Speedo

I feel so clueless. What does that mean?

sbhikes

I don't hate cars. I hate people who drive to get a cheeseburger.

jwc

I hate cars....but they pay the bills. I'm an asst. manager at a car dealership. I hate having to call somone and tell them they are looking at a 500.00 repair bill. I really hate calling someone and telling them the trans is shot and they are looking at 2K.

I hate the fact that so many of them only work three or four miles from where they live....and drive to work....and think I'm nuts for riding a bike to work. But, that's a driver problem. I also hate listening to someone ***** about their gas mileage, oil change costs, tire costs, etc.

I can't wait for the day when I can open the photo studio full-time.

noisebeam

I don't hate drivers or their cars.
It is a sadness I feel. Sadness that our society/culture has gotten us here, with both a real and perceived dependence on motor vehicles. I don't blame nor hate the individuals for this. Many factors have gotten us here and we are all part of it.
While there are car free folks it is rare (but possible) to find one car free since birth and near impossible to find anyone that doesn't at least indirectly depend on cars.
Hating them and their drivers is not going to help.
Even the guy who drives a mile to get a cheeseburger can't be hated. Maybe he needs someone or something to help him see the bigger picture and to help with baby steps toward alternatives.
Al

Daily Commute

I hurt my back earlier this year and had to bus it, then ride slowly for quite some time. Listen to your body and your doctor. Good luck!

And since you have a doctor's note, you are hereby granted a dispensation to use your SUV, but only as long as the doctor says it's OK. Even though shbikes may disapprove, you may even drive to get a cheeseburger (although if you do that too often, you will regret it).

Edit: To pick up on noisebeam's other theme, I don't hate cars, but I do pity people who drive to buy a cheeseburger.

sbhikes

That's very touching. Thanks for saying this.

Helmet Head

You're one wise dude, Al.

A wiseass oughtta know.

R-Wells

Do you folks truely believe that driving a mile to get a cheese burger is worse than your hatred for people that are different than you?

If you dont care about anyone other than yourself, why should they care about you?

There isn't one person on this board that doesnt do things they shouldnt do.

I guess I will never be a real cyclists, I just dont have enough hatred in me.

Helmet Head

It's knee-jerk tribal mentality that's probably in all of our DNA.

It's not as bad as when it's manifested as skinheads beating certain minorities, or as the warring sentiments in the middle-east, but the cyclists' anti-motorist mentality is certainly related.

You'd think civilized humans would be smart enough to rise above it, but history teaches us to not hold our breath.

khuon

What? You mean you don't realise that you must hate something in order to love another? What country are you living in? Like Campy? You must hate Shimano. Like steel? You must hate carbon fibre. Like vegetables? You must hate meat. Like red wines? You must hate white wines. Like wine? You must hate beer. Like cats? You must hate dogs.

So come on... get with the program! Now what were we talking about again? Oh yeah... pie. I like pie so I must hate... errr. Let me get back to you on that.

Helmet Head

I can't believe you forgot the most important one! You like "same rights, same roads, same rules"? You must hate bike lanes!

chephy

I'd guess a bit less. Last time I took a cab it cost me $26 (Canadian) for 17 km (a bit over 10 miles).

If you drive it often enough - yes. If you drive it only sporadically - no.

CommuterRun

I'm not anti-car so much as pro-bike. I do think that people drive way too much when a bike or walking would do the job, even in a spread out rural county like this.

What really peeves me: <start rant here> are the fat mommies who drive their fat kids a quarter mile down the road to sit and wait for the school bus. It's a gorgeous morning. Get off your fat, lazy butt and walk to the bus stop, then stand while waiting, and walk home. And yes, I do feel superior to these people. Because at 43 and 5'8" I can fit into 30" waist Levis, am not at all concerned about my blood pressure or cholesterol, and don't needlessly waste resources by running the air-conditioning or driving........I am. <End Rant>

However, I do find the one car the wife and I share to be useful at times. Usually because of time or load constraints.

R-Wells

I am pro bike.
I am all for a better healthier lifte style.
I am all for less waste.

But why would I want all those things for people I hate?

If I hate a person for being fat and unhealthy, why would I want him to live longer?


Hatred just dont come easy for me.

I would stab my self 10 times with a dinner fork to keep from having to put spinach in my mouth, I have to turn my head if someone is eating spinach at the same table as me, but I dont hate spinach.

And driving a mile to get a cheeseeburger is economics.
I can use $0.20 for gasoline to drive 1 mile and buy a $2.00 cheeseburger.
Or I can ride my bike and buy 2 $2.00 cheeseburgers, because I need to replace the fuel needed to ride my bike.

