Another week, another cycling vs. driving bashing in the LJS.Nothing like advancing the cyclist/motorist distain for each other like a scathing letter to the editor calling out all motorist with insults that references gas-guzzling SUV's and frequent trips to Mickey D's. Top it off with tagging any and all motorists with ruining the planet by selling their souls to the Middle East and chances are you irked nearly everyone who read the editorial and got behind the wheel to drive into work today.
It's the never-ending battle between cyclists and motorists -- the Ying and the Yang -- only the "Ying" outweighs the "Yang" by a few thousand pounds and is much more deadly of a weapon.
I'm not anti-car/SUV/truck, whatever. I just believe bikes are underutilized. Few people even think of using a bike to get around for certain things. A perfect example: we used a babysitter over the weekend -- he lives less than a mile away. Instead of hopping on a bike to come over and get back home, a member of his family drove him over and picked him up.
People don't think of using the bike -- it's not a part of our culture like it seems to be in Europe. Maybe when gas reaches $5 or even $6 per gallon we'll start to see the cultural shift.
There will always be contention between two-wheeled folk and four-wheeled folk. I know one thing: insults and general negative stereotypes is not the way to bring the two camps closer.
16 comments:
Why don't you move to Europe if you want to ride bikes in the city, you sissy-mary, lycra and spandex wearing, lane-hogging, traffic-clogging, four wheel envying, prima donnas!!!!
Signed,
Cagers
p.s. Bikes belong on the sidewalk!
BTW, the paper is probably more likely to print letters to the editor if the letter is inflammatory - nothing helps circulation more than controversy.
I want to move to Europe!
I hear bikes are actually bigger than the cars there... literally!
Ha, Bob K! :D
Hi Kevin and Gravy!
I have news: I saw Jen riding last eve., by Southpointe. And, Bob, I think I saw Peter B. running the other day through Williamsburg as I was pedaling through. He wouldn't have recognized me though.
And, I am with ya, Kevin. Bikes are just underutilized.
That probably was Peter, Nicol. He runs 5 miles every day in this neighborhood - maybe I should do that duathlon with him next year!
Do it BobK -- my wife and I need some fresh meat in next year's Duathlon! Bwahhh haaaa haaa!
Somebody in a Blue Ford Explorer honked and waved emphatically at me Sat. night at the stop light at 14th Pine Lake. Was it any of you? Drives me nuts I don't know who it was.
I'm no stinkn' gas guzzlin' SUV driver who inhales Mickey D's, Kevin!
;-)
It was a dude waving -- but a woman was in the passenger seat. I have no clue who it was. I don't know that many people -- it had to be someone who knows me from biking. Hmmm...
BTW -- I took the wifey to have chalices on Saturday! She likes the Fox.
Oh, and I'm no longer KevinW -- I'm Silo. Just popped into my head.
That's just weird... Halo, Milo, Picaso... oh, I get it.
my runner-up name: ArmCrosser.
You changed your avatar name? :D Mmmm...maybe I should change mine too.
Hey, did Bobby drink a whole chalice? Just curious.
No she didn't do the chalice, Nicol. Upon seeing my chalice she chickened out (we rode our bikes out there). She went with a Colorado Bulldog, her favorite.
She thought it was a nice place. We sat up at the bar like a couple of booze-hounds. :) The flat screens across the bar had the Redskins pre-season game (my fav FB team), Royals (my fav BB team) and the Olympics on (my wife's fav). We were happy campers.
Good times! :)
Kevin W.
I think that was me who honked at you at 14th and Pine Lake road.
Blue Mercury Moutaineer.
Dan v.
Dan V., when are we going to see you out on a ride again? (If you were there last Wednesday, ignore the above question, as I was not there and therefore didn't see you).
Ah Dan V! Good to see you, even if I didn't recognize you (tinted windows and all). Hope things are going well. No doubt see you on a ride soon!
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