Where the cyclists in America belong: back alleys, gutters andsidewalks

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 14, 9:54 pm, Gunner Asch <gun...@NOSPAMlightspeed.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:06:42 -0700 (PDT), donquijote1954
>
> <nolionnoprob...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Something funny happens though. The more you move to the right, the
> >more they squeeze you. It's a power game, I believe, where only the
> >strong (read SUVs and cars) survive.
>
> Evidently you have never heard the phrase "Right or Dead Right"
>
> Might want to ponder on that one for a bit.

Yep, and I have changed my survival strategy accordingly.

I have realized that America, despite her claims to democracy and
Christianity, is now ruled by the Law of the Jungle. The world seems
to know it now too. It's evident in her foreign policies that she's
getting hungrier. And it's even more clear when you live inside and
you notice that the top predators want to have an SUV to show their
power and wealth --if not to impose their might...

However dinosaurs are not forever. Actually, the hungrier they get,
the quicker they exhaust the resources, and the quicker they
disappear. But they were not known for having big brains either.

Someone may ponder about that too.

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 15, 12:33*am, Pat <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
> On Apr 14, 10:27*pm, frkry...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Apr 14, 9:54 pm, Pat <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
>
> > > If you can't keep up to road speed, get off the road or you'll get
> > > killed. *If you can keep up with traffic, you wouldn't have the
> > > problems.
>
> > > It's not the bike that people dislike, it's the speed you're going.
> > > Get over the whole bike thing and look within.
>
> > Pat (who?), Jack May, and "donquijote" all manage to be very wrong,
> > although the first two come at it from a different direction than our
> > "banana" boy.
>
> > No, you won't get killed riding a bike, despite what Jack and Pat
> > claim. *No, the world doesn't have to be transformed to make bicycling
> > safe, despite donquijote's paranoid whining.
>
> > All three of you need to learn a lot about the real data. The fatality
> > rate from bicycling is infinitesmal. *There are roughly fifteen
> > million miles ridden between bike fatalities. *People who cycle
> > regularly have been shown to live longer than typical motorists. *Many
> > researchers have found that the risk of cycling is less, per hour,
> > than the risk of motoring, or less than the risk of walking near
> > traffic.
>
> > Pat, get over the self-centered motorist thing. *The roads are NOT
> > intended for only the uses you prefer. *Slow down, share the road.
> > The few seconds it takes you to get past a bicyclist will not change
> > your life. *You're not going to use that time to save the world.
>
> > Jack, the Darwin award should go to the bulk of the population that
> > sits on fat asses in oversized vehicles and prepares for early heart
> > attack. *It has nothing to do with people keeping themselves healthy
> > by safe, healthy exercise. *Your remark on evolution shows a dismal
> > lack of science understanding. *Quit posting from a position of
> > ignorance.
>
> > Donquijote/comandante banana, quit your obnoxious whining. *If you're
> > too much of a wimp to ride without whining, leave us alone and do
> > something else.
>
> > To all three: *Sorry, I usually try not to be so harsh. *But massive
> > ignorance becomes grating after a while.
>
> > - Frank Krygowski
>
> You missed my point. *I don't think that biking is particularly
> dangerous and I don't care if anyone does it. *But donquijote
> constantly complains how dangerious it is and how he takes his life
> into his hands every time he gets on a bike because he thinks SUVs are
> aiming for him. *I think that if he feels that way, or if cars are
> really endangering him, then HE is doing something wrong and he needs
> to look at it. *In the example he gives, he is on a bridge and other
> bikers decide to walk or take precautionary measures but he decides
> not to and then complains how he almost go runned over. *Well, he
> needs to look within. *It ain't the bike that's causing his problems.
>
> I ride a motorcycle and I often say that if you ride like you're
> scared and hesitant, bad things will happen to you. *If you ride with
> confidence and control (and you ride in a predictable manner), then
> you cut down on the odds of having something bad happening.
>
> I think the odds of something bad happening to the average biker is
> quite low. *I think the odds of something bad happening to dq is
> pretty high, but it's his own doing.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Though you are usually dimwitted, you have made an interesting
point.

