What I don't get about "Mods"

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 6:51 pm

Allow me to preface this by saying that I'm sincere in asking this and really not trying to stir up any shit.

Mod culture and style has been around for nearly 50 years, rising and falling with trends and fads and other changes in culture but never quite going away. The culture has its roots in a lot of socioeconomic factors and cultural influences of the early '60s (jazz, r & B, postwar working class Britain, etc.). But the very term "mod" originally meant "modernist," people who were into the new sounds and styles of the day. It was a clear rejection of all things old and traditional.

It seems to me that the Mods of the '60s would have been pretty disdainful of any subculture built on fashion and music nearly five decades old. A Mod who fancies himself as taking after the '60s Mod tradition seems like a total oxymoron to me.

Those vintage scooters they rode weren't vintage then, and if they were older ones it was because that was all they could afford.

Don't get me wrong—I enjoy the '60s Mod fashion, some of the music, the iconography and the vibe. It's clearly part of what got me into scooters in the first place. I'm just not dedicated to it and would certainly never refer to myself as a Mod.

But I'd like to hear from those who do. Isn't emulating '60s Mods (or even '70s or '80s ones) a contradiction? I don't get it.

scootermom · Post by **scootermom** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:10 pm

It is a literal contradiction, using Modernist as the root. I don't 'get' the whole Mod culture thing, either, and I always find it interesting when cultural icons become popular again years later. In fact, I'm not even sure what the heck the scooter culture is. I thought we were all just riding around on fun and cool scooters, I didn't know when I got into it that there was a big cultural 'thing' going on.

So, if I put one of those target stickers on my scoot (or any other stickers), because I think they look neat, am I ascribing to some sort of scene?

JSharpPhoto · Post by **JSharpPhoto** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:15 pm

I agree with you about the contradiction, and I'm pretty "mod" myself. I've done the whole spotlight and mirrors thing. I've got a parka, and I wear it. I think referring to a throw-back (assuming some people believe that it went away, and then came back {which i do NOT}) as 'modernist', is like calling "alternative music", "alternative". It was at one point, and now is not, but it's continued to be referred to as such, because we don't know it by any other name. I was a Mod long before I had a scooter. Being a Mod is in contradiction of itself, regardless of what decade it is. Mods are all about sleek and clean style. What about having 50 mirrors (that you can't see out of) and 12 spotlights (that aren't powered) is considered sleek and clean? I recognize, and embrace these ridiculous themes. Call us mods because that's what we once were, and the themes we celebrate are still pretty modern by today's standards. Frank Lloyd Wright's structures are still considered "modern", but they're quite antiquated by today's standards. It's adjective to describe visual style, not a relative term to a timeline.

laxer · Post by **laxer** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:21 pm

Correct me if I'm reading this wrong, but you take issue with the fact that kids call themselves "Mods" when the label is based on "Modernist" and it can't be modern because the culture is like 50 years old?

My response would simply be this: that's just the way that language works. We call certain methods of critique things like "modern" and even "post-modern" even though they are both very outdated. We call the wage that someone annually receives a "salary" though it has nothing to do with salt. We call police officers "cops" even though their badges haven't been made of copper in a century. It's simply how language works.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:31 pm

Hilariously, I'd meant to post this on Modern Vespa, where there are more self-proclaimed Mods. (I'll repost there.) It was a reaction to someone posting that he doesn't want to wear protective boots because the Mods didn't. I thought this was ridiculous.

laxer wrote:Correct me if I'm reading this wrong, but you take issue with the fact that kids call themselves "Mods" when the label is based on "Modernist" and it can't be modern because the culture is like 50 years old?

My response would simply be this: that's just the way that language works. We call certain methods of critique things like "modern" and even "post-modern" even though they are both very outdated. We call the wage that someone annually receives a "salary" though it has nothing to do with salt. We call police officers "cops" even though their badges haven't been made of copper in a century. It's simply how language works.

No, what I don't understand is people calling themselves Mod and emulating a 50-year-old culture that was all about new styles and fashions and rejecting the past. It's not the label, it's the ethos. The reason they were called "mod" then was their embrace of modernist jazz, etc. that was the vanguard of culture in the '60s.

