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Burrard Bridge traffic stats posted

July 31st, 2009 · 91 Comments

Let the deconstructionist analysis begin. The city has posted the first round of stats on car, bike and pedestrian traffic on the bridge, noting that bike traffic is up 30 per cent, pedestrian is steady and car flows are fluctuating after a 10 per cent drop in the first days.

And, so as not to miss out on any of those precious cycling/driving debates that are so beloved of page-view sluts, I must note that the Critical Mass ride (you know, random bicycle ride through downtown Vancouver to promote cycling that started off as a Public Dreams-style festival on wheels and has turned into an Independence Day-style battle between the two- and four-wheeled) has generated yet another media heyday.

The Province captured the angry zeitgeist with its “Critical Mess” headline and now every media outlet/random commentator is opining away. A couple of posts from the blogosphere — citycaucus and Councillor Geoff Meggs — give you a sense of the range (i.e. “it’s all Vision’s fault somehow” to “what an interesting piece of anthropology”)

Categories: Uncategorized

  • SV

    Whatever one’s opinion of CM I wonder what other people think of the press’ coverage of tonight’s ride? The Province in particular seems to be hoping for confict. And the comment sections on their articles are quite scary.

  • spartikus

    i.e. “it’s all Vision’s fault somehow”

    “Pirates attack shipping in Indian Ocean…Gregor Robertson refuses to confirm whereabouts!”

    Critical Mass: It’s part protest, part party…and I do believe in a little anarchy now and again…but perhaps the revolution has entered State 2? I was thinking just this morning if only Critical Mass got themselves a corporate sponsor – like the exponentially more disruptive fireworks – the Vancouver Province’s editorial board would be behind them 110%!

  • SV

    What about VANOC?

  • Quatchi

    That data set did not make for tasty copypasta.

  • RossK

    The Province ‘captured’ the angry Zeitgeist?

    Really?

    Me, I thought they wound it up tighter than Woody Allen’s indigo-tinted Id in Bananas and then set it free, spinning wildly in all directions in a mockery of a travesty in a fieldwhirling melishes.

    Or some such crazy, mixed up long weekend thing.

    .

  • jimmy olson

    “that are so beloved of page-view sluts,”

    Frances that’s a great line!

    So we have CM this evening, the Gay Pride tomorrow and the Fire-Works tomorrow night … all of these will disrupt the traffic in Gotham city and the Province Newspaper (sic) goes around trying to raise shit over CM?

    So just who is the Slut?

  • Chris

    Ugh, the province cover gave me the willies. It’s like they’re trying to incite vigilante justice. I just hope the ride went well tonight.

    CM has been happening in vancouver for over 6 years, right? Every last Friday of every month – why the huge whiny deal now?

  • gmgw

    I quite liked a comment made by a colleague at work today (who, I hasten to add, is a runner, while her partner is a 20-mile-a-day cyclist): “What this city needs is a Critical Mass for pedestrians”. To which I enthusiastically respond: Yes!!

    And given the tone of some recent bicycle-related discussions in this forum, I think that’s as much as I can safely get away with saying on this topic.
    gmgw

  • SV

    Hey, wasn’t the world supposed to end last night? 🙂
    And aren’t the events listed in Jimmy Olsen’s post and indication that Vancouver has a lot-don’t forget the Police and Fire games andthe Powell Street Fesival- going on? This might be the perfect weekend to point out that Vancouver is grown up, at least special events wise.

    gmgw-does the Sun Run count?

  • Todd Sieling

    I sit out on Critical Mass rides because of the antagonistic and militant streak that too often takes the attention away from the central issues of safe and fair access, but was happy to read that the July ride went off without problems. I’m sure that enrages the Province editors, who worked hard to imagineer conflict in the days leading up to the ride.

    I am, however, planning to join in the Critical Manners ride on August 14, organized in response to the confrontational aspects of Critical Mass: http://criticalmanners.wordpress.com/

  • Todd Sieling

    Also, for anyone wanting to play with the data posted by the city from the first two weeks of the lane trial, I’ve stripped it out of the page as a CSV file at http://tr.im/v3Zl

  • spartikus

    I woke up this morning expecting to see pillars of smoke downtown but, alas, I think I might have been mislead by the Vancouver Province.

