Advocacy & Safety - Ignorant people rant

So what is it about people that when you walk into a place with bike clothes on you get to hear all the horror stories about bike riders I mean like the ones who weave in and out of traffic or on side streets hogging the road and of course it happens "all the time". Tonight I stopped after my ride at a local restaurant to have a cold one (the bike only get 37 miles to the pint) and visit a close friend and fellow cyclists who bartends during the days. One of the customers struck up a conversation with me about bikes and he was being friendly and we exchanged stories about different things until he turned the table on me and started with all those bad riders out there. Well after hearing this kind of narrow minded cr@p I usually counter with the question "do you carry all the guilt of the bad drivers on your shoulders?" answer is always no " then I don't carry all the guilt for the lousy bike riders on mine" and that usually get a nod and sometimes a chuckle. But this clown started in on me about how I should ride on the side walk and of course he reminded me that the roads were for "taxpayers" so Of course I mentioned that I was also a tax payer. He still didn't let up. He asked me who the roads were designed for? which my response was the tax payers who have vehicles and as long as I payed taxes and it was legal I was going to ride in the street he didn't like that at all. I really did not go in there with the intention of being confrontational and usually I use humor to get my point across. But for some reason what I really wanted to do with this guy after he started it all was to get up and stomp on his fat a$$ with my cleats and tell him that maybe he wouldn't be so negative if he got off his fat @$$ and got some exercise. I think what got me so riled was that what had started out as a very pleasant conversation on cycling had turned very negative so fast it caught me of guard. The good thing about it all with me having the tendency of getting intense about these things I stayed very calm when I discussed this with him. ( I don't get violent I am just passionate about things from time to time) I know its a long rant but I just had to get it off of my chest. I have to drop by tomorrow and see what my Friend said to him after I left I don't think he knew she rides too. And one thing I know is that you never ever piss off your bartender!

RCW 46.61.755 :)


Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles.
(1) Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter, except as to special regulations in RCW 46.61.750 through 46.61.780 and except as to those provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.

If he doesn't like it, well, he can go live... somewhere else :) Sorry to hear you had to suffer the ignorance of fools.

Ngateguy.. They only thing about these people,they do get to together and sometimes influence legislators to take away our rights to the road. I try to be cordial in my disagreement, but disagree we must. Don't think it not possible to lose our rights.
Most of us have had some conflicts with these bullies. THis country is supposed to be about choice. Rubber tires need asphalt. We don't have access to asphalt then just disallow the manufacturing of bicycles.
From the civil rights era, I believe you must fight for your rights.
When confronted, I am not one to back down on something important to me. Just try to maintain our good humor...You needed your vent.

One person that told me, since I don't need gasoline, I have no right to be on the road.

Originally posted by Spire
One person that told me, since I don't need gasoline, I have no right to be on the road.

Did they work for enron? :)

I feel you-

In general, I can't stand narrow minded people- you know the ones- they always gotta be right, always have to argue their point to death, can't see other points of view. Seriously. Life is too short to be wasting time on these individuals. I tend to shut up and walk away. If they want to be right in their minds, no amount of talk will convince them anyway.

Sad that a positive start ended so negatively. But that's usually how narrow minded people work. My advice- as soon as the conversation turns south when dealing with ignorant people like this, just walk away. It kills them more than arguing the point, since what they really want to do is argue. :rolleyes:

Next time, go back and stomp his fat @$$...

Koff

Originally posted by Spire
One person that told me, since I don't need gasoline, I have no right to be on the road.

Now thats funny, sad , but funny



[i]Originally posted by cyclezealot[i]They only thing about these people,they do get to together and sometimes influence legislators to take away our rights to the road. I try to be cordial in my disagreement, but disagree we must. Don't think it not possible to lose our rights.

Here in Washington I do fear that it could come down to it in some communities the anti bike sentiment runs deep. Here in Everett they are actually pretty good about it but south in "Bike Friendly" Seattle I have notice an increase of hostility toward us and have found it even in my family, they do not think we should be on roads. That is why I try humor my last run in with these types (not to stereo type but to identify- young 30 something rednecks with pick up trucks) I had them laughing from the get go and by the end of our meeting they wanted to buy me a beer.


[i] Originally posted by mechBogon[i] RCW 46.61.755...... If he doesn't like it, well, he can go live... somewhere else :) Sorry to hear you had to suffer the ignorance of fools.


Since I am a Bike Buddy (http://www.bicyclealliance.org/bikebuddyinfo.htm) for the The Bicycle Alliance of Washington I usually have a copy of the bike laws in my pack, but I didn't yesterday though I did write down the website and give it to him when I left I also reminded him that ignorance is not a good thing. I figure now that it is not so hot and I have had a good night sleep that he was just a trouble maker anyway and I could of come in with my motorcycle gear on and he would of said we shouldn't be on the road.

