Much as Kate submits to wifely servitude in exchange for social placement in The Taming of the Shrew, bicycle commuters also make a submission; as much as it displeases us, we each have a U-lock upon which we depend.

Like an arranged marriage, it is a relationship which we grudgingly accept because “that’s just the way it is.”

A sonnet:

Honestly, I’m not in love with this thing,

But, because keeping my bike is my wish



Wherever I ride, I am forced to bring

this heavy, awkward-shaped sonofabitch.

It hangs from my handlebars and clatters



I can neither hear my freewheel ticking

Nor can my thoughts go thinking of matters



Beyond the din or my poor ear’s splitting.

And though it frays cables and scratches paint,



Though it is heavy and rattles and rusts,

So long as I park outdoors I just ain’t

Gonna count on goodness or blithely trust

Cables; forever, I am still under

The mercy of its rusty cylinder.

And while the authorities agree on the matter of this arrangement, few if any offer coping strategies. As it turns out, life with a U really doesn’t have to be that rough; in fact, it can actually be an enjoyable relationship, so long as we establish a few basic principles of mutual respect and understanding with our partners.

The first step, accepting this reality, is enough for now. If you haven’t already, click on the links above, or read this article from tested.com about why you really have to use a U. Come back for another session tomorrow, and we’ll talk about the rest of the process.

For those of you who didn’t get it, the title of this post plays on the title of 1999’s best teen romantic comedy. Further, the sonnet pays homage to Shakespeare’s 141, to which the aforementioned film also alludes.