VELORUTION! (bike revolution)

ComandanteBanana

OK, assume a far away land --a Banana Republic if you will-- where the
cyclists are victims of discrimination and injustice, and all of a
sudden they come to power... and voila, VELORUTION!


Like the article bellow says, not all vehicles are equal... The
smaller, the more protection they need; the bigger, the more
responsibility. On urban multi-lane roads, the right lane has a set
speed of 20mph, monitored by speed cameras. Bikes ride the lane. Do
they get tickets for running red lights? Nah, they hurt no one but
themselves.


WHAT WOULD THE ROAD BE LIKE FOR CYCLISTS?


Be sure to have your T-shirt ready...

http://www.zazzle.com/donquijote195...516450?CMPN=ltt


This article describes how cyclists are at the bottom of the food
chain, even in a place known for traffic safety. Which means there
needs to be a worldwide change for cyclists' rights...


Cyclists are Victims of the Law of the Jungle

And in reference to the above article about London, this reader states
that cyclists should not have equal rights as automobiles, but
actually MORE rights.

Again, before there's war, it's better to separate.

Velorution in the mind The Financial Times has a worthy but dull
article on the resurgence of urban cycling in the UK, with a focus on
London. It cannot escape from the cliche' of the number of people
riding through red lights; it is like if every article about digital
photography mentioned people taking illegal pictures at museums. Of
course figures of injuries caused by riding through red lights are
never offered.

The torpor in the journalist's mind is evident in the last few
paragraphs:

There's no doubt that car drivers need to clean up their act. Taking
speed limits down to 20mph in built-up areas will make the roads safer
for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians alike. Enforcing the ban on
mobile phone use will help drivers become more attentive. And applying
the Highway Code more strictly will make many people think twice about
engaging in the current bully-boy hierarchy of bigger is better.
....

Now, saying that motor vehicles should have the same rights as
pedestrians or cyclists is like saying that water skiers should be
allowed on all waters in front of a popular beach. The Highway Code by
instigating this non-sensical equality status, that inevitably leads
to the law of the jungle, is bunk. It has the same moral standing as
the South African Pbutt Law.

It is not abiding to rules that we should exhort, but consideration to
all other people and especially to those who are more vulnerable than
ourselves. Yes there are definitely inconsiderate bicycle riders in
London, and it is absolutely no excuse to say, 'It is a jungle out
there, I need to defend my self'. We need to raise the level of social
responsibility, starting by ourselves. The roads are a commons to be
enjoyed by everyone, starting by people on foot. Then the greater or
more dangerous the vehicle one chooses to use, the fewer rights one
has and the more consideration one needs to give to more vulnerable
people.

http://www.ugroups.com/driver/Cycli...ungle-4890.html


WHY THE BANANA REVOLUTION?
http://webspawner.com/users/bananarevolution

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 18, 3:06 pm, "Pat" <in...@tmail.com> wrote:
> There is no bicycle war. There will be no war. It's all in your head.

Nobody said there's going to be war, just velorution.

But remember I said in a far away land, and "the chain is not stronger
than its weakest link," and there are many places boiling in the
world, like say Haiti.

They could use a lot of bikes instead of buying junk cars shipped from
Miami.

Jack May

"ComandanteBanana" <nolionnoproblem@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:75f6b3f2-f07a-4c83-921a-595db8e71de2@b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 18, 3:06 pm, "Pat" <in...@tmail.com> wrote:
>> There is no bicycle war. There will be no war. It's all in your head.
>
> Nobody said there's going to be war, just velorution.
>
> But remember I said in a far away land, and "the chain is not stronger
> than its weakest link," and there are many places boiling in the
> world, like say Haiti.
>
> They could use a lot of bikes instead of buying junk cars shipped from
> Miami.

