What do we have to do to earn the respect of the general public, specifically the driving public. In the post below a cyclist was shot while riding. Obviously part of the answer lies with the driving public. There is just going to be a cross section of drivers that are going to hate us and some that will never see us. But then there is a group that is ambivelent. This is where we as cyclists have our greatest challenge. The answer lies in what we are willing to do to change their minds. Are we willing to obey the traffic laws and rules of the road. Are we willing to use headlights and blinkies even though we'd rather not. Are we willing to join bike clubs and develop a one voice positive attitude. Are we willing to not give people the finger when the get too close or honk at us.
What does the cycling industry have to do to sell more bikes. This question has been tossed around some other blogs in the last few days. Part of the answer is going to come from how innovative the bike industry is at developing its product and marketing its product. The other part of the answer comes from cyclists themselves. In my mind cyclings biggest negative is cyclists (well some of cyclists) Those arrogant condesending folks that think you must ride at 27 plus mph on every ride, that think you must have a $5000 plus machine before you are accepted into their group. These folks never volunteer for a community project in the name of their cycling club. They never agree to hold a bike rodeo at a local elementary school on a Saturday instead of going on their long ride. They never do anything to get positive recognition for themselves or the industry...they leave it up to others. I have a very wise friend who has a saying that applies here. "If everybody does a little, then nobody has to do a lot." If we treated cycling as the gift it is and didn't take it for granted more people would join us.
Am I going to solve all of cyclings problems...no! But hopefully I can change one person...then they can change one.
If you're reading this and wondering how you can help...go to your club or local bike shop and ask where you can make a difference. Actually give some thought to how you can start something instead of waiting for someone else to tell you what to do. Make a dirrerence today. Decide that you have a responsibility to cycling other than riding.
2 comments:
A lot of truth there.
I, for one, have made the efort to ride in traffic with the least amount of disruption to drivers, so as to not draw their ire or give them a bad impression of cyclists. Now, that isn't saying I don't take my slice of road and defend it, but I try to either move as quickly as the traffic or out of their way. That's one superficial example.
I was on the board of directors for a large club and tried to get that club to involve some of its time around support of junior riders... but I was shot down every time. Their time was too important to them to "waste" on juniors because their time needed to be focused on their own events and support of their own agendas. I try to give help to every junior I come across, where they can use it and I don't look like the annoying preachy old guy. Juniors really are the future of the sport.
Another feeble example of "advocacy".
My point is, doing a little something is better than a lot of nothing. If we want the sport to grow, we have to help those who are just getting started. If we want the lifestyle to grow, then we have to support advocay efforts to get people on bikes safely. More people riding in traffic isn't going to help, but more people on bike paths and well groomed and maintained bike lanes will. If people can ride safely... then they will ride.
You've brought it up and I've brought it up and so have others; the future of cycling (and I'm not speaking solely of racing) sits in more people geting involved in riding bikes for pleasure, with their families and friends, to the store or movies, around town to work and anywhere else they feel like. Racers, though we buy a lot of expensive toys, can not support the health and growth of the cycling world and industry. "Regular" cyclists are the ones who will pour the most money into cycling. We existing cyclists need to help make sure they have a place to ride or help them learn how to ride safely in traffic. We need to work on trails. We need to help kids learn bicycle safety. We need to help the local junior racer learn pack skills so he/she can ride in the local training group rides. We need to help others and not just get pissed off and make scene each and every time a guy in a car makes a turn in front of us without using a signal.
I support Critical Mass and the work they do to try and insure our rights to ride on the road with cars and other vehicles. Let's face it though; an angry mob of cyclists clogging city streets and pissing off drivers does not endear the cycling community, as a whole, to the driving public.
Spread the love of and for cycling- that will pay bigger dividends.
You make some great points. In many places there is very little overlap between racing cyclists and those who are working on local bike advocacy issues. Sometimes there is even friction between the two groups. Where I live (Greenville, SC) that is not the case. The cycling community is active and growing due to involvment by all types of bike users. Great strides can be made when a diverse group of cyclists, including the fast ones, are willing to work on and support bicycle related issues that benefit the entire community.
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