Let's put it this way: How would the Mods have reacted to someone in 1963 who still dressed in early 1900s or '20s styles? They'd have scoffed.

Many subcultures are about rejecting the past (though some are about embracing it). I think the punks of the '70s would have all died from humiliation if they'd known that they'd be copied 40 years later and that the mohawk would evolve into the fauxhawk.

laxer · Post by **laxer** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:53 pm

That's what I'm saying, though. These people call themselves "Mod's" because they're emulating a culture that was called "Mod." It doesn't matter to them why they were called that, it's simply the label that they're after.

But yes, original mods should be scoffing at them. What will the original mods be wearing now so I can recognize them?

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:17 pm

Hmmm... maybe we should be Neo-Mods ...

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:36 pm

"Modernism" is one of the most short-sighted names for an artistic/cultural movement since "Futurism", which is even more dated (100 years old). While the adjective "modern" still means "current, or up to date", variations such as "Modernist" and "Mod" just don't have that meaning anymore. "Modernism" is now a historical term for a movement in the mid-20th century. "Mod" now refers to a particular subculture from the tail end of that period. Neither is "modern". That doesn't make them bad or even wrong; there are plenty of people out there who think that "old-fashioned" is a term of praise. Probably a lot of Mods think that whole rock-disco-punk-rap progression in popular music was a bad idea. They're like the Amish (or maybe just the Mennonites). They think that somebody at some point got it all "right", and in their case, that was maybe in 1959 in Whitechapel.

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:54 pm

While I'm not a Mod, here's my take on it:

Similar to the art world, the label refers to a movement. Once it happens, the label refers to that specific "you are here" moment. Once it inevitably evolves into something else, a new name is needed and eventually presents itself while the now-old label stays with the point in time it was concieved for.

I'm more familiar with some of the craft movements, so I'll make my point there. There was the "Art Nouveau" movement, "new art", between 1890-1914. Very organic and looked like it grew where it was...steeped in mysticism and the occult. Then WWI hit, and this "new art" lost favor to "modernism" (haha) that later became "Art Deco", with strong geometric elements. And so on, etc, etc, la dee da.

Basically, Mod will forever refer to that specific style, just like "grundge" is early-mid 1990's, "Punk" mainly is the 70's, and "Emo" (shudder) is current, along with all the other ones I keep losing track of. (Goth, Beatnik, hippie, Rockabilly...you get the idea.)

gr8dog · Post by **gr8dog** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:55 pm

Certain words become genericised over time.

IE: Q-Tip is a brand, not a product. The actual product is called "cotton swab". Kleenex is a brand offered by Kimberly Clark, not a product. The product is called "facial tissue". There are endless examples of this phenomenon.

"Mods" is , in my view, another victim of this phenomenon. It refers to the culture from which the term was born. It is not a living word which changes as culture demands. Is "New Wave" music still new? I think not. It was a 'thankfully' short lived musical genre which, if still enjoyed by anyone, would still be referred to as "New Wave" (insert PUKE emoticon here). Mods, when used in a cultural context, calls attention to that time in history which has already been alluded to in this thread. Mods (culturally) does not mean modern, at least, not anymore.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:10 pm

"Modernist" in the Mod culture sense is totally separate from Modernism in the art sense. The only connection comes from pre-Mod aficionados of modernist jazz in the late-'50s.

Cheshire wrote:Similar to the art world, the label refers to a movement. Once it happens, the label refers to that specific "you are here" moment. Once it inevitably evolves into something else, a new name is needed and eventually presents itself while the now-old label stays with the point in time it was concieved for.

Precisely. Just because you throw paint at a canvas, it doesn't mean you're an Abstract Expressionist. It means you're working in or have co-opted Abstract Expressionist style and methods.

Roose Hurro · Post by **Roose Hurro** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 1:26 am

I always thought "Mod" was short for "MODification"... you know, what with the way they "modified" their scoots with all those mirrors, lights and junk?

