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#11
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The Cyclist Disposition
As disillusioned as I am about the so-called good natured
personalities of bicyclists, I actually didn't post this topic to perpetuate the name-calling and flaming. The truth is, I actually feel badly for some of these guys who are so full of rage that virtually ANYTHING can set them off. In another bicycling news group, I started a thread about what I feel has been irresponsible, biased reporting of car/bicycle collisions in a local Long Island newspaper. Essentially, my argument is that the reporting consistently (perhaps not consciously) demonstrates a knee- jerk assumption that the bicyclist is always somehow at fault. This, in my opinion, fuels the attitude among drivers that cyclists are no more than dangerous nuisances who should not be anywhere near the roads - which, in turn, causes drivers to react a certain way to cyclists - WHICH often winds up in deadly collisions. I've been passionate about this issue since a kid in my youth group was killed by a reckless driver a few years back. By all witness accounts, the boy was doing everything right as a vehicle on the road; yet, the paper reported the story in such a way that made him look as if he was killed in the act of being a daredevil. His parents were devastated; once by the death of their son, and again by the depiction of this outstanding student and community servant in the news as just another goofy kid acting irresponsibly on his bicycle. As if my entire point was just a puff of gas, one member of the discussion group immediately jumped on my ass for not showing enough emotion for the victims of the bicycle accidents that were the topic of my thread. To me, just the fact that I took the time to collect these articles and post the thread seems enough evidence that I feel horribly for these victims and their friends and families. However, this member, who apparently had not been following the thread very closely, waited no time at all to blow a capillary and spew all kinds of insults and expletives in my direction. I tried to clarify my point to this person, but it soon became clear that nothing was going to satisfy him/her. He/she just needed to blow and feel smart and powerful. This is just one of many times I've been attacked in this manner, as I'm sure many of you also have. I guess we all just want to feel important, and in this age that affords anyone with an Internet connection the opportunity to gain fame and credibility just by shouting loud enough, it's become almost an obsession for some people to shout about anything just to be heard. Perhaps THAT's it? Maybe it's just that, as cyclists, nobody wants to listen to us. Therefore, when presented with a forum of somewhat like- minded people, we can't seem to shut up...the current rambling post included! |
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#12
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The Cyclist Disposition
On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:58:56 -0700, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote: I think it's newsgroups in general that seem to collect personalities that get their jollies by acting superior, putting people down, finding fault, and feeding their egos by in this way. But also this newsgroup in particular. I belong to several newsgroups where civil discussion is the rule. In these newsgroups, ignoring malicious posts is part of the culture, and nobody jumps on a civil post just because the author is a sociopath. When people refuse to play schoolyard games, the bullies have to go elsewhere to get their jollies. One bully who likes to pick on women (and is under the delusion that only women sew) got so frustrated in alt.sewing that he started forging the names of regulars. When even that didn't persuade anyone to play yah-yah-you're-another with him, he went away. -- Joy Beeson joy beeson at comcast dot net |
#13
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The Cyclist Disposition
In article ,
Papa Tom writes: In another bicycling news group, I started a thread about what I feel has been irresponsible, biased reporting of car/bicycle collisions in a local Long Island newspaper. Essentially, my argument is that the reporting consistently (perhaps not consciously) demonstrates a knee- jerk assumption that the bicyclist is always somehow at fault. This, in my opinion, fuels the attitude among drivers that cyclists are no more than dangerous nuisances who should not be anywhere near the roads - which, in turn, causes drivers to react a certain way to cyclists - WHICH often winds up in deadly collisions. I've been passionate about this issue since a kid in my youth group was killed by a reckless driver a few years back. By all witness accounts, the boy was doing everything right as a vehicle on the road; yet, the paper reported the story in such a way that made him look as if he was killed in the act of being a daredevil. His parents were devastated; once by the death of their son, and again by the depiction of this outstanding student and community servant in the news as just another goofy kid acting irresponsibly on his bicycle. As if my entire point was just a puff of gas, one member of the discussion group immediately jumped on my ass for not showing enough emotion for the victims of the bicycle accidents that were the topic of my thread. To me, just the fact that I took the time to collect these articles and post the thread seems enough evidence that I feel horribly for these victims and their friends and families. However, this member, who apparently had not been following the thread very closely, waited no time at all to blow a capillary and spew all kinds of insults and expletives in my direction. I tried to clarify my point to this person, but it soon became clear that nothing was going to satisfy him/her. He/she just needed to blow and feel smart and powerful. Illigitimi non carborundum. cheers, Tom -- Nothing is safe from me. I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca |
#14
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The Cyclist Disposition
Illigitimi non carborundum
To save everybody the trouble, it means "Don't let the *******s grind you down." |
#15
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The Cyclist Disposition
When people refuse to play schoolyard games, the bullies have to go
elsewhere to get their jollies Good observation, but the scariest thing is that I've seen people participate civilly in a group for months or years before, one day, they just explode and start spitting venom all over the place. And usually, once the devil is out of them, there's no turning back. |
#16
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The Cyclist Disposition
Don't worry, it's not the fact they're cyclists, in endorphin or pot
withdrawals. The anonymity of the web can allow the 'beast within' to emerge, just like the anonymity of a car incites road rage in some susceptible people. |
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