Worst Possible Thread

Edit: Thanks to Peenologist for the Worst Thread Ever crown.

Edit edit: D'oh! he said Worst Possible Thread, not Worst Thread Ever.

7/17: "was Fight with Gabe" removed from subject line for the sake of beauty, privacy, and security.  Representative images added (too bad threads can't have their own custom avatars):

 

 

Picked up on OPCC listserv per Bill W; presumably posted today.

I don't know why Active Trans didn't put a warning out about the previous incident mentioned here.

===

Authored by Tom McGee and posted on the Oak Park Cycle Club facebook page.  :
Tom McGee
LAKE STREET WARNING: With the warm weather, and newly added bike lanes on Lake Street, there have been more bike commuters heading into the city...unfortunately, there are some rough neighborhoods people need to cycle through and area street punks see the increase in riders as well.

On my way home from the city to Oak Park last night I was jumped by 2 male teens in an attempt to steal my bike. This occured at Lake & Lavergne. One guy was on the sidewalk, the other hidden behind an L pillar. As I was approaching, I sensed it was bad, but it was too late to react. They came at me from the left and right and pushed me off the bike. I was clipped in and went head first over the handlebars, landing on the right side of my face and shoulder. They did not go for anything but the bike, so when I realized that, I wrestled with them and kept my bike. A motorist stopped to help me, and seeing this they ran.

A number of good samaritans stopped to help me, called 911, and paramedics were on the scene within 10 minutes to get me to the ER. I'm stitched and bumped and bruised, but it could have been a lot worse.

I strongly suggest that riders get the word out to friends who commute, try to ride w/others (there are a number of group rides to/from the loop from what I've heard), and try not to ride too early or too late when other people may not be around to help. 

I've already spoken with John Lankford, Bikeways Campaign Coordinator w/Active Transporation Alliance. He said there was a similar incident on Lake the morning of Bike The Drive. So they are aware of the problem, and will be approaching people @ CDOT and the city to try and address it.

Ride safe,
Tom McGee
 

==

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 29, 2012 at 4:27am

Cant a guy have breakfast in peace without having to defend himself RIGHT AWAY to every accusation of misconduct within the hour?

Seriously -is this an internet forum or an Inquisition?   Can you put that request in writing and mail it to me in a registered letter so I am sure to get it?

You take yourself pretty seriously Craig.  Serously serious.   Good luck with that.  

Me, not so much.  I'm an iconoclast.  I smash icons.  You are an iconophile (like many of the other folks who seem to have a problem with my personal opinions) and Iconoclasts seem to attract Iconophiles such as yourself like manure attracts flies.   I'm fine with that.   I don't have a problem with negative attention to Iconophiles who feel the need to be The Internet Police whenever somoene who's opinions stick up from the crowd and demand they be filed down smooth like the surface of flatville.  

Keep it up, keep up the good fight.  As long as you and other iconophiles such as yourself are focused on me you are not shaving down all the other folks who might want to stick their heads up out of the crowd and express "dangerous" views and opinions that don't meet with your approval.  Sooner or later the paradigm may shift and things might begin to change.  I hope someday there is a future where all views are as openly accepted as the very narrow few that you (and the other Mrs. Grundy voices)  approve of and people are not afraid to speak them without iconophile bullies like you to come berate them for not fitting in. 



Craig S. said:

Me?  I'm just waiting on you, James, as you're never at a loss for words, on any topic.  Well, this reply of was an exception.

I've met you, introduced myself to you in fact.  I told you I agree with very little, if anything of what you state in the numerous times you felt compelled to offer up your concise social commentary on all things in life.  I also told you I find you well written and entertaining and many times informative.

Your contribution to this thread has been anything but.

You blatantly attacked Gabe, try to cover yourself by blaming the victim, and then you bitch and whine and cry wolf and feel the need to justify yourself to the "bike community" (whatever the fuck that is) when you feel you're attacked.  If you'd not opened your pie hole, again, in the first place you wouldn't have been called out. But, everyone's entitled to express their opinion.