The people in Haiti are starving to death and you want them to ride bikes
and die from expending the little energy they are getting from food? That
is really sick.

donquijote1954

On Apr 18, 5:44*pm, "Jack May" <jack....@comcast.net> wrote:
> "ComandanteBanana" <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:75f6b3f2-f07a-4c83-921a-595db8e71de2@b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>
> > On Apr 18, 3:06 pm, "Pat" <in...@tmail.com> wrote:
> >> There is no bicycle war. There will be no war. It's all in your head.
>
> > Nobody said there's going to be war, just velorution.
>
> > But remember I said in a far away land, and "the chain is not stronger
> > than its weakest link," and there are many places boiling in the
> > world, like say Haiti.
>
> > They could use a lot of bikes instead of buying junk cars shipped from
> > Miami.
>
> The people in Haiti are starving to death and you want them to ride bikes
> and die from expending the little energy they are getting from food? *That
> is really sick.

Well, this is the introduction I gave it to them...

Are Blacks the only victims of Apartheid?

Not only them, but the people who are poor and the people who ride
bicycles... Yep, poverty and bikes have to do with democracy. The poor
need bicycles to get to work, so they can eat. But more often than
not, it ain't safe to ride a bike, even in the richest nations of the
Earth! Cyclists are treated like second-class citizens, where SUVs
signal power and money, just like among the elites who rule the poor
nations. So it is that this revolution puts together LIBERATION,
BICYCLES AND DEMOCRACY...

Jeremy Parker

"ComandanteBanana" <nolionnoproblem@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a2e438bc-8b64-405a-a0d4-b80f7745d855@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> OK, assume a far away land --a Banana Republic if you will-- where
> the
> cyclists are victims of discrimination and injustice, and all of a
> sudden they come to power... and voila, VELORUTION!

Goodness gracious. All this is very un-British. I live, and ride my
bicycle in London, which seems to be the far-away land that you are
talking about. London's a pretty good city to ride a bicycle in, no
need for new laws or conventions.

We have a book that tells you how to do it, and describes the rules
and conventions which people should, and indeed do follow. It's
"Cyclecraft", by John Franklin. Highly recommended if you don't want
to win yourself a Darwin award.

Jeremy Parker

ComandanteBanana

(Hey, it seems that the Christians in their SUVs are in control of our
roads. What's a monkey riding a bike to do?)


OK, I finally took delivery of official vehicle of the revolution (the
trike), with plenty of space in the basket to carry bananas for the
lions.

Well, I made it alive because I rode the back alleys, gutters and
sidewalks of America, a strategy developed by our ancestors the
monkeys when they kept to the tree branches in order to survive. I
think on the road of evolution, Homo Sapiens somehow lost all common
sense. Somehow the alpha-male monkeys wanted to be a lion...

It was a nice ride.

http://www.zazzle.com/donquijote195...602224199217660


WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
http://webspawner.com/users/donquijote

Tom Keats

In article <1e34120b-3291-489b-a8c4-fea689a32529@26g2000hsk.googlegroups.com>,
ComandanteBanana <nolionnoproblem@yahoo.com> writes:

> (Hey, it seems that the Christians in their SUVs are in control of our
> roads.

Whaddaya expect? It's Sunday morning.

What's a monkey riding a bike to do?)

Scratch his ass and say: "Ook, ook."

> OK, I finally took delivery of official vehicle of the revolution (the
> trike), with plenty of space in the basket to carry bananas for the
> lions.

You must indeed be a sight to behold.

I hope you don't leave banana peels lyin' around
on the streets.

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 20, 11:43*am, tomke...@bud.garden.local (Tom Keats) wrote:
> In article <1e34120b-3291-489b-a8c4-fea689a32...@26g2000hsk.googlegroups.com>,
> * * * * ComandanteBanana <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com> writes:
>
> > (Hey, it seems that the Christians in their SUVs are in control of our
> > roads.
>
> Whaddaya expect? *It's Sunday morning.
>
> What's a monkey riding a bike to do?)
>
> Scratch his ass and say: "Ook, ook."

Well, that's actually a principle of solidarity (like that should
exist among the cyclists)...

http://www.zazzle.com/donquijote195...544539565161514

>
> > OK, I finally took delivery of official vehicle of the revolution (the
> > trike), with plenty of space in the basket to carry bananas for the
> > lions.
>
> You must indeed be a sight to behold.
>
> I hope you don't leave banana peels lyin' around
> on the streets.

Actually, that's my secret weapon. Also you have to know everything
about the jungle.