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Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 1:37 am

Roose Hurro wrote:I always thought "Mod" was short for "MODification"... you know, what with the way they "modified" their scoots with all those mirrors, lights and junk?

"Mod" for "modification" is actually a much newer meaning.

From the good ol' Modern Buddy Glossary:

mod: verb 1. An abbreviation of "modify" meaning to customize a scooter with performance enhancements, body modifications or accessories.
Usage: "I'm going to mod my scoot by installing a 70cc kit."
noun 1. An item used to modify a scooter (e.g., an aftermarket exhaust would be a performance mod).
Usage: "What kind of mods do you have installed?"
noun 2. Abbreviation of "modern" or "modernist," often capitalized as "Mod," a subculture with roots in 1950s London characterized by tailored Italian-influenced fashions, music (American jazz, R&B, soul, Jamaican ska, British beat of the early '60s) and love of scooters. Most famously chronicled in the movie "Quadrophenia." Revived in the late '70s, incorporating punk, new wave and British ska elements of that era. Spread to U.S. and has been a persistent presence since. Mod iconography (such as the red, white and blue RAF target roundel) is very popular on scooters and mod scooter styles are frequently seen on modern scooters (windshields, chrome racks adorned with several mirrors and lights, insignia decals, etc.). Traditional mod scooter wear is a fishtail parka adorned with patches.
Usage: "These mods rode by on their Lambrettas."
adjective 1. Of, similar or pertaining to the mod subculture.
Note: In the late '60s and '70s, "mod" was appropriated and applied to popular styles and designs of the era—think big yellow flowers, smiley faces, Nehru jackets and Laugh-In. That ain't the kind of mod we're talking about here.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:19 am

When a reporter asked Ringo Starr in the movie a Hard Days Night if he was a Mod or a Rocker, he replied, neither, I'm a mocker. I've always thought that was the best line in the movie.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:23 am

rsrider wrote:When a reporter asked Ringo Starr in the movie a Hard Days Night if he was a Mod or a Rocker, he replied, neither, I'm a mocker. I've always thought that was the best line in the movie.

Possibly the best thing to ever come from Ringo, aside from the beats in "Tomorrow Never Knows."

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:39 am

Whoa, Buddies...

I think this thread should be made a sticky and renamed "Intelligent Discussion on Scooters and Culture Here".

Me? I'm just here for the Pretty Pictures!

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:58 am

ericalm wrote:Note: In the late '60s and '70s, "mod" was appropriated and applied to popular styles and designs of the era—think big yellow flowers, smiley faces, Nehru jackets and Laugh-In. That ain't the kind of mod we're talking about here.

Not this kind of mod:

This kind:

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:36 am

I agree with the op. I've never fully understood the "modern mod" movement.

I guess it is one thing if you are taking a classic scooter and adding mod style elements.

I understand less on a newer twist and go scoot. It doesn't really follow mod style (in my opinion), and I think with a new scoot, I'd rather forge a new path in style.

My Stella is modded, but is not a mod scooter.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 8:02 am

TVB wrote:Not this kind of mod:
]

Hey, it's Rashida Jones' hot mom!
Linc may not have been The Man, but he was THE MAN. Dig?

I know very well what type of Mods we're discussing here. I started the thread.

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:04 pm

Look kids, Big Ben... Parliment!

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 5:52 pm

Parliament?

Take funk to heaven in '77!

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:47 pm

Um...my signature says it all.

--Keys

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:01 pm

It's a Clark Griswold quote... used at a time when you appear to be going in circles for an extended period of time.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 4:08 pm

I'm not sure whether to be ashamed or proud of the arc of the version of this thread on Modern Vespa. It's gotten way out of hand. A member has already been banned from MV as a result of the thread. I reacted poorly to being baited by some Mods or whatever despite baiting them with the OP (he called my scoot girly—3 times—and made fun of Buddys!). Days later, the post is still (finally) generating some valid discussion. I think I've managed to offend both the Mods and, now, the hippies and most of the Baby Boom generation. Wow.

It's both fascinating and ugly…
http://www.modernvespa.com/forum/topic58782

Rippinyarn · Post by **Rippinyarn** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:17 pm

File under: Questions that needn't be asked?

