant.
Master_Dogs t1_j5tpbzv wrote
Read her Google Map review responses. She's insane. No reasonable business owner publicly responds to reviews with "you're not a customer in my database, you must be a member of the bike cabal!!".
jujubee516 t1_j5tqa4n wrote
Lol also the fact that she digs up customers'records and posts that in her responses...sounds like she has too much time on her hands (guess that's why she's walking so much?). Also loves to mention that they are short staffed it seems.
Master_Dogs t1_j5trvhf wrote
Some other gems:
- buying 1 cookie does not make you a customer
- accuses a negative reviewer of being an ex-employee or friend of an ex-employee
- apparently her staff can't handle phone calls, so you should email/text their business. oh they don't answer phone calls either apparently LOL
- someone drove an hour to pickup a cake a half hour early and the owner's response wasn't "so sorry, we should have made that right" - it was to defend their "10am saturday pickup NO EXCEPTIONS" policy. Wacky considering they love to talk about how much people drive to their store.
The arrogance they show in their responses is just... insane.
jujubee516 t1_j5tt2bz wrote
LOL. There's always an excuse for each bad review.
Also saw this (edited from a 5 star to 1 star review): "...to the point of personally insulting customers and spam emailing their Violette subscriber list with matters completely unrelated to the Violette business (such as giving away their personal items and furniture)."
And from another response, apparently if you're from Western mass you can't possibly be a customer there?
pelican_chorus t1_j5wtcwu wrote
Oh my god, she really looks every reviewer up, compares it to her database of credit card sales, gift cards, etc, and denies that they could have come in, or has some excuse after deducing exactly what day they must have come in ("there were only two unverified latte sales in December, and we were short-staffed on both those days," etc etc etc.)
Seriously unhinged.
She actually gives off vibes of that viral restaurant owner that Gordon Ramsay ripped into in Kitchen Nightmares, who only wanted Ramsay to come in to prove that all the negative reviews of her restaurant were just haters and liars.
sl2006 t1_j5tp9qq wrote
It’s okay that Lee doesn’t like other modes of transportation besides driving - but why be so negative about it in arguably one of the most bicycle/pedestrian friendly and progressive cites in the United States? Just shooting her own foot here yet again, have an open mind!
Master_Dogs t1_j5tqtan wrote
Ignorance, or insanity. If you browse their Google Map review responses, they strike me as someone not mentally well. A reasonable business owner responds to 1 star reviews with "I'm so sorry you had a bad experience, let me make it right - email me at <first.last>@<business.name>.com. Next glutten free muffin is on me too". An insane business owner responds with the following (directly copied and pasted from a 1 star review response):
> Not a customer. Slander and violation of Google terms. Clearly one of the bike cabal threatening small businesses if they speak out about public parking removal.
Personally I love this gem about how buying a cookie doesn't make you a customer at her shop either:
> NOT A CUSTOMER. FAKE BIKER REVIEW.FAKE BIKER REVIEW. The city is trying to take out public parking from the commercial centers in Cambridge. Merchants are of course, fighting this, as without parking, no customers. No customers, you fold. Cyclist who LIVE in Cambridge agree that parking MUST remain. . Bike orgs, with members outside Cambridge are pushing this. IN A VERY FASCIST, Anti-democratic fashion, bikers are trying to CHILL DISSENT by the business community by writing these kinds of fake one start reviews, for anyone who speaks out, when they aren't customers. Since i've been saying this they buy 1 cookie to say they are customers. One cookie does not make you a customer. You all have zero understanding of how businesses operate or the economy for that matter. One day you will be ashamed if you are able to prevail in decimating commercial areas.
book81able t1_j5wah5z wrote
One or the great benefits of living in a dense and progressive city is the specialization of business towards those with other needs/wants then the general population, for example, a city like Cambridge can have a popular gluten-free bake… oh wait
MyStackRunnethOver t1_j5tf2v5 wrote
What an inspired individual...
slimeyamerican t1_j5t298s wrote
Genuinely amazing to me that anybody actually needs to learn this firsthand. It seems extremely obvious.
heyeurydice t1_j5tumck wrote
Wait, disliking cars means I have no responsibilities or obligations anymore? Awesome! I thought I would have had to walk, bike, or take the bus to my full time job today but nope, I’m in the clear! /s
zutronics t1_j5tw2fl wrote
I moved away from Cambridge in the summer, but still visit this subreddit to see what’s shaking and baking in Cambridge. Good to see the bike wars persist!
duffetta t1_j5wvu1f wrote
Four-season bike commuter here. The bike is faster than a car and faster than the T (a low bar I realize). Get a bike.
asaharyev t1_j64an4c wrote
The T is somewhat safer, though, so there's that.
Harmony_w t1_j5u622e wrote
She is a menace to society
bahmutov t1_j5trabg wrote
Where is this comment from?
jellybean02138 OP t1_j5u89v2 wrote
Nextdoor. The cesspool of the internet.
SteveInSomerville t1_j5xdm2t wrote
…it makes Reddit look like a Sunday Church Social.
IntelligentCicada363 t1_j5ujcvw wrote
So busy running a bakery that never has customers!
Cportkid t1_j5w0ke6 wrote
Left a review earlier today after seeing this. Waiting for my “fake biker review, checked our databases you’re not a customer” response
Urusander t1_j5vlmwu wrote
I like bikes but I’m not driving one without physically separated bike lanes. I’m not offering my life to mercy of drivers
ExpressiveLemur t1_j5yy7v5 wrote
Super shitty person
JB4-3 t1_j5vpsv4 wrote
Only in Cambridge is this cause for alarm
[deleted] t1_j5ugly7 wrote
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[deleted] t1_j5uhxww wrote
It’s because she’s a dumb asshole
But you obviously missed that
[deleted] t1_j5uooy4 wrote
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[deleted] t1_j5up0q6 wrote
It’s funny how your little child ego always resorts to that dumb comeback
Ooooo good one bub
Did conservatives just freeze at elementary school level emotional development? It’s fascinating
Funny part is she’s the one who’s triggered, we got our bike lanes and it’s fuckin great. Cry bout it
[deleted] t1_j5us6ab wrote
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drkr731 t1_j5wbng1 wrote
Of course a car can be more convenient at times (I’d argue less convenient at other times!). The issue is this woman is so nasty is her comments about people without cats not having responsibilities or obligations, while many people who choose not to have a car or simply can’t afford one have a shit ton going on in their lives.
But also, this women is pretty crazy and says wild stuff about bikers, public transit, etc all the time and harasses people who post negative things about her business. This is just one nasty comment in a pattern of behavior and people are sick of her.
Hyperbowleeeeeeeeeee t1_j5tsg7t wrote
Oh no the bicycle wars are back. Please no. I thought they all moved to a different sub or something.
ClarkFable t1_j5twopa wrote
And notice most of the commenters don’t even live here.
bagelwithclocks t1_j5ukg3b wrote
Lee?
Hyperbowleeeeeeeeeee t1_j5ujvud wrote
I don't know but it's hard to contemplate bicycle wars in late January. The troops should call a truce when the ground is frozen.
SteveInSomerville t1_j5xdskq wrote
Er, not to put too fine a point on it, but… have you been outside this month? The ground is, most decidedly, NOT frozen! There have been 0 days so far that were non-bikeable.
PM_Georgia_Okeefe t1_j5uqjq5 wrote
Nothing in her statements is wrong.
mtmsm t1_j5t7yj5 wrote
If only there were a transportation option that allowed you to exercise, transport things, and was only 1-2x slower than driving. Alas.