More war against cyclists.....

[Twizit]

Just read his wiki entry, seems to be another specialist on failing upwards.

His Twitter name being "Toadmeister" says it all for me.

 

[sheddy]

I gave up buying the DT when they axed the road safety column on Saturday.
That could have been 20 years ago ?

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

He wrote.

"Cycling is predominantly a middle class activity"

That statement is not actually wrong, the majority of the weekend warrior brigade dressed up in all the gear are not dirty hands manual workers. Ironically, playing golf of a weekend is more of a working class sport than riding bikes, despite the fact that utility cycling was once the predominant working class mass transport mode.

 

[Baldy]

Speak for yourself, I certainly identify as working class. There aren't many of us left.

And, I detest golf.

 

[Venod]

That statement is not actually wrong, the majority of the weekend warrior brigade dressed up in all the gear are not dirty hands manual workers. Ironically, playing golf of a weekend is more of a working class sport than riding bikes, despite the fact that utility cycling was once the predominant working class mass transport mode.

I suppose it depends on what you define as working class, all the cyclists I know up here in Yorkshire would identify as working class but not all of them are dirty hands manual workers, I am not sure what makes you middle class.

 

[Badger_Boom]

That statement is not actually wrong, the majority of the weekend warrior brigade dressed up in all the gear are not dirty hands manual workers. Ironically, playing golf of a weekend is more of a working class sport than riding bikes, despite the fact that utility cycling was once the predominant working class mass transport mode.

One of the two most obsessive cyclist I‘ve ever known worked in a foundry in Sheffield and definitely wasn’t middle class. I’m not even sure he ever owned a car. In the later 20th century I suspect he was an oddity among the recreational riders.

 

[snorri]

I suppose it depends on what you define as working class, all the cyclists I know up here in Yorkshire would identify as working class but not all of them are dirty hands manual workers, I am not sure what makes you middle class.

After defining working class you have to get round to defining 'cyclist' which could be a much more thorny issue.

 

[matticus]

I've definitely ridden with cyclists from a wide spectrum. I would say the trend is that newer/younger riders are more likely to be graduates/professionals etc. A couple of older riders that spring to mind (locally) are a gardener and a plasterer. I also know dentists, stockbrokers etc etc ...

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Having a quick think about the people I know socially that cycle, there's a landscape gardener and his wife who's a full time Mum, a couple where the man does IT of some sort and the lady is a senior nurse, two retired old guys who were in fairly manual professions, one Police Inspector, one builder and his wife who is a shop worker, and one former city trader who has a garage full of Bianchis. So as I expected before I did the adding up, it's a broad spread with cycling rather than class being the one common thread. Not especially scientific, but certainly no less so than saying "cycling is a middle class activity" and at least I have a data sample.
So that's another lazy generalisation that disappears in a puff of logic the first time it's examined. Not great at this social commentary lark is he?

 

[RoMeR]

Proper duck tape is made of duck.

The last time I bought Duck tape I couldn't believe the bill.

 

[matticus]

After defining working class you have to get round to defining 'cyclist' which could be a much more thorny issue.

Perhaps if you cycle to work but not for pleasure, that indicates what class you are in?? :P (or of course vice versa)

 

[Andy in Germany]

Perhaps if you cycle to work but not for pleasure, that indicates what class you are in?? :P (or of course vice versa)

But... I cycle for work and pleasure, often at the same time....

Now I'm totally confused...

 

[C R]

But... I cycle for work and pleasure, often at the same time....

Now I'm totally confused...

Same here.

 

[matticus]

But... I cycle for work and pleasure, often at the same time....

Now I'm totally confused...

Hmm, tricky. Perhaps it means you are aspirational?

 

[Boopop]

I suppose it depends on what you define as working class, all the cyclists I know up here in Yorkshire would identify as working class but not all of them are dirty hands manual workers, I am not sure what makes you middle class.

I can clear it up for us pretty easily I think.

Majority of sports cyclists = probably middle class and upwards. Majority of utility cyclists are probably working class. They're the ones that we should be campaigning for, both the existing utility riders and those that are stuck in their car for fear of getting run over due to lack of safe cycle routes for short journeys.

I suspect most people who more easily fall in to working class category sadly would find it more difficult to find the time for a cycling club, which I think is what helps turn a lot of people from bike-curious (South Park reference 😂) to bike-obsessive.

I imagine most sports cyclists can look after themselves other than better law enforcement/highway code. I don't think anyone's expecting hundreds of miles of segregated cycle lane between towns and cities just yet (we can dream). We need to cater for the everyday utility riders within their own sub-urb/town/city with better infrastructure first, and even there we're mostly failing at the moment