Critical Mass Tunnel Freaks

Robert Haston

The recent discussion about CM and cyclists who pick and choose whether to
obey laws, or play the I'm a pedestrian, now I'm a vehicle game.

I guess that's what happens when laws aren't enforced, people start using
their own judgment. Instead of everyone using the same somewhat ill fitting
laws, you have 40 million cyclists all operating under their own rules.

Back in the day, we instructed kids to drive their bikes like cars.
http://www.humantransport.org/bicyc...ies/movies.html

Unfortunately, the open street networks kids could safely cycle around in
have been replaced by pod developments dumping onto high speed
thoroughfares. Look at the old and new sections of any town; then count how
many cyclists and pedestrians you see.

That's what we get for "improving transportation" with 20 trillion or more
in automotive transport subsidies, such as "free" school bussing, "free"
parking, property, sales, and income taxes paying for auto and oil use. All
these have done is create a vicious cycle of more and more driving, less and
less walking and cycling, and fatter people. It may be that the biggest
hidden cost of auto subsidies is diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And
after a century of growing cities where driving gets a hidden 50% discount -
the oil runs out.

For example, imagine instead if:

Every school district in America tallied up its school bussing costs, then
gave this money to student's parents, but charged for school bussing.
Every employer gave employees a parking bonus, but charged for parking.
Every county deducted the cost of local roads and auto related police and
fire/rescue calls from property tax and raised gas taxes a quarter a gallon
to pay for it.

Your kid could bike to work and earn a few bucks a day in allowance. You
could take an alternative to solo driving and save several bucks or so in
parking and auto costs.

Its called capitalism.

"Jim Verheul" <jverheul@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:696dnZRGA-Q5X3HdRVn-tw@adelphia.com...
> Amen brother. The conduct of most cyclists embarrasses me. They make a bad
> name for all of us. In the US find the average motorist safer than the
> average cyclist. Cyclists, motorists, and police seem equally unaware of
the
> law though.
>
> On the critical mass thing, I have never seen one. I have only read of the
> ensuing police violence. I avoid violence, no matter who perpetrates it. I
> have heard people say that cyclists block traffic at these events.
Cyclists
> are traffic. Now if cyclists are doing this just to add to the traffic,
that
> seems dumb.
>
> And to many of you who cry "share the road": that's a concept that is open
> to all kinds of personal interpretation, just like courtesy. How about we
> all start by obeying the fucking law first! That seems like a necessary
> prerequisite to any unwritten vague guidelines.
>
> I would not be surprised if before I die I get rear ended by another
cyclist
> when I stop at a stop sign or light. I've hade close calls already. I have
> even been yelled at afterwards. How dare I impede someone who is above the
> law! I wonder how the case will be recieved in court. I have already been
> T-boned (no offence GR) by a cyclist running a stop sign. I guess Ken
Dubius
> never thought he needed to stop, or that another cyclist might be coming
on
> the other road.
>
> Right now it seems to me that a cyclist who obeys the law is a minority,
and
> even an outcast and many circles. People, please think about your conduct
on
> the road and consider what constructive improvements you could make in
your
> own behavior before you take to destructive behavior. If you ride with a
> team jersey emblazoned with big sponsor logos, think even harder. Not only
> can you embarrass the rest of us, but the people you piss off may be able
to
> read, and use a phone.
>
> JV
>
>
> "Robert Haston" <rehaston@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:<hlJGc.10648$yy1.6217@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>...
>
>
> From the complete retards who ride the wrong way at night with no
lights,
> to
> the jerks who decide that every traffic rule and device only applies to
> cars, they drive me nuts. But I only get mad at the latter.
>
>

eb

>>>>> "JimG" == Jim Verheul <jverheul@adelphia.net> writes:

JimG> Right now it seems to me that a cyclist who obeys the law is a
JimG> minority, and even an outcast and many circles.

Sure seems that way to me, although the other day I was hitting every
red light. Another cyclist was stopping as well and said "seems like
we're the only ones stopping."

This was in peak hour for goodness sake. Funny, I've only had bother
from a motorist twice in twelve months of daily commuting. Maybe that's
because I obey the law? Just a thought.
--
Regards
Euan

Tom Keats

[x-posts pruned a little]

In article <Jym.wzfz82sgnn.fsf@econet.org>,
Jym Dyer <jym@econet.org> writes:
>> On the critical mass thing, I have never seen one. I have
>> only read of the ensuing police violence. I avoid violence,
>> no matter who perpetrates it.
>
> =v= Critical Mass rides have been happening monthly (and in
> some places weekly) for the last 11 years, now spread to nearly
> 400 locations. Certainly the police riots and such make the
> news, but consider how few of them there are given the thousands
> of rides that have taken place.

Furthermore,
in the first post of this thread that appears in my newsreader's
rec.bicycles.misc listing (where Al Simon replies to and quotes
Dave Sutton,) Dave had given a number of press clippings which
indicate this particular CM ride in question was actually
sanctioned and overseen by the local police and other civic
authorities. The gist of the press clippings is: nothing
bad happened.


cheers,
Tom

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Christopher Jordan

"Free" property??? Perked my interest there! Santa Cruz has become a
crowded, clogged nightmare. For free property in a car-free zone; I
would be first on the list...

Chris Jordan
sunk in a tourist trap!


"Robert Haston" <rehaston@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<2qeHc.12175$yy1.6641@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>...

> That's what we get for "improving transportation" with 20 trillion or more
> in automotive transport subsidies, such as "free" school bussing, "free"
> parking, property, sales, and income taxes paying for auto and oil use.

LioNiNoiL_a t_N e t s c a p E_D 0 T_N e T

> They give cycling a bad name

Cycling has had a bad name since before the car was invented: get over it.

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