Michael D. Barrett wrote: > > Re: > >> Manners aside, it's just >>not a good idea to pick a fight with a cop who has a gun, > > Huh? What does that have to do with the price of rice in Shanghai? I mentioned cops because Robin's posting mentioned cops. There have been some high-profile cases of police attacks on Critical Massers in New York and other places. > >> or a driver who > outweighs you by an order or magnitude. > > > Allowing bullies to be bullies invites only more bullying. History is > replete with examples that illustrate just how bad an idea it is to > cower before bullies.
If you can find a way to prevent bullies from being bullies, that's fine with me. If giving the finger to an *sshole in an Escalade makes you feel better, I suppose it's good for your blood pressure, but it won't prevent him from being a bully at the next opportunity? Do you really think confronting him causes him to go home, meditate on his past evil behavior, and resolve to be a better person in the future? Really? But that's not what I was posting about. Be nasty to nasty people if you want, but *don't pick fights* When Critical Mass run red lights and block ordinary, non-aggressive, relatively law-abiding riders, by keeping them from going where they want to go, they're picking fights with people who are not bullies or *ssholes. The standard line, of course, is that these people are participating in evil by driving cars and destroying the earth -- and that's true in general, theoretical sense. But you wont get them to change their behavior -- at least not for the better -- by unprovoked nastiness. That's why I think RideCivil -- a ride that celebrates bicycling without trying to punish people in cars -- might be a good idea. ( P.S. I'm going to be away from the Internet for about ten days, so responses to this posting (if anyone cares to respond) won't get answered for quite away. I won't be ignoring them, but I won't be seeing them either.) > > Robin's graphic was much more civilized and well-mannered than any > driver who uses their vehicle as a weapon. And it is far & away more > civilized than the self-appointed 'civil' people who would rather see > us cower. > > Cowering is not an act of civilization. It undermines it. > > -Mike > > We now return you to your regularly programmed cowering. > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > Bikies@danenet.org > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list Bikies@danenet.org http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
