[*BCM*] tonight's ride

[Anne Wolfe]

I wasn't there, but I'm just wondering how much a difference it would have
made if one of the drivers on Storrow had come round a bend at 55 miles an
hour and ploughed into the back of the group, which would not be travelling
at the same speed of the other traffic and would be totally unexpected by
any driver.  The resulting injuries, probably fatal, would not have resulted
in a rush of sympathy for cyclists in the eternal struggle against drivers.
It would have been nothing other than "what the hell were those people
thinking in taking a group of bikes on Storrow?"  All the cries of "we've
got every right to be there" would be lost against the overwhelming tidal
wave of how stupid this stunt would have been, and set the cause of cycle
rights back ages.  It certainly would have resulted in legislation
forbidding bikes in more places instead of opening it up.  Even just with
being stopped by the cops for doing it, I'd be willing to be there's going
to be more police surveillance on CM for a few months to prevent such a
thing.

And when CM starts to complain about police surveillance, you've really only
got things like this to blame.  Confrontation invites confrontation, and
this is going to be seen as confrontation.

And of course the group scattered.  No leaders tends to mean no one is
taking responsibility.  Expect nothing more than that kind of behaviour, but
also expect that no responsibility means that nothing is actually going to
change as a result of any CM action, regardless of how the public perceives
it - good or ill.

2008/11/1 turtle <thewiseturtle at gmail.com>

> One of the most important goals of Cm is to raise awareness of
> dangerous conditions for cyclists, thus, driving on Storrow (where
> most drivers are exceeding the speed limit and treating what was
> designed as a leisurely and enjoyable parkway like some kind of
> superhighway) is exactly the sort of thing CM should be doing.  At
> least if you want CM to make a difference...
>
> The point of biking as a large group is to make it more obvious that
> bicyclists are road users who have a right to be there.  It's one
> thing for cyclists to give up their rights as individuals (you have
> the right to give up your rights :-) but if CM itself started caving
> in to the unlawful and inconsiderate and dangerous drivers, then we'd
> really be in trouble!  Thankfully, there are enough people out there
> who don't let the cops or ignorant/screwed up drivers win when it
> comes to using the public roads that we are legally entitled to use.
>
> Peace, Love, and Biycles,
> Turil
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-- 
Anne M. Wolfe, LL.M.
Mobile: ( 07805) 456901

Reality has a well known liberal bias, Mr President - Stephen Colbert
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