I feel conflicted as I do emulate many things Mod, and I attributed my early affection for twist and gos to "what a mod would be riding today". I learned a lot of about the original Mod culture and I am still fascinated by it. I'm not a Mod, but I have moddish tendencies with the parka, Ben Sheman and Doc Martens, etc., most of which I was into before my most recent scooter experience. My latest scooter acquisition is Mod-style '81 P200, so I might not be out of it yet.

We've had this discussion in the Rovers, and Rover Eric once pointed out to me that most of the people who think they are Mods are actually "Scooter Boys", no offense intended. The level of fanaticism (in clothes, music and scooters) of a true Mod would be almost impossible to pursue these days, especially if you are perhaps married with children. We can all, however, play at it, and enjoy the intersection of the Mod subculture with the modern scooter and the vintage scooter club subcultures.

It's been a while since we all had teenage angst and we are probably better for it!

A fair question Eric, but I'm not going anywhere near it on MV!

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:53 pm

Rippinyarn wrote:A fair question Eric, but I'm not going anywhere near it on MV!

Yeah, I probably shouldn't have either.

A few people have contacted me wondering what this is all about in the first place. It's really kind of stupid—I was wading out into treacherous waters and should have known better than to dive right in.

Honestly, you could easily ignore the whole thing and be just as well off for doing so.

But for anyone interested…
A not-brief-enough and superficial primer on historic scooter culture and what this is all about. I point these things out purely to inform, not to deepen divisions. Peace!

The Mod subculture goes back to the late '50s in the UK and has always been closely tied to scootering. Many people entering the scooter community now, (I like to call them the "New Scooterists") don't have much awareness of it or simply don't care because it's not relevant to them. That's kind of good and bad. The part I wish people were more aware of is that a community of scooterists simply exists. There's a commonality and shared interest that bonds us.

There are also a lot of dunderheads who would prefer to divide us.

A good starter on Mod: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mod_(subculture)

The Mod scene came out of the underground jazz scene in the UK in the late '50s. Its roots are in modern jazz (hence the name) but it became a subculture of mostly working class Brits characterized by love of scooters, R&B and soul and new Jamaican music of the time and new, sleek fashions coming out of Italy and the UK.

A lot of us, especially in the Vespa owners community (me included), trace our interest in scooters back to that heyday in the early-mid '60s and the Mod revivals (first in the UK in the '80s, then later in the US, particularly here in So Cal). There are still many fairly young people who consider themselves Mod and dress and outfit their scooters in full Mod regalia.

You can see much of the iconography and fashion in this small gallery from the Brighton, UK 2009 rally: http://www.modculture.co.uk/gallery2/ra ... ghton2009/

(The modculture site has a lot of good stuff for getting your feet wet in Mod culture.)

The two best-known popular media landmarks for Mod culture are Colin Innes' book "Absolute Beginners" (which, much like Douglas Coupland's "Generation X," coined the term and both documented and defined the subculture) and the 1979 movie "Quadrophenia" (which actually takes place in the mid-'60s). The latter is often debated, but I don't think it's a particularly good movie despite featuring some gorgeous scooters and somewhat accurately depicting the scene of that era.

The US scooter scene in the '60s was much more about motoring and practical scootering. As far as I know, it really didn't begin to coalesce into a "scene" until the '80s with the revival of Mod in the UK and the huge influx of new Japanese scooters in the US.

There are a lot of divisions among contemporary scooterfolk and (unlike me) some people take them very seriously. Believe it or not, many of these people are adults. The most commonly-discussed division is between all-vintage enthusiasts and the "modern scooterists" such as us. This is sometimes referred to as the "classic not plastic" mentality, frequently espoused by the contemporary cultural descendants of the Scooterboys. (There are many more people who own both classic and modern or at least appreciate both.) Then there are all these cultural/style/fashion distinctions like Mod and scooterboy, skinheads, suedeheads… and so on.

Many scooter clubs are exclusive to certain types of scooters. I have no problem with clubs formed around ownership and appreciation of specific scooters or all-vintage clubs. What I do have a problem with is the disdain many of them express for everyone else.

