Is there any way to change the narrative?

[Markymark]

I had an argument with a toss-wipe on a bike steaming through the Olympic park. HE was tearing past families shouting "on-the-left" He even had a camera to relive what a twunt he was. I called him up on it at the lights. He said the map says it's a cycle path. I said no, it;s a shared path. He insisted it was a cycle-path and even though he agreed pedestrians could go on it, it meant he should be able to ride fast.

Complete twunt of the highest order. It makes no difference what a bit of paper says, you operate safely with what is around you. Even if cyclists are banned you do not put them in danger.

 

[mjr]

I don't understand this attitude but cyclists are not seen as flesh and blood by some motorists

I think the media are mostly to blame. Now they can't be racist, sexist and various other ists, hating these people who wear clothes that non cyclists would never wear and ride on roads that most people are scared of, is one of the few Daily Hates that they can promote. Even if you do like wearing all the gear and belting along, please support any local publicity campaigns that show cycling as ordinary and encourages more people to start bimbling.

 

[mjr]

I feel for you, often people that have never cycled in their lives think I'm responsible for all rl jumping cyclists in town!
...
What about kids on scooters or balance bikes? Let the pensioners run them over too?

Oh a rumour of near misses with children would probably change the narrative over the bowling green...

I sometimes get challenged about antisocial cycling but then I do speak to press and council promoting cycling so I do invite it. My usual responses are to say that I don't condone it but rules shouldn't be made on the basis of the few who break the current ones: rules should be made to benefit the law abiding - and speeding and uninsured motorists aren't accepted as an argument against new motorways, or pavement parkers accepted as an argument against new car parks. Worst case, a nobber on a bike is a nobber not in a car, while the majority of cyclists are decent honest law abiding people taking care of their health and easing pressures on local transport and pollution.

 

[summerdays]

I had an argument with a toss-wipe on a bike steaming through the Olympic park. HE was tearing past families shouting "on-the-left" He even had a camera to relive what a twunt he was. I called him up on it at the lights. He said the map says it's a cycle path. I said no, it;s a shared path. He insisted it was a cycle-path and even though he agreed pedestrians could go on it, it meant he should be able to ride fast.

Complete twunt of the highest order. It makes no difference what a bit of paper says, you operate safely with what is around you. Even if cyclists are banned you do not put them in danger.

I know someone like this .... first has a go at dog walkers being on the cycle tracks in Ashton Court, but I've found they all stood patiently off the side of the track when anybody comes along, then he posted a video on Facebook where he shows himself going down a flight of 100 + steps through a pedestrian area at speed, and almost takes out a pedestrian. Of the two I know which I think was more inconsiderate and dangerous. I've tried pointing out the inconsistency but he just doesn't see it!

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I think the media are mostly to blame. Now they can't be racist, sexist and various other ists, hating these people who wear clothes that non cyclists would never wear and ride on roads that most people are scared of, is one of the few Daily Hates that they can promote. Even if you do like wearing all the gear and belting along, please support any local publicity campaigns that show cycling as ordinary and encourages more people to start bimbling.

The use of certain word forms to denote irrational hatred is part of the problem.

Derogatory comments about race makes them a racist, derogatory comments about gender make them sexist, so derogatory comments a out cycling makes them a cyclist.

 

[jefmcg]

I hate this comparison. If you hate me on the basis of my race, gender, or sexuality then it is hate based on who I am. It you hate me because I ride a cycle, that's based on what I do. Completely different.

You could compare hatred of cyclists with hatred based on religion because arguably that is a choice - though secular Jews are still hated as Jewish.

 

[Profpointy]

I hate this comparison. If you hate me on the basis of my race, gender, or sexuality then it is hate based on who I am. It you hate me because I ride a cycle, that's based on what I do. Completely different.

You could compare hatred of cyclists with hatred based on religion because arguably that is a choice - though secular Jews are still hated as Jewish.

whilst that's perfectly true (in a way) I think a key point is not so much devaluing racism by the comparison, but that the "haters" are finding an "out" group to demonise. The bully picks on the black kid, the kid with the lisp, the ginger kid, or the kid who supports the wrong football team - anyone who can be labelled as "out"

 

[jefmcg]

As a woman who has experienced sexual assault, sexualised violence (very mild) and has been barred from applying for positions because the job, despite the stated duties indicating otherwise, needed a penis I would never compare sexism to people's irrational hatred of cyclists.

I suspect almost everyone who makes these comparisons are white men.

 

[Andrew_P]

I remonstrated with a black cab driver for coming too close when we were both doing 20mph only he was wandering over the road as he was playing around on his phone satnav his response was "you lot are goby daffodils" I have had similar said to me before, people do not like being embarrassed by having their wrong doings pointed out so immediately go full on defensive even if they know they were in the wrong.

 

[vickster]

I remonstrated with a black cab driver for coming too close when we were both doing 20mph only he was wandering over the road as he was playing around on his phone satnav his response was "you lot are goby daffodils" I have had similar said to me before, people do not like being embarrassed by having their wrong doings pointed out so immediately go full on defensive even if they know they were in the wrong.

And black cab drivers are often ignorant, entitled daffodils. Public transport providers my arse!

 

[mjr]

I hate this comparison. If you hate me on the basis of my race, gender, or sexuality then it is hate based on who I am. It you hate me because I ride a cycle, that's based on what I do. Completely different.

It wasn't a comparison because I agree that there's no comparison. I simply pointed out that many Daily Hates have moved on to activity-based prejudices because the old hatreds are now so toxic that mainstream media won't touch most of them. Unfortunately, rather than give up the poisonous politics of hate, they've just replaced some with others.

And it's usually not "based on what I do" - it's based on hating us because of what some other people cycling have done and we have no control over most of them. Nobbers are nobbers whether or not they're on a bike and there will probably always be some.

I suspect almost everyone who makes these comparisons are white men.

So racist and sexist, then. It doesn't matter what other protected characteristics I have, as long as I'm in the currently-privileged race and gender, then I may not speak out for equality and fairness.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

As a woman who has experienced sexual assault, sexualised violence (very mild) and has been barred from applying for positions because the job, despite the stated duties indicating otherwise, needed a penis I would never compare sexism to people's irrational hatred of cyclists.

I suspect almost everyone who makes these comparisons are white men.

Not wanting to undervalue your argument, but it can work other ways too.

As someone that has worked in female dominated environments, I too have suffered what would be described as physical sexual assault and behaviour, but from women, and in a way that would not have been at all acceptable if the roles were reversed and one that will not be taken seriously if I complained.. Try asking a man seeking access, never mind custody of his children in a divorce if it's an equal society.

 

[snorri]

I don't think it's so much that they hate cyclists, more just a tribe mentality.

Precisely!
There are parallels with the attitude of the bowlers and the Sportive riders in the "Nearly taken out by Sportive nutcases" thread.
As individuals most people behave reasonably, but get like minded people in a group and behaviour can easily change for the worse.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Sounds like a bunch of nothing to me, they're probably just used to their ways and it might have been more fruitful to wait, and enquire if they were stopping or heading in, rather than squeeze by and then shout out. And if then a dispute arose over cyclists (which it probably wouldn't have done) just pointed out the law entitled you to cycle there.

"I couldn't reasonably have been expected to wait to find out if she was planning to pull out". Perhaps not for "ten minutes" but that sounds like a disgruntled assumption rather than anything real, and you could reasonably have been expected to wait for twenty seconds or so and then ask politely... I reckon.

BB

 

[Pope]

The majority of people in general are vile human beings

I strongly disagree. It's just that you don't often hear stories of people being civilised and courteous, because that is the norm.