  • Vaneire

    With the oh so clever moniker “page-view sluts”, is Ms. Bula referring to the people who comment on her blog? Nice Bula!

  • Michael Phillips

    Here’s some info on how Critical Mass works. It’s at least a very interesting pain in the @$$:

    http://www.joelpomerantz.com/genlresources/cmglossary.html

    I’m getting a little annoyed that the VPD administration seems to be selecting which laws to enforce based on convenience ie. not arresting hard drug user/possessors in the DTES (according to their latest business plan), not ticketing traffic violations during Critical Mass because it would “inflame the situation” etc.

    The situation is already inflamed. It’s a fiery flameball explosion of flame, we’re asking that you try to put it out. How is it that cyclists can commit several thousand law and bylaw infractions per ride against drivers, but if the police ticket anyone committing an illegal act then that’s just chaos? Silly.

    If the police intentionally don’t ticket/arrest those who break the law, not only does it allow wrongdoers to continue their actions and incent more people to break the law, but it degrades the very idea of law itself, the pride a person should be able to feel in playing by the rules and the taboo against committing social prohibited acts. These things are the basis of a functioning society and I would think the VPD would understand that.

  • td

    When was the last time a driver actually complied with a posted speed limit? Our traffic behaviour typically includes calculated infractions. We slide past stop signs, ignore stop lines, run yellow or red lights, jaywalk or cross at red, overstay the time on the parking meter. It’s always been like that, and society hasn’t gone to the dogs.

    I cannot imagine that Critical Mass does anything for the political cause of getting cycling a fair shake in transportation departments, but it is a lot of fun for the participants. And yes, that is what streets are for, they are space for public life.

    For those steaming in their vehicles, try it sometimes. The next Critical Mass ride is coming soon.

  • gmgw

    SV inquired:
    “gmgw-does the Sun Run count?”

    No. Maybe if they were to rename the event the Sun *Walk*…
    gmgw

  • Luke

    I think the Critical Mass Cyclist Economic Stimulus Package is really successful, and really helping Old Media. They finally figured out something that will cause people to buy their papers. They had the choppers out, trailing CM the whole time – lots of people tuned in to traffic reports.

    To Old Media!

  • T W

    The cycle lobby has a problem. When the protest cycle run is turned into a fun cycle run, the urban anarchists no longer have reason to complain (though they no doubt will continue to do so).

    My suggestion is that the city turn this into the cycle equivalent of the Sun Run, make it organized and encourage the cyclists to raise money for those that cannot afford bikes (ie; the homeless). In that way, the cycle lobby will get the respect they crave, the citizens will not feel thwarted by a particular lobby and those really in need, might well benefit. Talk about a win-win situation.

    It seems, surprisingly, the Vancouver Police Department is more progressive than our city officials, elected and non-elected.

  • SV

    I’ve already “donated” several bikes to the less fortunate of my neighbourhood(Strathcona).

    And though I don’t ride in CM anymore I feel I have to point out that the “fun” aspect of the ride comes from making cyclists more visible-riding on the street in numbers is very freeing especially the feeling of safety, especially when compared to my daily commute.
    As for the rules I’m not sure what the answer might be. I’d imagine 3000 cyclists riding on the right of the road would also snarl traffic, possibly for a longer period of time.
    On a related topic the “bike lanes” that are painted on the streets downtown are ridiculous. Drivers show them no respect(while driving or parking) and I seem to recall reading in Momentum that there is no mention of them in any law relating to the road. They haven’t changed the way I ride downtown(politely assertive while following the rules of the road) which leaves me to wonder whether they’re simply the equivalent of a painted reminder that bikes use the streets too.

  • Vaneire

    TW has an excellent point — use the event to raise money for a charity and organize it much like the Sun Run. The cyclists should show a little good faith instead of deliberately trying to ‘piss off’ motorists. Or is that the whole point? Yes, I guess it is.

  • SV

    No, it’s not. At least not anymore than the drivers who make my commute more dangerous every day by speeding or rolling/ignoring stop signs on bike routes. They’re not doing it to piss me off they just want to get where they’re going faster.
    It’s funny, when drivers were complaining about the Burrard Bridge trial I kept hearing that there were hardly any cyclists using the bridge. Critical Mass might upset some people but it does make these phantom cyclist quite visible for a couple of hours a month.

