1e75e5c7   
   XPost: alt.autos.toyota, rec.autos.driving, alt.society.liberalism   
   XPost: alt.fan.michael-moore   
   From: tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS@yahoo.com   
      
   On 2011-06-18, His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher   
    wrote:   
   > On Jun 18, 1:13 am, Brent  wrote:   
   >> On 2011-06-18, His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser   
   Philosopher  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> > On Jun 17, 5:38 pm, Brent    
   >> > wrote:   
   >> >> On 2011-06-17, His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser   
   Philosopher  wrote:   
   >>   
   >> >> > On Jun 17, 3:54 pm, Brent    
   >> >> > wrote:   
   >> >> >> On 2011-06-17, His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser   
   Philosopher  wrote:   
   >>   
   >> >> >> > On Jun 17, 12:52 am, Brent    
   >> >> >> > wrote:   
   >> >> >> >> On 2011-06-17, His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser   
   Philosopher  wrote:   
   >>   
   >> >> >> >> > My midnight rides are kept strictly on sidewalks. Lights and   
   helmet   
   >> >> >> >> > allow me some extra protection but PREVENTION is the best   
   medicine.   
   >>   
   >> >> >> >> You're going to have a collision sooner or later unless you are   
   going so   
   >> >> >> >> slow that you might as well be walking. Sidewalk riding is the most   
   >> >> >> >> likely way to get hit by a car (see crash type manual for   
   bicycle-car   
   >> >> >> >> collisions) and RARE instances of hit from behind do not change it.   
   >> >> >> >> Most of which are drunk drivers who can still hit you over on the   
   >> >> >> >> sidewalk.   
   >>   
   >> >> >> >> Please stop spewing this sidewalk riding misinformation. All it   
   does is   
   >> >> >> >> cause people not to learn how to bike properly and make drivers   
   think   
   >> >> >> >> bicyclists shouldn't be on the road. You are being counter   
   productive.   
   >>   
   >> >> >> > Sir, you MUST understand the concept of NO MAN'S LAND...   
   >>   
   >> >> >> I bike far more miles than you I think, and I do it on the road. I   
   think   
   >> >> >> you're trying to discourage bicycling by blowing up hazards way out of   
   >> >> >> proportion.   
   >>   
   >> >> > Every time a cyclist is killed on the road it goes to feed the fear   
   >> >> > that keeps the people from enjoying cycling.   
   >>   
   >> >> And that is exactly what you do with it, feed the fear. Why do insist on   
   >> >> making bicycling appear dangerous when it is not? Perhaps you wish to   
   >> >> discourage bicycling?   
   >>   
   >> >> > Riding sidewalks is not a   
   >> >> > solution but a survival strategy where traffic is just out of control.   
   >> >> > Come here and witness 99% of the people ride on sidewalks simply   
   >> >> > because they don't have a choice.   
   >>   
   >> >> It's a solution for motorists who want bicycling off to the side and out   
   >> >> of their mind... and that's when they hit bicycle riders most of the   
   >> >> time when they do so. Sidewalk riding is slow, annoying, harsh, etc. If   
   >> >> you want to discourage bicycling, force it on to the sidewalk. It's   
   >> >> pretty clear you are acting to discourage bicycling by feeding   
   >> >> irrational fears and using nonsense arguments that motorists use.   
   >>   
   >> >> > That depends very much where you live so it's up to you to find your   
   >> >> > own solution. My advice on how to survive in the jungle is not the   
   >> >> > same as the one on how to deal with the desert.   
   >>   
   >> >> I ride in urban and suburban conditions with heavy traffic and a winter   
   >> >> where people forget about bicycling every year. It doesn't get much   
   >> >> worse than this.   
   >>   
   >> > Well, sir, you are a HARDENED WARRIOR, but most people are not that   
   >> > committed. Riding on road has a lot of STRESS as well, and you can   
   >> > easily feel SHELL SHOCKED. You are sending people --innocent   
   >> > civilians--  to their death without proper space and without TAMING   
   >> > TRAFFIC, which is a "sine qua non condition" for good things to   
   >> > happen.   
   >>   
   >> Hit from behind is rare. Getting hit entering or crossing a roadway,   
   >> something a sidewalk rider has to do often, is considerably more common.   
   >   
   > It is indeed rare. However cars coming within your "living space,"   
   > shattering your peace and conviction, are not rare. Drivers harassing   
   > you, blowing the horn or worse, are not that rare either.   
   >   
   > This is like being in Afghanistan where you can take a shot out of   
   > nowhere.   
      
   There you go making bicycling seem dangerous when it isn't again.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)