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Main
Date: 18 Jan 2007 13:33:09
From: Ken C. M.
Subject: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
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I have now been riding again for a couple of years now, been a regular
here almost as long and now find myself wanting to ride with some other,
the problem with this is, there is a local riding group but from the
looks of some of the club photos, it looks like most of the riders are a
bit older, I would prefer to ride more with riders a little closer to my
own age group. Now I may investigate the local group a bit more and
maybe even do a ride or two when they have open rides, I don't want to
spend to join a group that I am not interested in riding with. So I
guess what this boils down to is this: Has anyone ever started a riding
group? Whats the hardest part? I would think it's probably getting new
riders. How would you go about such an endeavor if you were inclined to
make such an attempt? Thanks in advance for all the input.
Ken
--
The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets
old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without
shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong
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Date: 03 Mar 2007 07:59:37
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 28, 4:27 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
> <SNIP>
>
>
> I just can't picture Hitler as a Catholic.
How about Goebbels as an altar boy, too? And a PhD, no less, from
prestigious Heidelburg U!
Or how about "Jewish" (as per Nuremberg Laws, not rabbinical ones)
Field shals and privates in the Third Reich? It's one of them
crazy believe-it-or-nuts! things in "Hitler's Jewish Soldiers" from
Kansas U Press, which won some military history book award.
> Should I mention that heavy traffic around here is not as bad as big
> city traffic but we have worse drivers. The reason I go sidewalk
> sometimes is that I have been almost flattened by drivers turning right
> in front of me, mostly the ones going to Wal-t. Playing pedestrian
> and getting off the bike to walk across the intersection is the safest
> thing I can do there.
Well, do take care, then. Would hate for you to become another
statistic for the helmet nazi crowd!
> Yeah,
> I ran into 2 kids with a pit bull bigger than both of them combined.
> Fortunately it realized it was on a leash so it didn't try to come after me.
I had a pit come after me once, and the most amazing thing: it either
didn't bite or didn't get the split-second chance to! For I felt its
clenched teeth pressed on my calf, and it's either just doing the bad-
dog-intimidation-thang (an aggressive Akita once went after a kitten,
and held it in its jaws, but didn't actually bite down; perhaps even
more luckily, the dog's owner intervened), or by the Grace of God I
was moving fast enough that it missed the split-second opportunity to
open its mouth and clamp down!
So, you see, after experiences like that, I can only laugh at the fat
old slobs in fluorescent-gay frozen-turkey-wrapper tights and helmets
and other assorted gee-gaws who ride ten miles an hour and still wind
up bloody (happens every year at the 5 Boro Bike Tour, amazingly
enough. People break bones, lose teeth...absolutely amazing!).
> If it's a charity ride like the one I have there is not only a pit stop
> every ten miles but also 3 or 4 county sheriffs riding around to make
> sure that everyone is OK. I stopped and sat on a little bridge over a
> creek and a sheriff came up and asked me if I was OK. I just said yes
> and pointed to my stash of juice in the back racks and a "Thank you" and
> he was on his way.
That's very cool. I think the NY rides are just too big for such TLC
-- but that particular ride I'm talking about was just a regular
weekend club ride, may fifteen folks, though with plenty of stops, no
more than every twenty miles IIRC.
> Well, if he was fat and probably only in ginal cycling shape you
> could have left him in the dust.
No, this was another ride leader on another ride. Word must have
spread about my anti-helmet views throughout the club. Very snarky
folks, people who give themselves a mission in life, you know. So I
just ride on my own. They hardly go anywhere I haven't been, there
ain't no chicks on these rides (you get widows and garden tea party
kind of ladies), and it's a bunch of fat old guys or skinny wieners
who like to play amateur lawyer (actually, I think some of them are
lawyers). Someone must have told them to get a life once, and they
decided on the 5BBC. =)
> That should be interesting.
Oops! The plot thickens! The competing Montauk ride just about-faced
and changed its date to June. I wonder what happened now?? Likely
lost the support of the LIRR, the suburban rail system that goes out
there (Montauk).
> <SNIP>
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Date: 28 Feb 2007 12:17:10
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 27, 10:43 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
> I figured that out. It must have been really nasty living there at the
> turn of the century.
Yep -- when you've got both the intelligensia *and* the poor trying to
get out of a place, you know it's the pits.
> It's kind of hard to imagine anyone running TO the Germans.
Except we're talking about Poles and Russians here. At least Hitler
was Catholic!
> I get sort of the same effect with the ski helmet so sometimes I will
> ride the sidewalk in heavy traffic areas.
How odd. Heavy traffic is usually very predictable and slow. It's
ironic but I tend to ride on sidewalks less with heavy traffic (unless
it's the kind that prevents me from actually riding, like when a
tractor trailer wants to make a turn, or taxi cabs loading and
unloading, etc.).
> Of course that means riding
> slow and sometimes getting off the bike to walk at the light, but
> swallowing my bicycle pride I do get there eventually. The sidewalk
> routine works as long as I don't go over about 8 MPH so people on foot
> are generally pretty nice to me.
And then there are the Nazis who think nothing of lecturing even a
5mph sidewalk bicyclist while conveniently silent on the unleashed pit
bulls.
> Were you able to lodge an "Asshole" complaint?
Speaking of complaints and assholes, you know the ol' customer service
department motto: everyone's got one.
No, I have no personal animosities towards the guy -- the lead the
rides on their own time, after all -- and from an official POV, I'm
sure the Board would have had to play the lawyer about things and
concur that, yes, one should have a water bottle, just in case.
> I hear you there, since he can't ban you from use of a public road, you
> can just tell him to (insert four letter words here).
Though I must say I was surprised that he didn't try to one-up me by
arguing against my being right behind the leader. It's still a public
road, yes, but to have been second in line the whole day could have
arguably been interfering with their right to the road as a coherent
unit -- namely, a club doing a club ride.
Anyway, I'm glad the silliness didn't escalate too much further,
though there are hard feelings against me now from some of the club
leadership (hehe). One fat but tall dude even bumped me twice on
purpose on another occasion. Since I'm such a friendly guy, I took no
notice of it myself until he mentioned something about helmets. Then
I realized the guy was trying to grind an axe for his pal from some
other ride.
Fucking bike club politics, eh! Speaking of which...I wonder how the
two Montauk Rides are coming along this year for the 5BBC? Surprised
the New York Times hasn't covered the little spat. There's supposed
to be two competing 145-milers on the same day this year!
> It costs from $20 to $25 dollars and we get a printed tee-shirt for the
> money. Being a charity ride it is well worth the money and I think some
> of the local businesses put up matching funds. Over the last few years
> it has turned into about a thousand person social event. The only catch
> is that we have to have helmets to get the shirts. Sort of a weird way
> to enforce helmets, but it works.
What people don't do for free tee shirts!
> I always do, sort of perpetually swimming upstream.
Just headwinds, no problem.
> Still going strong.
Good to hear. If you are well, I am well!
> Bill Baka
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| | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 21:27:14
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 27, 10:43 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> I figured that out. It must have been really nasty living there at the
>> turn of the century.
>
> Yep -- when you've got both the intelligensia *and* the poor trying to
> get out of a place, you know it's the pits.
This I believe.
>
>> It's kind of hard to imagine anyone running TO the Germans.
>
> Except we're talking about Poles and Russians here. At least Hitler
> was Catholic!
I just can't picture Hitler as a Catholic.
>
>> I get sort of the same effect with the ski helmet so sometimes I will
>> ride the sidewalk in heavy traffic areas.
>
> How odd. Heavy traffic is usually very predictable and slow. It's
> ironic but I tend to ride on sidewalks less with heavy traffic (unless
> it's the kind that prevents me from actually riding, like when a
> tractor trailer wants to make a turn, or taxi cabs loading and
> unloading, etc.).
Should I mention that heavy traffic around here is not as bad as big
city traffic but we have worse drivers. The reason I go sidewalk
sometimes is that I have been almost flattened by drivers turning right
in front of me, mostly the ones going to Wal-t. Playing pedestrian
and getting off the bike to walk across the intersection is the safest
thing I can do there.
>
>> Of course that means riding
>> slow and sometimes getting off the bike to walk at the light, but
>> swallowing my bicycle pride I do get there eventually. The sidewalk
>> routine works as long as I don't go over about 8 MPH so people on foot
>> are generally pretty nice to me.
>
> And then there are the Nazis who think nothing of lecturing even a
> 5mph sidewalk bicyclist while conveniently silent on the unleashed pit
> bulls.
Yeah,
I ran into 2 kids with a pit bull bigger than both of them combined.
Fortunately it realized it was on a leash so it didn't try to come after me.
>
>> Were you able to lodge an "Asshole" complaint?
>
> Speaking of complaints and assholes, you know the ol' customer service
> department motto: everyone's got one.
>
> No, I have no personal animosities towards the guy -- the lead the
> rides on their own time, after all -- and from an official POV, I'm
> sure the Board would have had to play the lawyer about things and
> concur that, yes, one should have a water bottle, just in case.
If it's a charity ride like the one I have there is not only a pit stop
every ten miles but also 3 or 4 county sheriffs riding around to make
sure that everyone is OK. I stopped and sat on a little bridge over a
creek and a sheriff came up and asked me if I was OK. I just said yes
and pointed to my stash of juice in the back racks and a "Thank you" and
he was on his way.
>
>> I hear you there, since he can't ban you from use of a public road, you
>> can just tell him to (insert four letter words here).
>
> Though I must say I was surprised that he didn't try to one-up me by
> arguing against my being right behind the leader. It's still a public
> road, yes, but to have been second in line the whole day could have
> arguably been interfering with their right to the road as a coherent
> unit -- namely, a club doing a club ride.
>
> Anyway, I'm glad the silliness didn't escalate too much further,
> though there are hard feelings against me now from some of the club
> leadership (hehe). One fat but tall dude even bumped me twice on
> purpose on another occasion. Since I'm such a friendly guy, I took no
> notice of it myself until he mentioned something about helmets. Then
> I realized the guy was trying to grind an axe for his pal from some
> other ride.
Well, if he was fat and probably only in ginal cycling shape you
could have left him in the dust.
>
> Fucking bike club politics, eh! Speaking of which...I wonder how the
> two Montauk Rides are coming along this year for the 5BBC? Surprised
> the New York Times hasn't covered the little spat. There's supposed
> to be two competing 145-milers on the same day this year!
That should be interesting.
>
>> It costs from $20 to $25 dollars and we get a printed tee-shirt for the
>> money. Being a charity ride it is well worth the money and I think some
>> of the local businesses put up matching funds. Over the last few years
>> it has turned into about a thousand person social event. The only catch
>> is that we have to have helmets to get the shirts. Sort of a weird way
>> to enforce helmets, but it works.
>
> What people don't do for free tee shirts!
Yeah, but I now have a nice collection.
>
>> I always do, sort of perpetually swimming upstream.
>
> Just headwinds, no problem.
Heh. We had some 15 MPH sustained winds here for the last few days and
when I went out to ride I rode into the wind thinking I would get a
freebie on the way back. That didn't happen since the wind decided to
change direction. Can't win them all.
>
>> Still going strong.
>
> Good to hear. If you are well, I am well!
>
>> Bill Baka
Me Again.
>
>
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Date: 28 Feb 2007 15:42:20
From: Curtis L. Russell
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On 28 Feb 2007 12:17:10 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
<prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com > wrote:
>Except we're talking about Poles and Russians here. At least Hitler
>was Catholic!
'Was' in the sense of being raised Catholic and not specifically
denying the religion loudly until being elected Chancellor. You would
have to ignore far too much that he said post election to claim he was
a Catholic in any sense of the word.
Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...
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Date: 28 Feb 2007 12:04:38
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 27, 10:47 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
> Heh. Last year I disturbed something BIG and I heard large branches
> breaking as it ran away. That was on the carry the bike part going up to
> my almost personal waterfall. I'm sure glad it went the other way
> because deer do not break big branches like that.
Another reason why I support the NRA's version of the Second
Amendment.
> I've watched some of those videos and some of them might not have the
> ballZ anymore after the crashes.
> I may be a bit crazy but not totally insane like them.
> Bill Baka
Oh, well, I wasn't referring to stunts so much as treks through third-
world wildernesses and such.
Not even sure if I'd do it with all expenses paid. Amazing stuff.
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Date: 28 Feb 2007 12:16:57
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 27, 10:47 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> Heh. Last year I disturbed something BIG and I heard large branches
>> breaking as it ran away. That was on the carry the bike part going up to
>> my almost personal waterfall. I'm sure glad it went the other way
>> because deer do not break big branches like that.
>
> Another reason why I support the NRA's version of the Second
> Amendment.
I do support the NRA, but not hunting. If Bush had his way (I'm taking a
long shot here) he might ban any and all people outside of government
having guns. That would signal the beginning of an Orwellian government.
>
>> I've watched some of those videos and some of them might not have the
>> ballZ anymore after the crashes.
>> I may be a bit crazy but not totally insane like them.
>> Bill Baka
>
> Oh, well, I wasn't referring to stunts so much as treks through third-
> world wildernesses and such.
>
> Not even sure if I'd do it with all expenses paid. Amazing stuff.
