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Can facebookers report this please and spread the word among cyclists

.. wondering why there is so much hatred for cyclists from car drivers. And it's schizo as well.. a cyclist can become a motorist by simply changing vehicles... I think its cause when you're in a car, you somehow feel 'entitled to speed' , whilst on a bike you feel 'entitled to freedom'. Possible as mutually exclusive as Islam and Catholic. Or Catholic and Protestant, or Catholic and anything.
 
.. wondering why there is so much hatred for cyclists from car drivers.
Maybe because the poor sad b@st@rds in their metal-and-plastic gas-guzzling boxes think we are insufferably smug about our eco-friendly, at-one-with-the-elements, healthy, and entirely superior transportation method, hobby and/or sport.

And occasionally they have to slow down or otherwise modify their desired freedom of motion. Can't have that.
 
Does this sort of knee-jerk hatred of cyclists exist outside of the US? I've never encountered any in Japan, and Europe (the continental bit, at least) seems pretty pro-cycling for the most part.
 
Yeah - unfortunately it does ....

1) I've had altercations here borderlining on 'severe' that would put any roadrage incidents in US to shame.

2) As for 'The Continent' I don't know how far south you got - but having wine and ouzo bottles tossed at you regularly is not necessarily a sign of endearment. Not too mention the continuous thievery and 'road chicken' games day after day.

The only thing that makes Europe somewhat pro-cycling is when you are wearing a local club jersey, riding with at least 10-20 other club riders, and , most importantly - DON'T LOSE! Otherwise - show up on the road and even the old ladies in cinquecentos are trying to kill you.

Does this sort of knee-jerk hatred of cyclists exist outside of the US? I've never encountered any in Japan, and Europe (the continental bit, at least) seems pretty pro-cycling for the most part.
 
Does this sort of knee-jerk hatred of cyclists exist outside of the US? I've never encountered any in Japan, and Europe (the continental bit, at least) seems pretty pro-cycling for the most part.

The fat dickhead on Top Gear had some pretty strong opinions on what cyclists deserved. So yeah it happens outside the US. I have had bottles thrown at me in both NZ and AUS.
 
If cars, insurance, gas, maintenance and parking etc. were free I think drivers would be less hostile towards bikers. Drivers need to pay a lot, and to see someone pedal a bike, and get to where they want to go faster than them, can't make them feel good.

Next, they are bigger than us when they are in their cars, and that gives them a chance to bully - that combined with being sealed in there own bubble (literally) is a bad combination for bringing out the worst in a lot of people.

What is more is that they see some cyclists breaking traffic rules, and it doesn't need to be every cyclist, but as long as they see, or can remember one or two incidents, that gives them all the reasoning they need to justify their irrational behavior.

Not a simple question or answer, but I think that sums it up, for the most part anyway. I do not agree with the way they think, but do try to figure out where they are coming from, as it is a matter of life an death out there.
 
My trolling gland is starting to twitch.

Let me know if and when you want me to deploy, and I will assemble my gang of trolling experts and hit them hard.

My current projects involve trolling the Stormfront White Power website with a group of internet saboteurs, bringing some excellent lols.

We also managed to convince an audio engineering website that we had invented DirectX, and that louder sounds are actually quieter.

Give me the nod, and I am on it.
 
Oh yeah, and to make you all feel a bit better, one of my mates who is on my Facebook page, whose initials may or may not be J S is a pro-cyclist car enthusiast, who drives highly modded Audi and VW missiles.

Last week, he saw a fellow motorist cut up a cyclist very badly, and decided to seek retribution.

Followed him 100km down the road, tailgating him until he pulled into a quiet service station, got the guy out his car and hammered the living daylights out of him, explaining exactly why he was doing it, whilst he was doing it.

Lovely stuff.
 
Reported the page... I suppose the (irritating) satire could be forgiven, or at least ignored, if it wasn't for the fact the guy is using a pic of a real accident in which people died. Still don't understand why cyclists crashing is generally considered amusing in many circles... Remember the ESPN commentator tweeting how funny he found the French TV car taking out Flecha and Hoogerland at the Tour? Oh well.
 