I suppose it could all be, kneejerk mentality.

But I am afraid it is at best, mob mentality,bordering supremism.

sgtsmile

Simple answer is this: it is easier to hate than to accomodate. (hey, that rhymed!)

Many cyclists have encounters with people in cars that are negative. They then transfer their anger against those specific people onto all drivers of cars. Plus, car drivers are different: it is much easier to hate the different than to try and understand them and accept it. As well, cycling is better for the environment (even though you cannot claim to be oil free no matter how independant of cars your lifestyle is) so this gives people a claimed moral superiority over those who drive. Once this level of hatred is reached, those with it become little more than two wheeled varients of those they claim to hate who are on 4 wheels. When a person becomes aware of this, they then become entrenched in their hatred and bitter (and the subject of much amusement).

Shortly after that, they rant on the internet.

cooker

If he only needs to use it for 2 weeks it costs a lot more per mile.

R-Wells

I think what gets to me sometimes, is when there is a lack of rational posts such as yours.
We end up with a forum that seems to be fueled by hatred.

I hope that it is just a matter of, rational caring people having better things to do.

sgtsmile

@r-wells.

What really saddens me is that what I described seems to have worsened in the last 5 or 6 years and can be applied to all sorts of intollerance. It makes the world a less happy place.

Btw, your siggy is hilarious

wfin2004

Because they are more ape than man.

mwrobe1

You forgot one...like steak? You must hate vegans.

sgtsmile

heh, reminds me of the joke I use to drive my vegetarian friends nuts: I might like steak, but at least I am not a cannibal. I mean, how cruel is it to grind up vegetarians and make veggy burgers? What did they ever do to you?

N_C

It is not so much hating cars as it is they people who drive them. There are good drivers & there are bad drivers. It is the bad drivers that put cyclists at risk. When someone is behind the wheel if a 1 ton weapon & are not skilled at using it wisely or use it foolishly that puts others at risk is what we are speaking out against.

I noticed you're a newbie. Welcome to the forums but I don't think it's a good idea to come in complaining about what is posted here.

If you don't like it, don't let the door hit ya where the god lord split ya.

sgtsmile

His newness to the forums does not make is observations any less valid And hating the people who drive cars vs hating the cars is just hair splitting and is actually sadder than hating a machine. While I might dislike someone's behaviour, I find it hard if not impossible to hate the person, no matter how much of a moron I might think they are.

R-Wells

You can leave if you dont like what I post, that door swing 2 ways.

I think complaing about hatred is a perfectly fine idea.
I think being angry and complaining about bad drivers is totally aceptable.

I could handle hating the cars, it is the hatred of the people that is in question.

And it most certianly does not do anything for cycling Advocacy and Safety.

I can just see someone pulling these hatred posts from this forum and doing an article for the New York Times or on CNN about cyclists.

SamHouston

I don't hate cars or drivers. I like cars, cars are nifty. They way that some people apply them is a bit selfish, sometimes a bt more selfish, sometimes downright inconsiderate. But remember there are people who cannot walk/ride far due to their obesity, they need cars.

The last car I owned was a 1970 IH Travelall 1000D, of course it had a few upgrade. Rust free, factory green metalic paint, original wheels in the garage for highway driving, 18" slicks for the city, short block v8, no power steering or power brakes, it was a workout to drive in close quarters, a joy on the highway.
Strictly pleasure it only saw 2000 miles a year, less. Sold for a profit even taking gas insurance & maintenence into account. But it was a lucky find, had the $$ in my pocket when I saw it. Other IH people know what I mean, to find one of your favourite model & year rust free is as likely as being struck by lightning. Sold it to avoid bringing it to Toronto, salt here wouldv'e eaten that old steel for breakfast.

Now if we need a car we rent. For pleasure trips where a train is a pain, there are places that will rent you a C class Mercedes at a reasonable rate. I just found a place nearby though that's begun renting Smartcars & hybrids, that'l be the next time we rent, we'll try that out. If I ever buy again the main criteria will be biodiesel, a requirement since it is a reality. If I'd known about biodiesel I'dve made the Travelall go on it.

Car-hating? How about car-culture hating? I've found it easy to be car-free in my day-to day life. I come from a place that is entirely car dependent, most of the people I met there would consider it a major hinderence to be car free. I agree, it is a major inconvenience to break a bad habit. All the extra $$ & time I have not driving helps ease the pain though. It all seems to balance out.