BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Has anyone seen this? Here's an AP story from January, about a coordinated effort by AAA last year to encourage driving.

--

AAA Declares Last Year's Protest by Drivers a Success

Washington DC (AP) - The American Automobile Association announced that last year's coordinated protest against cyclists and pedestrians was a smashing success. During 2009, drivers engaged in a "Critical Mass" event for cars, making their presence known on virtually every public road in the United States. They formed long queues during critical peak travel hours on major urban highways, delaying commuters and commercial vehicles. They defiantly took up the entire width of right, center, and left lanes, leaving no room for others who might try to use these "cars first" areas. They drove across crosswalks, many containing pedestrians, without stopping or yielding. They turned right on red and often went straight on red, drove on highway shoulders and in bike lanes, backed into front-in-only parking spots, and otherwise engaged in acts of civil disobedience. In a choreographed protest, 70% of drivers drove at 10 to 15 mph over the posted speed limit to highlight their strength and power. Drivers expressed their anger at cyclists by honking, yelling, and gesturing at them whenever they encountered them on public roads, especially those wearing objectionable lycra.

In a prepared statement, AAA declared the protest very successful, saying "We'll try it again next year. We see no reason why this can't be an annual, January to December event."