It's like a jungle out there for bike riders

"The bicyclist is under attack from all directions - the streets are
ragged, the air is poison, and the drivers are angry."

It's like a jungle out there for bike riders. And the attack comes
from the top and from the bottom... Lions on SUVs*, given to
zigzagging around and yapping away on the cell phone, threaten them
from the top, and rats from the underworld steal their wheels if not
their bike to support their crack addiction. And then you report it,
and it goes into oblivion. So it is that cyclists must stay in
constant alert for predators, like the monkeys of the jungle.

"Have you ever wondered why sport utility vehicle drivers seem like
such assholes? Surely it's no coincidence that Terry McAuliffe,
chairman of the Dem-ocratic National Committee, tours Washington in
one of the biggest SUVs on the market, the Cadillac Escalade, or that
Jesse Ventura loves the Lincoln Navigator. Well, according to New York
Times reporter Keith Bradsher's new book, High and Mighty, the
connection between the two isn't a coincidence. Unlike any other
vehicle before it, the SUV is the car of choice for the nation's most
self-centered people; and the bigger the SUV, the more of a jerk its
driver is likely to be."

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/fea....mencimer.html

Life in the jungle ain't easy...


RIDING A BIKE COSTS PEANUTS

OK, since the lion (for whom “peanuts” is not important) refuses to
listen to the monkey asking for bike facilities,* let's scrutinize the
secrets ($$$) of the political jungle, where “democracy” is the word
of choice…

"The highest measure of democracy is neither the 'extent of freedom'
nor the 'extent of equality', but rather the highest measure of
participation" -A. d. Benoist

Then I'd assume that 50% of the American public and 80% of the young
who don't vote do not live in democracy. Or perhaps they see it as a
waste of time --and money.

“Remember the Golden Rule: Those with the Gold, Rule” (saying)

“The Best Democracy Money Can Buy” (title of book)

And this one...

"Freedom is when the people can speak, democracy is when the
government listens" -Alastair Farrugia

Oh, that one was so good. So let's see: The monkey can cry all he
wants but he will be ignored. Tough life that of the monkey.

Other quotes...

"Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is
silence about truth" -Aldous Huxley

That one was deep. We all live in the lie (notice the word “lie” in li-
on). And look at this one...

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they
don't have any" -Alice Walker

And this would threaten the order in the jungle...

"Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the
rulers" -Aristotle

And here they must be talking about the lion...

"The wild, cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. He is in
front of it" -Axel Munthe

Many more quotes to entertain yourself are found at the link below. I
hope you use them responsibly and don't start a revolution.

http://www.democracy.ru/english/quotes.php

*Riding a bike is good for the environment, great for peace, and
excellent for your health. We need facilities, though, like BIKE LANES
to be safe.

WHY THE BANANA REVOLUTION?
(T-shirts to help you survive in the jungle, no kidding)

http://webspawner.com/users/bananarevolution

ComandanteBanana wrote:
"The bicyclist is under attack from all directions - the streets are
ragged, the air is poison, and the drivers are angry."

It doesn't sound much like my experience. I don't find I'm "under
attack", and furthermore that if I give drivers due consideration then I
get due consideration back (just as when I'm driving, I give cyclists
due consideration and get it back).

Go out there spoiling for a fight and you'll find one though.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

It doesn't sound much like my experience. I don't find I'm "under
attack", and furthermore that if I give drivers due consideration then I
get due consideration back (just as when I'm driving, I give cyclists
due consideration and get it back).

Go out there spoiling for a fight and you'll find one though.

Pete.

I have to agree with Pete in this regard. I have been riding a bike
around town and for 5 years commuting to work and in 30 years have
never once had a problem with drivers. Pedestrians are another
matter. When I rode a motorcycle I learned to be very visible.

I am all for bike paths and lanes. Here in Ohio on the State highways
in some areas we have buggy lanes for the Amish horse drawn buggies.
One of those lanes would be like a freeway for bicyclists. In the US
drivers pay road taxes through their fuel purchases. I have recently
wondered if an excise tax could be levied on bikes and bike parts to
pay for similar lanes. Firearms and archery equipment are already
taxed in this way and the money goes to maintaining forests for
hunting. Despite the fact that I am a target archer and have never
hunted, I pay this tax. I do not mind doing so since many public
archery ranges are located in public parks.

Jim Koch, Cleveland

On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:19:27 -0700 (PDT), ComandanteBanana
wrote:

So it is that cyclists must stay in
constant alert for predators, like the monkeys of the jungle.

