i wish i had a better way to say this, i really do, but i don't - i have said things about this before, and been critical, and been sympathetic as well, i get it, i really do but, now, not so much. or, not at all. those of you who participate in the end of the month log jam that is critical mass, well, i'm done with you. and i know that at least one reader of this blog - a guy i have a great deal of respect for and a man whom i call a friend, will be unhappy about my stance but, i can't even remotely support this circus made up of marc emery supporters. i know they're different causes but, they seem to attract the same sort.
the last friday of every month - except those months where it's too cold for the great unwashed - they gather, the cyclists, at the art gallery, smoke a bunch of pot - not that i'm against smoking pot, have a few drinks and then go out and clog the city's arteries just because they can - all in the name of bringing attention to their cause. more bike lanes. more bikes in general. more pedal power. ok. sure. good idea but ya know what, some of us make our living driving a car. or truck. we pay our mortgages by doing this. our jobs. we can't use a bike to do our jobs. but they, the cyclists, that are so hard done by - and since we've given them the bike lane on the burrard st. bridge and now the dunsmuir lane, and the lane on the viaduct, and tons of other lanes around the city and 50 million allocated towards more lanes....well, it's just not enough for these gregor wanna-be's. (gregor the eco-nazi....) why is it that driving a car is now like smoking a cigarette and blowing the smoke in someone's face? should i go on welfare instead of driving a car for work? are cars that evil? most of my car-less friends sure get smiles on their faces when i offer them a ride home...but they don't do critical mass. they're smarter than that.
i get that we all need to walk more. ride more. etc..i get it. but don't tell me what to do or how to do it....i'll make my own decisions thanks.
so what to do? well, nothing i suppose, i'm not here to tell anyone what to do - never would. but, i can voice my disapproval. i can make it known i think the way they are trying to get people on their side is completely retarded and counterproductive. nothing like pissing people off to make them hate you even more than they already do.
but hey....who am i? really? just a guy trying to make a living. and if i can't do my job i'll just go on welfare and be a burden to society because the critical mass folks think it's cool to block traffic downtown so people can't get home after a week of working hard and not being a dope smokin' bike fucktard.
and why is it that they can gather at the art gallery and smoke pot and drink and then go ride around the streets escorted by the cops? why can't i smoke some pot and have a few too many drinks and go drive my car around, block some traffic and be an asshole...? oh, right, it's illegal. but for some reason the cyclists are allowed to do it. why? because the cops in this city are pussies. so many of the cyclists in this city, not all, but a fuck of a lot, don't obey the rules of the road, run stop signs, don't wear helmets, but get all high and mighty when they get cut off after running a stop sign....well, fuck it.
sure, i'm ranting and i reserve the right to take back some of this but come on...the city has bent over backwards to help the cyclists feel all warm and fuzzy but they don't seem to care...or notice...and i ride around this town from time to time...i like biking when my back allows it....but i can't align myself with any of the critical mass folks. i just can't. it's so self centered. so myopic. so arrogant.
ok. i'm done.
i love you.
g. xo
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
I don't care what anybody else says about you, I think you're a great guy.
We get still be friends, despite your position.
um...ok...
are people saying shit about me. me and my gas guzzling car. my gas guzzling lawn mower. my having a job and paying taxes and....
well, people are always gonna say shit, and that's cool.
and yes, you and i can be friends despite 'my position'...
g.
lol, that's just a turn of phrase.
I don't think jobs or taxes have anything to do with the issue at hand.
it does when i can't get to work - it becomes part of the issue. people who choose to live in city also choose, by this decision, to accept the infrastructure within that city. cars and trucks bring everything we use every day into the city. into the country. and by clogging up the arteries they use to get you - yes you - your goods for your job, then it's all fucked. the bike riders are getting what they want but it never seems to be enough. they want to ride on the roads but not pay for them the way people in cars do. maybe every bike should have to have a license too. put some money into the system instead of just taking.
if you're gonna be on the road, accept the rules of the road.
just a thought.
g.
You seemed to list your job and taxes in the "things that might differentiate me and the Critical Mass participants" category. I misunderstood your meaning.
Cyclists pay the same as motorists minus a gas tax (lots of which goes to transit). Most of our city roads are paid for by property taxes, the brunt of which is passed on through rent, for those who don't or can't own.
The difference is the massive impact cars have compared to that of bicycles (in the cost sense, I'm not even getting into the environmental matters). Way more trips can be paid for (by the city, in infrastructure) if they were done on bicycles rather than cars. Also is the fact that we've designed our cities around cars for 60 years. In the past 5 years it's been bikes bikes bikes, but that's just trying to catch up.
