[juleiie]

I don’t know why it feels like this but the modern world doesn’t feel like a safe place with sane people around us.

I would rather take my chances on the road than on the sidewalk or on a bus, completely exposed and defenseless. Like a girl from certain bus video.

You mentioned yourself that you can even be hit by a car. Many such cases lately of people driving car into groups of people.

This world is mad and i think you are much crazier than me. It’s one thing to feel it and do something, anything in response. It’s another to pretend like nothing is happening.

[Grombobulous]

I won't literally ask where you live where you feel this way as I don't need you to reveal personal info about yourself, but I truly believe that if you feel this way and you don't live in some kind of extreme outlier crime-laden area, you might want to seriously think about talking to a therapist.

This level of fear you describe is not a healthy or reasonable way to live your life and is not a very typical sentiment. A professional can help you figure out where these feelings are coming from and what you can do to manage them.

Sure, there are crazy and violent people out there, I don't deny that.

I know I was being somewhat of an urbanist zealot in my last comment, but for real...regardless of whether you prefer suburbs and spending more time in your car or the city and spending more time on foot, this isn't a healthy way for you to see the world in either case.

[juleiie]

These feelings are coming from being stared at. I can manage them by staring at people back in not so pleasant ways and having a weapon in a pocket if the staring contest escalates.

[Grombobulous]

Every major city I’ve ever lived in or visited mostly involved people doing the exact opposite of staring because urban culture generally has a “leave everyone else alone and mind your own business” aspect to it.

Because of that observation, I think it would be wise for you to dig deep on whether something about your own perceptions is failing you in this regard. I think there’s a strong likelihood that either something about your physical appearance looks very different, your own behavior is causing staring, or the staring isn’t happening at all in the way you describe.

Unless you just live in a specific place/culture where staring is prevalent.

[juleiie]

It’s not my business to make sure people aren’t staring. It’s your business to keep your eyes where they belong - straight ahead.

[Grombobulous]

But surely you can understand the reasons behind my doubts, even if you don’t agree with them.

I can’t trust your perspective if you have a habit of wearing clown suits around town.

I can’t trust your perspective if you are mistaking a normal momentary glance as a stare and are responding aggressively, exacerbating the problem, and you basically admitted that you escalate these “staring contests.”

[DonHopkins]

Drive safely, don't get into staring contests, put down your phone, keep your eyes on the road, don't hit pedestrians, get rid of the gun, and don't shoot anyone, including yourself.

If you need to talk, the 988 Lifeline is here. At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be difficult.

https://988lifeline.org

[DonHopkins]

> staring at people back in not so pleasant ways and having a weapon in a pocket if the staring contest escalates

"Staring at people back in not so pleasant ways" IS escalating. Just like complaining about the traffic while driving means YOU ARE the traffic you're complaining about.

So you're intentionally causing traffic, escalating aggression, and increasing your chances of killing people with both your car and your gun, while also increasing your probability to 35 TIMES MORE LIKELY that you die by suicide by your own gun.

Not a wise strategy for someone who already admits to suffering from mental health problems so bad that you're afraid to look your fellow Americans in the eye. Threatening to murder someone because of a staring contest is totally unhinged, especially with your intentional escalation strategy.

My advice: get a bike and get rid of the gun. Don't just leave it around where children can get ahold of it. Destroy it.

But don't just destroy the gun and lose the car and get a bike: get professional help too. Crazy people murder innocent people with their cars all the time too, like what just happened at Berlin Pride.

Handgun ownership associated with much higher suicide risk:

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2020/06/handgun-owner...

>Men who own handguns are eight times more likely to die of gun suicides than men who don't own handguns, and women who own handguns are 35 times more likely than women who don't.

[juleiie]

Nice baseless assumptions based on random chain of comments.

[DonHopkins]

Just based on what you wrote, I literally quoted your own words. What did I get wrong? Write more and correct me with the facts and evidence. Do you not believe the suicide statistics? Where's your proof the study is wrong? Can you link me to a page on the NRA's web site that challenges my assumptions?

[juleiie]

I will just enjoy awareness of how wrong you are

[crote]

How do you know those people aren't staring at you because you started staring at them in an unpleasant way in response to them randomly glancing a look vaguely in your direction?

I don't stare at people. They don't stare at me either. Problem solved?

[juleiie]

I check if people are looking at me. It’s useful and sometimes they do. Then we are locked in staring at each other like two cats.

[DonHopkins]

Drive safely, don't get into staring contests, put down your phone, keep your eyes on the road, don't hit pedestrians, get rid of the gun, and don't shoot anyone, including yourself.

If you need to talk, the 988 Lifeline is here. At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be difficult.

https://988lifeline.org

[vidarh]

I would urge you to seek help, as this attitude is not exactly indicating sound mental health.

[juleiie]

It sure isn’t. I am an artist really at the core and I need to be little unhinged to create.

Of course I am not saying everyone should be crazy but it is what works for me.

[DonHopkins]

Drive safely, don't get into staring contests, put down your phone, keep your eyes on the road, don't hit pedestrians, get rid of the gun, and don't shoot anyone, including yourself.

If you need to talk, the 988 Lifeline is here. At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be difficult.

https://988lifeline.org

[DonHopkins]

Well maybe if you Americans would stop glorifying Rolling Coal on bicyclists and pedestrians and electric cars, and electing narcissistic leaders who classify bike lanes as "Woke" DEI and are so racist and bigoted that they believe pedestrians and bicyclists and "Woke" and "AntiFa" citizens are radical terrorists who threaten their way of life, you wouldn't be so frightened to walk outside or look anyone in the eye.

Trump Secretary Puts Americans in Danger Over “DEI Bike Lanes”. Sean Duffy has derided bike lanes as too woke, and is now stripping mentions of them from federal websites:

https://www.reddit.com/r/transit/comments/1v4svzl/trump_secr...

ULTIMATE ROLLING COAL ON TESLA COMPILATION | TESLACAM STORIES #98

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgT1Sjo6u34

Cycliq Fly6 CE and Fly12 CE – Coal Rolling in Daytona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFeBKT8mNXc

Update on the Waller Texas teen who crashed into cyclists while rolling coal on them

https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/1efwnvp/update_on_...

Late 2021 in Waller County Texas, the teenage son of a well connected local family rolled coal on six cyclists and crashed into them causing serious injuries. There was police inaction (looked like a bit of a coverup) and then the DA filed felony charges. Since 2021, pretty much total silence in the news.

A reddit post in May 2023 here asking for information still comes up in a Google search and is one of the most recent, @ u/gmkrikey https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/13u9bxn/what_happe...

Very little information has been put out on this terrible crash since it happened in 2021, but recently I finally found some. And the article seems to show the driver was given little accountability. It's an interesting article, read & update. Including a discussion on the history of corruption in the Waller Texas area.

The Horrific Coal-Rolling Incident that Nearly Killed 6 Cyclists

IN A RURAL COMMUNITY OUTSIDE HOUSTON, A VIOLENT COLLISION SHATTERED LIVES. A TEENAGE BOY WAS CHARGED WITH ASSAULT, BUT WAS JUSTICE SERVED?

Original update, https://www.bicycling.com/news/a60747401/waller-texas-coal-r...

EDIT: added non paywall version, https://archive.ph/3tLtL