Out there on the road...

This should have been a high quality post, but I just spent way too much time reading through the 300 something comments on the Charlotte Observer online article about a hit and run on a cyclist yesterday morning. It always goes down like this when someone on a bike gets hit by a car. The comments so far have covered the usual gambit; "ride on sidewalks, exercise in a gym, stay off the roads" rednecks versus the "we have rights too, bikes are for transportation, can't we all just get along" hippies.

photo cred: Charlotte Observer

Also thrown in for good measure, there have been racial slurs, personal attacks, hatred for fat people, anti-weed anger, taxes, generous interpretations of the law, breakfast for a four year-old, and references to Romney, Obama, Lance, and Jeff Gordon. I love Charlotte.

photo cred: WSOC

The amount of hate in the Observer discussions gets so intense it rivals some of the comments over on Bike Rumor.

photo cred: WSOC

I really hope I never get hit by a car (in a manner that gets the local media involved). Some would think this kind of news would bring some awareness to an ignorant society, but it just brings the vile hate from the haters who just need another reason to buzz the next cyclist they see or "flick a cigarette at them."

I ain't going out like that.



Perhaps this could be my statement to the media and to those that take the time to share their informed points of view.

"My name is Rich Dillen. If you are reading this, I must have been hit by a car and either am in critical condition or dead. I am a father, a husband, an all paid up taxpayer with no criminal record... or at least I was. Remember, I might be dead. I'm sure whatever happened was an accident, someone not paying attention at the right moment or perhaps not using their best judgment. Oh well, sucks for me. I was probably traveling to or from work or just doing my job at the time. I'm a bike messenger... or maybe I was. I keep forgetting I might be dead. There's a slight chance I might have been exercising my "right to the road" and my body at the same time. Either way, I'm sorry for whatever part I played in this unfortunate incident, right up to, but not including me just being outside enjoying my existence on this planet in a healthy manner with no intention to do harm to anyone nor impede their progress in pursuit of their own.

There's also a chance that someone was just trying to send me a message with a fly-by or a gently tossed bag of garbage. In that case, message received and mine own one sent."



For me this is not a Car VS Bike, Redneck VS Hippie, or Bible Thumper Tight-ass VS Anarchy Embracing Hipster thing. It's about common fucking courtesy, sharing the fucking planet, getting the fuck along, seeing someone else's point of fucking view...

The internet.

I would love to see this e-commenting community get together face to face and discuss their point of view with each other.

And then hug or something.

ORAMM this Sunday, tales of unavoidable glory on Monday.

On a very serious note, if there is COLD beer available at Aid Station's 2 and/or 3, I would be thankful to those individuals that saw to it that I was properly hydrated. I might even hug them, even if they hate cyclists.

Especially if they hate cyclists.