In response to the new bike lanes in front of the White House, AM talk radio loudmouth Tony Kornheiser went on a rant against cyclists, encouraging people to “run them down.” This went largely unnoticed (AM talk radio is pretty marginal anyway), but it made its way to Lance Armstrong and Bob Roll — who took offense, and have spoken out.
Now it’s all over the media. Bob Roll’s video rebuttal is above, and USA Today’s article “Lance Armstrong Thinks Tony Kornheiser is an Idiot,” reported Lance Armstrong’s Twitter postings:
Listening to Tony Kornheiser’s comments/rant on ESPN radio re: cyclists. Disgusting, ignorant, foolish. What a complete f-ing idiot.
Tony Kornheiser on cyclists on the road, “run ’em down”. Really? Big mistake, Tony.
Have a listen. http://ow.ly/1nByQ. Listen to the March 11, part 1 segment and go to 30 mins in. #whatapunkasschump
(Washcycle did a nice transcript of the Kornheiser segment.)
Armstrong then encouraged us to write to ESPN 980 management:
Not happy about Kornheiser’s comments? Let them know @ESPNRadio980, @ptishow, and here http://www.espn980.com/info/contact_us.php
I hope everyone will. If anyone has good contact info for ESPN at the corporate level, please share it, so we can write to them too.
Later, Armstrong posted:
…just off the phone w/ Tony Kornheiser who’s very sorry 4 his comments re: cyclists. Going on the show 2morrow 2 discuss this w/ him.
To me this is all about a relationship. It’s bikes and cars. Both will be here forever. Awareness needs to exist as well as mutual respect.
Indeed. As Bob Roll pointed out, that cyclist “in your way” is someone’s dad, mom, son, daughter, or grandparent. To even think about harming or trying to intimidate them, because you’re feeling impatient or inconvenienced, is simply unacceptable.
Dr. Christopher Thompson found this out the hard way, and will spend the next five years in prison, for doing what Tony Kornheiser has advocated.
Update: Has Tony repented? Listen to Lance Armstrong on The Tony Kornheiser Show (MP3), March 19, 2010.
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Does this fool know that there is an ER doc doing a 5 year sentence in jail in California for hitting cyclists?