Somebody with a French-y sounding name – Bartleby Camembert or some other limp-noodle fake name – writing at Anti-Strib took yet another dork-fingered whack at bikers a few weeks ago.
Unusually for a “conservative”, writing on a “conservative” blog, Mr. Chablis’ piece borrows from that great conservative thinker, Vice President Joe Biden, and is entitled “Efficiency is Patriotic”
There is another problem I have with biking as a primary means of transportation, is that it is inefficient which I feel is un-American
Yeah, that’s right. “Life, liberty, and on-time trains”. It’s right there in the Declaration of Independence.
No, Mr. Brioche; “Efficiency’ is a market imperative. Since you are (or ape) French, we’ll have to explain that to you. That’ll come later.
I know that a few people are confused as what could be more patriotic than an individual pedaling alone to work?
Really, Mr. Cote-du-Rhone? “A few people” are “confused” about this?
Name them. Provide some cites.
Because…no. Nobody is confused about the “patriotism” of riding bikes. Nobody. Not one person in the entire world.
Seriously – when did Anti-Strib hire Grace Kelly?
One of the greatest assets of our economy has been its flexibility. Americans, much more then Europeans, have always been ready and willing to change. Liberals want us to become less flexible and more rigid. They want us all to live near LRT and bike paths.
Right. So what?
Some liberals would also like us to be vegetarians; that doesn’t mean enjoying a veggie burrito at Chipotle for lunch is “Unamerican”.
But since the subject is flexibility, let’s talk about how very, very hidebound and inflexible – which apparently means “Unpatriotic” – Mr. Pepe-le-pew is:
Biking is a big part of the liberal dream to restrict the freedoms of Americans. If you can only afford to bike or take mass transit to work, your job options are severely limited. This not only reduces the pay of the individual, it also reduces the productivity of our society.
Let’s stop right here.
Who says it’s a matter of affording to ride a bike?
I bike to work because I enjoy it. I drive it sometimes, I bus it others, and when weather permits, I bike it. In other words, I exercise flexibility. Something that apparently is beyond Mr. Blancmange’s comprehension. I have spent most of my career driving to work, because the drive was too far and the kids’ demands too great.
And now – after years of looking – I finally have a job in the city proper, an easy six miles or so from my house. And I can do anything I want to get to work…
…by Mr. MarieAntoinette’s leave, naturally.
My schedule this fall was this: up at 6:30 AM so I could be at the U of MN campus by 8:00 AM. Drive to client A north of St. Paul after class. Drive to client B in White Bear Township at 12:30. Leave WBT at 5:15 to go back to the U of MN campus, drive home at 9:00PM. Now try this scenario with LRT, buses or bicycles. It just doesn’t work.
Oh, waaaah.
I remember when I could be the kind of layabout slacker with a schedule like Mr. Passepartout’s. I’m up at 5:15 most every day, getting in an hour or so of blogging. Then I’m waking kids up, getting them up and on their way, and getting off to work -which, over the past fifteen years, has been anywhere from Chanhassen to Maple Grove to Eagan to Farmington to Eden Prairie to Minnetonka (and sometimes more than one; when I was a consultant, I’d sometimes work two or three gigs at a time) to, after 13 years in IT, Saint Paul. Then home, for making dinner, housework, kid stuff, finish work that I brought home, doctor appointments, grocery shopping – I rarely stop moving before 10PM.
And somewhere in that schedule I gotta find some time to try to stay in some kind of shape, so I hopefully don’t die of a heart attack before I’m 50. Some guys might go to the gym – but that’s pretty much wasted time. Inefficient, if you will.
So I bike. It’s fun. It’s just about the best cardio there is. I get between 40-60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous cardio a day, including the brisk, humility-induciing climb up Cathedral Hill at the end of the day. It fits into time I’m already spending; it’s faster than the bus, and when you factor in parking and walking to work, not a whole lot slower than driving. It costs almost nothing (more financially efficient). It makes my work day more efficient, since the morning workout pumps up my energy to a level that – I guarantee this – you can not match, Froggy LeFroggue. And it is fun, which is more than you can say for plodding away on a treadmill or sitting in traffic in your Renault LeCar or puttering along on your “motorcycle”.
As you can see this level of productivity is only possible with roads and cars.
The level of productivity Mr. Baguette is yapping about is only possible if you have a stroke and a broken leg. Give me a break.
Look – seriously, for a moment? DUH. I mean, big D, small uh. As I’ve noted in this space for years, most of the transit snobs you read and run into may or may not have jobs, but the incomprehensibly vast majority seem to live alone, or with another able-bodied adult. And it might be possible to live a car-free life with kids, but who the hell wants to try? The transit snobs are screechingly myopic; anyone who thinks they can live and work and raise kids, even near a bus or train stop, and have a life that involves much of anything but planning how one is going to get places and earn the fare for it, obviously hasn’t tried.
