Anyone else ride without some sort of agenda?
02-06-07, 03:49 PM
#26
Dances With Cars
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I don't ride with an agenda, a diary, or a day planner, but I do carry my laptop. 
I love to ride, it's really that simple....the rest is gravy.
I love to ride, it's really that simple....the rest is gravy.
02-06-07, 04:09 PM
#27
Portland Fred
Originally Posted by chipcom
...but I suspect that like many political groups, their vested interest lies in ensuring the problem perpetuates, rather than solving it.
02-06-07, 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by slowandsteady
It is a toy. It is for playing. There are legitimate political issues. This ain't it.
I don't enjoy biking more than driving. I don't enjoy driving more than biking. They are mutually exclusive. I don't understand why some people feel there needs to be some sort of rivalry between the two. I love my horse too. But I am not going to start riding it to work or the grocery store or start blocking traffic with it.
I don't enjoy biking more than driving. I don't enjoy driving more than biking. They are mutually exclusive. I don't understand why some people feel there needs to be some sort of rivalry between the two. I love my horse too. But I am not going to start riding it to work or the grocery store or start blocking traffic with it.
Population of China; over 1 billion.
Most popular form of transport; Bike
Population of USA; 300 Million.
Most popular form of transport; personal car
Country with the most bikes; USA (hanging on garage walls?)
02-06-07, 09:06 PM
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I am extremely militant at times. Give me an excuse and I block traffic, kick and pound on cars, walk over their front hoods and lean in through windows and scream obscenities at them. Lucliky Cnada has strict gun control laws. And I do need an excuse for this behaviour, usually I am retaliating in kind.
02-06-07, 09:18 PM
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Well, of course I ride WITH an agenda. When I ride, I'm not polluting; when I ride, I'm not burning fossil fuels and contributing to global warming; when I ride, I'm making my city more liveable; when I ride, I'm taking care of my personal health, and having a blast.
Of course I have an agenda.
Of course I have an agenda.
02-06-07, 09:20 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by chipcom
Too bad the motorists are pretty much clueless to CM's alleged intentions and message and see it as yet another reason to get us off the roads, rather than sharing them. With friends like this, cyclists don't need enemies. Perhaps if they spent more time trying to communicate the underlying message and less time ticking off motorists in a vaccum, they might make some progress...but I suspect that like many political groups, their vested interest lies in ensuring the problem perpetuates, rather than solving it.
02-06-07, 10:52 PM
#33
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Originally Posted by Blue Order
Well, of course I ride WITH an agenda. When I ride, I'm not polluting; when I ride, I'm not burning fossil fuels and contributing to global warming; when I ride, I'm making my city more liveable; when I ride, I'm taking care of my personal health, and having a blast.
Of course I have an agenda.
Of course I have an agenda.
02-06-07, 11:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Tapeworm21
No, you're doing nothing for the environment. If EVERYONE were like you, ok... it might be a little less smoggy. But in reality, nobody is saying to themselves, "Wow, the air feels a little cleaner, Blue Order must be on his bike again today." You're not polluting for transportation, but how much does the factory that made your bike pollute? What about heating your apartment/house? They burn fuel just to deliver that bag of Organic Tortillas you bought today. There's no way around it... biking has such a SLIGHT SLIGHT factor on pollution it doesn't even matter. The only positives to your riding is for your own personal health and you're having fun... hell yeah!
02-06-07, 11:40 PM
#35
RacingBear
I actually saw CM in Berkeley, when going through Sproul on my way back from a training ride. Seemed more about celebration of cycling, and having friendly fun. I saw all sorts of bikes. People were friendly and would chat with anyone! I rode on shattuck multiple times. Seemed fine to me.
Originally Posted by Tapeworm21
This is more aimed towards the bay area.
Alright, San Francisco.... Critical Mass. I understand, the city isn't very good for cyclists. Actually, it's terrible for a a city that's trying to be so energy efficient. I understand your movement. Does blocking traffic once a month solve that? I don't think so, because people see it coming.... and it's gone the next day. Business as usual. IMO, it's more for fun than it is for some sort of movement. Not saying I'm right, that's just the way I see it.
Alright, Berkeley? We have bike lanes, bicycle boulevards, and pretty well lit streets. Why do we have a critical mass? I stay off Shattuck, San Pablo, University and sidewalks. Every other street is pretty damn biker friendly. So.... what exactly are you fighting for? Do you just want to block traffic? Yes, the drivers are downright terrible... blame the DMV for that.
