It's all about me. And attempted murder.

Admittidly I'm bad about blogging.  At least on my personal blog, I do try to keep the "work" blog up to date(er).  But I've had enough with the trolls on the local news outlets.  Enough that I have finally stooped to their level and posted on the local news channel's forum.  The back story from eyewitnesses themselves can be found here.  Another in a long line of stories recently about bike-vehicle accidents with few if any penalty for the driver found at fault.

I'll update with what I get back, but the story iteself can be found here with the comments below.

Here's what I had to say:

I'm reading a lot of comments posted here on this fairly anonymous board. I attended the ride today and find it interesting that there are a few things not mentioned in what reporting I've seen of this story. One of them was filing a petition to accurately enforce the laws we have, and yes this includes cyclists. The driver in the accident DID leave the scene, WAS involved in an injury, and DID pass in a no-passing zone, after holding the horn for some time behind and while passing the group of riders. The only penalty for his actions was a 35$ improper passing ticket. 

I would be happy to receive a ticket if I'm not obeying a law, especially if the laws are fairly enforced. I do not hold a grudge for anyone for expressing their view that they believe that the roads should be exclusive to larger safer vehicles. There are some interesting questions about scooters, minibikes, motorcycles, buggies, slow moving (though big and heavy) farm equiptment, ultra-compact Smart Cars, etc. 

But this is really just a question on where exactly to draw the line. I'm more concerned about the social statement that is being made by what I read here. Have we lost such compassion that we are defending actions that have caused life threatening injuries in order to save what? A minute a year? I think i'm especially conscious of cyclists being one myself, and I cannot recall waiting behind a cyclist more than maybe once a year. I arrived at my destination maybe 30 seconds late.What are we saying about ourselves when we forget that there is a human face with a human family that should be the center of this story? What are we saying when we are proud to live our lives with such little regard for others that we value it at 35 dollars?

To all who are courteous to others but do not believe bikes should share the road, I thank your for your awareness of others, and appreciate that you are not trying to kill me.

To those who are trying to kill me I will happily watch from the safety of the sidewalk with the rest of the motorcycles and compact cars and wish you luck with your organized rally of 500 SUVs, Hummers, and whatever other massive compensation you feel the need to waste gas on.

We'll see what articulate, thoughtfull, eloquent responses come in.

*Update*

Looks like the kcci boards are down.  Guess they didn't like my comments or maybe the fact I linked to the Iowa Motor Vehicle code.

*update 2*

-sigh-

"The way the bikers want to control the hiways, why not close a certain strech of road each weekend for everybody but bikers? Then if they get hit it would be by one of there own."  -metrojim

Thankfully the really offinsive ones were yanked by the modarators, so I don't (won't) post them.  This reply to one should give you an idea:

WOW...."skywarn" must be very proud to be boasting that he/she has put 3 people in body bags over recent years due to careless bicyclists. Can this person say the same about careless children who might run into the streets chasing a ball OR an elderly person who takes too long to cross the street at a cross walk??? Does this person also run tractors and other farm equipment off the road because these vehicles aren't moving at the high rate of speed that the highways are built for???I do admit that there were a number of cyclists that, unfortunately, didn't obey all the rules of the road at the rally. Can anyone seriously say that all automobile operators obey all the rules as well? Does anyone deserve to be seriously or permanently injured because they broke a traffic law.....apparently "skywarn" believes so. I'm sorry that this person feels more compelled to injure someone's child/father/mother/husband/wife rather than show 10-20 seconds of courteousness.CoRii

Facebook

I just signed over my life by finally opting-in to the ruthless voyeur known as Facebook. As any good conspiracy theory goes, you won't find anything on it in American press, but here's a story from the New Zealand Herald I'd better get my tinfoil hat huh? If you don't know what I'm talking about, here are some fun points from Facebook's privacy policy.

Just for fun, try substituting the words 'Big Brother' whenever you read the word 'Facebook'

1 We will advertise at you

"When you use Facebook, you may set up your personal profile, form relationships, send messages, perform searches and queries, form groups, set up events, add applications, and transmit information through various channels. We collect this information so that we can provide you the service and offer personalised features."

2 You can't delete anything

"When you update information, we usually keep a backup copy of the prior version for a reasonable period of time to enable reversion to the prior version of that information."