I hear you there. I mean who would want to trek through Turkey,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, etc.......?
Those people are the nut jobs to me.
I would much rather prefer falling off a bike doing a stunt than get
shot or beheaded just for being an American.
Bill Baka
>
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Date: 26 Feb 2007 08:30:51
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 23, 9:49 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
> I have to agree that city riding should be safer since there are
> witnesses, stop lights, and all kinds of things to slow motor vehicle
> traffic.
> Out in the boondocks where I ride there are sometimes some 3 or 4 mile
> stretches with not even a driveway, house, bike lane, shoulder, or
> police enforcement. In a few hundred trips into the mountains over the
> last 5 years I have seen one, exactly 1, highway patrol car.
> Is that non-city enough?
> Bill Baka
Wow...just watch out for them mountain lions.
I really salute those hardy souls who post on crazyguyonabike.com.
Absolute ballz!
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Date: 28 Feb 2007 03:47:29
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 23, 9:49 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> I have to agree that city riding should be safer since there are
>> witnesses, stop lights, and all kinds of things to slow motor vehicle
>> traffic.
>> Out in the boondocks where I ride there are sometimes some 3 or 4 mile
>> stretches with not even a driveway, house, bike lane, shoulder, or
>> police enforcement. In a few hundred trips into the mountains over the
>> last 5 years I have seen one, exactly 1, highway patrol car.
>> Is that non-city enough?
>> Bill Baka
>
>
> Wow...just watch out for them mountain lions.
Heh. Last year I disturbed something BIG and I heard large branches
breaking as it ran away. That was on the carry the bike part going up to
my almost personal waterfall. I'm sure glad it went the other way
because deer do not break big branches like that.
>
> I really salute those hardy souls who post on crazyguyonabike.com.
> Absolute ballz!
I've watched some of those videos and some of them might not have the
ballZ anymore after the crashes.
I may be a bit crazy but not totally insane like them.
Bill Baka
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Date: 26 Feb 2007 08:16:18
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 23, 9:58 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
> Could be either or both. My grandfather was listed as Russian and my
> grandmother as Polish. I think they lived on the border where it changed
> from Russia to Poland war by war. They both came to the states around
> 1905--1911, so I think they saw the communist revolution coming, or
> maybe just living conditions were that bad.
Conditions were that bad.
I'm reminded of that film "Europa Europa," when, in September 1939,
Poland was invaded from both sides, and the voiceover said, "the Jews
scrambled for the Russians and the Poles scrambled for the Germans."
Talk about your half-pence place, as the Irish say.
> I admit that the only time I wear a helmet is in the winter when I wear
> a Giro ski helmet to keep my ears warm. It is about 3 times the weight
> and coverage of a simple bike helmet.
I have that very nice Outdoor Research Gorilla Wind Stopper
Bavaclava. Unfortunately, my situational awareness is greatly
diminished. I didn't realize how much input I had from my hearing and
peripheral vision! But donning that whole head, full-face bavaclava,
great as it is against the elements, really makes me feel like a horse
with blinders on.
> No shit???
No, really, the co-leader had a fit about my not having my helmet on,
though I was off my bike with both feet on the ground serving as a
drop (which I'd even volunteered to do! I wasn't even appointed as
one that particular time; I'd volunteered! 'Cause I'm always ahead of
the pack anyway, it's not like I'd get stuck behind, etc.). But he
went after me for not having a water bottle!
Of course, as well as you know me by now through usenet, I got the
last laugh: I says okay, I'm off the ride, I can ride without a
helmet, then -- and I just tagged along: right back at my spot behind
the ride leader! Who was a very cool dude, BTW. Was the complete
opposite of his high-strung water bottle Nazi co-leader. And that was
interesting, how you might have two ride leaders paired who are such
opposites. I've seen it on other occasions, where some ride leaders
are a bit more casual about where they drop someone, and others drop
at every single turn, even when it's obvious traffic could have only
gone one way (for example, at a fork where one of the roads has a big
"Dead End" sign).
> Ten miles for our local ride and they have plenty of free Gatoraide,
> juices, fresh fruits, etc. I feel totally spoiled on those rides.
Well, you pay dues, I imagine. That particular ride is hosted by teh
5BBC and they're otherwise cool about folks just joining for a ride,
sans membership or any fees. But there's a few helmet and water
bottle Nazis among the ride leaders there.
> He does qualify as an asshole.
So let's you and I fight that mentality!
> Chin up.
Always!
> Bill Baka
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Date: 28 Feb 2007 03:43:55
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 23, 9:58 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Could be either or both. My grandfather was listed as Russian and my
>> grandmother as Polish. I think they lived on the border where it changed
>> from Russia to Poland war by war. They both came to the states around
>> 1905--1911, so I think they saw the communist revolution coming, or
>> maybe just living conditions were that bad.
>
> Conditions were that bad.
I figured that out. It must have been really nasty living there at the
turn of the century.
>
> I'm reminded of that film "Europa Europa," when, in September 1939,
> Poland was invaded from both sides, and the voiceover said, "the Jews
> scrambled for the Russians and the Poles scrambled for the Germans."
>
> Talk about your half-pence place, as the Irish say.
It's kind of hard to imagine anyone running TO the Germans.
>
>> I admit that the only time I wear a helmet is in the winter when I wear
>> a Giro ski helmet to keep my ears warm. It is about 3 times the weight
>> and coverage of a simple bike helmet.
>
> I have that very nice Outdoor Research Gorilla Wind Stopper
> Bavaclava. Unfortunately, my situational awareness is greatly
> diminished. I didn't realize how much input I had from my hearing and
> peripheral vision! But donning that whole head, full-face bavaclava,
> great as it is against the elements, really makes me feel like a horse
> with blinders on.
I get sort of the same effect with the ski helmet so sometimes I will
ride the sidewalk in heavy traffic areas. Of course that means riding
slow and sometimes getting off the bike to walk at the light, but
swallowing my bicycle pride I do get there eventually. The sidewalk
routine works as long as I don't go over about 8 MPH so people on foot
are generally pretty nice to me.
>
>> No shit???
>
> No, really, the co-leader had a fit about my not having my helmet on,
> though I was off my bike with both feet on the ground serving as a
> drop (which I'd even volunteered to do! I wasn't even appointed as
> one that particular time; I'd volunteered! 'Cause I'm always ahead of
> the pack anyway, it's not like I'd get stuck behind, etc.). But he
> went after me for not having a water bottle!
Were you able to lodge an "Asshole" complaint?
>
> Of course, as well as you know me by now through usenet, I got the
> last laugh: I says okay, I'm off the ride, I can ride without a
> helmet, then -- and I just tagged along: right back at my spot behind
> the ride leader! Who was a very cool dude, BTW. Was the complete
> opposite of his high-strung water bottle Nazi co-leader. And that was
> interesting, how you might have two ride leaders paired who are such
> opposites. I've seen it on other occasions, where some ride leaders
> are a bit more casual about where they drop someone, and others drop
> at every single turn, even when it's obvious traffic could have only
> gone one way (for example, at a fork where one of the roads has a big
> "Dead End" sign).
I hear you there, since he can't ban you from use of a public road, you
can just tell him to (insert four letter words here).
>
>> Ten miles for our local ride and they have plenty of free Gatoraide,
>> juices, fresh fruits, etc. I feel totally spoiled on those rides.
>
> Well, you pay dues, I imagine. That particular ride is hosted by teh
> 5BBC and they're otherwise cool about folks just joining for a ride,
> sans membership or any fees. But there's a few helmet and water
> bottle Nazis among the ride leaders there.
It costs from $20 to $25 dollars and we get a printed tee-shirt for the
money. Being a charity ride it is well worth the money and I think some
of the local businesses put up matching funds. Over the last few years
it has turned into about a thousand person social event. The only catch
is that we have to have helmets to get the shirts. Sort of a weird way
to enforce helmets, but it works.
>
>> He does qualify as an asshole.
>
> So let's you and I fight that mentality!
I always do, sort of perpetually swimming upstream.
>
>> Chin up.
>
> Always!
>
>> Bill Baka
>
>
Still going strong.
Bill Baka
|
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Date: 26 Feb 2007 07:42:45
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 23, 10:01 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
> Not hardly. I was having dinner with a friend in 2000 and watching the
> election results. We both almost cried when it got down to Floriduh and
> Bush's brother the governor.
Then again, perhaps it was a necessary corrective to democrat smugness
-- and, as it turns out, repug as well.
> Not fast but they sure don't pay attention when they want to make up a
> whole car length.
Ha! Well, I guess there's the silver lining to living in New York,
lawsuit capital of the country: drivers a probably a bit more careful
during rush hour, since there's not anywhere to go, really.
> Total agreement.
Yep! Lemme know when you run for President. =)
> Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 23 Feb 2007 09:16:33
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 17, 10:39 pm, Don Wiss <donwiss@no_spam.com > wrote:
>
>
> Bloomberg grew up in the Boston area. Very much middle-class.
Ah, I'd heard something about Forest Hills somehow. Perhaps he split
his childhood between two places? By "childhood" I also mean as an
adolescent.
> We know he knows how to ride one. At one point he purchased a $550 mountain
> bike. He promptly got hassled for spending so much on a bike. He then gave
> it away. I don't think he ever rode it. Or maybe he rode it once.
You know, I think I remember that one!
Sure would be nice to just fly an ultralight, though...never mind your
own helicopter and jet!
> One of the places he jets off to is his Bermuda house. It is possible he
> has a bicycle to get around the neighborhood.
Maybe it's one of them rickshaw thinggies he has some dude peddle!
> Don <www.donwiss.com/joyrides> (e-mail link at page bottom).
|
| |
Date: 23 Feb 2007 09:13:41
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 17, 9:15 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
> Prisoner at War wrote:
>
>
> Guilliani must be the Governor that's in the news, then.
Hehe...so you're the Angry White Male that got all the Repugs in
office during the '90s, eh? Haw haw....
> I was born there and I have and it is. If the wind is coming off the
> lake it tames the hot days for a great ride. You can almost ride along
> the lake all the way up into Wisconsin but there are a few 'iffy' places
> where you probably don't want to get off the bike, much less leave it
> unlocked. Near the museums is good riding. If you wind up inside a
> museum plan on it taking at least 2 days to get your fill.
Yeah, I can't wait to check out Chicago...just wondering whether I
should bike there...but first, gotta do Philly! Oh, biking is so
funnnnnn...recumbents are so comffyyyyyyy....
> I ride with the cars in my small town of about 30,000 and it isn't a
> problem, but I have had bad car days in San Jose (Silicon valley), and
> would not want to try a bike on most roads. That is one of the places in
> this country where rush hour begins at 5:00 A.M. and ends at 11:00 P.M.
Yeah, out in Kalifornia it's the law to have a car, tsk tsk. But my
point is that rush hour should be all right, since traffic ain't none
too fast and all.
> Makes sense to me. In the spirit of safety I might just nudge some hot
> shot doing 20+ on the same sidewalk into a tree. OOOPS. His bad.
> Bill Baka
Yep, I agree about that. I also think reckless drivers, particularly
drunks, ought to have their licenses *permanently* suspended, and
spend at least five years in prison for driving without a license at
all. People want to pick on bicyclists when of course the real
problem are those idiot drivers with their cell phones and tinis.
|
| | |
Date: 24 Feb 2007 03:01:39
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 17, 9:15 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> Prisoner at War wrote:
>>
>>
>> Guilliani must be the Governor that's in the news, then.
>
> Hehe...so you're the Angry White Male that got all the Repugs in
> office during the '90s, eh? Haw haw....
Not hardly. I was having dinner with a friend in 2000 and watching the
election results. We both almost cried when it got down to Floriduh and
Bush's brother the governor.
>
>> I was born there and I have and it is. If the wind is coming off the
>> lake it tames the hot days for a great ride. You can almost ride along
>> the lake all the way up into Wisconsin but there are a few 'iffy' places
>> where you probably don't want to get off the bike, much less leave it
>> unlocked. Near the museums is good riding. If you wind up inside a
>> museum plan on it taking at least 2 days to get your fill.
>
> Yeah, I can't wait to check out Chicago...just wondering whether I
> should bike there...but first, gotta do Philly! Oh, biking is so
> funnnnnn...recumbents are so comffyyyyyyy....
>
>> I ride with the cars in my small town of about 30,000 and it isn't a
>> problem, but I have had bad car days in San Jose (Silicon valley), and
>> would not want to try a bike on most roads. That is one of the places in
>> this country where rush hour begins at 5:00 A.M. and ends at 11:00 P.M.
>
> Yeah, out in Kalifornia it's the law to have a car, tsk tsk. But my
> point is that rush hour should be all right, since traffic ain't none
> too fast and all.
Not fast but they sure don't pay attention when they want to make up a
whole car length.
>
>> Makes sense to me. In the spirit of safety I might just nudge some hot
>> shot doing 20+ on the same sidewalk into a tree. OOOPS. His bad.
>> Bill Baka
>
> Yep, I agree about that. I also think reckless drivers, particularly
> drunks, ought to have their licenses *permanently* suspended, and
> spend at least five years in prison for driving without a license at
> all. People want to pick on bicyclists when of course the real
> problem are those idiot drivers with their cell phones and tinis.
