Photo by Mr. T in DC

We were particularly irate at Washington Times columnist Charles Hurt’s tirade against Capital Bikeshare this morning, and we let him know it. After shooting him an email with the link to our post, Hurt wrote us to let us know that he doesn’t want his money going to bikes with “disease-spreading handlebars.” His full, albeit brief response is below:

Just give me my money back. I think it is awesome you want to ride a dirty bike with disease-spreading handlebars that looks ridiculous. but just cut me out of it. give me my money back. that is all I ask. if it is so great, pay the full price for it and leave me alone. stop bullying me and taking my money and throwing it away on crap i do not want.

Hurt’s probably right—there’s probably a chance that someone with a virulent strain of the flu could sneeze in their hands, ride a bike and transfer the disease over to you. There’s a marginally higher chance that communist agitators have convinced local governments to endorse centralized two-wheeled public transit as a means to overthrow American capitalism (USA! USA!), though. Oh, wait. The whole plot is coming undone! Abort! Abort!