The Modern scooter communities aren't immune from this; there are a lot of prejudices and biases. Some folks look down on riders of anything not bearing the Vespa name. Others look down on Taiwanese scooters, etc. On Modern Buddy you'll see a lot of prejudice against mainland Chinese scooters as well as occasional stereotyping of Vespa owners. Thankfully, for the most part the new scooterists aren't enmeshed in all those specific subcultural divisions.

This is part of the reason the local scooter group I run isn't a "club." We're open to all scooters and scooterists for the sake of promoting it for everyone, supporting all riders, and fostering a community.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:23 pm

Wow, that thread was an amazing read. Some people got WAY off tangent, but all in all it was very though provoking!

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:41 pm

I suppose it's good that people know about some of the culture and traditions that helped popularize scootering and make it about more than just getting from place to place. Unfortunately, it's hard to dip your toe into that without exposing it to all of the drama, infighting and other baloney. All of that stuff is completely useless!

I must say, though, that it drives me nuts that some of these people even bother going on Modern Vespa. If they feel that way about is and are so scornful of its members, why even bother? (To annoy people like me. Yep.)

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:56 pm

ericalm wrote:I suppose it's good that people know about some of the culture and traditions that helped popularize scootering and make it about more than just getting from place to place. Unfortunately, it's hard to dip your toe into that without exposing it to all of the drama, infighting and other baloney. All of that stuff is completely useless!

I must say, though, that it drives me nuts that some of these people even bother going on Modern Vespa. If they feel that way about is and are so scornful of its members, why even bother? (To annoy people like me. Yep.)

Wait, so you mean that that's NOT a mod collar on your shirt?? Damn you and your non-shifty plastic bodied mirrorless hippi hating scooterims!

There. Did I cover them all? I'd hate to think that we wern't doing our part over at MB and making MV handle all the tough issues

Seriously though, fantastic conversation starter.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:52 am

It is surprising how a relatively simple statement of taste by one person (Eric) can be taken as a personal attack by the thinned skinned.

Combine that with the anonymity of the intertubes. Then sprinkle in the inability of most people, myself prominently included, to show any emotional nuance in writing (except anger and aggressiveness, of course).

What you end up with is classic lines like "You ride a buddy! Funny sh...!"

Thank god that cooler heads seem to have prevailed and some intelligent discussion has resulted. I'll have to check in on the thread again today to see where it's gotten to today.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 6:13 am

Wow... I feel like someone's mutt or something. I don't give a crap what I'm riding on as long as I can stick my tongue out in the wind and smile I'm pretty much OK.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 6:41 am

One nice thing about MV is that for every one of these brainless quotes:

"You ride a buddy! Funny sh...!"

You get at least one of these:

Raputtak wrote:in my humble opinion, here's what it was: the Mods liked scooters and fighting; the Rockers liked motorcycles and fighting. It was a marriage made in heaven...

Now that's good stuff.

scootermom · Post by **scootermom** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:30 pm

Lostmycage wrote:Wow... I feel like someone's mutt or something. I don't give a crap what I'm riding on as long as I can stick my tongue out in the wind and smile I'm pretty much OK.

That's pretty much how I feel about it. I wasn't even aware of these cultural subgroups when I decided I wanted a scooter. And I bought a Buddy because of all practical reasons -- reliability, ease of riding, cool dealer to buy from -- stuff like that.

FWIW, I had a great time riding around on our little POS cheapie scooter (50cc) that we bought off Craigslist to practice with.

Scooter riding is....just FUN!!

JSharpPhoto · Post by **JSharpPhoto** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:12 pm

ericalm wrote:What I do have a problem with is the disdain many of them express for everyone else.

but without disdain for everyone else, what would we be left with? tolerance? gross!

djelliott · Post by **djelliott** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:57 pm

laxer wrote:Correct me if I'm reading this wrong, but you take issue with the fact that kids call themselves "Mods" when the label is based on "Modernist" and it can't be modern because the culture is like 50 years old?