>
>
Total agreement.
Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 23 Feb 2007 09:05:02
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 17, 9:03 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
> babushkas...
>
> Babushkas? I haven't heard that since my Polish aunt took me for a walk
> through her Polish neighborhood and explained what all those head
> scarves were called.
> 1953!
You sure it was Polish? That's supposed to be a Russian word, heh.
> Shit. Time flies.
> FWIW. Back then I could ride my bike on the sidewalk. There must be a
> kids can, adults can't rule.
> Bill Baka
It's so stupid. k my words -- the fucking lawyers will have us
registering for license plates if the idiots who run bike clubs keep
acquiescing to all this stupid ideology about helmets and sidewalks
and bells. Can you believe it, I was kicked off a ride off for not
having a water bottle! Despite long rest stops every fifteen to
twenty miles. Of course, what the asshole really wanted to get me for
was not having my helmet on -- while I was off my bike, serving as a
drop!
I tell ya, the jerk lawyers I deal with even on weekends....
|
| | |
Date: 24 Feb 2007 02:58:08
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 17, 9:03 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> babushkas...
>>
>> Babushkas? I haven't heard that since my Polish aunt took me for a walk
>> through her Polish neighborhood and explained what all those head
>> scarves were called.
>> 1953!
>
> You sure it was Polish? That's supposed to be a Russian word, heh.
Could be either or both. My grandfather was listed as Russian and my
grandmother as Polish. I think they lived on the border where it changed
from Russia to Poland war by war. They both came to the states around
1905--1911, so I think they saw the communist revolution coming, or
maybe just living conditions were that bad.
>
>> Shit. Time flies.
>> FWIW. Back then I could ride my bike on the sidewalk. There must be a
>> kids can, adults can't rule.
>> Bill Baka
>
> It's so stupid. k my words -- the fucking lawyers will have us
> registering for license plates if the idiots who run bike clubs keep
> acquiescing to all this stupid ideology about helmets and sidewalks
> and bells.
I admit that the only time I wear a helmet is in the winter when I wear
a Giro ski helmet to keep my ears warm. It is about 3 times the weight
and coverage of a simple bike helmet.
Can you believe it, I was kicked off a ride off for not
> having a water bottle!
No shit???
Despite long rest stops every fifteen to
> twenty miles.
Ten miles for our local ride and they have plenty of free Gatoraide,
juices, fresh fruits, etc. I feel totally spoiled on those rides.
Of course, what the asshole really wanted to get me for
> was not having my helmet on -- while I was off my bike, serving as a
> drop!
He does qualify as an asshole.
>
> I tell ya, the jerk lawyers I deal with even on weekends....
>
>
>
Chin up.
Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 23 Feb 2007 08:59:33
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 17, 8:45 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
>
> I've read more than enough 'Lincoln', good and bad. Anyone who exercises
> their 'right' to a lane in my part of California 'will' become a
> statistic sooner or later if Jesus himself isn't sitting on his
> shoulder. Logging trucks coming around a corner flatten first, then,
> maybe, stop to see what the bump was. My riding is not for city sissies.
> Bill Baka
LOL...well, I'll agree with that: folks think urban biking is
dangerous. Not so! I'd rather meet a semi in the crowded warrens of
Manhattan than in the middel of nowhere, with no speed bumps, traffic
lights, or witnesses.
|
| | |
Date: 24 Feb 2007 02:49:12
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 17, 8:45 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> I've read more than enough 'Lincoln', good and bad. Anyone who exercises
>> their 'right' to a lane in my part of California 'will' become a
>> statistic sooner or later if Jesus himself isn't sitting on his
>> shoulder. Logging trucks coming around a corner flatten first, then,
>> maybe, stop to see what the bump was. My riding is not for city sissies.
>> Bill Baka
>
> LOL...well, I'll agree with that: folks think urban biking is
> dangerous. Not so! I'd rather meet a semi in the crowded warrens of
> Manhattan than in the middel of nowhere, with no speed bumps, traffic
> lights, or witnesses.
>
I have to agree that city riding should be safer since there are
witnesses, stop lights, and all kinds of things to slow motor vehicle
traffic.
Out in the boondocks where I ride there are sometimes some 3 or 4 mile
stretches with not even a driveway, house, bike lane, shoulder, or
police enforcement. In a few hundred trips into the mountains over the
last 5 years I have seen one, exactly 1, highway patrol car.
Is that non-city enough?
Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 17 Feb 2007 08:13:12
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 15, 4:21 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
> I was thinking Guilliani(sp?). Bloomberg is a total unknown to me? Does
> he drive a gas guzzling SUV or get limo'd everywhere he goes? Has he
> EVER ridden a bike?
LOL -- Bill, consider this your personal invitation to NYC for the
annual Five-Boro Bike Tour in May!!
No, Bloomy's been mayor for the past, what, five or six years now. He
takes the subway to work most days, though for the weekend he has his
own jet or two for undisclosed getaways. Seeing how he grew up middle-
class in Forest Hills, I'm sure he had a bike once. Since he's just
another old Jewish guy, he might even be a member of the Easy Racers
Recumbent Riders Club!
> Many city kids never get a chance to ride a bike,
> due to money, theft, and parents concerns over the freedom to go into
> bad areas. The closest I have ever come to a big city was growing up in
> the Chicago suburbs where I could ride into the city, but chose to ride
> away from it. Riding in Chicago seemed so improbable that even at 14 I
> took the Metra train and hooked up with the 'El' subway/skyway system
> then took buses to things like the museums. I don't know if Chicago is
> bike unfriendly by law, but my common sense tells me I want to be in a
> car in that city.
One of my great life ambitions is to simply bike ride in Chicago. I
hear the waterfront is especially attractive for that, with designated
lanes and scenic views.
Riding with cars, weaving through traffic, is a great bicycling
experience, Bill. I've even done it with a recumbent during summer
rush-hour in NYC, through Times Square and all! It's not dangerous at
all if you know how to ride a bike and not be distracted by imagined
fears.
> New York doesn't seem to be that different in terms of
> population density, so is it ridable or what?
New York's got bike riding, Bill -- and honestly, you can even ride on
the sidewalks, for all the fascists around! Most cops would rather
chase robbers than bicyclists, and most New Yorkers are still
immigrant enough to recognize a bicycle when they see one, and not
mistake it for a "vehicle."
Just mind your speed, of course.
> Sidewalks being illegal does not make much sense unless some hot shots
> tried 20 MPH and actually caused accidents that got the law passed.
> 8 MPH on a sidewalk beats 20 MPH in traffic, for me, at least.
> Bill Baka
Again, glad you're part of the Rebel Alliance, Bill! Yes, I think
5mph-8mph on the sidewalk with a bike isn't bad at all. Bicyclists
really ought to be more considerate, I agree, but to categorically
deny bikes sidewalk access is just fucking fascist, and a remedy worse
than the problem it would solve.
More folks die from cars running onto sidewalks than from being run
down by bikes. Why not ban cars, for Muhammad's sake??
|
| | |
Date: 17 Feb 2007 22:39:14
From: Don Wiss
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On 17 Feb 2007, Prisoner at War <prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com > wrote:
> Seeing how he grew up middle-
>class in Forest Hills,
Bloomberg grew up in the Boston area. Very much middle-class.
>I'm sure he had a bike once.
We know he knows how to ride one. At one point he purchased a $550 mountain
bike. He promptly got hassled for spending so much on a bike. He then gave
it away. I don't think he ever rode it. Or maybe he rode it once.
One of the places he jets off to is his Bermuda house. It is possible he
has a bicycle to get around the neighborhood.
Don <www.donwiss.com/joyrides > (e-mail link at page bottom).
|
| | | |
Date: 18 Feb 2007 04:41:05
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Don Wiss wrote:
> On 17 Feb 2007, Prisoner at War <prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Seeing how he grew up middle-
>> class in Forest Hills,
>
> Bloomberg grew up in the Boston area. Very much middle-class.
>
>> I'm sure he had a bike once.
>
> We know he knows how to ride one. At one point he purchased a $550 mountain
> bike. He promptly got hassled for spending so much on a bike. He then gave
> it away. I don't think he ever rode it. Or maybe he rode it once.
Any politician worth a damn would have told them to eat shit because he
wasn't wasting the money on a limo and driver. $550 on a bike is less
than the car and driver for one day, most likely.
>
> One of the places he jets off to is his Bermuda house. It is possible he
> has a bicycle to get around the neighborhood.
Private jet??
Bill Baka
>
> Don <www.donwiss.com/joyrides> (e-mail link at page bottom).
|
| | | | |
Date: 18 Feb 2007 00:08:30
From: Don Wiss
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Sun, 18 Feb 2007 04:41:05 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net > wrote:
>> One of the places he jets off to is his Bermuda house. It is possible he
>> has a bicycle to get around the neighborhood.
>
>Private jet??
Yes. Bloomberg does all his flying on his private jet, at his own expense.
He only takes $1 a year in salary from the city. He is generally considered
to be worth $4 billion.
Don <www.donwiss.com/joyrides > (e-mail link at page bottom).
|
| | | | | |
Date: 17 Feb 2007 21:13:05
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Don Wiss wrote:
> On Sun, 18 Feb 2007 04:41:05 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>> One of the places he jets off to is his Bermuda house. It is possible he
>>> has a bicycle to get around the neighborhood.
>> Private jet??
>
> Yes. Bloomberg does all his flying on his private jet, at his own expense.
> He only takes $1 a year in salary from the city. He is generally considered
> to be worth $4 billion.
>
> Don <www.donwiss.com/joyrides> (e-mail link at page bottom).
Then it doesn't make sense that someone would rag on him for buying a
$550 mountain bike. At that price it probably was NOT made in China and
might have been made in the USA. I would think he should have gotten a
cheer for not contributing money to China for junk metal with wheels.
?????
Bill Baka
|
| | |
Date: 17 Feb 2007 18:15:54
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 15, 4:21 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> I was thinking Guilliani(sp?). Bloomberg is a total unknown to me? Does
>> he drive a gas guzzling SUV or get limo'd everywhere he goes? Has he
>> EVER ridden a bike?
>
> LOL -- Bill, consider this your personal invitation to NYC for the
> annual Five-Boro Bike Tour in May!!
Guilliani must be the Governor that's in the news, then.
>
> No, Bloomy's been mayor for the past, what, five or six years now. He
> takes the subway to work most days, though for the weekend he has his
> own jet or two for undisclosed getaways. Seeing how he grew up middle-
> class in Forest Hills, I'm sure he had a bike once. Since he's just
> another old Jewish guy, he might even be a member of the Easy Racers
> Recumbent Riders Club!
>
>> Many city kids never get a chance to ride a bike,
>> due to money, theft, and parents concerns over the freedom to go into
>> bad areas. The closest I have ever come to a big city was growing up in
>> the Chicago suburbs where I could ride into the city, but chose to ride
>> away from it. Riding in Chicago seemed so improbable that even at 14 I
>> took the Metra train and hooked up with the 'El' subway/skyway system
>> then took buses to things like the museums. I don't know if Chicago is
>> bike unfriendly by law, but my common sense tells me I want to be in a
>> car in that city.
>
> One of my great life ambitions is to simply bike ride in Chicago. I
> hear the waterfront is especially attractive for that, with designated
> lanes and scenic views.
I was born there and I have and it is. If the wind is coming off the
lake it tames the hot days for a great ride. You can almost ride along
the lake all the way up into Wisconsin but there are a few 'iffy' places
where you probably don't want to get off the bike, much less leave it
unlocked. Near the museums is good riding. If you wind up inside a
museum plan on it taking at least 2 days to get your fill.
>
> Riding with cars, weaving through traffic, is a great bicycling
> experience, Bill. I've even done it with a recumbent during summer
> rush-hour in NYC, through Times Square and all! It's not dangerous at
> all if you know how to ride a bike and not be distracted by imagined
> fears.
I ride with the cars in my small town of about 30,000 and it isn't a
problem, but I have had bad car days in San Jose (Silicon valley), and
would not want to try a bike on most roads. That is one of the places in
this country where rush hour begins at 5:00 A.M. and ends at 11:00 P.M.
>
>> New York doesn't seem to be that different in terms of
>> population density, so is it ridable or what?
>
> New York's got bike riding, Bill -- and honestly, you can even ride on
> the sidewalks, for all the fascists around! Most cops would rather
> chase robbers than bicyclists, and most New Yorkers are still
> immigrant enough to recognize a bicycle when they see one, and not
> mistake it for a "vehicle."
>
> Just mind your speed, of course.
>
>> Sidewalks being illegal does not make much sense unless some hot shots
>> tried 20 MPH and actually caused accidents that got the law passed.
>> 8 MPH on a sidewalk beats 20 MPH in traffic, for me, at least.
>> Bill Baka
>
> Again, glad you're part of the Rebel Alliance, Bill! Yes, I think
> 5mph-8mph on the sidewalk with a bike isn't bad at all. Bicyclists
> really ought to be more considerate, I agree, but to categorically
> deny bikes sidewalk access is just fucking fascist, and a remedy worse
> than the problem it would solve.
