I was watching a pretty interesting report last night about the dangers that cyclists face on Kansas City streets and I noticed that the coverage was rather sympathetic.
In fact, all I hear from the vast majority of cycling advocates is obnoxious crybaby antics that liken the struggle of bicycle short wearing dweebs to the Civil Right Movement or the current Eastside Massacre that takes place every summer. Once again, it's clear that nobody plays identity politics better than liberal, middle-class white people who want the entire town to accommodate their hobby.
Let's look at the facts:
Put simply, a cabal of well-organized, liberal, elitist hipsters are using political thuggery in order to remain above the law on Kansas City streets!!!
For the most part, drivers are licensed, regulated and held accountable for their actions whereas any jerk can climb on top of a bike and automatically assume a persecution complex.
Drivers are supposed to obey speed limits, traffic signs and a variety of rules of the road. Meanwhile, a great many (most) cyclists in Kansas City want all of the rights of car traffic with none of the responsibility. Cyclists like the Critical Mass Crew regularly hold unsanctioned, unlicensed and unregulated parades through city streets in order to flex their political muscle (ew) and flaunt their unregulated status. Most cyclists in this town can regularly be seen darting in and out of traffic, ignoring traffic signs, endangering law abiding drivers and otherwise making a nuisance of themselves.
The demand for respect among cycling advocates is hypocritical is light of the vast majority of irresponsible and dangerous people on bikes in Kansas City.
Still, these d-bags whine about their entitlement to the road but with those rights comes great responsibility . . .
THEREFORE, IT'S TIME FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN KANSAS CITY TO START ISSUING TICKETS TO CYCLISTS WHO ARE CAUGHT BREAKING TRAFFIC RULES!!!
TKC's suggestion is that this crackdown needs to start not only with the Critical Mass crew but also with obviously middle-class (mostly white) cyclists who have expensive bikes and can obviously afford to pay a fine. It's these folks who demand the most of Kansas City drivers so, in turn, they should be held responsible for their dangerous behavior as well.
Ticketing middle-class, mostly white cyclists with expensive bikes would provide a much needed source of revenue for Kansas City. And while I'm not in favor of any kind of racial profiling - from what I've seen most of the local cyclists guilty of being dangerous jerks on the road just happen to be 20 and 30 something white guys . . . Therefore addressing the crisis at this point makes the most sense . . . Or at least that's the same argument I hear from folks who encourage racial profiling when it comes to Black people and Latinos; so turnabout is fair play, right?
Anyhoo, the most important thing to remember is that Kansas City Cyclists are out of control for the most part. The petty political thuggery of this group along with their unregulated presence on the road has made cyclists both a danger to themselves and drivers . . . IF local cyclists want the same privileges as drivers THEN they must be held to the same standards and regulation faced by drivers and I don't think I've ever seen a biker short wearing dumbass being pulled over and given a ticket. It's time for that to change!!!
Agreed.
ReplyDeleteAt least about the tits.
You are a total fucking idiot.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even going to waste my time with how many things are wrong with your little idea.
Another anti-bike screed? Get a life dude.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your premise, if bikers want to be treated with the same respect as cars do on the road then they should follow all the traffic laws, just like cars.
ReplyDeleteMake them get special cycling insurance and pay enormous premiums for their behavior.
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy to see all road users who are caught breaking traffic laws receive tickets -- cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.
ReplyDeleteJust remember that every time a driver speeds, every time a driver rolls through a stoplight, every time a driver blocks a crosswalk, every time a driver doesn't signal a turn, those are just as bad as any cyclist's transgressions, and they happen far more often...
they ARE required to follow the same traffic laws... stopping at all stop signs and lights.
ReplyDeleteCops should start issuing tickets now.
I agree with some of this. Most of it.
ReplyDeleteSigned,
The conservative, white, mostly-law-abiding middle class twenty-something guy trying to make ends meet whom you saw on tv last night...
