Scofflaw Cyclists in Boston

"Peter Cole" wrote in message
...
[...]
"Morality" is a complex subject. By the following theory, you'd be
classified as a conservative, me, a liberal. Maybe that explains why you
like Iowa and I like Massachusetts.

I have never heard of anyone who liked Mass. The dumb Irish settled there
because they didn't know any better. The smart Irish immediately left the
East Coast for the Midwest.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/t11828205jt42001/

"Researchers in moral psychology and social justice have agreed that
morality is about matters of harm, rights, and justice. On this definition
of morality, conservative opposition to social justice programs appears to
be immoral, and has been explained as a product of various non-moral
processes such as system justification or social dominance orientation. In
this article we argue that, from an anthropological perspective, the moral
domain is usually much broader, encompassing many more aspects of social
life and valuing institutions as much or more than individuals. We present
theoretical and empirical reasons for believing that there are five
psychological systems that provide the foundations for the world’s many
moralities. The five foundations are psychological preparations for
detecting and reacting emotionally to issues related to harm/care,
fairness/reciprocity, ingroup/loyalty, authority/respect, and
purity/sanctity. Political liberals have moral intuitions primarily based
upon the first two foundations, and therefore misunderstand the moral
motivations of political conservatives, who generally rely upon all five
foundations."

The above is bull**** and gobbledygook. It reminds me all over again of why
I never bothered to get a Ph.D in the social sciences. No wonder Peter Cole
never got out of Mass.
[...]

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

"Edward Dolan" wrote in message ...
"Peter Cole" wrote in message
...
[...]
"Morality" is a complex subject. By the following theory, you'd be
classified as a conservative, me, a liberal. Maybe that explains why you
like Iowa and I like Massachusetts.

I have never heard of anyone who liked Mass. The dumb Irish settled there
because they didn't know any better. The smart Irish immediately left the
East Coast for the Midwest.

Boston is a nice city. Lots of museums and theaters. Not
so much fun to drive in though.

On Oct 18, 7:38*am, Peter Cole wrote:
On 10/18/2010 4:25 AM, Tom Sherman °_° wrote:





On 10/18/2010 1:58 AM, bjw aka Ben Weiner wrote:
On Oct 17, 1:10 pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
Seehttp://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/100870/505039 for scofflaw
cyclists breaking about every traffic law possible - the end result of
no enforcement of the rules of the road on cyclists?

Ignore the title that says "NYC" - unless buses in NYC advertise Boston
radio stations.

I watched the first 2.5 minutes, then I got bored of waiting
for something to provoke self-righteous indignation.

He even used a hand signal in the first few seconds of the
video, before he turns left around the cop car.

Seriously, have you witnessed Boston road manners?

Just because a lot of people act a certain way does not make it moral.

"Morality" is a complex subject. By the following theory, you'd be
classified as a conservative, me, a liberal. Maybe that explains why you
like Iowa and I like Massachusetts.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/t11828205jt42001/

"Researchers in moral psychology and social justice have agreed that
morality is about matters of harm, rights, and justice. On this
definition of morality, conservative opposition to social justice
programs appears to be immoral, and has been explained as a product of
various non-moral processes such as system justification or social
dominance orientation. In this article we argue that, from an
anthropological perspective, the moral domain is usually much broader,
encompassing many more aspects of social life and valuing institutions
as much or more than individuals. We present theoretical and empirical
reasons for believing that there are five psychological systems that
provide the foundations for the world’s many moralities. The five
foundations are psychological preparations for detecting and reacting
emotionally to issues related to harm/care, fairness/reciprocity,
ingroup/loyalty, authority/respect, and purity/sanctity. Political
liberals have moral intuitions primarily based upon the first two
foundations, and therefore misunderstand the moral motivations of
political conservatives, who generally rely upon all five foundations."

Ingroup morality, authority, and "sanctity" are primitive foundation
blocks. They don't make great basis of good decisions, and limit
liberty. In-group morality has been the ugliest of the three in
justifying everything from the Rwanda killings, to the Holocaust.

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

The new Sam Harris book, The Moral Landscape, is recommended as well.

On 10/18/2010 9:30 AM, Edward Dolan wrote:
"Peter wrote in message
...
[...]
"Morality" is a complex subject. By the following theory, you'd be
classified as a conservative, me, a liberal. Maybe that explains why you
like Iowa and I like Massachusetts.

I have never heard of anyone who liked Mass. The dumb Irish settled there
because they didn't know any better. The smart Irish immediately left the
East Coast for the Midwest.

Well, I'm 2/3's dumb Irish, thank you. My people first settled in Canada
& Maine, so I guess they found Massachusetts an improvement. My dad was
born in Iowa, went to HS & college in CA & WA, came to Boston during the
war and never went back. He seems to like it OK, too. My siblings (5)
have lived all over the country, but continue to return to Massachusetts.

Lots of people come here to ride bikes, just not in Boston. I have
ridden all over New England, and it's pretty sweet, at least except
winter. RAGBRAI might be fun, but not for the terrain.

On Oct 18, 1:25*am, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
On 10/18/2010 1:58 AM, bjw aka Ben Weiner wrote:



On Oct 17, 1:10 pm, Tom Sherman °_°
*wrote:
Seehttp://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/100870/505039 *for scofflaw
cyclists breaking about every traffic law possible - the end result of
no enforcement of the rules of the road on cyclists?

Ignore the title that says "NYC" - unless buses in NYC advertise Boston
radio stations.

I watched the first 2.5 minutes, then I got bored of waiting
for something to provoke self-righteous indignation.

He even used a hand signal in the first few seconds of the
video, before he turns left around the cop car.

