Advocacy & Safety - Editorial advocacy of running us over

"Black 2001 Saturn SC2. That’s the car I drive — and if you’re a bicyclist on the road but not in a bike path and you see my car, I hope you’re wearing a helmet, because I might run you over.

Maybe not intentionally.

But you see, with all these things I can do in my car nowadays, such as choose a different song on my iPod, send a text message while driving or fall asleep at the wheel because I had to wake up for a worthless 8 a.m. biology lab, I might not notice you.

And, considering you are where you should not be, I might hit you."

Unbelievable.

http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/bicyclists_need_to_stay_on_sidewalk

Satire?

Either way the reader comments already posted there do a pretty good job, I think.

Already a few threads on this.

I saved the page so I can read it when I need a good pick me up after they take it down. I think he was being serious.

Never had a problem of not going with the flow/speed of traffic on campus. Here, it is 20 mph and many don't go 5 over on campus. No headwind and I have to go around cars and buses as he is describing since passing on the right is inherently less safe.

I read at least 75 comments on that page, and at least 70 of those called "Zack Colman" an idiot. Good to know people are still willing to call out foolishness.

Very heavy-handed satire is my guess. If so, it worked in provoking responses.

How many times are you gonna start this thread, bustednutz?

Hi all, new to this forum.
I came across this Opinion Editorial yesterday and was disgusted that a University News Paper would allow something as this to be printed.
As many of you I ride Road and Trail and to have someone advocating that he will purposely assault a cyclist because he feels they should not be allowed to share the road with a motor vehicle is appalling.
Articles such as this make it hard for all cyclists to enjoy what they do.
I have contacted both the Chief Editor and the President of the University and stated my disgust with this and hopefully action will be taken. Hopefully others will do the same and journalists such as this will no longer be able to put to print such hateful thinking.

Thanks All,
Ride On....

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/bicyclists_need_to_stay_on_sidewalk

I'm all for sharing the road- if the cyclist(s) are going the speed limit.
Otherwise, don't be an azzhat- get to the shoulder.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:
Would you ride a moped in the middle of the lane, going 25 in a 45
mph zone?

I'm all for sharing the road- if the cyclist(s) are going the speed limit.
Otherwise, don't be an azzhat- get to the shoulder.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:
Would you ride a moped in the middle of the lane, going 25 in a 45
mph zone?

Yes, if it was safer to do so.

yes, if it was safer to do so.

+1

I'm all for sharing the road- if the cyclist(s) are going the speed limit.
Otherwise, don't be an azzhat- get to the shoulder.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:
Would you ride a moped in the middle of the lane, going 25 in a 45
mph zone?

So you are saying that you are in favor of sharing the road with cyclists as long as you don't have to share the road?

Yes, I think that's what he said.

I'm all for sharing the road- if the cyclist(s) are going the speed limit.
Otherwise, don't be an azzhat- get to the shoulder.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:
Would you ride a moped in the middle of the lane, going 25 in a 45
mph zone?

The "azzhat" is the one who refuses to reduce his/her speed for slow-moving vehicles.

That means you.

-Kurt

Hi all, new to this forum.

"F-UofM?" Interesting. Any particular reason (or is there any connection between this article and the U of M that I am not following)?

-Kurt

I'm all for sharing the road- if the cyclist(s) are going the speed limit.
Otherwise, don't be an azzhat- get to the shoulder.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:
Would you ride a moped in the middle of the lane, going 25 in a 45
mph zone?

Wait...you're the guy who wrote the editorial, aren't you? :lol:

Article must be a troll. If so, I think he did a pretty good job. Certainly got us all up in arms!

Yea there are plenty of comments on there

I'm saying that if you are a slow moving vehicle, move to the right hand side of the lane to allow vehicles traveling the speed limit to pass.
If you are not traveling the speed limit and taking the lane, then you are an azzhat. :thumb:
You think it is safer to take the lane and cause vehicles to swerve in to oncoming traffic to get around you?
With all of the female drivers out there, no less?
I feel much safer hugging the shoulder if I am going slower than traffic.

You do realize the speed "limit" is a maximum and not a minimum, right?

"F-UofM?" Interesting. Any particular reason (or is there any connection between this article and the U of M that I am not following)?

-Kurt

No connection. I just happened at one time to work for the U of M Athletic Department and found out the hard way that the integrity they preach about is not there what so ever. No longer a fan of Go Blow and hope they lose every game they ever play. Their Department is just as dirty as all the others out there but the talk about how clean they are.
That's it in a nut shell.

While there may be minimum speed limits on freeways, the common-sense and possibly legal minimum speed limit on other roads would be the point where you are obstructing the normal flow of traffic.
This is the situation in which cyclists should not take the lane, myself included.

While there may be minimum speed limits on freeways, the common-sense and possibly legal minimum speed limit on other roads would be the point where you are obstructing the normal flow of traffic.
This is the situation in which cyclists should not take the lane, myself included.


We get it. You like riding on the shoulder/doorzone. You dont like cyclists on the lane. You don't like cyclists slowing you down.

Understood. You have said that 3 times on the first page of this thread. Can you stop now?

You know what? forget it, tell me again what you like and dont like. I dont like cabbage

I'm only responding to posts that call for clarification from me.
And I can tolerate cabbage, but I don't like squash.

I'm saying that if you are a slow moving vehicle, move to the right hand side of the lane to allow vehicles traveling the speed limit to pass.
If you are not traveling the speed limit and taking the lane, then you are an azzhat. :thumb:
You think it is safer to take the lane and cause vehicles to swerve in to oncoming traffic to get around you?
With all of the female drivers out there, no less?
I feel much safer hugging the shoulder if I am going slower than traffic.

psst...Mr. Azzhat...one can only share a lane if it is safe to do so. If you are not patient enough to wait a couple of seconds and have to 'swerve into oncoming traffic' to pass because you are late for your tanning appt, you are the problem, not the cyclist. Now please leave this conversation to actual cyclists and pay attention, you might learn something.

I was pondering why the OP wanted the editor to okay running them over and no, I can't see ours stooping so low. Okay...1, 2, 3...ignore.

It's all yours, Chip.

I was pondering why the OP wanted the editor to okay running them over and no, I can't see ours stooping so low. Okay...1, 2, 3...ignore.

It's all yours, Chip.

Gee thanks, I get all the cherry duty.

Hi all, new to this forum.
I came across this Opinion Editorial yesterday and was disgusted that a University News Paper would allow something as this to be printed.
As many of you I ride Road and Trail and to have someone advocating that he will purposely assault a cyclist because he feels they should not be allowed to share the road with a motor vehicle is appalling.
Articles such as this make it hard for all cyclists to enjoy what they do.
I have contacted both the Chief Editor and the President of the University and stated my disgust with this and hopefully action will be taken. Hopefully others will do the same and journalists such as this will no longer be able to put to print such hateful thinking.

Thanks All,
Ride On....

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/bicyclists_need_to_stay_on_sidewalk

That guy is sick.

While there may be minimum speed limits on freeways, the common-sense and possibly legal minimum speed limit on other roads would be the point where you are obstructing the normal flow of traffic.
This is the situation in which cyclists should not take the lane, myself included.

Given that I filter at intersections, I don't find it especially fair to block cars from passing me if they keep 3 feet away.