To the person who sent me a private message: I don't read private messages.

If you have something to say to me, say it in public.

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I know that.

However, I have an interest in a certain type of behavior called relational aggression.

Relational aggressors love internet forums.

A number of people on this forum, and other forums, indulge in relational aggression as their normal pattern of internet behavior; and, for the most part, their fellow forumites learn to ignore them (or yield to them, and even join them).
I normally ignore them.

However, in this case, I saw three classic posts right in a row...one, two, three...absolutely classical examples of the genre.

So, out of curiosity, I tried a strategy I don't use very often, just to see how it might work in this case.

As a result of my strategy, I noted two things that fit the pattern I normally see.

First of all, the relational aggressor does not like seeing his own behavior come back at him; and, he either adopts the pose of "victim," pleads a misunderstanding, or describes the person who confronted him as overreacting.

Secondly, I noted, as I have many times, that although forumites will tolerate and even yield to the behavior of the initial relational aggressor, they do not tolerate the behavior of the person who acts out of character and otherwise confronts the relational aggressor.

Ironic, eh?

As for the dookies and dutrets of this world, they do not offend me.
They have my compassion.
They do not choose their life path and cannot see the reality of it.

Interestingly, the above doesn't mean the rest of us have to suffer the dysfunctional behaviors of relational agressors as our own afflictions.
Morally, we have every right, and maybe even a responsibility, to poke 'em, twist 'em and steer 'em to the benefit of the community.

Now, if it bothers someone that I have used this thread as my own private laboratory, I hope you really don't like it: after all, a significant percentage of the participants on this forum wear their bikes as a costume, and I just can't bring myself to care about what people who wear bikes as costumes might think about what I do.

"Gosh, I hope I have the right type of stem and cool tattoos so people will like me."

Oh please, please, please tell me this offends you.

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Another thing about relational aggressors, they behave differently in different cultures.

When I visit Southern California, I see relational aggressors cutting in line and then embarrassing anyone who questions them on their behavior.
I haven't seen this anywhere else.
For example, when I visit the Northeastern inner cities, I see very few examples of public relational aggression.
I think Northeastern inner city folk have special social skills for dealing with relational aggression, and they don't let this behavior gain any momentum.

Interestingly, when Californian relational aggressors come up here to Oregon and try cutting in line, Oregonians hand them their butts.

Don't misunderstand me: most Californians come to Oregon and become Oregonians themselves within about six months.
I mean, really, most Californians come here to get away from California, and not to bring it with them.

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I didn't know fixed gear bikes existed until I read Sheldon Brown's discussions of fixed gear bikes.
I immediately plugged into it.

So, in preparation for getting my first fixed gear bike, I joined this forum.
We had a different crowd here, then, and I learned a lot about fixed gear bikes from this forum, before I even saw a fixed gear bike in real life.

I miss absntr: he taught me a lot about fixed gear bikes and life in general.
I mean, he didn't teach me, but I learned a lot from his posts.
He and I also had bad bicycle accidents about the same time: I lost a month of work while the docs reinflated my lung, and I think absntr spent a few days in a coma.

I also found it then, as now, both humorous and amazing that a subculture exists concerning fixed gear bikes and bike messengers and the whole pretend life style.

So, anyway, as I wrote earlier, I hope you don't like it.

Please, have a tizzy fit for my entertainment.

If you don't make me laugh, you'll make me cry.

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Final word before I leave, perhaps for good:

I loathe cars.

Loathe.

I have attended well over a thousand fatal automobile accidents.

I gave away my car years ago, and I will get in my wife's car only on special occasions.

I will probably never own a car again, in this lifetime.

Did I mention I loathe cars?

I've also shoved all my geared bikes to the back of the garage and now ride only fixed gear bikes.

I can't imagine ever buying another geared bike (with one exception).

Presently, I ride my bike 24/7/365, day and night through any and all kinds of weather.
Sometimes nuthin' moves out there except me and the snow plows.

I love it.

I see fixed gear bikes and riding fixed gear bikes as God's special gift to me (and to you).

I started a six month chemotherapy treatment in October (a month and a half left to go), and I have continued to ride despite the effects of the drugs.
My doctors can't believe I find the will and energy to do it, but really, I can't NOT do it.
If I didn't ride, I would die.

A man in Indiana makes a four-wheeled two-person pedal car called a Quadracycle...actually, a QuadraSport:

http://www.quadracycleinc.com/showroom/showroom.html

I've thought of buying one.

A lot of people on chemo lose their sense of balance, not to mention their strength and energy.

If I had a QuadraSport, I could take other chemo patients, and even really old folks, for a bicycle ride, and then they could feel like a rider, and not like a passenger.

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So, you know, dookie and dutret, and any of you other bad boys, come to Bend and look me up in the phone book.
I'll take you to the best lunch you've ever had.

But watch out: I'll mess with your brain.