"Pave Bicyclists"

Here's the letter I sent to the editor:

I was shocked that you published the anti-bicyclist views of Mr. Roy Thomas in such an unbalanced
manner. By law, whether Mr. Thomas likes it or not, bicyclist have a right to the road and to be
given the same right-of-way as any other vehicle on the road. You didn't bother to point that out.

Also in today's news is the fact that the Centers for Disease Control now consider 40% of our kids
to be obese. Here in the Southeast we have among the highest levels of stroke and heart attack
because of lousy diet and exercise habits. Then we have the high cost of oil and, particularly in
your area, the harmful impacts on the mountain environment from acid rain which results, in part,
from vehicle emissions. Anyone with a reasonable intellect would see wisdom in encouraging more
cycling instead of publishing ignorant, anti-bicyling trash.

But worst of all, Mr. Thomas' bumper sticker promotes violence against cyclists. You've amplified
that call to violence by publishing such a lopsided "news" item without any presentation of the
opposing view.

In October of 2002 I was run down by a car while cycling. Encouraging people to assault bicyclists
with their automobiles and declaring cyclists a "nuisance" (your word, not Mr. Thomas'😉is a very
serious and potentially life-threatening matter.

Drivers and cyclists need to share the road. It's the law. You need to take your editorial
responsibilities more seriously.

Robert L. Chambers

LET ME KNOW IF IT SEES THE LIGHT OF DAY. I HOPE WE DON'T TOUCH OFF A CAR/BICYCLE WAR IN THAT NECK OF
THE WOODS. I GET UP THERE NOW AND THEN -- ESPECIALLY AROUND MT. MITCHELL TIME.

"Thornhill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

From Asheville Citizen-Times, Monday, April 7, 2003, page B1:
--------------------------------------------

(quoting the entire article, since it's not on their website)

Tired of hearing bicyclists push for more road space, money and rights, Roy Thomas of Leceister
(sic) said he's willing to wage a one-man campaign against the nuisance. Sporting a bumper
sticker on his truck that tells people to "pave bicyclists" Thomas said cyclists obstruct
traffic and create hazards. "I try not to be hateful about it," Thomas said. "I try to talk to

people

Quoted message said:

when I read something about bicyclist rights and try to explain my views

in

Quoted message said:

a polite and courteous way."

--------------------------------------------------

Here's a link to the "Letters to the Editor" section of the newspaper's website:
citizen-times.comltr editor.shtmlOpen ↗. Note

that

Quoted message said:

this was not in the "opinion" or "letters to the editor" section, but was labeled as a news
article, despite the lack of "reporting" -- no effort to inform the readers of the laws of NC as
related to bicycling (available at ncdot.orglaw intro.htmlOpen ↗, in
case you're interested), or to challenge Mr. Thomas on his bumper sticker's essential call to
violence against cyclists.

Mike Thornhill Alexander, NC

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.comOpen ↗).
Version: 6.0.467 / Virus Database: 266 - Release Date: 4/1/03

Maybe Mr. Thomas should bone up on his history. Bicyclists were on the roads before cars were. About
50 years, to be exact (69, if you consider the Draisienne (hobby horse) to be the first bicycle).

The Ford Motorcar Company was started by an ex-bicycle mechanic. R.E. Olds and Henry M. Leyland
(creator of Great Britain's largest automobile company) also started as bicycle manufacturers.

One of the greater forces leading to the creation of better (read: paved) roads was the League Of
American Wheelmen (now the League Of American Bicyclists).

The Automobile Association Of America (AAA) was originally a bicycle club.

The tires on his car were invented by a physician named James Dunlop, to smooth the ride for his
son's bicycle. The tubeless tire was invented for bicycles in the late 1890's, again, fifty years
before it was ever used on an automobile.

His automatic transmission (assuming he has one) evolved from the internal hub gearing of a bicycle.

Disc brakes are a direct evolution of the bicycle's rim brakes. Drum brakes from the back-pedalling
"coaster-brake".

James Starley (Rover safety bicycle) invented the differential that makes it possible for Mr. Thomas
to drive in anything other than a straight line.

It may interest you to know, Mr. Thomas, that although they are not all ridden at the same time,
more bicycles are owned in this country than automobiles. In fact, if you take the entire world into
account, that ratio is over 2:1.

It is a simple a matter of fact, Mr Thomas, that WE were here first, it is YOU (cars) that have
created a hazard for US!

Quoted message said:

Most of these facts were obtained from

Scientific American, May, 1973

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

Chris Zacho 'The Wheelman said:

It is a simple a matter of fact, Mr Thomas, that WE were here first, it is YOU (cars) that have
created a hazard for US!

Those where very interesting facts and does put things in a different perspective doesn't
it? Thanks.
--
Perre

Remove and/or replace the DOTs as needed to reply

It's Latin. It means ``Be frightened of bicyclists.''
--
Ron Hardin [email hidden]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

Ron Hardin said:

It's Latin. It means ``Be frightened of bicyclists.''

;-) Don't we wish.
--
Perre

Remove and/or replace the DOTs as needed to reply

Ron Hardin <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

It's Latin. It means ``Be frightened of bicyclists.''

Cave velocipedites!

Nescio quomodo transferendum sit in Latinam "bicyclist" ex Anglice; conatus sum tantum haec verbum
deducere quam optimum possit. Scio "pedites," id est dicere, milites qui ad proelium ambulant
pedibus, derivatum esse de "pes," item "equites" de "equus,". Quaecumque ita sint, suppono
"velocipedites" derivatum esse de "velocipes." Si quis meliorem solutionem vel neologismum
adveniat--et bene scio aliquos in hoc foro linguam Latinam iam cognoscere-- in hoc foro publicatum
sit ad augendam scientiam nostram communam.

-Lodovicus Guzmannensis

Lingua Latina non omnibus mortua est; Haud studui nequiquam...