Mike Tomalaris is an idiot

DaveB said:

Ok, probably not news to a lot of people, but he has a brief interview
in the TV section of the Herald Sun today.

Q. Should bikes be registered?

MT - Of course they should. It may stop cyclists from copping verbal
abuse from passing motorists.

Sigh.

DaveB

He may have an opinion that you disagree with but it's no reason to call
him an idiot.
Do we call you an idiot based on your opinions?

DaveB said:

Ok, probably not news to a lot of people, but he has a brief interview
in the TV section of the Herald Sun today.

Q. Should bikes be registered?

MT - Of course they should. It may stop cyclists from copping verbal
abuse from passing motorists.

Sigh.

DaveB

Yep, Tool of the Week.

Thanks for nothing Mike.

Elmo said:

DaveB wrote:

Quoted message said:

He may have an opinion that you disagree with but it's no reason to call
him an idiot.
Do we call you an idiot based on your opinions?

Well at least DaveB is an idiot that keeps his mouth shut during the
TdF and doesn't confirm his idiot status.

Elmo said:

He may have an opinion that you disagree with but it's no reason to call
him an idiot.

Yes it is

Jono L said:

Elmo said:

He may have an opinion that you disagree with but it's no reason to
call
him an idiot.

Yes it is

Well lets put it to a vote. I make it 4 that think he is an idiot so
far.

And Elmo dissents

percrime said:

And Elmo dissents

I don't. Does another vote from the lounge bring it to six for the affirmative?

percrime said:

Jono L said:

Elmo said:

He may have an opinion that you disagree with but it's no reason to
call
him an idiot.

Yes it is

Well lets put it to a vote. I make it 4 that think he is an idiot so far.

And Elmo dissents

Well it's one thing to think he's an idiot an another to call him an
idiot publicly. Mike has done a lot of work to bring cycling to us,
especially the Tour de France, and usually when a person gets a lot of
negative feedback they stop what they're doing, and I'd really hate to
see someone like Mike stop doing his good work.
Mike has my full support.

Elmo

"Some people are idiots all the time, and all people are idiots sometimes." - jur

Therefore Mike is an idiot. If not all the time then at least that time.

percrime said:

Jono L said:

Elmo said:

He may have an opinion that you disagree with but it's no reason to
call
him an idiot.

Yes it is

Quoted message said:

Well lets put it to a vote. I make it 4 that think he is an idiot so
far.

You can vote people to be idiots?

Theo

Theo Bekkers said:

You can vote people to be idiots?

Yep. You're next.

Elmo said:

Mike has done a lot of work to bring cycling to us,
especially the Tour de France, and usually when a person gets a lot of
negative feedback they stop what they're doing, and I'd really hate to
see someone like Mike stop doing his good work.
Mike has my full support.

Quite. He has earned the right to comment, but that doesn't mean his comments aren't up for critique. And in this case he is dead wrong: bike registration would do exactly nothing to reduce verbal (or indeed physical) abuse directed towards cyclists. His profile makes such a misguided statement all the more harmful: no one gives a pinch of bat poo about what I say, but because he's a celebrity in the meedya he's seen as an authority. He may well be an authority, I really don't know, but it doesn't make him any less wrong.

And do you seriously think that Mike will throw in the annual junket to France just because a handful of plonkers on usenet reckon he's an idiot? You overvalue our influence, I think.

(BTW, can I be the next on the vote-for-an-idiot list after Theo?)

In aus.bicycle on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:39:14 +1100

treadly&amp me said:

comments aren't up for critique. And in this case he is dead wrong: bike
registration would do exactly *nothing *to reduce verbal (or indeed
physical) abuse directed towards cyclists. His profile makes such a

I think you are right, but I wonder what would?

Why does the abuse happen? AS it hasn't happened to me (I get a fair
bit of "cool bike" and jokes about "stop lying down on the job" but no
abuse that I have been able to decipher. It's possible some of the
inarticulate noises have been abusive but they were smiling and waving
so maybe not) I have no personal experience of the situation.

Are they doing it because cyclists are there? The way dogs bark at
motorcyclists? Because young men (I have the impression it's young
men, is it always?) go through a phase of needing to prove to
themselves they are powerful?

Are they doing it because they know the roads are [censored], but can't work
out why, and so are just lashing out?

We need a couple of PhD students....

Zebee

Zebee Johnstone said:

In aus.bicycle on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:39:14 +1100

treadly&amp me said:

comments aren't up for critique. And in this case he is dead wrong: bike
registration would do exactly *nothing *to reduce verbal (or indeed
physical) abuse directed towards cyclists. His profile makes such a

I think you are right, but I wonder what would?

Why does the abuse happen? AS it hasn't happened to me (I get a fair
bit of "cool bike" and jokes about "stop lying down on the job" but no
abuse that I have been able to decipher. It's possible some of the
inarticulate noises have been abusive but they were smiling and waving
so maybe not) I have no personal experience of the situation.

Zebee I think it's a combination of two things. First is that we are
there, can be abused, and the abuser can then take off. Second is the
perception that because a bike can be more efficient in traffic, it is
therefore slowing the car down.

