Listen, I understand the irritation that arises in the interactions between cyclists and cars. We (cyclists) have to obey the same rules as cars. We have a few others thrown in for good measure in many places -- things like, "If you're on a 2 lane road with no shoulder, you may use the whole lane or, if there is a shoulder get over there instead". That kind of locally legislated crap. Fun fact: once you have your license to drive, there is nothing to make you go back and educate yourself on the rules that cyclists have to follow in order to use the road as well. In addition, there's nothing requiring drivers to educate themselves as to the meaning of road markings. Ever seen or looked up what a sharrow means in your region? It may not be the same as for me so you can't take it for granted that if you come to my city, bikes will use it the way you expect.
To make matters worse, confirmation bias. You see the asshole cyclists because they are the ones who rush to the intersection, track stand for a second at the red light and then take off while you are stuck waiting for the light to change when there's no cross-traffic. Of course this pisses you off. They're also the ones you see blowing stop signs like they're not there. I hate it when I go through a roundabout the correct direction and nearly get clocked by a car who is turning the wrong way because it's easier than going full circle to make that turn as much as you hate nearly creaming a cyclist who ignores traffic control. That doesn't make us all bad people on either side and we need to remember that a majority of road users we don't remember because they're not the ones who gave us an adrenaline rush or caused our lives to flash before our eyes on the way to work.
As for the chips on the shoulder, I attribute it to us feeling vulnerable, fragile, and scared in the face of your 1 ton car, that 18 wheeler and the delivery van with no back windows. Y'all are terrifying but but them's the roads I have to use, bud.
Lead me, Herdmaster!
[rolls over onto his back]
I see what you're trying to accomplish here but I think you fail to understand that by picking such an inflammatory comparison, you're likely to lose your audience and leave your attempted point lost in the negative response and bad connotations.
(I find it important to state at this point that I am not addressing whether I agree with the point or the approach)
That being the case, I would have to call this whole approach flamebait, whether or not you are doing it intentionally.
Space Travel, though it made a very attractive game, served mainly as an introduction to the clumsy technology of preparing programs for the PDP-7. Soon Thompson began implementing the paper file system (perhaps `chalk file system' would be more accurate) that had been designed earlier. A file system without a way to exercise it is a sterile proposition, so he proceeded to flesh it out with the other requirements for a working operating system, in particular the notion of processes. Then came a small set of user-level utilities: the means to copy, print, delete, and edit files, and of course a simple command interpreter (shell). Up to this time all the programs were written using GECOS and files were transferred to the PDP-7 on paper tape; but once an assembler was completed the system was able to support itself. Although it was not until well into 1970 that Brian Kernighan suggested the name `Unix,' in a somewhat treacherous pun on `Multics,' the operating system we know today was born.
...
begins crying because you are so...damn...right
I have to agree with arth1. I had a very similar experience with the ball-playing, PE type activities. I wish I could have those hours back to work on the 2 things I love: Bicycling and System Administration/Amateur Programming.
In response to your question about fitness levels, there are loads of physical activities that don't require one to submit to the hierarchy of the Jock-enabled elite and get your ass pounded by bullies. Even after having destroyed my right knee, I still came back to bicycling because it provides much needed exercise, convenient transportation, a decompression break between my work and home lives and, finally, a physical activity I can perform while thinking. Overall, for being in my mid 30's and a domestic and generally sedentary person, I'm in damn good shape.
I program, therefore I am.