what causes flats?

it is true... flats happen
a cyclist can go five years without a flat
then get five flats in a week

what causes flats?
bad karma?

other than bad karma...
the two most simple causes of a flat tire on a bicycle would be a pinch flat (aka snake bike) or a puncture

the pinch flat or snake bike usually occurs when the tire is at a less than recommended tire pressure and there is aggressive contact with a rock, log, curb, or pothole causing the tire to compress against the rim, having the tire "pinch" itself in two spots creating two small holes that resemble a snake bike

the puncture can be caused by any of a number of things... thorns, glass, nails, staples, WHATEVER!

here in Washington DC we have a minimal recycling program... the city recycles paper and glass not much mnore
I do not think there is any recycling for plastic... but I could be wrong
there may be recycling or plastic bottles... but not other plastic food containers
this is wrong... DC NEEDS TO STEP UP!

http://dpw.dc.gov

but... before Washington DC goes GREEN and increases their Recycling Program DC NEEDS TO CLEAN UP!

it seems as if the DC RECYCLING TRUCKS HAVE SPRUNG A LEAK!

in the alley behind my house and in other alley ways around the city there is a massive amount of glass
it seems to me that the recycling trucks are stopping to pick up and crush the recycle-ables
while doing so... a mass of broken glass is dropped to the ground during this process
clusters of chunks of glass are all over the city... pretty much everywhere the recycling truck stops and runs its compression cycle

well...
in the last two weeks I have had multiple flat tires
numerous flat tires
and sadly... not all of them occur immediately
only a few were close enough to home to make the repairs with an actual pump

I am confident that the majority of these flats have been caused by an excess of glass left on the streets and alleyways by the DC Recycling Trucks
has anyone else noticed an increase in glass caused by the DC Recycling Trucks?

so...
watch out for glass
carry a pump and spare tube
and
contact those in charge to see if they are aware of the mess they are making and the hazards that they are causing