A monkey’s survival depend on knowing what’s going on in the jungle.
He knows the beasts are out there, and must stay out of their reach
because they are stupid and violent. That’s why the monkeys are still
around…

Motorist runs over woman, crashes into Walmart

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. (WSVN)—A woman is in critical condition after the
driver of pickup truck reportedly ran her over intentionally in a
Walmart parking lot Friday.

Police said the driver of the truck repeatedly rammed the woman’s mini-
van at the superstore along the 1800 block of Pines Boulevard. When
the victimized motorist tried to escape her vehicle, the enraged truck
driver ran over her and crashed his pickup into the retailer’s garden
center.

Authorities arrested the truck’s driver.

Paramedics trnsporte the victim to Memorial Regional Hospital.

http://www1.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI83576/

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 19, 3:39*pm, "Jeremy Parker" <JeremyPar...@compuserve.com>
wrote:
> "ComandanteBanana" <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:a2e438bc-8b64-405a-a0d4-b80f7745d855@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> > OK, assume a far away land --a Banana Republic if you will-- where
> > the
> > cyclists are victims of discrimination and injustice, and all of a
> > sudden they come to power... and voila, VELORUTION!
>
> Goodness gracious. *All this is very un-British. *I live, and ride my
> bicycle in London, which seems to be the far-away land that you are
> talking about. *London's a pretty good city to ride a bicycle in, no
> need for new laws or conventions.

Oh, c'mon. The article was written by a Briton about Great Britain.
I've said your driving laws are very good and your new laws
restricting traffic into London are very encouraging, but I trust the
writer's statement that cyclists still live under the law of the
jungle in London to be right.

Either London is like Amsterdam, or it's not a welcoming place for
cyclists. How many people ride bike in London? Give me a percentage to
show.

Anyway, I'd rather ride a bike in London than in places where still
the drivers ignore any civilized rules of the road. In America we have
to tame the beast first.

I read the reviews of the book, but I'm sure even bullfighting can be
done in a safe way if you know the tricks of the trade beyond "never
stand before the bull"...

http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/book_intro.html

ComandanteBanana

One of the problems we've got is that everybody is armed and
dangerous. Nowadays the good-ol'-fashioned finger is not enough. Some
carry a gun, and some simply use their vehicles as the weapon. What's
a cyclist to do in such a jungle? I'm going to write a book, "Monkey
survival skills for the cyclist." First advice...

http://www.zazzle.com/donquijote195...149274811492050


Road rage runs rampant
on Bay Area highways

....

For whatever reason, one's genitalia grow exponentially while moving
at 40 mph in a steel and aluminum cage. Being at the helm of a 2-ton
machine makes people feel powerful, I would assume, leading to extreme
reactions from otherwise rational people.

Unfortunately, those extreme reactions are becoming more deadly.

As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, a man driving on
Interstate Highway 280 was shot from a passing car. The man who died,
Luis Solari, died in front of his kids in the car. His offense: He cut
someone off.

The worst part is that this wasn't the first on Bay Area freeways this
month.

A woman was shot and killed April 3 on Interstate Highway 80 near
Pinole, and a man was shot along the same stretch of freeway April 1.
An arrest has been made in the former incident.

A gun is unnecessary, and says a lot about violence in our society.
Few problems, especially ones relating to cars, have ever been solved
by use of a gun. Words, even hand gestures, are better answers to the
whole problem. No one gets hurt with any of those.

Even fisticuffs are better. Bruises go away over time.

But expressing one's disgust at other people's driving by shooting a
gun at them is revealing because it's solving the problem of anger
with violence. Those who could angrily waive guns at you from passing
automobiles and potentially use them, may be showing their small
children in the back seats how not to act.

Until this point, the worst I got for cutting someone off was the
finger, not a bullet in the chest.

http://media.www.thespartandaily.co...s-3321714.shtml

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 21, 12:25 am, Bob <hunr...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Apr 20, 5:49 pm, ComandanteBanana <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> > One of the problems we've got is that everybody is armed and
> > dangerous.
>
> Hyperbole must be part of the Troll's Rules of Conduct. If "everybody
> is armed and dangerous" every day should be one gigantic bloodbath
> with hundreds of thousands killed or maimed yet that isn't the case.

