Jay is a nationally known automobile enthusiast. He has an ungodly amount of vehicles that fall into the categories of super fast and/or super rare. It dissapoints me that someone of his visibility and involvement with motor vehicles does not know the rules of the road!
Last night Dennis Leary was the guest. They started by making fun of cycling clothes which is fine... I've never won a "function over fashion" argument for athletic apparel in any sport with someone who does not enjoy/train/commute for the same activity. No one gets injured when ripping on material goods.
It was the "One of them was in my lane!" and "So I just ran him over" jokes I didn't agree with. I've unsuccessfully searched this morning for the text of this episode and will continue to search later in the day when I have another break.
Reminds me of people at work who joke about running me over if they see me commuting in the bright green shirt. "Don't die out there! hahah" ...followed by my sigh and cringe or, depending on my mood, "I'll make sure you go to jail, hahah". I don't think people like my coworkers or Jay Leno have bad intentions, but they are encouraging the mentality that hurts people.
hotbike
09-12-07, 07:43 AM
There's a very effective way to stop a motorists who's trying to run people over. Sugar in the gas tank.
Of course, Jay Leno has a big multi car garage, so his cars are off-limits.
You put some sugar on a piece of writing paper and roll it up, fold the ends over, so it's the size of a cigar. Tear the end open and pour it right in the gas tank of the offending... "tank".
nova
09-12-07, 08:05 AM
There's a very effective way to stop a motorists who's trying to run people over. Sugar in the gas tank.
Of course, Jay Leno has a big multi car garage, so his cars are off-limits.
You put some sugar on a piece of writing paper and roll it up, fold the ends over, so it's the size of a cigar. Tear the end open and pour it right in the gas tank of the offending... "tank".
Guess you never tried that your self? That myth is bogus as a $3 bill. They tested it on myth busters with massive amounts. I suppose if your do it enough times like every time they add gas it might manage to clog fuel injectors after a few 5 pound bags.
As for jay leno well hes always been a bit of a dip.
SingleSpeeDemon
09-12-07, 08:10 AM
Guess you never tried that your self? That myth is bogus as a $3 bill. They tested it on myth busters with massive amounts. I suppose if your do it enough times like every time they add gas it might manage to clog fuel injectors after a few 5 pound bags.
As for jay leno well hes always been a bit of a dip.
I disagree. It worked in the movie King Pin.
Bekologist
09-12-07, 09:01 AM
I also was disturbed by Jay Leno joking about attempted murder of a bicyclist riding legally in the lane of traffic ahead of him. reprehensible.
kendall
09-12-07, 09:32 AM
There's a very effective way to stop a motorists who's trying to run people over. Sugar in the gas tank.
Of course, Jay Leno has a big multi car garage, so his cars are off-limits.
You put some sugar on a piece of writing paper and roll it up, fold the ends over, so it's the size of a cigar. Tear the end open and pour it right in the gas tank of the offending... "tank".
suger does nothing when placed in the fuel. Honey in the oil does wonders to quiet a noisy engine though.
A few years ago I had a truck that used a quart a week, I bought oil by the case and kept it in the back of my truck, when I used a quart I'd put the empty back in the case upside down, simply because it kept the truck neater. A new guy started working with us, and his car used oil real bad, when he pulled in you could smell the oil. Shortly after he started working there I noticed that I was missing oil, so after making sure where it was going I used a feeler gauge to open a couple quarts of oil without breaking the lockring on them, then filled them with honey and put them back in the box with some empties and put the real oil under my seat, a couple days later they were gone. On the way home that night he was on the side of 131 with his hood open. he missed the next day, when he finally showed up he was in a different car, and at lunch was talking about how his car had frozen up, He wasn't sure why because he had put oil in it before he got on the freeway. For some reason he got real upset when I told him the oil cans in the back of my truck were full of honey instead of oil. He didn't work there long after that, we had serious rules against theft.
