Bicycling doesn't top list of my favorite activities

Mike Boyd is editor of the Colorado Springs Business Journal and a
poor comedian. He can be reached at or 329-5202

Bicycling doesn't top list of my favorite activities
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10469

"The Colorado Department of Transportation issued a warning last week
that drivers of internal combustion machines (i.e. cars, trucks,
hulking SUVs, etc.) should be on the lookout for riders of muscled-
powered vehicles (i.e. bicycles).

Seems that with the onset of spring, bicyclists become more prominent
on the roadways. CDOT also was reminding cyclists that they play by
the same rules of the road as gasoline and diesel consumers, and can
be penalized for breaking those rules (of course you never see a peace
officer stop a cyclists for running a red light or failing to maintain
a minimum speed or passing on the right or anything else for that
matter - not that I'm bitter).

The following are CDOT's tips for bicyclists:

* Ride on the right and never ride against traffic (and I would
add: stay out of the way of traffic, because those of us in hulking
SUVs like driving really fast and can become quite agitated when we
have to slow down become some health-nut on a bicycle thinks he or she
is just as much entitled to the road as we are - I know, I should
probably add this to the list of issues to discuss with my therapist).
* Ride single file (which it seems is all too often too difficult
of a concept for a group of cyclists to grasp).
* Obey traffic laws, signs and signals (unless of course that
would slow you down or inconvenience you, because after all, laws only
apply to the mean-old-motoring, carbon-monoxide-producing, killing-the-
planet-by-burning-fossil-fuels public).
* Use a headlight, taillight and reflectors at night (better yet,
stay off the roads at night, it's safer for everyone).
* Make eye contact with drivers (that way you can tell when we're
about to explode with road rage).
* Always wear a helmet (which I never did as a child, which might
help to explain some of my issues)..........SNIP"


Some people got it, some people didn't come close
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10530

"Just in case you haven't heard/read, I'm not very popular among some
in the bicycling community.

It seems the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and caustic whit in my April 6
column didn't resonate with everyone who read it. However, some people
did get it.

The first e-mail I received about the column was from Eva Syrovy on
the morning it was published. "Your opinion piece brought a real
chuckle. Like most cyclists, I'm also an occasional driver, so relate
to both sides of that story! Gotta say, I do break the rules sometimes
when on two wheels - and feel sort of guilty about it - but justify it
blithely by somehow equating my lack of carbon-monoxide production
with karma points. What do you think - perhaps a mile of non-carbon
monoxide for one run stop sign?"

But a lot of folks didn't get it. Last week we printed two of the e-
mails as letters to the editor. Those two were just the tip of the
iceberg of the responses I received, but are representative of the
majority of the comments.

I appreciate the feedback from everyone who took the time to read the
column and write a reasoned reply - even those folks who missed the
tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and caustic whit or somehow thought I was
advocating violence against cyclists (which I still can't find in the
column no matter how many times I read it), and those folks who
wholeheartedly disagreed with me.

But as the e-mails continued to flood into my inbox, it became clear
that some members of the cycling community had things other than
reasoned disagreement on their minds..................SNIP"

On Apr 20, 9:52 pm, wrote:
Mike Boyd is editor of the Colorado Springs Business Journal and a
poor comedian. He can be reached at or 329-5202

wrote:

But a lot of folks didn't get it. Last week we printed two of the e-
mails as letters to the editor. Those two were just the tip of the
iceberg of the responses I received, but are representative of the
majority of the comments.

Humor-impairment is rampant these days.

As far as cyclists breaking the rules of the road, well, often around
here when I yield to drivers, they stop and let me pass anyway. they
are so accustomed to cyclists doing dumb**** things that they expect it.

--

David L. Johnson

If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach
a conclusion. -- George Bernard Shaw

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:52:11 -0700, mrjohnson85 wrote:

Mike Boyd is editor of the Colorado Springs Business Journal and a poor
comedian. He can be reached at or 329-5202

Bicycling doesn't top list of my favorite activities
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10469

Do you really want to be directing hits to his website? Chuckleheads like
this make their living stirring up pointless controversies. More
controversy = more readers = more advertising dollars.


"The Colorado Department of Transportation issued a warning last week
that drivers of internal combustion machines (i.e. cars, trucks, hulking
SUVs, etc.) should be on the lookout for riders of muscled- powered
vehicles (i.e. bicycles).