There are such a bad combination: BAD LAWS + CARS + GUNS = DEATH &
FEAR

Yep, bad laws --or lack of good laws-- start the cycle of violence.
Case in point is the lack of legislation or enforcement about passing
laws. Here's what's going on in my particular city that shouldn't be
much different from your average American city...

> Miami is such a sprawling area. I don’t see how, even in the best possible circumstances, how the ENTIRE city could be bike-friendly.

Politicians and officers don’t care about bikes, one way or the other.
There ain’t much money in it. And basically you are at the good will
of drivers, who often feel cyclists are, at best, a nuisance.

But ALL IS NEEDED IS THE RIGHT LAWS, one that let’s you pass on the
left when in a hurry, and go slow on the right --as slow as 20mph if
we want to accomodate scooters and bikes. That’s THE WAY THEY DO IT IN
CIVILIZED COUNTRIES, not in the Banana Republics…

Road Rage Bill Clears Committee

A bill aimed at curbing road rage made it through its first Senate
committee, though similar legislation has stalled in recent years.

The legislation would attempt to reduce road rage by requiring drivers
to move out of the farthest lane left when being overtaken by faster
vehicles. It also would improve the flow of traffic, said the bill’s
sponsor, Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.

One problem with the bill is that a person driving the legal speed
limit could be ticketed for not pulling over for someone who is
exceeding it, said Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, who voted against
the bill. The bill would also cause problems during rush hour because
there’s always someone in the left lane wanting to pass the car in
front of him, he said.

The Senate Committee on Transportation approved the bill (SB 658) with
a vote of 4-3. A similar House bill (HB 1177) passed its first
committee last week. The bill has several more stops before making it
to the floor of either chamber.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20.../803260577/1374


>
> > Until this point, the worst I got for cutting someone off was the
> > finger, not a bullet in the chest.
>
> The inference to be drawn from this would seem to be that you've
> recently been shot for cutting someone off in traffic. In that case,
> best wishes for a speedy recovery- and stop cutting people off.
>
> Regards,
> Bob Hunt

I simply quoted that article, but I share his concern. Settling
something with a finger or a gun are two different things.

The result of the equation above is that people are exposed to a real
threat, particularly if they assert their right with a finger. And
while few people actually get shot, the rest of the population live in
fear. Particularly the cyclists.

And we would have to start with changing the laws of the republic...

ComandanteBanana

The only hope the cyclists got is that things get bad enough in the
international jungle. Yep, what may be bad news for the Stupid
Unnecessary Vehicles, may be good news for the smart and efficient
cyclits...

Oil prices spike to record above $117
Monday April 21, 9:53 am ET

Oil prices climb to record above $117 a barrel after Mideast attack on
Japanese oil tanker

Oil prices spiked to a record above $117 a barrel on Monday after a
Japanese oil tanker was attacked off the east coast of Yemen.
The 150,000-ton tanker Takayama was attacked about 270 miles off the
Yemen coast in the Gulf of Aden while it was heading for Saudi Arabia,
its Japanese operator, Nippon Yusen K.K., said in a statement posted
on its Web site.

***

But no need to cry over the soccer moms. They can use something like
this...

(cute, no?)

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...3Den %26sa%3DN

ComandanteBanana

On Apr 21, 2:35 am, Harry Brogan
<hbrogan57_AT_NOSPAM_DOT_YAHOO_DOT_COM> wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:25:50 -0700 (PDT), Bob <hunr...@aol.com> wrote:
> >On Apr 20, 5:49 pm, ComandanteBanana <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com>
> >wrote:
> >> One of the problems we've got is that everybody is armed and
> >> dangerous.
>
> >Hyperbole must be part of the Troll's Rules of Conduct. If "everybody
> >is armed and dangerous" every day should be one gigantic bloodbath
> >with hundreds of thousands killed or maimed yet that isn't the case.
>
> >> Until this point, the worst I got for cutting someone off was the
> >> finger, not a bullet in the chest.
>
> >The inference to be drawn from this would seem to be that you've
> >recently been shot for cutting someone off in traffic. In that case,
> >best wishes for a speedy recovery- and stop cutting people off.
>
> >Regards,
> >Bob Hunt
>
> It's only relatively recently, here in the U.S., that people have not
> been able to be "armed" while out and about. I don't recall reading
> anywhere about the "old west" being a blood bath.
> __o | Every time I see an adult on a bicycle....
> _`\(,_ | I no longer despair for the human race.
> (_)/ (_) | ---H.G. Wells---- Hide quoted text -

Well, it seems to have been pretty wild...

