# Adult bicyclists: get off the damn sidewalk! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 16, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118 "2007-03-16T01:08:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/381 "2007-03-26T18:36:18Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] That hurts me, because I have so much respect for you. not. [/QUOTE] I’ve gotta admit I found this amusing. First, because the use of ‘not’ like that completely undercuts the sarcasm of the preceding sentence, in the same manner that explaining a joke undermines the joke. And second, “Not!” ? Didn’t everybody stop using that several years ago?? Even your efforts to dis someone are pretty pathetic. (‘Dis’ is probably on its way out too, if not already gone, but at least it’s more current than “Not!” :D) ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/382 "2007-03-26T18:44:33Z")
True - I think they were using that on SNL in the 70’s 😃 You’re still an asshole, though. ---
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/383 "2007-03-26T18:47:34Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] Thanks for that well thought out and logically presented argument. [/QUOTE] You set the par for the course, bud. Also, if I may perform my **lowbrass** imitation (apologies as it’s a little rusty): You didn’t answer my question. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/384 "2007-03-26T19:25:23Z")
As much as I’d love to stay and trade insults with a sock puppet, I’ve got better things to do. Bye… ---
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/385 "2007-03-26T20:04:36Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] As much as I’d love to stay and trade insults with a sock puppet, I’ve got better things to do. Bye… [/QUOTE] Continuing my imitation, I declare victory. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/386 "2007-03-26T20:09:57Z")
[QUOTE=aliquot] Continuing my imitation, I declare victory. [/QUOTE] Uh, no, sock - you’re not gonna slander me after I blow you off. Please quote where I _ever_ “declared victory” because someone stopped posting in disgust. Can’t do it? No, I didn’t think so. Bye… ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/387 "2007-03-26T20:12:14Z")
Apparently the better things to do weren’t that much better… ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/388 "2007-03-26T20:21:41Z")
Yeah, you got me Villa - when someone lies about me it drags me back in. ---
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/389 "2007-03-26T20:41:55Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] Uh, no, sock - you’re not gonna slander me after I blow you off. Please quote where I _ever_ “declared victory” because someone stopped posting in disgust. Can’t do it? No, I didn’t think so. Bye… [/QUOTE] And you quote ME where I said that I declared victory “because someone stopped posting in disgust.” All I said was that I declared victory; I never stated a reason. I was actually thinking of your exchange with **Red Barchetta** on page 3 where you, apparently, exhausted him and caused him to bow out of the thread with your excessive, EXCESSIVE pedantry. Which I also find ironic, given that **RTFirefly** had you nailed to rights with the whole “you’re gaming me” subthread, to which you essentially respond, “Yeah, I said it, but YOU went waaaay to far in interpreting it.” Your pedantry fled – nay, turned into the opposite of pedantry – when you were corrected. A simple _mea culpa_? Of course not! This is **lowbrass** we’re talking about here. When backed into a corner, attack with a _non sequitir_. Speaking of things totally irrelevant, why do you call me a sock puppet? Are you basing this on anything other than my low post count and my detailed knowledge of this thread (which, incidentally, I’ll note can be read before registering). Or are you just jealous that you’re getting raked across the coals for your autistic posting tendencies by someone with a miniscule post count? Are you even allowed to call someone a sock puppet?? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/390 "2007-03-26T21:06:45Z")
JFTR, **aliquot** is not my sock. **lowbrass** , you’ll have to find some other reason for dismissing his/her posts. [QUOTE=aliquot] Are you even allowed to call someone a sock puppet?? [/QUOTE] Since you asked, I scoped out the registration agreement, the forum rules, and the various rules FAQs in ATMB. Can’t find a rule against it, so apparently it’s legal - just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/391 "2007-03-26T21:15:39Z")
[QUOTE=aliquot] And you quote ME where I said that I declared victory “because someone stopped posting in disgust.” All I said was that I declared victory; I never stated a reason. [/quote] I said I didn’t want to just hang around and trade insults, since that’s all you were doing. I said goodbye. Then you claimed you were “imitating” me and “declared victory”. And now you’re saying that because technically you didn’t “state a reason”, that that didn’t happen. And you’re calling _me_ pedantic? It’s rather boring to just trade insults with you, but if you’re gonna make up bullshit about me I _am_ going to correct you. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/392 "2007-03-26T21:18:12Z")
RT - I didn’t say he was _your_ sock. ---
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/393 "2007-03-27T00:21:42Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] I said I didn’t want to just hang around and trade insults, since that’s all you were doing. I said goodbye. Then you claimed you were “imitating” me and “declared victory”. And now you’re saying that because technically you didn’t “state a reason”, that that didn’t happen. And you’re calling _me_ pedantic? [/QUOTE] Yes, that was intentional. Frankly, I’m amazed you caught it. Maybe you’re not autistic after all, just really, really annoying. And of course I realize that I’ve been quite annoying in this thread as well, which wasn’t truly my intention. My intention was to make fun of you, **lowbrass** , for the way you conducted yourself in this thread. But I find that I haven’t the tenacity to point out – and then cite – your ridiculous behavior in this thread, so I’ll bow out. It’s there, for everyone to see, assuming they don’t get exhausted by reading your posts and decide it’s not worth their effort to see! [sub]Still, a part of me HAS to know – _are_ you autistic, or just a pedantic, dense, annoying, exhausting asshole?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/394 "2007-03-27T00:22:43Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] RT - I didn’t say he was _your_ sock. [/QUOTE] Then you might want to be specific with your accusations. I believe the expression is “put up or shut up.” A sock has to be _somebody_’s sock. If you have no reason to think **aliquot** is the sock of a particular person, then you have no reason to believe s/he is a sock. ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/395 "2007-03-27T09:16:26Z")
