If I was a motorist, critical mass would anger me

lost_in_thought

DonDaddyD wrote:

StuAff wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Irrespective of the number of times you've witnessed poor driving given the number of vehicles there is bound to be more examples of good driving. You just remember the poor driving more. It's like the majority of cyclists don't RLJ but the few that do stand out. So StuAff, I have to say its a moot point.

Bottom line.

Lost_in_Thought is right.

I'm not saying she isn't. And I don't mean bad driving in that sense, I mean drivers treating me like dirt/second class citizen/like I just don't exist/so on. Which happens all too frequently. Just as there are far too many RLJing pavement riding ninja idiots on bikes. Not a moot point, it's a fact. There are not 'bound to be more examples of good driving' or cycling, unfortunately.....

See my issue is frequency and true I can't speak from your experience so I'll speak from mine.

I get home, I tell my girlfriend about a car that cut me up or treated me poorly on the road. By the end of th week my girlfriend turns to me and says something along the line of "I don't think you should cycle it sounds dangerous all you've done is mention incidents where your safety has been threatened".

Now this may be the case to her, but what she isn't considering is that that is just one incident out of well above 100 encounters I have with car's during my commute (and I do reckon I pass easily over 100 cars a day and more drive past me).

So again I question the frequency of poor driving encoutered and whether it is actually that high or simply because we tend not to forget things that are contary to the norm.

+1

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought

Actually, thinking about it, I can immediately recall many more incidents where I've suffered from bad driving while in my car.

I wonder why that is... possibly because I cover more distance in my car, or maybe because the traffic's moving faster, or maybe I'm more zen when I'm on my bike. Or more cautious.

Interesting.

MadammeMarie

Here's the pedestrian's version of Critical Mass in Dorset.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/8661477.stm

Looks like big lorries are becoming a bit of a sore issue everywhere....

jonginge

Don't really get this "Them vs us" stance. I see a lot of stupidity on the roads and it spans all modes of transport. I'm of the thought that negotiating our roads is a cooperative affair. I ride assertively but predictably and have had few problems. Frequent shoulder-checks and pointed looks at near-side corners of cars that are too close work wonders...

Stevo_666

AndyManc wrote:

Cycling is part of a political goal, for me that involves revolution.

AndyManc, do tell us, what exactly is this glorious revolution that you are working towards? Parking a tank outside the Houses of Parliament, Citizen Smith style and shouting 'Power to the people' must be out of the question as that would involve using motorised transport.

lost_in_thought

Stevo 666 wrote:

AndyManc wrote:

Cycling is part of a political goal, for me that involves revolution.

AndyManc, do tell us, what exactly is this glorious revolution that you are working towards? Parking a tank outside the Houses of Parliament, Citizen Smith style and shouting 'Power to the people' must be out of the question as that would involve using motorised transport.

*star wars darth vader tune*

Alright so it's a motorbike, but it's the best I could do

stuaff

DonDaddyD wrote:

StuAff wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Irrespective of the number of times you've witnessed poor driving given the number of vehicles there is bound to be more examples of good driving. You just remember the poor driving more. It's like the majority of cyclists don't RLJ but the few that do stand out. So StuAff, I have to say its a moot point.

Bottom line.

Lost_in_Thought is right.

I'm not saying she isn't. And I don't mean bad driving in that sense, I mean drivers treating me like dirt/second class citizen/like I just don't exist/so on. Which happens all too frequently. Just as there are far too many RLJing pavement riding ninja idiots on bikes. Not a moot point, it's a fact. There are not 'bound to be more examples of good driving' or cycling, unfortunately.....

See my issue is frequency and true I can't speak from your experience so I'll speak from mine.

I get home, I tell my girlfriend about a car that cut me up or treated me poorly on the road. By the end of th week my girlfriend turns to me and says something along the line of "I don't think you should cycle it sounds dangerous all you've done is mention incidents where your safety has been threatened".

Now this may be the case to her, but what she isn't considering is that that is just one incident out of well above 100 encounters I have with car's during my commute (and I do reckon I pass easily over 100 cars a day and more drive past me).

So again I question the frequency of poor driving encoutered and whether it is actually that high or simply because we tend not to forget things that are contary to the norm.

