What's the best riposte to somebody who..........

[TonyR]

Hopefully he'll either learn that every time he tries to have a go at you, he'll have his own failings brought to the fore - but in a friendly concerned way so he will look silly if he tries to complain about it; or he might even get worn down to the extent that he does try cycling!

You've not come across change management theory then? What you are giving him is disconfirming information and people will go to extremes to rationalise disconfirming information into their world view rather than change their world view. A classic example is recounted in the book "When Prophesy Fails"

[Mick F]

"In England every year there are about 6,000 diabetes-related amputations" from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17270379

I can't argue with figures, but I do argue with something .............

EVERY year there are 6,000 amputations? Given there's 60,000,000 people in UK, it means that there is one person in 10,000 having an amputation each year. Say we go back ten years, that means that there's one person in 1,000 with a diabetes related amputation.

There's about 4,000 people who live locally here, so that means there are four of them with a diabetes related amputation.

Somehow I doubt it.

[thirdcrank]

I fancy that many of the amputees will already be receiving a lot of care in nursing homes and hospital, and as such, invisible to the general public.

[TonyR]

"In England every year there are about 6,000 diabetes-related amputations" from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17270379

I can't argue with figures, but I do argue with something .............

EVERY year there are 6,000 amputations? Given there's 60,000,000 people in UK, it means that there is one person in 10,000 having an amputation each year. Say we go back ten years, that means that there's one person in 1,000 with a diabetes related amputation.

There's about 4,000 people who live locally here, so that means there are four of them with a diabetes related amputation.

Somehow I doubt it.

Don't doubt it. http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/New ... -diabetes/

[al_yrpal]

Believe me, you have to really ignore the warnings to get to the stage of amputation, but some people do. My next door neighbour in Cornwall did, he was a great guy, a bachelor who enjoyed betting, drinking and smoking, he was everyone's pal. But we noticed that he stank sometimes when we met him in the pub. Then, it emerged he had gangrene in both feet, and off they had to come. Every time I go for an annual check-up they test my feet with a pin. Diabetes can effect your sight too. Diabetes can be caused by things other than obesity, mine is hereditary I think. My Grandad, who was slim, had both legs amputated through gangrene, but back in the 50's the condition wasn't recognised or treated.

My reaction would be to rejoin to him how some people treat BMW's - transport designed for fat Germans, never let them into a traffic queue, treat them with no courtesy whatsoever - therefore its a very slow form of transport. Personally I don't do this, but I know people who do.

Al

[Redvee]

I've just had my eyes checked for their annual retinopathy check. The check was painless and the day was dull when I set out but the sun made a brief appearance as I left and walking back home into the sun was painful.

[reohn2]

Or it could be they have no interest in cycling just as I have no desire to go fishing. Doesn't mean that lots of people don't get a lot of enjoyment from fishing but for me I just don't get it (and I've tried it)

I have no interest in fishing,but I wouldn't go telling people how dangerous it was to use a 14m CF pole for fear of being struck by lightening,or take shooting as a classic example,if someone I knew was a wildfowler,I wouldn't go telling them how dangerous it could be nor do I have to understand either of those two sports/pastimes/hobbies,or even agree with them.
It's their legal right to follow them,as it's my legal right to cycle on our roads,bridleway and byeways etc.
TBH I couldn't give a monkeys if no one else in the world "gets" cycling,but I get quite rubbed up the wrong way when people tell me that they think I shouldn't be doing it,especially when it comes from the ones causing the problem,and I feel wholly justified in telling them where to go if they do.
If I thought for one moment that such people had my best interests at heart I'd perhaps have chat with them along the lines that Si indicates upthread.But IMHO the overwhelming majority don't,they simply want to play silly and petty games,in their oneupmanship scoreboard head.It's a case of who's got the biggest toy wins,which IMO is pathetic and I've no time for such morons.
I'm ranting again aren't I

[Mick F]

Don't doubt it. http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/New ... -diabetes/

100 people a week?
5,000 a year.
The population of a large town in ten years.

[reohn2]

Don't doubt it. http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/New ... -diabetes/

100 people a week?
5,000 a year.
The population of a large town in ten years.

Have you seen the figures for cancer deaths?

[Vantage]

I don't doubt that amputations do happen, but I think the figures that Diabetes UK have released are somewhat "inflated" to try and illustrate the seriousness of the problem. Diabetes itself is not the cause, but the neglect of it.
Whilst sat in the waiting room of my local diabetic centre, there was a guy there who must've been in his 70's and he told me that he'd had it for 40 odd years and in stark contrast to me, he was in perfect health. He said given the choice, he'd rather have diabetes than a cold. I agreed with him.

[TonyR]

I don't doubt that amputations do happen, but I think the figures that Diabetes UK have released are somewhat "inflated" to try and illustrate the seriousness of the problem. Diabetes itself is not the cause, but the neglect of it.

Do you think the NHS would also release inflated figures?

http://www.diabetes.nhs.uk/document.php?o=3373

And neglect is not the problem although preventive measures and rapid response to problems can help..

[The Mechanic]

Getting away from the diabetes argument for a minute and back to the OP, I would just say " Thanks Porkie, I'll bear that in mind", and walk away.

[531colin]

OR...."Whats the rent on those trousers, big man?"

[531colin]

Can you buy trousers that big, or do you have to rent them?

Is it true that Audi drivers are even more unpopular than Beamers?

[whiskywheels]

Given that there are almost 3 times more people killed or seriously injured in cars, than riding bikes each year, I'm sure you can think of something!

Like I said.

End of discussion surely?