RTW or VFF day or AEF day or what?????

Let me join those who were outraged yesterday at this union of RTW day
and the farmers PR breakfast. WTF are BV doing?? Best as I could tell ,
the VFF seemed to be running the show. It seemed to be less about riding
(to work or otherwise) and more about having to express gratitude to the
farmers UNION for their generous feeding of us. As I was waiting for my
egg, one twot in a farmers T-shirt and a bad haircut actually said to
the person behind me, "Do you know who's providing you with a free
breakfast?....that's right, farmers". I wanted to suggest that maybe
they could afford to because of some taxpayer handout, but I hadn't yet
got my caged bred, anti-biotic infused egg yet.

And which BV clown thought it would be appropriate to have Don Burke
(in his role with Aust. environmental foundation) stand on stage and
lecture us about the need to reduce greenhouse emissions, whilst
supporting the farmers as saviours of the environment, and labelling
environmentalists who dare to "protest" as "losers". For added effect,
he repeated that protesting environmentalists are "losers".

RTW day is surely about nothing else other than supporting, encouraging
and fostering a cycling culture. But with the VFF, AEF and Peter
Batchelor on stage to take the applause, people who want to see real
changes to the cycling infrastructure and attitudes to cycling were
sadly and very fsukingly frustratingly let down today.

...and on such a beautiful morning too...


Pat


--
vaudegiant

vaudegiant Wrote:
Let me join those who were outraged yesterday at this union of RTW day
and the farmers PR breakfast. WTF are BV doing?? Best as I could tell ,
the VFF seemed to be running the show. It seemed to be less about riding
(to work or otherwise) and more about having to express gratitude to the
farmers UNION for their generous feeding of us. As I was waiting for my
egg, one twot in a farmers T-shirt and a bad haircut actually said to
the person behind me, "Do you know who's providing you with a free
breakfast?....that's right, farmers". I wanted to suggest that maybe
they could afford to because of some taxpayer handout, but I hadn't yet
got my caged bred, anti-biotic infused egg yet.

And which BV clown thought it would be appropriate to have Don Burke
(in his role with Aust. environmental foundation) stand on stage and
lecture us about the need to reduce greenhouse emissions, whilst
supporting the farmers as saviours of the environment, and labelling
environmentalists who dare to "protest" as "losers". For added effect,
he repeated that protesting environmentalists are "losers".

RTW day is surely about nothing else other than supporting, encouraging
and fostering a cycling culture. But with the VFF, AEF and Peter
Batchelor on stage to take the applause, people who want to see real
changes to the cycling infrastructure and attitudes to cycling were
sadly and very fsukingly frustratingly let down today.

...and on such a beautiful morning too...


Pat
I tuned out from Don Burke when he said his family doesn't want
cyclists on 'his road'. He was partially serious too I reckon. I was
very close to yelling out a "G.F.C." to Don Burke.

Who should have been speaking? BV people, Peter Bachelor, Steve Bracks,
Opposition Ministers and whoever the Minister for Sport and Recreation
is. Perhaps BV could have let CSV up there for a bit of a chat.

Where were the Cycling Clubs around? I saw bike shops, farmer
propagander and Melbourne City Council. I saw YarraBUG. But where were
the grass roots of cycling clubs hawking their wares to gain more
members? Were they not invited?

Disappointed with a lot of it this morning.


--
parawolf

Well, after my outburst yesterday, i had calmed down a bit. I must
admit, i also noticed the lack of cycling clubs around. I did,
however, think that there seemed to be a truckload more cyclists there
very early this year. Bikes were parked all over the shop.. I think the
VFF did a great job with breakfast but cooking a hot breakfast is very
time consuming and the queues were huge as a result.. You cant pump
people through the line when they are waiting on a steak sandwich.
My biggest outrage was that there was no tomato sauce.....what were
they thinking????
And, just quietly, i wasnt convinced by any of the VFF spiel that
"honeycomb" flavoured milk is going to be healthy for me. I think my
highlight was the grinders coffee. Those guys were making it to order
which i thought was pretty ambitious given the queue.


--
coowoowoo

parawolf Wrote:
I saw YarraBUG. But where were the grass roots of cycling clubs hawking
their wares to gain more members? Were they not invited?