>
> More folks die from cars running onto sidewalks than from being run
> down by bikes. Why not ban cars, for Muhammad's sake??
>
Makes sense to me. In the spirit of safety I might just nudge some hot
shot doing 20+ on the same sidewalk into a tree. OOOPS. His bad.
Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 17 Feb 2007 07:59:05
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 15, 7:21 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
> Walk, or ride, on a highway where there is any amount of car traffic and
> sooner or later, you may become a footnote in the 'Darwin' log.
> Survival of the fittest does not include those individuals who
> stubbornly insist on pursuing their right to use the same road as cars.
> Simple, huh?
> Bill Baka
Bill, you confuse "right" with "might"...haven't you read Abraham
Lincoln yet??
|
| | |
Date: 18 Feb 2007 01:45:54
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 15, 7:21 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> Walk, or ride, on a highway where there is any amount of car traffic and
>> sooner or later, you may become a footnote in the 'Darwin' log.
>> Survival of the fittest does not include those individuals who
>> stubbornly insist on pursuing their right to use the same road as cars.
>> Simple, huh?
>> Bill Baka
>
>
>
> Bill, you confuse "right" with "might"...haven't you read Abraham
> Lincoln yet??
>
I've read more than enough 'Lincoln', good and bad. Anyone who exercises
their 'right' to a lane in my part of California 'will' become a
statistic sooner or later if Jesus himself isn't sitting on his
shoulder. Logging trucks coming around a corner flatten first, then,
maybe, stop to see what the bump was. My riding is not for city sissies.
Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 17 Feb 2007 07:57:52
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 15, 6:39 pm, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com >
wrote:
> On 15 Feb 2007 11:05:57 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>
> <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >On Feb 15, 7:02 am, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com>
> >wrote:
> >> On 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>
> >> <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> >I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
> >> >bike is a vehicle" mentality,
>
> >> I didn't start it but strongly agree with it. W/o it we'd have even
> >> more limited rights on the road.
> >> --
>
> >I must disagree. AFAIK, bicyclists have always had road rights, as do
> >even pedestrians.
>
> Even pedestrians?
> Really? So you can just walk down a typical road or street as much as
> you want - no need to be on the sidewalk? I did not know that.
Sure, jaywalkers, joggers, lil' ol' babushkas...I don't know how all
these NY grannies get killed on Queens Blvd. Don't the friggin'
drivers see someone in the middle of the god-damned road?? It's a
goddamned five or six-lane boulevard; how the freak does it get
christened "The Boulevard of Death" year after year? Why don't these
goddamned motorists slow the fuck down and watch where the fuck they
goin'??
'Cause people have forgotten that driving is a *priviledge*, which is
why it's *licensed* -- and now we have this inanity about bicycles
being "vehicles" too...God damn fascists and lawyers!!!
> --
> JT
> ****************************
> Remove "remove" to reply
> Visithttp://www.jt10000.com
> ****************************
|
| | |
Date: 18 Feb 2007 02:03:59
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 15, 6:39 pm, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com>
> wrote:
>> On 15 Feb 2007 11:05:57 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>>
>>> I must disagree. AFAIK, bicyclists have always had road rights, as do
>>> even pedestrians.
>> Even pedestrians?
>> Really? So you can just walk down a typical road or street as much as
>> you want - no need to be on the sidewalk? I did not know that.
>
> Sure, jaywalkers, joggers, lil' ol'
babushkas...
Babushkas? I haven't heard that since my Polish aunt took me for a walk
through her Polish neighborhood and explained what all those head
scarves were called.
1953!
Shit. Time flies.
FWIW. Back then I could ride my bike on the sidewalk. There must be a
kids can, adults can't rule.
Bill Baka
I don't know how all
> these NY grannies get killed on Queens Blvd. Don't the friggin'
> drivers see someone in the middle of the god-damned road?? It's a
> goddamned five or six-lane boulevard; how the freak does it get
> christened "The Boulevard of Death" year after year? Why don't these
> goddamned motorists slow the fuck down and watch where the fuck they
> goin'??
>
|
| |
Date: 15 Feb 2007 11:05:57
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 15, 7:02 am, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com >
wrote:
> On 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>
> <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
> >bike is a vehicle" mentality,
>
> I didn't start it but strongly agree with it. W/o it we'd have even
> more limited rights on the road.
> --
> JT
> ****************************
> Remove "remove" to reply
> Visithttp://www.jt10000.com
> ****************************
I must disagree. AFAIK, bicyclists have always had road rights, as do
even pedestrians. Driving is a *priviledge* -- it's licensed, after
all -- and I'm afraid we lose sight of that because human nature finds
it easy to bully the Little Guy....
No, bicyclists have always had road rights. Bikes predate
automobiles! And I don't see any benefit at all to this "a bike is a
vehicle too!" mentality -- if you really believed that, you'd be
calling for us to be licensed (with plates!) and insured as well, like
any other vehicle!
What, should skateboarders and foot-scooters have to wear helmets and
stay off sidewalks, too?? How about folks jogging at 10 mph???
Damned fascists!!
|
| | |
Date: 03 Mar 2007 07:33:38
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 28, 3:42 pm, Curtis L. Russell <cur...@md-bicycling.org > wrote:
>
>
> 'Was' in the sense of being raised Catholic and not specifically
> denying the religion loudly until being elected Chancellor. You would
> have to ignore far too much that he said post election to claim he was
> a Catholic in any sense of the word.
>
> Curtis L. Russell
> Odenton, MD (USA)
> Just someone on two wheels...
Okay, so he pioneered American Catholicism, where you pick and choose
what to uphold.
No, the dude got his sense of theatrics either from a Jewish forebear
(I'm only half-joking here: his paternal great-grandmom was a live-in
maid to a rich Jewish family with a horny teenage son; they paid her
money throughout her life, and it's been speculated that that was for
child support, though naturally it could have been generosity, too; no
one knows the motive, but the act had fueled much anti-Hitler
speculation in the German press before he assumed power) or, most
likely, his immersion in "Catholic mysteries" or ritual, same as
Goebels (who was another Catholic altarboy, though one with a PhD in
PHILOSOPHY!).
Anyway, most Europeans tend to be westward-looking, or want to be, and
Nazi Germany was much admired in its time. The ol' popularity contest
can be a very funny thing.
|
| | |
Date: 15 Feb 2007 18:39:31
From: John Forrest Tomlinson
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On 15 Feb 2007 11:05:57 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
<prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com > wrote:
>On Feb 15, 7:02 am, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com>
>wrote:
>> On 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>>
>> <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> >I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
>> >bike is a vehicle" mentality,
>>
>> I didn't start it but strongly agree with it. W/o it we'd have even
>> more limited rights on the road.
>> --
>
>I must disagree. AFAIK, bicyclists have always had road rights, as do
>even pedestrians.
Even pedestrians?
Really? So you can just walk down a typical road or street as much as
you want - no need to be on the sidewalk? I did not know that.
--
JT
****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
****************************
|
| | | |
Date: 15 Feb 2007 23:48:08
From:
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:39:31 -0500, John Forrest Tomlinson
<usenetremove@jt10000.com > wrote:
>On 15 Feb 2007 11:05:57 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
><prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>On Feb 15, 7:02 am, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com>
>>wrote:
>>> On 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>>>
>>> <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> >I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
>>> >bike is a vehicle" mentality,
>>>
>>> I didn't start it but strongly agree with it. W/o it we'd have even
>>> more limited rights on the road.
>>> --
>>
>>I must disagree. AFAIK, bicyclists have always had road rights, as do
>>even pedestrians.
>
>Even pedestrians?
>Really? So you can just walk down a typical road or street as much as
>you want - no need to be on the sidewalk? I did not know that.
Many highways (used in the technical sense) either
a) include the pavement set aside for pedestrians; or
b) have no such pavement, and all traffic uses the road surface.
Now of course, there are differences in the details depending on the
jurisdiction, but the essential difference which results in cyclists
(and pedestrians) having a _right_ to use the roads and drivers of
motor-cars having merely a _permission_, is that driving a motor-car
is not permitted unless the individual who wishes to do so asks to do
so, pays some form of fee to do so, and undergoes various tests to
determine if he or she should be allowed to do so; whereas the
cyclists' (and pedestrians') right to use the roads exists ab initio.
|
| | | | |
Date: 16 Feb 2007 00:21:12
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
jtaylor@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:39:31 -0500, John Forrest Tomlinson
> <usenetremove@jt10000.com> wrote:
>
>> On 15 Feb 2007 11:05:57 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>> <prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Feb 15, 7:02 am, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> On 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>>>>
>>>> <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>> I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
>>>>> bike is a vehicle" mentality,
>>>> I didn't start it but strongly agree with it. W/o it we'd have even
>>>> more limited rights on the road.
>>>> --
>>> I must disagree. AFAIK, bicyclists have always had road rights, as do
>>> even pedestrians.
>> Even pedestrians?
>> Really? So you can just walk down a typical road or street as much as
>> you want - no need to be on the sidewalk? I did not know that.
>
> Many highways (used in the technical sense) either
>
> a) include the pavement set aside for pedestrians; or
>
> b) have no such pavement, and all traffic uses the road surface.
>
> Now of course, there are differences in the details depending on the
> jurisdiction, but the essential difference which results in cyclists
> (and pedestrians) having a _right_ to use the roads and drivers of
> motor-cars having merely a _permission_, is that driving a motor-car
> is not permitted unless the individual who wishes to do so asks to do
> so, pays some form of fee to do so, and undergoes various tests to
> determine if he or she should be allowed to do so; whereas the
> cyclists' (and pedestrians') right to use the roads exists ab initio.
Walk, or ride, on a highway where there is any amount of car traffic and
sooner or later, you may become a footnote in the 'Darwin' log.
Survival of the fittest does not include those individuals who
stubbornly insist on pursuing their right to use the same road as cars.
Simple, huh?
Bill Baka
|
| | | | | |
Date: 16 Feb 2007 13:05:50
From:
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:21:12 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net > wrote:
>jtaylor@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:39:31 -0500, John Forrest Tomlinson
>> <usenetremove@jt10000.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 15 Feb 2007 11:05:57 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>>> <prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Feb 15, 7:02 am, John Forrest Tomlinson <usenetrem...@jt10000.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>> On 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
>>>>>
>>>>> <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>>> I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
>>>>>> bike is a vehicle" mentality,
>>>>> I didn't start it but strongly agree with it. W/o it we'd have even
>>>>> more limited rights on the road.
>>>>> --
>>>> I must disagree. AFAIK, bicyclists have always had road rights, as do
>>>> even pedestrians.
>>> Even pedestrians?
>>> Really? So you can just walk down a typical road or street as much as
>>> you want - no need to be on the sidewalk? I did not know that.
>>
>> Many highways (used in the technical sense) either
>>
>> a) include the pavement set aside for pedestrians; or
>>
>> b) have no such pavement, and all traffic uses the road surface.
>>
>> Now of course, there are differences in the details depending on the
>> jurisdiction, but the essential difference which results in cyclists
>> (and pedestrians) having a _right_ to use the roads and drivers of
>> motor-cars having merely a _permission_, is that driving a motor-car
>> is not permitted unless the individual who wishes to do so asks to do
>> so, pays some form of fee to do so, and undergoes various tests to
>> determine if he or she should be allowed to do so; whereas the
>> cyclists' (and pedestrians') right to use the roads exists ab initio.
>
>Walk, or ride, on a highway where there is any amount of car traffic and
>sooner or later, you may become a footnote in the 'Darwin' log.
>Survival of the fittest does not include those individuals who
>stubbornly insist on pursuing their right to use the same road as cars.
>Simple, huh?
>Bill Baka
Driving a motor-car on the same highway is more likely to result in
the same end.
|
| | | | | | |
Date: 16 Feb 2007 13:56:22
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
jtaylor@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:21:12 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Walk, or ride, on a highway where there is any amount of car traffic and
>> sooner or later, you may become a footnote in the 'Darwin' log.
>> Survival of the fittest does not include those individuals who
>> stubbornly insist on pursuing their right to use the same road as cars.
>> Simple, huh?
>> Bill Baka
>
> Driving a motor-car on the same highway is more likely to result in
> the same end.
With a lot more miles racked up if at all.
Ever try walking on a California highway or freeway with your back to
the traffic? In the middle of the lane you think you have a right to?
Want some flowers on your grave or just a 'Darwin' party?
Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 15 Feb 2007 06:06:12
From: Qui si parla Campagnolo
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Jan 18, 11:33 am, "Ken C. M." <k...@up-yours-spammer.net > wrote:
> I have now been riding again for a couple of years now, been a regular
> here almost as long and now find myself wanting to ride with some other,
> the problem with this is, there is a local riding group but from the
> looks of some of the club photos, it looks like most of the riders are a
> bit older, I would prefer to ride more with riders a little closer to my
> own age group. Now I may investigate the local group a bit more and
> maybe even do a ride or two when they have open rides, I don't want to
> spend to join a group that I am not interested in riding with. So I
> guess what this boils down to is this: Has anyone ever started a riding
> group? Whats the hardest part?
