Comments on: Ride Civil http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/ Bicycles in the urban environment. A magazine about urban cycling. Fri, 25 May 2012 03:20:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dolph http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3261 Dolph Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:56:34 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3261 It's good that they're making a better attempt at sharing the road, which is a two-way street (pun intended). This seems pretty anti-suburban-hipster-spoiled-piece-of-shit-ish. It’s good that they’re making a better attempt at sharing the road, which is a two-way street (pun intended).

This seems pretty anti-suburban-hipster-spoiled-piece-of-shit-ish.

]]> By: Sven http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3259 Sven Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:25:10 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3259 I wish them luck. CM's influence in Seattle has been counter-productive, to put it lightly, and it would be nice to see if another, more positive approach would work better. BTW, I doubt very seriously that CM has ANYTHING to do with a greater acceptance of cycling in any city in which it operates. I have seen, but not participated, in a couple of CM rides in Seattle, and the general atmosphere is a poisonous one, a slim majority of reasonable riders mixed in with a rather large cadre of jerks just itching to provoke anyone who dares to question their "right" to flaunt traffic laws. They're a mob, nothing more, and their effect on non-cyclists is positively toxic, much to the detriment of the vast majority of cyclists who act like adults. I'm not at all surprised that real advocacy groups go out of their way to distance themselves from CM. I wish them luck. CM’s influence in Seattle has been counter-productive, to put it lightly, and it would be nice to see if another, more positive approach would work better.

BTW, I doubt very seriously that CM has ANYTHING to do with a greater acceptance of cycling in any city in which it operates. I have seen, but not participated, in a couple of CM rides in Seattle, and the general atmosphere is a poisonous one, a slim majority of reasonable riders mixed in with a rather large cadre of jerks just itching to provoke anyone who dares to question their “right” to flaunt traffic laws. They’re a mob, nothing more, and their effect on non-cyclists is positively toxic, much to the detriment of the vast majority of cyclists who act like adults. I’m not at all surprised that real advocacy groups go out of their way to distance themselves from CM.

]]> By: brad http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3251 brad Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:02:03 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3251 Remember everyone; resistance to the status quo is futile. It is mere coincidence that the most bike-friendly cities in the United States happen to have well-established Critical Mass communities. Remember everyone; resistance to the status quo is futile. It is mere coincidence that the most bike-friendly cities in the United States happen to have well-established Critical Mass communities.

]]> By: scott http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3250 scott Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:40:30 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3250 this is gonna be awesome when they get honked at, swerved at, sideswiped, and plowed the F over and are obligated by their codes of conduct to simply wave and "be civil". good luck with that!!! this is gonna be awesome when they get honked at, swerved at, sideswiped, and plowed the F over and are obligated by their codes of conduct to simply wave and “be civil”. good luck with that!!!

]]> By: reverend dick http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3249 reverend dick Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:38:58 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3249 Perhaps they could just, um, shut up and ride? Without making a production of it. Your behavior on your bike is just and only that. Ride and smile, nod and smile. Perhaps they could just, um, shut up and ride? Without making a production of it.

Your behavior on your bike is just and only that. Ride and smile, nod and smile.

]]> By: Monsignoir Blair http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3247 Monsignoir Blair Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:54:21 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3247 Here in San Jose, we are legally allowed to take a lane as a cyclist, but I wouldn't. I like things that involve being alive. That said.... I've always had issues with Critical Mass. Typically, blocking traffic, making people late for whatever and running read lights en mass is not going to make the average driver sympathetic to your cause. It just makes cyclist as a whole look like rude assholes. Here in San Jose, we are legally allowed to take a lane as a cyclist, but I wouldn’t. I like things that involve being alive. That said…. I’ve always had issues with Critical Mass. Typically, blocking traffic, making people late for whatever and running read lights en mass is not going to make the average driver sympathetic to your cause. It just makes cyclist as a whole look like rude assholes.

]]> By: brian http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3246 brian Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:38:29 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3246 <i>If they’re riding two abreast, they’re going to quickly discover why tempers run so hight at CM. In most cities in N.America, taking the lane (or frankly, being anywhere near where a car might want to go) is like a declaration of war.</i> Except that in most jurisdictions, riding two abreast is legal. If they’re riding two abreast, they’re going to quickly discover why tempers run so hight at CM. In most cities in N.America, taking the lane (or frankly, being anywhere near where a car might want to go) is like a declaration of war.

Except that in most jurisdictions, riding two abreast is legal.

]]> By: Dan http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3245 Dan Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:01:18 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3245 Spelling 'promotes' properly wouldn't be a bad idea either. Spelling ‘promotes’ properly wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

]]> By: Traffic Is My Peloton http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3244 Traffic Is My Peloton Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:51:14 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3244 If they're riding two abreast, they're going to quickly discover why tempers run so hight at CM. In most cities in N.America, taking the lane (or frankly, being anywhere near where a car might want to go) is like a declaration of war. If they’re riding two abreast, they’re going to quickly discover why tempers run so hight at CM. In most cities in N.America, taking the lane (or frankly, being anywhere near where a car might want to go) is like a declaration of war.

]]> By: Derek http://urbanvelo.org/ride-civil/comment-page-1/#comment-3243 Derek Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:53:40 +0000 http://urbanvelo.org/?p=1801#comment-3243 I'd love to see this catch on and supplant CM. Nothing good ever comes from CM. I’d love to see this catch on and supplant CM. Nothing good ever comes from CM.

]]>