Which doesn’t excuse the kind of “us against them” conceit that Mr. Gruyere wallows in.
So if you believe in freedom and want to leave your kids with a growing economy and a shot at a life at least as good as yours, you’ll stop supporting job killing ideas like LRT, mass transit and bike paths.
Whoah, Monseuir Andouilette! You changed the subject!
“Biking” is not the same as “bike paths”. One is a personal choice one makes with one’s own money, time, and effort, exercising the adult free will to decide how to live one’s own life, using streets he or she has paid for with taxes already. The other is a government program.
Do try to keep things straight, here?
Our country and economy are built in individual freedom, flexibility and efficiency. Anything that reduces that is a threat to our future and ultimately our country.
Whatever, Mr. Phroux-Phroux Authoritarian Scold Who Learned Everything He Knows About Blogging, Logic and apparently Politics From MNob and Grace Kelly (Who Have Never Been Seen In The Same Room). The future of this country depends not one limp froggy piddle on how we get to work. It depends on the job we do once we get there.
Jeez, Tracy Eberly; who’s checking the green cards at Anti-Strib these days?
What a dumbass. A soft, doughy dumbass.
Is this because I teased you about Springsteen? I mean, that was a lot of energy expended, for questionable gain. It was pretty damn funny, though.
questionable gain
In the marketplace, all must defer to tangible gain.
On my blog, “gain” is all in my own head.
I got all the return I need.
As long as you’re happy. Your italics tag never closed, BTW.
Italics tag: when stylesheets collide.
Impotence is no laughing matter. Pedal away, it still is a free country.
Impotence is no laughing matter.
I wouldn’t know.
Heh.
Could bring new meaning to “K-Rod”.
First, you choose to bike for financial reasons for a year and lied about it. You yourself admit that no sane person would have off-spring and bike. Please stop lying about it being a transit alternative when you yourself admit that it might only work for single baristas in Yuptown. You ain’t them nor are 99% of us.
Second, your new love of Sen. Klobuchar has clouded your tenuous grasp of the free markets and captitalism. Efficient workers have flexibilty. LRT limits options and thus creates inefficent workers that can be exploited due to their transit limitations. (see slavery for a refresher on govt. controller workers comrade)
Finally, could you drege an honest bone up somewhere in St. Paul and admit that no sane person can bike 12 months a year in MN. If your “tranist option” is contingent on the ownership of a heated, snow worthy car for 6 months of the year, it’s a freaking hobby, not a replacement for the advancement of man. Progress states that people become more efficient, not less. The horse and buggy is a better transit option than your near stone age relience on human muscles in a state with sub zero temps and ice.
You are on the side of massive government control and auto owners are on the side of individual freedom, the sooner you grasp this the closer you are to returning from the progressive DFL side of the isle that has recently become your second home.
Tracy,
When did you completely lose the ability to argue logically? Because you exhibit none when the topic turns to bikes. Zero.
I mean, did you get molested by Lance Armstrong as a child? Because you completely drop all rationality when the topic turns to bikes.
I’ve systematically destroyed your few attempts at empirical arguments, leaving you with nothign but childish namecalling (“newfound love of Amy Klobuchar”, “…on the side of massive government control” and other such bilge? Dude – you are nowhere near as free-market-conservative as I am. Not even close). It’s especially inapt since, on this subject, you are the one trying to meddle in peoples’ private decisions (which is VERY un-conservative), and telling society what to do (which is worse).
You have, in short, no idea what you’re talking about, so you’re just getting hyperemotional and throwing dirt.
Stop.
Oh, and calling me a “liar” on my site is a good way to ensure you never leave another comment again. I am under no obligation to talk about my personal life at ANY level. I’d THINK you’d know that, but then I think whenever the topic turns to bikes you basically revert to a scotch-guzzling Grace Kelly.
Boys, same side, remember? I have no dog in this fight, but for Jebuz sakes, aren’t there more important issues confronting us today? Janet Napolitano is prepping re-education camps, and you guys are fighting over fucking bicycles.
Prioritize, gentlmen. Your country needs you.
you guys are fighting over fucking bicycles.
Correction: I am stating simple facts of life. There is no “fight”.
I’ve never had a problem with people being, y’know, themselves, without drawing unwarranted conclusions. Seems to be an integral part of being a conservative.
You will note that this blog focuses heavily on the problems we conservatives face; the fact that my occasional post about my hobby and workout routine draws this kind of ire is not my problem.
Whatever Berg. If you choose to ride a toy on streets designed for cars, so be it. But you also need to admit that the recent increase in deaths of cyclists is somewhat related to your delusions. Cars and bikes don’t mix well and bikers are usually the losers in conflicts.
Strip away the misallocation of transit dollars for your hobby, the delusion that a stripe of paint makes a “bike lane” and the insanity of biking during a MN winter and we still have you encouraging people to risk their lives for no good reason.
