CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Are you smug?

(11 posts)

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  1. amir
    Member

    This is something that cyclist haters rant about, but are we?

    Most of the time I feel relaxed and happy, puffed out, frustrated (with bad driving) or scared but not smug really.

    Does it just reflect guilt on the part of the ranter rather than saying anything about the rantee? A definition of smug "Exhibiting or feeling great or offensive satisfaction with oneself or with one's situation; self-righteously complacent".

    Who else gets called smug:
    - the greens
    - David Cameron
    - Canada (http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-25/is-canada-too-smug-about-its-economic-future)

    According to Google searches, the interest in "smug" is increasing:

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. tammytroot
    Member

    I have only ever felt smug on a bike once, and that was when a boy racer, blowing his horn, roared past me and the car in front. Car in front was a police car. They pulled him over, and as I pootled past were having a "word".
    Most of the time I am happy on my bike. Not smug.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. Dave
    Member

    Cyclists are obviously not smug... to us. But look carefully at the definition and you'll see that it's quite subjective. All that's required is for a driver (or hack journalist) to feel offended at how satisfied you seem with cycling, which is easy to suppose, and bang!

    You're smug.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. amir
    Member

    I wonder if those who buy a car as a status symbol want to feel smug.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. Min
    Member

    All that's required is for a driver (or hack journalist) to feel offended at how satisfied you seem with cycling, which is easy to suppose, and bang!

    Yes. I don't know how you would know that it is offensive to be satisfied about something. Unless it is something that other people dissaprove of. Like cycling.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. sallyhinch
    Member

    Smug's one of those words you only apply to other peope: I am happy, you are self-satisfied, they are smug.

    I do think that the drivers who accuse cyclists of being smug are usually the ones that feel a grain of guilt about the amount of unnecessary driving they do, and project that onto the cyclist who they feel must be disapproving of them.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. crowriver
    Member

    Yes I am. Insufferably so.

    At least I reckon that's what a fair few drivers think...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    Embrace your inner smugness or if you don't like the fact that we are all smug as a bug in a rug just call it smee.

    Why not be smee, we get there in good time, we enjoy the exercise if it rains we buy some kit, if it's windy we take a different route, if we are not barred we buy another bike to work bike.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Got something to be smug about when you're cruising through a pile of traffic going nowhere...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. Uberuce
    Member

    Up until Sunday I was smug about my waistline, which I declare pretty tidy for a 34-year old of my BMI, until LaidBack had to change T-shirt on the way back from East Fortune.

    Ripped.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. ruggtomcat
    Member

    yeah there is a reason he can climb so well on the bent...

    Posted 12 years ago #

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