Who's pretending?
Do you ride a bicycle?
If so you're a cyclist...
That doesn't really mean much though.
It's just a simple fact, neither good nor bad...
I mean most of us posting on this thread know full well that "cycling" covers a huge range of activities.
It's a bit like asking someone their nationality, say the response is 'Spanish', it's a simple statement of fact.
If I were then to go on and infer lots of negative characteristics for that person, from that single piece of information, citing the fact that "Franco was Spanish!" as the sole basis for my negative characterisation, you'd rightly file me under the 'weapons-grade bellend, best avoid in future' category. But you wouldn't stop telling people your nationality when asked would you?
If someone goes off the deep end because you happen to ride a bicycle, and they once saw a bicycle ridden through a red light, That's their character flaw on display.
Don't let other's stupid issues rule you*.
*(Often easier said than done, I know).
Do you ride a bicycle?
If so you’re a cyclist…
I do, but I'm sat at a desk currently. Am I still a cyclist? What period of time needs to elapse between rides before the descriptor no longer applies, am I still a cyclist if I had a BMX when I was 12 and haven't ridden a bike since? I've got a grow bag in the shed but it doesn't make me a tomato plant.
I find the whole conversation very weird if I'm honest. Prior to CV I was into playing escape rooms, a thriving community has sprung up around it and the term they use is "escape room enthusiasts." Maybe that's what's needed here? If you're on a bike then you're a cyclist, if you're walking you're a pedestrian, and if you feel the need to join a cycling forum to talk about mountain biking* all day then you're a cycling enthusiast.
(* - or, y'know, abject bollocks)
I find the whole conversation very weird if I’m honest
Probably best to give the vid a view tbh. There’s a lot of straw suddenly appeared in here!
Lefty topic
🙄
I thought his video was pretty much straight up. I cycle (outside the office I identify to a point as a cyclist). I cycle to and from work, and over the years have had colleagues call me a ****ing cyclist, tell me about how they saw a cyclist riding through a red light, ask me if I have insurance, why I don't pay road tax, say that I should have number plates, complain that cycling facilities were stopping them from driving to work, asking why their taxes were paying for ****ing cycling facilities, etc etc. And that is in an office where about 40% of staff cycle in, and where about 50% of turnover is generated by transport projects. Which is what I do.
There is a media driven rift between the users of transport types, which some people have taken on board wholeheartedly. Which is disappointing.
To those who say using the term cyclist doesn't matter, I would take a look at the research showing that half of drivers consider cyclists to not be fully human and this directly links to abuse and using their cars as weapons.
Words matter.
I drive because it's a convenient mode of transport whereas I cycle mostly because I like it. I think that makes me a cyclist.
I drive because it's a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.
I cycle because it's a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.
I walk because it's a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.
I run because it's a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.
What does that make me?
(Perchy, STFU...!)
I drive because it’s a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.
I cycle because it’s a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.
I walk because it’s a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.
I run because it’s a convenient mode of transport and because I enjoy it.What does that make me?
Argumentative 😉
My point was that, to me, cycling is so much more than a useful mode of transport. In fact, now that I'm homeworking, 99% of my cycling is entirely frivolous.
Whereas I wouldn't get in the car just to go for a drive.
Whereas I wouldn’t get in the car just to go for a drive.
Have you never heard of a 'French walk'?
someone with a bike = cyclist.
A good thing, I don't really care if other people attach silly connotations.
I do, but I’m sat at a desk currently. Am I still a cyclist? What period of time needs to elapse between rides before the descriptor no longer applies, am I still a cyclist if I had a BMX when I was 12 and haven’t ridden a bike since?
Then you would no longer be a cyclist. Just like if you no longer regularly climbed rocks it would be silly to describe yourself as a rock climber.
To me if someone was to say they were a cyclist this simply describes someone who regularly actively participates (so with enthusiasm). Whether that is commuting, touring or whatever your poison. Rather than othering I find it uniting but then I've never had family that would give me stick for it and the idiots that start nonsense get a pitying look before having simple facts laid out. I understand how it can work the other way but if black people can reclaim the n word then surely its not outlandish to think we can refer to ourselves as cyclists without giving a toss what idiots think about us?
As I said,
What period of time needs to elapse between rides before the descriptor no longer applies,
I haven't ridden for over a year, am I still a cyclist?
But I plan on doing so again and in fact have my girlfriend's birthday present here which is a new bike still in a box, now am I still a cyclist?
I haven't climbed in maybe three years, after a previous gap of perhaps a decade or more, am I still a climber?
I own a bow and would really like to go shooting again at some point, but the last time I loosed an arrow outside of an "experience" event was probably 20 years ago or more, am I still an archer?
Define "regularly." Daily? Weekly? Annually?
To me if someone was to say they were a cyclist this simply describes someone who regularly actively participates (so with enthusiasm)
Enthusiasm is a prerequisite? What if someone commutes by bike daily because they have no other option, but hates every minute of it?
I'm not trying to start an Internet argument; rather that if you're going to try and define terms then, well, you rather need to define them.
Am I a cyclist? Probably could be. If you want. Yeah.
Just answering questions...
I haven’t ridden for over a year, am I still a cyclist?
Kinda, a little bit, might depend on the reasons why, if injury and you're eager to get back on the bike then yes, if it's because you can't be bothered, then probably not, but if you insist you are then you can be. Do you want to be a cyclist?
But I plan on doing so again and in fact have my girlfriend’s birthday present here which is a new bike still in a box, now am I still a cyclist?
Depends. Is it pink?
I haven’t climbed in maybe three years, after a previous gap of perhaps a decade or more, am I still a climber?
Nope. Ex.
I own a bow and would really like to go shooting again at some point, but the last time I loosed an arrow outside of an “experience” event was probably 20 years ago or more, am I still an archer?
Nope. Ex.
Define “regularly.” Daily? Weekly? Annually?
I don't feel the need.
Enthusiasm is a prerequisite? What if someone commutes by bike daily because they have no other option, but hates every minute of it?
Only if hit by a car and become a statistic/news story/etc.
I’ve spent a couple of days now riding around the streets of Utrecht and I’ve seen tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of bikes. But I haven't seen a single ‘cyclist’. I’ve just seen ‘normal‘ people, in ‘normal’ clothes, doing ‘normal things‘.
- Chris Boardman
