Living Car Free - I'm impressed....

with you people who are car-free AND watch TV. Last night I watched a football game. By the end of it I'd seen hours of car advertisements and car insurance advertisements. Actually it was mostly truck advertisements, I started feeling insecure about my manhood because I don't drive a truck through flames and get it airborne on my way to work. It was noticeable that the advertisements talked about "tough economic times" without mentioning the causes. It didn't make sense, if you're experiencing tough economic times you aren't going to be a good customer for a new truck unless you're stupid enough to confuse saving money and spending money. Even though I know from experience that the car-free lifestyle is superior to car-dependent lifestyles, without large corporations making huge profits from car-free living, that truth won't be televised. I can imagine a commercial for Ortlieb panniers showing a healthy sexy woman pedaling past slobs stuck in their trucks in traffic. Then she'll be greeted by some manly hunk on a utility bike with the cool panniers.

Car companies advertise. What's new?

Also, I do go airborne on my way to work.

Advertising, make sense????? :roflmao2:

It's all about hooking you emotionally of course. Logic never sold anything.

Simple living and being non-materialistic will never get advertised. No sale, no advertisement. ;)

it's true, the number of car commercials is ridiculous.. (yes i watch too much tv).

but it's funny to watch them squirm about current condidtions ("we still have financing!", "these hard times", etc), when not owning a car. oh and don't forget the car insurance commercials, they are the other quarter of what you see on tv. ugh. mute.

there's a train ad that shows people hauling huge loads on bicycles, and then says "until we can move a ton of goods using a bicycle.. rail is the best option" or something like that.

then i always think of pictures in this forum of people hauling huge loads! (not a ton, sure, but the average tv watcher would be impressed for sure).

(and when watching recorded shows, fast-forwarding through all commercials is really the best option!)

Here's how you deal with all the ads on TV:


When watching your show, watch from the saddle of your bicycle on the trainer.
Ride slowly enough so you can enjoy the show.
When the commercials come on, go into the drops and pedal as hard as you possibly can until the commercial is over.
Resume slower riding when the show comes on again.


These are called commercial intervals, and if you ride hard enough through the commercials, you won't be thinking about the commercials at all.

These are called commercial intervals, and if you ride hard enough through the commercials, you won't be thinking about the commercials at all.

I like it! If kids had to do this they would also learn early on to associate commercials with a painful burning sensation in their legs and lungs followed by joyful respite when the nasty commercials go away. It's probably a good thing that I don't have kids yet.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, this sounds exactly like something Calvin's dad from Calvin and Hobbes would come up with. I can just imagine him giving Calvin some reason that it builds character.

But did anybody ever notice how many commercials have bicycles in them? They're usually just in the background, and they're for alkl kinds of products and services. Even a good proportion of car ads have a bike or two somewhere in the background.

But did anybody ever notice how many commercials have bicycles in them? They're usually just in the background, and they're for alkl kinds of products and services. Even a good proportion of car ads have a bike or two somewhere in the background.

I have noticed this! It's been happening for a while, too. You'll see typical street scenes and there's *always* a bicycle driveby. You'll see this in car ads, viagara ads... just about every commercial that requires a street scene.

My current theory is that there's a putsch of cyclists running these ad agencies and their hidden agenda is to inject subliminal messages in these ads that say things like "Get off your ass and go for a ride."

I have noticed this! It's been happening for a while, too. You'll see typical street scenes and there's *always* a bicycle driveby. You'll see this in car ads, viagara ads... just about every commercial that requires a street scene.

My current theory is that there's a putsch of cyclists running these ad agencies and their hidden agenda is to inject subliminal messages in these ads that say things like "Get off your ass and go for a ride."

But I don't think that your average non-cyling person notices these bicycles.

But did anybody ever notice how many commercials have bicycles in them? They're usually just in the background, and they're for alkl kinds of products and services. Even a good proportion of car ads have a bike or two somewhere in the background.