  • gmgw

    Back before the Hells Angels went international and seriously criminal, they used to do Christmas toy runs in California in an effort to get some good PR. If such tactics worked for even the scruffy likes of the Angels I don’t see why CM coudn’t adopt a similar approach. If they did a pass-the-helmet before each run, for instance, that would visibly raise funds for some warm and fuzzy cause(s). (Children’s Hospital is always a good one.) 3000 people, 10 bucks or so apiece– bears thinking about.
    gmgw

  • Jonathon Narvey

    Just wondering, if cycling enthusiast Peter Ladner had been elected, so many Vancouverites would be casually assuming (without checking facts) that Critical Mass actually had the support of our mayor.

    Maybe, but I doubt it.

  • FBT

    The Hell Angel’s are just a motor cycle club and that was just proven in court when they were acquited of being what gmgw claims. Perhaps he/she should be a little more careful so Francis isn’t issuing apologies for content on her blog.

    As for the cyclists, even in the best of weather they can’t even muster more than a 30% increase of their own numbers and still represent no more than 10% of bridge traffic overall. Yawn.

    I also notice not one of you has actually bothered to critique the BB numbers for the first two weeks. Perhaps not enough success for the cheerleaders to puff up their chests over?

    As for this ride, even long-term supporters like Gordon Price find that it’s run its time and needs to change. The hard-core cheerleaders that frequent this blog and flood the comment boards are only preaching to themselves.

    If you want to raise your numbers, you need to attract people to your cause not turn them off to it. Keep up the swell effort and dialogue and see where it gets you………

  • Richard

    FBT, you are defending the Hells Angels yet criticizing a peaceful bicycle ride.

    As for the Burrard Bridge numbers, they are about what I expected. The city needs to improve the access to and from the bridge to get the numbers up any further. Also note that a lot of people are on vacation now. That includes cyclists. I expect the numbers of cyclists will be up come September.

    People who don’t like cyclists will find another reason not to like cyclists. The reaction to Burrard Bridge and Critical Mass was essential the same in spite of the fact that they are completely different issues. Much of this is due to all the misinformation and the hysteria by the media. Hopefully now after they have looked ridiculous twice, they will tone it down a bit. Might be wishful thinking as it seems to get them the clicks, viewers, readers and listeners that they desperately need. Looks like cycling is the new sex.

  • urb anwriter

    With all due respect to Michael Phillips. Get your head out of your, well, wherever it is. Cops ALWAYS choose which laws to enforce. See radar on Point Grey Rd. very often? Hmmm, I wonder why that is. I mean, it’s only posted 30 km. Or perhaps you’d like to stand at, right at, 312 Main St. Now, seeing as you’re standing there, and such a proponent of law enforcement, perhaps you’ll explain to the rest of us why the VPD fails daily to enforce the Motor Vehicle Act (Code? I’ve done forgot) with respect to u-turns.

    C0me on Micheal, step up to the plate.

    And I neither like, particularly, nor participate in, Critical Mass.

    Perhaps Micheal, you could tell us why the VPD do not enforce the laws extant on ‘right turns on red,’ or the laws about pedestrians and crosswalks?

    I could go on, for hundreds of violations, but I think I’d bore those who can think, and make no difference to those who can’t.

  • Richard

    As it should be, the primary concern of the police is public safety. Laws, tickets and arrests are all tools that can be used to ensure public safety. Police presence is also a very useful method.

    As there were violent acts committed by one motorist and one cyclist at the previous mass, the police were concerned that this would happen again at the one on Friday. No thanks to the hysterical article in the Province, the ride went much better on Friday.

    Now before you suggest the violence committed by a very small number of people should be a reason to stop Mass, don’t forget that there is often violence at big events, such as the fireworks or after the Stanley Cup. Problems caused by a few people is no reason to cancel an event that many people enjoy responsibly.

    As far as ticketing or arresting everyone every time they broke a traffic law, all motorists and cyclists would be in jail.

  • Michael Phillips

    “See radar on Point Grey Rd. very often? Hmmm, I wonder why that is. ”

    “perhaps you’ll explain to the rest of us why the VPD fails daily to enforce the Motor Vehicle Act”

    “Perhaps Micheal, you could tell us why the VPD do not enforce the laws extant on ‘right turns on red,’ or the laws about pedestrians and crosswalks? ”

    Lots of good questions. I truly don’t see why we would have a law and not enforce it. So what’s your answer?

