What's going on, Albuquerque?

Morning Fix: Woof...Woof...Woof

    •   Lobo men’s soccer ranked #2 in the nation after winning a pair of exhibition games in California.

   •   NMSU Aggie football ranked #111 out of 124 college teams in national poll. Unbelievably, Lobo gridders ranked even lower: #120! Lobo Strength of Schedule doesn't look too good either.

   •    More bad news for Lobo football fans: Coach mentions quarterbacks and “tremendous sense of urgency” in same paragraph. Team advertises for walk-ons.

   •   APS Board Member Paula Maez blames Facebook and Twitter for change in school naming policy.

   •   Funnel cloud spotted over East Mountains. Not called a “tornado” because no evidence it touched the ground.

   •    It may be called the Thunderbird Bar, but it will never replace the fabulous Thunderbar Bird.

   •    Here’s one more reason to hate bicyclists: pedaling purse-snatchers said to plague plaza in Old Town.

2 members like this

Comment by tomas on August 20, 2012 at 7:17am: "One more reason to hate bicyclists"?

WOW Johnny - that is really helpful to the local cycling community, who must already deal with motorists who can maim and kill them at will with their automobiles and not fear any real punishment.

Comment by Adelita on August 20, 2012 at 7:49am: I'm pretty sure Johnny meant that in jest tomas. Johnny is an avid cyclist.

Comment by tomas on August 20, 2012 at 8:18am: Adelita - that is probably so. I just found the use of those words more grating than sarcastic.

Comment by mombat on August 20, 2012 at 8:39am: Would quotes have helped? I always want the large, red sarcasm idicator button fully lit in situations like this.

Comment by RunLikeADog on August 20, 2012 at 9:40am: I spend a fair amount of time on a bicycle, at least 60 miles a week or so on city streets. I fail to see where this "they hate us and will kill us any chance they get" paranoia that many cyclist have comes from. Do I get cut off a nearly run over? Yes. But that also happens when I'm on foot, or in my car, or on my motorcycle. Get over it. We as cyclist are not some special population that needs to be coddled. Just get out there and ride. If $hit is going to happen, it's going to happen. Ride and enjoy.

Comment by tomas on August 20, 2012 at 3:06pm: RLD - perhaps a small reality check would be in order.

http://ghostbikes.org/ghostbikes/Albuquerque

Please do not put words in other people's mouth (post). "Kill us any chance they get" is not even close....

Comment by once banned twice shy on August 20, 2012 at 3:34pm: <i>We as cyclist are not some special population that needs to be coddled. Just get out there and ride.</i>

The deal is this: cyclist, pedestrians and motorcylists all suffer a great deal more in a mash-up with a car than someone in a car will. So, yeah, we maybe do need a bit more "coddling." Because we are vulnerable road users.

The person behind the wheel of a 2,000 pound metal box that can go up to 130 mph should be expected to shoulder a *bit* more responsibility than, say, the person on foot, or on a spindly steel frame atop two wheels. The problem is that people don't realize their cars can kill and therefore drive while yammering or texting on the phone, eating, putting on makeup, reading, etc., etc., etc. So maybe if one of those people runs over a pedestrian, motorcyclist or cyclist and kills or maims them gets more than a ticket (if they even get that), people would start paying a bit more attention while driving their death machines.

Also, I am guessing that you wouldn't be saying "$hit is going to happen, it's going to happen" after you've been run over by some yahoo texting while behind the wheel. My guess is you'll be plenty angry--and even more angry when you realize that person won't get cited for running you over.

Comment by once banned twice shy on August 20, 2012 at 3:35pm: Damn it. Forgot tags don't work here.

Comment by Phil_0 on August 20, 2012 at 4:26pm: The fact is that a startling percentage of ABQ drivers (and cyclists for that matter) don't know the rules governing bicycles and aren't looking for them when they're on the street. The percentage of those uninformed drivers who are actually hostile to bikes is certainly pretty small, but as OBTS points out, bike/car accidents have a way of going much worse for the cyclist regardless of any intent on the driver's part.