Seems that with the onset of spring, bicyclists become more prominent on
the roadways. CDOT also was reminding cyclists that they play by the
same rules of the road as gasoline and diesel consumers, and can be
penalized for breaking those rules (of course you never see a peace
officer stop a cyclists for running a red light or failing to maintain a
minimum speed or passing on the right or anything else for that matter -
not that I'm bitter).

The following are CDOT's tips for bicyclists:

* Ride on the right and never ride against traffic (and I would
add: stay out of the way of traffic, because those of us in hulking SUVs
like driving really fast and can become quite agitated when we have to
slow down become some health-nut on a bicycle thinks he or she is just
as much entitled to the road as we are - I know, I should probably add
this to the list of issues to discuss with my therapist).
* Ride single file (which it seems is all too often too difficult
of a concept for a group of cyclists to grasp).
* Obey traffic laws, signs and signals (unless of course that
would slow you down or inconvenience you, because after all, laws only
apply to the mean-old-motoring, carbon-monoxide-producing, killing-the-
planet-by-burning-fossil-fuels public).
* Use a headlight, taillight and reflectors at night (better yet,
stay off the roads at night, it's safer for everyone).
* Make eye contact with drivers (that way you can tell when we're
about to explode with road rage).
* Always wear a helmet (which I never did as a child, which might
help to explain some of my issues)..........SNIP"


Some people got it, some people didn't come close
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10530

"Just in case you haven't heard/read, I'm not very popular among some in
the bicycling community.

It seems the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and caustic whit in my April 6
column didn't resonate with everyone who read it. However, some people
did get it.

The first e-mail I received about the column was from Eva Syrovy on the
morning it was published. "Your opinion piece brought a real chuckle.
Like most cyclists, I'm also an occasional driver, so relate to both
sides of that story! Gotta say, I do break the rules sometimes when on
two wheels - and feel sort of guilty about it - but justify it blithely
by somehow equating my lack of carbon-monoxide production with karma
points. What do you think - perhaps a mile of non-carbon monoxide for
one run stop sign?"

But a lot of folks didn't get it. Last week we printed two of the e-
mails as letters to the editor. Those two were just the tip of the
iceberg of the responses I received, but are representative of the
majority of the comments.

I appreciate the feedback from everyone who took the time to read the
column and write a reasoned reply - even those folks who missed the
tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and caustic whit or somehow thought I was
advocating violence against cyclists (which I still can't find in the
column no matter how many times I read it), and those folks who
wholeheartedly disagreed with me.

But as the e-mails continued to flood into my inbox, it became clear
that some members of the cycling community had things other than
reasoned disagreement on their minds..................SNIP"

wrote in message
ups.com...
Mike Boyd is editor of the Colorado Springs Business Journal and a
poor comedian. He can be reached at or 329-5202

Bicycling doesn't top list of my favorite activities
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10469

"The Colorado Department of Transportation issued a warning last week
that drivers of internal combustion machines (i.e. cars, trucks,
hulking SUVs, etc.) should be on the lookout for riders of muscled-
powered vehicles (i.e. bicycles).

Seems that with the onset of spring, bicyclists become more prominent
on the roadways. CDOT also was reminding cyclists that they play by
the same rules of the road as gasoline and diesel consumers, and can
be penalized for breaking those rules (of course you never see a peace
officer stop a cyclists for running a red light or failing to maintain
a minimum speed or passing on the right or anything else for that
matter - not that I'm bitter).

The following are CDOT's tips for bicyclists:

* Ride on the right and never ride against traffic (and I would
add: stay out of the way of traffic, because those of us in hulking
SUVs like driving really fast and can become quite agitated when we
have to slow down become some health-nut on a bicycle thinks he or she
is just as much entitled to the road as we are - I know, I should
probably add this to the list of issues to discuss with my therapist).
* Ride single file (which it seems is all too often too difficult
of a concept for a group of cyclists to grasp).
* Obey traffic laws, signs and signals (unless of course that
would slow you down or inconvenience you, because after all, laws only
apply to the mean-old-motoring, carbon-monoxide-producing, killing-the-
planet-by-burning-fossil-fuels public).
* Use a headlight, taillight and reflectors at night (better yet,
stay off the roads at night, it's safer for everyone).
* Make eye contact with drivers (that way you can tell when we're
about to explode with road rage).
* Always wear a helmet (which I never did as a child, which might
help to explain some of my issues)..........SNIP"


Some people got it, some people didn't come close
http://www.csbj.com/story.cfm?ID=10530

"Just in case you haven't heard/read, I'm not very popular among some
in the bicycling community.