  • gmgw

    FBT said, apparently straight-faced:

    “The Hell Angel’s are just a motor cycle club…”

    …And Scientology is a bona fide religion.

    Sorry, FBT, I didn’t quite catch which planet it is you’re visiting from?
    gmgw

  • Urbanismo

    http://www.CommonDreams.org/video/2009/08/01-0

  • A. G. Tsakumis

    I, too, am not surprised by the lack of substantial support in the numbers.

    But we must be fair, as the current flow is NOT representative of traffic to realized for some real numbers gathering.

    Yet, Clr. Meggalomaniac and the other (feeble) spindoctors over at Vision won’t hesitate to make anything up as they are going along.

    They did the same thing with the shelters and every other failed policy or initiative.

    After the Olympic Village debacle, which they actually handled well, for the most part, it’s all been one long laundry list of failures touted as successes.

    Lots of lipstick and several silk hats for every pig they offer up.

    And when Vision Vancouver has no more use for you, they turn their collective back.

    Just ask Connie Barnes…

  • Richard

    “But we must be fair, as the current flow is NOT representative of traffic to realized for some real numbers gathering.” Alex, this does not make any sense, something resembling English would be much appreciated. I’ve think you’ve over spun it and it ended up as a twisted mess.

    Anyway, the numbers are from staff, pretty much the same staff that has been at the city for years. I think your spin is leaving you with double Vision.

    It is too bad the city is not counting the number of children cycling over Burrard Bridge. I’m sure it is much greater than the other bridges and much greater than before the trial.

  • Urbanismo

    Why can’t we just enjoy riding our bicycles?

    Why has CM turned it into critical militancy?

    As little people strain to be heard the latent need for celebrity status is palpable even at this low level and always from the same very small group . . . At that Chris Hedges discussion with Laura Flanders, above, has traction . . .

    If indeed the MSM wants to bad mouth CM . . . let them. No one listens to or reads the MSM anymore . . .

    Need for attention and the denial of sotto voce rage on these posts is astonishing.

    “They did the same thing with the shelters and every other failed policy or initiative.” Ummmmm interesting point of view . . . would mean spirited condo owners also be a problem? They looked pretty nasty on telly!

    OV was VV’s naiveté. They should have dumped it on VANOC!

    When I posted my experiences, on the 2010 by-law subject, with the Environment university in Curitiba Br I did so hoping it would be the basis of a mature discussion on the range of 2010 by-laws: Eco-density and Climate change being two, hopefully, of many. Instead it bogged down in fear.

    Curitiba enlightened planning is revered by many local and international planning professions. Hence the importance, in my, clearly misplaced opinion, that it would at least set a back-drop for a sensible, wide ranging by-law discussion in Vancouver: environmental sustainability being as misunderstood here as it clearly is in the state of Paraña Br.

    Are bikes supposed to a sustainable alternatives to autos?

    A back-drop for CM? The Mayor is on side . . . instead of berating VV go help ’em . . . “Clr. Meggalomaniac!” indeed . . . clearly Bula bloggers seem unable to connect dots or walk and chew gum at the same time . . .

  • Darcy McGee

    > Why can’t we just enjoy riding our bicycles?

    The problem is not that we can’t “just enjoy riding our bicycles.”

    The problem is that our bicycles are our vehicles, and government keeps treating them as child’s playthings. They’ve had an attitude for years that we should “just enjoy riding our bicycles” rather than treating them as equal vehicles (though they’ve paid lip service to it, by applying the same laws.)

  • A. G. Tsakumis

    Richard:

    In case it hasn’t dawned on you…we often err (typographically) when writing on blogs. I’ve seen multiple corrections by many of your cycling brethren on this blog even…but you’re just too perfect.

    Maybe you might want to stick to your own website where a grown man gets to laud Mommy and Daddy and hail cycling as the be all and end all of civilization’s future.

    Go away, foolish man. If I learned how better to write English just from a quick perusal of your site, I might want to look for other employment. Before proffering advice to me, save some for yourself.

    My point is simple: The stats that came out are premature and prove nothing as the volume required to have an objective look just isn’t there. As for the the people you claim have been there “for years” , being the ones who took the initiative to write up the data…they’d find that quote quite interesting…

    You really are an idealistic fool.