Ken
AlmostTrick
09-12-07, 10:30 AM
Meh. Comedians say lots of stuff that is sure to upset one group of people or another at some time. I doubt his comments encouraged anyone to actually run over a cyclist.
j-lip
09-12-07, 10:34 AM
I didn't see the show, but the comments you quoted from Jay and his guest turn my stomach. I wonder if some feedback would do anything?
sometimes when i get mad at someone, i say "i'm so gonna kill that guy". but i don't really mean it.
seriously though, people will be making fun of cyclists for as long as we live. you might as well stop getting offended everytime, because you're gonna end up one angry mo-fo later in life.
write the show a letter indicating your disproval if it really bothers you.
The Human Car
09-12-07, 11:28 AM
FWIW on the flip side:
'THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO' WEARS YELLOW
Audience Wears Live Strong Wristbands and Celebrity Guests Sign Yellow Jersey to Benefit Lance Armstrong Foundationhttp://www.livestrong.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=khLXK1PxHmF&b=2661081&ct=3756703
shakeNbake
09-12-07, 11:38 AM
Leary = his "a s s h o l e" act got old years ago
Leno = on his way out
I think George Lopez got it right: "It tells you something about Jay Leno if Conan O'Brien is coming into The Tonight Show when Jay Leno is still young enough to be the host."
Meh. Comedians say lots of stuff that is sure to upset one group of people or another at some time. I doubt his comments encouraged anyone to actually run over a cyclist.
Yeah, true. I suppose cyclists are no different than celebrities, just another group for criticism... but a little healthier I hope :D
Think I'll still drop them a line at NBC so they know I'm here and noticed, but it won't be as emotionally charged as I was earlier.
Allister
09-12-07, 02:45 PM
Didn't Dennis Leary do that cyclist schtick way back on the 'Lock 'n' Load' album? Time for some new material, dude.
As for Jay Leno - I reckon he gets his material from the Bumper Book of Jokes for Boys. Serves you right for even tuning in. I'd say don't take him seriously, but that might encourage you to take him humourously, and that's not an appropriate response either.
Allister
09-12-07, 02:45 PM
*|
Double post. Oops
Allister
09-12-07, 02:46 PM
Meh. Comedians say lots of stuff that is sure to upset one group of people or another at some time. I doubt his comments encouraged anyone to actually run over a cyclist.
Jay Leno's a comedian? Now that's funny.
invisiblehand
09-12-07, 02:51 PM
Didn't Dennis Leary do that cyclist schtick way back on the 'Lock 'n' Load' album? Time for some new material, dude.
As for Jay Leno - I reckon he gets his material from the Bumper Book of Jokes for Boys. Serves you right for even tuning in. I'd say don't take him seriously, but that might encourage you to take him humourously, and that's not an appropriate response either.
:beer:
cmonster75
09-12-07, 02:59 PM
Strangely enough, I often see Leno driving to work while riding my bike to work. Fortunately, we're going opposite directions. He's pretty easy to spot since there's not many people driving to work in a 56 Buick that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor among the many other cars I've seem him driving.
waldowales
09-12-07, 06:44 PM
What kind of mentality thinks first of sabotaging a car, even if he doesn't understand how to do it? A case of arrested development, or a psychopath? Scheesh! :(
littlewaywelt
09-13-07, 01:34 PM
He's a commedian, not a funny one, but a commedian. They offend everyone. Get in line.
If Leno has that mentality he's just another JAM. That simple.
Jeronimo_
09-13-07, 05:57 PM
Jay Leno is a chowderhead.
Helmet Head
09-13-07, 06:43 PM
I record The Tonight Show on my DVR every night, though don't always watch it. When I saw this thread the other day, I made sure I saved the show from the previous night (I have it set to normally keep only one Tonight Show). I finally watched it yesterday.
I think it's appropriate to note the context. Leary was talking about cyclists on Mulholland Drive with tight fitting clothes and making fun of that, which reminded Leno of an incident from the previous day, which he quickly recounted. He said the guy was in the road in front of him (on Muholland Drive), and Jay "just lightly tooted his horn", and the cyclist "of course" immediately flipped him off. I think the critical thing is that
It is not illegal or impolite for a driver to honk (or flash lights) to inform a slower driver in front of him that he would like to pass.
