Article: Slow Down! And Four Other Ways to Make People Love Cyclists

[GovernorSilver]

I tried an electric bike for the first time today. It was quite an experience to feel that motor kick in and make a climb so effortless. I didn’t even bother to check what gear the bike was set to. Really neat to be able to pedal when you want, then hit a button for a boost.

I suspect affordable e-bikes will someday have a greater impact on attracting more people to cycling than non-electric cruiser bikes.

[Subby]

That article was divisive and sucky. The last thing in the world we need to do is to turn cyclists against each other.

[wheelswings]

I’m late to this party…finally read the article. Agree that it’s silly and superficial.

If we want people to love us bicycle riders, it’s got little to do with what we wear and lots to do with common courtesy, including slowing down and nicely calling/ringing our passes before approaching others – and if anyone likes to go fast to get more exercise, just remember that it makes more muscle to slow/ stop and accelerate again.

As for clothes, I would argue that instead of ditching the spandex or other bike-related gear, to the contrary it’s helpful to be wearing at least some bicycle-riding attire, whether in meetings or in grocery stores, ‘cause this leads to questions and conversations. And it’s as bicycle ambassadors that collectively we can make a difference – those one-on-one conversations that start with “what are those yellow bands around your ankles?” and turn into animated exchanges about safety, routes, money saved (and the vacation upgrades that result ), and so forth. Often people tell me their lives are too busy and complicated to bicycle commute, and then I give them a glimpse of my situation as a single working parent and how the bicycle has actually FIXED my logistical challenges rather than created them.

Even if later the other person has forgotten all that we’ve told them, e.g. about how to get from A to B, I think that they remember our enthusiasm, witnessing us bubble over as we talk about bicycling. And I’d bet that many of them are thinking, “I’ll have what she’s having.” I think these interactions can make a difference.

So why hide the fact that we ride bicycles? I say, go out and flaunt it and share the joy.

[cvcalhoun]

I ride a hybrid that cost me $250. While I tend to wear special clothes for biking, that’s only because I don’t want my “good” clothes to get sweaty. And my special biking clothes are most often a pair of leggings from Forever 21 ($5.99), a sports bra from Target ($5), and a t-shirt (often free). I don’t wear special shoes for biking, just my normal orthopedic shoes. So what do I think when I see someone on a high end bike, wearing the latest Lycra outfit? I think that this person most likely has economic circumstances different from mine, and/or needs different from mine, but that I’m happy to see someone on a bicycle regardless. And I’ve never had a fellow cyclist (or “Cyclist”) make any but the most good-natured and genial fun of my bicycle or what I wear riding it.

If cyclists are rude and thoughtless, it will irritate me. But that doesn’t depend on clothing or class of bicycle.

[mstone]

@wheels&wings 118608 wrote:

If we want people to love us bicycle riders, it’s got little to do with what we wear and lots to do with common courtesy, including slowing down and nicely calling/ringing our passes before approaching others[/quote]

And some people will get annoyed about the bell ringing. At some point you can’t win, and just need to do what makes the most sense. I guess what annoys me most about this kind of article is the idea that I have to carry the weight of “CYCLIST PERCEPTION” around with me, instead of just riding a bike. I’m not going to worry that haters are hating, I’m just going to be safe, get where I’m going, and have a nice ride. It’s not like people drive around worried about how all drivers will be perceived, or walkers walk like they’re ambassadors for all walkers. Why on earth would a cyclist do this to himself?

[Vicegrip]

I agree with you on “just ride your bike, be nice and be happy” and for the most part I don’t care what others might think (I think that in general not just cycling) on the other hand bike riders are a small fraction of the people we encounter in our daily travels. Like it or not human nature places the few into a higher profile than the many. We become the face of many.

[mstone]

@Vicegrip 118616 wrote:

Like it or not human nature places the few into a higher profile than the many. We become the face of many.

But so what? I’m not perfect, and if someone wants to find a problem with me they will. The only part we can control is whether we let ourselves get consumed by worrying about it. Picking up the banner of ALL CYCLISTS and trying to be perfect isn’t a reasonable way to live and it certainly isn’t reasonable to expect that just because someone decided to ride a bike.

