"da Tour" New York

Well, the '08 Tour de France is over and Carlos Sastre has won that three week paean to pain and tribulation. San Francisco doesn't have anything approaching the Alps or the Pyrenees, but the numerous hills are challenge enough for this aging cyclist. And although Manhattan isle is virtually flat as the proverbial pancake, I still stand in awe of anyone who dares venture to ride a bike in midtown Manhattan traffic, always did always will. New York is one of America's few remaining pedestrian cities (ie- a real city), but once you step off that pavement unto the asphalt, you are fair game- and a bicycle offers no protection, just more opportunities to get hit in that maddening vortex of NYC traffic. I understand steps have been taken there to make it more bike friendly, but it's gonna be one hard sell to convince this native. And this video of one of New York's finest tackling and body slamming a Critical Mass participant for no good reason does little to persuade otherwise...