I don't think many travellers would have dared ride a horse alone. No
safer than riding a bike in traffic today.

That's why "circle the wagons" came to be a popular saying.

Jeremy Parker

[snip]

>> Goodness gracious. All this is very un-British. I live, and ride
>> my
>> bicycle in London, which seems to be the far-away land that you
>> are
>> talking about. London's a pretty good city to ride a bicycle in,
>> no
>> need for new laws or conventions.

>Oh, c'mon. The article was written by a Briton about Great Britain.

As, indeed, was my previous e-mail. As indeed is this one. I can
look out of my window, right here, at actual London traffic.

>I've said your driving laws are very good

Thankyou. I missed that posting, I guess. My apologies. What is it
about our laws that impresses you? Are we unique, or do other places
have similar laws?

> and your new laws
>restricting traffic into London are very encouraging,

Well, I have to admit that we haven't quite reached perfection yet.
Oxford Street, for example, from which private cars were already
banned before the congestion charge, has obviously - all too
obviously - not had its congestion reduced at all, because all those
buses, taxis, and delivery vehicles still clog it up. The "City"
part of London probably benefited more from the "ring of steel" anti
terrorism precautions which were introduced somewhat before the
congestion charges reduced motorised traffic still further.

>but I trust the
>writer's statement that cyclists still live under the law of the
>jungle in London to be right.

Hmm. As one who lives here, and cycles here, I would say that is
unwise. Cycling is safe enough here that, if you do choose to live
by the law of the jungle, your mean free path between collisions
might be long enough for you to get away with it, but it's still not
a good idea.

>>Either London is like Amsterdam, or it's not a welcoming place for
>cyclists.

Now you are just being silly. Cambridge is the British city which
has more cycling than Amsterdam, but I think that London is a better
city to cycle in than Cambridge. Of course, London has a good enough
public transport system for really the only reason to ride a bike in
London to be because it is fun. People travel thousands of miles to
come and ride on our buses, and our taxis, and their drivers, really
are wonderful. A London taxi can carry a bike, too, in case of
emergency.

London is rather bigger than Amsterdam. London was the largest city
in the world when I was growing up, although other ciries have long
since overtaken it. Amsterdam is such a dinky little town that you
can **walk** from the center of town - the main train station - to
the Ring Road, their beltway, in an hour.

>How many people ride bike in London?

The should be new annual figures out any time now - watch for a press
release from Transport for London on their web site www.tfl.gov.uk.
Last years figures estimate 480 000 journeys a day. I would guess
that most people take around two journeys a day, rather than getting
on the train with their bike to come home again. Whether this
includes journeys to a train station, I don't know. Most London
statistics count only the "main leg" of a journey, so riding to the
station to catch a train might not be counted

>Give me a percentage to
>show.

About 1.5% averaged over all London. Around 7% in Central London
(roughly the congestion charge zone). The south western part of
London seems to have a higher rate of cycling than average, nobody
knows why. London is tending now to base its statistics on the
automatic bike counters on the TLRN (Trunk London Road Network)
Because of the nature of the TLRN this might lead to some
undercounting in Outer London.

>Anyway, I'd rather ride a bike in London than in places where still
>the drivers ignore any civilized rules of the road. In America we
>have
>to tame the beast first.

Having ridden many miles on both sides of th Altlantic, I would say
that there is not much in it, though there are, of course, many
places in the USA where I have not ridden (Chicago, for example).
Civilized or not - that might depend on your definition of civilized,
which doesn't always seem to be the same as everyone's on this
newsgroup - I would say that there always are rules, and when you
ride or bike, or are anywhere among other people, it's advisable to
know what those rules are.

>I read the reviews of the book, but I'm sure even bullfighting can
>be
>done in a safe way if you know the tricks of the trade

[snip]

The moral of which, I take it, is to know the tricks of the trade.
Buy a copy of "Effective Cycling"

Jeremy Parker