We could argue about this all day, right? Good point though- we remember the idiots (drivers, cyclists or other road users) far more easily than those who are considerate, careful, law-abiding (as to how many are actually in each camp, pass).

rhext

lost_in_thought wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

AndyManc wrote:

Cycling is part of a political goal, for me that involves revolution.

AndyManc, do tell us, what exactly is this glorious revolution that you are working towards? Parking a tank outside the Houses of Parliament, Citizen Smith style and shouting 'Power to the people' must be out of the question as that would involve using motorised transport.

*star wars darth vader tune*

Alright so it's a motorbike, but it's the best I could do

I want one. Where can I buy it?

DonDaddyD

StuAff wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

StuAff wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Irrespective of the number of times you've witnessed poor driving given the number of vehicles there is bound to be more examples of good driving. You just remember the poor driving more. It's like the majority of cyclists don't RLJ but the few that do stand out. So StuAff, I have to say its a moot point.

Bottom line.

Lost_in_Thought is right.

I'm not saying she isn't. And I don't mean bad driving in that sense, I mean drivers treating me like dirt/second class citizen/like I just don't exist/so on. Which happens all too frequently. Just as there are far too many RLJing pavement riding ninja idiots on bikes. Not a moot point, it's a fact. There are not 'bound to be more examples of good driving' or cycling, unfortunately.....

See my issue is frequency and true I can't speak from your experience so I'll speak from mine.

I get home, I tell my girlfriend about a car that cut me up or treated me poorly on the road. By the end of th week my girlfriend turns to me and says something along the line of "I don't think you should cycle it sounds dangerous all you've done is mention incidents where your safety has been threatened".

Now this may be the case to her, but what she isn't considering is that that is just one incident out of well above 100 encounters I have with car's during my commute (and I do reckon I pass easily over 100 cars a day and more drive past me).

So again I question the frequency of poor driving encoutered and whether it is actually that high or simply because we tend not to forget things that are contary to the norm.

You know what mate, by golly you're right!

+1! You win the Internet.!

Gee thanks Stu, appreciate it!

Jay dubbleU

Have to agree with DDD and LiT - what is the point of being aggressive towards motorists ?
All you do is give them the impression (wrong I know) that all cyclists are extremists who don't like to share the road - what we should be saying is we're road users too so you need to make youself aware.
Postive riding ie primary position, regular shoulder checks, road positioning and signalling keep you out of trouble.

stuaff

DDD, you 're welcome......



Cheeky b'stard!

Specialized Needs

JonGinge wrote:

Don't really get this "Them vs us" stance. I see a lot of stupidity on the roads and it spans all modes of transport. I'm of the thought that negotiating our roads is a cooperative affair. I ride assertively but predictably and have had few problems. Frequent shoulder-checks and pointed looks at near-side corners of cars that are too close work wonders...

Drifting a bit OT, but my thoughts are that it is because it is easier to discriminate between people based on what you see. If anything I think that the 'them vs us' should be 'the reasonable vs the idiots' (of course, the judgement of that could be quite subjective and changeable - and of course I'd never be in the idiot camp :roll:). It is just a shame it isn't easier to spot an idiot by how they look.

As a result, when one suffers at the hands of an individual it is easier to pidgeonhole them by how they look, rather than how they act, and then vent your anger/frustration/etc... at all those who look the same rather than those who behave the same.

Of course, the same person can decide to behave in different ways even in identical circumstances...

Clever Pun

If you were to ask a random selection of the commuting public:

What does Critical Mass actually stand for?

I doubt more than 10% would know what it actually stands for (especially the car drivers)


Which to me seems like a tired protest that's past it's due date

lost_in_thought

Clever Pun wrote:

If you were to ask a random selection of the commuting public:

What does Critical Mass actually stand for?

I doubt more than 10% would know what it actually stands for (especially the car drivers)


Which to me seems like a tired protest that's past it's due date

What DOES it actually stand for?

jonginge

*leans forward attentively, hopes to learn something*

Kieran_Burns

A critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material required to start a nuclear chain reaction.


(wanders off to check....)

Yup

basically get a big enough lump of plutonium and it starts spitting out radiation quickly enough to keep going.

People get very ill very quickly at this point.

lost_in_thought

Ahhhhh thanks KB, that makes it all clear.

DonDaddyD

Child,

Critical Mass is many things

Its what is achieved in a stomach just before the person needs to go p.....

It happens when you play with your...

And

It happens when too much air is forced into a...

