Tarreymere Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 A majority of people on TWTM board have not posted to this thread. Therefore, it proves nothing about this board or its "true colors." I know tons of people who bike (mainly because we know tons of people who do triathlons). We have lived places where it is safe and there are great bike lanes. We have lived in places where it seemed rather unsafe due to crazy drivers. In Hawaii there were a lot of bike lanes, but we *personally* knew 5 people who got hit by cars while biking. This is partly because Hawaii has a lot of bad drivers. The fact is, it is legal to bike on the road in many places that lack bike lanes. You have some choices: 1. Go to city council meetings and urge them to create bike lanes. 2. Go to city council meetings and urge them to make it illegal. 3. Raise awareness about biking in your area. Complaining here about something that is perfectly legal because you find it annoying? That is bound to annoy some people. Making BROAD assumptions that don't apply everywhere? Such as-biking is always dangerous? That *always* annoys people. No, I'm annoyed about the thread. I'm not the original poster. The assumptions made in the thread annoy me. THAT was what MY post was about! The assumptions made by the HIVE that the only reasons people bike in the first place is for recreational reasons. Keep up, Mrs. Mungo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 No, I'm annoyed about the thread. I'm not the original poster. The assumptions made in the thread annoy me. THAT was what MY post was about! The assumptions made by the HIVE that the only reasons people bike in the first place is for recreational reasons. Keep up, Mrs. Mungo! I did not suggest you were the original poster. I refuted your assertion that any assumptions in this thread prove anything about the board as a whole. They do not. It is a huge leap in logic to claim that they do because a relatively small percentage of posters participated in this thread. I then went on to talk about the rest of the thread. It was not all meant to be addressed to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Yet again the majority on WTM shows it's true colors. Surely no one bikes in the USA, unless it is recreationally, according to the Hive. Thanks OP. On this thread, many have said that biking is a mode of transport/commute for them and others. Some have referenced the relative frugality of biking. I don't think that bikes should be banned is the consensus of the entire thread, much less the board as a whole. We bike and not on the expensive bikes either. I hear how frustrating some of the posts sound, but they are not the only posts there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Dh rides to work on a bicycle every day on rural roads then in small town traffic. I often use a bicycle to get to the grocery store or to the library. We don't ride because it is a fun option, we ride because there is no public transportation and because we either do not have a car, our car is in the shop, or we can't afford to put gas in our car and it is certainly better to bike than to walk. There are no bicycle lanes on the side of the roads. I wish there were. There is no shoulder on our rural roads. Rather than pay to make the roads safer lets just make a law that poor folk have to walk instead of ride a bike. Or will you next advocate for a law that we not be allowed to walk on the rural two lane roads? If there were laws to restrict biking so that the relatively well-off weren't inconvenienced by our lower income existence you can bet we would be very politically active in protest. This is clearly a class issue as well as a convenience issue, OP, and of course the WTM response is the bicycle equivalent of 'Let them eat cake'. Yeah, I should not be allowed to ride on the rural two lane roads on my bicycle, so I will just hop into my non-existent or non-operable vehicle instead or maybe take that non-existent public transportation. Yet again the majority on WTM shows it's true colors. Surely no one bikes in the USA, unless it is recreationally, according to the Hive. Thanks OP. I understand your frustration. It is very aggravating when it seems like people just want to make other folks lives harder. Please look at the thread again. The majority of the posters are pro-cyclists rights and many talk about riding to work and for errands. :grouphug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Not too long ago dh was "pulled over" by the police while he and my 2 oldest kids were riding their bikes. They had moved onto the sidewalk because there was a lot of car traffic where they were and no pedestians in sight (dd was getting nervous - there usually isn't as much traffic as there was that night). Fortunately, they weren't ticketed, just a warning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 (edited) I did not suggest you were the original poster. I refuted your assertion that any assumptions in this thread prove anything about the board as a whole. They do not. It is a huge leap in logic to claim that they do because a relatively small percentage of posters participated in this thread. I then went on to talk about the rest of the thread. It was not all meant to be addressed to you. So, perhaps a better segue? And yes, by my count the majority of those who posted on this thread did not even consider that bicycling might be a person's only means of transportation. Should I assume that only the elitist folks responded? No, it is far more likely that the folks who had some interest in bicycles answered and I do find it quite fascinating that the vast majority of the respondents made the assumption that bicycle riding is purely recreational or even optional. You just like to fight with me :D Edited June 2, 2012 by Rainefox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I also don't think I'm being rude, although I'll admit my comment about the gamer husband was a wee bit snarky. That comment (by another poster) rubbed me the wrong way. You might want to grow a thicker skin. My husband went from a smoker and couch potato to a non-smoking athlete and he's done it in the last year. Plan on me bragging on him on a regular basis. Oh and tomorrow morning while most crabby drivers are sitting behind a screen of some variety he'll be riding 63 miles through Philadelphia to raise hundreds of dollars for diabetes research with Tour de Cure. I'm not the least bit concerned with the fact that it may rub some drivers the wrong way either. *shrug* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 So, perhaps a better segue? I didn't think it was necessary. And yes, by my count the majority of those who posted on this thread did not even consider that bicycling might be a person's only means of transportation. Should I assume that only the elitist folks responded? No, it is far more likely that the folks who had some interest in bicycles answered I don't find that the only or even most likely conclusion. The original post was phrased so as to elicit a particular type of reaction instead of being an honest question. I think that's why a large number of people (including me) originally looked but did not answer. There are a couple of regular posters on my facebook who bicycle for transportation every day, and neither of them answered this post. I don't find people who bike for recreation, health or sport to be particularly elitist. I find that comment puzzling. and I do find it quite fascinating that the vast majority of the respondents