Something to ponder....

[Running Mommy]

What are your thoughts on this article? Personally I think it was very well written. Very even IMO

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/p...51/1033/NEWS01

[Zen]

Heres another view of Critical Mass.
http://video.bicycling.com/item/K298K5J9KYK856LJ

[IntenseRide]

As I was watching the video, I kept hearing this 'hippy' song in my head, I think it was by the Youngbloods in the 60's:


Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now


Wouldn't it be neat if we could just do that? But, I think that will only happen when women rule this world, even the song left us out.

[RoadRaven]

DISCLAIMER and Pre-Apology... no offence intended: this is not a personal comment directed at IntenseRide, but rather an observation having heard many "when women rule the world" comments



I'm afraid the cynic in me says bigots and facists come in both genders...

A comment like th one above

"I think that will only happen when women rule this world"

makes me think of "great" women leaders...

Benazir Bhutto... Maggie Thatcher... Golda Mair...



Oh... and RM... very interesting article you have found. I think my response to that is that local and central governments need to educate "the general public" about cycling benifits... family/personal healt/environment/sustainability etc etc etc...
Just like they have in this country with alcohol and education.
It can't be left to cyclists to change the minds of road-ragers...
Thank you for posting - very thought-provoking

[Crankin]

I agree whole heartedly with the article. I am constantly annoyed at the bad cycling behavior of the many groups that come out to my area to ride. Blatant disregard for the rules of the road on the part of many! Yes, I have encountered stupid motorists, but considering how much I ride, it's not THAT many.
I try to do my part when I lead rides in that I am a stickler for single file riding. Many towns around here are ticketing cyclists for riding 2 abreast. Some people still do not listen. Yes, we need to educate both sides.

[SheFly]

I, too, thought that the article was very well written. Often, as a driver, I am annoyed by cyclists in our area who do not obey the laws of the road. Sadly, it is these few who give the rest of us a bad name. As a ride leader or participant, I am very aware of traffic and the traffic laws, and do my best to have everyone in the group abide by the rules.

I have also been guilty of becoming angry with motorists who sometimes do really stupid things, putting me in danger. However, often those motorists are not aware that they are doing anything wrong - I truly believe that many think I am a recreational cyclist just putting along, so they can easily turn left/right in front of me with no consquence. They have no idea that I am either moving at the same speed as traffic, or just slightly below. However, flipping off a motorist, yelling at them, pounding on their cars - those reflect more badly on us as cyclists than doing nothing.

Watching the video actually made me pretty angry at the cyclists! The fact that the woman actually got out of the van was astounding, given the mob mentality and what was happening.

The short of it is that we should all think of ourselves as ambassadors. Don't give motorists any reason to perpetuate the thought that all cyclists are jerks. If someone does something to you that is offensive or dangerous, don't react negatively (you can try just smiling and waving, and then curse under your breath ).

Now if only we could all get along .

SheFly

[Mr. Bloom]

I agree whole heartedly with the article. I am constantly annoyed at the bad cycling behavior of the many groups that come out to my area to ride. Blatant disregard for the rules of the road on the part of many! Yes, I have encountered stupid motorists, but considering how much I ride, it's not THAT many.
I try to do my part when I lead rides in that I am a stickler for single file riding. Many towns around here are ticketing cyclists for riding 2 abreast. Some people still do not listen. Yes, we need to educate both sides.

Amen!

I don't know what some folks think...if a 150 lb cyclist wants to truly provoke the driver of a 2,000lb car, we know who loses. Silver and I debate this frequently as she "asserts her rights to the road"...this is one area where I'm more conservative than she is.

In Indiana, cyclists can legally ride in 2's side by side...but Everything is permissible...not everything is beneficial.

[IntenseRide]

DISCLAIMER and Pre-Apology... no offence intended: this is not a personal comment directed at IntenseRide, but rather an observation having heard many "when women rule the world" comments



I'm afraid the cynic in me says bigots and facists come in both genders...

A comment like th one above

"I think that will only happen when women rule this world"

makes me think of "great" women leaders...

Benazir Bhutto... Maggie Thatcher... Golda Mair...



Oh... and RM... very interesting article you have found. I think my response to that is that local and central governments need to educate "the general public" about cycling benifits... family/personal healt/environment/sustainability etc etc etc...
Just like they have in this country with alcohol and education.
It can't be left to cyclists to change the minds of road-ragers...
Thank you for posting - very thought-provoking

No offense taken , you said it better then I.

I felt sorry for the older woman getting out of the van also. She looked confused, along with the driver. I kept thinking about my grandparents. This Saturday is my first ride on the road with a group of people, and I know that I don't know 'everything' about road riding laws. That's where if people would just be charitable to one another, give a little bit of slack, it would go a long way. I don't expect anything more then common sense and courtesy, but since the vehicle outweighs me by probably 4,000 pounds, I think I should probably be the one that is extra cautious. But...I'm still going to wear my "Female Planet" t-shirt

[Geonz]

Oh, that article was well written - not *objectively* written (heavens, in this decade?) but well written in that it manipulates the reader well.
The cyclists were "an angry mob," the motorists "terrorized." yes, there was a token disclaimer that of course the author doesn't *know* what the drivers were doing ... besides being in a car and therefore at a huge advantage, but we'll ignore that, too... can we say "slanted from the start?"

I completely agree that the mob thing doesn't help anybody. I was *very* relieved that our Ride of Silence folks broke up into subgroups because of stop signs and red lights, and aggravated when at least one passerby was sure we were a critical mass ride.
I'd said at the beginning of our ride that we were about sharing the road; that yes, there was a temptation when being a big enough group that it was harder to "mess with us" to fall into riding as if we were the only ones on the road, but that we should avoid that temptation if only because that "we're in power and so we don't have to care if we hurt you" attitude is what we're trying to stop.

[RoadRaven]

This Saturday is my first ride on the road with a group of people

Really? Way to go! When you get with a friendly group of riders, it can be so much fun (and of course, usually, much safer because you are more visible! Looking forward to hearing how it goes/went for you