I typically commute around the traffic-choked Los Angeles basin by motorcycle; today, I was following a Subaru with “No Blood for Oil” and “War is not the Answer” bumper stickers. I had just finished the uncharitable thought that putting “No Blood for Oil” bumper stickers on cars seems kind of like an oxymoron, when we came to a red light and I pulled next to the car.<\/p>\n
The driver, a woman my age (middle), rolled down her window and gestured at me.<\/p>\n
Continued…<\/b>“Your lights are flashing”<\/p>\n
I ride with a headlamp modulator by Kisan Products<\/a>, that flashes my motorcycle’s headlights between dipped and high beams about once every other second. I find that it aids greatly in being seen by cars, a useful trait in safe motorcycling. About once a week, people point it out to me, thinking it means something is wrong with my motorcycle. I lifted my helmet visor and went into my typical response.<\/p>\n “Thanks! I know, it’s supposed to do that. It worked! You saw me!” All in a cheerful tone.<\/p>\n “It’s horrible! It’s giving me a headache!”<\/p>\n Periodically, it annoys people. I have a response to that, too.<\/p>\n “I’m sorry! It doesn’t bother most people.”<\/p>\n “Well, it’s giving me<\/u> a headache. And you ought to be careful because it might make someone so angry<\/u> they’ll run you over one day!”<\/p>\n …pause…<\/p>\n “Wow, that’s not very peaceful<\/u>, is it?” I replied, maintaining eye contact.<\/p>\n She rolled up her window and drove off.<\/p>\n Ironically, we were on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, not too far from Barbara Streisand’s estate, featured in this<\/a>, from the L.A. Times (registration required, use ‘laexaminer”laexaminer’):<\/p>\n Barbra Streisand has filed a lawsuit against an amateur photographer, claiming he is violating her privacy by displaying a picture of her bluff-top Malibu estate on a Web site designed to document erosion and excessive development along California’s 1,150-mile coastline.<\/p>\n The lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Santa Monica, besides seeking $10 million in damages, asks retired software engineer Kenneth Adelman to remove the image of Streisand’s mansion from the 12,000 photos he has posted on http:\/\/www.californiacoastline.org . Adelman and his wife, Gabrielle, have been snapping pictures for months from their helicopter to show the splendors of the coastline and what they consider environmental threats.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n