Seriously, have you witnessed Boston road manners?

Just because a lot of people act a certain way does not make it moral.

Traffic laws aren't about enforcing morality. They aren't
even about enforcing ethics. They are about making
traffic safe and, to some extent, efficient.

I don't ride like those guys, nor do I think people should ride
like those guys. But I also don't ride around shaking my
finger at every person I see splitting lanes or riding around
a bus, and blaming them for the way cyclists are treated as
second-class citizens in the US.

When I see the local cops enforcing bicycle laws and issuing
tickets, it's usually at essentially safe intersections where it
is easy to set up a rolling-the-stop-sign trap, not at places
where dangerous behavior actually occurs.

Ben

On 10/18/2010 4:38 PM, bjw aka Ben Weiner wrote:
On Oct 18, 1:25 am, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
On 10/18/2010 1:58 AM, bjw aka Ben Weiner wrote:



On Oct 17, 1:10 pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
Seehttp://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/100870/505039 for scofflaw
cyclists breaking about every traffic law possible - the end result of
no enforcement of the rules of the road on cyclists?

Ignore the title that says "NYC" - unless buses in NYC advertise Boston
radio stations.

I watched the first 2.5 minutes, then I got bored of waiting
for something to provoke self-righteous indignation.

He even used a hand signal in the first few seconds of the
video, before he turns left around the cop car.

Seriously, have you witnessed Boston road manners?

Just because a lot of people act a certain way does not make it moral.

Traffic laws aren't about enforcing morality. They aren't
even about enforcing ethics. They are about making
traffic safe and, to some extent, efficient.[...]

I was not referring to violating traffic laws, but the general rudeness
and hostility of the motorists. Rude and hostile motorists are very
rare in Iowa.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

On 10/18/2010 7:38 AM, Peter Cole wrote:
On 10/18/2010 4:25 AM, Tom Sherman °_° wrote:
On 10/18/2010 1:58 AM, bjw aka Ben Weiner wrote:
On Oct 17, 1:10 pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
Seehttp://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/100870/505039 for scofflaw
cyclists breaking about every traffic law possible - the end result of
no enforcement of the rules of the road on cyclists?

Ignore the title that says "NYC" - unless buses in NYC advertise Boston
radio stations.


I watched the first 2.5 minutes, then I got bored of waiting
for something to provoke self-righteous indignation.

He even used a hand signal in the first few seconds of the
video, before he turns left around the cop car.

Seriously, have you witnessed Boston road manners?

Just because a lot of people act a certain way does not make it moral.

"Morality" is a complex subject. By the following theory, you'd be
classified as a conservative, me, a liberal. Maybe that explains why you
like Iowa and I like Massachusetts.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/t11828205jt42001/

"Researchers in moral psychology and social justice have agreed that
morality is about matters of harm, rights, and justice. On this
definition of morality, conservative opposition to social justice
programs appears to be immoral, and has been explained as a product of
various non-moral processes such as system justification or social
dominance orientation. In this article we argue that, from an
anthropological perspective, the moral domain is usually much broader,
encompassing many more aspects of social life and valuing institutions
as much or more than individuals. We present theoretical and empirical
reasons for believing that there are five psychological systems that
provide the foundations for the world’s many moralities. The five
foundations are psychological preparations for detecting and reacting
emotionally to issues related to harm/care, fairness/reciprocity,
ingroup/loyalty, authority/respect, and purity/sanctity. Political
liberals have moral intuitions primarily based upon the first two
foundations, and therefore misunderstand the moral motivations of
political conservatives, who generally rely upon all five foundations."
[...]

How is being rude and hostile (Boston motorists) liberal, and being
friendly and accommodating (Iowa motorists) conservative? I would say
the opposite it true.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

On 10/18/2010 6:34 AM, Peter Cole wrote:
On 10/17/2010 7:28 PM, Tom Sherman °_° wrote:
[...]
[1] Will Jobst Brandt suggest http://tinyurl.com/ [2]?
[2] http://preview.tinyurl.com/24z75nu or
http://tinyurl.com/24z75nu for the brave.

????

Jobst Brandt dislikes people posting long URLs.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

On Oct 18, 6:24*am, Phil W Lee wrote:
Tom Sherman °_° considered Mon,
18 Oct 2010 03:25:10 -0500 the perfect time to write:


Can we give Boston [1] back to the British?

What makes you think we'd want it?
We're still getting along fine with the original

Well, you'd automatically get a baseball team out of the deal. And
baseball is more exciting than cricket. Why, it features a full 14
minutes of action per two-hour game!
http://tinyurl.com/2cupyob

- Frank Krygowski

On Oct 18, 5:51*pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:

I was not referring to violating traffic laws, but the general rudeness
and hostility of the motorists. *Rude and hostile motorists are very
rare in Iowa.

FWIW: I was at a bike club slide show once, where a guy who biked
cross country with a friend talked about how terrified they were of
Iowa. He said as soon as they crossed the state line, they got buzzed
by several passing cars, so they fled into Minnesota before the day
was out.

My wife and I were amazed at his fear, because we found Iowans
courteous in the extreme. There were several instances where we had
to control narrow lanes on highways, and big-rig semi drivers stayed
well back, patiently waiting until it was clear to pass. People in
mom & pop diners came up to us and talked about our traveling, a
farmer in a feed company cap, flannel shirt and suspenders talked
about the Raleigh International he used to ride, and so on.

Our theory was that the RAGBRAI ride must bring excitement and money
to the small towns it passes through on its ever-changing route, so
locals hope politeness to cyclists will lure it.

- Frank Krygowski