Vid - 5 Days in Pemby with Alex Pro

Notice how the majority of the positive comments in this thread are by people with real names for interwebz handles?

What's that have to do with anything?

really? because

You see, I value someone with a solid opinion who isn't afraid to stand behind it 100%. When I come visit this site and read a person named clownmittens telling alex pro to fuck off, I can't help be spit beer out my nose in laughter. Your just another internet cowered who's too afraid to stand behind their own opinion.

Totally agree.

I haven't read this thread since page two and can't believe it's still going on.

Let it go people. The repercussions of Alex's actions will be experienced by him. And that's all that really matters.

Sure don't forget, but its not the end of the world. It was a good vid.

There is some book somewhere where in it says - Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone…

Because someday I might end up riding with one of you and i'm gonna introduce myself as Andrew and your gonna be like hey, your that guy from nsmb and i'm gonna say yeah, who are you? And your gonna be like i'm richard or whatever. We'll ride all day and have a blast then we'll part ways.

Sometime in the future I might figure out that "richard" also goes by the name clownmittens or whatever and i'm really gonna get pissed off cause I gave the you beer and shuttles all day long when really I should have been dusting you out lap after lap as you pushed your bike up the hill all day by yourself.

You see, I value someone with a solid opinion who isn't afraid to stand behind it 100%. When I come visit this site and read a person named clownmittens telling alex pro to fuck off, I can't help be spit beer out my nose in laughter. Your just another internet cowered who's too afraid to stand behind their own opinion.

So are you the Andrew Mcintosh from Kelowna(or West Jersey)? The (paid?) trail builder. If so then nice location to "hide" behind.

Seems to me that most of the people with their REAL names have something to gain in the MTB world by having their name out there. Especially the ones calling people out. The Air Apprentice, the MTB author etc. I have nothing to gain from having my name out there and I joined this site when even the Mods had e-handles.

So circle the wagons around your friend, or friends son, I'm fine with that. I'm sure the young man can use some support and it's always a good thing to get out and ride.

As a Pro MTB'er Alex is a product. As a consumer, I don't like what he represents or the image he projects to the his public, so I'm not buying what he's selling. He was supported as being a badass by other Pros for his involvement in a shameful riot and has taken no visible steps to rectify his actions, or take public resposibility for his actions. I realize that may be difficult to do with impending legal action coming his way, but if you have to stay in the shadows till the shit blows over, then stay in the shadows.

There is some book somewhere where in it says - Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone…

I'm pretty sure that same book has some interesting advice for women boldly speaking out in public too, so it really doesn't hold much weight in my house.

really? because

Totally agree.

I haven't read this thread since page two and can't believe it's still going on.

Let it go people. The repercussions of Alex's actions will be experienced by him. And that's all that really matters.

Sure don't forget, but its not the end of the world. It was a good vid.

There is some book somewhere where in it says - Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone…

You're quoting the bible as part of your argument?

You're new to the internet aren't you

Didn't know that the video was made pre riot, this may change my opinion a bit, however why choose to release it now?

I don't know if I will ever be able to hear the name "Alex Pro" without thinking about the night that a bunch of liqoured up hooligans decided to trash our awesome city. And I know he wasn't the only one there causing trouble, and he probably did get caught up in the "mob mentality", but like someone said earlier, let him build trails, ride his bike, whatever he wants to do, I just don't want to hear about it.

Sorry if that makes me sound bitter…

So are you the Andrew Mcintosh from Kelowna(or West Jersey)? The (paid?) trail builder. If so then nice location to "hide" behind.

I am Andrew Mcintosh from London Ontario. Moved to kelowna (west jersey….see south park season 14, episode 9. If you've been here, you'll get the joke.) Been here 6 years.

Paid??? Are you kidding me?
I build 3-4 days a week, over 2000 hours a year.
I own 2 chainsaws that personally set me back well over 2 grand.
I go through roughly 200lbs of nails a year
I probably burn close to 500L of premium a year.
It's an average of 30+ km's of driving to build every time I go out
I help clear the trails in Oliver and Merritt every year
I'm one of 4 people currently keeping the mtn bike club here in town afloat.

