George, YOU are the one that should apologize to the GCC. Apparently you have no idea about the critical mass rides, well, at least not with the critical mass rides that I have been on. We ride in double paceline just any normal GCC rides and follow all traffic laws. Yes, other than myself, who has been a member of the GCC for 20 yrs and counting, there are many other members participate in the critical mass rides. Please refrain yourself from making offensive remarks to the majority in the future. Thanks. Huan <blockquote style="border-left: #5555EE solid 0.2em; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0.85em">From: "Tom Wells" <tbwells@xxxxxxxxx> To: GCCMail@xxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: GCCMail: Critical Mass Rides Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2006 22:09:51 -0400 I wholeheartedly agree with Gary Wheeler and take both umbrage and exception to the comments here of George Edwards. I apologize to myself and to all the participants of Critical Mass, with whom I have often ridden, for not having taken open exception to earlier comments in like vein. It is incredible and reprehensible that Mr. Edwards holds that the expression of one's opinion in the forum of GCC e-mail "would expose our Board of Directors and Officers to actions for negligence". [Let's review that as a paradigm for specious reasoning: Mr. Edwards declares an activity illegal. To then espouse a contrary view is - well - illegal. The forum in which that dissent has been manifest is thereby illegal (guilt by association - which is the whole of the argument anyway), and hence endangered. The police shall descend, arrest the editors, destroy the presses, and burn the books. OK Wait! That is valid reasoning, valid fascist reasoning. That is the linchpin of fascism.] Whereas Mr. Edwards is free to calumn and vilify that of which he evidently knows nought. I have neither energy nor inclination to argue the merits of a cause with one whose fixed ideas have been so virulently expressed. I fall back on, both as refuge and in defense of, that which undefended shall surely vanish: our civil liberties. Getting together with friends to ride bikes, motorcycles, or cars is not currently illegal. I have been known to drive a car over the speed limit. I have been known to ride a bike at less than the speed limit. Apparently the later activity, or even tolerance of that activity, is a crime. With Restraint, Tom Wells On 9/2/06, George Edwards <gedwards@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: <blockquote style="border-left: #5555EE solid 0.2em; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0.85em">Dear Friends: We received an email today from Gary Wheeler extolling the virtues of Critical Mass Rides. Gary is wrong on all counts. Dead wrong. Dangerously wrong. Critical mass rides are not expressions of the rights of cyclists: Critical mass rides violate the law, insult the public, and harm all cyclists by angering people against us. The spoiled children who take part in them should be arrested and heavily fined, in my opinion. They are people who have nothing important to do in their lives except project their hostility onto the public roads. These immature scoff-laws are not advocating for cyclists rights, as they claim. They never have been, and never will. They are, instead, acting to negate the hard work done by many real cycling advocates over many years to ensure that we all do have the right to "Share the Road". Mike Wohl is quite correct that critical mass riders and all other cyclists who deliberately and unnecessarily block motorists anger the other road users, needlessly risk their own safety, and place other cyclists in harms way. Let me make this clear: Critical mass rides are against the law. Period. Advocating them in this forum is seriously irresponsible. Gary's email has harmed the Gainesville Cycling Club. Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as motor vehicles. Yes, responsibilities, which include obeying the Florida Statutes as they apply to all vehicles. Critical mass rides are against the law. To publish such a message on our webmail might be interpreted by law enforcement officials and others to suggest the Gainesville Cycling Club condones breaking the law. Such a position would be in contradiction to our Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, and would expose our Board of Directors and Officers to actions for negligence. No, critical mass rides can in no way be compared to the civil rights movement. They are, instead, more like the tantrums thrown by ill-behaved children who insist on having their own way. Gary should retract his statements and apologize to the GCC. Sincerely, George Edwards President (Retired) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from GCCMail, please go to http://gccfla.org/. Point to Members Area, and click on GCCMail. Use the form on the page. </blockquote> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from GCCMail, please go to http://gccfla.org/. Point to Members Area, and click on GCCMail. Use the form on the page. </blockquote> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from GCCMail, please go to http://gccfla.org/. Point to Members Area, and click on GCCMail. Use the form on the page.