(I am not a red neck but I do own a pick up truck so my statement is not aimed at all P/U owners, just the ignorant ones :))

Ngateguy.San Diego has 10,000 of thousands of cyclists.. i think attempt to take away our access that is when the hostilities break out..
Critical Mass would have new appeal. At least it would with me.

We have a lot of cyclists here, but not as many as down there. I found San Diego to be one of the more bike friendly areas I have visited. Seattle likes to brag about itself like being so laid back and bike friendly. Well any one who has driven in rush hour traffic or rode a cycle in this town knows how laid back they aren't (latte overdose I think) and the amount of bike lanes they have is pathetic they had more in Cleveland when I left in '77 and they are years behind you guys down there when it comes to trails. What I find hard to believe is that this happening in a town that does have a strong cycling community. But the elected officials in this town are to busy trying to make Seattle a "World class city." I want a bumper sticker like the NRA "I ride bicycle, and I vote"

The funny thing is that so far, this season, I have not seen one cyclist in an accident. I am sure it's HAPPENED, but I haven't seen it. However, I have already seen three accidents involving Roller Bladers, two of them looked bad. ONe was a girl who went flying into a wall head and shoulder first- this was at an underpass on a bike path. The other was a guy who seemed to have fallen and hit his head and was unconscious. The other was a slacker who actually was going the wrong way down a street and got sideswiped by a car, nothing serious though. The thing is they don't wear any head protection and think nothing bad will ever happen to them. But I never hear people ranting about how roller blading should be banned.

I get this sort of rubbish all the time. The best thing to do is simply ignore it. Basically the uninformed viewpoints of "cyclists don't pay for roads" (oh yeah? So where do my taxes go?) or "cyclists break road rules" (of course, nobody else does :rolleyes: ) really are beneath contempt in my view. Most of them have been brainwashed by the sort of trolling that goes on in the media, and would probably believe the sky was red if they read it in a newspaper somewhere. They simply aren't worth bothering about.

Originally posted by ngateguy
I want a bumper sticker like the NRA "I ride bicycle, and I vote" I want a bumper sticker that says I am in the NRA, I ride bicycles, I fly, I motorcycle and I vote. Unfortunately, then I would need a van to put the bumper sticker on.

>>>>> I should ride on the side walk and of course he reminded me that the roads were for "taxpayers" <<<<<<

Riding on the sidewalk is illegal.


>>>>>He asked me who the roads were designed for?>>>>>

The roads were originally designed for horses and wagons and then bicycles. Automobiles have only been using the roads for the past 90 years.

I've had that conversation too many times for my liking.

I think it boils down to one thing: they are being downright rude.

Like you said, you could have dropped to their level and changed the subject from cycling to obesity.

"Who will pay your healthcare bill when you go under the knife for a triple bypass? Do you know how much healthcare costs these days?"

But no, we won't stoop that low. We just want to be nice and spread the love of cycling around, not turn everyone off by being critical, argumentative jerks.

;)

Originally posted by Pete Clark
I've had that conversation too many times for my liking.

I think it boils down to one thing: they are being downright rude.


But no, we won't stoop that low. We just want to be nice and spread the love of cycling around, not turn everyone off by being critical, argumentative jerks.

;)

You thats what was bad about this one, I have had these kind of things happen so many times and I usually ignore them or make jokes etc. with this guy he came across as being bike friendly and we had a great conversation about biking etc when he turned on me. One good thing about it one of the wait staff had been talking to me about my specialized he went out yesterday and bought a new one from my LBS. I am getting new chain rings on the bike for 10% off and no labor for steering the guy his way :)

NGate.. I am one not to back down and stick up for my rights. I demand my right to have access to my chunk of road... Last time I looked at my weekly check, I am a tax payer. I do pay gas taxes and I demand a part of my gas tax go to alternative transportation. Travel by car is nuts. No way to get around.
The asphalt lobby should be behind we cyclists. Put that extra 2 foot bike strip in is not that big a deal. Good for everyone.
I tend to ride on roads with that strip of asphalt designed for we cyclists. Glad I live in San Diego county where we generally have that cycyling lane. We all need to demand it everywhere.
It is a part of national legislation called "Istea." Are we fighting for inclusion of bike paths??? Did you know there is a 'bike caucus ' in the US House fighting for us? Do we contact them?
Best way to fight the idiots who are working on their bypass operations and polluting the air, and adding to congrestion should reveal when they see us besides the road diminishing the lines of backed up traffic.
It is best to try 'win-win' situations, but if we must be militant to protect our access to our small strip of asphalt the we must get militant . If roads from the get- go had bike lanes, it really would not add that much to the cost of highways and future generations will appreciate it when the gas shortages come and go.
IF national priorites gives not a dam about our well being and our right to bike to work and we have to play dodgem (with our bikes, as the bike messengers do), out in the lanes where the two ton trucks play games with one another then we all lose.