I'm more of a "guy on a bike" than a "cyclist" since I rarely ride unless I'm trying to get to work or run errands. My bike is as much of a hobby as your car is a hobby to you, I'd imagine. Unless you're one of those guys whose penultimate automobile modification was chrome trim around the fenders and door edges.
Pssht! Cops don't even ticket drivers who don't follow traffic rules most of the time here. Like they're really gonna get off their asses for bike people.
ReplyDeleteDon't be giving liberals a bad name!
ReplyDelete5 points for every nailed bike rider. Ten for the mommies stupid enough to risk bringing their their toddlers into heavy traffic.
I follow bike transgressor's and call the cops repeatedly until they show up and write some tickets.
ReplyDeleteI'd give just about anything if I could turn my face into Cathy Jolly's bike seat!
ReplyDeletenot all cyclists are hobbyists, as someone pointed out, but i still agree with TKC's post on this.
ReplyDeleteBikes need to follow the rules of the road. I saw some crazy shit in Denver, cyclists running red lights, cutting corners via sidewalks, etc. And this was on busy downtown streets. No wonder cyclists get killed if some of them are that reckless.
ReplyDeleteMotorists can't watch everything you do, follow the rules of the road and at least we all have some standards to depend on.
Just how far will the mayor go to build support for keeping is wife in the office? I expect to see Gloria on an old schwin bicycle rolling away from city hall followed by a group a young hip white cyclists on expensive bikes. YOu can expect more lanes dedicated to bicyclists. I suggest the same lane that light rail would run in.
ReplyDeleteBravo Tony. This is so dumb, it's funny.
ReplyDeleteFor once I applaud the COCK-a-Roach. He is right on for once. For once a legitimate post not slanted at blaming the Funk or mentioning Gloria... however, Anon 12:00 pm had to show his ignorance.
ReplyDeleteThe Critical Mass Crew is nothing more than thugs on bikes and should be held accountable to the laws of the road. I would suggest that a bike route be set up that goes through the eastside and let the citizens of that area patrol the route.
Finally, a post i can agree with.
I agree with the neccessity for ticketing law-breaking cyclists. The number of cyclists who break the rules outshine the few people who actually obey the rules of the road. This is definitely hurting the advancement of cycling and alternative transportation in the area. SF, CA, has had a similiar problem with "cyclist arrogance", a sort of elitist "Im not burning fossil fuels, get out of my way" attitude. It's certainly not the consensus of everyone, I bike for the economic advantages and the environmental reasons
ReplyDeleteGood post.
I wonder what would happen if you didn't stop when the fuzz tried to pull you over? I understand the policy of KCPD is that they don't chase cars if it's only a traffic violation. My philosophy is just don't stop.
ReplyDeleteHow funny. I had a friend in High School 30 years years ago who got a ticket in Prairie Village for speeding on his 10-speed.
ReplyDeleteAnd lets be realistic. I've sat at stoplight and there will be a cop sitting in a car next to me or across the intersection and some one will blow through a stop light or a stop sign and they just sit there. Hell, most are yaking on their cell phones and are oblivious to what is going on around them. So no. I don't see the cops doing anything.
I enjoy winging D cell batteries at spandex wearing bicyclists. Sometimes i carry cut down tent poles so i can jam a front wheel. I relish tossing small tacks into heavily traveled bicycle paths. I have an old F150 that I rarely drive but I still enjoy taking it out and cutting sharply in front of bikers... the look of horror on their faces before their bodies pile up on my jagged rusty truck bed is priceless. One time a bicyclist caught up to me at a stop light in traffic. He banged his fist on the roof of my car so I hopped out and beat him senseless. His feet were stuck to his pedals at first... I'll always remember that. and bikers of KC you should remember that people like me enjoy causing you pain, financially and physically.
ReplyDeletehaha
Grow up dude.
ReplyDeleteIf you did that, you'd be busted by the cops in less than an hour. Stop living in a daydream and share the road.
Another reason for cyclers to stay off the road:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,420666,00.html
I think it's safe to say you're likely a knuckle dragging pickup driver.
ReplyDelete