Looking for some quotes I could use for some university work

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SomethingLikeThat

Über Member
Location
South London
I've been tasked to write a feature about a hobby for a university assignment, and I need some quotes from someone from the community.

What I would like is a few short lines about what drew you to cycling, what you continue to enjoy about it and the problems and issues you face as a UK cyclist. What also would be great is what you would like to see for cycling in the future i.e. moving beyond the current MAMIL enthusiast style culture into a more broader audience or whether you like the more sporty side of it.

It's for a general feature type piece about cycling and the cycling experience, as part of one of my journalism classes at university. It's to practice researching and writing a feature and I thought this forum contains some great voices that I could use that would certainly class cycling as one of their hobbies or interests and would work as an example voice.

It would also be nice if I could have your name and location too, just so I can include it in the piece. Thanks.
 
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MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
Ah, investigation at its finest, though I think I understand the internet age wouldn't it be better if you actually went out and did it rather than cut and paste from others? There will be plenty of local groups and rides you could join ad you'll get some great stories.

If it's just a tick box exercise and you just want it out of the way then read through the old threads on here, and other forums, to get what you need. Otherwise it just feels like you have no interest and want others to collate for you the small amount of research you feel the subject is worth.
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
Penny, from Gloucestershire
I cycle for leisure, from 10 mile bimbles to the occasional 100 mile day out.
I enjoy the exercise, and the changing scenery and being in the outdoors.
The majority of motorists that I encounter on the roads are considerate, pass with plenty of space etc. This includes most lorries. However it only takes one close pass to spoil a ride - I think drivers who do not cycle themselves don't understand what it feels like for a ton of steel to whizz past within a of foot of your handlebars (or those long lorries that start to pull in after overtaking when the cab has passed you - which means they are very close indeed by the time the end of the lorry goes past!)
For the future, I'd like more people to enjoy cycling for recreation or for commuting or short trips, in an environment where everyone on the roads recognises everyone else's right to be there and to be treated with consideration.
And it would also be nice if complaints from cyclists about poor driving weren't met with the tired and invalid excuses that 'you don't pay road tax', 'all cyclists jump red lights' etc. After all, no-one pretends that all motorists drive when drunk, do they?
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
Ah, investigation at its finest, though I think I understand the internet age wouldn't it be better if you actually went out and did it rather than cut and paste from others? There will be plenty of local groups and rides you could join ad you'll get some great stories.

If it's just a tick box exercise and you just want it out of the way then read through the old threads on here, and other forums, to get what you need. Otherwise it just feels like you have no interest and want others to collate for you the small amount of research you feel the subject is worth.
I can see what you mean, but a lot of the threads on here are very ranty and could give people a biassed view of what folks think.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
I can see what you mean, but a lot of the threads on here are very ranty and could give people a biassed view of what folks think.

Even better, a journalist should be able to sort the wheat from the chaff...it may seem harsh and call me old fashioned but if you want to research a group then meeting, at least some examples, would be obligatory for me.
 
OP
OP
SomethingLikeThat

SomethingLikeThat

Über Member
Location
South London
Ah, investigation at its finest, though I think I understand the internet age wouldn't it be better if you actually went out and did it rather than cut and paste from others? There will be plenty of local groups and rides you could join ad you'll get some great stories.

If it's just a tick box exercise and you just want it out of the way then read through the old threads on here, and other forums, to get what you need. Otherwise it just feels like you have no interest and want others to collate for you the small amount of research you feel the subject is worth.

What gives you the impression that this is all I'm doing? This was just an initial idea. Anything from here is not going to form the whole piece, just a short quote or two.
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
Like middle-aged women...!

If you cycle yourself, why not join the forum for its own sake, as well as asking for quotes?
 
Like middle-aged women...!

If you cycle yourself, why not join the forum for its own sake, as well as asking for quotes?
There are middle aged women on this site?? Surely the mods are there to keep them out. :whistle:

In answer to the OP, talk about stuff in the forum, as about cycke rekated things you'd like to know and you'll get some good advice (quotes)
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
John.

City worker, heading up interior architectural design team across Europe.

I rode a chopper all the time as a kid, like most kids from my generation but serious riding only came to me much later in life, when I realised that my commute from the suburbs was taking an average of 4 hours a day. I wanted a form of exercise that didn't cost me any more time and cycle commuting seemed to fit the bill. I've been riding in and out of town (and all across it) for around 6 years, am a huge advocate of city cycling and have attracted a few pals into the coven. In the last 18 months I've ridden across the length of Britain, ridden from London to Paris and London to Brussels along with a couple of coastal weekend tours...as well as occasionally riding in and out of town.
 

Simontm

Veteran
Haha fair enough! Perhaps my post initially came across as lazy, but I was only just set this mere moments ago. I'm a member of a club at uni so I'll be asking them. Just thought this site would allow me to access people I couldn't otherwise.

How close are you to your Cycling group? Only asking as it generally helps to have a distance from the subject matter when questioning - especially when starting out in journalism. Remember your closed and open strategies and decide if you want the story to lead you or you to steer the story.

Good luck ^_^
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
I started cycling to work because I had a bike and the buses weren't running for the early shift. I sort of assumed I'd eventually earn to drive and get a car instead. I never got around to learning to drive because cycling was doing the job so nicely.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
Patricia - Glasgow, mainly an urban cyclist.
Cycling is freedom from public transport, freedom from a car's financial burden.
I would like to see more utilitarian cycling in my city, I think the aggravation motorist perceive would lessen if there was more of us on the roads.
 
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