"Wrong-Way Fred Gets Dead"

Since 2001, over 90,000 cyclist's have joined Cycling Forums to discuss topics from general cycling to equipment, training, racing and travel or vacation destinations (especially in europe during the tour de france). We also feature an great deals in our online store, 100's of articles, classifieds and product reviews.

I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.

Bad grammar, but it rhymes, it's quick to say, and while
they may not grasp its meaning immediately it may stick in
their heads and make a connection later on.

And it's a way for me to release my frustration without
being too confrontational.

If it catches on, over the months or years it could even
lead to more public discussion of the dangers of wrong-
way cycling.

RichC

On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 23:44:26 -0400, "Rich Clark"
<rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net> wrote:

>I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.

"What did that guy say?"

"I dont' know. Some kook on a bike. Don't mind."

In article <k7-dnc5hAt6BR3ndRVn-sA@comcast.com>,
"Rich Clark" <rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net> writes:

> I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.

Here in Canada, we have a perennial hypnotist/entertainer
named Reveen. He has distinctive sideburns and a goatee.

We also have a TV series (sort of a Canadian 'Coronation
Street') called 'Trailer Park Boys', in which one of the
characters, Ricky, looks a little like Reveen. In one
sequence, some BMX punks ride by, taunting him and calling-
out: "Hey, Reveen!" He chides back: "I'll Reveen you, ya
f***in' little bastards!" They respond with: "F*** off,
Reveen!" as they ride off into the distance.

Yelling at people generally doesn't get anything done.
Except maybe on 'American Chopper'.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Rich Clark <rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net> wrote:

> I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.
>
> Bad grammar, but it rhymes, it's quick to say, and while
> they may not grasp its meaning immediately it may stick in
> their heads and make a connection later on.
>
> And it's a way for me to release my frustration without
> being too confrontational.
>
> If it catches on, over the months or years it could even
> lead to more public discussion of the dangers of wrong-way
> cycling.

i have to restrain the urge to stop and lecture every
wrong-way rider i see. why don't they understand how
dangerous it is?

In article <1gg9nyy.1pcpywc107vtosN%dhrravr@ohatzhapu.bet>,
dhrravr@ohatzhapu.bet (The Queen of Cans and Jars) writes:

> i have to restrain the urge to stop and lecture every
> wrong-way rider i see. why don't they understand how
> dangerous it is?

Because they haven't been clobbered yet. And worse, a lot of
'em were 'officially' taught to ride that way.

But they pose a bigger threat to right way cyclists than
right way cars. But there aren't as many cyclists as
drivers, and on city streets bikes generally occupy a
slightly different road space than cars, so the odds are a
little more in their favour.

Anyhow, wrong way cyclists can generally see what's
happening ahead of them, and deke toward the curb if
need be. Trouble is, right way cyclists have to decide
whether to pass them port to port, or starboard to
starboard. And who knows what squirrely move they're
gonna make in the meantime?

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com (http://mikebeauchamp.com/)

In article <cc37070uv@enews1.newsguy.com>,
"Mike Beauchamp" <news@mikebeauchamp.com> writes:

Quite.

That bit on Trailer Park Boys still arouses a chuckle in me,
though. I guess it's all in the delivery.

That show has quite a few bicycle moments, if you look for
them.

I think Bubbles should have gotten a bike instead of
the go-kart.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Tom Keats wrote:

> In article
> <1gg9nyy.1pcpywc107vtosN%dhrravr@ohatzhapu.bet>,
> dhrravr@ohatzhapu.bet (The Queen of Cans and Jars) writes:
>
>
>>i have to restrain the urge to stop and lecture every
>>wrong-way rider i see. why don't they understand how
>>dangerous it is?
>
>
> Because they haven't been clobbered yet. And worse, a lot
> of 'em were 'officially' taught to ride that way.

And a certain percentage of them think "Yeah, I know what
the law is, but I'm smarter than most people. I'm so smart
that I can ride _this_ way, and it's actually better!"