Does anyone just ride their bike not only for commuting, but just because it's fun and enjoyable? No agenda, no politcal statement, no feeling to block traffic to get a point across to a community that bikes exist, but just biking because you actually like biking more than driving?
I dunno, I just have this feeling that even if a city were to surrender to a Critical Mass, the Critical Mass would still exist... just with a different agenda of some sort.
Drunken ramble... but just how I see it. Bicycle safety and education about the laws of riding and wearing helmets... hell yeah. All for that. Maybe Critical Mass in a way encourages people to join some sort of bicycling community. I'd be down with that movement... it's just advertised poorly.
Edit: I hit something funky and discontorted the text. Yes, I just used "discontorted" in a sentence.
Alright, San Francisco.... Critical Mass. I understand, the city isn't very good for cyclists. Actually, it's terrible for a a city that's trying to be so energy efficient. I understand your movement. Does blocking traffic once a month solve that? I don't think so, because people see it coming.... and it's gone the next day. Business as usual. IMO, it's more for fun than it is for some sort of movement. Not saying I'm right, that's just the way I see it.
Alright, Berkeley? We have bike lanes, bicycle boulevards, and pretty well lit streets. Why do we have a critical mass? I stay off Shattuck, San Pablo, University and sidewalks. Every other street is pretty damn biker friendly. So.... what exactly are you fighting for? Do you just want to block traffic? Yes, the drivers are downright terrible... blame the DMV for that.
Does anyone just ride their bike not only for commuting, but just because it's fun and enjoyable? No agenda, no politcal statement, no feeling to block traffic to get a point across to a community that bikes exist, but just biking because you actually like biking more than driving?
I dunno, I just have this feeling that even if a city were to surrender to a Critical Mass, the Critical Mass would still exist... just with a different agenda of some sort.
Drunken ramble... but just how I see it. Bicycle safety and education about the laws of riding and wearing helmets... hell yeah. All for that. Maybe Critical Mass in a way encourages people to join some sort of bicycling community. I'd be down with that movement... it's just advertised poorly.
Edit: I hit something funky and discontorted the text. Yes, I just used "discontorted" in a sentence.
02-07-07, 01:29 AM
#36
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Originally Posted by Tapeworm21
This is more aimed towards the bay area.
Alright, Berkeley? We have bike lanes, bicycle boulevards, and pretty well lit streets. Why do we have a critical mass? I stay off Shattuck, San Pablo, University and sidewalks. Every other street is pretty damn biker friendly.
Alright, Berkeley? We have bike lanes, bicycle boulevards, and pretty well lit streets. Why do we have a critical mass? I stay off Shattuck, San Pablo, University and sidewalks. Every other street is pretty damn biker friendly.
Although maybe a white line(bicycle lane) does make make some people feel safer & isolated from rolling 3,000 LB battering rams
Lit streets? Heh, i would rather be in the dark streets with bright lights on the bike.
I am sure probaly more people are hit in the day than at night. Googleabulous!
As far as sidewalks go, i ride them all the time.usually 17 to 20+ MPH.
MOst of the time in the urban ride i use the Delta air horn to let people know i am approaching.
Originally Posted by Tapeworm21
Does anyone just ride their bike not only for commuting, but just because it's fun and enjoyable?
02-07-07, 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Big_knob
Lit streets? Heh, i would rather be in the dark streets with bright lights on the bike.
I am sure probaly more people are hit in the day than at night.
I am sure probaly more people are hit in the day than at night.
02-07-07, 04:42 PM
#38
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Originally Posted by Blue Order
Absolutely backwards. Most bicycle accidents occur at night.
Most bicycle accidents happen whenever the BMX'rs are riding.
02-07-07, 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Blue Order
Absolutely backwards. Most bicycle accidents occur at night.
All my Bike/auto kisses have happened in the day & i do do quite a bit of night riding also.
Last edited by Big_knob; 02-07-07 at 06:25 PM.
02-07-07, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by slowandsteady
Most bicycle accidents happen whenever the BMX'rs are riding.