Keeping the idiots out. If you have a 'ride type' in mind, whether it
be slow, conversational or fast, paceline practice, or hammer to stop
signs, getting everybody on the same page, safely, is a chore.
Somebody's ego always gets in the way.
I would think it's probably getting new
> riders. How would you go about such an endeavor if you were inclined to
> make such an attempt? Thanks in advance for all the input.
>
> Ken
> --
> The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets
> old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without
> shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong
|
| |
Date: 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 9, 2:59 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
> Prisoner at War wrote:
> > On Feb 6, 5:57 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
> >> Prisoner at War wrote:
> >>> Legal issues are probably the biggest consideration. Like, what if
> >>> someone gets hurt and so forth. You may not be an official club, but
> >>> I'd worry about any laws, local or otherwise, which may beg to differ
> >>> with you on that! I know it sounds ridiculous, but...maybe it's
> >>> 'cause I'm in New York, with half the world's lawyers here....
> >> Don't draft any paperwork that calls you a "club". Then you are just a
> >> group of cyclists that happen to be riding together.
> >> That should make you lawyer-proof.
>
> > I'm not sure about that. For example, look at so-called "common law
> > riages"...there's no paperwork saying "husband and wife" but if
> > they split the guy's still liable to pay child-support for her kids
> > that she already had previous to their relationship!
>
> >> Having each other's phone numbers and informally riding together doesn't
> >> make a club. You could have a separate '5s' for cycling activities. The
> >> '5s' is for cell phones as seen on television (over and over).
>
> > Dude, this is liberal NYC, and the City wants bicyclists numbering
> > more than twenty (or whatever the exact number is) to apply for a
> > parade permit first. Wedding and funeral processions in cars are all
> > right, but bicyclists they want to crack down on....
>
> I'm not sure that isn't an apples and oranges comparison.
Yeah, but they're both fruits! So maybe if you're after Vitamin C,
then it does matter whether you have an orange or an apple, but if you
just feel like a healthy snack, then no, it doesn't matter too
much...I'm just saying that the City has some weird ideas about
cycling (I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
bike is a vehicle" mentality, such that now biking peaceably on
sidewalks is considered a crime), and I'd not be too surprised if
things turn out as I fear...I'm telling you, I have a lot of
experience with lawyers, and they really can con the devil himself out
his dues (ever read "Merchant of Venice"??)....
> AAARRGGGHH. If that is any reflection of how the mayor runs things I
> sure don't want him dropping his hat in the "Run for president" ring.
It's very curious, but I'm not sure Mayor Bloomberg even notices
bicycling matters, unlike his personal interest in gun control and
public health and grand building projects...no, the anti-bicycling
impetus seems to be from the NYPD for some reason....
> >> Bill Baka, again.
|
| | |
Date: 15 Feb 2007 21:21:07
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 9, 2:59 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> AAARRGGGHH. If that is any reflection of how the mayor runs things I
>> sure don't want him dropping his hat in the "Run for president" ring.
>
> It's very curious, but I'm not sure Mayor Bloomberg even notices
> bicycling matters, unlike his personal interest in gun control and
> public health and grand building projects...no, the anti-bicycling
> impetus seems to be from the NYPD for some reason....
>
I was thinking Guilliani(sp?). Bloomberg is a total unknown to me? Does
he drive a gas guzzling SUV or get limo'd everywhere he goes? Has he
EVER ridden a bike? Many city kids never get a chance to ride a bike,
due to money, theft, and parents concerns over the freedom to go into
bad areas. The closest I have ever come to a big city was growing up in
the Chicago suburbs where I could ride into the city, but chose to ride
away from it. Riding in Chicago seemed so improbable that even at 14 I
took the Metra train and hooked up with the 'El' subway/skyway system
then took buses to things like the museums. I don't know if Chicago is
bike unfriendly by law, but my common sense tells me I want to be in a
car in that city. New York doesn't seem to be that different in terms of
population density, so is it ridable or what?
Sidewalks being illegal does not make much sense unless some hot shots
tried 20 MPH and actually caused accidents that got the law passed.
8 MPH on a sidewalk beats 20 MPH in traffic, for me, at least.
Bill Baka
|
| | |
Date: 15 Feb 2007 07:02:25
From: John Forrest Tomlinson
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On 14 Feb 2007 22:36:39 -0800, "Prisoner at War"
<prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com > wrote:
>I'd really like to meet the asses who started the whole "a
>bike is a vehicle" mentality,
I didn't start it but strongly agree with it. W/o it we'd have even
more limited rights on the road.
--
JT
****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
****************************
|
| |
Date: 09 Feb 2007 06:46:17
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 6, 5:57 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
> Prisoner at War wrote:
> > Legal issues are probably the biggest consideration. Like, what if
> > someone gets hurt and so forth. You may not be an official club, but
> > I'd worry about any laws, local or otherwise, which may beg to differ
> > with you on that! I know it sounds ridiculous, but...maybe it's
> > 'cause I'm in New York, with half the world's lawyers here....
>
> Don't draft any paperwork that calls you a "club". Then you are just a
> group of cyclists that happen to be riding together.
> That should make you lawyer-proof.
I'm not sure about that. For example, look at so-called "common law
riages"...there's no paperwork saying "husband and wife" but if
they split the guy's still liable to pay child-support for her kids
that she already had previous to their relationship!
> Having each other's phone numbers and informally riding together doesn't
> make a club. You could have a separate '5s' for cycling activities. The
> '5s' is for cell phones as seen on television (over and over).
Dude, this is liberal NYC, and the City wants bicyclists numbering
more than twenty (or whatever the exact number is) to apply for a
parade permit first. Wedding and funeral processions in cars are all
right, but bicyclists they want to crack down on....
I'm just saying, you never know...sometimes the law thinks in the "if
it looks like duck and walks like a duck" frame-of-mind...if folks
meeting regularly to ride can look to a casual observer to be a bike
club, the law may decide that for all practical intents and purposes
they are! I hope not, of course, but you hear about crazy lawyer-shit
in the news all the time....
> Bill Baka
|
| | |
Date: 02 Mar 2007 23:45:27
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On 2, 2:41 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
> We have given up our manufacturing base, so if we get into it with China
> we're screwed. And yes my grandfather had a huge lot in Chicago and my
> grandmother tended the garden. There were always fresh veggies and
> fruits when I went to visit.
So now you go to the superket for them. Big deal. I'm sure they
used to do their own laundry by hand, too. So what?
The country's only screwed if there's nothing to replace that
manufacturing base. And who the heck wants to be a cog in the
machine, anyway? You thank your lucky stars that this economy is
moving more and more towards an information economy where it's design,
not manufacturing, that's the order of business.
> What, I'm registered as a Democrat but that doesn't force me to vote for
> an idiot who happens to be a Democrat.
Yeah, but you seem to think Ahnold is super duper....
> Yeah,
> I can't imagine ANY republican candidate wanting Bush associating
> himself with their campaign. Bush is poison these days.
I don't understand how so many people could have ever voted for him.
The way he blinks and smirks tells you he hasn't a clue but is still
going to try to put one over you...you know what I'm talking about?
He has that mannerism, the facial gesture that goes, "holy shit, he's
got me -- but I didn't get where I am today by letting facts get to
me...."
> S.F. is the land of the strange, where half the people are queer anyway.
Makes you wonder why all the conservatives were ranting about Red
Chinese landing there, then, during the '60s.
In that respect, I found it amusing how the rest of the country
rallied around New York, Sodom-on-the-Hudson, because of 9/11.
> We do have bicycle police in the cities, just not a whole lot of them,
> but they are in far better shape than their car driving, donut dining
> counterparts.
I haven't seen an NYPD officer on bike patrol in the longest time. I
used to see them biking around doing patrols on bikes, but now the
only time I see them is at a parade or something like that.
BTW, I'm acquainted with a bike cop and he was telling me how they get
trained to do stunt-like things, such as biking down stairways.
> I watched him a few years back where he bent down and looked under his
> desk and said "Nope, no WMDs there." He has no presidential dignity and
> came off as a total buffoon.
Yeah, that's what I was referring to.
It may be the postmodern reader in me, but I don't find anything
particularly undignified about that. I understand why some do, and
why there was a ruckus over it at the time, but I think it's good for
us not to take the Presidency too seriously. Heck, that's how we got
into the WMD mess in the first place. I think great evil is able to
happen in part because folks want so much to believe in the "dignity"
of the office that they will allow all manner of silliness, like the
undermining of many democratically-elected governments over the
decades.
|
| | | |
Date: 03 Mar 2007 17:14:17
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On 2, 2:41 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> We have given up our manufacturing base, so if we get into it with China
>> we're screwed. And yes my grandfather had a huge lot in Chicago and my
>> grandmother tended the garden. There were always fresh veggies and
>> fruits when I went to visit.
>
> So now you go to the superket for them. Big deal. I'm sure they
> used to do their own laundry by hand, too. So what?
They don't anymore. Both dead and since my aunt just died in the house
that's the end of that chapter.
>
> The country's only screwed if there's nothing to replace that
> manufacturing base. And who the heck wants to be a cog in the
> machine, anyway? You thank your lucky stars that this economy is
> moving more and more towards an information economy where it's design,
> not manufacturing, that's the order of business.
If you mean everyone in the US sitting in a cubicle then that is
negative progress and bad for the workers as well. Pushing IT is not
good for this country.
>
>> What, I'm registered as a Democrat but that doesn't force me to vote for
>> an idiot who happens to be a Democrat.
>
> Yeah, but you seem to think Ahnold is super duper....
Not super, but way better than the guy who ran against him. I voted
democrat on all the other candidates, since they were all about the same
anyway.
>
>> Yeah,
>> I can't imagine ANY republican candidate wanting Bush associating
>> himself with their campaign. Bush is poison these days.
>
> I don't understand how so many people could have ever voted for him.
> The way he blinks and smirks tells you he hasn't a clue but is still
> going to try to put one over you...you know what I'm talking about?
> He has that mannerism, the facial gesture that goes, "holy shit, he's
> got me -- but I didn't get where I am today by letting facts get to
> me...."
You pretty much got that one totally correct. The first time I think his
brother was able to manipulate just enough votes to squeak his brother
into the white house. The second time just showed that Kerry was too
non-photogenic. He did go to Viet nam and serve in the military, which
seems to be an almost requirement these days. I don't see anything
intelligent about signing up knowing you are going to go to a lose-lose
kind of war and is just a meat grinder for American troops.
>
>> S.F. is the land of the strange, where half the people are queer anyway.
>
> Makes you wonder why all the conservatives were ranting about Red
> Chinese landing there, then, during the '60s.
The 60's were so hazed over from LSD and pot I'm surprised anyone can
remember what happened.
>
> In that respect, I found it amusing how the rest of the country
> rallied around New York, Sodom-on-the-Hudson, because of 9/11.
>
>> We do have bicycle police in the cities, just not a whole lot of them,
>> but they are in far better shape than their car driving, donut dining
>> counterparts.
>
> I haven't seen an NYPD officer on bike patrol in the longest time. I
> used to see them biking around doing patrols on bikes, but now the
> only time I see them is at a parade or something like that.
They do exist in certain cities, but I don't know which.
>
> BTW, I'm acquainted with a bike cop and he was telling me how they get
> trained to do stunt-like things, such as biking down stairways.
>
>> I watched him a few years back where he bent down and looked under his
>> desk and said "Nope, no WMDs there." He has no presidential dignity and
>> came off as a total buffoon.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was referring to.
>
> It may be the postmodern reader in me, but I don't find anything
> particularly undignified about that. I understand why some do, and
> why there was a ruckus over it at the time, but I think it's good for
> us not to take the Presidency too seriously. Heck, that's how we got
> into the WMD mess in the first place. I think great evil is able to
> happen in part because folks want so much to believe in the "dignity"
> of the office that they will allow all manner of silliness, like the
> undermining of many democratically-elected governments over the
> decades.
>
????????
Bill Baka
|
| | |
Date: 09 Feb 2007 19:59:35
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 6, 5:57 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> Prisoner at War wrote:
>>> Legal issues are probably the biggest consideration. Like, what if
>>> someone gets hurt and so forth. You may not be an official club, but
>>> I'd worry about any laws, local or otherwise, which may beg to differ
>>> with you on that! I know it sounds ridiculous, but...maybe it's
>>> 'cause I'm in New York, with half the world's lawyers here....
>> Don't draft any paperwork that calls you a "club". Then you are just a
>> group of cyclists that happen to be riding together.
>> That should make you lawyer-proof.
>
> I'm not sure about that. For example, look at so-called "common law
> riages"...there's no paperwork saying "husband and wife" but if
> they split the guy's still liable to pay child-support for her kids
> that she already had previous to their relationship!
>
>> Having each other's phone numbers and informally riding together doesn't
>> make a club. You could have a separate '5s' for cycling activities. The
>> '5s' is for cell phones as seen on television (over and over).
>
> Dude, this is liberal NYC, and the City wants bicyclists numbering
> more than twenty (or whatever the exact number is) to apply for a
> parade permit first. Wedding and funeral processions in cars are all
> right, but bicyclists they want to crack down on....
I'm not sure that isn't an apples and oranges comparison.
