funny things to do on a bike

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
I think you're forgetting that most local municipalities used to have
mandatory bike registration. Those licencing tags on older bikes are not
just for show. I'm old enough to remember when I needed to get a sticker
for my bike.

yea, for me that was 2002. minneapolis repealed it after police abuse became
just a bit too obvious (the cops were impounding unregistered bikes during
critical mass specifically, anytime they felt like it in general. there was
no provision for impounding in the law).

i'm opposed to MHL only a bit less than mandatory licensing laws.

Still waiting for a mandatory bicycle law,

heh. i wouldn't want that either.
--
david reuteler

I've never heard of "smear the queer"...

Well, I have. It's basically a game played in an open field where
the objective is to tackle and remove the ball (usually a volley ball
or a soccer ball, but any ball will do) from whichever "queer" has it
at the time. The new ball possessor must then run with the ball until
such time as he is forcibly relieved of the ball (smeared).

It can get quite violent but it's very democratic, other than the
above there are essentially no rules.

If you are slow or unpopular this is not a game you want to play.

The "winner" is usually the biggest guy with the best wind.

Of course Native American cultures had similar games, as did every
culture I can think of off the top of my head.

America is hardly unique in fostering a warrior mentality, all peoples
do this to some extent.

But, and I think Zoot is right in this, America is unique in talking
out of one side of its mouth and perpetrating atrocities on the
other hand, if that isn't a mixed metaphor.

Don't read me wrong. Americans are disgusted by this prisoner abuse
and we aren't going to tolerate it. But at least we have the freedom
of the press to bring it to light and the character to condemn it and
hold those responsible, accountable.

And that includes Donald Rumsfeld, the generals involved, and the
local commanders. And the President. They are working for ME, I
cut them a check every week.

And that check has stop payment written all over it.


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_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

In article ,
Ryan Cousineau writes:
In article ,
(Tom Keats) wrote:

I've seen how easy it is for the Powers That Be to inflict MHLs.
Inflicting mandatory bicycle registration could be a cake-walk
for them. That would really give the bike-haters extra ammunition.

cheers,
Tom

I think you're forgetting that most local municipalities used to have
mandatory bike registration.

Au contraire. I've lived through 2 eras of it.

Those licencing tags on older bikes are not
just for show. I'm old enough to remember when I needed to get a sticker
for my bike.

For various reasons, the most notable probably being the widespread
disregard for licences and the desire to encourage cycling, virtually
all local jurisdictions have ended their bike-licence programs.

In Vancouver it's been an on-again/off-again thing. It could
be cyclical, like ice ages. And when enough anti-cyclists foam
at the mouth about cyclists not having to pay for our right to
the street ...


cheers,
Tom


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In article ,
David Reuteler writes:

yea, for me that was 2002. minneapolis repealed it after police abuse became
just a bit too obvious (the cops were impounding unregistered bikes during
critical mass specifically, anytime they felt like it in general. there was
no provision for impounding in the law).

That's some of the 'extra ammunition' I was talking about.


cheers,
Tom

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wrote:

http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/6.1.html

A couple of weeks ago on a group ride, some riders were harassed by two
teenagers in a pickup truck. We stopped them at the next intersection to
"discuss" this.

During this discussion I tried to make the point that under the law, a bicycle
is the same as any other slow moving vehicle. I asked the young troublemaker if
he would harass someone driving a tractor in the same way he had harassed our
group. "That's differnt," he replied, "Maybe if you was doin' somethin'
worthwhile..."

Beat up pickup truck, Confederate flag bumper stickers, gun rack, wad o' chew in
the cheek, the whole nine yards -- redneck to the core. Only 15 too... what a
shame.

Anyway, one challenge in relating to people like this is the perceived class
difference. They see us as frivolous yuppies or something -- if not "the man"
himself, then probably his golfing buddies. What kind of person could be out
riding a bike in the middle of a work day? Obnoxious rich people, out playing
around, like a bunch of spoiled children...

Matt O.