The second point would also apply to motorbikes, but in my experience
abuse is very rare because most motorists would be very aware of the
potential results. They fear a motorcyclist, but they don't fear a
cyclist (or at least think they can take off).

DaveB

DaveB said:

Zebee Johnstone said:

Why does the abuse happen? AS it hasn't happened to me (I get a fair
bit of "cool bike" and jokes about "stop lying down on the job" but no
abuse that I have been able to decipher. It's possible some of the
inarticulate noises have been abusive but they were smiling and waving
so maybe not) I have no personal experience of the situation.

Zebee I think it's a combination of two things. First is that we are
there, can be abused, and the abuser can then take off. Second is the
perception that because a bike can be more efficient in traffic, it is
therefore slowing the car down.

Third is because the abusing drivers are idiots (to coin a phrase).
Did you know that the new Prado is bigger than before? Why a landbarge
needs to grow is a mystery to me, but that's beside the point that
these donkeys are driving cars that are too big to fit in the lane,
and that's the cyclist's fault, innit? And the ones driving a car that
does fit, how often do they hang back, because they can't judge
distances and see there is plenty of room to pass ... once again the
cyclist's fault.

Donga

me said:

Elmo said:

Mike has done a lot of work to bring cycling to us,
especially the Tour de France, and usually when a person gets a lot
of negative feedback they stop what they're doing, and I'd really
hate to see someone like Mike stop doing his good work.
Mike has my full support.

Quite. He has earned the right to comment, but that doesn't mean his
comments aren't up for critique. And in this case he is dead wrong:
bike registration would do exactly *nothing *to reduce verbal (or
indeed physical) abuse directed towards cyclists.

What will?

Quoted message said:

(BTW, can I be the next on the vote-for-an-idiot list after Theo?)

The queue is growing behind you.

Theo

percrime said:

Well lets put it to a vote. I make it 4 that think he is an idiot so
far.

I thought he was an idiot before he opened his mouth about this and one other thing, can some one explain or put in point form exactly what he has done for cycling in Australia or to bring the Tour De France to Australia.

I think SBS would be after it, even if it wasn't for Mike, it fits right in with their programming model, he gets paid to be a commentator and if someone asks him a question like that he should either "shut up" or give a considered reasonable answer.

In aus.bicycle on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:09:00 +1100

DaveB said:

Zebee I think it's a combination of two things. First is that we are
there, can be abused, and the abuser can then take off. Second is the
perception that because a bike can be more efficient in traffic, it is
therefore slowing the car down.

I'd be wary of that last statement....

The "can be more efficient" is nothing to do with "slowing down".

Because there is no doubt whatsoever that a bike can slow a car down,
given the right circumstances and behaviour. That it won't in other
circumstances isn't relevant to that.

Zebee

DaveB said:

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why does the abuse happen? AS it hasn't happened to me (I get a fair
bit of "cool bike" and jokes about "stop lying down on the job" but
no abuse that I have been able to decipher. It's possible some of
the inarticulate noises have been abusive but they were smiling and
waving so maybe not) I have no personal experience of the situation.

Zebee I think it's a combination of two things. First is that we are
there, can be abused, and the abuser can then take off. Second is the
perception that because a bike can be more efficient in traffic, it is
therefore slowing the car down.

The second point would also apply to motorbikes, but in my experience
abuse is very rare because most motorists would be very aware of the
potential results. They fear a motorcyclist, but they don't fear a
cyclist (or at least think they can take off).

So what is the experience of the 50cc engined-can't-do-more-than-60 scooter
brigade. Do they get harassed by motorists?

Theo
I've been on runs with motorcyclists who wear black jackets and black
helmets. The ones that know how to spell harass think it's two words.
They've never experienced the -ment kind of harass.

quote='Theo Bekkers'DaveB said:

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why does the abuse happen? AS it hasn't happened to me (I get a fair
bit of "cool bike" and jokes about "stop lying down on the job" but
no abuse that I have been able to decipher. It's possible some of
the inarticulate noises have been abusive but they were smiling and
waving so maybe not) I have no personal experience of the situation.

Zebee I think it's a combination of two things. First is that we are
there, can be abused, and the abuser can then take off. Second is the
perception that because a bike can be more efficient in traffic, it is
therefore slowing the car down.

The second point would also apply to motorbikes, but in my experience
abuse is very rare because most motorists would be very aware of the
potential results. They fear a motorcyclist, but they don't fear a
cyclist (or at least think they can take off).

So what is the experience of the 50cc engined-can't-do-more-than-60 scooter
brigade. Do they get harassed by motorists?

Theo
I've been on runs with motorcyclists who wear black jackets and black
helmets. The ones that know how to spell harass think it's two words.
They've never experienced the -ment kind of harass.[/QUOTE]
can we put tomalaris on 'the pine' with Gaby Gate

personally i'd like to see Monsieur Ollie do the TdF coverage, but then people would miss out on doing his rides (another one to add to the personal 'must-do-in-lifetime-tasks...)