I recently watched "Who Killed The Electric Car?" and noticed bicycles in the background several times. Yes, while this all-important battle was going on to save the precious electric car, there was the simple bicycle quietly doing what it does best, and of course no one paid any attention to it. :innocent:

Commercial=mute

Commercial=mute

Hit the FWD button. What, do people still watch live tv in this century ?!?

Hit the FWD button. What, do people still watch live tv in this century ?!?

Call me Mr. Rabbit Ears. No cable, no DVR. Still trying to figure out what the best thing to do before February is.

Call me Mr. Rabbit Ears. No cable, no DVR. Still trying to figure out what the best thing to do before February is.

I know how you feel. I have a TV with a 1988 manufacture date, a VCR, and a DVD player. I didn't pay for any of them. I also did break down and buy the digital converter box because I just can't live without Frontline, Nova, and a couple other shows.

Hit the FWD button. What, do people still watch live tv in this century ?!?
I still watch sports live -it's psychological for me....

Call me Mr. Rabbit Ears. No cable, no DVR. Still trying to figure out what the best thing to do before February is.


www.channelsurfing.net

But I don't think that your average non-cyling person notices these bicycles.
jdom (are you the original xml parser?), I disagree. When it comes to lifestyle, if you give the audience enough subliminal messaging, eventually the image affects conscious decisions and thought. This kind of infusion of image happens all the time in advertising and for a very good reason.

Call me Mr. Rabbit Ears. No cable, no DVR. Still trying to figure out what the best thing to do before February is.

And the price you pay for service is exactly what it's worth...:thumb:

Call me Mr. Rabbit Ears. No cable, no DVR. Still trying to figure out what the best thing to do before February is.

Get your $40 coupon and pick up a digital conversion box. Mine is working OK so far.

Funny how a Republican government could spend so much subsidizing commercial TV, but regulating toxic pollutants is viewed as unAmerican interference with private commerce. I guess it's abot whether you pollute minds or ecosystems?

Get your $40 coupon and pick up a digital conversion box.

I ordered my coupons back in early November and they still haven't arrived. When I call the government telephone number to get assistance (1 888 388 2009) it takes me through several menu choices only to tell me that they are too busy and then it hangs up on me. It is the most annoying telephone message I've ever heard.:mad:

Call and listen to it.

I just can't live without Frontline, Nova, and a couple other shows.

You get PBS? Lucky, I just have the 3 networks plus Fox, CW, RTN and several Christian networks. And since I live in a valley, they are all snowy. I couldn't live without DVDs from the library.

I just can't live without Frontline, Nova, and a couple other shows.

I got rid of my TV five years ago. I watch Frontline and Nova on pbs.org (http://www.pbs.org/video/).

I got rid of my TV five years ago. I watch Frontline and Nova on pbs.org (http://www.pbs.org/video/).

The advantage of watching TV shows on a computer monitor instead of a TV is...?

The advantage of watching TV shows on a computer monitor instead of a TV is...?

Actually I just watched the entire season of Tru Blood on a 15 inch Apple MacBook Pro. Excellent quality and audio - this isn't 1997.

Also there are devices such as Apple TV which can send the signal from your PC to your TV (any TV with A/V input,) so if your computer video isn't up to par you can still use your computer (torrents/Itunes/and others,) for content management and watch it on your TV.

With the net being used to control content and select programming I really do see your internet accounts being used as the primary method of programming. Rather than flipping through channels or even on-demand cable menus.

Between my Netflix on demand and Apple TV I'm not sure exactly why I have cable. Oh yeah- I like watching the Magic Bullet infomercial...

The advantage of watching TV shows on a computer monitor instead of a TV is...?

…that I don't have to own a TV. Old TVs are obsolete, and new ones cut into the bike budget.

I didn't get rid of it so that I could watch online, I got rid of it because I watched it so infrequently it seemed stupid haul the thing around ever time I moved. I dusted it more often than I turned it on. So I put on CL and let someone pay me to move it. The only things I really missed were on PBS, and happily, they put those programs online.