3 Anyone can glance at your intimate confessions

"... we cannot and do not guarantee that user content you post on the site will not be viewed by unauthorised persons. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the site. You understand and acknowledge that, even after removal, copies of user content may remain viewable in cached and archived pages or if other users have copied or stored your user content."

4 Our marketing profile of you will be unbeatable

"Facebook may also collect information about you from other sources, such as newspapers, blogs, instant messaging services, and other users of the Facebook service through the operation of the service (eg, photo tags) in order to provide you with more useful information and a more personalised experience."

5 Opting out doesn't mean opting out

"Facebook reserves the right to send you notices about your account even if you opt out of all voluntary email notifications."

6 The CIA may look at the stuff when they feel like it

"By using Facebook, you are consenting to have your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States ... We may be required to disclose user information pursuant to lawful requests, such as subpoenas or court orders, or in compliance with applicable laws. We do not reveal information until we have a good faith belief that an information request by law enforcement or private litigants meets applicable legal standards. Additionally, we may share account or other information when we believe it is necessary to comply with law, to protect our interests or property, to prevent fraud or other illegal activity perpetrated through the Facebook service or using the Facebook name, or to prevent imminent bodily harm. This may include sharing information with other companies, lawyers, agents or government agencies."

Rant

Nope, I can't compare to master-ranter Keith.

Facehole (rant)

I'm tired of hearing about everyone's pie-hole. My mouth is only a pie-hole if I'm eating pie. The rest of the time it's a face-hole. You may all now jump on my bandwagon by telling those around you: "shutcher facehole".

Authenticity (rant)

Is only me that thinks non-white-male republican pundits come across like that friend-of-a-friend that showed up at Sunday night football, ate too much your chili, farted on your couch, and is now trying to deny the mother of all rotten-egg bombs?

Baa (rant)

The thing about sheep is that there isn't really any single sheep leading the way. If you've ever seen sheep run, they are disorganized and chaotic. Forces influence them (fences, walls, etc), but there is not a clear direction they are traveling. The bleets of the typical sound-byte driven, youtube clip powered, uneducated voter are deafening.

Just like sheep all they need to do is get a tiny bit spooked and they're off stampeding away from whatever made them jump. This is why negative campaigning works. You do not end up voting FOR someone, just as the sheep aren't actually GOING somewhere. Rather, it's just blind flight away from something startling.

Or you are just following the other sheep. Is it true that the "Base is energized" or are the sheep in the base just doing what the news tells them the other sheep are doing?

Are you a sheep? Can you spot the wolves? Is there any substance to the email or youtube clip you were forwarded, or are you just being spooked? Are you just afraid of being separated from the flock?

Green hams on a train.

A train! A train!
A train! A train!
Could you, would you,
on a train?

Not on a train! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! Sam! Let me be!

I had to come back from Chicago on the train due to the mini-hell and I met some nutjobs on the train. I was almost done with Naked (you can have it back now Sarah) so started the trip w/ that. It was a full train and because god hates me; my seat-mate turns out to be about 250lbs+ and couldn't stay on his side of the line. So finishing the book took about 30 minutes, and I figured I'd talk to the guy. Mistake. I was treated to an oration about his wound care details from slipped disk surgery and the details of wife assistance and the packing procedure for his HOLE. I excused myself to the lounge car for the remainder of the trip and told him these are _not_ details to share with strangers on a train, to a chorus of relieved sighs.

There I met a kid from London and we complained together every time a train full of coal was given precidence over us humans. (Tracks are owned by BNSF and they give thier freight priority over Amtrak trains).

A Brittish import NY bartender showed up, and told us about how he's done for the season and is heading to LA to hide from the NYC winters. We talked about good beer & I got to reminisce about my past carreer for a while.

A fascinating old guy who looks a little bit like my grandfather was working on a woodcutting (something he'd do). Pictures will be posted as soon as I find my camera cable. Then he turned into a staunch republican and we had a plesently heated discussion for a good 20min+. Good times.

Then a group of kids that can only be accuratly described with this picture showed up with their bottle of Captain Morgan. They talked about f-ing this, f-ing that, and phylosiphised about the the age old enigma "where all dah bitches at?" Eventually they drove away the group of 3 granmothers, and the family with their 8 year old. Then I had to yell at them to shutcherfacehole.

Mini better be paying for my ticket :)