The SPEED DIFFERENTIAL puts me at odds with traffic, which I
experience on the bicycle and not on a scooter or motorcycle. That's
the reason I suggest LANE DISCIPLINE, where the right lane is kept at
a 20MPH limit. Actually the whole road may move faster that way since
the faster vehicles overtake on the left and don't have the need to
zigzag and put others at risk.

Priority #1 when the revolution comes.

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 15, 3:48*am, "Dave Larrington" <smert.spamio...@privacy.net>
wrote:
> Innews:5c225b35-5f40-41ff-849f-6d1780b9dbe6@t54g2000hsg.googlegroups.com,
> ComandanteBanana <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com> tweaked the Babbage-Engine to
> tell us:
>
> > That's where the cyclists in America belong: back
> > alleys, gutters and sidewalks.
>
> Remind me again why BRITONS should care?

Man, we are like brothers! Our headaches are tied up to OIL, but bikes
could at least be aspirine!

Don't you have Britons dying over oil supplies?

Eric Vey

ComandanteBanana wrote:
> On Apr 15, 3:48 am, "Dave Larrington" <smert.spamio...@privacy.net>
> wrote:
>> Innews:5c225b35-5f40-41ff-849f-6d1780b9dbe6@t54g2000hsg.googlegroups.com,
>> ComandanteBanana <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com> tweaked the Babbage-Engine to
>> tell us:
>>
>>> That's where the cyclists in America belong: back
>>> alleys, gutters and sidewalks.
>> Remind me again why BRITONS should care?
>
> Man, we are like brothers! Our headaches are tied up to OIL, but bikes
> could at least be aspirine!
>
> Don't you have Britons dying over oil supplies?

Not as many since they left Basra in September.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mi...ast/6975375.stm

Eric Vey

ComandanteBanana wrote:

Somebody IS organized.
http://spokesnfolks.blogspot.com/20...esponsible.html

Riders cheered the news last night that one of the toll lanes onto the
Rickenbacker Causeway is soon to be kept open for bicycles only on
weekdays and early weekend mornings. Jeff Cohen, of Miami-Dade Public
Works, said the change will take place when current modifications of the
toll gates are complete.

About four dozen cyclists turned out for the bicycle town hall session
in Coral Gables. We heard encouraging news about some South Dade streets
that will be redone to include bike lanes (details later), and an update
on the long series of bike-safety improvements on the Rickenbacker
between Miami and Key Biscayne. Most of us were getting our first look
at a path solution that will take westbound riders off the Rickenbacker
smoothly onto Brickell Avenue without having to mix it up with cars and
boat trailers in the flyover. There's more, but I'll have to report
later. It's tax day, you know...

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 15, 11:04*am, Eric Vey <jun...@ericvey.com> wrote:
> ComandanteBanana wrote:
>
> Somebody IS organized.http://spokesnfolks.blogspot.com/20...rahs-for-respon...
>
> Riders cheered the news last night that one of the toll lanes onto the
> Rickenbacker Causeway is soon to be kept open for bicycles only on
> weekdays and early weekend mornings. Jeff Cohen, of Miami-Dade Public
> Works, said the change will take place when current modifications of the
> toll gates are complete.
>
> About four dozen cyclists turned out for the bicycle town hall session
> in Coral Gables. We heard encouraging news about some South Dade streets
> that will be redone to include bike lanes (details later), and an update
> on the long series of bike-safety improvements on the Rickenbacker
> between Miami and Key Biscayne. Most of us were getting our first look
> at a path solution that will take westbound riders off the Rickenbacker
> smoothly onto Brickell Avenue without having to mix it up with cars and
> boat trailers in the flyover. There's more, but I'll have to report
> later. It's tax day, you know...

So what's the gain? It was free anytime, any day, no? Or you mean the
traffic lanes are being opened to bikes?