The 50 million that you referred to is over five or ten years, I believe. That's a fraction of what roads designed specifically for cars/trucks cost. A tiny fraction.
Most cyclists, like myself, maintain a driver's license, even if I only use it a handful of times a year. I don't think the fees for driver's licenses are paying for roads at all. Nor do I think auto insurance pays for roads (although ICBC does flip a profit back to the province, who knows what they do with it). I can't see how creating a bureaucracy to regulate something like cycling, which even small children are generally allowed to do, will create much revenue.
Your entire premise is weak. Cyclists pay more than their fair share, take up less space, cost less, cause fewer road fatalities, don't pollute, and probably reduce the burden on our health care system by staying in shape.
Of course, granted, our lives depend on regular transportation and delivery, as you describe. Some make the decision to reduce that whenever possible, but of course it's fundamental. Nobody's losing sight of that. I just can't see how cycling infrastructure, or a 20 minute delay downtown at a regular time at the end of each month will compromise that.
Also, are you suggesting that I have to move out of the city to safely pursue an alternative to motoring? Because that's wacky.
Just for the record, I accept the car rules of the road, even though they aren't all that suitable to my transportation choice. I'm a helmet-wearing, law-abiding cyclist. For a single ride every month I happen to follow a different set of rules, which has been generally accepted by the authorities. It's legit, even if some find it a piss off.
We've essentially had this conversation in person, we'll have to again.
well...
if it was a twenty minute delay i'd say ok...but it's not. you've missed most of my points - maybe because i'm not as educated as yourself and present them poorly. but i'm not sure how holding people hostage on a friday when they just wanna get home is helping gain supporters. most, and i mean most, of the people i have spoken to regarding critical mass - bike riders and non, don't get it and how it's meant to convince people to get out of their cars. and i know it's a sad fact but, it just makes me what to drive more.
you don't address john law letting the cyclists essentially drink and drive on the motorways.
what i meant about living in the city and accepting certain things has nothing to do with cyclist's safety. it's about accepting that cars and trucks are part of it. they are now, and they will be in the future.
i know you're a helmet wearing cyclist, and you know i love you - well, like you a great deal, but...well...
anyhow. you and i would and will disagree forever on this subject. and that's that. i will say that i am embarassed by many of my car driving brethren and you are probably by some of your bike riding pals. it'll always be that way as well.
g. xo
I'm a cyclist and a driver so here's my 2 cents. If you look at CM objectively what's it purpose? I don't know to be honest. If it's to piss a lot of people off then mission accomplished. Voting for the right mayor has done more for cycling in this city than all that critical mess has.
As a form of bicycle advocacy it's a total failure. I can't think of one positive aspect other than it's probably a good time for the participants. To bad it comes at the expense of so many others.
Riding through the streets like a bunch of jackasses isn't going to change the minds of anyone. It's the same reason that Mark Emery will never get pot legalized in this country. To make real change you need to work with the established system and change it from within.
I often wonder how many of these "protester in the streets" types actually vote or take the time to write letters to their elected officials?
There a lot of really good reasons to choose a bike over a car and as great as bikes are sometimes you need a car or a truck to get some shit done.
Everyone can get along if we all stay the fuck out of each others way. There's lots of room out there and overall this city is great for cycling. Wether I'm driving or riding I try to respect other peoples space everyone else should consider doing the same.
Overall I hate cyclists and drivers equally.
i guess, and i wasn't going to say anything more on this except that bryan has brought up a decent point. that being, it seems to me that much more gets done by going through the correct channels than pissing people off.
over the past few days i haver spoken with a few people, bike riders, non-riders but more that are like bryan, who do both, and they don't see the point of pissing people off to, hopefully, get things changed.
i fully support bike lanes and such but can not support CM. i just can't and can't seem to find too many who can.
i don't think critical mass had anything to do with getting more bike lanes. i think the people who took the time to lobby city hall and go through the steps it takes to make change, made that stuff happen.
most i spoke to believe that CM is about disruption not cycling, it just happens that the disruption is being done while cycling.
my fear is, and maybe fear is the wrong word but, that one day there will be a clash that results in someone getting seriously hurt, because someone just gets pissed off. really pissed off. and just needs to hit something - and it could be someone in a car hurting a cyclist or a person on a bike doing something to someone in a car. either way, it'll suck.
i do have one last question though....
how come there are so many CM folks in the summer but none, or much less, in the winter?
i don't really need an answer...
this issue is now closed. i appreciate the participation.
(unless raf would like to respond and i want to be fair and as balanced as i can)
g. xo
Post a Comment