| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
|---|
cut and paste I would posit this is not part of the "vast liberal media" |
you can only see it as a member :( |
E-mail this story Printer-friendly format Search archives By J. Michael Kennedy Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times Published October 14, 2003 Kevin Bray was, well, shocked, when he heard that shock jocks were urging their listeners to run bicyclists off the road. He was horrified when he found out it had happened at least three times since July, in each case at stations owned by radio behemoth Clear Channel -- first in Cleveland, then Houston and finally at a station in Raleigh, N.C. To Bray, an avid cyclist and veteran North Carolina highway patrolman, there seemed to be an ominous pattern developing. "All I can say is, `Who's next?'" said Bray, who has filed a complaint against the Raleigh station with the Federal Communications Commission. "What these people are doing is some sort of sick marketing ploy." That thought has also occurred to Patrick McCormick, director of communications for the 40,000-member League of American Bicyclists, an organization dedicated to preserving cyclists' rights. He said his group has been deluged with complaints now that three major radio markets have been beset by the same anti-cyclist comments. "We're still contemplating what we're going to do as a national organization," McCormick said. The incidents have stirred rage in the cycling world. In each incident, disc jockeys derided cyclists and encouraged listeners to run them down. In the latest example, at Raleigh station WDCG-FM, disc jockeys Bob Dumas and Madison Lane began their rant against cyclists Sept. 22. In the course of the program, listeners flooded their telephone lines to vent about cyclists, including one woman who boasted that her father intentionally hit one while they were on the way to church. One of the disc jockeys promoted the joys of hitting cyclists with Yoo-hoo bottles. Warning to shock jocks When patrolman Bray heard about the program, he wrote an e-mail to the shock jocks, warning them they were instructing the motoring public in how to commit assault with a deadly weapon -- their cars. Bray also informed them that he was reporting them to the FCC. "I don't know much about radio broadcasting," he wrote. "But I have enough sense to know that these acts are either illegal or contrary to the code of ethics you should be bound by when the FCC allows you to go on the air." The station's initial response came from station manager Kenneth Spitzer, who referred to the show as "animated banter." But after a demonstration outside the station and the threat by advertisers to pull out, Spitzer issued a public apology on the air Thursday. The first of the anti-cyclist diatribe occurred in July in Cleveland, when WMJI-FM disc jockeys suggested cyclists be rammed off the road. One of those who got on the phone to defend cyclists was Lois Cowan, who co-owns four bike shops in the Cleveland area. "I was repeatedly called a buffoon, an idiot and a PMS sufferer who couldn't take a joke," she said. "Then there were three hours of calls from people saying, `Yeah, you guys are right.'" The session left Cowan in tears, but she immediately swung into action, helping engineer a bombardment of calls and e-mails to the station. In the end, the station called a truce and agreed to, among other things, hundreds of public-service announcements about the need to share the road. Timing angers cyclists The Houston incident also took place in September, and the timing of the show infuriated the city's cycling community. On Aug. 30, a woman driving a pickup truck had lost control and slammed into a 20-bike pace line, killing two riders and injuring eight others. Three days later, the disc jockeys at station KLOL-FM went on their anti-biking rampage, setting off another round of protests. "When you incite people to violence, you've crossed the line," said Houston cyclist Frank Karbarz, who helped organize against the station. "They did it almost like a tutorial. It wasn't humorous. It was how to hurt someone." Cowan doesn't believe that Clear Channel, which owns more than 1,200 radio stations in the United States, is encouraging the anti-cycling venom. She said it's more probable that word spread among disc jockeys that knocking cyclists is sure to push emotional buttons with their listeners. A Clear Channel representative said each station was "operated and produced independently" and "each station is working to correct the problem in their city." But noted cycling writer Ed Pavelka said he felt the three incidents have at least the makings of a trend. "First it was Cleveland, then Houston and Raleigh," he said. "Either someone's not getting the message, or someone's doing it with intent." In 2001, 728 cyclists were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles in the United States. And an additional 45,000 cyclists were injured. Legally, cyclists are afforded the same rights as motorists. Lawyer Gary Brustin, who specializes in cycling cases, noted that some motorists just don't like sharing the road with bikes. "They just don't like them." Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune |
. I live in such a bike town, I'd get lynched for suggesting bikers get run off the road on the air. |
this is a real attitude. It's why I don't ride my bike if I have to ride in a major road. Too dangerous. |
I already have a car. It even works. . Of course, things like Critical Mass do nothing but reinforce the cyclist hatred... It's not _always_ completely unjustified. . The apartment complex I live in is generally a wealthier community than I'm used to living in. We're literally across the street from a grocery store, and I see people drive over there all the time. Now, it is facing away from us, so you have to go around the building, and I can understand it if you're getting more groceries than you can easily carry at once... But I see people drive and come back with a pop or a rented movie. Almost all the bikes locked up outside are little kids bikes. Very few adult bikes. . They aren't very friendly, either. I don't know any of my neighbors. But the maintainance guy is friendly, and so are the construction guys in the next lot. I think most of the people who live here are new to town. |
Today I got a note on my car asking me not to park my car in front of this guy's house. Apparently, these spaces are "reserved" for the contractors who work on their house and their visitors. Hah! I'm going to mail his note back with a little note of my own. This same guy yelled at Yael and I once when she parked there. She yelled back. I don't think he was expecting it. I think he thought that she would be intimidated and back down. I love having a little kazu-cause. |
Boston was more bike-friendly, but there were some places you really didn't want to ride. Like Harvard Square in the AM rush hour which I did anyway every day for about four months. |
at least in LA most are too consumed withthemselves to really give a shit, which of course presents its own set of dangers. |
|
They did a hostile power show over the last cool corporate radio station in town last week, firing one dj and sending another to Seattle. There will no longer be any independent music on that station. Saaaaaaad! Portland indie rock has suffered blows this summer by cars, two different accidents. The first was two bicyclist killed by a drunk driver (who's been without a license since '85 for dui) and the second was when a van flipped on I-5. Can't we all just get along? |
WOULD YOU PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PARKING HERE IN THE FUTURE. THESE SPACES ARE RESERVED FOR PARKING THE VEHICLES OF THE CONTRACTORS WHO WORK ON THIS HOUSE AND ANY VISITORS WE MAY HAVE. WHEN YOU PARK HERE, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ANY OTHER CARS TO PARK THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. I plan to mail this back with a little note of my own on the back: To whom it may concern, Would you please refrain from placing things in my windshield in the future. These "spaces" cannot be reserved. It is a public street. You cannot ask me to park here with any institutional authority and I'd appreciate it if you would stop trying to intimidate me with whatever kind of authority you feel that your upper-middle class status bestows on you. I hope you don't expect me to have any sympathy for your contractors and friends since your driveway looks like it can accomodate more than a few vehicles. I may reconsider my position if you would reimburse my share of the tax money paid for the upkeep of this road. Thank you. |
|
You could just slap this sentence on their cars, or any car for that matter: "WHEN YOU PARK HERE, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ANY OTHER CARS TO PARK" |
Cause it's true, darn it. what are they going to do, have you towed? I'd love to hear that call to the city parking authority. |