Attitudes are Definitely Changing

[Jezston]

Some of you (unlikely) may remember me starting a thread a while back asking for suggestions how to encourage my sister not to write emails on her blackberry whilst driving. My sister is a bit of a chelsea mum wannabe. Lives in Westminster, a year ago she was talking about buying a big four wheel drive car so she can protect her child when she takes her to the private catholic girls school down the road that she's going to start going to mass to get her in to, would never ride a bike in London and would CERTAINLY never let her daughter on a child seat on one, thinks climate change is a myth and would probably vote tory if it wasn't for the fact she works in the public sector. And she called me a 'cyclo-fascist' because I moaned about a driver who shouted abuse at me.

This weekend we were looking at child seats for Pashleys, working out the best route by bicycle between her flat and the state primary school she wants her daughter to get into and whether her cycle to work scheme will allow her two bikes and if she can get a decent shopping bike AND a road bike within the £1k limit.

The end has begun!

 

[scots_lass]

What brought about the change ?

 

[Paulus]

You must have some very good powers of persuasion Jezston, what has happened to change her attitude?

 

[Archie_tect]

Jezston, has a Pashley become the latest fashion accessory that she's discovered is in vogue within the 'must be in with' clique at work or the private school... call me cynical.

 

[dellzeqq]

you can be as cynical as you like, but the Pashley is a step up from taking the kid to school in a car!

 

[Adasta]

Jezston, has a Pashley become the latest fashion accessory that she's discovered is in vogue within the 'must be in with' clique at work or the private school... call me cynical.

That is almost exactly it.

Bikes are the cool fashion accessory now (c.f. hipsters) because they are in someway subversive. You can be poor and have one or you can be rich and have one too (a better one, obviously). You don't have to pay money to park it and most people think that it's easy riding a bike on the road since "it's as easy as riding a bike". As Dell says though, rather that than a car.

I'm sure Jez will do his best to instill some road sense into his sister before she starts cycling!

As an aside, it's weird how siblings can be so very different from each other.

 

[Archie_tect]

you can be as cynical as you like, but the Pashley is a step up from taking the kid to school in a car!

Good point.

I'm saddened to admit my first thought was a negative one... thanks for putting me back on track D!

 

[HLaB]

My wee sister was never as bad but I can recall she was looking at a crap 4x4 for a similar reason when she first passed her test (a suzuki), I lent her £500 more to get a wee bit better car, she ended up with a Pug 106. 13 year later she's now got a one year old and she talking about putting a baby seat on the back of my mum's bike, unfortunately its a BSO folder, I've no idea if it'd be possible.

 

[Jezston]

That is almost exactly it.

Bikes are the cool fashion accessory now (c.f. hipsters) because they are in someway subversive. You can be poor and have one or you can be rich and have one too (a better one, obviously).

Almost certainly.

My sister whilst claiming to be independently spirited is heavily influenced by her peers and has an awful lot of lifestyle magazines lying around.

But if the 4x4 driving mobile blabbing yummy mummies are all trading them in for Pashley Princesses that's a good thing, right?

Even if not all of them (such as Petronella Wyatt) have the balls to stick to it.

Went for a ride with her on Sunday and have to say she was INCREDIBLY nervous. But she concedes it's a confidence thing and she needs to keep at it. Lucky for her she has Boris bike stations at either end of her street, although sadly none anywhere near her work (foreign office building. Scared of terrorists neaking a bomb in a boris bike?)

 

[2Loose]

Aah, the real question is: Will she still want to be able to email from the Blackberry?

 

[Dan B]

Aah, the real question is: Will she still want to be able to email from the Blackberry?

Ah well, it's not illegal on a bike.

Though best to swap the brakes around, or to learn to operate the blackberry left-handed

 

[upsidedown]

Can you imagine it, a sea of Pashley Poppies on the school run, what a beautiful image.

 

[Blue_icicle]

Aah, the real question is: Will she still want to be able to email from the Blackberry?

I'm sure I have seen a handlebar mount for an Iphone, so I'm sure there will be on for the blackberry too.

all she needs is bluetooth handsfree and she can actually converse with her friend while she is on the school run

 

[Black Sheep]

I'm sure I have seen a handlebar mount for an Iphone, so I'm sure there will be on for the blackberry too.

all she needs is bluetooth handsfree and she can actually converse with her friend while she is on the school run

I think the intent with the iPhone mount is using it as a navigation aid

 

[Blue_icicle]

I think the intent with the iPhone mount is using it as a navigation aid

Isn't that what the Sun and the stars are for?