Current Media Backlash

[yorkshiregoth]

Is it just me, or does there seem to be a lot of media resentment against cyclist recently. Much of it coming from the Evening Standard, Mail, GMTV etc etc.

What seems to confuse me though are the comments that people are making. Most people seem to be slating the lycra clad cyclists as if we are in league with the anti-christ, accusing us of every traffic violation possible. From my experience the ones who wear lycra (myself included) are more likely to stop at lights, keep to the road, have lights etc. Whereas the peeps on the 2 for £99 specials are the ones most likely (IME) to RLJ, ride on pavements, not use lights etc.

Anyone else notice this??

 

[Paulus]

Nothing new there. The Standard and the Mail are owned by the same company, associated news, so they always agree. They are right wing Tory supporting middle England representing rags that should not be taken too seriously, unless you agree with their standpoint, which obviously I don't.

Unfortunately some cyclists will always flout the rules of the road and this gives ammunition to the hacks who are sent out to get stories. They rarely cover stories of the carnage that motorised vehicle drivers cause unless it is of some newsworthyness, ie a child being killed or an MP being caught driving whilst drunk, that sort of thing. But lord help a cyclist who gets caught going through a red light, which they shouldn't, but these papers will go to town on them.

 

[simonali]

Half the problem is that the people writing this rubbish are based in London, home of the courier!

 

[girofan]

Half the problem is that the people writing this rubbish are based in London, home of the courier!

It's a case of the Great British Bullshit Industry at work again!
There's mor BS in Britain than any other country in the World.

 

[Twenty Inch]

We're a lot more visible than we used to be. We're more mobile, fitter and more free than a cager. We're more likely to have higher education and enjoy a higher salary. Our sex life is better (well, probably, given that we're fitter and have buns of steel). We don't contribute to global warming or congestion. And if we are commuting, we get to do something we enjoy twice a day.

Is it any wonder they hate us?

 

[Pete]

From my experience the ones who wear lycra (myself included) are more likely to stop at lights, keep to the road, have lights etc.

OI!! I (1) don't wear lycra*, but I do: (2) stop at lights, (3) keep to the road, (4) have lights. What does that make me?
*at least, not on the commute.

Our sex life is better...

Oddly enough, I was once firmly assured by a knowledgeable person (by which I mean, knowledgeable about everything except cycling ) that cycling makes one impotent. Or worse. He must have been right about this, because (according to him) he knew everything...

 

[yorkshiregoth]

No insult intended Pete, what I was trying to state was that the ones who are do tend to RLJ etc, are normally on crappy MTB's, wearing jeans and or dark clothing etc and not on high end road bikes etc.

 

[domtyler]

Oddly enough, I was once firmly assured by a knowledgeable person (by which I mean, knowledgeable about everything except cycling ) that cycling makes one impotent. Or worse. He must have been right about this, because (according to him) he knew everything...

I think he may be right actually. The saddle can restrict blood flow to the penis, hence the proliferation of saddles with cut-outs.

 

[domtyler]

The thing is that you will only find this kind of thing in media that are not worth a second glance, hence I haven't seen any of it. All low brow media is riddled with prejudice, it is a reflection of the mentality of the readers/viewers.

 

[Twenty Inch]

I think he may be right actually. The saddle can restrict blood flow to the penis,

I ride a Brooks leather saddle. No sign of it happening yet. Rather wish it would, sometimes....

 

[John the Monkey]

I was once firmly assured by a knowledgeable person (by which I mean, knowledgeable about everything except cycling ) that cycling makes one impotent.

Are you sure he didn't say "Important"...?

 

[Arch]

Our sex life is better

Hmph. Someone's getting all my benefit then...

The lycra lout thing is of course a triumph of alliteration over reality...

 

[Pete]

I think he may be right actually. The saddle can restrict blood flow to the penis, hence the proliferation of saddles with cut-outs.

And hence, also, the well-known phenomenon - what I refer to as 'penile dementia' - after a long-ish ride. Can be averted I think with a correctly-set saddle.

 

[domtyler]

Seems the jury's out on the subject:

http://www.impotence-guide.com/cycling-impotence.html

No firm evidence or proof.

 

[andygates]

As was named elsewhere, "turbo glory"

Anyway this media crap is nothing new. It comes and goes depending on how many pages they have to kill; with climatastrophe the reactionary rags need something to react against too. It's full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.