--
--------------------+ Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove
rodent and vegetable dot com, replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

"Rich Clark" <rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net> writes:

>I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.

>Bad grammar, but it rhymes,

So does "wrong-way shit gets hit."

I doubt either helps much.

You might as well ask something like "Just get back from a
tour of England?"

--kyler

On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 10:51:41 -0400, Frank Krygowski
<frkrygow@mousepotato.com> wrote:

>Tom Keats wrote:
>
>> In article
>> <1gg9nyy.1pcpywc107vtosN%dhrravr@ohatzhapu.bet>,
>> dhrravr@ohatzhapu.bet (The Queen of Cans and Jars)
>> writes:
>>
>>
>>>i have to restrain the urge to stop and lecture every
>>>wrong-way rider i see. why don't they understand how
>>>dangerous it is?
>>
>>
>> Because they haven't been clobbered yet. And worse, a lot
>> of 'em were 'officially' taught to ride that way.
>
>And a certain percentage of them think "Yeah, I know what
>the law is, but I'm smarter than most people. I'm so smart
>that I can ride _this_ way, and it's actually better!"

The law might as well not exist, since I don't think I've
ever seen a cop enforce it on wrong-way riders.

-Luigi

On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 11:25:28 -0400, Luigi de Guzman
<luigi12081@cox.net> wrote in message
<3ivae0tf8unvl7ku5pe9acbatpsg1a941n@4ax.com>:

>The law might as well not exist, since I don't think I've
>ever seen a cop enforce it on wrong-way riders.

Just as well it does exist, since it's the same law that
keeps all the mobile death greenhouses on the same side of
the street :-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk (http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/)

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

"Kyler Laird" <Kyler@news.Lairds.org> wrote in message
news:eg7gr1-u35.ln1@lairds.us...
> "Rich Clark" <rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net> writes:
>
> >I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.
>
> >Bad grammar, but it rhymes,
>
> So does "wrong-way shit gets hit."

I like that. Can I use it?
>
> I doubt either helps much.
>
> You might as well ask something like "Just get back from
> a tour of
England?"

I'm sure that one would sail right past, unimpeded by
comprehension.

No, what I'm after is creating a meme and helping it spread.

RichC

"Luigi de Guzman" <luigi12081@cox.net> wrote in message
news:jrp9e0tvk69cc4cr3ds53h3lrl9icjclcs@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 23:44:26 -0400, "Rich Clark"
> <rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net> wrote:
>
> >I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.
>
> "What did that guy say?"
>
> "I dont' know. Some kook on a bike. Don't mind."

It's not important that they understand it. It just has to
stick somewhere, like a mild anesthetic burr. If a phrase
gets repeated often enough, a meme is born.

And it makes me feel better, and keeps me from doing
something really stupid, like whacking them with a frame
pump as I pass.

RichC

On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 23:44:26 -0400, "Rich Clark"
<rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net> wrote:
>I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.

All they can hear is "...ay Fre...".
--
Rick Onanian

Rich Clark wrote:
> I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.
>

It's a waste of breath. Those guys are too dumb to realize
how dangerous their behaviour really is. Hopefully, Darwin
will take care of those folks before they reproduce, but I'm
not holding my breath.

Regards,
H.

>Subject: "Wrong-Way Fred Gets Dead"
>From: "Rich Clark" rdclark2SPAM@TRAPcomcast.net
>Date: 7/1/2004 11:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: <k7-dnc5hAt6BR3ndRVn-sA@comcast.com>
>
>I call this out to wrong-way riders as I pass them.
>
>Bad grammar, but it rhymes, it's quick to say, and while
>they may not grasp its meaning immediately it may stick in
>their heads and make a connection later on.
>
>And it's a way for me to release my frustration without
>being too confrontational.
>
>If it catches on, over the months or years it could even
>lead to more public discussion of the dangers of wrong-
>way cycling.
>
>RichC
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Trouble is, they believe YOU are the "wrong-way Fred"

Bill, riding bent in Florida (hence the screen name)

I may be old and fat, but by golly,

I'm Slow!