Funny you mention that though , i plowed into one of them a couple of months ago.
there was two of them doing hops not paying attention to surroundings. they were not initially in the way but i yelled "on your left" anyways one of them looked.. then low & behold the other kid coasted right in front of me! T-boned him but good!
Knocked him & bike about 3 ft & flat on his a$$...lol
on initial impact my rear wheel went up what felt like about 2 ft. but managed to keep from endoeing.
He was laying there looking up at me with this bewildered look as i was helping him up & making sure he was alright i gave him a good pep talk mentioning to him next time it may just be a 3,000 lb battering ram instead of a 200 lb rolling knob.
the time of collision: day time.
Last edited by Big_knob; 02-07-07 at 06:49 PM.
02-07-07, 06:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Big_knob
Not around here. Which would make sense for everywhere anyways since the highest amount of traffic is in the day.
All my Bike/auto kisses have happened in the day & i do do quite a bit of night riding also.
All my Bike/auto kisses have happened in the day & i do do quite a bit of night riding also.
02-07-07, 06:52 PM
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I'd like to know how cyclists with properly lighted/reflected bikes fare at night vs cyclists during the day.
I suspect the skew at night is due mostly to dark cycling. Take them out of the equation and night cycling might actually be safer, except that there are probably more drunk/sleepy drivers and cyclists then too.
I suspect the skew at night is due mostly to dark cycling. Take them out of the equation and night cycling might actually be safer, except that there are probably more drunk/sleepy drivers and cyclists then too.
02-07-07, 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Blue Order
For purposes of statistics, nobody cares about when all of YOUR accidents have happened. It's irrelevant information. Statistically speaking, MOST bicycle accidents happen at night.
you think that i don't count in your great statistics?
EVERYONE is SUPPOSED to be included in statistics.Some people are so hung up on reading garbage that they actually lose touch with actual reality
you trying to start a tongue-fu war or something?
02-07-07, 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Helmet Head
I'd like to know how cyclists with properly lighted/reflected bikes fare at night vs cyclists during the day.
I suspect the skew at night is due mostly to dark cycling. Take them out of the equation and night cycling might actually be safer, except that there are probably more drunk/sleepy drivers and cyclists then too.
I suspect the skew at night is due mostly to dark cycling. Take them out of the equation and night cycling might actually be safer, except that there are probably more drunk/sleepy drivers and cyclists then too.
here's another one: Most cycling fatalities involve DUI.
02-07-07, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Blue Order
here's another one: Most cycling fatalities involve DUI.
02-07-07, 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Blue Order
Yeah, I don't know if the statistics take lighted vs. dark cyclists into account.
02-07-07, 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Big_knob
You have proof? show me proof!
you think that i don't count in your great statistics?
EVERYONE is SUPPOSED to be included in statistics.Some people are so hung up on reading garbage that they actually lose touch with actual reality
02-07-07, 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Big_knob
Yeah, i am sure there is a lot of things you don't know,statistically speaking that is.
02-07-07, 07:33 PM
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Originally Posted by slowandsteady
My car is a toy too.
A lifestyle is behavioral. A bicycle is just a tool.
For example. I have a small hobby farm. My lifestyle is to raise small farm animals and to be somewhat self sufficient in regards to providing myself with food that isn't prepackaged. That is the lifestyle. Whether I go about doing this with goats, chickens, and corn or ducks, cows, and wheat is irrelevent.
Your lifestyle and values are ones of transportation, exercise and travel. You enjoy using a bike as one of the tools, but the bike itself is just a hunk of metal. How many hunks of metal are sitting in people's garages as we speak who do not share your values of transportation, exercise and travel? The bike itself is irrelevent. It can't make people have these values. It can't make people get off their butts and move. That comes from within.
A lifestyle is behavioral. A bicycle is just a tool.
For example. I have a small hobby farm. My lifestyle is to raise small farm animals and to be somewhat self sufficient in regards to providing myself with food that isn't prepackaged. That is the lifestyle. Whether I go about doing this with goats, chickens, and corn or ducks, cows, and wheat is irrelevent.
Your lifestyle and values are ones of transportation, exercise and travel. You enjoy using a bike as one of the tools, but the bike itself is just a hunk of metal. How many hunks of metal are sitting in people's garages as we speak who do not share your values of transportation, exercise and travel? The bike itself is irrelevent. It can't make people have these values. It can't make people get off their butts and move. That comes from within.
__________________
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant