Critical Mass Tunnel Freaks - Page 13 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

07-06-2004, 10:23 AM

On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 00:03:03 -0700, Zoot Katz <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:

>Mon, 05 Jul 2004 19:14:52 -0400,
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Luigi de Guzman
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>>Does it win us any support? ah, well now THERE'S a question.
>
>What sort of support and from whom?

I want motorists to respect me. I want people to get out of their
cars and think that, hey, cycling may not be such a bad idea after
all.

That's support. And I'm not going to get it by being an ******* to
them, thereby giving them carte blanche to continue justifying their
aggression towards non-automotive traffic.
>
>I just got slammed by a dozed out scud jockey (the bike's ride able
>but I ache) Right now I'm even less than my normally well disposed
>self toward our societies' blind acceptance of driver's blatant
>stupidity and flagrant deadly impunity.

Ouch. How did they get you?

When something similar happend to me in London, I was so dazed, my
mind fell back to what it thought were priorities:

1) get my road rash patched up. Luckily, I was nudged right in front
of a hospital.
2) Get my bike going agian. No biggie here--straightened the bars,
retightened the stem (lucky I was carrying the appropriate allen key
in m bag)
3) Get to the library to return the books I'd borrowed. (The original
reason for the trip)

In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
wasn't thinking right.

-Luigi

07-06-2004, 10:23 AM

On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 00:03:03 -0700, Zoot Katz <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:

>Mon, 05 Jul 2004 19:14:52 -0400,
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Luigi de Guzman
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>>Does it win us any support? ah, well now THERE'S a question.
>
>What sort of support and from whom?

I want motorists to respect me. I want people to get out of their
cars and think that, hey, cycling may not be such a bad idea after
all.

That's support. And I'm not going to get it by being an ******* to
them, thereby giving them carte blanche to continue justifying their
aggression towards non-automotive traffic.
>
>I just got slammed by a dozed out scud jockey (the bike's ride able
>but I ache) Right now I'm even less than my normally well disposed
>self toward our societies' blind acceptance of driver's blatant
>stupidity and flagrant deadly impunity.

Ouch. How did they get you?

When something similar happend to me in London, I was so dazed, my
mind fell back to what it thought were priorities:

1) get my road rash patched up. Luckily, I was nudged right in front
of a hospital.
2) Get my bike going agian. No biggie here--straightened the bars,
retightened the stem (lucky I was carrying the appropriate allen key
in m bag)
3) Get to the library to return the books I'd borrowed. (The original
reason for the trip)

In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
wasn't thinking right.

-Luigi

07-06-2004, 10:23 AM

On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 00:03:03 -0700, Zoot Katz <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:

>Mon, 05 Jul 2004 19:14:52 -0400,
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Luigi de Guzman
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>>Does it win us any support? ah, well now THERE'S a question.
>
>What sort of support and from whom?

I want motorists to respect me. I want people to get out of their
cars and think that, hey, cycling may not be such a bad idea after
all.

That's support. And I'm not going to get it by being an ******* to
them, thereby giving them carte blanche to continue justifying their
aggression towards non-automotive traffic.
>
>I just got slammed by a dozed out scud jockey (the bike's ride able
>but I ache) Right now I'm even less than my normally well disposed
>self toward our societies' blind acceptance of driver's blatant
>stupidity and flagrant deadly impunity.

Ouch. How did they get you?

When something similar happend to me in London, I was so dazed, my
mind fell back to what it thought were priorities:

1) get my road rash patched up. Luckily, I was nudged right in front
of a hospital.
2) Get my bike going agian. No biggie here--straightened the bars,
retightened the stem (lucky I was carrying the appropriate allen key
in m bag)
3) Get to the library to return the books I'd borrowed. (The original
reason for the trip)

In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
wasn't thinking right.

-Luigi

07-06-2004, 10:23 AM

On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 00:03:03 -0700, Zoot Katz <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:

>Mon, 05 Jul 2004 19:14:52 -0400,
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Luigi de Guzman
><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>>Does it win us any support? ah, well now THERE'S a question.
>
>What sort of support and from whom?

I want motorists to respect me. I want people to get out of their
cars and think that, hey, cycling may not be such a bad idea after
all.

That's support. And I'm not going to get it by being an ******* to
them, thereby giving them carte blanche to continue justifying their
aggression towards non-automotive traffic.
>
>I just got slammed by a dozed out scud jockey (the bike's ride able
>but I ache) Right now I'm even less than my normally well disposed
>self toward our societies' blind acceptance of driver's blatant
>stupidity and flagrant deadly impunity.

Ouch. How did they get you?

When something similar happend to me in London, I was so dazed, my
mind fell back to what it thought were priorities:

1) get my road rash patched up. Luckily, I was nudged right in front
of a hospital.
2) Get my bike going agian. No biggie here--straightened the bars,
retightened the stem (lucky I was carrying the appropriate allen key
in m bag)
3) Get to the library to return the books I'd borrowed. (The original
reason for the trip)

In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
wasn't thinking right.

