Washington Post is on an Anti-Bike Roll
- This topic has 164 replies, 47 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 8 months ago by
.
-
@VikingMariner 89886 wrote:
One thing is for sure: The op-ed article generated a lot of interest in cycling, promoted the idea that not every cyclist is a Lance-wannabee douche bag, and that there is at least one responsible interest group in DC promoting safe, responsible cycling. The whole incident is a teaching moment for society in the DC metro area (definitely for motorists & cyclists, who can at least spell empathy, excluding sociopaths). I see this whole thing as a win for cyclists and motorists alike (double win for me, my Madone, and my German sports car). Just my two cents.
I would love to see a WABA campaign along the lines of “I am/we are cyclists” showing normal people doing normal stuff.
And if may mount a soapbox for a second, someone, somewhere has to point out that driving irresponsibly (drunk, texting, recklessly, while looking at monuments, while not looking for pedestrians, while trying to get somewhere ABSOLUTELY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE) is a problem. You risk killing someone. I honestly think it doesn’t get enough emphasis in the U.S. that you could kill someone when you drive your car. It may not even be your technically fault, but a person could be dead because you were driving somewhere. And you would feel horrible if that happened, even if you weren’t legally responsible. So _SLOW DOWN_, know your surroundings, and don’t kill people with your car.
Somewhere on the forum people were talking about how drivers often get upset when they hit a cyclist, and I think that is a direct product of the fact that we, as a society, neglect the dangers of driving. So a person can putter along, checking the radio, checking their phone, worried about making it to wherever on time and how that one coworker was mean today and -bam- suddenly they’ve hit a living, breathing person. They could have killed that person. That’s a big shock to the system.
I contrast this to my experience talking about driving in Germany. Over there, when people talk about driving, they recognize that it is a huge responsibility, and that it can be very dangerous. Neighborhoods have speed limits of 15KPH – kilometers! – and if you go faster than that, neighbors will talk to you. Because a kid may run out into the street, and if you’re driving faster, you might not have time to react, and you might kill them.
This isn’t a cyclist issue: this is a human issue. I think being close to cars in a vulnerable position so often makes us more attune to it, but I’d hazard to guess that drivers kill more people who aren’t on bikes every year than cyclists. It’s an issue for every cyclist, every pedestrian, every parent, every driver, every passenger, every person who gets anywhere close to cars ever.
Well he didn’t say anything about a Navy jersey so I’m off the hook. Hahaha.
You guys/gals crack me up. @jabberwocky 89861 wrote:
Apparently carbon fiber makes you racist or something?
Good thing I ride steel!
@baiskeli 89907 wrote:
I find being called a racist highly insulting.
Insulting
= hate speech.Besides which, some people *are* racist, and many more say or do the occasional racist thing, sometimes without even realizing it. If we have decided that calling people out on that is such an incredible insult as to not be allowed in polite society, how are people supposed to talk about actual, racist behavior?
Also, commentors on this thread– regular forum posters– have already already called Milloy a racist. Should those posts be reported and deleted also, or only ones from “outsiders” who call “us” racist?
Disagree or ignore as you please. I’m saying we shouldn’t try to stop people with other views– including views you (or I) find inflammatory– from expressing those views.
I mean, I happen to think conflating riding a bike with being racist, or with being lefty liberal communist (insult, or compliment- discuss) is stupid (if it is serious), but it should be *allowed*.
@acl 89920 wrote:
Insulting
= hate speech.I know, and I wasn’t saying it was.
Besides which, some people *are* racist, and many more say or do the occasional racist thing, sometimes without even realizing it. If we have decided that calling people out on that is such an incredible insult as to not be allowed in polite society, how are people supposed to talk about actual, racist behavior?
All I said is that I find it insulting to be called racist, since I’m not.
Also, commentors on this thread– regular forum posters– have already already called Milloy a racist. Should those posts be reported and deleted also, or only ones from “outsiders” who call “us” racist?
Like you said, it’s not an insult to call someone racist when there is evidence that he is one.
Disagree or ignore as you please. I’m saying we shouldn’t try to stop people with other views– including views you (or I) find inflammatory– from expressing those views.
I agree. Don’t read too much into my post. The rest of it should have tipped you off that it was a light-hearted comment. I find not taking jerks like him too seriously is useful.
If Milloy is not racist, then “the plan” must be real. I, for one, would like to see a copy of the super secret plan so I can determine if they really did include bicycling infrastructure, but only in rich white parts of the city. Frankly, I want cycling infrastructure in NE and SE. Guess I’m not a good “the plan” participant.
Anyway, I don’t mind if I’m reported for calling Milloy a racist because he’s said by default of riding bicycle, I’m a terrorist. Plus, Marion Barry, who is hardly the paradigm for favorable race relations, even said Milloy was out of line.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.