Pretty sure lots on the left hate you too.
Freshly re-enamoured of the world of two wheels, I have plunged straight back into the cycling discourse, the perfect microcosm of the wokeness split in all its forms. Take the ex-footballer Joey Barton, who is being sued by Jeremy Vine for calling the broadcaster a “bike nonce”. Meanwhile, the socials are full of people furiously agreeing that aggressive cyclists pose more danger to them than articulated lorries.
They are a lot harder to spot, and hear, being silent. And they are often on the pavement, which isn't true of the lorries.
The fervent attacks on low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) and low-emission zones such as Ulez in London are really just a full-throttle loathing of people on bikes, aggrandised by acronyms and libertarian bat signals.
There's nothing organised about this, it's more that wherever you go, there's a lot of cyclists behaving as if the rules of the road are not meant to apply to them.
Before our very eyes, Nigel Farage is channelling the world-changing rhetoricians of yore in an argument against “anti-car fanaticism”. Who would want more cars? Someone who finds cyclists really annoying, that’s who.
Or those who want to get their shopping, which is pretty hard to do on two wheels.
Anti-cyclists are easy to categorise: they find the concept of the do-gooder infuriating and the idea of minding their own business untenable.
Like Leftists, Zoe?
Cyclists, on the other hand, are impossible to categorise; you might just as well try to build a theory of mind for pedestrians. Some of us are rude, some of us are not; some of us shoot red lights and won’t wear hi-vis; some of us obey the rules of the road and behave very responsibly. Some of us think we are looking after our health and fighting the good fight against climate catastrophe; some of us just like getting places faster. It’s not a political act; it’s fun. Especially when you have a new bike.
I see nothing 'fun' about it, but each to their own. Just stop at the red lights, eh?
They're very easy to categorise generally: infantilised man children who really want a flash motor in their middle age but who feel trapped by asinine self righteousness and virtue signalling into pretending to like their overgrown kid's toys.
ReplyDeleteTheir loathing is self loathing.
Some cyclists are inconsiderate, dangerous arses. Some car drivers are too. Same with bikers, taxis and lorries.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the mode of transport - it's just a certain subset of humanity.
Stop at red lights .....and do not ride on the pavements.
ReplyDeleteIf cycling is so much 'fun', then why the constant complaining from them?
ReplyDelete"They're very easy to categorise generally: infantilised man children who really want a flash motor in their middle age but who feel trapped by asinine self righteousness and virtue signalling into pretending to like their overgrown kid's toys."
ReplyDeletePoor sad bastards.
"It's not the mode of transport - it's just a certain subset of humanity."
I suspect you're right - should I ever take to two wheels, I'd cycle the same way I drive.
"Stop at red lights .....and do not ride on the pavements."
Indeed!
"If cycling is so much 'fun', then why the constant complaining from them?"
A very good question.