I Will NOT Be Biking to Work

[KulshanGirl]

Also,

I don't see any reason to call these individuals out as too lazy to deal because they won't bike.

Of course you don't, or you would have said it.  But I do see a reason, so I said it. 

[msilenus]

Bakari, here is the virtually quote.  You are right it is not "all circumstances", it is "everyone's workplace". 

I read this as virtually everyone can ride to work.  This is not true imo.

He might be exaggerating again...

[sol]

He might be exaggerating again...

I do that sometimes.  It's like a thing.  That I do sometimes.

Bakari is trying to be reasonable because he's invested.  He genuinely likes people, and wants everyone to be happy.  He's thoughtful and reasonable and considerate.

Me, I'm less warm and fuzzy.  I think that most people are lazy, whether or not they ride a bike.  I also think that most people who whine about how they can't possibly bike because it is just too hard for them haven't taken the time to apply themselves.  They're extra lazy for an additional reason. 

I know a guy who bikes nearly every day who only has one leg.  I know another who rides a recumbent trike because she has balance issues.  I know a family that takes their kids to and from school by bike, up steep hills, even though they own a car.

If you have to transport a family, can't balance a bike, and only have one leg, then I will listen to you bitch about how biking is too hard for you. 

Everyone else can bike or not bike as they see fit, but please don't come to a bike-centric forum and start spouting off about how much you hate biking.  You might as well have posted "Saving money is for chumps, I'm in debt up to my eyeballs and loving every minute of it!"  Not the place for it, is it?

What kind of reaction did you really expect to get in a place like this?  I'm just shocked the rest of these folks were so polite and reasonable as to let the OP get away with that kind of shit stirring.  Am the only one who enjoys feeding the trolls, is that it?

[Bakari]

but note, even here he uses the word "most"

;)

[msilenus]

You're probably figuring this out already, but exaggerating is a poor rhetorical strategy.  At the core, it's trying to convince someone of a professed truth by telling them a lie.  It's a lie that might seems happy to you, and to people who'd side with you anyway, but everyone else who sees it for what it is will tend to distrust your arguments more for it.  That can be particularly bad when a lot of those arguments are based on assertions that cannot be independently verified.  Those are only backed by credibility.

I'm telling you this straight because you're not a warm and fuzzy person, and probably wouldn't want me to sugar coat it for you.

[totoro]

You're probably figuring this out already, but exaggerating is a poor rhetorical strategy.  At the core, it's trying to convince someone of a professed truth by telling them a lie.  It's a lie that might seems happy to you, and to people who'd side with you anyway, but everyone else who sees it for what it is will tend to distrust your arguments more for it.  That can be particularly bad when a lot of those arguments are based on assertions that cannot be independently verified.  Those are only backed by credibility.

I'm telling you this straight because you're not a warm and fuzzy person, and probably wouldn't want me to sugar coat it for you.

What s/he said.

[hybrid]

Everyone else can bike or not bike as they see fit, but please don't come to a bike-centric forum and start spouting off about how much you hate biking.  You might as well have posted "Saving money is for chumps, I'm in debt up to my eyeballs and loving every minute of it!"  Not the place for it, is it?

What kind of reaction did you really expect to get in a place like this?  I'm just shocked the rest of these folks were so polite and reasonable as to let the OP get away with that kind of shit stirring.  Am the only one who enjoys feeding the trolls, is that it?

I have to admit that was my thought as well when I first read this thread.  But I am not shocked folks were polite and reasonable, that's something I have always appreciated about these threads (as opposed to the Washington Post comments section where too often people are genuinely dickish no matter how well they present a point, in no small part because it is so impersonal).  Polite and reasonable seems to be the best way to make a point here.  Blunt has it's place, but even then a blunt point can be delivered diplomatically. 

Bakari and I have had a spirited (but not heated) exchange in this thread, and it made me think, and I hope the converse applied with him.  that is sort of the point, isn't it?

Five pages in though, it seems pretty obvious that it did stir up a good discussion.  Otherwise, people would have dropped it and moved on.

[Bakari]

Bakari and I have had a spirited (but not heated) exchange in this thread, and it made me think, and I hope the converse applied with him.  that is sort of the point, isn't it?

I thought about it more just this afternoon!