Author Archives: Christopher

I wrote an article a while ago detailing your transportation options for getting in, out, and around Albany. Recently I have come to understand, with great dismay, that the AABus is our, as cyclists, best option. My experience with the MegaBus this weekend has soured me greatly because not only did I almost not get on the bus because of my bike, but the fact that they only run four buses a day and their pick-up stop in NYC is not as advertised makes me think twice about traveling with them again.

On the lighter side of things, I found a great website to branch this idea of bike friendly travel out to another close city. The website Biking Rules has a lot of great information about biking rules and other commuting related topics. One thing they have on their site is a complete list of the different transportation options around the city and the bike rules associated  with them.

So how was my weekend? Good. Have I come back a little wiser about cycling? You betcha.

Written by Chris Belsole

I try to write posts for this blog once a day to keep up the post count. Lately I have been in a slump with not a whole lot of original ideas for articles. Something happened to me today though that I thought I’d share.

After my brief appearance in the critical mass ride I left to catch the MegaBus with my folding bike. Something I have done in the past. On arriving all I can think is that I should have gotten here sooner because there was a long line waiting to get on the bus. All I could think was I hope they did not oversell this bus like they do the china town bus. When I get up to the driver to give him my ticket he looks at me, looks at my bike, and then looks back up at me. I knew there was going to be trouble.

He says to me, “We don’t allow bikes on the bus.” Now, admittedly, I knew this. Heck, I wrote that whole article on it. I could not however leave my bike there all weekend, and not catching this bus was not an option. I had to bring on the tears.

I understand his position, “The policy is that bike are not allowed on the bus, folding or otherwise,” but every time I took my bike on the MegaBus no driver has ever had a problem, but this guy, for some reason, was different then all the rest.

Eventually he let me on the bus to stay warm and I left my bike outside, so he’s a nice guy. He came up to look for me and called his supervisor to check if a folding bike was alright, no go. So he brings me outside and I ponder my fate as I mutter something like, “This is just more bike discrimination.” When I get out there he explains his position to me again and I apologize profusely. At the time of writing this I am sitting on the bus heading down to NYC so you can guess what happened next.

Wish me luck on the ride back.

Written by Chris Belsole