Eric, et al:
I am certainly not a "fit" cyclist, nor do I have fancy equipment.
I was riding a broken down, ancient mountain bike and was dressed
in street clothes. The only thing that might have distinguished
me as an avid cyclist might have been the fact that I was wearing
a helmet. I don't think they were trying to "stick it to the
man"...they were just trying to steal my bag with no thought to
the possible consequences.
There are probably cases where the class war comes into place...but
don't forget that there are TONS of people in this world who ride a
bicycle for transportation SPECIFICALLY because they can not afford
to buy a car. If you've lived in other cities that aren't Biketown,
USA, most of the people riding are poor people. They still get
harassed.
I think that, for some very strange reason, people do not equate
bicyclists on the road with being other human beings who are
vulnerable. Perhaps everyone is so used to being in their
impersonal cars that they can not grasp the concept of a human
being on the road.
How could anyone who was not a psycho attack
another human being for no reason? It would be the equivalent to
turning around in line at the grocery store and punching the
person behind you with no provocation.
Clearly, either people do not know how vulnerable bicyclists are
to injury...or they do not recognize that they are human beings.
There has been interest in making the penalties for striking a
pedestrian or cyclist stronger than for hitting another car. I
have been told that there is no political way that this would ever
happen because people feel sorry for those who hit cyclists/pedestrians
I didn't want to believe that...but after seeing Jessica Bullen's
killer go free...I have to say that my optimism is fading.
I think we all just have to do our best to protect ourselves and
to teach each new person that we meet that bicyclists are human
beings.
-Dar
>There seems no solution since it seems a psychological one and might
>even indicate some misdirected "class" distinction either with fitness
>appearance or equipment? The bicycle is primarily a "lone" activity
>except for some club group rises--so safety in numbers is not the
>answer. And with fewer and fewer fit people and even PBS showing that
>trend will not change, the fit bicyclist will truly remain an "elite"
>class.
>Eric Westhagen
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