My 30 year old truck is currently on blocks while I rebuild the motor mounts and replace the fuel pump by myself.
The only reason I own a truck is cause I build. If I didn't build, i'd buy an all mtn bike and never drive again.
I haven't ridden a mtn bike since september cause my frame has 5 cracks in it, my forks wore out in 5 months, and I need new wheels.
I can't afford a new bike and for the most part i'm always broke (from failed school attempts) and i'd rather build trails full time then ride shitty trails that are falling apart.

This one time a german tourist gave me $70 and beer, his way of saying thanks even though he never rode any of my work. Thats $70 more then any bc resident has ever given me. I've never been paid to do what I love doing.

I can dream though.

Alex has paid a pretty serious price already, and it is far from over for him.

There are so many that have done as bad or worse and remain anonymous.

It's a sweet vid, plenty of sports stars that have fallen from grace only to recover and get back on track with what they do best. In Alex's case that is riding bikes, and now building trails. Many riders will enjoy his work in the years to come.

Alex is a good guy that made a couple bonehead moves, that's all.

You're quoting the bible as part of your argument?

You're new to the internet aren't you

I'm not bible fearing, but occasionally there some wisdom comes from those pages.

Or do you find that sentiment problematic?

I am Andrew Mcintosh from London Ontario. Moved to kelowna (west jersey….see south park season 14, episode 9. If you've been here, you'll get the joke.) Been here 6 years.

Paid??? Are you kidding me?
I build 3-4 days a week, over 2000 hours a year.
I own 2 chainsaws that personally set me back well over 2 grand.
I go through roughly 200lbs of nails a year
I probably burn close to 500L of premium a year.
It's an average of 30+ km's of driving to build every time I go out
I help clear the trails in Oliver and Merritt every year
I'm one of 4 people currently keeping the mtn bike club here in town afloat.

Ya I don't get the joke. My bad.

Paid? I truly mean it when I say you should be.

I stand by my "Use of real names as forum handles" point though.

Ya I don't get the joke. My bad.

Paid? I truly mean it when I say you should be.

I stand by my "Use of real names as forum handles" point though.

that's hilarious that you think people use their real names only for self promotion. I've often thought about switching mine to my real name, but mostly because it forces one to be more accountable for the things they say.

that's hilarious that you think people use their real names only for self promotion. I've often thought about switching mine to my real name, but mostly because it forces one to be more accountable for the things they say.

It's ok, I know you. You used to work at All American Burger.

that's hilarious that you think people use their real names only for self promotion.

i thought blunt's point about the real-name handles was a good one

Seems to me that most of the people with their REAL names have something to gain in the MTB world by having their name out there. Especially the ones calling people out. The Air Apprentice, the MTB author etc.

i also thought his point was made quite fairly and respectfully: he didn't use it to try to vilify the real-namers/tom's friends for having his back

So circle the wagons around your friend, or friends son, I'm fine with that. I'm sure the young man can use some support and it's always a good thing to get out and ride.

sebkemp, stephenmatthews, sharon - all industry folks who have something to gain from establishing and maintaining a public profile (welcome, btw, stephen, seb and paul - i think there are a lot of folks here who are pretty psyched that you're adding your voices to the conversations on this forum)

I've often thought about switching mine to my real name, but mostly because it forces one to be more accountable for the things they say.

we all know who you are flip, and i don't think its a stretch to say that your contributions to this site and mtb in whistler are appreciated by everyone on this forum :) my impression is that you also make a point of supporting whistler riders/builders/etc. in your posts all over the interweb - and at root i'm guessing that what stevens and stephenmatthews are doing here, too. loyalty is a commendable attribute, and i imagine the amount of time you guys spend pumping up each others' tires both contributes to and is a product of how tight the riding community in whistler is

but there's a not-so-fine line between defending your friend and taking the piss about a pretty crappy thing that happened to our home:

Listen vancouver, the only people that are tarnishing your image are the people that won't let the riots go. I think I speak for the rest of the world when I say that nobody gives a shit, we forgot about it a long time ago.