Combination of a meme that has gone too far that is now accepted in popular culture, and a feeling by the perpetrators that they will never be accepted into what appears from the outside to be a snobby, elitist sport with arcane rules, cultures and fashions (I would imagine).

And yeah, I agree with you Phil; if they had gone about it better, it would actually have been funny, but what they started badly only got worse when everybody showed their true colours very quickly, and the joke was replaced with genuine venom.
 
The tragic comedy alleviates stress in a morbid situation. However, for this to be acceptable, the person on the brunt end of the situation should be the person initiating the comedic parlance. Such as 'Damn, I just went through a barbedwire fence and look like I've been through a Cheesgrater!" , "Oh well, at least none of the cows got free". (The gallery snickers in agreement). If one participates in the pain, then one is auto-granted the priviledge of joking about it. Otherwise the appropriate response should be: "Oh, so you think that's funny?" "How about this?" And the inappropriate comment speaker is tossed through the fence as well, leaving a large enough hole so the cows, do, infact, escape.

I've had some brutally painful (and stupid) crashes. I was laughed at and with on many occassions. But the line gets drawn when people start 'dumbing down' the effects of physical pranks which result in serious injury or even fatality - and also derive some kind of mob consensus as to certain hazing acts, actions against another group, bullying, etc.

Growing up in a very redneck part of the States (upper western Wa. in 'the sticks') And around said 'rednecks' for the greater part of my life (the guys who play baseball with mailboxes, shoot cyclists w/BB guns and stray animals with 22's, shotguns and Bows). What I see happening on FB is simply a more convenient way to correspond than the local bar. And pretty much that's where all the Sh*t storms start. Wanna stop the winds of sh*t then stop it where it starts.
 
Hardly surprising...

...but still upsetting.

Online posting brings out the very best of the worst mainly because folk don't have to face anyone real after spewing out thoughtless, prejudiced drivel. That kind of stuff said to a live audience is liable to end up in a painful trip to the local gutter.

Still, I just can't get over the cant some people are willing to voice publicly on the 'Net - with their names and photos attached... And the grammar, the punctuation, the murder of language and conventions...

I guess I'm just too sensitive.

"Just under 50% of all people have below-average intelligence...":cool:
 
"Just under 50% of all people have below-average intelligence...":cool:

Now, I am no mathematician, but if just under 50% of people have below-average intelligence, would that not create a new average?

Anyway, they are clearly very silly people. Let's hope nobody takes them seriously.
 
Not too mention the continuous thievery and 'road chicken' games day after day.

Today, I just stopped. There was a post office van in oncoming traffic passing another cyclist, even though there wasn't enough space even for that. So I just stopped dead where I was and put my feet down. He had to wait for the bicyclist to get out of the way, and then back up so that he could get around me. dick drivers. (I should add that this was one of those 20kph side streets, and he was probably going about 35.)
 
Tim did the same thing on Thursday, bunch of oyagi builders decided to overtake a bus on a narrow country road near me.... they pulled out and were fully intenton driving me off the road. Feet down and stopped they had to wait for the bus to load up and then pull away as the car behind them had closed the gap....a few red faces and bows from the driver.

I got a thumbs up from the car behind me as they went past, seems other road users agree with our tactics.
 
Clearly...

...I'm no mathematician either!

Fortunately, I was quoting some other idiot...

At least, that's the story I'm sticking to, Officer....;)
 
Careful whom you quote!

...I'm no mathematician either!
Fortunately, I was quoting some other idiot...
At least, that's the story I'm sticking to, Officer....;)

Shame on you, Andrew & Owen!!!
That quote, "Just under 50% of all people have below average intelligence", just happened to be said/written by a woman-hating male-chauvinist.
Now, who do you think he was talking about?
A quick search revealed that there are 101 men to every 100 women on earth - ie. "Just under 50% of all people..." are women.
It's quite clever, but not really factual. :cool:
 
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