Eric Vey

ComandanteBanana wrote:
> On Apr 15, 11:04 am, Eric Vey <jun...@ericvey.com> wrote:
>> ComandanteBanana wrote:
>>
>> Somebody IS organized.http://spokesnfolks.blogspot.com/20...rahs-for-respon...
>>
>> Riders cheered the news last night that one of the toll lanes onto the
>> Rickenbacker Causeway is soon to be kept open for bicycles only on
>> weekdays and early weekend mornings. Jeff Cohen, of Miami-Dade Public
>> Works, said the change will take place when current modifications of the
>> toll gates are complete.
>>
>> About four dozen cyclists turned out for the bicycle town hall session
>> in Coral Gables. We heard encouraging news about some South Dade streets
>> that will be redone to include bike lanes (details later), and an update
>> on the long series of bike-safety improvements on the Rickenbacker
>> between Miami and Key Biscayne. Most of us were getting our first look
>> at a path solution that will take westbound riders off the Rickenbacker
>> smoothly onto Brickell Avenue without having to mix it up with cars and
>> boat trailers in the flyover. There's more, but I'll have to report
>> later. It's tax day, you know...
>
> So what's the gain? It was free anytime, any day, no? Or you mean the
> traffic lanes are being opened to bikes?

I read that one lane will be for bikes only. This will not be all the
time, but on weekdays and early weekend mornings. I don't live there, so
I don't know much more about it.

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 15, 11:26*am, Eric Vey <jun...@ericvey.com> wrote:
> ComandanteBanana wrote:
> > On Apr 15, 11:04 am, Eric Vey <jun...@ericvey.com> wrote:
> >> ComandanteBanana wrote:
>
> >> Somebody IS organized.http://spokesnfolks.blogspot.com/20...rahs-for-respon...
>
> >> Riders cheered the news last night that one of the toll lanes onto the
> >> Rickenbacker Causeway is soon to be kept open for bicycles only on
> >> weekdays and early weekend mornings. Jeff Cohen, of Miami-Dade Public
> >> Works, said the change will take place when current modifications of the
> >> toll gates are complete.
>
> >> About four dozen cyclists turned out for the bicycle town hall session
> >> in Coral Gables. We heard encouraging news about some South Dade streets
> >> that will be redone to include bike lanes (details later), and an update
> >> on the long series of bike-safety improvements on the Rickenbacker
> >> between Miami and Key Biscayne. Most of us were getting our first look
> >> at a path solution that will take westbound riders off the Rickenbacker
> >> smoothly onto Brickell Avenue without having to mix it up with cars and
> >> boat trailers in the flyover. There's more, but I'll have to report
> >> later. It's tax day, you know...
>
> > So what's the gain? It was free anytime, any day, no? Or you mean the
> > traffic lanes are being opened to bikes?
>
> I read that one lane will be for bikes only. This will not be all the
> time, but on weekdays and early weekend mornings. I don't live there, so
> I don't know much more about it.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Well, it ain't much of a difference I think.

Key Biscayne is like a bikers paradise (that's where the wealthy live
anyway), but once you go deep into the Miami jungle, things turn
scary. Your life won't be worth it more than a stray dog.

Pat

>>
> - Frank Krygowski

Frank, these posts occur every so often and I think there is an agenda
behind them. Otherwise, why all the cross-posting? What the OP has to say is
that it's an "us versus them" world---and "them" are homocidal maniacs bent
on destroying people riding bicycles. That is not the real world as you and
I both know. Ergo, I smell a troll with these posts.

Pat in TX

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 15, 11:50*am, "Pat" <in...@tmail.com> wrote:
> > - Frank Krygowski
>
> Frank, these posts occur every so often and I think there is an agenda
> behind them. Otherwise, why all the cross-posting? What the OP has to say is
> that it's an "us versus them" world---and "them" are homocidal maniacs bent
> on destroying people riding bicycles. That is not the real world as you and
> I both know. Ergo, I smell a troll with these posts.
>
> Pat in TX

I've said before you look retarded. Frank it's not even on *your
side,* since you hate bicycles, even though you don't care because you
live in the boondocks.