It is not illegal, but it IS arguably rude, to respond to this by flipping him off.
Now, we weren't there, but if it's true that Jay wasn't angry and laying down on the horn, but he did actually just lightly toot his horn, I can see why it would piss him off to get flipped off for doing that.
It is in that context that he made his joke about running over a cyclist who pisses him off like that. It was clear to me that he didn't mean it, and that it was unlikely for anyone else to interpret that as a justification for running over cyclists.
Look. We do look ridiculous in our Spandex, but it's important to be comfortable and visible, so I wear it. If they want to joke about it, whatever. I joke about what golfers wear. So what?
But the most important thing here is I think that most drivers are like Jay. That is, they're okay with us out there, as long as we're being reasonable and predictable. That wasn't Jay's words, but that was certainly the impression I got from what he was saying (and Leary too, by the way). And flipping someone off for honking at you is not reasonable.
The best thing to do when someone behind you honks is to acknowledge them, by turning around and smiling, waving or even blowing a kiss, not by flipping them off. And, as soon as it's safe and reasonable to do so, move aside. If you do that, they are less likely to joke about running you over on The Tonight Show.
Helmet Head
09-13-07, 06:46 PM
Strangely enough, I often see Leno driving to work while riding my bike to work. Fortunately, we're going opposite directions. He's pretty easy to spot since there's not many people driving to work in a 56 Buick that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor among the many other cars I've seem him driving.
On Mulholland?
DCCommuter
09-13-07, 08:05 PM
It is not illegal or impolite for a driver to honk (or flash lights) to inform a slower driver in front of him that he would like to pass.
I disagree with your interpretation that Jay was honking at the cyclist because "he would like to pass." He's honking because he doesn't want to pass; he wants the cyclist to get out of his way, and he thinks that by honking he can magically make the cyclist disappear.
But the most important thing here is I think that most drivers are like Jay. That is, they're okay with us out there, as long as we're being reasonable and predictable. That wasn't Jay's words, but that was certainly the impression I got from what he was saying (and Leary too, by the way). And flipping someone off for honking at you is not reasonable.
Again I disagree, accept with your contention that most drivers are like Jay. They don't want us to be "reasonable and predictable," they want us out of their way. They don't care how we ride, as long as we don't get in their way. There are an awful lot of drivers who get agitated at the sight of a cyclist on the roadway, and who get offended at the notion of having to change lanes to go around one, let alone wait for a few seconds.
randya
09-13-07, 09:25 PM
actually, flashing your brights to pass is illegal in most state traffic codes.
Helmet Head
09-13-07, 09:26 PM
I disagree with your interpretation that Jay was honking at the cyclist because "he would like to pass." He's honking because he doesn't want to pass; he wants the cyclist to get out of his way, and he thinks that by honking he can magically make the cyclist disappear.
Again I disagree, accept with your contention that most drivers are like Jay. They don't want us to be "reasonable and predictable," they want us out of their way. They don't care how we ride, as long as we don't get in their way. There are an awful lot of drivers who get agitated at the sight of a cyclist on the roadway, and who get offended at the notion of having to change lanes to go around one, let alone wait for a few seconds.
Mulholland is a famous curvy two lane road. Whether drivers are offended about having to change lanes to pass is irrelevant here. On two lane roads, drivers of all slow moving vehicles are required to operate as far right as practicable, to facilitate the passing by faster traffic. Of course, when faster traffic is not present, that does not apply. The typical cyclist does not use a mirror, and may not know that faster traffic has approached from behind, and that he is now obligated to move right. There is nothing wrong with a friendly toot of the horn to remind him.
Helmet Head
09-13-07, 09:29 PM
actually, flashing your brights to pass is illegal in most state traffic codes.
Citations, please.