YarraBUG rock, they (ahem, *we*) were also down at the Yarra Council
brekkie. Lovely yoghurt too! The tall handsome gent on the YarraBUG
stall was the one & only Bikesoiler. Wonderful chap!

So people want to see more grassroots cycling & clubs? Well, suggest
it, or, even better and closer to (your) home - get involved with the
local community breakfasts and make you presence felt in your suburb
etc.


--
cfsmtb

cfsmtb Wrote:
YarraBUG rock, they (ahem, *we*) were also down at the Yarra Council
brekkie. Lovely yoghurt too! The tall handsome gent on the YarraBUG
stall was the one & only Bikesoiler. Wonderful chap!

So people want to see more grassroots cycling & clubs? Well, suggest
it, or, even better and closer to (your) home - get involved with the
local community breakfasts and make you presence felt in your suburb
etc.
And Darebin BUG and MBTC were there too. MBTC were only given notice
yesterday that we could set up there. I'm not sure if other clubs/BUGS
were given more generous notice (if any). It was a bit tricky when
people asked us about BUGs in their own area and we didn't even have a
list of BUGs that we could refer to. All we could do was to send them
to the BV website.


--
slaw

cfsmtb Wrote:
YarraBUG rock, they (ahem, *we*) were also down at the Yarra Council
brekkie. Lovely yoghurt too! The tall handsome gent on the YarraBUG
stall was the one & only Bikesoiler. Wonderful chap!

So people want to see more grassroots cycling & clubs? Well, suggest
it, or, even better and closer to (your) home - get involved with the
local community breakfasts and make you presence felt in your suburb
etc.

Yeah, saw Bikesoiler at the YarraBUG and said g'day.

I think I saw you at the Yarra City Council breakie on Victoria St. Not
sure if you remember me so was a bit embarrassed to come and say "hi". I
was one of the people in the AAPT uniform.


--
jazmo

"parawolf" wrote:

Where were the Cycling Clubs around? I saw bike shops, farmer
propagander and Melbourne City Council. I saw YarraBUG. But where were
the grass roots of cycling clubs hawking their wares to gain more
members? Were they not invited?

My club got a last minute invite to attend, received *yesterday*. Sheesh!!
Too damn late to do much other than get some leaflets and cards dropped off.
Don't know if anyone was able to man the table or whatever was available.

BV really can't organise itself out of a paper bag sometimes.

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

well I know at least 1 person did not enjoy their ride home from work
today, coming back from the gym... cyclists streaming! the other way
down the St Kilda Road bike lane away from the city and all hear is a
scream and then a collision, fortunately the female driver was not
going fast enough, the guy got up, picked up his bike he was ok and
gave the car a nice swift kick in the number plate.

Just amazes me... lots of witnesses to the accident, so I hope he does
something about it, seems she tried to park, but I guess decided not to
look for cyclists.

unbelieveable..... hope everyone got home safely.. must have been cycle
madness on the way home.


--
MikeyOz

parawolf Wrote:
I tuned out from Don Burke when he said his family doesn't want cyclists
on 'his road'. He was partially serious too I reckon. I was very close
to yelling out a "G.F.C." to Don Burke.

Sheeesh, now there's one arrogant cockhead who's burnt more than a few
bridges. You should of gone up and delicately posed the question
"Recycling greywater such is a great way to save water and keep the
garden alive".


--
cfsmtb

cfsmtb Wrote:
Sheeesh, now there's one arrogant cockhead who's burnt more than a few
bridges. You should of gone up and delicately posed the question
"Recycling greywater such is a great way to save water and keep the
garden alive".

I'm glad someone else caught that cos i was only half tuned whilst
chatting but almost spat out my sanga when i caught "you lot are a
blight on the planet, blah blah..."
which I'm sure (i hope?) was out of context???

re clubs/bugs presence:
mbtc were invited weeks ago but assume many of their members were
actually out acting most generously as 'Angels'.
cfsmtb tried very valiantly to get other BUGs to take up the offer for
free space and CSV and clubs were invited and a big zippo was the
result.
'Yesterday' was the (2nd) reminder. the original invite went out over 2
months ago...

Personal moment of levity. After reading on VFF www that they wanted to
show dem city slickers where 'eggs come from', i was most relieved to
find out at 4:30am at Fed square that the answer was... the back of a
truck


--
flyingdutch