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 15, 12:08 pm, Jym Dyer <j...@econet.org> wrote:
> >> Remind me again why BRITONS should care?
> > Man, we are like brothers! Our headaches are tied up to
> > OIL, but bikes could at least be aspirine!
>
> =v= It seems you are missing the point, which has something
> to do with off-topic cross-posting. A thread about cyclists
> in America is OFF-TOPIC for uk.rec.cycling. Britons who are
> interested in this sort of thing are fully capable of choosing
> to subscribe to rec.bicycles.soc. Those who are not interested
> shouldn't be having to wade through tons of off-topic chatter.
>
> =v= The whole point of having separate newsgroups is so that
> people can stick to what they're interested in. Kindly honor
> this. None of this stuff belongs in rec.bicycles.rides, for
> example, and rec.bicycles.misc doesn't mean "crosspost anything
> and everything to this list." The purpose of *.misc newsgroups
> is for things not covered by other newsgroups.
>
> =v= Massive cross-posting is annoying and people respond by
> tuning out. It's kind of exactly the opposite of getting the
> message out to more people.
> <_Jym_>

Well, my arithmetic knowledge lets me know that if you publish in 5
groups, you have 5 times more chance to reach to out people.
Particularly when THE TOPIC IS TRULY UNIVERSAL. On the other hand,
when I turn on the radio I hear news I don't care about, like when
Bush says we are making progress in Iraq or that we need more research
into alternative transportation, as if bikes didn't exist.

Let those who don't want to listen to turn out. We will ALL be victims
of this jungle sooner or later.

donquijote1954

> Comandante, you need to find a better route!


Suzy, regrettably I don't live anywhere close to those places where
bicycles are OK, so I must be happy to do turn to my stationary bike,
and get my workout indoors...

But have you heard of Global Warming or the War in Iraq being
connected to what we drive? Should I also shot off the news from the
outside world?

Hey, I may as well go to church and pray that Armageddon is coming
soon...

Roger Zoul

"Pat" <intex@tmail.com> wrote in message
news:66k15pF2ks73bU1@mid.individual.net...
>
>>>
>> - Frank Krygowski
>
> Frank, these posts occur every so often and I think there is an agenda
> behind them. Otherwise, why all the cross-posting? What the OP has to say
> is that it's an "us versus them" world---and "them" are homocidal maniacs
> bent on destroying people riding bicycles. That is not the real world as
> you and I both know. Ergo, I smell a troll with these posts.
>
> Pat in TX
>

You smell a troll? This place is stinking to the high heavens with this
troll and his buddies.

frkrygow@gmail.com

On Apr 15, 10:45 am, ComandanteBanana <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com>
wrote:
> On Apr 14, 10:27 pm, frkry...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Pat (who?), Jack May, and "donquijote" all manage to be very wrong,
> > although the first two come at it from a different direction than our
> > "banana" boy.
>
> DonQuijote and ComandanteBanana are the same thing.

I'm aware of that.

>
> > No, you won't get killed riding a bike, despite what Jack and Pat
> > claim. No, the world doesn't have to be transformed to make bicycling
> > safe, despite donquijote's paranoid whining.
>
> > All three of you need to learn a lot about the real data. The fatality
> > rate from bicycling is infinitesmal. There are roughly fifteen
> > million miles ridden between bike fatalities. People who cycle
> > regularly have been shown to live longer than typical motorists. Many
> > researchers have found that the risk of cycling is less, per hour,
> > than the risk of motoring, or less than the risk of walking near
> > traffic.
>
> Man, you need to go in the jungle more often... "Riding a bicycle in
> peak-hour traffic is at best harrowing, and at worst downright
> treacherous."...

I've trimmed the rest of your usual paranoid whining.

I've ridden your "jungle" since I was in my 20s, many decades ago.
Unlike you, I've never needed to whine about how terrible the world
is. Unlike you, I've had no trouble dealing with traffic. Unlike
you, I've taken the time to look for actual data on bicycling's level
of danger. And in doing so, I found that despite the prevalence of
"Danger! Danger!" worriers, cycling is an _extremely_ safe activity.

I've commuted by bike since 1977. I've cycled in hundreds of cities,
and in peak rush hour in many of them. I've ridden in at least eight
countries. I've done many self-supported tours, up to 4000 miles.
I've ridden for nearly 40 years. In all that time, my only on-road
injury was one skinned knee. Off road, add one incident where I
scraped my hands a bit.

You're unreasonably paranoid and obnoxiously noisy about it. If
you're afraid to ride busy roads, don't do it. Ride where you're
comfortable, and quit your wimpy whining.

- Frank Krygowski