Yielding for Passing
21753. Except when passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall safely move to the right-hand side of the highway in favor of the overtaking vehicle after an audible signal or a momentary flash of headlights by the overtaking vehicle, and shall not increase the speed of his or her vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle. This section does not require the driver of an overtaken vehicle to drive on the shoulder of the highway in order to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass.
http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21753.htm
Bekologist
09-14-07, 01:07 AM
...leave it up to Head to be an apologist for a Jay Leno talking about killing bicyclists. :eek:
Do talk show hosts often talk about murdering people in cold blood? David Letterman joke about killing kids in crosswalks? Conan O'Brian shooting people ahead of him in line at a movie theater?
joking about running over bicyclists with a car is not a laughing matter. Except to drivers like HH.
Thumbs down on your apologist stance for drivers like Jay Leno running over bicyclists, Serge.
Bushman
09-14-07, 01:08 AM
I record The Tonight Show on my DVR every night, though don't always watch it. When I saw this thread the other day, I made sure I saved the show from the previous night (I have it set to normally keep only one Tonight Show). I finally watched it yesterday.
I think it's appropriate to note the context. Leary was talking about cyclists on Mulholland Drive with tight fitting clothes and making fun of that, which reminded Leno of an incident from the previous day, which he quickly recounted. He said the guy was in the road in front of him (on Muholland Drive), and Jay "just lightly tooted his horn", and the cyclist "of course" immediately flipped him off. I think the critical thing is that
It is not illegal or impolite for a driver to honk (or flash lights) to inform a slower driver in front of him that he would like to pass.
It is not illegal, but it IS arguably rude, to respond to this by flipping him off.
Now, we weren't there, but if it's true that Jay wasn't angry and laying down on the horn, but he did actually just lightly toot his horn, I can see why it would piss him off to get flipped off for doing that.
It is in that context that he made his joke about running over a cyclist who pisses him off like that. It was clear to me that he didn't mean it, and that it was unlikely for anyone else to interpret that as a justification for running over cyclists.
Look. We do look ridiculous in our Spandex, but it's important to be comfortable and visible, so I wear it. If they want to joke about it, whatever. I joke about what golfers wear. So what?
But the most important thing here is I think that most drivers are like Jay. That is, they're okay with us out there, as long as we're being reasonable and predictable. That wasn't Jay's words, but that was certainly the impression I got from what he was saying (and Leary too, by the way). And flipping someone off for honking at you is not reasonable.
The best thing to do when someone behind you honks is to acknowledge them, by turning around and smiling, waving or even blowing a kiss, not by flipping them off. And, as soon as it's safe and reasonable to do so, move aside. If you do that, they are less likely to joke about running you over on The Tonight Show.
+1
gji555
09-14-07, 06:32 AM
I record The Tonight Show on my DVR every night, though don't always watch it. When I saw this thread the other day, I made sure I saved the show from the previous night (I have it set to normally keep only one Tonight Show). I finally watched it yesterday.
I think it's appropriate to note the context. Leary was talking about cyclists on Mulholland Drive with tight fitting clothes and making fun of that, which reminded Leno of an incident from the previous day, which he quickly recounted. He said the guy was in the road in front of him (on Muholland Drive), and Jay "just lightly tooted his horn", and the cyclist "of course" immediately flipped him off. I think the critical thing is that
It is not illegal or impolite for a driver to honk (or flash lights) to inform a slower driver in front of him that he would like to pass.
It is not illegal, but it IS arguably rude, to respond to this by flipping him off.
Now, we weren't there, but if it's true that Jay wasn't angry and laying down on the horn, but he did actually just lightly toot his horn, I can see why it would piss him off to get flipped off for doing that.
It is in that context that he made his joke about running over a cyclist who pisses him off like that. It was clear to me that he didn't mean it, and that it was unlikely for anyone else to interpret that as a justification for running over cyclists.
Look. We do look ridiculous in our Spandex, but it's important to be comfortable and visible, so I wear it. If they want to joke about it, whatever. I joke about what golfers wear. So what?
But the most important thing here is I think that most drivers are like Jay. That is, they're okay with us out there, as long as we're being reasonable and predictable. That wasn't Jay's words, but that was certainly the impression I got from what he was saying (and Leary too, by the way). And flipping someone off for honking at you is not reasonable.
