Spoiled cycling brats deserve to be spanked

My husband and I are dedicated cyclists in and around Vancouver, choosing to ride our bikes or take the bus over our one car 90 percent of the time [“Classic chrome unites drivers and bike riders”, July 22-29]. I want to applaud Ted Laturnus’s column Getting There. He made a solid argument for the pros and cons of both bikes and cars.

When Critical Mass first started wheeling around Vancouver in their early days, I rode with them and agreed with their sentiments, eager to have our city look at the bikers’ side and provide safer bike lanes and routes throughout the city.

Happily, this is happening, and with our biker mayor wheeling around town, my husband and I feel that council is doing a great job accommodating and promoting biking in our great city.

Unfortunately, the Critical Mass riders who flaunt an arrogant attitude that the road rules don’t apply to them are now outright rude and obnoxious.

They are winning no friends for their cause, and I can’t understand why Vancouver is providing them with a police escort as they ride through red lights, ignore all road rules, and give the finger to anyone in a car who dares to confront them.

It’s time for them to go. Let’s not pander to militant, spoiled brats. Give them the spanking they deserve.

> Jennifer Gaze / Vancouver

Comments

4 Comments

Taxpayer

Aug 5, 2010 at 12:52pm

Meanwhile dangerous drivers are killing 20-30 people per year in Vancouver and are a threat to everyone who drivers, cycles or walks in the city. Lets focus our limited police resources to solving this deadly problem before addressing what is at worst is an annoyance to some people that happens only for a couple of hours once a month.

Time to gain just a bit of perspective.

shannon Enns

Aug 5, 2010 at 4:24pm

Cyclists are supposed to be bound by the same rules of the road as motorized vehicles, and they should certainly follow those rules when riding/commuting; however, I think that Critical Mass is supposed to be more of a celebration/parade than a demonstration nowadays. I agree that cyclists in the CM ride should be respectful to drivers, no matter how undiginified the driver acts, as that shows that we [I am a cyclist too] can be respectful and decent.
The problem is not with all cyclists nor all drivers, but with a stupid few who ignore rules and act like they are the only ones worth anything.
I figure that CM has a place, but as a celebration. And that all members should WEAR helmets!!! [i.e. FOLLOW the rules of the freaking road!]
Thanks :)
S. E.

Taxpayer2

Aug 5, 2010 at 9:54pm

Taxpayer Wrote:
"...deadly problem before addressing what is at worst is an annoyance to some people that happens only for a couple of hours once a month."

Only an annoyance eh? You clearly have no clue what the repercussions are when someone is late for for something.

Let me give you a clue:

- average Joe late for a job interview: No Job.
- parent late for daycare = large financial penalties.
- DTES bum late for probation: jail
- responsible renter late for bank deposit: fees, problems with landlord.
- key witness late for court: the accused walks free.

..and so on.

How can you be naive enough to think that the "annoyance" that you cause doesn't give others, many times cyclists, a hard time? Try answering again once you have some responsibilities and some respect for the people you're delaying for your anti-car BS.

David Haywood

Aug 27, 2010 at 10:38am

@Taxpayer2

Dude this is happening on a Friday evening. The banks are closed, job interviews don't occur, the courts are closed, ok daycare may be open. Think of some plausible examples before you spew your garbage.

I'm on the fence when it comes to CM. I understand what they are trying to accomplish, but the fact of the matter is 98% of drivers are to close minded and hard headed to to even begin to try and understand.

I have raced bikes across North America, raced in Canadian Nationals, and have commuted for long over a decade. I obey almost all the rules almost all the time. I would say I break more rules while driving, and I would argue that most people do.