Anti-cyclist hate sketch on radio - discuss

[laura.weislo]

Shocking, stupid. Dangerous? Illegal?
Discuss.
http://www.madvelocity.com/article.php/Don-t-Hate-Me-Because-I-m-a-Bicyclist

 

[180mmCrank]

Not a problem in France or Italy

Like many cyclists who will read this I have had things shouted at me, thrown at me, and been generally abused by the minority of folks in cars or on the side of the road that find that kind of thing amusing. There seems to be enough of this going on without promoting the practice on the radio.

There are two countries where I have ridden and felt that cyclists are treated with respect on the road and they are France and Italy. Probably no big surprise there then. People will shout but it's words of encouragement not abuse. In France it is common for a car to cross onto the other side of the road as they pass you.

 

[Daniel Benson]

Dangerous and stupid, although I'm not that shocked there are people out there with so little intelligence and disregard for safety and other human beings. Does it perhaps elude to is the cultural difference between various peoples? I, like the above poster, can only go by what I've experienced, but drivers in France are far more willing to give cyclists time and room on the road than compared to over here in the UK.

What many drivers don't realise is that if I collide with their car they'll face a few dents and scratches to their bonnet, while I'll probably come off a lot worse.

 

[Alfred E. Neuman]

I always find it funny when the right wing blowhards on the radio spout their yearly "I hate cyclists" speech. It's a rite of spring in America. Some shock jock or political talking head will do a bit about cyclists needing to be off the roads, and how fun it would be to yell at/throw at/run off the road some ghey cyclist (we must be ghey because we wear equipment suitable to the activity we're doing, and that equipment happens to be tight fitting, kind of like football tights).

What I find humorous is that they continue to get the exact reaction they want from both sides of the argument. They get a heated debate that fuels their ratings. SCORE!!!!!

But beyond that, I think the entire viewpoint of cyclist hate should be counterpoint to the right wing message - America is great, our freedoms make us great, and we are right in going to war whenever and wherever we need to in order to "defend" those freedoms. So the basic tenet of this anti-cycist argument would be: Americans enjoy the freedom to do whatever we want, unless you're a cyclist, in which case those freedoms don't apply to you.

 

[mr. tibbs]

I think this was just another shock-jock type adventure in radio a**hole-ism. These guys are just trying to be funny and/or controversial. It's an act, just like Bill O'Reilly (who, when he's not on his show or writing his books, is actually quite reasonable and respectful). All these guys are doing is trying to get their names out there by being "extreme." We can thank Howard Stern, Southpark, Ann Coulter, Quentin Tarrantino, Limbaugh, and Don Imus--among others--for the popularity of this kind of sh*t.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who aren't critical enough to understand it's an act and they buy into it. And then when they're out in their cars and they see a cyclist...

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

We can thank Howard Stern, Southpark, Ann Coulter, Quentin Tarrantino, Limbaugh, and Don Imus--among others--for the popularity of this kind of sh*t.

I think you pretty much nailed it.

I'd like to think this kind of anger/hate radio is finally being seen by the masses for what it really is.

 

[Mr.DNA]

I thought bikesnobnyc had a good take on this yesterday:
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/03/anti-veloism-weird-creepy-bike-hate.html

 

[Green Hornet]

New Jersey is the worst place I have seen for abuse to cyclists

 

[Dr. Wattini]

Yes, this is just entertaiment. The issue is that the douches who listen to these shock jocks sometimes cannot understand it is only entertaiment.
the issue we have is when cyclist overtake the streets on their training rides. I have witnessed people riding 4 abreast and still get ****ed when a motorist uses the finger or honk at them.

 

[Major Taylor]

"The morning hosts talked about how they loved to roll down their windows and yell things at the lame bikers like "nice spandex you fairy!""

It must be funny; after all it?s both homophobic and anti-bicycle.
Haw Haw Haw