  • Chris Keam

    One of my freelance gigs is editing news stories for a European trade magazine that focuses on the cycling industry. After spending the past week reading about cycle industry-friendly initiatives and incentives being rolled out in other countries world-wide, it becomes crystal-clear how far behind the rest of the world we are in recognizing just how crucial bikes will be in keeping people moving in the future. The naysayers and braying columnists who know next to nothing about which they speak are actually doing our business climate and personal quality of life a disservice by trying to stamp out this logical trend. Almost all bike companies are enjoying a rise in revenues and profit as bikes come ‘on-line’ for transportation purposes. The benefits also extend to the countries which are working hard to incorporate cycling into their transportation fabric. One can venture forth all kinds of opinions about who will or won’t ride a bike, but the evidence is already in (most able-bodied folks can and will given proper education and facilities), and Canada is missing the boat.

  • FBT

    “People often underestimate the ability to change one self, while often overestimating the ability to change others.”

    The cycling lobby appears to be as guilty of this as Vision Vancouver.

    Now onto reality.

    Worldwide sales of bikes actually DROPPED in dollars and volume after Lance Armstrong retired several years ago. Although it has SLOWLY increased since, it is not the booming industry that the advocates would have you believe.

    Although Lance’s recent comeback has provided a slight boost to bike sales, from what the ‘major’ players are reporting it is nothing substantial as yet. It’s simply too early to have sales data for this year as the Tour de France just completed this quarter.

    To quote sales on niche companies that are seeing huge increases in sales as industry norm is selling snake oil plain and simple. I also have a bridge and some swamp land to sell you as well.

    You can sell all the excessively and over-priced priced bikes to the die-hard cyclists that you like and hype your personal success. Until people start buying the cheap imports from Canadian Tire and other large retailers in droves, your movement is nothing more than a very small special interest group.

    The comment in #36 is biased and based on an ideolological belief in cycling and nothing more. This is Canada and not another country. You can continue to “think” that Canada is missing the boat, however it is you who is missing the point.

    Stop trying to change others and look into yourself for what it is that requires changing. You’ll find that you ‘may’ be far more successful in the long-run.

  • Chris Keam

    Actually, in Europe the big gains in bikes sales are being seen in mid-priced electric-bikes and commuter models.

    Focusing on the sales figures for bikes used for racing, and cycling as sport is to completely miss the biggest and fastest growing segment of the market.

    Shimano’s position during the past market dive was helped by its dominant position in the bike industry, while its sales of fishing equipment and similar plummeted. Canada’s Dorel continues to buy up other bike companies around the world and is well-positioned to do well by this strategy as growth continues.

    The tired old ‘this is Canada’ trope is irrelevant. Canada’s transportation challenges are no different than a thousand other locales with similar geography. Further, no one mentioned a boom, or any ‘change-from-within’ philosophic nonsense. So, let’s not misrepresent what other’s are saying in an attempt to marginalize.

    My comments are based on an ideology, true, but no where do I proselytize. I’m simply stating the facts. They speak for themselves. The convoluted attempts to discredit those who speak the facts speak volumes too.

  • FBT

    Since Chris wants to continue debating apples and oranges, let me state again:

    Worldwide sales of bikes actually DROPPED in dollars and volume after Lance Armstrong retired several years ago. Although it has SLOWLY increased since, it is not the booming industry that the advocates would have you believe.

    So in Europe, one category is doing great, while overall the worldwide industry isn’t doing as well.

    Wasn’t that my point? Did I not write: “To quote sales on niche companies that are seeing huge increases in sales as industry norm is selling snake oil plain and simple.”?

    So Chris quotes a niche market, good for you!

    And refering to Shimano, since you bring up the drop in sales of fishing equipment, should I assume then that you are informed enough to discuss the corporate strategies employed by a large company to offset those losses in categories they are already familiar in?

    Thank you for continuing your charade.

  • Chris Keam

    Nowhere have I used the phrases ‘huge increase’, or ‘boom’, or any of the other qualifications you need to use to counter my points.

    As to niche markets, the niche for commuter bikes is much larger than that of speciality recreational bikes, hence the gains in other countries. I guess I’d like to hear from you the long list of all the bike companies suffering ‘huge losses’ and being in a ‘bust’ cycle since we seem to be focused on extremes.

