Advocacy & Safety - Chicago Radio - WGCI and "Messenger Tag"

A coworker of mine just informed me that at around 800am this morning while he was listening to WGCI (107.5 FM), there was a suggestion made to play "messenger tag" - a game during which people on bikes are knocked off the road. This suggestion was made by someone who called in, not by the DJs. Not sure of anything else beyond that. Anyone else catch this?

F*CK THEM!! That really pisses me off.

i personally hope they crash in a way that throws gasoline all over them so that they burn to death. being the **** ass about someones life... it's... nuts... i really don't understand people. it's like they've no mind at all.

Complain, complain, complain. With enough people flooding the radio company's email, they'll have to do something. Are the a Clearchannel radio station? Didn't these guys learn anything from the mess that Clearchannel had to deal with? IDIOTS!!!

have any of you noticed this sort of behavior in areas not involving cycling?

Has anyone heard the story though?

Are the a Clearchannel radio station? Are there any stations that AREN'T clearchannel at this point? ;)

-chris

They are a Clear Channel radio station. AND all Clear Channel radio stations are supposed to have a timed delay. The DJs had an opportunity to dump the call if they felt like it, but they chose to broadcast it. So to me, it doesn't matter if the DJs said it or not- they allowed it to air, so they supported the statement.

I stopped listening to that radio station a looooooooooong time ago. I may speak with a friend of mine who works on that radio station. He gives advice on Fridays, and lemmie tell you, I'll be vocal. I'm supposed to see him on Sunday- he's coming to my spinning classes and we're supposed to make an appointment to ride together. Sean is a big cycling nut and a friend of the mayor's. I'm sure we can find a way to get GCI to understand that supporting bodily harm to cyclists is counterproductive to their radio station's health and well-being.

Koffee

They are a Clear Channel radio station. AND all Clear Channel radio stations are supposed to have a timed delay. The DJs had an opportunity to dump the call if they felt like it, but they chose to broadcast it. So to me, it doesn't matter if the DJs said it or not- they allowed it to air, so they supported the statement.

I stopped listening to that radio station a looooooooooong time ago. I may speak with a friend of mine who works on that radio station. He gives advice on Fridays, and lemmie tell you, I'll be vocal. I'm supposed to see him on Sunday- he's coming to my spinning classes and we're supposed to make an appointment to ride together. Sean is a big cycling nut and a friend of the mayor's. I'm sure we can find a way to get GCI to understand that supporting bodily harm to cyclists is counterproductive to their radio station's health and well-being.

Koffee
Good call. I was going to contact them directly, but figured someone knew someone who could do something more efficiently.
Thanks!
keep us in the loop

Go get 'em!!!

I'm sure we can find a way to get GCI to understand that supporting bodily harm to cyclists is counterproductive to their radio station's health and well-being. Koffee

I dig the ominous sound of that.. rolling thunderous sort of manner... I dig it.

Targetting the station itself is a complete waste of effort. Not wishing to sound disrespecful, but it has been tried before. All it really does is generate the attention that they are seeking by broadcasting this rubbish in the first place. If you're going to contact anyone, either go straight to their sponsors and tell them you're boycotting them over their association with this station -- or contact the regulator with a formal complaint. Either way, contacting the station directly is a waste of time.

They are a Clear Channel radio station. AND all Clear Channel radio stations are supposed to have a timed delay. The DJs had an opportunity to dump the call if they felt like it, but they chose to broadcast it. So to me, it doesn't matter if the DJs said it or not- they allowed it to air, so they supported the statement.
Ever vigilant.

I would suspect that there seems to be a "bait" that keeps drawing Clear Channel DJ's to pick on cyclists in this deadly fashion. Perhaps, despite the peace-offerings from CC toward cyclists with promtional gimicks, they see an opportunity to make $$$ from our suffering.

I can be real dumb about interpreting what people mean from what they say. Does this sound like an accurate interpretation of what the "run down cyclists" really are saying: Cyclists dress funny and act funny so they must be homosexuals that think our street is some kind of Mardi Gras, so we should run them down. Is this all about homophobia?

I can be real dumb about interpreting what people mean from what they say. Does this sound like an accurate interpretation of what the "run down cyclists" really are saying: Cyclists dress funny and act funny so they must be homosexuals that think our street is some kind of Mardi Gras, so we should run them down. Is this all about homophobia?

I'd say that's part of it, but overall it's the same old fear of something different that causes all forms of bigotry. They're not allowed to come out and directly say something against homosexuals or certain other minorities. However, no such laws exist regarding cyclists, so we're a target for their trolling. Of course, we make ourselves a target by actually responding to them with a flood of complaints each time, making it totally clear to them that their trolling is working. What we should be doing is displaying a bit of arrogance and treating this crap with the contempt it so obviously deserves.

Has anyone actually confirmed first hand, exactly what was said/took place?

Paul

Has anyone actually confirmed first hand, exactly what was said/took place?

Paul

Yea, I would like to know, too.

Plus: any progress been made?

Its things like that that lead to people flicking cigarette butts at cyclists

It's things like this wot cause unrest!

I'm actually still waiting on confirmation that it was really said. I sent out a PM asking if it were an April Fool's joke or not. I suspect it isn't, but I would like to be sure beforehand, since I'll be asking a friend who works there for a favor, and I don't want him to go in ranting and raving, only to find out it was a joke and his job is jeopardized. Let me know when you get confirmation.

Koffee

Hey KB-
any word on this?

Dood, I'm not approaching anyone until I get some confirmation that it actually happened. I am actually seeing my friend who works at the station tomorrow, but without confirmation that someone actually heard it, I'll wait on it for now.

Koffee