I agree with you 100% that "the only people that are tarnishing (your) image are the people that won't let the riots go"

that's obnoxious. if someone(s) came up and trashed your home, the degree of whistlerhomerism you are displaying suggests you'd be pretty upset. but regardless, people who live in vancouver were really upset by the riot, and they're not happy about being reminded about it or someone who took part and hasn't even attempted to make symbolic reparations to the city he helped to tarnish. whether you appreciate them or not, those are real emotions and making light of them is disrespectful

I'm pretty sure that same book has some interesting advice for women boldly speaking out in public too, so it really doesn't hold much weight in my house.

quoted for awesomeness. blunt, that might just be my favorite post of the year

boom, seriously, I thinkyou've made a number of incorrect assumptions and leaps of logic about people's motivations and intentions. and you want to talk about obnoxious people trashing your town? I can't even really bring myself to enter whistler village on most weekends thanks to people who come from Vancouver and trash our town ALL THE TIME. Thugs, intimidators, people smashing our bus shelter windows, and mailboxes around the village and town. Puke everywhere, fights. We get it, and no one has said Alex doesn't deserve the repercussions of his actions.

One thing that isn't acknowledged in this discussion is the Fundamental Attribution Error. I touched on this in my article earlier.

This is a sort of tangential application of this concept but I think it applies here.

In social psychology, the fundamental attribution error (also known as correspondence bias or attribution effect) describes the tendency to over-value dispositional or personality-based explanations for the observed behaviors of others while under-valuing situational explanations for those behaviors. The fundamental attribution error is most visible when people explain the behavior of others. It does not explain interpretations of one's own behavior—where situational factors are often taken into consideration. This discrepancy is called the actor–observer bias.

This is as simple as what we all do when we are driving. Someone who cuts is off is an asshole. When we are in a hurry and are perhaps less courteous on the road we use our circumstances to explain our behaviour (the Actor Observer Bias). We aren't bad people, we are simply dealing with an unusual situation in a logical manner (while everyone else thinks we are assholes).

This theory has been upheld in study after study. It's something we all do all the time.

I think it can be applied here, although there is likely a different term for it when it is used on someone other than ourselves.

In this case it seems that virtually everyone who knows Alex Pro well (I do not btw although I have met him briefly) can empathize with him. Everyone who I have heard speak of Alex, before or after the event has been extremely complimentary. He is known to be friendly, generous and generally a very solid person. You certainly don't hear this sort of thing about all pro riders either.

In light of this those who know Alex can't reconcile his behaviour in the riots with the person they know. To them this is clearly not something he would not normally do. As a result they can more easily see how the situation influenced him to act in a way he wouldn't normally. The effect a riot/mob can have on individuals is well documented and was even referenced by Shakespeare. A quick web search will reveal that this effect is powerful, rooted in our dna and well-documented. Add alcohol and all best are off. (which some of you may know makes us act in ways that we wouldn't normally - although I am not saying this takes away our personal responsibility for our actions)

If you are going to reply to this by saying this is crap and that I am an asshole - you be helping prove my theory by blaming my behaviour on my character rather than the situation before us. Of course if you know me and you say this is crap I may indeed be an asshole.

Again, I'm not condoning or trying to suggest that no amends should be made by anyone who lost themselves to these factors - but without recognizing these factors as a community we are sure to see them re-occur.

Another factor is how our behaviour changes when we think we are unidentifiable - like many are on the web! ;)

boom, seriously, I think you've made a number of incorrect assumptions and leaps of logic about people's motivations and intentions. and you want to talk about obnoxious people trashing your town?

i'm happy to have those faulty assumptions pointed out to me flip - but us disagreeing about something does not require me to be incorrect ;)

but i do agree with you that the behaviour of a lot of tourists (and temporary workers, ime) visiting whistler from the world over is pretty shameful, and a big reason i NEVER go to the village during the winter; its an f'n circus

and if we agree on that, i have an even harder time understanding how you have made such callous comments about people's responses to the riot. i'm not a canucks fan and despite having grown up and living here, i'm honestly not that big of a vancouver fan; but this is my home, and that shit hurt(s)