^[1]Let me make one thing quickly clear in regards to the vehicle pictured at right before assumptions get jumped to: neither it nor its driver is in any demonstrable way, shape or form a tard of either the potential or kinetic energies.

To my knowledge and from my experience he’s just another commuter — and a pretty conscientious one — in a pretty sensible sedan trying to get across town to his job, and I’m showcasing him here simply because for the last two days he’s opted to take 4th Street (otherwise known as 4th Street Bike Boulevard ^[2]) from Commonwealth at the east to Cochran, the last north/south avenue before 4th terminates at the Park La Brea perimeter at the west. This I know because I bike the same 3.6-mile residential stretch (clickably biggifiable at left) entering and exiting ^[3]4th at the same points as part of my 15-mile morning commute. But more coincidentally, this morning and last we’ve done it at the exact same time — and on both occasions I’ve kicked gass traversing it in the same elapsed interval. No, a Lance Armstrong wannabe with a nitrous-outfitted bike I am not so obviously I was not able to physically keep pace with the vehicle, but thanks to 4th’s car-unfriendliness in the form of its many four-way stop signs, and several loooong traffic signals, I was never more than several blocks behind it. Ultimately we crossed La Brea at the same time, and in doing so the most telling difference between our respective modes of transport is that in covering that distance and considering the costs involved the four-wheeled fella burned anywhere between roughly $3.50-$5 (not counting the cigarettes he smoked along the way). The only thing I torched on my two wheels was about 250 calories. F. T. W.

Twice rhymes with nice, after the jump.

The photo at the top of the post is from yesterday, when I rolled up behind him as he waited for the green to cross La Brea. I snapped it somewhat self-satisfied to find him no further along than I was after remembering him passing me back at Vermont. I initially thought about blogging it then, but one photo at the finish didn’t seem enough and besides, I usually can’t stand those tired media reports that pit bikes against cars in a one-time showdown, regardless of who “wins.” Imagine my surprise when I found him passing me southbound this morning on Commonwealth and once again turning right onto 4th for Round No. 2. This time it was Game On and I took documentational snaps of our various meet-ups along the way.

In the beginning: Virgil @ 4th

Next stop: Vermont @ 4th

Crossing Western @ 4th

The interminable red of Wilton @ 4th

The end is here: Cochran @ 4th

Aftermath: I caught him again at the red at 6th and Cochran where I made a right and then beat him across the next two lights. He passed me soon after that as we headed toward Fairfax and got to the light there where he made a right while I continued on 6th to Crescent Heights.

Safe travels until we meet again, my four-wheeled Ford-friendly rival. Tomorrow perhaps?

Related posts:

1. It Caught My Eye: Big Bird ^[4]
2. Next In An Occasional Series Called “The Street Swastikas Of Hancock Park” ^[5]
3. Howsabout A Little Follow-Up Regarding Those 4th Street Swastikas… ^[6]
4. How much of a scam is Street Cleaning? ^[7]
5. Here We Go… May Day Street Closures ^[8]