[QUOTE=Rucksinator] [Exactly. That’s why they should stay off the fucking road. If you are not in a vehicle that can travel at the speed limit, you should not be on the road. The roads are for cars. [/QUOTE] Who said the roads are only for cars? You? Why do you get to determine that? What makes your mode of transportation more important than mine? What if I use my bike for transport? Why are your needs more important than mine? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/396 "2007-03-27T10:26:07Z")
This thread just serves to confirm what I’ve always thought about the relationship some Americans have with their cars - the great sense of entitlement it gives you, no wonder that exurb thread went the way it did too. The shittiest\* thing? You export this attitude! I can’t bike on roads I used to cycle regularly, because of shitty drivers like **catsix** , who think they own the road. It is to weep. - Firefox said it was “shittiest” rather than “shitest”. Who am I to argue? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/397 "2007-03-27T15:58:04Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] I can’t bike on roads I used to cycle regularly, because of shitty drivers like **catsix** , who think they own the road. [/QUOTE] _A_ road (;)); **Rucksinator** and **Red** -somethingorother were the ones saying bicycles don’t belong on _any_ road. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/398 "2007-03-27T17:51:05Z")
[QUOTE=aliquot] Yes, that was intentional. Frankly, I’m amazed you caught it. Maybe you’re not autistic after all, just really, really annoying. And of course I realize that I’ve been quite annoying in this thread as well, which wasn’t truly my intention. My intention was to make fun of you, **lowbrass** , for the way you conducted yourself in this thread. But I find that I haven’t the tenacity to point out – and then cite – your ridiculous behavior in this thread, so I’ll bow out. It’s there, for everyone to see, assuming they don’t get exhausted by reading your posts and decide it’s not worth their effort to see! [sub]Still, a part of me HAS to know – _are_ you autistic, or just a pedantic, dense, annoying, exhausting asshole?[/sub] [/QUOTE] Whatever. :rolleyes: Your third post ever was a barrage of meaningless insults with no content whatsover. I said I wasn’t interested in just trading insults, so you proceeded to lie about me. I came back to point out your error, and then you pretended you never said it. Then when I called you on _that_, you just made the cryptic remark that “it was intentional” and you were “surprised I caught it”. Your responses are those of a child. You’re surprised I caught that you’re acting like a troll? O.K., whatever you say. And, really - “autistic”? That’s the best insult you could think of? That’s right up there with “you’re retarded” or “you’re gay”. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/399 "2007-03-27T18:08:44Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] This thread just serves to confirm what I’ve always thought about the relationship some Americans have with their cars - the great sense of entitlement it gives you, no wonder that exurb thread went the way it did too. The shittiest\* thing? You export this attitude! I can’t bike on roads I used to cycle regularly, because of shitty drivers like **catsix** , who think they own the road. It is to weep. [/QUOTE] I agree. I _am_ American, and it’s an unfortunate reality that there are just too many people who don’t understand that bicycles SHARE the road with cars. To say that a bicycle “does not belong on the road” is ignorance at a fundamental level. People can deflect all they want, playing games and screaming nonsense like “you said alternate routes” “you said alternate routes”, but it comes down to a fundamental attitude problem. Semantic games don’t change that fact. > [@](#): > > - Firefox said it was “shittiest” rather than “shitest”. Who am I to argue? I think that’s right. Shitty is the adjective, so “shittiest” sounds right. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118/400 "2007-03-27T18:22:38Z")
> [@](#): > > **MrDibble** said: > I can’t bike on roads I used to cycle regularly, because of shitty drivers like catsix, who think they own the road. It is to weep. I’ve never been found at fault in a car accident, never had a speeding ticket, nada. I did once get a parking ticket on a street that had no signs indicating you couldn’t park there. My driving record over 13 years is spotless. Shitty driver? I don’t think so. > [@](#): > > **lowbrass** said: > I agree. I am American, and it’s an unfortunate reality that there are just too many people who don’t understand that bicycles SHARE the road with cars. To say that a bicycle “does not belong on the road” is ignorance at a fundamental level. On certain roads, they don’t belong there. Any vehicle that has no hope of coming within 30 mph of the speed limit has no business on that particular road, no matter how it’s powered. Believing that there’s nothing wrong with holding up traffic for miles because you want to toddle along at 40 or so mph below the speed limit and the normal pace of traffic is self-centered. I never said bicycles don’t belong on the road. I said they don’t belong on **that** road. But the strawman fits your argument better, eh? It was a subtle change you made, switching in ‘the’ for ‘that’, but it’s completely dishonest as it refers to my argument. I named one specific road where I don’t think bicycles belong, and you imply that I’m a reckless, unskilled, ‘shitty’ driver who thinks bicycles should stay off of all roads. Go crawl back into your hole, you dishonest piece of shit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adult-bicyclists-get-off-the-damn-sidewalk/396118.md?page=21)