You are right about the few being high profile: no matter how perfect any cyclist tries to be, the only thing the hater is going to remember is that other guy on bike who rode around like a jackhole. (Which he will then talk about as “all cyclists are jackholes because this one time I saw a cyclist who was a jackhole”.) Being extra-good to make up for some other person simply isn’t rational; I’m not going to opt into collective guilt. In a perfect world there will eventually be enough cyclists around that they aren’t really noticed. At that point only hard-core haters will still rant about cyclists. But the vast majority will ignore cyclists because they become part of the background, not because they’ve become an improbably perfect slice of humanity.

[Tim Kelley]

ArlNow picked it up in the morning notes: http://www.arlnow.com/2015/06/22/morning-notes-1209/#disqus_thread

And that means Comments!!

[mstone]

@Tim Kelley 118628 wrote:

And that means Comments!!

God help us.

[JorgeGortex]

@Tim Kelley 118628 wrote:

ArlNow picked it up in the morning notes: http://www.arlnow.com/2015/06/22/morning-notes-1209/#disqus_thread

And that means Comments!!

Yeah, I have to say I was feeling the power of the keyboard and made some comments. (Look for “George” after they get past moderation, and flame me is necessary) It just irked me so much that someone would publish this and then try to defend it. It served no purpose in uniting cyclists, new or experienced with the sport. Cycling is cycling and it doesn’t matter what you wear, why you wear it, where you are going, your race, creed, color, or sexual orientation for that matter. Its just cycling, get out and give it a try and enjoy. THAT should have been their message. Alas…

[GovernorSilver]

@mstone 118615 wrote:

And some people will get annoyed about the bell ringing. At some point you can’t win, and just need to do what makes the most sense.

Sometimes the clicking of my brake handles is enough to alert pedestrians ahead that I’m coming. Since I’m still new to this biking thing I’ve only come across one blissfully unaware pedestrian who was wandering across both lanes of the mixed-used trail. For her, I went to the bell. I wasn’t sure if she would have understood English properly if I said “On your left!”.

It could be my preference to use the bell comes from my own preference as a pedestrian to be alerted by bell instead of by yelling. But I’ve accepted that despite my best efforts, somebody somewhere will be annoyed by something I do, so it’s better to just behave in a safe manner – treating pedestrian the same way I’d treat the dogs I encounter on trails, pass slowly and carefully and just take it for granted they could make unpredictable movements.

[GovernorSilver]

@Tim Kelley 118628 wrote:

ArlNow picked it up in the morning notes: http://www.arlnow.com/2015/06/22/morning-notes-1209/#disqus_thread

Too bad. It’s a flawed article, as has been well covered in this mostly civil thread. I don’t even have a drop-bar bike or wear the racing gear, but I agree the divisiveness is just wrong.

Hopefully a better article will emerge in the near future.

[Tania]

Comments on this thread and likely the ArlNow post seem to indicate that most didn’t bother to read this part:

“Cyclists have to do their part as well – not just advocating for better policies, but thinking about the role they play in the public perception of cyclists.”

If I were a newb and I came across this thread, I’d be pretty turned off the cycling community. And not because of the article.

On the flip side of that, I’ve started calling passes for others who can’t be bothered because they’re too elite. “Passing on my left! Have a good day!”

[baiskeli]

@Tania 118655 wrote:

Comments on this thread and likely the ArlNow post seem to indicate that most didn’t bother to read this part:

“Cyclists have to do their part as well – not just advocating for better policies, but thinking about the role they play in the public perception of cyclists.”

But in the context of the rest of the article, I think that goes too far. It’s my job to make other cyclists look better? And I should stop wearing appropriate cycling clothes to do that? Because lycra is all about my ego? Anyone who has seen me in lycra knows it’s not an ego booster for me.

On the flip side of that, I’ve started calling passes for others who can’t be bothered because they’re too elite. “Passing on my left! Have a good day!”

Hey, I thought I invented that one!

[Tania]

No one looks good in lycra.

We all come on here and complain about the actions of other cyclists (missed connections anyone?). The author has written article that’s of the Huffington Post ilk (“10 reasons to date a cyclist!”) or Bicycling Magazine (“How to Rock a Saddlebag!” Wait…I didn’t know I was doing in wrong?) but their intent is well-placed. Be kind, be courteous, slow down in high traffic areas, you don’t HAVE to wear lycra to bike to work (I’m always on the lookout for baggy shorts that fit my legs), and spread a little biking love to everyone a la Dirt.

That’s all.

[Author]

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