-Luigi

07-06-2004, 12:32 PM

Luigi de Guzman <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
> an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
> if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
> wasn't thinking right.

yep. call the police. if someone goes all road-ragey on you call the cops
as well .. at the very least it'll make ya feel better.
--
david reuteler
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-06-2004, 12:32 PM

Luigi de Guzman <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
> an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
> if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
> wasn't thinking right.

yep. call the police. if someone goes all road-ragey on you call the cops
as well .. at the very least it'll make ya feel better.
--
david reuteler
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-06-2004, 12:32 PM

Luigi de Guzman <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
> an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
> if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
> wasn't thinking right.

yep. call the police. if someone goes all road-ragey on you call the cops
as well .. at the very least it'll make ya feel better.
--
david reuteler
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-06-2004, 12:32 PM

Luigi de Guzman <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
> an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
> if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
> wasn't thinking right.

yep. call the police. if someone goes all road-ragey on you call the cops
as well .. at the very least it'll make ya feel better.
--
david reuteler
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-06-2004, 12:32 PM

Luigi de Guzman <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
> an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
> if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
> wasn't thinking right.

yep. call the police. if someone goes all road-ragey on you call the cops
as well .. at the very least it'll make ya feel better.
--
david reuteler
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

07-06-2004, 02:54 PM

Tue, 06 Jul 2004 14:23:10 -0400,
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Luigi de Guzman
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 00:03:03 -0700, Zoot Katz <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
>wrote:
>
>>Mon, 05 Jul 2004 19:14:52 -0400,
>><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Luigi de Guzman
>><[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>>
>>>Does it win us any support? ah, well now THERE'S a question.
>>
>>What sort of support and from whom?
>
>I want motorists to respect me. I want people to get out of their
>cars and think that, hey, cycling may not be such a bad idea after
>all.
>
>That's support. And I'm not going to get it by being an ******* to
>them, thereby giving them carte blanche to continue justifying their
>aggression towards non-automotive traffic.
>>
Even the so-called cyclists posting here find ready made excuses for
not riding. I doubt you'll get many stunned lumps out of their cans
just by smiling and being Mr. Niceguy.
Drivers like making excuses for their aggression towards other
motorised traffic. We're the bottom of the pecking order.

As cyclists we're always going to be marginalised because we're
surrounded by a society that worships its stinking cars.

Vancouver's CM prides itself on being non-confrontational and fun
oriented. We just take back our streets for a couple of hours causing
less delay than the daily traffic jams they create for themselves.

If they can't deal with that then fukem. They deserve no respect from
me

>>I just got slammed by a dozed out scud jockey (the bike's ride able
>>but I ache) Right now I'm even less than my normally well disposed
>>self toward our societies' blind acceptance of driver's blatant
>>stupidity and flagrant deadly impunity.
>
>Ouch. How did they get you?
>
One that Eric's seen up close.
Nailed flat-footed in broad daylight by a backing van.
I can report that my recommendation to him at that time didn't work
quite well enough in this instance. The driver was oblivious to my
presence and backing at a determinedly rapid rate.

This one stopped at the sign. Heavy cross traffic had a green light.
His wheels were pointed straight ahead but I guessed he was turning
right and moved toward the left tire rut as he put on his right
signal. I was dabbed about 6 feet behind his van's back windows when
he put it into reverse, looked past me and started accelerating. I
screamed and back kicked about 2 bike lengths when he hit the front
wheel and knocked me down. The POS stopped rolling just before
crushing the rear wheel as I was desperately crabbing away.

Scumlump, to his credit and no little risk to his life, got out and
asked if I was okay, I said "NO". He asked if I wanted an ambulance.
"NO". He asked if my bike was okay and I said "NO, I don't know". That
was a mere formality fulfilling his legal obligations. Then he starts
with "Where'd you come from? I didn't see you. You shouldn't have been
there". His deserved response from me was a steady stream of insults
tying to incite the puke so I could choke him to death in self
defence. When I said, "I ought to sue your stupid ass" is when the
fukwit started claiming I ran into him!
Now that made me angry.

Long story short, cross-traffic stopped so he got back in his truck
and drove off. I phoned the police with the plate number and vehicle
description. Now I guess I'll have to wait and see if there's any
investigation. Nobody's even shown any interest taking a statement.
(Should I blame that demonstration of "respect" on CM?)

Thursday I've got an appointment with a claims adjuster.
Big deal
Ripped the mud flap off the front mudguard and feels like a tweaked
fork. Soaked and smashed some groceries in the pannier.

Took a piece of meat out of my ankle and I'm typing left handed.
My right wrist hurts from the knuckles to the elbow.
It keeps swelling and throbbing so I guess I'm going to have to go see
the croaker.

>When something similar happend to me in London, I was so dazed, my
>mind fell back to what it thought were priorities:
>
> 1) get my road rash patched up. Luckily, I was nudged right in front
>of a hospital.
>2) Get my bike going agian. No biggie here--straightened the bars,
>retightened the stem (lucky I was carrying the appropriate allen key
>in m bag)
>3) Get to the library to return the books I'd borrowed. (The original
>reason for the trip)
>
>In hindsight, I should have insisted on the police arriving and filing
>an accident report. I seem to remember a bunch of passers-by asking
>if I wanted to do that, but I was dizzy and buzzing on adrenaline, and
>wasn't thinking right.
>
The main thing on my mind was killing the big stupid bastard who'd
just run me down with his truck. The pain didn't even start until
after the adrenaline wore off.

--
zk