Monkeys are well known for throwing **** at passers by and making lots
of noise.

Perhaps that explains some of the posts from bike riders?

Perhaps yall may now have some grasp of the thinking of a longtailed
cat, in a room full of rocking chairs?


Gunner

On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:19:27 -0700 (PDT), ComandanteBanana
wrote:

*Riding a bike is good for the environment, great for peace, and
excellent for your health. We need facilities, though, like BIKE LANES
to be safe.


Yes Indeed.

Btw..we managed to successfully avoid the democracy trap here in the
US, fortunately the Founders realized how dangerous a democracy is,
and gave us a constitutional republic.

“A democracy is always temporary in natu it simple cannot exist as
a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up
until the voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts
from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority will
always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the
public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally
collapse due to loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a
dictatorship.”


Gunner

On Apr 25, 11:15*am, Peter Clinch wrote:
ComandanteBanana wrote:
"The bicyclist is under attack from all directions - the streets are
ragged, the air is poison, and the drivers are angry."

It doesn't sound much like my experience. *I don't find I'm "under
attack", and furthermore that if I give drivers due consideration then I
get due consideration back (just as when I'm driving, I give cyclists
due consideration and get it back).

Go out there spoiling for a fight and you'll find one though.

But then again, you don't seem to live in the DEEP jungle.

The UK has one of the safest drivers in the world.

On Apr 25, 12:58*pm, Jim wrote:
It doesn't sound much like my experience. *I don't find I'm "under
attack", and furthermore that if I give drivers due consideration then I
get due consideration back (just as when I'm driving, I give cyclists
due consideration and get it back).

Go out there spoiling for a fight and you'll find one though.

Pete.

I have to agree with Pete in this regard. *I have been riding a bike
around town and for 5 years commuting to work and in 30 years have
never once had a problem with drivers. *Pedestrians are another
matter. *When I rode a motorcycle I learned to be very visible.

I am all for bike paths and lanes. *Here in Ohio on the State highways
in some areas we have buggy lanes for the Amish horse drawn buggies.
One of those lanes would be like a freeway for bicyclists. *In the US
drivers pay road taxes through their fuel purchases. *I have recently
wondered if an excise tax could be levied on bikes and bike parts to
pay for similar lanes. *Firearms and archery equipment are already
taxed in this way and the money goes to maintaining forests for
hunting. *Despite the fact that I am a target archer and have never
hunted, I pay this tax. *I do not mind doing so since many public
archery ranges are located in public parks.

Jim Koch, Cleveland

Well, that makes so much sense, but bike lanes don't take that much to
build. Or in lack of it, enforcing 20mph speed limit on the slow lane
would ensure a happier coexistence.

What we need first then is a political will --nowhere to be found.

On Apr 25, 1:02*pm, Gunner wrote:
On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:19:27 -0700 (PDT), ComandanteBanana

wrote:
So it is that cyclists must stay in
constant alert for predators, like the monkeys of the jungle.

Monkeys are well known for throwing **** at passers by and making lots
of noise.

Perhaps that explains some of the posts from bike riders?

Perhaps yall may now have some grasp of the thinking of a longtailed
cat, in a room full of rocking chairs?

Gunner

The monkeys --sorry the cyclists-- you are talking about are the ones
in lycra. They are much noiser than the commuter type. And don't eat
peanuts.

On Apr 25, 1:17*pm, Gunner wrote:
On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:19:27 -0700 (PDT), ComandanteBanana

wrote:
*Riding a bike is good for the environment, great for peace, and
excellent for your health. We need facilities, though, like BIKE LANES
to be safe.

Yes Indeed.

Btw..we managed to successfully avoid the democracy trap here in the
US, fortunately the Founders realized how dangerous a democracy is,
and gave us a constitutional republic.

I just have a problem with the language "by the people and for the
people..."

I wonder what the type of democracy they are exporting to Iraq... ???

On Apr 25, 9:58�am, Jim wrote:
It doesn't sound much like my experience. �I don't find I'm "under
attack", and furthermore that if I give drivers due consideration then I
get due consideration back (just as when I'm driving, I give cyclists
due consideration and get it back).

Go out there spoiling for a fight and you'll find one though.

Pete.

I have to agree with Pete in this regard. �I have been riding a bike
around town and for 5 years commuting to work and in 30 years have
never once had a problem with drivers. �Pedestrians are another
matter. �When I rode a motorcycle I learned to be very visible.

I am all for bike paths and lanes.

uall learn how to ride a bike and no need for bike paths and lanes and
less doa bikers.