My response would simply be this: that's just the way that language works. We call certain methods of critique things like "modern" and even "post-modern" even though they are both very outdated. We call the wage that someone annually receives a "salary" though it has nothing to do with salt. We call police officers "cops" even though their badges haven't been made of copper in a century. It's simply how language works.

DING DING DING!! I think laxer really nailed it here. I truly is just "how language works". Once something is given a name (or nick name) it sticks. Honestly I'm a bit more Rocker then Mod anyway. Maybe I can be a Rod to Ringo's Mocker.

Roose Hurro · Post by **Roose Hurro** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:39 am

ericalm wrote:I suppose it's good that people know about some of the culture and traditions that helped popularize scootering and make it about more than just getting from place to place. Unfortunately, it's hard to dip your toe into that without exposing it to all of the drama, infighting and other baloney. All of that stuff is completely useless!

I must say, though, that it drives me nuts that some of these people even bother going on Modern Vespa. If they feel that way about is and are so scornful of its members, why even bother? (To annoy people like me. Yep.)

Indeed... if it has two-wheels and an engine, it's all good, far as I'm concerned. I guess I just don't get this whole fuss over details...

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chloefpuff · Post by **chloefpuff** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:46 am

ericalm wrote:I think I've managed to offend both the Mods and, now, the hippies and most of the Baby Boom generation. Wow.

It's both fascinating and ugly…
http://www.modernvespa.com/forum/topic58782

That's AWESOME! for some inexplicable reason, I consider myself a mix of all of the above.

Eric, you must be doing something right!

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:35 am

While looking around other threads on MB, I found a very wise post from Poli…

polianarchy wrote:As far as I'm concerned, all fashion straddles the border between the authentic and the facade. Just like in any other subculture, the style and the meaning share a certain distance from each other. Think of it this way: are all the folks who wear camouflage in the military? I think that if done in a thoughtful and knowledgeable manner, co-opting symbols can be less of a pose and more of an homage.

Guess I've made some enemies over at MV. In response to a post with a pic of a guy pushing a scooter in the snow:

T5bitsa69 wrote:hes a pussy
ive rode home in weather like that ... n i was sat on it not pushing
that guy needs to get is self sat on it and ride

ericalm wrote:Yeah, but do you really want everyone in the world to be as awesome as you are? Guys like this make you look like a badass. You should find him and thank him.

T5bitsa69 wrote:thats it usually i skip over the stuff you type but now i will say ... you sir are a cock now put ya tie back on and get back to school

I'm really having to learn to disengage… Sigh…

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:02 am

Roose Hurro wrote:Indeed... if it has two-wheels and an engine, it's all good, far as I'm concerned.

What do you have against bicyclists?

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:16 am

ericalm wrote:While looking around other threads on MB, I found a very wise post from Poli…

polianarchy wrote:As far as I'm concerned, all fashion straddles the border between the authentic and the facade. Just like in any other subculture, the style and the meaning share a certain distance from each other. Think of it this way: are all the folks who wear camouflage in the military? I think that if done in a thoughtful and knowledgeable manner, co-opting symbols can be less of a pose and more of an homage.
Guess I've made some enemies over at MV. In response to a post with a pic of a guy pushing a scooter in the snow:
T5bitsa69 wrote:hes a wuss
ive rode home in weather like that ... n i was sat on it not pushing
that guy needs to get is self sat on it and ride

ericalm wrote:Yeah, but do you really want everyone in the world to be as awesome as you are? Guys like this make you look like a badass. You should find him and thank him.

T5bitsa69 wrote:thats it usually i skip over the stuff you type but now i will say ... you sir are a cock now put ya tie back on and get back to school

I'm really having to learn to disengage… Sigh…

Yeah, but judging him purely on the 2 sentences you've quoted here, he's an ass to begin with... Besides, if you disengage from MV, you'll have no choice but to post more on MB. Seems like a win/win to me

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:34 am

Kaos wrote:Yeah, but judging him purely on the 2 sentences you've quoted here, he's an ass to begin with... Besides, if you disengage from MV, you'll have no choice but to post more on MB. Seems like a win/win to me

It's more just resisting the urge to respond to dumbasses or call people on their bullpucky.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:51 am

I've been superficially following all this mod/not-mod stuff here, and read a bit of it at MV too, and have just stayed out of it (a wise move me thinks)... But as I really am not that wise, I'll throw my quick 2¢ into the pool. It's pretty much in keeping with Polly's sentiment...

