Crikey! (Reach out and touch someone)

"European researchers have conducted extensive analysis of PRT and see substantial benefits, calling urgently for a pilot project. Ken Avidor, closed to such views, told me on the phone "Fuck you" and hung up." Source

Here is Larry Fabian's account of his Crocodile Hunter-like encounter with the Minnesota anti-PRT propagandist:

"My attempt to email the recent EU report on PRT to Avidor failed. I rechecked his website and saw that I had entered it as listed. So I googled him and found a phone number and called. I don't recall what time it was. To some people dinner time is 5pm. To others, it's 8. His website and the style of his cartoons don't give one the impression that he runs a 9-5 shop.

I simply asked for Ken Avidor (although somewhere I saw that he has used Ken Weiner as well...). He answered, "Speaking." I explained very politely that I'd tried to email him a European report on PRT. His initial reaction was something like "Don't bother." He asked who I was and I gave my name. He immediately associated me with ATRA and started about how "you guys" had tried to derail the Minn. LRT. I recalled that ATRA had never a position on that, but he went on that Mark Olson had read something by ATRA to the state legislature -- a sign of rather unclear thinking, I believe.

When I again brought up the EU report, he remarked that you guys "buy" these reports -- oh! if only "us guys" had such deep pockets, half as deep as the LRT crowd would be appreciated! Pointing out that planning and research stand on higher ground in Europe -- had he heard of that place? -- he blurted out "Fuck you!" and hung up."

Previously: Black & white and red-in-the-face all over (9/7/05)
Update: he wonders why SkyTran won't talk to him: 1, 2 !

gPRT
Ken Avidor is steel box frames... kind of resistant to bending