In
news:[email protected], Scott <
[email protected]> typed:
>
>> Well it's *obvious* innit - all cyclists are hairy-toed Jesus sandle wearing lefties who eat
>> bunny food and broccoli quiche cos' they aren't real men. Obvious, innit ;-)
>
> Probably not a dream demographic..
Well I don't fit into *any*of these categories (well I'm maybe a *bit* of a hippy/leftie).
> As for Robert Crampton, I wouldn't be so hard on him. He's a journo first and a cyclist second -
> but he is a cyclist, and seems pleasant enough. Now, writing for the Times - that's harder to
> forgive (showing my prejudices and extreme leftie bias here).
Hmm - to me its a bit like a *real* black person taking part in a an old style minstrel show. (if
you read Lenny Henry's autobiography you'll see how quickly he dropped *that* role when he got the
chance) Cramptons articles may pay the rent, but at the expense of stitching up your group? Just
sounds like hipocrisy to me.
I don't like journalism which is laughing *at* a section of the community rather than *with* them
(for iinstance Ken Kifer has written excellent humorous pieces on "what constitutes a real
cyclist"). I feel people have a responsibility for the image they put across, especially if they
have the power of the press (or even on Usenet).
A few years ago, I had an argument with a local DJ - he was playing this music called "UK Garage".
He seemed to think the music and associated scene was fine, but I said that whilst the music is
good, there was a very violent, misogynistic and fashion-orientated culture developing alongside
which even championed the carrying and use of firearms, and that if it proliferated in about 5 years
time the entire dance scene would be in trouble as escalating violence would make clubs and raves
unsafe places.
Eventually, it would end up with shootings, stabbings and rapes at events and the Police busting as
many raves as they could just (at least in the eyes of the authorities) to stop people getting
killed! And look at that scene *now*........
There is quite enough negative publicity about cyclists as it is. If people believed what is in the
media, you would think we were all loutish lads and ladettes, clad in bibsh*rts whilst riding on the
pavements to deliberately run down the elderly, and injecting copious quantities of "pot belge" into
our buttocks. And worse still, some of the so-called *cycling* press seems to champion that sort of
behaviour (MBUK et al).
Yet I can remember in the late 1970s when cycling was thought of as a good healthy pastime, which
*helped* the environment and community (and of course still does).
Perhaps its time for people to redress the balance?
Alex
" [2] and have experienced prejudice from an early age, and
