dynodonn 

One reason why I have an fairly inexpensive, compact set of lights attached to all my bikes, even on my winter commuter with it's HID system, the inexpensive head lights are detachable and small enough to fit in seat tool bag.

J B Bell

It seems quite possible to me that the bikes were stolen, which would make them not "Lance wannabes" but garden-variety bike thieves, for whom such behaviour would be perfectly in keeping.

paw888

Must have been a polite bike thief - who knew road etiquette!!

"The man told police he was riding on South Shore Drive when he heard someone from behind tell him that he would be passing on the left."

errrr at least polite initially - until he beat the crap out of Fred.

ritepath

Must have been brown belts....not yet ninjas.

Rob_U

Oh, come on.

Severian

Update on story and the discussion in the Great Lakes subforum.

For those of you who are too lazy to read either of my links. The victim is the owner of a very well respected high-end LBS here in Madison, so it's unsurprising that he would be annoyed that other night cyclists don't have lights and why he would recognize the bikes. All you haterz who like to snark about "safety nannies" and "rude toned freds"... why should he mind his own business? He's a fellow cyclist who, I'm quite sure, would rather not read in the paper that two cyclists without lights had been hit and killed by a driver.

Severian

+1 two bike thieves riding together on expensive bikes is a ridiculous notion.

uke

After his subsequent encounter, I'm not so sure he'd have minded if these two cyclists met such an end.

Severian

I'm sure this kind of thing is a perfectly acceptable post for 4chan... but don't do it here.

randya

the roadies were idiots for riding without lights and following the guy home and beating him; the guy was an idiot for not minding his own business in the first place.

I love it how the nanny state has gotten bicyclists to police themselves on issues like lights, whatta buncha morans!

I myself only make such comments to roadies who pass too fast and close without warning, who gives a crap whether they have lights or not?

Severian

Because it reflects badly on all cyclists. If you think we're not lumped together into the same group with people who lose their licenses and 13 year olds who can't yet drive you're not paying attention. C'mon folks, I thought this was ADVOCACY and Safety. Not "Put on our Blinders" and "Mind Your Own Business".

randya

the 'reflects badly on all cyclists' argument is old and tired, give it a rest for a change. Everyone is responsible for their own safety on the road, and if you're not up to snuff, well that's what traffic cops are for.

Severian

That's a BS argument. You're just tired of hearing it. And legally, not only are you responsible for your own safety you also have a Legal Duty of Care due to all other users on the road. See the Uniform Vehicle Code that applies the law to all users of the road even Horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians.

apricissimus 

I don't want to be told how to dress, how to ride, how to behave, all for the brotherhood and unity of some mythical clan of cyclists.

I ride responsibly, and that's enough. I don't care if others do their own thing, and I don't care if other cyclists look down on me because my blinkie's not bright enough.

Severian

I don't think you get it. It's the non-cyclists who look down on cyclists. Hell, my own sister-in-law thinks that anyone who rides a bicycle must be an illegal alien and unable to obtain a drivers license (she lives in Arizona).

mackerel

Heh - I agree with randya... again.

uke

If you found my post objectionable, go report it. Otherwise, save some bandwidth and move on.

Come to think of it, this kind of nagging is what got the cyclist in the article a knee to the ribs.

Paul Barnard

Somebody will think twice before spouting off next time.

CB HI

https://www.thedailypage.com/daily/ar...?article=24005

I love it. The LBS owner is the kind of guy that so many here, love to hate. He sells custom bikes for roadies and tri-folks. He was probably pissed that the guy was on a Trek, rather than one of his high priced Cervélo P3 or P4s.

apricissimus 

I understand that. But I'm not interested in participating in a campaign to improve cyclists image. I just like riding my bike and I do okay with that. And actually, a lot of cyclists on A&S do indeed look down on cyclists who don't fit a certain mold.

apricissimus 

He took you to task for it which is better than just going to the mods right away, don't you think?

uke

I'd rather he'd gone to the mods, personally. Less nonsense for me to read.

randya

even if every cyclist behaved *perfectly* according to the law she would still think this, and cyclists would still be looked down upon by motorists

uke

Exactly. The antipathy toward cyclists has very little to do with the behavior of cyclists as a whole, and very much to do with whatever bigotries, resentments, fears, or other untoward feelings adults in cars hold toward adults on bicycles.

Severian

Ok, let me get this straight. You are all quite happy to skewer some poor schmuck, after the fact, who gets creamed while riding at night without a light. Yet, when someone someone rides by you without a light you say nothing?

And NOW when someone does go out of his way to say something to another lightless cyclist and gets beat up for his efforts you jump down his throat with your "He should mind his own damned business"?

It is poor behavior to take someone to task in the court of public opinion when you can't keep consistency. If you are unwilling to speak out to other cyclists about their bad behavior while its happening; then you shouldn't feel that you have any right to do so afterwards with your smug "He had it coming to him for riding without lights".

As for my reporting it to a mod... I'm sorry I wasted your time and made you read my opinion. But, while your kind of attitude ticks me right off, my hope was that you'd read my post and say "yes, actually what I said was in poor taste". But, I'll gladly flag your post if that'll make you feel better.