>
> I'm just saying, you never know...sometimes the law thinks in the "if
> it looks like duck and walks like a duck" frame-of-mind...if folks
> meeting regularly to ride can look to a casual observer to be a bike
> club, the law may decide that for all practical intents and purposes
> they are! I hope not, of course, but you hear about crazy lawyer-shit
> in the news all the time....
AAARRGGGHH. If that is any reflection of how the mayor runs things I
sure don't want him dropping his hat in the "Run for president" ring.
>
>> Bill Baka, again.
>
>
|
| | | |
Date: 09 Mar 2007 18:09:12
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On 3, 12:00 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
> People do, especially some of gun toting red necks. The huntees are only
> getting out of control because people keep moving into their place and
> bitching about the mountain lion who has liver there all his life.
I definitely agree with you about human overpopulation.
> Bush might try something since he can't be un-elected at this point and
> he knows it. It should be obvious that he can't just turn over the job
> to Cheney. Nixon quit and we got Ford, which wasn't that bad a compromise.
I doubt he'd want to expend any political capital he has left on an
effort that, even if successful -- which is extremely unlikely -- will
only be overturned soon enough.
> I don't know how 'tough' you would have to be to bounce bullets off your
> chest, but I can tell that anyone who actually wants to trek through a
> hostile zone isn't quite all there.
But, of course, that depends on what you mean by "hostile zone." Some
folks think New York north, south, east, or west of certain points
after sunset is hostile.
I had a coworker who saw the Bamiyan Buddhas of Afghanistan when he
was a college guy back in the late '70s. This was when the country
was heading fast towards collapse. I envy him his memories of these
now-shattered relics.
> Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 06 Feb 2007 12:14:02
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Jan 23, 9:44 pm, "Mike Kruger" <Mik...@mouse-potato.com > wrote:
>
>
>
> I've been away and so I'm responding late to this post.
Me too. Idiots on other NGs have got me preoccupied!
> 1. If you actually show up, you might find that there is more of a variety
> of ages in the group than it appears. It's possible that the younger group
> doesn't have any people who care to take pictures.
In my case -- and I'm in NYC -- it's definitely mostly middle-aged
folks. Stands to reason. Those are the people who do not seem to
have as many "social outlets" as younger folks.
> 2. Ask them what other groups are in the area. Most people seem happy to
> share this information, although naturally they think the group they ride
> with is best. (and it probably is, for THEM)
Even though this is NYC, there aren't any that want to do any inter-
state and inter-city riding. You'd think there was a ket for this
kind of thing here, but no -- everybody's either a skinny limp-wristed
racer or a fatty who likes riding "around the block" (close to home).
> 3. Around here, you can ride with a group a few times before they get
> serious about collecting dues, assuming they ever do. There's no real
> investment involved.
There's a reason why most cyclists cycle alone or in pairs at most.
God, I really miss those days when you just call up your classmates
and off you go into a whole other borough!
> The only group I was involved in starting was a spin-off. Some of us were
> refereeing youth soccer, and thought it would be good conditioning / a bit
> of fun to go for a ride on Saturday morning. Sometimes there were a few
> older (5th-8th grade) kids along. We did this for two or three years. You
> might do a spin-off from a fitness center, a church men's group, or
> something else.
Yup. Too bad you can't depend on people. One guy who "recruited" me
even wanted to ride to Florida from here! Fellow's now another MIA/
AWOL case -- and that's before winter had set in.
|
| |
Date: 06 Feb 2007 12:06:00
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Legal issues are probably the biggest consideration. Like, what if
someone gets hurt and so forth. You may not be an official club, but
I'd worry about any laws, local or otherwise, which may beg to differ
with you on that! I know it sounds ridiculous, but...maybe it's
'cause I'm in New York, with half the world's lawyers here....
|
| | |
Date: 02 Mar 2007 11:25:40
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 28, 4:39 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
> Questionable. I'm surrounded by Mexicans since it is A.) California and
> B.) an agricultural area.
Heck, so Mexicans will wind up owing US T-Bills to your
ChiComs...hehehe!
> What bothers me is that we have lost our manufacturing base and the
> semi-skilled workers that went with it. In 1970 I was able to buy an
> American made Kodak, a British motorcycle, etc....
Yes, but why does that bother you? I mean, your grandfather probably
grew his own tomatoes, etc. So what?
> He may be Republican but he just stated on television a few nights back
> that even though he was a Republican he considered himself to be a
> public servant for all people, and not a party slave.
Aw, come on, I thought you were saltier and crustier than that, Bill!
That's what they all say. As Crassus asked Caesar in the movie
"Spartacus," "whose Rome? That of the mob, or ours?"
> How many
> Republicans have ever said that?
Um, I seem to recall "morning in America" and "compassionate
conservatism"....
> It sounds like he is trying to distance
> himself from the disaster that is Bush.
Bingo. So why take him so seriously. He's an actor -- and a
politician! From California, too, good God.
> It's a wait and see kind of thing right now.
But isn't wait-and-see just what the alarmists are against? The time
is now! ChiComs will be in San Francisco before long!
They've been screaming some variant of that since the Gold Rush.
> Funny how that works. I'm sure if he could pocket large amounts of cash
> he would promote bicycles. Money talks and right now it is the oil industry.
Yeah, isn't that something. At least one historian has argued that
the bicycle helped fuel colonial expansionism, before the automobile
came along, due to the greatly increased demand for rubber. Folks
don't realize how extensive bicycling used to be around the world.
Most powers even had bicycle troops; as late as WWII some of the
Germans were bicycling through Poland and Russia.
> I think he has opponents in his own party, not to mention the fact that
> many voters, just totally hate him.
At least the dude is self-effacing, though. Gotta admire a guy who
can laugh at himself, like during a Yale commencement speech when he
referred to his mediocre grades or a black-tie fund-raiser where he
joked about not finding WMDs.
> Bill Baka
|
| | | |
Date: 02 Mar 2007 19:41:38
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 28, 4:39 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Questionable. I'm surrounded by Mexicans since it is A.) California and
>> B.) an agricultural area.
>
> Heck, so Mexicans will wind up owing US T-Bills to your
> ChiComs...hehehe!
>
>> What bothers me is that we have lost our manufacturing base and the
>> semi-skilled workers that went with it. In 1970 I was able to buy an
>> American made Kodak, a British motorcycle, etc....
>
> Yes, but why does that bother you? I mean, your grandfather probably
> grew his own tomatoes, etc. So what?
We have given up our manufacturing base, so if we get into it with China
we're screwed. And yes my grandfather had a huge lot in Chicago and my
grandmother tended the garden. There were always fresh veggies and
fruits when I went to visit.
>
>> He may be Republican but he just stated on television a few nights back
>> that even though he was a Republican he considered himself to be a
>> public servant for all people, and not a party slave.
>
> Aw, come on, I thought you were saltier and crustier than that, Bill!
> That's what they all say. As Crassus asked Caesar in the movie
> "Spartacus," "whose Rome? That of the mob, or ours?"
What, I'm registered as a Democrat but that doesn't force me to vote for
an idiot who happens to be a Democrat.
>
>> How many
>> Republicans have ever said that?
>
> Um, I seem to recall "morning in America" and "compassionate
> conservatism"....
>
>> It sounds like he is trying to distance
>> himself from the disaster that is Bush.
>
> Bingo. So why take him so seriously. He's an actor -- and a
> politician! From California, too, good God.
Yeah,
I can't imagine ANY republican candidate wanting Bush associating
himself with their campaign. Bush is poison these days.
>
>> It's a wait and see kind of thing right now.
>
> But isn't wait-and-see just what the alarmists are against? The time
> is now! ChiComs will be in San Francisco before long!
S.F. is the land of the strange, where half the people are queer anyway.
>
> They've been screaming some variant of that since the Gold Rush.
>
>> Funny how that works. I'm sure if he could pocket large amounts of cash
>> he would promote bicycles. Money talks and right now it is the oil industry.
>
> Yeah, isn't that something. At least one historian has argued that
> the bicycle helped fuel colonial expansionism, before the automobile
> came along, due to the greatly increased demand for rubber. Folks
> don't realize how extensive bicycling used to be around the world.
> Most powers even had bicycle troops; as late as WWII some of the
> Germans were bicycling through Poland and Russia.
We do have bicycle police in the cities, just not a whole lot of them,
but they are in far better shape than their car driving, donut dining
counterparts.
>
>> I think he has opponents in his own party, not to mention the fact that
>> many voters, just totally hate him.
>
> At least the dude is self-effacing, though. Gotta admire a guy who
> can laugh at himself, like during a Yale commencement speech when he
> referred to his mediocre grades or a black-tie fund-raiser where he
> joked about not finding WMDs.
I watched him a few years back where he bent down and looked under his
desk and said "Nope, no WMDs there." He has no presidential dignity and
came off as a total buffoon.
>
>> Bill Baka, (again).
>
>
|
| | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 12:29:29
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 27, 10:30 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
> Sad, but true. I hate passing a huge debt to my kids and grandkids since
> it wasn't their fault.
Well, it's like a perpetual Ponzi Scheme...if there's an endless
supply of "bag-holders" down the line (the endless generations of
great-great-grand-kids), no one's really holding any debt, are they?
Not to mention the fact that, if things turn out as bad as you fear,
those great-grand-kids will probably be Chinese anyway! Haw haw
haw.... ;- >
> Umm, not paying China would be a pretty big problem since we allowed all
> our manufacturing jobs to go there while the CEOs who did it continued
> to make money for their shareholders and get millions to do it.
So what?
Seriously...it's like what Africa does every few years...somebody
there just decides to "renegotiate" their terms...because otherwise
the government just won't pay, that's all.
I'm telling you...when it comes to money, never put it past the
lawyers to come up with new twists on old rules....
> At my level of influence all I can do is vote. I lean Democrat but not
> hard line like some. I would love to see Arnold in the white house but
> he is not eligible since he wasn't born here, so it will be interesting
> to see how president Hillary handles things.
Arnold, eh? Hmmm...I'd love to see him only because it would be so
entertaining, but I'm not expecting much from the guy. I suppose
he'll be good for business (his own, for sure) and since he's
Hollywood maybe gays will finally get their military service on their
terms, but that's about it....
And if you're expecting him to deal with China -- heh, good luck. If
even Nixon and Kissinger believes in China so bad, there's really no
hope. Just look at G.W. I don't think China's the kind of thing you
can just control. I mean, the Mongols barely lasted one generation
before they all went native.
> Something I know all too well. It would be nice to get an actual bicycle
> friendly president in the white house to get some legal teeth into some
> bicycle promotion. Tax credits for commuting to work under 10 miles or
> so, or something to that effect.
> Bill Baka
Yeah, isn't it ironic that G.W. is supposed to be such an avid
bicyclist. I'm still wondering what the guy really believes in
besides tax cuts for the rich.
Well, at least some of those richie riches are financing his
opponents.
|
| | | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 13:39:29
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 27, 10:30 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Sad, but true. I hate passing a huge debt to my kids and grandkids since
>> it wasn't their fault.
>
> Well, it's like a perpetual Ponzi Scheme...if there's an endless
> supply of "bag-holders" down the line (the endless generations of
> great-great-grand-kids), no one's really holding any debt, are they?
>
> Not to mention the fact that, if things turn out as bad as you fear,
> those great-grand-kids will probably be Chinese anyway! Haw haw
> haw.... ;->
Questionable. I'm surrounded by Mexicans since it is A.) California and
B.) an agricultural area.
>
>> Umm, not paying China would be a pretty big problem since we allowed all
>> our manufacturing jobs to go there while the CEOs who did it continued
>> to make money for their shareholders and get millions to do it.
>
> So what?
>
> Seriously...it's like what Africa does every few years...somebody
> there just decides to "renegotiate" their terms...because otherwise
> the government just won't pay, that's all.
>
> I'm telling you...when it comes to money, never put it past the
> lawyers to come up with new twists on old rules....
What bothers me is that we have lost our manufacturing base and the
semi-skilled workers that went with it. In 1970 I was able to buy an
American made Kodak, a British motorcycle, etc....
>
>> At my level of influence all I can do is vote. I lean Democrat but not
>> hard line like some. I would love to see Arnold in the white house but
>> he is not eligible since he wasn't born here, so it will be interesting
>> to see how president Hillary handles things.
>
> Arnold, eh? Hmmm...I'd love to see him only because it would be so
> entertaining, but I'm not expecting much from the guy. I suppose
> he'll be good for business (his own, for sure) and since he's
> Hollywood maybe gays will finally get their military service on their
> terms, but that's about it....
He may be Republican but he just stated on television a few nights back
that even though he was a Republican he considered himself to be a
public servant for all people, and not a party slave. How many
Republicans have ever said that? It sounds like he is trying to distance
himself from the disaster that is Bush.
>
> And if you're expecting him to deal with China -- heh, good luck. If
> even Nixon and Kissinger believes in China so bad, there's really no
> hope. Just look at G.W. I don't think China's the kind of thing you
> can just control. I mean, the Mongols barely lasted one generation
> before they all went native.
It's a wait and see kind of thing right now.
>
>> Something I know all too well. It would be nice to get an actual bicycle
>> friendly president in the white house to get some legal teeth into some
>> bicycle promotion. Tax credits for commuting to work under 10 miles or
>> so, or something to that effect.
>> Bill Baka
>
> Yeah, isn't it ironic that G.W. is supposed to be such an avid
> bicyclist. I'm still wondering what the guy really believes in
> besides tax cuts for the rich.
Funny how that works. I'm sure if he could pocket large amounts of cash
he would promote bicycles. Money talks and right now it is the oil industry.
>
> Well, at least some of those richie riches are financing his
> opponents.
>
I think he has opponents in his own party, not to mention the fact that
many voters, just totally hate him.
Bill Baka
|
| | |
Date: 26 Feb 2007 07:22:38
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 23, 10:04 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
> <SNIP>
>
> Yeah,
> In debt to them up to our eyeballs and Bush either doesn't have a clue
> or could care less as long as he gets what he wants. It will be
> interesting to see what happens when the USA becomes a 'has been'.
> Bill Baka
Not sure if being in debt with T-Bills is so bad...let's face it: when
it comes to the government, they have so much more leeway than any
individual private citizen, especially simple ordinary working class
ones...but if you must look at the situation in a personal way, then
think of the the government selling T-Bills to China like you writing
an IOU on a Post-It Note to the neighborhood Chinese restaurant guy,
promising to pay your check next week...if you don't pay up, ain't
nothing going to happen. You look bad, you might even feel bad, and
you can't go eat there anymore, but no big deal. Likewise the US
government...it wants its good name and credit, to be sure, but
there's always another generation of taxpayers -- and that's the
triple truth.
So it's one of them wink-wink situations; you can't be casual about it
publicly, but of course actions speak louder than words, and it's
clear no one's worried because who's really harmed? Some amorphous
next generation...heck, if worse comes to worst, they'll just do "an
Africa" and decide unilaterally not to pay. So what?
I'm simplifying things, of course -- economic sanctions, freezing of
assets, etc. -- but you get the drift...no one wants to be the tax
collector -- there's no policeman here, so what's to worry? You can
always renegotiate terms, blah blah blah...it's how business gets
done. They play by a whole different set of rules than we do as
individuals of limited means.
Kinda like how cars take to the road versus bicycles, if you think
about it. The different scales involved make for very different
options.
|
| | | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 03:30:08
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 23, 10:04 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> <SNIP>
>>
>> Yeah,
>> In debt to them up to our eyeballs and Bush either doesn't have a clue
>> or could care less as long as he gets what he wants. It will be
>> interesting to see what happens when the USA becomes a 'has been'.
>> Bill Baka
>
>
> Not sure if being in debt with T-Bills is so bad...let's face it: when
> it comes to the government, they have so much more leeway than any
> individual private citizen, especially simple ordinary working class
> ones...but if you must look at the situation in a personal way, then
> think of the the government selling T-Bills to China like you writing
> an IOU on a Post-It Note to the neighborhood Chinese restaurant guy,
> promising to pay your check next week...if you don't pay up, ain't
> nothing going to happen. You look bad, you might even feel bad, and
> you can't go eat there anymore, but no big deal. Likewise the US
> government...it wants its good name and credit, to be sure, but
> there's always another generation of taxpayers -- and that's the
> triple truth.
Sad, but true. I hate passing a huge debt to my kids and grandkids since
it wasn't their fault.
>
> So it's one of them wink-wink situations; you can't be casual about it
> publicly, but of course actions speak louder than words, and it's
> clear no one's worried because who's really harmed? Some amorphous
> next generation...heck, if worse comes to worst, they'll just do "an
> Africa" and decide unilaterally not to pay. So what?
Umm, not paying China would be a pretty big problem since we allowed all
our manufacturing jobs to go there while the CEOs who did it continued
to make money for their shareholders and get millions to do it.
>
> I'm simplifying things, of course -- economic sanctions, freezing of
> assets, etc. -- but you get the drift...no one wants to be the tax
> collector -- there's no policeman here, so what's to worry? You can
> always renegotiate terms, blah blah blah...it's how business gets
> done. They play by a whole different set of rules than we do as
> individuals of limited means.
At my level of influence all I can do is vote. I lean Democrat but not
hard line like some. I would love to see Arnold in the white house but
he is not eligible since he wasn't born here, so it will be interesting
to see how president Hillary handles things.
>
> Kinda like how cars take to the road versus bicycles, if you think
> about it. The different scales involved make for very different
> options.
>
Something I know all too well. It would be nice to get an actual bicycle
friendly president in the white house to get some legal teeth into some
bicycle promotion. Tax credits for commuting to work under 10 miles or
so, or something to that effect.
Bill Baka
|
| | | | |
Date: 27 Feb 2007 23:42:13
From: Don Wiss
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:30:08 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net > wrote:
> It would be nice to get an actual bicycle
>friendly president in the white house to get some legal teeth into some
>bicycle promotion. Tax credits for commuting to work under 10 miles or
>so, or something to that effect.
Bush loves his mountain bike. But unfortunately, like most Americans, he
considers bicycling as something that is strictly recreational. Never
utilitarian.
Don <www.donwiss.com/joyrides > (e-mail link at page bottom).
|
| | | | | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 20:02:10
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Don Wiss wrote:
> On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:30:08 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> It would be nice to get an actual bicycle
>> friendly president in the white house to get some legal teeth into some
>> bicycle promotion. Tax credits for commuting to work under 10 miles or
>> so, or something to that effect.
>
> Bush loves his mountain bike. But unfortunately, like most Americans, he
> considers bicycling as something that is strictly recreational. Never
> utilitarian.
>
> Don <www.donwiss.com/joyrides> (e-mail link at page bottom).
And yet people wonder why I don't like him as president.
All show and no go.
I have to wish him health though, since Cheney is next in line.
That is enough to give someone nightes.
Bill Baka
|
| | | | | | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 14:20:40
From: di
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
"Bill Baka" <bbaka@comcast.net > wrote in message
news:6dlFh.244$uo3.71@newssvr14.news.prodigy.net...
> Don Wiss wrote:
>> On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:30:08 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> And yet people wonder why I don't like him as president.
> All show and no go.
What about all blow and no go?
> I have to wish him health though, since Cheney is next in line.
> That is enough to give someone nightes.
> Bill Baka
|
| | | | | | | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 21:28:38
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
di wrote:
> "Bill Baka" <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:6dlFh.244$uo3.71@newssvr14.news.prodigy.net...
>> Don Wiss wrote:
>>> On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:30:08 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> And yet people wonder why I don't like him as president.
>> All show and no go.
>
> What about all blow and no go?
Depending on who you talk to he either sucks or blows. Age difference I
guess, but either way he stinks.
>
>
>> I have to wish him health though, since Cheney is next in line.
>> That is enough to give someone nightes.
>> Bill Baka
>
>
|
| | | | | | | | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 22:58:06
From: nash
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Depending on who you talk to he either sucks or blows. Age difference I
guess, but either way he stinks.
???????????
Just remember, if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.
|
| | | | | | | | |
Date: 28 Feb 2007 16:07:09
From: di
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
"Bill Baka" <bbaka@comcast.net > wrote in message
news:aumFh.464$8i6.14@newssvr29.news.prodigy.net...
> di wrote:
>> "Bill Baka" <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:6dlFh.244$uo3.71@newssvr14.news.prodigy.net...
>>> Don Wiss wrote:
>>>> On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:30:08 GMT, Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>> And yet people wonder why I don't like him as president.
>>> All show and no go.
>>
>> What about all blow and no go?
>
> Depending on who you talk to he either sucks or blows. Age difference I
> guess, but either way he stinks.
Wasn't talking about the President.
|
| | |
Date: 23 Feb 2007 09:19:50
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 18, 12:13 am, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Then it doesn't make sense that someone would rag on him for buying a
> $550 mountain bike.
I think it was the mainstream press at the time. You see, folks have
the mentality that a bike's a toy -- which is preferrable to these law
Nazis trying to make the bike a "vehicle!"
>At that price it probably was NOT made in China and
> might have been made in the USA.
Goodness, are you serious??
US-made bikes are in the thousands, man. Everything less than a
thousand is absolutely guaranteed MIC! Well, 99%, anyway.
> I would think he should have gotten a
> cheer for not contributing money to China for junk metal with wheels.
I don't know what's wrong with paying for Chinese goods. We're
selling 'em T-Bills, after all! Hehehe....
> ?????
> Bill Baka
|
| | | |
Date: 24 Feb 2007 03:04:56
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 18, 12:13 am, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Then it doesn't make sense that someone would rag on him for buying a
>> $550 mountain bike.
>
> I think it was the mainstream press at the time. You see, folks have
> the mentality that a bike's a toy -- which is preferrable to these law
> Nazis trying to make the bike a "vehicle!"
>
>> At that price it probably was NOT made in China and
>> might have been made in the USA.
>
> Goodness, are you serious??
Hopeful, mostly.
>
> US-made bikes are in the thousands, man. Everything less than a
> thousand is absolutely guaranteed MIC! Well, 99%, anyway.
I was afraid that would be the answer.
>
>> I would think he should have gotten a
>> cheer for not contributing money to China for junk metal with wheels.
>
> I don't know what's wrong with paying for Chinese goods. We're
> selling 'em T-Bills, after all! Hehehe....
>
>> ?????
>> Bill Baka
>
>
Yeah,
In debt to them up to our eyeballs and Bush either doesn't have a clue
or could care less as long as he gets what he wants. It will be
interesting to see what happens when the USA becomes a 'has been'.
Bill Baka
|
| | |
Date: 06 Feb 2007 22:57:55
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> Legal issues are probably the biggest consideration. Like, what if
> someone gets hurt and so forth. You may not be an official club, but
> I'd worry about any laws, local or otherwise, which may beg to differ
> with you on that! I know it sounds ridiculous, but...maybe it's
> 'cause I'm in New York, with half the world's lawyers here....
>
Don't draft any paperwork that calls you a "club". Then you are just a
group of cyclists that happen to be riding together.
That should make you lawyer-proof.
Having each other's phone numbers and informally riding together doesn't
make a club. You could have a separate '5s' for cycling activities. The
'5s' is for cell phones as seen on television (over and over).
Bill Baka
|
| | | |
Date: 03 Mar 2007 08:06:39
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 28, 3:16 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
>
>
> I do support the NRA, but not hunting. If Bush had his way (I'm taking a
> long shot here) he might ban any and all people outside of government
> having guns. That would signal the beginning of an Orwellian government.
I'm no hunter myself, but I don't see anything wrong with it right now
as it's being regulated. After all, the population needs to be kept
down, no?
I'd be surprised at Bush going against the NRA, despite his fascist
tendencies. Between them and the American Taliban -- a.k.a. X-tian
fundies -- that's the Repug party right there! Oh, okay, Log Cabin
repugs, too, out and not.
> I hear you there. I mean who would want to trek through Turkey,
> Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, etc.......?
> Those people are the nut jobs to me.
> I would much rather prefer falling off a bike doing a stunt than get
> shot or beheaded just for being an American.
Ah, well, it seems most of the folks with those really hard third-
world adventures on CGOAB are European, and Continentals at that.
I wish I were a tougher guy. But I can't imagine being in the middle
of nowhere, totally depending on the kindness of strangers as well as
my own wits. NY muggers are scary enough. I don't need some bored
Mongolian teens on horseback harassing my tent at night (as related in
Cope & Hatherly's "Off the Rails").
> Bill Baka
|
| | | | |
Date: 03 Mar 2007 17:00:28
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 28, 3:16 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I do support the NRA, but not hunting. If Bush had his way (I'm taking a
>> long shot here) he might ban any and all people outside of government
>> having guns. That would signal the beginning of an Orwellian government.
>
> I'm no hunter myself, but I don't see anything wrong with it right now
> as it's being regulated. After all, the population needs to be kept
> down, no?
People do, especially some of gun toting red necks. The huntees are only
getting out of control because people keep moving into their place and
bitching about the mountain lion who has liver there all his life.
>
> I'd be surprised at Bush going against the NRA, despite his fascist
> tendencies. Between them and the American Taliban -- a.k.a. X-tian
> fundies -- that's the Repug party right there! Oh, okay, Log Cabin
> repugs, too, out and not.
Bush might try something since he can't be un-elected at this point and
he knows it. It should be obvious that he can't just turn over the job
to Cheney. Nixon quit and we got Ford, which wasn't that bad a compromise.
>
>> I hear you there. I mean who would want to trek through Turkey,
>> Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, etc.......?
>> Those people are the nut jobs to me.
>> I would much rather prefer falling off a bike doing a stunt than get
>> shot or beheaded just for being an American.
>
> Ah, well, it seems most of the folks with those really hard third-
> world adventures on CGOAB are European, and Continentals at that.
>
> I wish I were a tougher guy. But I can't imagine being in the middle
> of nowhere, totally depending on the kindness of strangers as well as
> my own wits. NY muggers are scary enough. I don't need some bored
> Mongolian teens on horseback harassing my tent at night (as related in
> Cope & Hatherly's "Off the Rails").
>
>> Bill Baka
>
>
I don't know how 'tough' you would have to be to bounce bullets off your
chest, but I can tell that anyone who actually wants to trek through a
hostile zone isn't quite all there.
