The Chainlink


So I corked at the Critical Mass and was informed shortly after (Thanks to Ammo and Deadhex) that this pic had been posted of me by some wonderful soul...He called me a "cocktard" an interesting combination of cock and retard that only a trully gifted person could think of...Anyway...I'd appreciate any love you could throw my way on his comment board. I was the one in front of the two cars and he's telling me about people flipping me off and begging...I'm sure there could have been (somewhere else)but I was dealing with THESE peeps and it was fun...Oh well...Another sad bastard. Link below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theeerin/3000959758/?addedcomment=1#co...

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\begin{rant}
Now I don't know for sure, but I imagine that CM absolutely MUST have a permit from the city. Think about it. CM happens at a date and time that is public knowledge and it happens regularly each month. If CM didn't have a permit, cops could block off Daley plaza, and order everyone to disperse, or at the least hand out tickets for disobeying traffic laws. But in fact, the police ride with us the entire length of the ride and on occasion, block traffic on our behalf. So technically, it is a parade. And it happens so regularly that drivers really have no excuse to be pissed off about being inconvenienced for 15 minutes. If they don't want to be inconvenienced, then they should do some research and avoid the mass. Drivers don't get super pissed about having to stop for 10-30 min for a train, so why are they so upset about the mass? Personally if I was driving, I'd much rather check out some hot bike babes than stare blankly at a train. \end{rant}
The goal of the forum is to be helpful, friendly and inviting. Everyone in this community has the ability and the responsibility to keep it that way. The aim of the moderators is not to delete threads but rather to take the appropriate action when offensive, sexual or other content is posted that goes against the Forum guidelines.

As in real life, people in the community will disagree with one another. But also as in real life, it doesn’t have to escalate.

Let’s keep it civil, folks.

Leah
(moderator)


M.A.R.K. said:
Stop deleting posts and threads! Or even suggesting it. Seriously.. We are just a couple months in, and this has been quite an issue with threads and posts being deleted(mine included)that should be delt with. Let the man further rationalize adolescent behavior and dont let one bad apple spoil the bunch. I cant say I understand the point of hte thread, I mean I called a fucktard almost daily, amongst other things, what else is new? But I love the idea that if I dont like whats on the TV, I can simply change the channel. Or in this case, move along to the next thread and just ignore it. Let the community decide what they like and what they dont like, not the few hands that be tell us what we will be allowed and not be allowed to see. Cause if thats the case, you should take the word "community" out of the chainlinks title.
Bart's analogy to waiting for a train is apt. It's a power struggle thing and motorists don't like the reversal of roles.
two great comments root -

also, if we were to ride single file on the right side of the road it would take a lot longer for the thousands of happy cyclists to roll past the (mostly happy) motorists

so many cars honk and wave and smile and cheer when we go by - while some others feel they are much too important to be inconvenienced

much like jons comment about "When I've been held up by a critical mass ride, all I've thought was "I have somewhere to be, but these people having a big party think they're more important than traffic laws, and feel they don't have to obey them.""

the police help us get through the red lights, talk to them maybe

yes, people sitting on their butts in their hunks of gas guzzling metal have to be somewhere, hence their participation in transportation at the moment - - every other day of the month they have to be somewhere as well, and so do cyclists, yet those hurried tons of anti-fun command the road and put lives in danger

it always amazes me when the people sitting in air conditioned or heated autos, on soft seats, getting fatter by the minute, become so impatient with cyclists... so you have to hold down the left pedal instead of the right, or perhaps even put it in park

next time take alternate forms of transportation... or stop being a jerk and smile for a second when you see other people that are happy

gabe, you arent a cocktard, you've always been quite nice when ive talked to you - thanks for helping to keep us safe from the aggressive meatheads in their dangermobiles
Thanks L :-) Thanks Bart, And Thanks Root. ;-) An FYI on how CM works is that ts skates the line in city/state law. If there was an organized route before hand than the CM would have to have a permit. Since there is no organized route, until we get to Daley, than it is a legal protest/rally. Now some people might have a general knowledge of where the CM is going or there may even be a map BUT it is only a guideline as people are free to break off or change the route if they are in front. The map actually just HELPS the police which is a good thing since they can know where we are and stop big intersection in busy areas.

And Jon, that hinderance to the biking cause has been used since the Mass began, and since the numbers of riders is swelling I would tend to disagree with the argument. The single file idea is great except we would still ride through the lights and more people would get hurt...so not such a great idea. But it would certainly show how many people participate in a countable manner.

As for me being an adolescent, HELL YEAH I have a peter pan complex...I'm a kid inside and i enjoy life...It would appear that some on here are becoming a lil old at heart/mind a lil early.

This debate is wonderful because the the travel channel featured the CM as a reason to come to Chicago, and the police are with us most of the way...So the city is on our side. i also drive in the city...It's my job, but I see more people getting aggressive then ever and i always remember i have my bike! ;-)
spread the love, chainlinkers, not grumpiness
I second the love thing on this site!

L. Jerome said:
spread the love, chainlinkers, not grumpiness
Me three...Although on occasion I do think admins do abuse their power...

-Ali

Julie Hochstadter said:
I second the love thing on this site!

L. Jerome said:
spread the love, chainlinkers, not grumpiness
I'm not trying to be-labor the point, but CCM explicitly breaks the law. There is no "skating" around the law just because you're with 10, 200, or 10,000 other people. And if you've been doing CCM for more than a year, you'll know that the police in district 1 are VERY different fro m those in, say, district 14.
So I guess I'm cocktard #2 as I was the other guy corking the intersection.

As to the legality/propriety of CM, it is an activity that clearly violates Illinois traffic laws, but is also tolerated by the enforcing authority. So CM exists and flourishes in a legal grey area. The problem with "tolerated" activities is that you have no right to continue them the instant the permissive sovereign changes its mind. As even a relatively short timer in Chicago, I know that if Daley doesn't want something to continue, it doesn't (see Meigs field).

I think the key is to be respectful of the public and work with the authorities. I know there have been problems in the past, but in the CM's that I have ridden in, I've seen the participants and the cops work well together. If a cop had rolled up and told us to get our lilly white asses out of the intersection, Gabe and I would have. We did what we did to protect our fellow riders, not to taunt or antagonize the people in front of us.
I stopped posting on this site long ago. Because MODS here tend to mock people and delete posts. Now I check this site for news sometimes.
Stewski said:
So I guess I'm cocktard #2 as I was the other guy corking the intersection.
As to the legality/propriety of CM, it is an activity that clearly violates Illinois traffic laws, but is also tolerated by the enforcing authority. So CM exists and flourishes in a legal grey area. The problem with "tolerated" activities is that you have no right to continue them the instant the permissive sovereign changes its mind. As even a relatively short timer in Chicago, I know that if Daley doesn't want something to continue, it doesn't (see Meigs field).
I think the key is to be respectful of the public and work with the authorities. I know there have been problems in the past, but in the CM's that I have ridden in, I've seen the participants and the cops work well together. If a cop had rolled up and told us to get our lilly white asses out of the intersection, Gabe and I would have. We did what we did to protect our fellow riders, not to taunt or antagonize the people in front of us.

Points well made. Thanks.

- He Who Has Never Deleted a Post.

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