made the assumption that bicycle riding is purely recreational or even optional. Is it legal? Yes. Is it safe in many areas? Yes. If the OP has a problem with cyclists in her area, then she should work to fix the problem instead of complaining about it. There are plenty of options to fix the problem, regardless of whether the people involved are cycling for sport, health, recreation or necessity. You just like to fight with me :D I fight with bad logic. It doesn't really matter who says it. :tongue_smilie: Your comment reminds me of my favorite Casablanca quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LillyMama Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 And yes, by my count the majority of those who posted on this thread did not even consider that bicycling might be a person's only means of transportation. Should I assume that only the elitist folks responded? No, it is far more likely that the folks who had some interest in bicycles answered and I do find it quite fascinating that the vast majority of the respondents made the assumption that bicycle riding is purely recreational or even optional. You just like to fight with me :D Or maybe some of us just see all the vitriol and stop posting. ;) I'm quite pro-cyclist, and, in fact, the only people I criticized were the ones who use it as a status symbol of sorts and to pick up overweight women at the gym. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 No, I'm annoyed about the thread. I'm not the original poster. The assumptions made in the thread annoy me. THAT was what MY post was about! The assumptions made by the HIVE that the only reasons people bike in the first place is for recreational reasons. Around *here* it *is* true that most people bike only for recreational reasons. I was only talking about the situation *here.* Now, when we lived in northern VA many people biked to get around. Some didn't even own cars or used ZipCar when they needed a car. The cities where we lived were well set up for that. I thought it was awesome that people biked instead of drove to work. My husband walked to work for a couple years (we lived 1/4 mile from his office) and that allowed us to have only one car. But, here, far from a city or public transportation or an ability to get much of anywhere on a bike, people do indeed just bike for recreation. That's not about every biker in the world. That's about the ones *here.* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieWonderGirl Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Page 20? Time for some levity. :) :001_wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I live in a suburb neighborhood of a small city. Several people in our neighborhood ride their bikes as a means of transportation. A few of them ride 10-15 miles each way. They have cars, but for various reasons, choose to ride a bike. I support them fully, and I would love to see more bike lanes on smaller roads. I would also love to see them obey the traffic laws. I almost hit a friend one day. She was speeding around me and turned left in front of me just as the light turned green. I didn't see her swerve around me, but one of my dc did. I see this behavior daily, and it frustrates and terrifies me. I would feel horrible if I hit someone- it would be a life changing experience for both of us. When I mentioned it to her, she just shrugged it off as a plus of riding the bike-( the plus apparently is avoiding all stop signs and lights!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I have lots of questions. :D 1) Do you or any other adults in your house cycle on roads with car traffic? Sometimes 2) Do you believe that bicyclists have as much right to the road as cars or other vehicles? Yes. 3) Are there many ADULTS riding bikes recreationally where you live? Do you have bike lanes? Some adults - more adults than children usually. Very few bike lanes. 4) How do you feel about cyclists riding on two-lane, rural roads and slowing down traffic? Should this be legal? Where the heck else can you ride? I'm being serious. Maybe your roads are different, but I'm not riding my bike in the ditch. I try to ride where the right wheel of the car would be. 5)What about on multi-lane highways with no designated bike lanes? Should they be allowed to ride in the emergency lane or in the slow lane? I do. But I avoid these roads and take back roads where its more peaceful. 6) Have you ever noticed (as I have :tongue_smilie:) that the most annoying cyclists tend to be riding high-end bikes and wearing super high-tech helmets and clothing? It's never the obviously poor guy riding his kid's bike because his car is broken down or his license got suspended, LOL. Hmmm, usually the annoying ones here are teenagers. I love it when I see the people touring on bikes with all their gear. I think from your questions you live in a very different environment than I do. So I doubt I'm much help. Just remember an idiot on a bike may be annoying. An idiot in a car can be deadly. (And yes, I drive a truck, so I'm not a hippy or anything. I think people in general should slow down, stop to smell the roses, and generally be polite. Either on a bike, walking, driving a car or riding a magic broomstick.) :auto: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkygirl Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 You might want to grow a thicker skin. My husband went from a smoker and couch potato to a non-smoking athlete and he's done it in the last year. Plan on me bragging on him on a regular basis. Oh and tomorrow morning while most crabby drivers are sitting behind a screen of some variety he'll be riding 63 miles through Philadelphia to raise hundreds of dollars for diabetes research with Tour de Cure. I'm not the least bit concerned with the fact that it may rub some drivers the wrong way either. *shrug* Congrats to your husband!!! Those hills are rough!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I think from your questions you live in a very different environment than I do. So I doubt I'm much help. Just remember an idiot on a bike may be annoying. An idiot in a car can be deadly. (And yes, I drive a truck, so I'm not a hippy or anything. I think people in general should slow down, stop to smell the roses, and generally be polite. Either on a bike, walking, driving a car or riding a magic broomstick.) :auto: Amen! Setting aside bikes for the moment, I am regularly floored by people passing 2, 5, 12! cars on a 2-lane highway, with oncoming traffic, just so they can be "first". First to where, I have no idea, but I am appalled that people are so reckless. Suffice it to say, the helicopters bound for the trauma center are a regular occurrence here, especially during the summer when people are rushing to get to the beach (still about an hour away when they crash here). I wish people would just let to of the "me first" mentality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Bicyclists make nervous in the same way motorcycles and semis do. I drive carefully, but I dislike feeling either really big or really small in my minivan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 How about bicyclists riding to the company shuttle and stinking to high heaven while co-workers suffer through their morning commute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Congrats to your husband!!! Those hills are rough!!!!! Thanks! We have plenty of spoiling planned for him tomorrow night! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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