bicycle culture

[Trek420]

BeeLady "I want to help change the culture where I am -- thanks for the links and we can all do our bit. Part of it for me is also having biking appear "normal" and do-able -- I guess the word I'm searching for is actually "conservative" rather than bicyle culture appearing like some left-wing liberal Al Gore plot (I'm in a very blue state, folks!)."

Disclosure: I'm unapologeticly progressive, radical to most, in a Blue State and a Dike on a Byke to boot but I know what you mean. Bike culture here must look different from most other countries and probably must look different to succeed.

I'm not a sociologist, maybe my sis who's on the board and is one will weigh in on this. I feel the predominant car culture seems tied up with not just 'the freedom of the open road" but also with how we feel about strength, atheticism, power and ultimately masculinity.

Isn't it silly when a truck pulls up along side you and revs it's engine?

But when they puposefully spew smoke, noise and buzz you as they pass?

Or yell at you and or throw things?

I've been called a "f*ggot" by drivers while riding more than any other situation place and time in my life. In case you're wondering I'm not obvious from any viewpoint still or moving much less from a bike. But in this Bluest Spot in the Bluest of Blue States (uh, moron drivers, get the gender right at least )

When I can discern what they yell....thats it!

Our TE guys endure this and more because a man is simply not a man in lycra, right?

We can't be athletes, athletes do one of 3 (and only three) sports which have balls in them. Athlete jerseys have numbers on them. We're not athletes.

It's not transportation, they see it as lack of transportaion. Not a positive thing being "car free" or strong and transporting ourselves by our own muscles, they see it as "we are car'less"

It's about power, who has it, who doesn't I think. Well.....off to watch football.

And as if to prove my point oh look, there's the Dodge Caliper advert. ;-)