CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

"I'm/he's/she's a Cyclist"

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  1. HankChief
    Member

    Is there any other group where an elevated sense of knowledge on a subject is considered from such a low barrier to entry?

    From today's bad driving thread we have "I'm a cyclist" being used as an excuse for endangering a forumnite.

    From the CEC election, we have the inference that a candidate is a good egg because they cycle.

    In Roseburn we had an individual making a lot of him "being a cyclist" and not wanting the cycle route.

    Is it because cycling is seen as an out group that makes people feel they can connect easily by saying they are part of the out group. Missing the whole point that people who cycle are a wide spectrum.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  2. SRD
    Moderator

    I get the converse a fair bit in my profession. I write about politics (and other stuff) in a country that I do not belong to in terms of my passport/race/ethnic ties, and in which I was not born. So, occasionally people question my expertise.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  3. wishicouldgofaster
    Member

    I got into an argument one time and got called a militant cyclist I laughed and told the guy I had been driving for 30 years. I was therefore deemed a good guy because I drive ;)

    Posted 6 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    "So, occasionally people question my expertise"

    Which of the above do they think compromises your judgement most?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  5. SRD
    Moderator

    @chdot depends on the individual; often shorthand is 'white' but that tends to stand for a particular type of white/western person who either 'understands our blacks' (in the words of Ian Smith) or gets paid a lot to fly aroundthe world and spend donor money.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    "or gets paid a lot to fly aroundthe world and spend donor money"

    Aha, I suspect that sort of thing is quite common, but probably not something you actually do!

    Posted 6 years ago #

  7. HankChief
    Member

    The point I was trying to make at the start of the thread was how easy it is to be a 'cyclist'.

    It means nothing. You can have a rusty BSO that last saw action at Centre Parcs in the 80s or you can be an Olympic medal winner. Neither mean that you are an expert on all (or indeed any) aspects of cycling.

    So why do people say it?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  8. SRD
    Moderator

    I think it's instinctive to be a bit skeptical when outsiders come and tell you how to do things, but don't necessarily understand the local dynamics and challenges. I see it everywhere, and do it myself.

    Of course, this can also turn into 'we're not Europe...'

    Posted 6 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    "Missing the whole point that people who cycle are a wide spectrum."

    Not disagreeing with your general points, but I think that in recent years the "wide spectrum" has become "a very wide spectrum" or perhaps a spectrum with many more segments or (maybe more accurately) many people who ride bikes no longer just ride for transport or sport or leisure which used to be, pretty much, the only sorts of 'cyclists'.

    I wonder if drivers are easier to categorise as 'to work', 'shops' or 'weekends/holidays'.

    So perhaps people who describe themselves or others as "cyclists" don't actually understand how things have moved on and the simple word no longer conveys any relevant, coherent, meaning(?)

    NOT that I'm suggesting that people shouldn't call themselves cyclists if they want to.

    Some people call themselves drivers, but (I assume) most consider themselves as occasional/frequent users of cars - for a variety of purposes.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    "The point I was trying to make at the start of the thread was how easy it is to be a 'cyclist'.

    It means nothing."

    I think we have now said the same thing in different ways.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    "Neither mean that you are an expert on all (or indeed any) aspects of cycling."

    That's certainly true and part of the 'extra complex spectrum' I mentioned.

    So in the context of the rubbish driving thread it probably demonstrates a lack of knowledge/expertise!

    Posted 6 years ago #

  12. wingpig
    Member

    I've only had a chance to try it once so far, but it was quite pleasing to counter "I'm a cyclist too but..." with "you're not THIS cyclist, being physically threatened with two tonnes of Beemer" a few months back, though the way some drivers drive they are threatening themselves as well.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  13. Snowy
    Member

    I'll put the appeal to accomplishment in this thread too as I think it seems to explain a lot.

    This only seems to appear with out groups.

    You never hear, "Sorry I burgled your home, but you can't complain about it, because I'm a home-owner myself"

    Posted 6 years ago #

  14. LaidBack
    Member

    When people go on holiday with a car it's just a holiday.
    With a bike it must be a cycling holiday as it's a special activity etc.
    Driving is default setting and means you can empathise with other shop and cafe owners and customers worried about wardens and traffic delays. Drivers generally stay in long lines so are in a constrained (hard done by) form of transport. Bold ones will risk fines driving bus lanes just to move up five spaces. The stakes are high. 'Cyclists' just don't get it. (Although many here drive and do 'get it')

    Posted 6 years ago #

  15. SRD
    Moderator

    "When people go on holiday with a car it's just a holiday.
    With a bike it must be a cycling holiday as it's a special activity etc."

    Well, there is that distinctively American road trip / driving holiday where you drive a particular route or region.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  16. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    "Well, there is that distinctively American road trip / driving holiday where you drive a particular route or region."

    Like the North Coast 500 for 99%+ of people?

    Posted 6 years ago #

  17. Morningsider
    Member

    It's really just a cycling related "I'm not a racist, but..." I've only ever heard people say this who are clearly not on a bike, generally to a person on a bike who they are about to criticise or to make some sweeping negative generalisation about all cyclists.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  18. Greenroofer
    Member

    @Morningsider +1 to that.

    Posted 6 years ago #

  19. Tulyar
    Member

    Hmm might be the place to comment on the <***> who had a bike shoved in the back of his small car (and could not close the hatchback door) who undertook me heading down to the mound - I was riding in the traffic lane becuase of a van parked in the bike lane right on the corner - a pity I didn't quite have enough speed up to cut him off trapped in the bike lane behind that van. Got him nowhere as he turned into Market Street in front of me.

    Posted 6 years ago #

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