Originally Posted by Chris516

So one day, I intentionally walked into a Kmart with my bike(when I lived in Minnesota five years ago) to get the attention of the store management. Sure enough I got the store management's attention. I got them to tell me where I could lock my bike up outside the store. Since they felt their only obligation was to motorists.

Originally Posted by cudak888

Therefore anyone who has given thought to visiting a forum for bicycle advocacy is a whiner. As Arschgaudi pointed out, there are far more important situations to consider, in this world.

-Kurt

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike

So whatz your point?

Originally Posted by Roody

I think the bias against cyclists is all in your mind. They are biased against people who don't follow their dress code. If you rode up dressed in khakis with a blazer on, they wouldn't turn you away because you rode a bike. Many people today believe that they have a "right" to dress however they want on another person's property. I salute those business owners who are willing to set some standards, even if it means losing some business.

When I want to eat in a "fine dining" restaurant while casually dressed, I ask the hostess or maitre d' if I'm appropriate. If they say no, I ask them for directions to a more casual restaurant.

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike

Wrong! These characters' actions don't make them "look like" a pretentious bunch of whiners; there ARE a pretentious bunch of whiners.

Originally Posted by cudak888

Therefore anyone who has given thought to visiting a forum for bicycle advocacy is a whiner. As Arschgaudi pointed out, there are far more important situations to consider in this world.

-Kurt

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike

Huh? The issue discussed in this thread has nothing to do do with "advocacy" unless you are all about advocating juvenile or crude behavior in public places.

The point is the dense posters who do not understand civility, manners or decorum in dress when they find themselves unwelcome in public places due to inappropriate attire or whiney demands to roll their bicycles into eating establishments and various shopping establishments.

Your second sentence is an indication that you also recognize the silliness of the whiners who can't eat a meal without their bicycle keeping them company and/or don't know how to dress themselves in public.

So whatz your point?

Originally Posted by cudak888

My point is, 99% of the discussion here is whining - when in comparison to human rights issues outside the narrow focus of cycling, our discussions are trivial and laughable.

-Kurt

Originally Posted by Pedaleur

You didn't end up taking your shirt off, did you?

Originally Posted by Doohickie

I personally find it rude to go into a public place, especially an eatery, with just bike shorts (the tight kind). Cyclists are used to it, but the general public really doesn't appreciate people displaying their junk like that.

Originally Posted by Raiden

I'm gonna call you on that one. Cyclists have nothing on the general public

https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/?page_id=9798&paged=8

Originally Posted by Chris516

I was ticked but, I do have my scruples. I was not about to undress.

Originally Posted by Roody

It's not discrimination because cyclists are not a protected class. Just a non-issue for a bunch of whiny spoiled people who don't realize how fortunate they really are--riding $1000 bikes in a paradise while wearing weird clothes that also cost hundreds of dollars, and wealthy enough to spend $30 on a single meal. Boo-hoo!

Originally Posted by Arschgaudi

What a bunch of malarkey. You people should go out and experience real persecution / segregation / discrimination. Like denial of education or health care. Basic rights kind of stuff.

Posting about how upset you were because you couldn't bring your bicycle inside McDonalds or dine in a restaurant clad in sweaty riding clothes just makes you look like a pretentious bunch of whiners. A big part of advocacy is showing the positive, this forum is replete with negative connotations, insufferable whining and constant gloom and doom.

I've ridden tens of thousands of miles over the decades and have never had a single issue that warranted more than a shrug. Then again I don't feel the need to believe I'm somehow special and more entitled as some of your appear to believe.

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike

I suppose some people don't understand the difference between eating in a sit down restaurant and buying potato chips at Walmart. I also suppose these same dullards think the standards of dress and hygiene are the same.

Originally Posted by Bluetrane2028

Thread link was in the story:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=444469

Originally Posted by Pedaleur

Oh, good times. 15 pages of ILTB at his best...

Originally Posted by Raiden

There are McDonalds and Subway restaurants built into most Walmarts. Think she doesn't stop there on her way through?

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike

Conversely, BF prima donna and supporting cast of self righteous, self entitled smugsters in full plumage, just begging to be put down.

Originally Posted by DX-MAN

Some of us already do experience these things; if you're such an experienced expert on these horrible things, elaborate.

I'm GENERALLY recognized as 'caucasian', even though I'm mixed; BUT, because I'm not a spit-shine yuppie clone, I've dealt with doors shut in my face just as often as many high-school-graduated minorities. I don't feel 'entitled' to anything because I ride, or in spite of it. But I DO happen to believe it's BULL**** that someone who drives a smoke-belching 2-ton pile of steel has advantages over me because I choose not to do the same.

Now, having said that, here's a bit of advice -- you don't want to hear what you deign to be 'whining', GO ELSEWHERE. Freedom of speech includes the right NOT to listen when you have the opportunity to do so. If you're strapped to a chair, and someone else has tuned your computer to BF, and forced you to read this thread, then you have my sympathy. If not, STFU and click on something else.

Originally Posted by powerhouse

I've read a lot of threads and posts against bicyclists in a number of situations (e.g. being told not to ride on the roads, where to ride on roads and trails, not being able to lock up bicycles due to a lack of places to do so, not being allowed to bring bicycles into shops while on errands,) and so on. But this thread is about those. I've done a lot of bicycling where I would walk into places in full kit. No one gave me any guff if they objected until the following example.

While vacationing on Mount Desert Island in Maine, I spend much of my time bicycling in and around Acadia National Park. Some of the park roads are paved with asphalt and are largely used by tour buses and people who with to drive around in their cars. Most of the rest consist of a network of gravel-paved carriage roads which are used by people riding in horse-drawn carriages, hikers, and a surprisingly large number of bicyclists


All of the roads eventually lead to the Jordan Pond House, which is located in the center of the Island Since 1981, people were informed that it was a restaurant where anyone who could pay would be welcomed and sit down to a considerble meal. This wasn't quite true. For those who arrived dressed to the hilt, they were admitted and served. Meanwhile, bicyclists and hikers were turned away. As if that weren't enough, the welcomed customers looked at cyclists with disdain. Even those who didn't try to go in were looked at as if they shouldn't be there.

Over the years, the restaurant built a place where tourists could buy cards and other stuff. As if it were an apology to bicyclists, they sold items like trail snacks, cold soda, hot coffee, and tea. Behind and under er the restaurant, restrooms were constructed so that one could relieve oneself and/or change into clean clothes. If that's an apology, I call it an excuse.

Have any of you been turned away from establishments or looked upon as if you shouldn't exist? Please discuss.

Originally Posted by Arschgaudi

I'm reading what you wrote yet all I can really hear is more whining.

Whine, whine, whine, I don't like what your wrote, you hurt my feelings, whine, whine, whine.