So, I'm just waiting to read more of your bloviation and faux umbrage but I've moved onto morning cocktails, I can't be bothered with coffee.

James BlackHeron said:

et tu?


Time for popcorn.

Craig S. said:

Give it a rest, James.  Do you always need to comment on every freaking thread of this forum?

You directed your earlier comment directly at Gabe; it's quite obviously an ad homenim  and it's even more rich that you cry "Foul, oh horrid foul!" when you're so good at leveling ad homenims at anyone who's ever disagreed with you.  You may have not had any of your words by the mods deleted but I do know you've had more than your fair share of complaints leveled against you, especially when you were James Baum.  

I've got nothing to do this morning, I'll enjoy watching this internet dust up, just let me make more coffee.  

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 29, 2012 at 4:34am

Cheers!  Happy Friday!

dan brown said:

isn't the chainlink great ? where else can we curse each other out and then make up over beers and washing bikes ???  I love to swear as much as the next guy or gal; and I will tell anyone to F*&% off.

 

Here is my $.02 :

 

the city and many suburbs have very bad sections many of us must ride through

 

crime rates always rise with rising temps (yesterday was hotter than H. E. double hockey sticks to ride home in btw)

 

we must all be extra vigilant as we navigate these "sh*tholes"

 

what really sucks is that is 100% acceptable for a thug to be wcalking around with a baseball bat

(he can claim "I am going to play baseball at the park...") and the next minute it can become a

weapon against a cyclist or another innocent victim

 

let's be careful out there and look out for each other !!!

happy friday ;-)

 

DB

p.s. kudos to everyone (esp. gabe) for calling a spade a spade

 

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 29, 2012 at 4:35am
Like the energizer bunny... The west side is a shit hole keeps going and going :)
Permalink Reply by dan brown on June 29, 2012 at 4:55am

there are two things that are needed to survive on-line forums :

 

1) thick skin

2) short memory

 

Dan (honorary member of "Team Amnesia" (motto - "you don't have to lie if you don't remember what you did")

James BlackHeron said:

Cant a guy have breakfast in peace without having to defend himself RIGHT AWAY to every accusation of misconduct within the hour?

Seriously -is this an internet forum or an Inquisition?   Can you put that request in writing and mail it to me in a registered letter so I am sure to get it?

You take yourself pretty seriously Craig.  Serously serious.   Good luck with that.  

Me, not so much.  I'm an iconoclast.  I smash icons.  You are an iconophile (like many of the other folks who seem to have a problem with my personal opinions) and Iconoclasts seem to attract Iconophiles such as yourself like manure attracts flies.   I'm fine with that.   I don't have a problem with negative attention to Iconophiles who feel the need to be The Internet Police whenever somoene who's opinions stick up from the crowd and demand they be filed down smooth like the surface of flatville.  

Keep it up, keep up the good fight.  As long as you and other iconophiles such as yourself are focused on me you are not shaving down all the other folks who might want to stick their heads up out of the crowd and express "dangerous" views and opinions that don't meet with your approval.  Sooner or later the paradigm may shift and things might begin to change.  I hope someday there is a future where all views are as openly accepted as the very narrow few that you (and the other Mrs. Grundy voices)  approve of and people are not afraid to speak them without iconophile bullies like you to come berate them for not fitting in. 



Craig S. said:

Me?  I'm just waiting on you, James, as you're never at a loss for words, on any topic.  Well, this reply of was an exception.

I've met you, introduced myself to you in fact.  I told you I agree with very little, if anything of what you state in the numerous times you felt compelled to offer up your concise social commentary on all things in life.  I also told you I find you well written and entertaining and many times informative.

Your contribution to this thread has been anything but.

You blatantly attacked Gabe, try to cover yourself by blaming the victim, and then you bitch and whine and cry wolf and feel the need to justify yourself to the "bike community" (whatever the fuck that is) when you feel you're attacked.  If you'd not opened your pie hole, again, in the first place you wouldn't have been called out. But, everyone's entitled to express their opinion.

