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Whackadoodle columnist calls for assaulting cyclists

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Whackadoodle columnist calls for assaulting cyclists

Old 07-08-14, 08:39 PM
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Whackadoodle columnist calls for assaulting cyclists

Bicyclist bullies try to rule the road in D.C. - The Washington Post

Have fun!
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Old 07-08-14, 09:00 PM
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I didn't get too far past the vendors pedaling rickshaws and holding up traffic. Yeah, that's a thing bicyclists advocate.
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Old 07-08-14, 09:15 PM
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Originally Posted by unterhausen
I didn't get too far past the vendors pedaling rickshaws and holding up traffic. Yeah, that's a thing bicyclists advocate.
As well as the comment about bicyclists riding the wrong way in the bike lane - wonder who is most negatively impacted by that?
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Old 07-08-14, 09:37 PM
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I know where that Metro Station is, and who the columnist is. Since I live in the region. I originally thought that it would be Tony Kornheiser mouthing off again. But in print.

Courtland Milloy is 100% wrong about cyclists' specifically, and only, delaying traffic. But I do agree with him on the escalator idea. Each Metro Station, has both an escalator, and above-ground elevator.

The WMATA(Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) forbids cyclists' bringing their bike on the train, during both AM(5-9:30) and 2:00-8:00)PM rush hour. So, Why waste the money on a bike-only escalator. That would be frivolous spending on the part of the WMATA. Which is federally funded.

Last edited by Chris516; 07-08-14 at 09:51 PM.
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Old 07-08-14, 10:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris516
I know where that Metro Station is, and who the columnist is. Since I live in the region. I originally thought that it would be Tony Kornheiser mouthing off again. But in print.

Courtland Milloy is 100% wrong about cyclists' specifically, and only, delaying traffic. But I do agree with him on the escalator idea. Each Metro Station, has both an escalator, and above-ground elevator.

The WMATA(Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) forbids cyclists' bringing their bike on the train, during both AM(5-9:30) and 2:00-8:00)PM rush hour. So, Why waste the money on a bike-only escalator. That would be frivolous spending on the part of the WMATA. Which is federally funded.
I don't know what article you read, but the one I got upon clicking on the link in the OP made no mention of any escalator in a WMATA station, nor about cyclists bringing their bikes on the trains. The only mention of an escalator concerned a proposal for an on-street one that would allow cyclists to climb a hill by placing one foot on a motor-driven pedal that would push them up the hill while staying on their bike. Such an installation exists in Trondheim, Norway and I've heard is quite successful. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINMqAg3nTc
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Old 07-08-14, 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by prathmann
I don't know what article you read, but the one I got upon clicking on the link in the OP made no mention of any escalator in a WMATA station, nor about cyclists bringing their bikes on the trains. The only mention of an escalator concerned a proposal for an on-street one that would allow cyclists to climb a hill by placing one foot on a motor-driven pedal that would push them up the hill while staying on their bike. Such an installation exists in Trondheim, Norway and I've heard is quite successful. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINMqAg3nTc
Check the OP's post that has the link Bicyclist bullies try to rule the road in D.C. - The Washington Post

Look at the third paragraph.
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Old 07-08-14, 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris516
Check the OP's post that has the link Bicyclist bullies try to rule the road in D.C. - The Washington Post

Look at the third paragraph.
I already had. It refers to a proposal for an escalator-type device to be installed along 15th St NW to help bicyclists get up the hill on that street. It says nothing about any escalator in a train station. The paragraph just after that one explains it further:
"DC will soon extend the 15th Street cycletrack north, but riders will have to puff up a very steep hill,” David Alpert, founder of Greater Greater Washington, posted on his Web site July 3. “Could that become easier with a piece of technology from Trondheim, Norway?” With a bike escalator, called a Trampe, “a cyclist just places a foot on the platform and lets it push him or her up the hill,” Alpert wrote."

The system in Trondheim has been in operation since 1993 and last year an updated version was installed. Although the hill in that town isn't particularly long it is quite steep (I think about 20%) and is a significant deterrent for people who want to bicycle around town for utilitarian reasons. Having the on-street cable system to let them get up the hill makes cycling around town more attractive to many people who might otherwise be deterred by the steep climb.