The best thing to do when someone behind you honks is to acknowledge them, by turning around and smiling, waving or even blowing a kiss, not by flipping them off. And, as soon as it's safe and reasonable to do so, move aside. If you do that, they are less likely to joke about running you over on The Tonight Show.
I agree that the context was not vicious... but that's why it bothered me so much. Casual remarks about something that I take very seriously. When there is a close connection its harder to pass over. I don't think that any driver actually wants to hit someone regardless of their vehicle type. But when confronted with a decision in traffic, hasn't the "I'm the most important person on the road" mentality been reinforced again and again by casual jabs like this?
One of my friends in school had a family member commit suicide. I can't count how many times someone would joke "kill me now" over homework, a project or workout with zero intention of ending their life. But this guy always confronted that person because it was an important topic to him. He had seen that mentality range from just kidding to the real thing and witnessed both responses of doing nothing and responding. I agree that joking topics can be funny for most people but very sensitive to others. I guess I'm no different than an avid movie goer that lives in a bad neighborhood who was concerned w/ Conan's comments and is sounding off on dangerousmovietheaterforums.net
Again, I'm not concerned with clothing jokes. There is almost a sense of pride in explaining to others why you wear a seemingly outrageous outfit, explaining the logic, and them still not understanding the goofy get-up.
Mr. Underbridge
09-14-07, 07:00 AM
Do talk show hosts often talk about murdering people in cold blood? David Letterman joke about killing kids in crosswalks? Conan O'Brian shooting people ahead of him in line at a movie theater?
Yeah, I usually joke around all the time, but I've never heard a funny joke that had, as its subject, the killing of innocent people.
Well, except lawyers. That's funny.
hotbike
09-14-07, 07:04 AM
I shouldn't have said to put sugar in any JAM's gas tank. I'm sorry I said that. If it doesn't work, that's news to me... maybe it just gums up the carburator, while all the cars today have fuel injection.
I'm glad it was just a joke, and television viewer's didn't swarm and attack bicyclists en masse the next day.
mwrobe1
09-14-07, 07:14 AM
Jay Leno's a comedian? Now that's funny.
The other funny thing is that people actually watch his show.
Of course, Jay Leno has a big multi car garage, so his cars are off-limits.
He also has a hangar with over 100 motorcycles. And if you've ever met him, you'd know he was one of the most down to earth celebrities out there. I've personally spoken with him about a dozen charity events and at the Rock Store, and he's always been just a regular guy with lots of cars. I doubt there was any malice intended. As someone else mentioned, it's just an off-hand remark, which shouldn't be taken seriously.
suger does nothing when placed in the fuel. Honey in the oil does wonders to quiet a noisy engine though.
A few years ago I had a truck that used a quart a week, I bought oil by the case and kept it in the back of my truck, when I used a quart I'd put the empty back in the case upside down, simply because it kept the truck neater. A new guy started working with us, and his car used oil real bad, when he pulled in you could smell the oil. Shortly after he started working there I noticed that I was missing oil, so after making sure where it was going I used a feeler gauge to open a couple quarts of oil without breaking the lockring on them, then filled them with honey and put them back in the box with some empties and put the real oil under my seat, a couple days later they were gone. On the way home that night he was on the side of 131 with his hood open. he missed the next day, when he finally showed up he was in a different car, and at lunch was talking about how his car had frozen up, He wasn't sure why because he had put oil in it before he got on the freeway. For some reason he got real upset when I told him the oil cans in the back of my truck were full of honey instead of oil. He didn't work there long after that, we had serious rules against theft.
Ken
This story made my day. that is just awesome :)
noisebeam
09-14-07, 08:24 AM
actually, flashing your brights to pass is illegal in most state traffic codes.
As you said in most. In Arizona it is legal:
"2. Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible signal or blinking of head lamps at nighttime and shall not increase the speed of the overtaken vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle. "
edit: doh, already discussed. ignore.
Al
Helmet Head
09-14-07, 08:25 AM
...leave it up to Head to be an apologist for a Jay Leno talking about killing bicyclists. :eek:
Do talk show hosts often talk about murdering people in cold blood? David Letterman joke about killing kids in crosswalks? Conan O'Brian shooting people ahead of him in line at a movie theater?
joking about running over bicyclists with a car is not a laughing matter. Except to drivers like HH.