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1009353.shtml?cat=1
Maybe you are comfortable advocating a lifestyle shoice that kills more people needlessly, but I am not. So I will continue to point out the stupidity of playing in traffic. As a human factors design “engineer” I would think that you wold understand the issues associated with injecting bikes into a system designed for cars.
http://www.anti-strib.com/myblog-admin/why-ia-m-so-hard-on-mitch-berg-and-other-urban-biker-weenies.html
Plus K, I only see these posts when you mail them to me, so stop pretending that you don’t enjoy this.
Oh, booo hoo. Stop whining.
You don’t just “point out” the “stupidity” of some bikers; you generalize it across all bicylists.
You don’t just yak about misallocation of tax dollars (on which I might actually agree with you), you say anyone who differs from you (to say nothing of eats your lunch on the facts) secretly wants to french-kiss Amy Klobuchar, which may have worked in fourth grade or over on Anti-Strib, but not here. It’s lazy and illogical, the kind of thing that might be the norm at MNPublius or Minnesota Progressive Project, but not here.
And I don’t bike in the winter, but know plenty who do. THey do just fine; you can call ’em “insane”, but that’s nothing but name-calling; kindly stop trying to dignify it as anything but.
Move on,Tracy. I enjoy biking. FOR ME. I don’t give a rat’s ass if it’s a good social policy or not, because (this distinction seems to constantly escape you) I don’t set social policy; as a conservative, I don’t want to.
And I”m not “encouraging people to risk their lives for no reason”; I’m saying I enjoy biking. For me. And the reasons are there – I empirically proved them a few weeks ago – but again, it’s FOR ME. You seem to find that threatening. I’m not sure why, but – I emphasize this with all due respect – it’s your problem. Not mine. If you don’t want to bike – don’t! If you want to insult me for enjoying biking FOR ME – who cares? Your opinions about what I do FOR ME are of no value.
None!
Move on!
so stop pretending that you don’t enjoy this.
There is, I think, a difference between amusement and enjoyment.
“Dude – you are nowhere near as free-market-conservative as I am. Not even close). ” Yeah, fourth grade sounds quite near to your heart.
Also, you posted said personal info on this blog. I just pointed out your Democrat worthy evasion of your real reasons for your new found love of biking.
I’m glad you find something that is good for you and probably bad for other people and society as a whole. Many on welfare have a similar view of their relationship to government to themselves. Not that I’m saying anything about you, but you are often judged by the company you keep.
Oh and as for whining, your post was directed at me. The old post you ripped wasn’t directed at you. The previous one that you continue to evade was.
” Yeah, fourth grade sounds quite near to your heart.
It’s a fact. You calling me a “liberal” is just dumb. Change your tune or embrace it, but don’t call it my problem!.
Also, you posted said personal info on this blog. I just pointed out your Democrat worthy evasion of your real reasons for your new found love of biking.
Wrong as usual. I’ve loved biking for 30-odd years. It was one of two sports I ever did well at. The car thing just gave me a reason to do it again. You can try to portray it as some sort of character flaw, but that, again, is your problem, not mine.
I’m glad you find something that is good for you and probably bad for other people and society as a whole.
Er, “Probably”? Sorry, Mr. Grace. Bring the actual data, or save it for your own bobblehead commeners. As noted above, society’s net gain is pretty overwhelming.
Many on welfare have a similar view of their relationship to government to themselves. Not that I’m saying anything about you, but you are often judged by the company you keep.
“Guilt by association” is something most conservatives repudiate.
Oh and as for whining, your post was directed at me. The old post you ripped wasn’t directed at you. The previous one that you continue to evade was.
Evade?
Bring me something worthy of a response. You have name-calling, groupthink and illogic.
“Not worth discussion” isn’t “evasion”.
Liberal!
Impotence is no laughing matter.
I wouldn’t know.
Heh.
Must not be much of a hobby if you don’t bicycle very much. Get out there and ride! Take some chances. Don’t be a pansy.
Mitch, do you have more free time in the winter? How do you stay in such great shape? Swim? Why not put your actions where your mouth is and bike to work all year? Come on, man up.
“human factors design “engineer”
Seriously? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Is that even better than the train “engineer”.
“Sorry, Mr. Grace.” … “bobblehead commeners”
Followed by:
“You have name-calling, groupthink and illogic.”
Yes, Mitch, go ahead and point that finger; just remember three are pointing right back at you.
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Thanks for a great laugh to go with my cafe au lait this morning, cher ami.
Point, set and match for you, I would say (seemed an appropriate reference, since tennis was originally a french game, jeu de paume.)
I had an image of the scene from Casablanca where everyone stands up and sings La Marseillaise playing in my head as I read it, (god help me, I still remember the lyrics).
I can’t help but note that some of your commenters see unfailingly to resort to genital references when they are losing an argument, instead of reasoned rebuttal. I can only speculate as to why that is……….and chuckle (a lot).