Bill Baka
|
| | | |
Date: 23 Feb 2007 08:57:56
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 17, 8:59 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
>
> What pedestrian lanes?
The ones he mentioned in his first post in this sub-thread (no. 19 in
the dejanews tree view today).
> If they can get away with "I didn't see him." they can, especially if it
> is after sunset.
We're talking about *legal rights* here.
> I can coast down some hills at 50-55 MPH, and that is a vehicle speed.
> No matter how hard I try, I can't run downhill at 55 MPH.
Bill the Human Bullet can shoot out of a canonball at 55mph and no
he's not a "vehicle."
> Darwin applies. Like the fool who walked in front of a train while zoned
> out to his I-Tunes. He cut himself out of the gene pool very
> effectively.
Darwin's evolutionary theory isn't about gene pools -- results. It's
about process. People like to quote science for their silly little
arguments (like using animals to justify human behaviors) but they
often miss the subtlties of what they're citing.
>Unfortunately it applies in reverse too, like the girl in
> San Jose who ran down 4 legal cyclists with her Bronco while searching
> for a tape on the passenger floor at 45 MPH. They had a bike lane.
> She, and the logging trucks are reasons why I ride on the wrong side of
> the road in some bicycle unfriendly areas. No bike lane or shoulder on
> either side but usually a ditch to dive into for emergencies. One
> section is cut out of rock and the only way to get past is to look for a
> break of about 1/4 to 1/2 mile and then haul ass, uphill.
> That could get a riding group sued if anyone actually planned a ride
> through that pass.
Yes, going the wrong way individually would probably be regarded
differently than going the wrong way en masse.
> That was the post, wasn't it?
What?
> Bill Baka
|
| | | |
Date: 17 Feb 2007 08:01:57
From: Prisoner at War
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On Feb 16, 8:56 am, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net > wrote:
> jtay...@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com wrote:
> > On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:21:12 GMT, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> >> Walk, or ride, on a highway where there is any amount of car traffic and
> >> sooner or later, you may become a footnote in the 'Darwin' log.
> >> Survival of the fittest does not include those individuals who
> >> stubbornly insist on pursuing their right to use the same road as cars.
> >> Simple, huh?
> >> Bill Baka
>
> > Driving a motor-car on the same highway is more likely to result in
> > the same end.
>
> With a lot more miles racked up if at all.
> Ever try walking on a California highway or freeway with your back to
> the traffic? In the middle of the lane you think you have a right to?
> Want some flowers on your grave or just a 'Darwin' party?
> Bill Baka
Why be so absurd? He was talking about pedestrian lanes.
And, no, thank you very much, DRIVERS DO NOT HAVE A FUCKING RIGHT TO
RUN DOWN ANYBODY JUST 'CAUSE THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, EVEN
IF IT IS A GODDAMNED HIGHWAY!
And bicycles ARE NOT vehicles, by Mohammad's turban!!
Oh, and cut that Darwin shit out...funny how the most ideological
mentalities like to cite the iconoclastic Darwin -- morons....
|
| | | | |
Date: 18 Feb 2007 01:59:19
From: Bill Baka
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Prisoner at War wrote:
> On Feb 16, 8:56 am, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> jtay...@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com wrote:
>>> On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:21:12 GMT, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>> Walk, or ride, on a highway where there is any amount of car traffic and
>>>> sooner or later, you may become a footnote in the 'Darwin' log.
>>>> Survival of the fittest does not include those individuals who
>>>> stubbornly insist on pursuing their right to use the same road as cars.
>>>> Simple, huh?
>>>> Bill Baka
>>> Driving a motor-car on the same highway is more likely to result in
>>> the same end.
>> With a lot more miles racked up if at all.
>> Ever try walking on a California highway or freeway with your back to
>> the traffic? In the middle of the lane you think you have a right to?
>> Want some flowers on your grave or just a 'Darwin' party?
>> Bill Baka
>
>
> Why be so absurd? He was talking about pedestrian lanes.
What pedestrian lanes?
>
> And, no, thank you very much, DRIVERS DO NOT HAVE A FUCKING RIGHT TO
> RUN DOWN ANYBODY JUST 'CAUSE THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, EVEN
> IF IT IS A GODDAMNED HIGHWAY!
If they can get away with "I didn't see him." they can, especially if it
is after sunset.
>
> And bicycles ARE NOT vehicles, by Mohammad's turban!!
I can coast down some hills at 50-55 MPH, and that is a vehicle speed.
No matter how hard I try, I can't run downhill at 55 MPH.
>
> Oh, and cut that Darwin shit out...funny how the most ideological
> mentalities like to cite the iconoclastic Darwin -- morons....
>
Darwin applies. Like the fool who walked in front of a train while zoned
out to his I-Tunes. He cut himself out of the gene pool very
effectively. Unfortunately it applies in reverse too, like the girl in
San Jose who ran down 4 legal cyclists with her Bronco while searching
for a tape on the passenger floor at 45 MPH. They had a bike lane.
She, and the logging trucks are reasons why I ride on the wrong side of
the road in some bicycle unfriendly areas. No bike lane or shoulder on
either side but usually a ditch to dive into for emergencies. One
section is cut out of rock and the only way to get past is to look for a
break of about 1/4 to 1/2 mile and then haul ass, uphill.
That could get a riding group sued if anyone actually planned a ride
through that pass. That was the post, wasn't it?
Bill Baka
|
| |
Date: 24 Jan 2007 02:44:14
From: Mike Kruger
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Ken C. M. wrote:
> I have now been riding again for a couple of years now, been a regular
> here almost as long and now find myself wanting to ride with some
> other, the problem with this is, there is a local riding group but
> from the looks of some of the club photos, it looks like most of the
> riders are a bit older, I would prefer to ride more with riders a
> little closer to my own age group. Now I may investigate the local
> group a bit more and maybe even do a ride or two when they have open
> rides, I don't want to spend to join a group that I am not interested
> in riding with. So I guess what this boils down to is this: Has
> anyone ever started a riding group? Whats the hardest part? I would
> think it's probably getting new riders. How would you go about such
> an endeavor if you were inclined to make such an attempt? Thanks in
> advance for all the input.
I've been away and so I'm responding late to this post.
1. If you actually show up, you might find that there is more of a variety
of ages in the group than it appears. It's possible that the younger group
doesn't have any people who care to take pictures.
2. Ask them what other groups are in the area. Most people seem happy to
share this information, although naturally they think the group they ride
with is best. (and it probably is, for THEM)
3. Around here, you can ride with a group a few times before they get
serious about collecting dues, assuming they ever do. There's no real
investment involved.
The only group I was involved in starting was a spin-off. Some of us were
refereeing youth soccer, and thought it would be good conditioning / a bit
of fun to go for a ride on Saturday morning. Sometimes there were a few
older (5th-8th grade) kids along. We did this for two or three years. You
might do a spin-off from a fitness center, a church men's group, or
something else.
|
| |
Date: 19 Jan 2007 18:32:26
From:
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
On 2007-01-18, Ken C. M. <ken@up-yours-spammer.net > wrote:
> spend to join a group that I am not interested in riding with. So I
> guess what this boils down to is this: Has anyone ever started a riding
> group? Whats the hardest part? I would think it's probably getting new
> riders. How would you go about such an endeavor if you were inclined to
> make such an attempt? Thanks in advance for all the input.
You know, I've been thinking about getting a group together here [1] as well,
not because I don't like the local club, but rather because there *is no*
club to ride with [2]. However, I'm not certain that I'd care for a formal
structure rght away, so much as just getting some folks together to ride. Our
homeowner's association has a bulletin board on their web site, so that might
be one place for me to start.
I do have one standing offer of a riding partner from an friend, but he lives
an hour away right now, and is in China for the rest of the month, so I don't
expect to see him until spring.
[1] Gilberts, IL
[2] There was a club in the West/East Dundee area, the Dundee-Cardunal [3]
bicycle club, but they seem to have gone dormant; their site has even gone
404 now. Dundee is also about a 45 minute ride down from my house, and I'd
prefer not to drive to the start point of a ride -- the point is to ride!
[3] The misspelling of Cardunal is intended: it's short for CARpentersville/
DUNdee/ALgonquin, the three groups of towns along a stretch of the Fox
River.
--
__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com
(_)/ (_)
|
| |
Date: 19 Jan 2007 06:44:18
From: nash
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
rec.bicycles.rides has 588 posts since Nov.21.
They might keep you active. Find people to bike with on a regular basis
might be just what you are looking for.
|
| |
Date: 18 Jan 2007 20:54:43
From: Mike A Schwab
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
What does age matter? You aren't looking to date any of them are you?
Go riding with them until you feel you can't learn anything more from
them or feel uncomfortable riding with them. Search out other clubs
and organized rides in your area. Check your local craigslist.com for
other riders, or people selling/wanting bicycles. Check
http://www.bikejournal.com for other riders in your area. Some of the
fastest riders around are the retirees cause they have all day to ride.
Once you make a few cycling friends, perhaps you can set up your own
club if a lot of you have differences from the other riders.
Ken C. M. wrote:
> I have now been riding again for a couple of years now, been a regular
> here almost as long and now find myself wanting to ride with some other,
> the problem with this is, there is a local riding group but from the
> looks of some of the club photos, it looks like most of the riders are a
> bit older, I would prefer to ride more with riders a little closer to my
> own age group. Now I may investigate the local group a bit more and
> maybe even do a ride or two when they have open rides, I don't want to
> spend to join a group that I am not interested in riding with. So I
> guess what this boils down to is this: Has anyone ever started a riding
> group? Whats the hardest part? I would think it's probably getting new
> riders. How would you go about such an endeavor if you were inclined to
> make such an attempt? Thanks in advance for all the input.
>
> Ken
> --
> The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets
> old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without
> shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong
|
| | |
Date: 19 Jan 2007 09:19:37
From: Ken C. M.
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Mike A Schwab wrote:
> What does age matter? You aren't looking to date any of them are you?
> Go riding with them until you feel you can't learn anything more from
> them or feel uncomfortable riding with them. Search out other clubs
> and organized rides in your area. Check your local craigslist.com for
> other riders, or people selling/wanting bicycles. Check
> http://www.bikejournal.com for other riders in your area. Some of the
> fastest riders around are the retirees cause they have all day to ride.
>
> Once you make a few cycling friends, perhaps you can set up your own
> club if a lot of you have differences from the other riders.
>
Well I have my reasons for not wanting to ride with riders that much
older than myself. Maybe for something different once in a great while
but not on a regular basis. There is only one local club and that is the
one I mentioned. Thanks for the idea of craigslist and bikejournal.
Ken
--
The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets
old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without
shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong
|
| | | |
Date: 06 Feb 2007 10:43:31
From: Dane Buson
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Ken C. M. <ken@up-yours-spammer.net > wrote:
> Mike A Schwab wrote:
>> What does age matter? You aren't looking to date any of them are you?
>> Go riding with them until you feel you can't learn anything more from
>> them or feel uncomfortable riding with them. Search out other clubs
>> and organized rides in your area. Check your local craigslist.com for
>> other riders, or people selling/wanting bicycles. Check
>> http://www.bikejournal.com for other riders in your area. Some of the
>> fastest riders around are the retirees cause they have all day to ride.
>>
>> Once you make a few cycling friends, perhaps you can set up your own
>> club if a lot of you have differences from the other riders.
>>
> Well I have my reasons for not wanting to ride with riders that much
> older than myself. Maybe for something different once in a great while
> but not on a regular basis. There is only one local club and that is the
> one I mentioned. Thanks for the idea of craigslist and bikejournal.
I actually ran into my current group on livejournal. seattlebikes and
bikepirates was a good place (for me anyway) to find interesting people
to bike with.
It's a fairly recent club, it started a little over 2 years ago. If you
wander over to point83.com/forum and post the same question, you might
get some more ideas about how to start your own cycling group. Of
course if you use an internet site to organize your membership, you're
self selecting for computer people, which can be good and bad...
--
Dane Buson - sigdane@unixbigots.org
Murray's Rule:
Any country with "democratic" in the title isn't.
|
| | | |
Date: 19 Jan 2007 15:53:53
From: catzz66
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
Ken C. M. wrote:
>
> Well I have my reasons for not wanting to ride with riders that much
> older than myself. Maybe for something different once in a great while
> but not on a regular basis. There is only one local club and that is the
> one I mentioned. Thanks for the idea of craigslist and bikejournal.
>
>
Be thankful you can still find people riding who are older than
yourself, Ken.
|
| | | | |
Date: 19 Jan 2007 16:59:44
From: Ken C. M.
Subject: Re: logistics associated with starting a new riding group?
|
catzz66 wrote:
> Ken C. M. wrote:
>>
>> Well I have my reasons for not wanting to ride with riders that much
>> older than myself. Maybe for something different once in a great while
>> but not on a regular basis. There is only one local club and that is
>> the one I mentioned. Thanks for the idea of craigslist and bikejournal.
>>
>>
>
> Be thankful you can still find people riding who are older than
> yourself, Ken.
Yeah I guess thats one way of looking at it.
Ken
--
The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets
old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without
shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong
|
|
