Re: Rights vs. Responsibility

(this is tough; if this is for real and not just trolling, there are so 
many things wrong with this line of thinking that i haven't been able to 
figure out where to start, or if i should bother.)

     i'll skip a bunch and start with reviewing the fundamental; i'm 
responsible for the safe and legal operation of any vehicle i operate on 
public roads.
     if i'm unable to operate that vehicle in such a manner as to adhere 
to the law, i don't belong there. (*that's* my idea of Common Sense, 
which unfortunately seems to be so uncommon that we needed to make it Law.)

others have made some of the points i'd raise, and i'll skip a whole 
buncha' of issues, but just add one more perspective i haven't seen come 
up yet:
     to extrapolate the viewpoint presented here, we would be talking 
about Might making Right-o'-Way... a situation where everything has to 
stay out of the way of everything larger than it for the convenience of 
a larger vehicle that doesn't have to be in full control. (i've hard 
that laughingly referred to as the Alaskan Rules of the Road, but 
surely, that can't be what's being proposed...)

<rant>
     what is it about car keys that can cause some people to forget the 
basic principles of sharing that most of us had mastered in Second Grade?
</rant>


cheers!
e

On 06/Feb/11 12:19, John Strong wrote:
>     Okay, I am all for bicyclist's right to the roads and am an avid cyclist myself, but there is a point where we all need to balance common sense with that right. With recent weather conditions I feel it is a matter of common sense to not ride when you have to ride down the tire ruts to get anywhere. There are times when we would be better off and much safer to ask a friend for a ride or travel in our own car until the conditions improve. I mean, what are we trying to prove by riding in unsafe conditions anyhow? I know that there are some out there that only have a bike for their sole form of transportation, but if you are riding unnecessarily in terrible weather, then I feel you are not only putting yourself in danger, but also endangering auto drivers, truck drivers, bus drivers and 
 any others that have to quickly slow down or swerve to avoid hitting a "crazy biker" that is riding in a snowstorm or blowing rain just to prove a point. With rights come
>   responsibility and lets all use some common sense. We lose enough bicyclists without doing stupid things to aggravate things. What do you all think???
>
>
>
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