Staff Blog
Gigantic Surprises: Joey Vento has it in for cyclists?
Chris over at ihavethe.info alerts us to this thread on Bike Forums which claims Geno's steaks patriarch Joey Vento is taking out ads condemning scofflaw cyclists:
First: Can anyone confirm hearing this ad?
Second: As a commenter posts down-thread, having cyclists obey the law ain't a bad thing.
Third: It all reminds me of this post, The Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist. How many of the people who gripe about cyclists bending the law are the kind of drivers who themselves:
Run stop signs
Double park and park in the bike lane
Ignore toll booths
Drive drunk and distracted, this being a mere drop in the bucket.
Fourth: As another commenter posts further down, " If Philly is anything like Noo Yawk, I suggest you set up a similar petition to stop drivers from parking in bike lanes, and to obey all traffic controls."
Who wants to start the petition?
All cyclists should learn to order in Italian (which I assume is Vento’s ‘native tongue’) and descend Geno’s.
Of course I meant descend upon Geno’s.
I don’t speed, I don’t run reds or stop signs, but I NEVER see a cyclist that even attempts a stop. I have been a motorcyclist and a vespa rider all my life, and I can tell you that the indifference shown by most cyclists in CC has made it more dangerous for everyone in Philly. The roads were built and paid for by motorists. We have laws we follow at the risk of points, fines and suspension of driving privileges. I drive a manual transmission, it would be easier for me not to gear down to a stop too…If you as a cyclist decide to run a signal, and I get rear ended because I have to slam on my brakes to keep from killing you, it is YOUR fault, and you should be punished the same as a driver of a motor vehicle.
Sorry but this is exactly the thing i wrote about in a CP Slant rant in May 2008: bicyclists driving om the sidewalk - whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhy?! - running lights. WHy should this be allowed?
A.D.
[...] good money for radio spots and he’s starting a petition to rid Philly’s streets of scofflaw cyclists. Mm hmm. Biiig problem that must be dealt with ASAP. Forget about the city’s problem schools, [...]
There is a video on u-tube called “Unsafe Cyclist in Montgomery County Maryland†it shows that bicyclist violating the law. The bicyclist act as thought they are above the law. We need to work together to stop this Scofflaw Cyclist. Call the police, your local Council person and demand that bikes follow the same laws as cars an request the ticketing and impoundment of bikes the same way they do cars…
As a cyclist I’ll start following the laws like I’m an automobile and it’ll get me killed when I get hit by a car.
I’ll stop at all stoplights; both feet on the ground and wait for the green light. I wonder how many cars will be honking for me to get out of the way despite how I am following the law. At stop signs I’ll full stop and never move again because cars, who never come to a full stop, will be forever running through the stop sign. Even if they do let me through they’ll be impatient with my progress through the intersection.
Drivers and pedestrians should worry about themselves following the laws and trust that bicyclists, whom they’ve never been, know what is best for all involved, as they are the most vulnerable.