To e-mail, remove undies

"maxo" <maxo@NOSPAMhome.se> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.07.02.19.19.52.79875@NOSPAMhome.se...
> On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 15:08:56 +0000, Kyler Laird wrote:
>
> >
> > You might as well ask something like "Just get back from
> > a tour of England?"
>
> That's pretty much what I say. I'll usually turn around
> and catch up on the correct side of the street --they'll
> laugh and say that they're not English, and I'll remind
> them of the law. Then the rider will say, "whatever", and
> I'll say "not 'whatever', it's the law", and they'll say,
> "you can't tell me what to do", and I'll say, "no, but I
> can remind you of the law", and at this point they usually
> escalate it to,

> dangers of additive impact velocity", then they'll shake
> their heads and I'll give up.
>
>
> See, it's fun! :D
>
> That's an example of the dialogue, and it occurs several
> times per week 'round here. I suppose I should let it go,
> but--it seems no less stupid than driving your car on the
> wrong side of the road. Less dangerous for others
> perhaps...
>
> What needs to happen is for cops to stop these cyclists
> once and spend, oh lets say, ONE MINUTE, and remind them
> what the law is. That's all it will take.
>
> Fat chance that happening round here though, even though
> there's a couple letters in the paper per week during the
> summer complaining about cyclists.

And all this is why I've chosen to reduce it all to "wrong-
way Fred gets dead." Much better satisfaction/hassle ratio.

RichC

Glad to see a Trailer Park Boys fan on this NG! And yeah..
the Raveen / Patrick Swayze bit is still funny. I find the
funniest one is in the pilot/movie when they are sitting in
the car.. it goes on for 10 solid minutes.

Mike http://mikebeauchamp.com (http://mikebeauchamp.com/)

"Tom Keats" <tomk2003@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:aia3cc.h7d.ln@bud.garden.local...
> In article <cc37070uv@enews1.newsguy.com>, "Mike
> Beauchamp" <news@mikebeauchamp.com> writes:

>
> Quite.
>
> That bit on Trailer Park Boys still arouses a chuckle in
> me, though. I guess it's all in the delivery.
>
> That show has quite a few bicycle moments, if you look
> for them.
>
> I think Bubbles should have gotten a bike instead of the
> go-kart.
>
>
> cheers, Tom
>
> --
> -- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden.
> I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

"maxo" <maxo@NOSPAMhome.se> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.07.02.22.26.25.614205@NOSPAMhome.se...

> It might work in your town/city, but a cute phrase round
> here (Nashville) will just get you branded as a wierdo.

Being an adult riding a bike for transportation, by choice,
pretty much takes care of that around here.

> Full on confrontation seems to work better.

Too many guns.
>
> Let's just say I haven't had to confront the same cyclist
> twice. Perhaps that's luck, or maybe I'm making a
> difference. Most likely I'm on my way to get my ass
> kicked...but they'll have to catch me first.

Faster than a speeding bullet, are you?

RichC

maxo wrote:
> On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 17:56:42 -0400, Rich Clark wrote:
>
>
>>And all this is why I've chosen to reduce it all to
>>"wrong-way Fred gets dead." Much better
>>satisfaction/hassle ratio.
>>
>>RichC
>
>
> I'm not concerned about smug satisfaction--I'm concerned
> about safety. I don't shout at everybody, but I make sure
> to lay into those that I do--well I don't lay into them
> until they start acting like assholes. :D
>
> It might work in your town/city, but a cute phrase round
> here (Nashville) will just get you branded as a wierdo.
> Full on confrontation seems to work better.

Would playing chicken qualify as confrontation? I usually
just wobble back and forth generally toward them and look
frightened until they freak out and run to the curb or, for
lack of intelligence, dodge around me by heading into the
oncoming traffic.

>
> Let's just say I haven't had to confront the same cyclist
> twice. Perhaps that's luck, or maybe I'm making a
> difference. Most likely I'm on my way to get my ass
> kicked...but they'll have to catch me first. :D

That's the great thing about bicycles.