Stevo_666

rhext wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

AndyManc wrote:

Cycling is part of a political goal, for me that involves revolution.

AndyManc, do tell us, what exactly is this glorious revolution that you are working towards? Parking a tank outside the Houses of Parliament, Citizen Smith style and shouting 'Power to the people' must be out of the question as that would involve using motorised transport.

*star wars darth vader tune*

Alright so it's a motorbike, but it's the best I could do

I want one. Where can I buy it?

Quite cool actually, though I can't see a bunch of car hating revolutionaries going out and buying them. Unless they're solar powered or something.

jonny_trousers

Kieran_Burns wrote:

A critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material required to start a nuclear chain reaction.


(wanders off to check....)

Yup

basically get a big enough lump of plutonium and it starts spitting out radiation quickly enough to keep going.

People get very ill very quickly at this point.

Oh! I thought it was a religious ceremony where you were told off for not being a good enough Catholic (but on wheels, obviously - it's where the exclamation, "Christ on a bike!" comes from).

the_hundredth_idiot

itboffin wrote:

Also these events attract the sorts of people that really shouldn't be taking their clothes off in public.

Or "men" as I call them.

shouldbeinbed

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

A critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material required to start a nuclear chain reaction.


(wanders off to check....)

Yup

basically get a big enough lump of plutonium and it starts spitting out radiation quickly enough to keep going.

People get very ill very quickly at this point.

Oh! I thought it was a religious ceremony where you were told off for not being a good enough Catholic (but on wheels, obviously - it's where the exclamation, "Christ on a bike!" comes from).

Clever Pun

lost_in_thought wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

If you were to ask a random selection of the commuting public:

What does Critical Mass actually stand for?

I doubt more than 10% would know what it actually stands for (especially the car drivers)


Which to me seems like a tired protest that's past it's due date

What DOES it actually stand for?

like I said less than 10% I've no bleeding idea myself, I was hoping some jumped up self rightious hippy would let us all know

itboffin

rjsterry wrote:

CrackFox wrote:

Listen. If you wanted to join Critical Mass, you'd have to really hate motorists"
"I do!"'
"Right. You're in. Listen. The only people we hate more than motorists are the f**king CTC!"
"Splitters!"

Etc

Perfect.

Ah Monty! how I miss dear old Monty

Edit: mmm mass agreement with a DDD posting is that the sign of the second coming of the beast ..? :twisted:

Clever Pun

ITB if throw enough shite some of it will stick

itboffin

Clever Pun wrote:

ITB if throw enough shite some of it will stick

Don't make me laugh it hurts my neck

Nurse!!!

greg66_tri_v2.0

itboffin wrote:

Ah Monty! how I miss dear old Monty

Careful, old fart. You sound like you're commanding the men in the trenches again.

itboffin wrote:

Edit: mmm mass agreement with a DDD posting is that the sign of the second coming of the beast ..? :twisted:

The second beast?

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon: Revelation 13:11

Now, I'm no farmer, but what lambs have horns? :?

always_tyred

Clever Pun wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

If you were to ask a random selection of the commuting public:

What does Critical Mass actually stand for?

I doubt more than 10% would know what it actually stands for (especially the car drivers)


Which to me seems like a tired protest that's past it's due date

What DOES it actually stand for?

like I said less than 10% I've no bleeding idea myself, I was hoping some jumped up self rightious hippy would let us all know

If you don't know what it is, how can you have an opinion as to its relevance?

http://critical-mass.info/origin.html

Where it is an occasional celebration of cycling, a raising of awareness, like any other parade, no problem. If its a weekly or monthly, "How do you feel now?" towards motorists... no, unhelpful. I guess the naked ones are a bit hit and miss as well.

It may be more relevant to places with less cycling.

I think if I cycled in London I'd get freaked out by all of the cyclists even if there wasn't a critical mass ride going on.

itboffin

Greg66 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Ah Monty! how I miss dear old Monty

Careful, old fart. You sound like you're commanding the men in the trenches again.

itboffin wrote:

Edit: mmm mass agreement with a DDD posting is that the sign of the second coming of the beast ..? :twisted:

The second beast?

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon: Revelation 13:11

Now, I'm no farmer, but what lambs have horns? :?

Yes the first one's asleep up stairs surely she IS the devil!

Lambs with horns mmm must be a Welsh thing :P