Originally Posted by Tapeworm21
As long as HUMANS are behind the wheel, and HUMANS are on a bike, they're gonna hit eachother. Cyclists can't even figure out how to ride on the right side of the road, much less figure out the bike route necessary for their commute.
I totally agree with that. There will ALWAYS be tension and there will ALWAYS be careless jerks (on both sides).
I never really looked at it like some sort of huge movement that was going to radically shift perceptions (although I'm sure many do). Sure, I support cyclists rights, I'm a member of the bike coalition, BUT I don't agree with the ultra militant approach of a handful of CM riders. It's as if they anticipate confrontations and then escalate them to make some sort of twisted point. In the long run, a few people make everyone else look like a-holes.
To me, it's just a great opportunity to turn the table for a few hours once a month, and go out and ride with friends. It's also a cool feeling to see thousands of people on bikes, most of them having a great time and getting along. And maybe it's just me, but especially last night, a ton of motorists seemed to support the whole thing. People got out of their cars, were cheering people on, and just hanging out. Honestly, I wish more of the rides had the same vibe as last night. It would make the thing way more enjoyable.
Anyhow, that's my take.