Anyone watching/watch Chicago Tonight on 8/9?

They had a discussion on The Week In Review about the Lake Shore Drive meetings. When cycling was brought up, the woman from WVON said she disliked cyclists on roads. After a woman from the Sun Times stood up for cyclists, they kept teasing her about siding with the cyclists for the rest of the segment.

Are we really at the point where this sophomoric crap is still prevalent? It makes me depressed to see a cross section of the media treating cycling like this. She didn't represent herself as some cycling enthusiast, either. She just questioned the logic of never changing our culture, and they just wouldn't let it go.

Depressing.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on August 9, 2013 at 3:00pm

The segment is here: http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2013/08/09/chicago-tonight-week-revi...

The uninformed lady's name is Perri Small (job email twitter), a radio host for an African-American-oriented talk radio station that styles itself as being a proponent of civil rights.

Other than her vitriolic scolding of cyclists, she also made the mistake of impling that people in Amsterdam (a city with a per capita income higher than Chicago's) ride bicycles because they cannot afford cars. She was also surprised that cycling is possible in Chicago's weather

On the topic of cycling in general she stated, "Perfectly good lanes for vehicles are being, [indiscernble] you know widened, and all kinds of things for these bicycles, I just don't get it."

Later in the show she fiercely defended professional athletes who use performance enhancing drugs.

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Permalink Reply by Davo on August 12, 2013 at 7:56am

you're killing me smalls

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Permalink Reply by Madopal (16.5 mi) on August 12, 2013 at 8:31am

The fact that there are members of the press who are against cycling didn't bother me. The fact that Kate Grossman was continually mocked for standing up for cycling so is what got me. It smacked of bullying. And she didn't even identify herself as some uber cyclist.

In the segment on Lake Shore Drive, Kate Grossman said in response to Perri Small, "First of all, I agree, we're going through a transition period, they're trying to push the bike stuff, and it's completely in opposition to the culture in Chicago...but you know, god forbid we should try to allow for a few more bikes in the city. But I agree, you shouldn't take out, you shouldn't change Lake Shore Drive to accommodate for more bicycles."

Then, in a later segment discussing Lollapalooza:
Grossman: "I'm not a big music person, I don't go to Lollapalooza..."
Weisman: "But you're a big bike person."

And later, talking about Alex Rodriguez:

Weisman, interrupting Mike Mulligan to go to Grossman: "Wait, we're going to go to some of the bikers [laughter from studio], do you think it's fair, 211 games?"

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Permalink Reply by NYC (7.0 mi) on August 12, 2013 at 8:47am

"Are we really at the point where this sophomoric crap is still prevalent?"

At least it was only public television. If it was on Bravo, my wife would have been subjected to it.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 12, 2013 at 9:00am

Well isn't that special?

Jeff Schneider said:

Hatred of cyclists must be the only thing Tribune and WVON have ever agreed about. It's nice to know that we are doing our part to bridge the racial divide.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 12, 2013 at 9:02am

A while back, she was on Chicago Tonight and was whining about the bike lanes on 83rd St. being a waste of space. "We need them for the cars." *headdesk*

Tom Dworzanski said:

The segment is here: http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2013/08/09/chicago-tonight-week-revi...

The uninformed lady's name is Perri Small (job email twitter), a radio host for an African-American-oriented talk radio station that styles itself as being a proponent of civil rights.

Other than her vitriolic scolding of cyclists, she also made the mistake of impling that people in Amsterdam (a city with a per capita income higher than Chicago's) ride bicycles because they cannot afford cars. She was also surprised that cycling is possible in Chicago's weather

On the topic of cycling in general she stated, "Perfectly good lanes for vehicles are being, [indiscernble] you know widened, and all kinds of things for these bicycles, I just don't get it."

Later in the show she fiercely defended professional athletes who use performance enhancing drugs.

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Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on August 12, 2013 at 9:44am

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.
H.G. Wells (1866-1946)

This quote sums my thoughts...and then people hate me for enjoying my life.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 12, 2013 at 9:46am

Excellent quote!

Jaik - 4.3mi said:

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.
H.G. Wells (1866-1946)

This quote sums my thoughts...and then people hate me for enjoying my life.