Roads are for cars only!

[stratrider]

It's an attitude I see more now than ever before even in spite of
through-the-roof gas prices! How dare I position my bike in the left
turn lane while waiting to make a LEFT! How dare I use public roadways
the same way motorists use them! Why don't I get a car! Get on the
sidewalk! I was told that a few weeks ago! The impatience, anger and
contempt I see in some motorists is getting worse. And it's spread
from angry young men to women as well! How sad is that! What is
happening to our society?

Jim Reilly
Reading, PA

 

[sfb]

When a driver tells me to ride on the side walk, I tell them when you take a
bus.

"stratrider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It's an attitude I see more now than ever before even in spite of
> through-the-roof gas prices! How dare I position my bike in the left
> turn lane while waiting to make a LEFT! How dare I use public roadways
> the same way motorists use them! Why don't I get a car! Get on the
> sidewalk! I was told that a few weeks ago! The impatience, anger and
> contempt I see in some motorists is getting worse. And it's spread
> from angry young men to women as well! How sad is that! What is
> happening to our society?
>
> Jim Reilly
> Reading, PA
>

 

[Ken C. M.]

stratrider wrote:
> It's an attitude I see more now than ever before even in spite of
> through-the-roof gas prices! How dare I position my bike in the left
> turn lane while waiting to make a LEFT! How dare I use public roadways
> the same way motorists use them! Why don't I get a car! Get on the
> sidewalk! I was told that a few weeks ago! The impatience, anger and
> contempt I see in some motorists is getting worse. And it's spread
> from angry young men to women as well! How sad is that! What is
> happening to our society?
>
> Jim Reilly
> Reading, PA
>
I have been told to "Ride that thing on the sidewalk!" and replied back
"Drive your suv on the side walk!" But mostly when someone yells
something at me from a moving motor vehicle I just smile and wave. Then
they look at me like I am crazy.

Ken
--
Messengers and mountain bikers share a common chromosome. ~James Bethea

 

[JimmyMac]

stratrider wrote:
> It's an attitude I see more now than ever before even in spite of
> through-the-roof gas prices! How dare I position my bike in the left
> turn lane while waiting to make a LEFT! How dare I use public roadways
> the same way motorists use them! Why don't I get a car! Get on the
> sidewalk! I was told that a few weeks ago! The impatience, anger and
> contempt I see in some motorists is getting worse. And it's spread
> from angry young men to women as well! How sad is that! What is
> happening to our society?

A few years back, a cyclinst in Illiniois rode over a bridge in dire
need of repair. The road surface caused him to crash resulting in
injury and damage to his bike. He sued and the case went all the way
to the Illinois Supreme Court where the final decision rendered was
unfortunate ... "cylists are not the intended users of roadways". I'm
hoping that this will not become a trend.

Jim McNamara

> Jim Reilly
> Reading, PA

 

[Ian Smith]

On Thu, 28 Sep 2006, Ken C. M. <[email protected]> wrote:

> But mostly when someone yells something at me from a moving motor
> vehicle I just smile and wave. Then they look at me like I am
> crazy.

I mostly smile and wave, but occasionally I blow them a kiss. That
really upsets some people.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

 

[The Reverend]

stratrider wrote:
> It's an attitude I see more now than ever before even in spite of
> through-the-roof gas prices!<

>>snip<<

It's not despite higher gas prices - it's because of higher gas prices.

Every culture has Cultural Norms. Car Worship is one of ours.

Refusal to Worship the Car is interpreted in different ways by
different people:
- Bemusement: "Do you really ride that thing everywhere?"
- Concern: "Aren't you worried that you're going to get killed?"
- Wishful thinking: "I wish I had the energy to do that...."

There will also be a small percentage of drivers who interpret Refusal
to Worship the Car as a kind of gratuitous rebellion - an unwillingness
to assume Adult Responsibilities by refusing to make a Car Payment, or
by refusing to invest greater and greater amounts income to fossil
fuel.

The higher the price of gasoline goes - the angrier these people get.
They are paying more - enjoying it less - and taking their anger out on
people who have chosen another paradigm.

This is not to say that higher gas has not also had a positive effect.
Bicyclists are much more common in my Fair City than they were even a
year ago - people of my acquaintance who used to be undecided about
bicycling commuting are giving it a try - and I can see Critical Mass
coming ever closer.

--- Nate Briggs (SLC)

 

[Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman]

Ian Smith wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Sep 2006, Ken C. M. <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > But mostly when someone yells something at me from a moving motor
> > vehicle I just smile and wave. Then they look at me like I am
> > crazy.
>
> I mostly smile and wave, but occasionally I blow them a kiss. That
> really upsets some people.

Doing that to a redneck in the US might get you killed for being a
homosexual.

--
Tom Sherman - Here, not there.

 

[Ludmila Borgschatz-Thudpucker, MD]

"Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>>
>> I mostly smile and wave, but occasionally I blow them a kiss. That
>> really upsets some people.
>
> Doing that to a redneck in the US might get you killed for being a
> homosexual.

You're almost right.

Statistically, the more likely way to get in trouble would be to do that to
a macho Latino. They're more likely to be offended by this gesture, more
prevalent than the stereotypical storybook "redneck in the US" who appeals
to your unique bigotry, and more likely to be armed.