Cycle hatred must stop – time to spread the love.

I read an article recently about the Yemen National Cycle Foundation.  Sounds grand, but this is essentially a small bunch of keen cyclists with little funding to speak of and bikes and kit that have seen better days.  Despite this they train hard, share a love of road cycling and aspire to take part in competitions whenever they can afford it.  While training around the Yemen countryside these cyclists regularly have to withstand rocks and abuse being thrown at them by car drivers who take umbrage not that they are on the road per say but because they are wearing shorts and tight jerseys.  They have also been intentionally targeted and knocked off their bikes by motorists.  What a dreadful state of affairs, surely this unmerited prejudice wouldn’t happen in our country.  
 

Unfortunately, I am not so sure.  If you have come across the @cyclehatred twitter feed you will understand what I am on about.  This is basically a twitter account that RT’s any nasty comments it picks up about cyclists, there is clearly a significant number of the driving population that consider cyclists as just a damn nuisance.  Okay that is not news but I had hoped that after the events of the summer, cycling was gradually getting the right side of the motorati. 

The crowds that lined the streets of London and delighted in cheering on the Team GB road cyclists included people who were drivers and pedestrians.  All over the UK people were hailing Wiggins a national hero after winning the Tour de France.  Not all these people were cyclists.  So what’s happened to the flagwaving feel good factor, the pride in our cycling prowess after the domination at world class cycling events?

Perhaps it is an investment in changing opinions and attitude rather than infrastructure that we need.   I do support the 20 is Plenty campaign, I am watching with interest how Stephen Hammond’s £30m investment into improving dangerous junctions for cyclists is actually spent and I am pretty sure more cycling lanes (although planned in collaboration with cyclists might be helpful) and filling in pot holes are all good things.  But we have to find a way to cross the attitude barricade between motorist and cyclist and stop viewing each other as archenemies otherwise even more people will be discouraged from cycling on the road.

 

Now I get that driving is essential for many people. Where I grew up it was pretty rural and there was not much in the way of public transport this meant as soon my friends and I turned 17 we jumped at the chance to get behind the wheel and pass our test as soon as feasibly possible.  Today, I run a business which requires me to be able to drive to meetings where using public transport is simply not practical.  I also run three kids which requires me to drive them to and from various activities (they do walk, cycle and scoot to some as well though).  My point is I drive for necessity rather than pleasure - that is what my bike is for.   

 

A “them and us” culture in any walk of life is not healthy; it serves to breed prejudice and hatred.   Education and communication has surely got to hold part of the key to achieving any sort of cultural shift.   It seems we could do with instilling morale values by using real life examples to give proper context and meaning to proverbs such as “Do unto others as you would have them do to you” .  It’s not just up to teachers, churchgoers or parents to deliver this message as cyclists we can do our bit as well.  Spread the love.  Encourage our relatives, friends, neighbours, and colleagues to leave the car at home and give it a go - I do believe participation is key, it is really all about getting more bums on saddles!    

 

Perhaps we cyclists could make a start by taking the moral high ground.  Acknowledge considerate drivers and pedestrians as we cycle and try giving the benefit of the doubt to those who are less considerate,  avoid pointless public slanging matches (particularly on twitter) and suppress the desire to make fist shaking gesticulations – it just fuels irrational rage and unnecessary hatred between complete strangers.  It achieves nothing (well maybe just high blood pressure).

I cycled to and from the gym this morning. It was chilly, a bit wet and the roads were dirty and busy but it was a great way to start my day.