So, I'm just waiting to read more of your bloviation and faux umbrage but I've moved onto morning cocktails, I can't be bothered with coffee.

James BlackHeron said:

et tu?


Time for popcorn.

Craig S. said:

Give it a rest, James.  Do you always need to comment on every freaking thread of this forum?

You directed your earlier comment directly at Gabe; it's quite obviously an ad homenim  and it's even more rich that you cry "Foul, oh horrid foul!" when you're so good at leveling ad homenims at anyone who's ever disagreed with you.  You may have not had any of your words by the mods deleted but I do know you've had more than your fair share of complaints leveled against you, especially when you were James Baum.  

I've got nothing to do this morning, I'll enjoy watching this internet dust up, just let me make more coffee.  

Permalink Reply by David on June 29, 2012 at 5:05am

James BlackHeron said:

Cant a guy have breakfast in peace without having to defend himself RIGHT AWAY to every accusation of misconduct within the hour?

 

Seriously -is this an internet forum or an Inquisition?  

 

Our chief weapon is fear and surprise.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on June 29, 2012 at 5:23am

Stop hiding behind labels Jimmy, I am pretty sure I am very much not an iconophile and I, along with many others here, am sick of your shit.  It is not what you say but how you say it and the negative statements you make about others not to mention the fact that you come off as a very duplicitous person due to how nice you are in person in contrast to what a tremendous Richard Cranium you are here.

You declare all those who disagree with you fools, post long winded and overly detailed posts on every subject, pick on peoples grammar to help bolster your point of view, hide behind labels and words claiming yourself the victim of a witch hunt when called out on being a dick and otherwise exhibit every characteristic of the standard internet bully.

For somebody who is so keen on telling folks how little he cares what others think you spend a lot of time defending yourself and arguing your points until everyone is sick of seeing you post; why do you put so much effort in to proving yourself right and just on a forum you claim to not care about?

People want to know what you contribution the the community is because, in general, it looks like you are more about taking than you are giving.  Again I ask; what was the last thing you did for cycling in Chicago where you gave up your time, or money, in order to help others?



James BlackHeron said:

Cant a guy have breakfast in peace without having to defend himself RIGHT AWAY to every accusation of misconduct within the hour?

Seriously -is this an internet forum or an Inquisition?   Can you put that request in writing and mail it to me in a registered letter so I am sure to get it?

You take yourself pretty seriously Craig.  Serously serious.   Good luck with that.  

Me, not so much.  I'm an iconoclast.  I smash icons.  You are an iconophile (like many of the other folks who seem to have a problem with my personal opinions) and Iconoclasts seem to attract Iconophiles such as yourself like manure attracts flies.   I'm fine with that.   I don't have a problem with negative attention to Iconophiles who feel the need to be The Internet Police whenever somoene who's opinions stick up from the crowd and demand they be filed down smooth like the surface of flatville.  

Keep it up, keep up the good fight.  As long as you and other iconophiles such as yourself are focused on me you are not shaving down all the other folks who might want to stick their heads up out of the crowd and express "dangerous" views and opinions that don't meet with your approval.  Sooner or later the paradigm may shift and things might begin to change.  I hope someday there is a future where all views are as openly accepted as the very narrow few that you (and the other Mrs. Grundy voices)  approve of and people are not afraid to speak them without iconophile bullies like you to come berate them for not fitting in. 



Craig S. said:

Me?  I'm just waiting on you, James, as you're never at a loss for words, on any topic.  Well, this reply of was an exception.

I've met you, introduced myself to you in fact.  I told you I agree with very little, if anything of what you state in the numerous times you felt compelled to offer up your concise social commentary on all things in life.  I also told you I find you well written and entertaining and many times informative.

Your contribution to this thread has been anything but.

You blatantly attacked Gabe, try to cover yourself by blaming the victim, and then you bitch and whine and cry wolf and feel the need to justify yourself to the "bike community" (whatever the fuck that is) when you feel you're attacked.  If you'd not opened your pie hole, again, in the first place you wouldn't have been called out. But, everyone's entitled to express their opinion.

