Elfin, that’s the thing though – to cyclists that piece is a witty and well-written insight into the (often unconscious) stereotyping that occurs within any group.
It’s a tongue in cheek piece that, if anything, reinforces the idea that we are all cyclists, in it together. It’s a gentle piss take, nothing more.
Crazy-legs: I appreciate that. I certainly din’t think it was an offensive article. Obviously relates to the NYC scene, so some of the cultural references are lost over here, but none the worse for that alone.
As I’ve sad; I just thought it was little more than a re-hashing of old ideas, and by nature possibly a little tired now.
Ok. Imagine if this had been a piece about ooh I dunno, say Ski-ing. Or Angling. Or whatever. Now, imagine you’re ‘outside’ of that ‘world’. Would you ‘get’ all the cultural references and in-jokes? My point is, I found little outside of the in-jokes, to elevate that article beyond the mundane. That’s my opinion, and I’ve attempted to explain my reasoning. I appreciate others don’t share my point of view.
There’s a fine line between writings like that and stereotyping where it descends into prejudice.
Of course.