In article ,
"Eric S. Sande" writes:

But, and I think Zoot is right in this, America is unique in talking
out of one side of its mouth and perpetrating atrocities on the
other hand, if that isn't a mixed metaphor.

I don't think America is so unique in that regard.

But this is getting out of hand. I feel responsible, by
my use of inflammatory rhetoric in my awkward bluntness
setting the discomforting tone this subthread has taken on.
I now find myself deeply regretting that.

So from now on, bike-haters are 'anti-cyclists', POBs are
'undereducated riders', and anti-cyclists weren't born that
way -- they're 'intransigently obdurate'.

To get back to the point:

1) anti-cyclists aren't anti-cyclist because of the misdeeds
of some riders. They just want us off the road altogether.

2) we can't change anti-cyclists' minds by riding 'extra nicely'.
They just want us off the road altogether.

3) I'm not talking about on-the-road violence perpetrated by some
yahoos. I'm talking about a more insidious form of anti-cyclism,
that takes place in city council chambers, board of trade meetings,
etc. The kind of stuff that sticks us with things like
mandatory sidepath laws, and horribly dangerous shared
bike/pedestrian facilities on bridges.

So let's all take some deep breaths and send out some
love vibes to everybody in the whole world. And to
extra-terrestrials too, if so inclined. And to stray cats.


cheers,
Tom

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Ryan Cousineau wrote:

In article ,
(Tom Keats) wrote:

I've seen how easy it is for the Powers That Be to inflict MHLs.
Inflicting mandatory bicycle registration could be a cake-walk
for them. That would really give the bike-haters extra ammunition.

cheers,
Tom


I think you're forgetting that most local municipalities used to have
mandatory bike registration. Those licencing tags on older bikes are not
just for show. I'm old enough to remember when I needed to get a sticker
for my bike.

For various reasons, the most notable probably being the widespread
disregard for licences and the desire to encourage cycling, virtually
all local jurisdictions have ended their bike-licence programs. I don't
know what the situation is like outside of Greater Vancouver.

Still waiting for a mandatory bicycle law,

Do you want a mandatory bicycle law? I don't.
Bernie

Tom Keats wrote:

In article ,
"Eric S. Sande" writes:

But, and I think Zoot is right in this, America is unique in talking
out of one side of its mouth and perpetrating atrocities on the
other hand, if that isn't a mixed metaphor.


I don't think America is so unique in that regard.

But this is getting out of hand. I feel responsible, by
my use of inflammatory rhetoric in my awkward bluntness
setting the discomforting tone this subthread has taken on.
I now find myself deeply regretting that.

So from now on, bike-haters are 'anti-cyclists', POBs are
'undereducated riders', and anti-cyclists weren't born that
way -- they're 'intransigently obdurate'.

To get back to the point:

1) anti-cyclists aren't anti-cyclist because of the misdeeds
of some riders. They just want us off the road altogether.

2) we can't change anti-cyclists' minds by riding 'extra nicely'.
They just want us off the road altogether.

3) I'm not talking about on-the-road violence perpetrated by some
yahoos. I'm talking about a more insidious form of anti-cyclism,
that takes place in city council chambers, board of trade meetings,
etc. The kind of stuff that sticks us with things like
mandatory sidepath laws, and horribly dangerous shared
bike/pedestrian facilities on bridges.

So let's all take some deep breaths and send out some
love vibes to everybody in the whole world. And to
extra-terrestrials too, if so inclined. And to stray cats.


cheers,
Tom

Salut Tom
Stay well. Nil illigitemi carorumdum.
(don't let the *******s grind you down)
Very best regards, Bernie

In article , says...
I've never heard of "smear the queer"...

Well, I have. It's basically a game played in an open field where
the objective is to tackle and remove the ball (usually a volley ball
or a soccer ball, but any ball will do) from whichever "queer" has it
at the time. The new ball possessor must then run with the ball until
such time as he is forcibly relieved of the ball (smeared).

We just called it "kill the man with the ball". Same description,
though.

....

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Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

(Tom Keats) wrote:

And to stray cats.

I thought they broke up...

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame