In Defense of Jaywalking

On Nov 14, 6:33*am, Jim A wrote:
*I went to a meeting of my local cycling club recently - there
were about 35 of us there and I think only three of us cycled to get
there. *Granted it was evening & therefore dark, but even so I felt that
put most of them pretty firmly in the former category!

Has anyone here ever attended a bike club meeting where the majority
of the attendees arrived by bike? I've certainly not.

Years ago, I saw a cartoon reprinted from a French magazine. The
caption was "American bicycle club." The cartoon showed a bunch of
cars parked in a parking lot with bikes on their roofs. I'm sure most
Americans didn't get the joke.

- Frank Krygowski

Frank Krygowski wrote:

Jim A wrote:

I went to a meeting of my local cycling club recently - there
were about 35 of us there and I think only three of us cycled to get
there. *Granted it was evening & therefore dark, but even so I felt that
put most of them pretty firmly in the former category!

Has anyone here ever attended a bike club meeting where the majority
of the attendees arrived by bike? *I've certainly not.

A few months ago, a friend of mine went to a meeting with a group of
local cycling advocacy organizers who have any interaction with the
city. One of the things they discussed was how they were going to get
her to wear a helmet.

But... she was the only one who had ridden her bike to the meeting. I
thought that was illustrative. Nominal versus actual cycling
advocacy.

Chalo

In article ,
Jim A writes:
Tom Keats wrote:
I guess there are people who ride bicycles to ride bicycles,
and people who ride bicycles to not drive cars.

Indeed. I went to a meeting of my local cycling club recently - there
were about 35 of us there and I think only three of us cycled to get
there. Granted it was evening & therefore dark, but even so I felt that
put most of them pretty firmly in the former category!

Well, before I become misconstrued as critising
certain folks for their reasons for opting for
cycling, let me just say I'm glad when people
~do~ opt for cycling at all.

At a swimming hole, some folks just plunge right in,
and some folks have to dip their toe in the water to
test the temperature. I guess it's the same with riding.

Getting back on point, Jobst wonders what's happening
to cycling, what with so many riders apparently going
"over the top" with so many safety measures as lights
during daytime, redundant mirrors reflective flags, etc.

My conjecture is: these riders who want to be seen to
be green are also car drivers who complain about cyclists.

There mission is to show the world they're above those
scofflaw riders who suddenly "appear out of nowhere" just
to scare the living daylights out of [inattentive] drivers
just for the heck of it.

So they dutifully stop at every stop line even when there's
nobody to stop for, and hand-signal each and every maneouver,
even when there's nobody there to signal to.

Eventually some of 'em will say: "Hey, this bike riding thing
is great!" And they'll settle into a less uptight riding style,
and that will be very good. And some of 'em will opt for
Priuses or Vespas or whatever, and that'll be their free choice.


cheers,
Tom

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

Tom Keats wrote:

Well, before I become misconstrued as critising
certain folks for their reasons for opting for
cycling, let me just say I'm glad when people
~do~ opt for cycling at all.

I'm with you there, but not always.

At a swimming hole, some folks just plunge right in,
and some folks have to dip their toe in the water to
test the temperature. I guess it's the same with riding.

I'd put it that some people have more testosterone than others.

Getting back on point, Jobst wonders what's happening
to cycling, what with so many riders apparently going
"over the top" with so many safety measures as lights
during daytime, redundant mirrors reflective flags, etc.

My conjecture is: these riders who want to be seen to
be green are also car drivers who complain about cyclists.

In my case you're wrong. The lights are so as to be seen when the sun
is low in the sky. The mirrors are so as easily to see behind me (duh).
I don't have a reflective flag - the mirror sticking out to my right
encourages parking cars to give me that extra inch or two.


There mission is to show the world they're above those
scofflaw riders who suddenly "appear out of nowhere" just
to scare the living daylights out of [inattentive] drivers
just for the heck of it.

Wrong. I have no mission. Missions are for those with an excess of
testosterone (see above).

So they dutifully stop at every stop line even when there's
nobody to stop for, and hand-signal each and every maneouver,
even when there's nobody there to signal to.

How would you know that? Can you hear the sound of one hand clapping too?


Eventually some of 'em will say: "Hey, this bike riding thing
is great!" And they'll settle into a less uptight riding style

What's that when it's at home? The speed-merchants are IMO the most
uptight and miserable of all cyclists on the road.

and that will be very good. And some of 'em will opt for
Priuses or Vespas or whatever, and that'll be their free choice.

Or in my case, no car at all. In this us and them world of your's. I'm
delighted to be one of 'them'!


cheers,
Tom

Cheers to you too!

Jim

In article ,
Jim A writes:
Tom Keats wrote:

Well, before I become misconstrued as critising
certain folks for their reasons for opting for
cycling, let me just say I'm glad when people
~do~ opt for cycling at all.

I'm with you there, but not always.

Well, some folks ride their bikes just as stupidly
as they drive their cars, and we can't really do
anything to improve that situation.

At a swimming hole, some folks just plunge right in,
and some folks have to dip their toe in the water to
test the temperature. I guess it's the same with riding.

I'd put it that some people have more testosterone than others.

I'd put it that some people are more heads-up than others.
I've never known testosterone to be any more blinding in
transportation than in relationships.

Getting back on point, Jobst wonders what's happening
to cycling, what with so many riders apparently going
"over the top" with so many safety measures as lights
during daytime, redundant mirrors reflective flags, etc.

My conjecture is: these riders who want to be seen to
be green are also car drivers who complain about cyclists.

In my case you're wrong. The lights are so as to be seen when the sun
is low in the sky.

The eyeballs of drivers are to see what's ahead of them.

The mirrors are so as easily to see behind me (duh).


Eyeballs & a flexible neck work for that, too.

I don't have a reflective flag - the mirror sticking out to my right
encourages parking cars to give me that extra inch or two.


There mission is to show the world they're above those
scofflaw riders who suddenly "appear out of nowhere" just
to scare the living daylights out of [inattentive] drivers
just for the heck of it.

Wrong. I have no mission. Missions are for those with an excess of
testosterone (see above).

So I take it you are a car driver with preconceived &
car-specific notions about riding bikes on the road.
Oooooo-kay.

So they dutifully stop at every stop line even when there's
nobody to stop for, and hand-signal each and every maneouver,
even when there's nobody there to signal to.

How would you know that?

I see it every day as they screw-up traffic flow for
everybody.

But y'know what? There are lots of bike riders just
like me, that you pass by in your car, and drivers
don't even notice us, because we aren't in your way.

And when/if we ~are~ momentarily in your way, it's
only for a brief period, to get past a transitory
bottleneck or obstacle without wiping-out or being
sideswiped or otherwise stupidly clobbered or
blindsided.

There's a finnesse & artfulness that some people ~get~,
and some don't.

The people who know what I'm talking about
will know what I mean.


But don't worry -- we folks who actually ~do~ have
finnesse & artfulness, won't let you run us over.


klahowya, & Alice Cooper rules, & especially hang loose,
Tom

--
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca