This is why I ride fast and stop for nothing...
#26
~>~
Damn!
-Bandera
#27
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A man is not a man until that very man has himself traveled across the country by bicycle and along the way ate out of dumpsters, slept in graveyards and ran thousands of red lights.
It's only then.. that you will see that life is in fact.. beautiful!
Work is for suckers
It's only then.. that you will see that life is in fact.. beautiful!
Work is for suckers
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Anyone out early in the morning on a bike is a big time target. Running stop lights is your decision. I like to give my opinion on things but I don't lecture anyone. People can be smart or stupid. Myself I'm not into stupid and risk taking.
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Work is for losers? Great mentality. I believe people who don't work are still called 'bums'.
#30
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As I tend to work a year and take a year off myself, I have to agree with AdrianFly on this one. Not owning a car is a huge piece of the financial puzzle that keeps me from spending all of the money I make on "stuff". I also don't drink alcohol or colas, smoke, play the Lotto, have kids, pets, or a mortgage. When I work, all I can think about is what I am working towards - my next "retirement", however long that may last. Henry Thoreau had another word for typical working folks.
… men labor under a mistake. The better part of the man is soon plowed into the soil for compost. By a seeming fate, commonly called necessity, they are employed, as it says in an old book, laying up treasures which moth and rust will corrupt and thieves break through and steal. It is a fool's life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before. - Henry David Thoreau
#32
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"This is why I ride fast and stop for nothing…" Blah, blah blah. Nice excuse but the truth is you like flaunting the law and getting away with it. You get off on it. If you lived in the safest place imaginable where EVERYONE obeyed traffic laws you would still blow through red lights and stop signs. Because your "Momentum" is ever so much more important than anything anyone else is doing, or any rule of law. I've been reading his crap for years and arguably Joeybike is the most selfish poster here.
#33
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I have absorbed a lot of grief on this board over the years about my riding style in New Orleans. I've been called paranoid among other things. I try to keep my speed above 20mph and never stop for red lights unless I absolutely have to. I ride on THIS street 10 times a week minimum during my commute. I have been targeted twice but avoided both attempts by NOT riding in the bike lane but flowing with traffic.
It's easy to say how others should cycle and obey the law to the letter when you live in a civilized country. And if you ignore the facts on the ground in NOLA you might get a baseball bat in the chops.
Random Attacks On Cyclists With Baseball Bats in New Orleans
This stuff happens all the time but very rarely makes headlines here. This is small potatoes compared to the crime here on a regular basis.
It's easy to say how others should cycle and obey the law to the letter when you live in a civilized country. And if you ignore the facts on the ground in NOLA you might get a baseball bat in the chops.
Random Attacks On Cyclists With Baseball Bats in New Orleans
This stuff happens all the time but very rarely makes headlines here. This is small potatoes compared to the crime here on a regular basis.
#34
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You think you got it rough? We have people throwing molotov cocktails at us up here in Minneapolis.
Fact is, every major city is gonna have some psychos in it. Just gotta be vigilant.
Fact is, every major city is gonna have some psychos in it. Just gotta be vigilant.
#35
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My promise to you and everyone here: The day comes when I can drive a car from New York to Los Angeles and even HALF of the motor vehicles on the road are driving AT or BELOW the posted speed LIMIT - I will stop my bicycle for every red light for the rest of my life. 'Till then, y'all kin jest eet mah showerts.
Last edited by JoeyBike; 03-25-14 at 09:35 PM.
#37
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Besides inside of your head, where is this safest place imaginable where EVERYONE INCLUDING MOTOR VEHICLES obeys traffic laws? I have traveled all over the USofA by bicycle and motor vehicle and have yet to find such a place.
My promise to you and everyone here: The day comes when I can drive a car from New York to Los Angeles and even HALF of the motor vehicles on the road are driving AT or BELOW the posted speed LIMIT - I will stop my bicycle for every red light for the rest of my life. 'Till then, y'all kin jest eet mah showerts.
My promise to you and everyone here: The day comes when I can drive a car from New York to Los Angeles and even HALF of the motor vehicles on the road are driving AT or BELOW the posted speed LIMIT - I will stop my bicycle for every red light for the rest of my life. 'Till then, y'all kin jest eet mah showerts.
By his logic, most motorists are a hazard. That would generally extend to cyclists, who probably have a similar proportion of morons, especially most cyclists are also drivers, but many are ignorant of cycling laws or simply ignore it like JoeyBike.
It's also this pervasive need to automatically blame any wrongdoings on the motorist.
Cause unknown? Must be the motorist.
Both at fault? Motorist should have taken more care.
Cyclist at fault? Yeah, but if the motorist was driving more slowly/carefully he could have avoided the accident.
As such, it's almost impossible to improve the situation because cyclists rarely take full responsibility for their actions. Acting as the victim ALL THE TIME simply muddies the water and does little to force cyclists to look themselves in the mirror, thus encouraging people like Joeybike.
I've little doubt if he ever gets into an accident due to his own 'need for speed', he would deny all responsibility.
#38
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For all we know his skills may be excellent, allowing him to ride like an idiot without actually being one.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#40
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__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#41
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Well, this guy is the reason why cyclists should have licenses and license plates
By his logic, most motorists are a hazard. That would generally extend to cyclists, who probably have a similar proportion of morons, especially most cyclists are also drivers, but many are ignorant of cycling laws or simply ignore it like JoeyBike.
It's also this pervasive need to automatically blame any wrongdoings on the motorist.
Cause unknown? Must be the motorist.
Both at fault? Motorist should have taken more care.
Cyclist at fault? Yeah, but if the motorist was driving more slowly/carefully he could have avoided the accident.
As such, it's almost impossible to improve the situation because cyclists rarely take full responsibility for their actions. Acting as the victim ALL THE TIME simply muddies the water and does little to force cyclists to look themselves in the mirror, thus encouraging people like Joeybike.
I've little doubt if he ever gets into an accident due to his own 'need for speed', he would deny all responsibility.
By his logic, most motorists are a hazard. That would generally extend to cyclists, who probably have a similar proportion of morons, especially most cyclists are also drivers, but many are ignorant of cycling laws or simply ignore it like JoeyBike.
It's also this pervasive need to automatically blame any wrongdoings on the motorist.
Cause unknown? Must be the motorist.
Both at fault? Motorist should have taken more care.
Cyclist at fault? Yeah, but if the motorist was driving more slowly/carefully he could have avoided the accident.
As such, it's almost impossible to improve the situation because cyclists rarely take full responsibility for their actions. Acting as the victim ALL THE TIME simply muddies the water and does little to force cyclists to look themselves in the mirror, thus encouraging people like Joeybike.
I've little doubt if he ever gets into an accident due to his own 'need for speed', he would deny all responsibility.
Everyone breaks traffic laws. EVERYONE.
(By Everyone I mean that those who NEVER break the law represent a statistical zero in the USofA - so Everyone represents a statistical Everyone)
Last edited by JoeyBike; 03-26-14 at 09:15 PM.
#43
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Heck, I can't even convince my dad not to tailgate on the highway, so I'm pretty sure Internet words are not going to change anything.
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… men labor under a mistake. The better part of the man is soon plowed into the soil for compost. By a seeming fate, commonly called necessity, they are employed, as it says in an old book, laying up treasures which moth and rust will corrupt and thieves break through and steal. It is a fool's life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before. - Henry David Thoreau
Thankfully, there are enough of us working fools around that our society can tolerate a few parasites. A "thank you" every once in a while wouldn't be out of place, though...
#45
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As the saying goes, "there are a lot of old pilots, and a lot of bold pilots, but not a lot of old bold pilots". If JoeyBike is as good as he says, more power to him. Drivers don't actually hate cyclists because of him or people like him anyway, though they like to use that as a rationalization. And if JoeyBike isn't that good, well, he'll either get that good or perhaps we'll just suddenly experience radio silence from him one day. You be sure to show respect for pedestrians, JoeyBike. Outside of that, go ahead give 'em hell in the Big Easy.
#46
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So... You're afraid of baseball bats while you blow through red lights at 20 mph. Ya, that makes a lot of sense. I've heard some lame and silly excuses in my life, but this takes the cake. As for your "everybody breaks traffic laws" cop-out; all I can say is that I very rarely see vehicle drivers blow through red lights the way you brag about doing. Bicycle riders yes, vehicle drivers no. But then again, this is probably more about bragging rights to you than anything else. Right JoeyBike?
I'll also mention that intelligent and experienced riders, of all skill levels, don't take unnecessary and/or inexcusable risks. This is something that most of us learned by the time we reached our late teens or early 20s.
"It is a fool's life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before." - Henry David Thoreau
No, it is a slackers life.
Btw, do you have catastrophic health care and liability insurance? I know, from what you've said you don't seem to have much to lose. But you still need to think about other people at some point in your "life".
I'll also mention that intelligent and experienced riders, of all skill levels, don't take unnecessary and/or inexcusable risks. This is something that most of us learned by the time we reached our late teens or early 20s.
"It is a fool's life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before." - Henry David Thoreau
No, it is a slackers life.
Btw, do you have catastrophic health care and liability insurance? I know, from what you've said you don't seem to have much to lose. But you still need to think about other people at some point in your "life".
#47
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As a general rule I always try to MAINTAIN 20-25 mph as most of our surface streets have speed limits of 20 to 30 mph. This keeps me in the flow of traffic or passing traffic up as I filter a bit slower. Anything above 20mph I feel I get treated as one of "them" in traffic and it becomes more hazardous for "them" to force a pass on me. When there are no cars in sight, like a 2AM for instance, maintaining 20+ gives neerdowells much less time to set up a trap. They have to swing at a fastball instead of a blooper pitch AND any evasive maneuver I make works better at high speed. So it is almost always SAFER for me to go 20+, I get where I am going faster, and I have the capability to do that speed all day. So why not?
As for blowing through red lights at 20mph...maybe if sight lines are good and the coast is clear. Sometimes I have to stop and wait for a gap (or even a green light ) and sometimes I might have to hit 30 to shoot a gap. But the concept is so easy. I just look both ways before crossing the street. I do not pay the slightest attention to the color of road ornaments as it is unlikely that ornament will run me over. And lastly, if a car is going to hit me I simply yield right of way. Been doing it this way since I was 15 and next month I'll be 56. Been car free since 1989 and car light the entire time before that. I figure I run roughly 16,000 red lights each year with my current commute. I really don't take many risks. I just go when I can.
I've heard some lame and silly excuses in my life, but this takes the cake. As for your "everybody breaks traffic laws" cop-out; all I can say is that I very rarely see vehicle drivers blow through red lights the way you brag about doing.
Bicycle riders yes, vehicle drivers no.
But then again, this is probably more about bragging rights to you than anything else. Right JoeyBike?
I'll also mention that intelligent and experienced riders, of all skill levels, don't take unnecessary and/or inexcusable risks. This is something that most of us learned by the time we reached our late teens or early 20s.
"It is a fool's life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before." - Henry David Thoreau
No, it is a slackers life.
No, it is a slackers life.
Btw, do you have catastrophic health care and liability insurance? I know, from what you've said you don't seem to have much to lose. But you still need to think about other people at some point in your "life".
Last edited by JoeyBike; 03-27-14 at 07:40 AM.
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