It seems the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and caustic whit in my April 6
column didn't resonate with everyone who read it. However, some people
did get it.

The first e-mail I received about the column was from Eva Syrovy on
the morning it was published. "Your opinion piece brought a real
chuckle. Like most cyclists, I'm also an occasional driver, so relate
to both sides of that story! Gotta say, I do break the rules sometimes
when on two wheels - and feel sort of guilty about it - but justify it
blithely by somehow equating my lack of carbon-monoxide production
with karma points. What do you think - perhaps a mile of non-carbon
monoxide for one run stop sign?"

But a lot of folks didn't get it. Last week we printed two of the e-
mails as letters to the editor. Those two were just the tip of the
iceberg of the responses I received, but are representative of the
majority of the comments.

I appreciate the feedback from everyone who took the time to read the
column and write a reasoned reply - even those folks who missed the
tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and caustic whit or somehow thought I was
advocating violence against cyclists (which I still can't find in the
column no matter how many times I read it), and those folks who
wholeheartedly disagreed with me.

But as the e-mails continued to flood into my inbox, it became clear
that some members of the cycling community had things other than
reasoned disagreement on their minds..................SNIP"

He`d better be looking out for `Great Big Billygoat Gruff` !

--
Colin N.

Lincolnshire is mostly flat ... But the wind is mostly in your face

schrieb:

Seems that with the onset of spring, bicyclists become more prominent
on the roadways. CDOT also was reminding cyclists that they play by
the same rules of the road as gasoline and diesel consumers,

Umm, of course. So, where is the news?

wrote:
Mike Boyd is editor of the Colorado Springs Business Journal and a
poor comedian. He can be reached at or 329-5202

He sounds like a US version of the cretinous Jeremy Clarkson.

Jens Müller wrote:
schrieb:

Seems that with the onset of spring, bicyclists become more prominent
on the roadways. CDOT also was reminding cyclists that they play by
the same rules of the road as gasoline and diesel consumers,

Umm, of course. So, where is the news?

The only time I can say that bicycling is not one of my favorite things
to do is when I know I have some work at home that I am putting off for
my rides. Kind of a guilty trip since I know I could be doing something
useful, instead of going out for an 8 hour Saturday marathon ride.
However, nice spring weather make me itch for some outside time.
It's a priority balancing act.
Lucky for me I don't watch all the junk stuff on TV so I do have more
time to ride or work.
I have seen more cyclists in the last few weeks but most of them are
riding junk bikes with junk trailers. That my be the homeless factor in
this area. About once a month I do see a roadie all dressed up, but
they, or he, is a rare sight.
Bill Baka

On Apr 21, 3:53 pm, Bill wrote:
Jens Müller wrote:
schrieb:

Seems that with the onset of spring, bicyclists become more prominent
on the roadways. CDOT also was reminding cyclists that they play by
the same rules of the road as gasoline and diesel consumers,

Umm, of course. So, where is the news?

The only time I can say that bicycling is not one of my favorite things
to do is when I know I have some work at home that I am putting off for
my rides. Kind of a guilty trip since I know I could be doing something
useful, instead of going out for an 8 hour Saturday marathon ride.
However, nice spring weather make me itch for some outside time.
It's a priority balancing act.
Lucky for me I don't watch all the junk stuff on TV so I do have more
time to ride or work.
I have seen more cyclists in the last few weeks but most of them are
riding junk bikes with junk trailers. That my be the homeless factor in
this area. About once a month I do see a roadie all dressed up, but
they, or he, is a rare sight.

Portland has a huge population of poseurs that come out with the sun
-- like last Thursday and Friday. It was an explosion of lycra, and my
quiet little commute through the West Hills turned in to a promenade
of world champs and pro team riders -- including some dork in a full
Francaise des Jeux team outfit with white shorts and jersey. How do
you not laugh at that? A lot of them have that spin-class kind of
fitness and can climb O.K., but they struggle on the tight descents
because they have zero bike handling skills. Its like watching the
goony birds land -- you just try to stay out of the way. -- Jay
Beattie.