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From: kehoe@reed.UUCP (Dave Kehoe)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle,net.politics
Subject: Re: Bicycles, Violence and Hatred
Message-ID: <1564@reed.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-May-85 21:27:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: reed.1564
Posted: Sat May 25 21:27:19 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 30-May-85 01:15:26 EDT
References: <988@ames.UUCP> <492@ihlpg.UUCP> <972@peora.UUCP>
Reply-To: kehoe@reed.UUCP (Dave Kehoe)
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 46
Xref: watmath net.bicycle:1206 net.politics:9116
Summary: 

>  Cycles should be OUTLAWED from the main streets and heavy traffic
>  throughfares like they are from freeways.
>  Bicycles are unstable [and inherently dangerous]...

You've obviously never ridden a bicycle.

>  Secondly, a bike rider on a road is causing a break in the normal flow
>  of traffic. Well, even at residential areas the speed limit is about
>  25-30 MPH and most bikers are travelling at ~15-18mph.
>  It is a big IRRITATION for me to slow down to pass them.

I agree that bicycles don't mix well with motorized traffic.
My original posting ("Bicycles, Violence, Hatred") was about
a proposed bicycle route here in Portland, Oregon, that would
get bicycles out of the driving lanes of a certain street, and how
residents on that street are adamantly opposed to the proposal.
The gist of my original posting was that bicycle-haters don't
want bicycles anywhere, whether on streets or on bicycle routes.
Would you be in favor of a bicycle route in front of your house?

>  Thirdly, a bike is very narrow  and therefore should not be allowed to
>  occupy a full lane. What a gross waste of precious road space during
>  office hours.
>
I always take the full lane because I want
   1) drivers to see me
   2) drivers not to think that they can safely pass 
      me without changing lanes.

>  I am amused at the audacity of the bike riders to insist that they will
>  inconvenience others and claim that as their right to remain on the road.
>  It is important to remember that if the other
>  guy does not give you right of way, then you don't have any !!

Try reading the Constitution of the United States.
The rights of free speech, freedom to vote, freedom to ride my
bicycle on public roads, etc., are mine even if you try to take
them away from me.

>  ...all these emotions are built inside me whenever I see a lone bike
>  in my lane.  I neither
>  contemplate nor attempt to hurt any biker but only hope that he doesn't
>  lose his balance when I am about to pass him - my phobia.

May I suggest a cure for your phobia?  Try riding a bicycle
to work.