Make Mine Winter Diesel Please
Ahhh, the morning run. In the fall I love my morning run. It's anywhere from 6 to 15 kilometres of blissful peace. We have wide, wide sidewalks, crisp autumn air and crunchy leaves under foot. For up to 1 1/2 hours I can leave behind stress, noisy kids (whom I love dearly, please don't email) a barking dog and a dishwasher that is threatening to explode. On run mornings I get up a little earlier, sneak out of the house and disappear into the inky early morning. I return in time to catch an extra 15 minutes of snooze time - often cuddled up to the three-year-old who has moved from his room to usurp my place in the bed. I start my day feeling great. This is the wonder of running in the spring, summer and autumn.
It aint any of those right now. Now, it's winter (or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof). In fact it's that crappy time of winter in Alberta when, during the day snow melts and at night it re-freezes. Our wide, wide wonderful sidewalks so perfect for running become a venue for a prairie bonspiel. I'm not kidding, you could curl down 22 Street. So, you compensate - that's fine. I can take shorter, more careful steps. On side streets I run on the road.
No, the real problem of running at this time of year is that every idiot with a gigantic, diesel pickup truck - like this - feels they need to warm it up at curbside for 20 minutes before they go anywhere. Nothing is worse than coming around a corner on a good clip, breathing deep, moving well and then bam! Right into a wall of diesel smoke. For most people this is merely inconvenient. For me, it damn near stops me cold as I have a (very) slight asthma problem that is aggravated by running in the cold. So, I'm having trouble breathing already and some asshole basically jams a tailpipe up my nose. Gee. Thanks.
It's sooooo unnecessary: A. It isn't that cold out right now and B. It's usually a new truck that has a block heater and has new technology that would prevent it from freezing anyways.
I'm not ranting about running along side of traffic as I have to do sometimes. People have to get places and some cars are smellier than others. I'm fine with that. I could run in cleaner air if I chose. It would just be way less convenient. No, this is directed firmly at people who generate clouds of exhaust that hang in the air at the curb because they don't want to drive 18 seconds in a cold car.
It aint any of those right now. Now, it's winter (or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof). In fact it's that crappy time of winter in Alberta when, during the day snow melts and at night it re-freezes. Our wide, wide wonderful sidewalks so perfect for running become a venue for a prairie bonspiel. I'm not kidding, you could curl down 22 Street. So, you compensate - that's fine. I can take shorter, more careful steps. On side streets I run on the road.
No, the real problem of running at this time of year is that every idiot with a gigantic, diesel pickup truck - like this - feels they need to warm it up at curbside for 20 minutes before they go anywhere. Nothing is worse than coming around a corner on a good clip, breathing deep, moving well and then bam! Right into a wall of diesel smoke. For most people this is merely inconvenient. For me, it damn near stops me cold as I have a (very) slight asthma problem that is aggravated by running in the cold. So, I'm having trouble breathing already and some asshole basically jams a tailpipe up my nose. Gee. Thanks.
It's sooooo unnecessary: A. It isn't that cold out right now and B. It's usually a new truck that has a block heater and has new technology that would prevent it from freezing anyways.
I'm not ranting about running along side of traffic as I have to do sometimes. People have to get places and some cars are smellier than others. I'm fine with that. I could run in cleaner air if I chose. It would just be way less convenient. No, this is directed firmly at people who generate clouds of exhaust that hang in the air at the curb because they don't want to drive 18 seconds in a cold car.
posted by Todd at 1:32 p.m.
1 Comments:
sparroweye
Hey, I don't even like to smell my own exhaust let alone
somebody elses when I am jogging. Haa haa yeah, jogging... Oh yeah, I do that every day. Hey, when are
you gonna update? What you say, you have a wife, two kids a job and a life!!!! Poor excuse!!!
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