No idea if something similar in the location mentioned in DC would be either feasible or useful, but it has nothing to do with rush hour policies at WMATA.
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Old 07-09-14, 01:06 AM
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so he managed to get 5000 words out of one guy's wild idea on a blog. Very nice
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Old 07-09-14, 06:13 AM
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Well, yeah...
When did cyclists become bikers?
I thought bikers were those who rode motorcycles.
(I don't think this change in nomenclature is accidental, btw).
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Old 07-09-14, 06:48 AM
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That guy is a real sweetheart isnt he.
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Old 07-09-14, 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by prathmann
I don't know what article you read, but the one I got upon clicking on the link in the OP made no mention of any escalator in a WMATA station, nor about cyclists bringing their bikes on the trains. The only mention of an escalator concerned a proposal for an on-street one that would allow cyclists to climb a hill by placing one foot on a motor-driven pedal that would push them up the hill while staying on their bike. Such an installation exists in Trondheim, Norway and I've heard is quite successful. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINMqAg3nTc
I doubt such an installation would ever take place in the litigious US of A.
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Old 07-09-14, 10:07 AM
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This guy was a decent writer. After the King St debacle in Alexandria, you'd think a body would bring some numbers or real info to the table, not kneejerk soft racism and then advocate for violent confrontations.

Also, metro bike hours are 7-10am and 4-7pm. Rush hour in metro is NOT six hours long.......
Metro - Getting Around - Bikes and Metro - Guidelines
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Old 07-09-14, 10:08 AM
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Oh, I like climbing 15th. That thing's a beast. Yes, I'm fat.
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Old 07-09-14, 10:39 AM
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An escalator device for cyclists? A bit over the top (pun intended). Why waste money on something like that?
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Old 07-09-14, 11:16 AM
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The Post has been off the chain on its anti-cyclist reporting this week.
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Old 07-09-14, 11:25 AM
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This seems to come up every few months, some columnist goes off the deep end with a ill-informed egocentric rant about bicyclists. They take it perhaps a step too far, playing to the nastier emotions to stir up the lowest common denominator.

It brings up a bigger question. That kind of article is easy, there's always someone to write it so the columnist is not the real problem. The bigger question is why does playing to the gallery work with this subject, and what is there to do about it?
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Old 07-09-14, 12:43 PM
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It would help a lot for advocacy groups to send a clear message to the public that most cyclists are not the anti establishment, self-righteous, malcontents that give folks legitimate reasons to hate cyclists.
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Old 07-09-14, 04:16 PM
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WABA has a responded to Milloy's column:
Setting the Record Straight re: Milloy?s ?Bullies? | Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Not surprising that he didn't get his facts straight. Also note;he lives over the line in MD.

Another WaPo writer has also posted a rebuttal piece:
It?s time to tone down the tirades against bicyclists - The Washington Post
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Old 07-09-14, 04:24 PM
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Bike Snob took him to task too.
Bike Snob NYC: Bully For Us! Ruining America One Bike Lane at a Time
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Old 07-09-14, 04:33 PM
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Escalator for bikes?
What kind of candy a$$ bike rider would suggest that?
If someone is too feeble to just push his/her bike uphill(assuming too little gearing)-
they probably are too feeble to be safely riding a bike(in traffic).

The rest of it is fairly typical-it is how many drivers/pedestrians view us.
Some of it is deserved-most isn't.
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Old 07-09-14, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by kickstart
It would help a lot for advocacy groups to send a clear message to the public that most cyclists are not the anti establishment, self-righteous, malcontents that give folks legitimate reasons to hate cyclists.
But some of us are...and its no reason to hate.
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Old 07-09-14, 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted by phoebeisis
Escalator for bikes?
What kind of candy a$$ bike rider would suggest that?
If someone is too feeble to just push his/her bike uphill(assuming too little gearing)-
they probably are too feeble to be safely riding a bike(in traffic).
As far as I can tell, that was merely a suggestion by a single blogger in a short blog post. The Wapo "journalist" even linked to it, yet he absurdly portrays it as some sort of organized movement to push the project. Once a guy labels cyclists as "terrorists" you have to take everthing he says with a grain of salt.
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Old 07-09-14, 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Brennan
Once a guy labels cyclists as "terrorists" you have to take everthing he says with a grain of salt.
I am often terrified while cycling. Perhaps that is what he meant.
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Old 07-09-14, 10:59 PM
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Originally Posted by phoebeisis
Escalator for bikes?
What kind of candy a$$ bike rider would suggest that?
If someone is too feeble to just push his/her bike uphill(assuming too little gearing)-
they probably are too feeble to be safely riding a bike(in traffic).

The rest of it is fairly typical-it is how many drivers/pedestrians view us.
Some of it is deserved-most isn't.
Funny thing, 15th has lanes up both sides(one way street and all) and a pretty serious grade for the uninitiated/out of shape slob.

None of it is deserved, unless you mean that vehicle operators, in general, are dicks. Then, I'd agree....
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Old 07-09-14, 11:38 PM
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Originally Posted by kickstart
It would help a lot for advocacy groups to send a clear message to the public that most cyclists are not the anti establishment, self-righteous, malcontents that give folks legitimate reasons to hate cyclists.
Recommend then that "the public" be forbidden to read the A&S or LCF lists. "The public" might just get that negative impression confirmed by the number of posters who do give off that vibe.
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