Earlier this week, I had an “encounter” with someone who used a string of colourful language to show his displeasure about the fact I was temporarily riding my bike on the sidewalk rather than on a busy street. The fact I had young children riding with me didn’t strike him as a reasonable excuse.
After a brief back and forth discussion, the other party took out his camera, snapped my photo, and declared he was going to post it on his Web site.
While the disagreement was uncomfortable, the photo-taking was unsettling because it seemed to take the argument to another level. It’s one thing to have a verbal disagreement, it’s another to distribute it globally.
Another interesting angle was how this incident came on the heels of the riots in Vancouver in which social media was used to put the spotlight on people who had caused damage, acted in an uncivil way, or looted from stores.
While many of these people simply did something stupid on the spur of the moment, they’re paying the price because social media was able to catch them red-handed in the act. With social media, it’s increasingly difficult to go unnoticed. At the same time, social media distributes any indiscretions to a global audience with no way to reign them back in.
It’s an entirely new world. While I saw it as a good thing that people in Vancouver were thrust into the spotlight for their mistakes, it was quite another thing to have the spotlight turned on me.
Great story Mark. I agree with you on the value of the Vancouver rioters being exposed. The problem in the bicycle case seems to be that the photo alone tells only part of the story and does not establish that any wrong was committed. It’s not like you were jumping through a smashed window with stolen goods in your hands. Yet the person who took the photo is free to add whatever commentary/spin they wish and post it, leaving you little recourse.
I sure don’t know what the answer is. But I sympathize with the plight of cyclists who sometimes have to incur the wrath of pedestrians or risk death or injury on the street. Bring on the bicycle paths!
Good point. The upside is the photo shows two bicyclists waiting for the light to turn as opposed to us madly weaving through pedestrians.
Mark
Suggest you consider alternate routing in the future. The law makes riding bikes on the sidewalks illegal, not subject to your interpretation. If things get to busy for bikes on the street, you have two options: a) walk your bikes on the sidewalk or look for another route.
Bill,
In hindsight, walking my bike is the way to go, as well as being legal. cheers, Mark