Thumbs down on your apologist stance for drivers like Jay Leno running over bicyclists, Serge.
What do you call 1000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean, Bek?
What do you call a skydiving lawyer?
gji555 is right. This is mountain-to-molehill conversion and ultimately harms us.
When comedians are making jokes about you and the audience is laughing, one way or the other there is a message in there for you. Pay attention.
A good start.
Skeet.These jokes are funny and have nothing to do with killing lawyers or cyclists. They have to do with shared sources of frustration.
Brian
09-14-07, 08:31 AM
Untold babies have been put in blenders, all due to a few bad jokes from the '80s.
cmonster75
09-14-07, 08:35 AM
On Mulholland?
No, Coldwater Cyn. I read once that his place is on or near Mulholland when he was building his garage and his neighbors were raising hell about it, but I've seen him on the south side in BH, all the way down where it turns into Beverly.
va_cyclist
09-14-07, 08:59 AM
I disagree. It worked in the movie King Pin.
Almost as effective as the banana in the tailpipe from Beverly Hills Cop.
tt1106
09-14-07, 09:01 AM
It's not surprising. You should e-mail him a letter about opening car doors when motorcyclists drive through.
I'm sure he would appreciate it. ;)
Bekologist
09-14-07, 09:01 AM
i still don't think the enculteration of drivers running over bicyclists for being in their way is in any way acceptable.
people joke about running bicyclists over, and it seems to be happening more and more as a deliberate act. also, the threats to bicyclists by drivers in their cars aggressively, for being in the lane, is also on the increase.
I hazard a bet this type of harassment is becoming enculterated into the american psyche, and it is comments by jay leno and talk show radio hosts that are encouraging rage against bicyclists.
waldowales
09-14-07, 09:13 AM
"enculterated"? What language is this?
Bekologist
09-14-07, 09:17 AM
martian.
enculturate. to infuse behaviors, etc. into a society.
jay lenos' offhand comment about running over cyclists, shock radio hosts 'joking' about 'running over' a bicyclist enculturates bicyclist harassment. (for taking the lane, most likely positioning himself in a vehicular manner, serge!)
how you people think this is acceptable because it was a 'joke' is beyond me. that type of talk encourages motorists to harrass bicyclists and get riders clipped, run over, harassed in america.
Maybe the rest of you think its okay to have drivers encouraged to harass and run us over for taking the lane, I find it not quite as harmless a joke.
that type of talk enculturates poor treatment of bicyclists on the roads.
John E
09-14-07, 09:52 AM
When I lived in west Los Angeles in the1970s, I rode Mulholland Drive across the Coldwater Canyon intersection almost weekly with Velo Club LaGrange, so I suppose this hits me close to home. Having met Jay Leno in a long customs line at LAX as my boss struck up a conversation with him, I concur with Brian's observations about him being a down-to-earth "regular guy." However, I do share Bekologist's concern that some idiot listening to Leno might misconstrue his satirical humor. As much as I believe in freedom of speech, I also believe it is appropriate to hold those who use our public airwaves to a higher standard than John Q. Public.
noisebeam
09-14-07, 10:11 AM
There are folks who can think critically and understand context and can appreciate/understand that a joke is a joke and why. There are also folks who don't and have a knee jerk reaction - either finding a joke an unacceptable horror or micro-adjusting their attitide thats its OK to demean or hurt the target of the joke.
As this thread makes clear the world is not filled just one type of careful thinkers, which is why jokes like this should be minimized.
Al
Bekologist
09-14-07, 10:22 AM
:rolleyes:
barndoor
09-14-07, 10:30 AM
Jay Leno and a horse walk into a bar.....the bartender looks at Leno and asks , "why the long face?"....
Sorry....I just had to.....I can't stand Leno.
caloso
09-14-07, 10:35 AM
The other funny thing is that people actually watch his show.
I've always been a Dave Letterman guy. Does Leno still have a show?