I didn't get rid of it so that I could watch online, I got rid of it because I watched it so infrequently it seemed stupid haul the thing around ever time I moved. I dusted it more often than I turned it on. So I put on CL and let someone pay me to move it. The only things I really missed were on PBS, and happily, they put those programs online.

I wish I had known about this before I paid $40 for a converter box. Anyway, now I can get rid of my TV which will be good

My current theory is that there's a putsch of cyclists running these ad agencies and their hidden agenda is to inject subliminal messages in these ads that say things like "Get off your ass and go for a ride."
I think the cagers who the ads are directed toward and tested on, don't see bikes the way we do. My idle speculation is that they associate bikes with conspicuous waste- having leisure time and living in a pricey neighborhood where you can ride your bike to starbucks. The cagers don't see the bike as an alternative to the car but as a lifestyle accessory. Its funny to us car-free to see the better alternative to the product placed within the advertisement.

I am in co housing so I sap off other people when and if I watch TV.

I found it funny that they air truck commercials with snow. Yea go buy a truck for the snow. Oh wait it never snows here.

I found it funny that they air truck commercials with snow. Yea go buy a truck for the snow. Oh wait it never snows here.
But... didn't the government just give the car companies our tax dollars so they would stop selling gas hogs? Then they're using our money to pay for advertising to sell more gas hogs? It seems shameless for their bigwigs to go to congress asking for money because they got caught out making gas guzzlers, then when they get the money they flood the airwaves with advertisements trying to induce us to buy gas guzzlers. If the advertising is successful they'll have the perfect excuse to keep on making more of them "Its what the people want!". The government stopped cigarette adverts, and booze adverts for the public good. Isn't it in the public interest that they stop pushing huge trucks?

Another crazy idea:

If the car companies merge with Trek or Cannondale then their fleet average mpg will go through the roof- they can brag on being green. Then we can see cool ads for bikes- driving through flames, hauling loads, spinouts, wheelies, smiles from the ladies and everything.

I ordered my coupons back in early November and they still haven't arrived. When I call the government telephone number to get assistance (1 888 388 2009) it takes me through several menu choices only to tell me that they are too busy and then it hangs up on me. It is the most annoying telephone message I've ever heard.:mad:

Call and listen to it.

No thanks! I have enough irritants in my life already.

I didn't have any trouble getting my coupon almost a year ago. But I bet they are busier now.

But... didn't the government just give the car companies our tax dollars so they would stop selling gas hogs? Then they're using our money to pay for advertising to sell more gas hogs? It seems shameless for their bigwigs to go to congress asking for money because they got caught out making gas guzzlers, then when they get the money they flood the airwaves with advertisements trying to induce us to buy gas guzzlers. If the advertising is successful they'll have the perfect excuse to keep on making more of them "Its what the people want!". The government stopped cigarette adverts, and booze adverts for the public good. Isn't it in the public interest that they stop pushing huge trucks?

Another crazy idea:

If the car companies merge with Trek or Cannondale then their fleet average mpg will go through the roof- they can brag on being green. Then we can see cool ads for bikes- driving through flames, hauling loads, spinouts, wheelies, smiles from the ladies and everything.

I have seen honda, jeep, hummer, and GMC bikes

Well the trucks can now go 21 mpg wow that is great NOT

When I see car ads on TV I just mentally erase the car and imagine that it is me on my bike in a traffic-free city, or on a scenic mountain road, or splashing through a river ...

hmm, I download all commercial free often in hidef or even bluray these days, no need for a TV

Another crazy idea:

If the car companies merge with Trek or Cannondale then their fleet average mpg will go through the roof- they can brag on being green. Then we can see cool ads for bikes- driving through flames, hauling loads, spinouts, wheelies, smiles from the ladies and everything.

[20 years later... I am watching the news, suffering through another Chevy advertisement and thinking]
If I see another one of those soccer Moms dragging her brood on an xtracycle, I'll go through the roof. :)