All art is derivative. So too is fashion.

That's all from me. Signing out again... as you were everyone

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 4:23 am

Curiosity got the better of me and I ended up skimming through the MV thread. Definately a...what's the word...LIVELY thread over there!

If/when I make it out west, it's now going to be a coin toss as to whether to take the scooter or the motorcycle. Heads, the scooter and a parka. Tails, the motorcycle and a leather jacket. Either way, mockingly challenge Eric to a fisticuffs fight for insulting "mods" everywhere.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:11 am

I guess I never really realized that there was that much of a separation between "mods" and "rockers". Actually, these threads (both MB and MV) have been a pretty good lesson for defining what each of these groups are and how ridiculous the premise is. I'm pretty sure, at least if I'm any sort of average sample, that the "commuters" would negate both parties' arguments flat out.

So, how about a "commuters" vs "poser" thread? That'd probably upset someone. They're friggin vehicles. Utilitarian objects. Yeah they're sweet and a ton of fun to use, but getting too into it just becomes creepy and lame.

Damn... I'm getting crotchety with this cold weather. Have no fear, if I see someone ride by pretending to be something they're not (or never had a chance to be), I'm still laughing at them. And, as always, I dare them to make me stop laughing.

Cheshire wrote: If/when I make it out west, it's now going to be a coin toss as to whether to take the scooter or the motorcycle. Heads, the scooter and a parka. Tails, the motorcycle and a leather jacket. Either way, mockingly challenge Eric to a fisticuffs fight for insulting "mods" everywhere.

Now does this mean that you've got the carbs all sorted out on the new bike? That would be a pretty amazing feat!

Roose Hurro · Post by **Roose Hurro** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 8:05 am

TVB wrote:
Roose Hurro wrote:Indeed... if it has two-wheels and an engine, it's all good, far as I'm concerned.
What do you have against bicyclists?

None... but we weren't talking about bicycles.

Hey, my present two-wheeler is a 2002 Bianchi Milano... I could slap an engine into it, but I'd rather keep it pristine, and buy something else with two wheels and a motor.........

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Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 8:09 am

The Mods v. Rockers conflict was actually a big phenomenon for a short time in the UK in the '60s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mods_and_Rockers

It garnered tons of media coverage about Mod and Rocker gang fights and battles. The fights in Brighton lasted days. (That's the climax of Quadrophenia, which still manages to be a somewhat boring flick.)

In the end, it only hastened the reduction of both cultures to easy stereotypes based on their fashion, music and choice of 2-wheeler.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:42 pm

Cheshire wrote:If/when I make it out west, it's now going to be a coin toss as to whether to take the scooter or the motorcycle. Heads, the scooter and a parka. Tails, the motorcycle and a leather jacket. Either way, mockingly challenge Eric to a fisticuffs fight for insulting "mods" everywhere.

If it were me, I'd be debating scooter-and-leather vs. motorcycle-and-parka.

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:00 pm

LMC: Not sorted yet, but it's starting to make much more sense. I think I'm getting a clear(er) picture of how things work and what needs attention.

TVB:

I was thinking along those lines when I went to bed last night. It'd be a good idea for next Halloween: confused mods and rockers. See how many people figure it out. Better if a group could pull it off.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:03 pm

Something just occurred to me. You can get rid of this whole style thing by making leather parkas. Hrmm... you'd be doin out with the style bit in more ways than one. Still.... talk about the perfect cold weather coat!

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:04 pm

Lostmycage wrote:Something just occurred to me. You can get rid of this whole style thing by making leather parkas. Hrmm... you'd be doin out with the style bit in more ways than one. Still.... talk about the perfect cold weather coat!

The first thing that popped into my head was an old school cowboy-esque duster.

Yes, I know a duster and a parka are NOT the same