Slog - Comments on Ride Civil Tomorrow, Sept. 12 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12 Ride Civil--a Bike Hugger project aimed at "promot[ing] civility between motorists, pedestrians and cyclists," will hold an approximately hour-long ride tomorrow, September 12, starting at 5:30 pm at Westlake Plaza. Ride Civil started in the wake of violence at Critical Mass protests in Seattle and other cities; unlike Critical Massers, Ride Civil riders "signal and stop, smile and wave, ride 2 abreast and yield to pedestrians. We won't be corking or blocking traffic, just safely cycling our city."... Copyright 2008 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:53:30 -0800 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:07:45 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by EmilyP So, they're doing what all bicyclists should be doing all the time?

]]> EmilyP http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139244 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139244 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:52:01 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe I'll be there.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139257 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139257 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:04:38 -0800 Comment by cranky congrats emilyp on bringing down the level of discourse immediately! yay for you.

a, for real, congrats to ride civil -- it would be great if the city picked it up and started a city-wide campaign for ride/drive civil, to decrease the hostility between seattle's shitty drivers and careless riders.

hope the idea catches on!

]]> cranky http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139262 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139262 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:05:19 -0800 Comment by Ziggity Nobody should move anywhere because everyone sucks at it.

]]> Ziggity http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139271 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139271 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:13:08 -0800 Comment by Cato the Younger Younger RIGHT ON!! I am driving to work since all you cyclists are going to be wimpy and "nice"!! Enjoy biking for your lives as I plow you down with my Hummer!!!!!

]]> Cato the Younger Younger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139281 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139281 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:18:35 -0800 Comment by Enigma This sounds like some fun. And I can go for once! I will be there.

]]> Enigma http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139286 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139286 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:22:24 -0800 Comment by Gurldoggie In his obnoxious way, Cato@5 is exactly right. What good do these "civil" bicyclists do us if it's a one way conversation? So all the bikers agree to let down their guard, and all the drivers agree to ignore us as usual? Where's the compromise in that? Sounds like a passive affirmation of the broken status quo to me.

]]> Gurldoggie http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139288 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139288 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:25:31 -0800 Comment by w7ngman Where does it say anything about letting their guard down? They're just going to follow traffic laws.

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139301 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139301 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:38:34 -0800 Comment by jameyb that logo is super dumb and superer gay

]]> jameyb http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139312 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139312 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:47:22 -0800 Comment by Gurldoggie Ride Civil riders "signal and stop, smile and wave, wear blackface and do a little shuffle."

]]> Gurldoggie http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139326 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139326 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:55:40 -0800 Comment by whatwhat Why ride civil, when you can ride faster, hippies?

]]> whatwhat http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139329 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139329 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:58:08 -0800 Comment by Ben "So, they're doing what all drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians should be doing all the time?"

Fixed that for you, #1. And yes, that's what they're doing. I think this is a much better idea than Critical Mass, which just seems to piss people off.

To be fair, though, I've been bike commuting for half a day now.

]]> Ben http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139332 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139332 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:58:52 -0800 Comment by max solomon bike civil is the democratic party. the people in the yukons & suburbans that plow into them are the GOP.

guess who apologizes?

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139348 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139348 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:10:20 -0800 Comment by Hernandez Well, I think this is a great idea. Whereas CM comes off as more of a big "Fuck You" to everyone not on a bike, this seems like it might actually NOT piss non-cyclists off.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139354 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139354 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:14:32 -0800 Comment by lindsay oh what the fuck ever. i won't hold my breath for "drive civil" day.

]]> lindsay http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139363 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139363 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:22:55 -0800 Comment by juris Yeah, I'd go, but I'll be hung over from a night of riding like a fucking idiot while drunk with a ton of hooligans on our way to a vomit-encrusted french fry eating contest Screw being civil on a bike, or anywhere really. This blog has taught me that, if it's taught me anything. YOU ARE ALL TO BLAME.

]]> juris http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139373 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139373 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:28:28 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave this makes me think more highly of cyclists. gurldoggie, pentulant children don't get respect.

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139448 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139448 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:07:21 -0800 Comment by DOUG. At the first red light this group will be cut in half. At the second red light it will be cut into quarters, then eighths, and so on and so on, until there's two people riding on every block in downtown Seattle. Nice idea, but I'm not sure anyone will notice.

]]> DOUG. http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139457 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139457 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:12:21 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale I think that a lot of drivers -- including myself -- drive awarely, Gurldoggie. Civility is a higher state of awareness, in which one can stop and dwell on the nuances of things. I don't like to do that; I like to simply go and have others simply go as well. You know, safely. Me and bikes, ideally, are like ships passing in the night. Each to his or her own business, without the need to stop and slap backs over a successful shared occupation of space.

Drive Aware Day could catch on.

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139546 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139546 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:05:33 -0800 Comment by Mr. X @19,

Better still - how about jointly-sponsored "Ride Civil/Drive Aware Day"? That sounds like an genuine win-win to me!

Can we all sing "Kumbaya" now?

]]> Mr. X http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139610 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139610 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:24:51 -0800 Comment by Anon @18, actually what happened last time was the front half stopped in the middle of the block after losing the back half at the intersection. You know, just like critical mass's early days (the waiting for 2nd group img).

It's impossible to ride (or drive, I'm looking at you funeral processions) in a large group and stay in that large group without blocking traffic.

]]> Anon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139731 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139731 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:48:41 -0800 Comment by Vlad I (and others like me) OWN the road.
Here's the breakdown:
Kings/Queens of the hills & flats: PEDESTRIANS

Jacks: Cyclists

Others in the deck: car drivers

Aces: those who FOLLOW THE RULES (be you foot/wheel/auto-bound)

Car/bike/foot-- Green means GO, yellow means WATCH YER ASS, Red is HALT MF**cker (all of ya!)

Regardless of what mode of transportation/ level of utopia you're in/aiming for-- pay attention to those AROUND YOU!

Think of an intersection as a DMZ-- no one owns it, so pay respect...

(FYI: don't own a car, bike, motobike : I'm a footie...)

]]> Vlad http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139786 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139786 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:26:09 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle What fucking wusses.

Seriously, you need to grow a pair like pedestrians do in the U Dist and Fremont, where we rule the roads and cars live in fear of our might.

Get with the program!

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139810 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139810 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:53:38 -0800 Comment by Donolectic Will, the idea of anyone being afraid of you makes me laugh.

]]> Donolectic http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139834 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139834 City Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:35:50 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Aww, you're cute Dono.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139835 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1139835 City Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:39:52 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale Will, you're not a power walker as well, are you?

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1140040 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/ride_civil_tomorrow_sept_12#c1140040 City Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:07:45 -0800