So, I'm just waiting to read more of your bloviation and faux umbrage but I've moved onto morning cocktails, I can't be bothered with coffee.

James BlackHeron said:

et tu?


Time for popcorn.

Craig S. said:

Give it a rest, James.  Do you always need to comment on every freaking thread of this forum?

You directed your earlier comment directly at Gabe; it's quite obviously an ad homenim  and it's even more rich that you cry "Foul, oh horrid foul!" when you're so good at leveling ad homenims at anyone who's ever disagreed with you.  You may have not had any of your words by the mods deleted but I do know you've had more than your fair share of complaints leveled against you, especially when you were James Baum.  

I've got nothing to do this morning, I'll enjoy watching this internet dust up, just let me make more coffee.  

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 29, 2012 at 5:42am

No!  Not the COMFY CHAIR!

Permalink Reply by David Barish on June 29, 2012 at 6:05am

There are times when friends will all talk about a television program that excites them. If I have not seen the previous episodes I am lost when watching the current episode...I then viewed this thread and had that same feeling. Well...(and returning to our previosuly scheduled programing...)

 

Judgements aside, we all make decisions about how to get from Point A to Point B and consider the traffic, condition of the road and a variety of factors. Given the shared original post there is a valid assumption about routing. Frankly, its one that has changed very little in well over a generation.  Long ago I decided to ride to play Ultimate Frisbee with a friend's team during the evening in Oak Park.  I was going from work in the loop. I decided to take a straight line path. I took Madison. I got there without incident but with great hesitation.  I chose to take Fullerton back east on my return trip. This was a less stressful trip.  I think I made a wise choice for the ride back east and would probably route myself the same way today.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on June 29, 2012 at 6:36am

The sad truth is that biking or not-biking through the West Side isn't going to do a lick either way regarding the endemic poverty and unemployment which creates an environment favorable to crime. David is right, you have to go with your gut.

Regardless, it is counterproductive and racist (even if unintentional) to overgeneralize hundreds of thousands of people thanks to the rotten actions of a few.  If the whole area's population was as bad as all that, it wouldn't be a few guys jumping out to try and steal your bike, it would be a gauntlet the whole way to Oak Park. So one shouldn't be surprised if calling a 1/3 of the City a shithole leads to some major blowback.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on June 29, 2012 at 6:46am

+1

everyone have a nice weekend!

h' said:

Fair question.

Orignially:

1) I personally feel it's important to get the word out about these sort of incidents

2) I personally would like to see people riding bicycles all over Chicago safely

3) I would like to see people able to ride a bicycle from Oak Park to the Loop safely

4) I would like to see people not give up hope that conditions in this city could be better

5) I would like to see our advocacy organization play a role in making sure potentially affected cyclists are aware of these sort of trends, rather than sit on info provided when someone contacts them, or learn why there is not an effort to get the word out if there is a reason
6) I would like to see cyclists exchange information in order to help each-other get from A to B safely, particularly suggestions for minor and specific route modifications that do not dismiss a wide swath of Chicago unfairly as not safe enough to ride through

 

After the "west side is a shithole and everybody knows that" response:

1) To provide our beloved Gabe with a little sandbox in which to get his internet slugfest fix.

2) See #1.


Spencer "Thunderball" Thayer! said:

Howard, what were you attempting to accomplish with this thread?

Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on June 29, 2012 at 7:35am

From experience, I find around  90% of drivers of Audis, BMW's and Porsches; people updating their Facebook status, taxis, and doors in the "safe" parts of town more threatening than any potential attack from a thug in the rough parts of town.

Permalink Reply by Derek on June 29, 2012 at 7:57am

+1

MagMileMarauder said:

From experience, I find around  90% of drivers of Audis, BMW's and Porsches; people updating their Facebook status, taxis, and doors in the "safe" parts of town more threatening than any potential attack from a thug in the rough parts of town.

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