    Cycling is a good investment… for companies and governments. Please explain how the corporate strategies you are referring to relate to that point?

  • FBT

    Chris, you’ve said: “Please explain how the corporate strategies you are referring to relate to that point?”

    So is that a yes to not understanding why a corporation would target one area of their business for growth while another is in decline?

  • Chris Keam

    If you are interested in a productive dialogue it might be helpful to spell out your position on the benefits of cycling as a public and private investment, rather than relying on cryptic allusions to one aspect of a corporations’ operations, especially since you appear to using this valuable secret as a reason for your argument that cycling isn’t growing overall, and any increase that does exist is due to a vocal lobby rather than a general trend.

  • A. G. Tsakumis

    FBT–you cannot win with Chris, because he is too thick to understand that he lost before he started.

    He is part of a small, miserable group of in-your-face, faux social engineers that want you to HURT because he deeply, and mistakenly, believes that global warming is entirely anthropogenic, when, in point of fact, you know better FBT.

    Stop wasting your time with this man. So disturbed was he to have his his nonsense challenged by me some months ago on this blog, that he actually invaded my privacy by calling me at home, without an invitation to do so. He was so shell-shocked that he actually scoured the internet for me number.

    Think about the mania gripping these people. They cannot be reasoned with.

    The only way to deal with them is to rid city council of Vision and install reasonable, centered, principled govt.

    This whole bike bullshit could be easily solved. Tax them to the max, make them get insurance and pay their own godamned way and build a connector right along side the Burrard Bridge, thus reopening the lanes that are a ridiculous exercise in satisfying the extremists.

  • Chris Keam

    It took me less than 3 seconds to google your details and come up with your cel phone number Alex, which is publicly available. Then I called you during business hours to enquire why you felt compelled to call cyclists ‘fascists’ on Frances’ blog (among other places). I see your grasp of the ‘truth’ let alone ‘facts’ remains as tenuous as when we spoke in person. Enjoy!

  • Chris Keam

    “He is part of a small, miserable group of in-your-face, faux social engineers that want you to HURT because he deeply, and mistakenly, believes that global warming is entirely anthropogenic, when, in point of fact, you know better FBT.”

    Actually, putting aside the name-calling and other nonsense, I would say that personally, I find the particulate emissions that create smog, injury and death rates from dangerous drivers, and wasteful requirement for large amounts of urban space are at least as compelling to me in my advocacy for cycling as any other factor.

    Even with climate change out of the equation, more cycling infrastructure still makes good sense.

  • Not Running for mayor

    What I find interesting is that car drivers seem more interested in a dedicated bike/ped bridge then the cyclists do.
    It’s almost as if the issue with cyclists isn’t only a dedicated lane but trying to force drivers to change their way.

  • Chris Keam

    Or maybe cyclists think ‘immediate and $1.5M’ trumps ‘a decade away and $50M’ when it comes to building facilities to make cycling safer.

    You want to drive. Go for it. We (to speak on behalf of all cyclists, since clearly we think as one!!!) just wish the car-huggers would stop expecting the rest of us to pay for your privilege, with our time and money.

  • FBT

    That works both ways Mr. Keam. Cyclists need to start paying their way and that means insurance, registration and licensing.

    Back to the topic of corporate direction, your example of shimano and supposition as to why they proceeded in the direction they have shows clearly that you should stick to your creative skills where you seem to excel.

    Leave the management and corporate direction topics to those that have more experience.

  • Not running for mayor

    Not sure what money “cyclists” are paying for the roads, as you might not know in Canada we have gas taxes that are high enough to pay for all roads (unlike the US) so that roads don’t need to be susbidized by general revenues.
    But that isn’t what this is about, if cyclists were arguing about increased new lanes there would be a almost no argument from drivers as there is by taking lanes away from drivers.

  • FBT

    Oh, and the group of cyclists that you speak for in this city is an overwhelming minority just in case you’ve forgotten.

    Again my original comment:

    People often underestimate the ability to change one self, while often overestimating the ability to change others.

    The comment from ‘not running for mayor’ seems to be as astute as a comment could be. This group is very much trying to force their will and lifestyle on people.

    It would not be the first time an extreme wingnut from the left or right camp believed they were ‘saving’ us from ourselves and imminent destruction.

    Hallelujah!