I posted an “Ad” on Facebook. It was about the new KY & OH Bike Law cards and was seen by a few hundred people… cost about $35 or so. One thing about a Facebook ad is that you are basically inviting people to come to your page and leave their thoughts…
This dude left this thought:
How do people message you if they are dead! It’s not a motorized vehicle, no drivers license or insurance needed to be on the road ways, and you don’t have registration?!? The spandex wearing pedo riders need to just stay off the roads, why would you chance riding up against a semi or 3/4 ton truck who might make an accident and just run you right tf over?!? Wait but you have your go pro and your safe zones!
So yea… Dude… about that…
In response to a benign response he posted this:
you sound ignorant but to each their own! Sucks for you if you become pavement because you wanted to enjoy a nice bicycle ride in these pedo clothes you call tights, sharing the road with a biga$$ vehicle you can’t go the same speed limit or do the same as a motorized vehicle! 
I guess I went on got wordy on him after that:
“You sound ignorant” – well that’s an interesting statement.
I have handled some 500 “bike” crash cases against stupid careless motorists. We go after motorists and their insurers. Sometimes we have to go after them personally depending on their insurance limits. We pick cases very carefully and almost never lose. I’ve handled cases ranging from traffic tickets to 7-figure brain damage and death cases. I am familiar with every significant court decision on cycling in Ohio. [My buddy & I are also working KY cases as well. ] I’ve been the trial attorney on some of these cases, including a couple big ones in KY. I’ve worked with advocacy groups on cycling safety issues for almost 40 years on a local, state, regional & national basis.
I research & study EVERY fatal crash in Ohio. We study the stats in Ohio, KY, Indiana and throughout the USA. We report – unbiased -on each fatal – the FACTS of what happened – our analysis of who was at fault and whether police got it right – what are the lessons – how can we do better?
I help write proposed bike laws and testify about them before the legislature. I also teach classes throughout Ohio on Bike Law for lawyers and judges.
So I’m not really feeling the “ignorant” label.
The folks who sound “ignorant” to ME are folks who whine about bikes, who don’t know the law or the history, who are ignorant about the statistics, who don’t understand risk factors, who base some bias on anecdotes, not data, and who ignore the universal laws in all 50 states that allow folks to travel by bike in just about every [non-freeway] road in the country.
The folks who sound ignorant to ME are those who are just mad that people are allowed to ride on the roads… that fact is not changing any time soon in any state in the USA – in fact it is strengthening nationwide as cities and states reap benefits from being bike friendly –
The folks who sound ignorant are the ones who make wild blanket statements about cycling and cyclists without having a CLUE about the reality…People who sound ignorant are those who make wild accusations about clothing choices.
Not sure what the “pedo” clothes thing is all about or where that take comes from but THAT sounds ignorant to me –
Are you triggered by women and men riding bikes in cycling-specific clothing? Are you also triggered at the pool where people wear swim specific gear? Maybe you’re trigged at the gym by people in gym clothes? At the basketball court? Do baseball players in those matching uniforms and funky socks cause you to scream “pedo clothes?” Dude … maybe get some help…
Some cyclists do wear cycling clothing & research & experience has shown that racing and training in cycling gear is far more comfortable and efficient than wearing cotton jeans or whatever… and MANY cyclists just ride around in whatever…
so, again, what’s with the lycra hate?
Seems sort of odd and ignorant for a dude to be triggered by the sporting textile choices of others … but hey, you do you –
We also monitor cycling crashes and cycling attacks/harassment. Through the magic of on-bike cameras we’ve helped notify police of close calls and harassment which has led to tickets & criminal charges in some cases. I’ve represented those folks and we’ve personally sued the harasser/criminals.
Amazing how many folks driving cars are triggered by lawful road users and use their 2-ton vehicles as weapons to try to intimidate riders. In one case, out in California, an ER doctor lost his medical license after being convicted of a road rage felony.
In an Ohio case, a fellow who attacked my clients ended up losing his right to own/possess his stockpile of guns because he ended up pleading to a felony of violence…
People who get mad at cyclists and harass or harm them face serious potential criminal and civil penalties – possible criminal/felony charges and the possibility of paying out a jury verdict...
I’m curious – Are you triggered by the Amish too? All that black clothing and using horses to take up the lanes. They have the same legal right to use the roads as cyclists…
Same with farmers…are you triggered by overalls? They have the right to drive very slow moving farm equipment on the roads as well… they slow folks down – get in the way…
There will be crashes but nowhere NEAR the number you seem to think. Crashes are rare. Fatal crashes in Ohio number 16-17 annually- ZERO is what we want but that’s not realistic yet. We’re working towards that.
So yes, there is a danger – a risk- when bicycle riders and pedestrians are on or near roads. The job of the CAR DRIVER is to not NOT HIT THINGS OR PEOPLE. Bottom line – cyclists are here to stay. We’ve been on the roads since the 1880s – we’re not going anywhere
And that’s all I’m going to say about THAT [maybe]
© 2024.
