Racing is such a small subset of sailing, I mean absolutely tiny, compared to recreational or cruising. I've sailed for many years, owned and refit many boats, and I've never once raced. I can count on one hand the number of times someone I've sailed with has raced, so this analogy really doesn't hold any water especially when you start talking about it tainting the legitimacy of the broader sport, which is total hogwash considering nearly every keelboat that exists has some form of motor even racing boats. Sure, some sailors like to act smug about how little they use a motor, but the reality is for most people if they plan on getting somewhere, they have to use the motor at some point and some have to just by the nature/design of their boats.
These subject matters are completely different and not analogous at all for a lot of different reasons. You can keep trying to draw comparisons, but even in doing so, you just show you are more intent on burying your head further into the sand and raising shorted points on subjects you don't understand. It's even more ironic when you consider your formula for deciding if a cycle is a motorcycle is: "x + motor = motorcycle", using that simplistic logic applies to sailboats would have every sailboat defined as a motorboat. You can start talking about maritime laws and right of way rules, but the nature of the boat doesn't change when the motor turns on, a sailboat is still a sailboat.
As for eBikes and motocross bikes...have you ever actually seen an eBike? Seriously, I'm asking, because sit one next to a moto bike and you'll see why this analogy is just asinine. They are smaller, quieter, lack a throttle, are speed limited, don't smell, don't use gas, require pedal input, and have a significantly smaller tread, among numerous other differences. For someone so fixated on this as a definition like it's some sortof 'gotcha' or means something (spoiler: it doesn't, it is a word and doesn't encompass any of the legitimate concerns around eBikes), you seem to not know much about either of them.
There are legitimate concerns and criticisms around eBike use, I'm not denying that, but the comparisons you are drawing, the issues you raise, and the way you are trying to argue this just shows you are more pissed about having to share trails than you are legitimate issues.
As for other sports, no, it doesn't impact me in the least bit if people using aids to help them participate. If some 70 year old has a motor attached to a kayak so they can kayak, who the hell cares? Does it impact you in the least bit? If a tennis player needs orthopedic support to participate, again, I do not care. You could walk down the line, don't care. The same applies to basically everything. The difference between you and me is, I can appreciate that some people require these things and as I get older, I'm finding that there will likely be a day I fall into that category. It doesn't diminish my experience in the slightest. You, on the other hand, seem more intent on concerning yourself with what other people do despite the fact it impacts you in no way shape or form. You'd do well in Congress I guess.
Sept. 13, 2023, 6:55 a.m. - Shinook
Racing is such a small subset of sailing, I mean absolutely tiny, compared to recreational or cruising. I've sailed for many years, owned and refit many boats, and I've never once raced. I can count on one hand the number of times someone I've sailed with has raced, so this analogy really doesn't hold any water especially when you start talking about it tainting the legitimacy of the broader sport, which is total hogwash considering nearly every keelboat that exists has some form of motor even racing boats. Sure, some sailors like to act smug about how little they use a motor, but the reality is for most people if they plan on getting somewhere, they have to use the motor at some point and some have to just by the nature/design of their boats. These subject matters are completely different and not analogous at all for a lot of different reasons. You can keep trying to draw comparisons, but even in doing so, you just show you are more intent on burying your head further into the sand and raising shorted points on subjects you don't understand. It's even more ironic when you consider your formula for deciding if a cycle is a motorcycle is: "x + motor = motorcycle", using that simplistic logic applies to sailboats would have every sailboat defined as a motorboat. You can start talking about maritime laws and right of way rules, but the nature of the boat doesn't change when the motor turns on, a sailboat is still a sailboat. As for eBikes and motocross bikes...have you ever actually seen an eBike? Seriously, I'm asking, because sit one next to a moto bike and you'll see why this analogy is just asinine. They are smaller, quieter, lack a throttle, are speed limited, don't smell, don't use gas, require pedal input, and have a significantly smaller tread, among numerous other differences. For someone so fixated on this as a definition like it's some sortof 'gotcha' or means something (spoiler: it doesn't, it is a word and doesn't encompass any of the legitimate concerns around eBikes), you seem to not know much about either of them. There are legitimate concerns and criticisms around eBike use, I'm not denying that, but the comparisons you are drawing, the issues you raise, and the way you are trying to argue this just shows you are more pissed about having to share trails than you are legitimate issues. As for other sports, no, it doesn't impact me in the least bit if people using aids to help them participate. If some 70 year old has a motor attached to a kayak so they can kayak, who the hell cares? Does it impact you in the least bit? If a tennis player needs orthopedic support to participate, again, I do not care. You could walk down the line, don't care. The same applies to basically everything. The difference between you and me is, I can appreciate that some people require these things and as I get older, I'm finding that there will likely be a day I fall into that category. It doesn't diminish my experience in the slightest. You, on the other hand, seem more intent on concerning yourself with what other people do despite the fact it impacts you in no way shape or form. You'd do well in Congress I guess.