New word needed to differentiate cyclists, says Britain's top Paralympian
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... _clipboard
This woman talks a lot of sense
Re: This woman talks a lot of sense
Really? My first thought was that we'd need at least one more category - for all those strava-using, silly-commuter-racing, NY-courier-imitating, (mostly) blokes who think they're in the sport category when actually they're not.
How about dividing motorists up in the same way?
How about dividing motorists up in the same way?
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Re: This woman talks a lot of sense
I'm not happy with the idea of a new word. I'm not sure what problem it's addressing. I am both a fietser and a wielrenner on different days. I don't see the value in separating them. And to do so seems to be joining the narrative of "lycra louts". I'm not going to say "I'm a good fietser, not like those terrible wielrenners. You can steer your car into them, if you like, but be nice to me.
And if it's because "cyclist" is somehow tainted, then picking a new word will just start us on the euphemism treadmill, Better to address the thinking behind it.
And if it's because "cyclist" is somehow tainted, then picking a new word will just start us on the euphemism treadmill, Better to address the thinking behind it.
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Re: This woman talks a lot of sense
In my thinking, the objective is to get cycling seen as a mode of transport rather than a sporting activity, and as something that you, your friends and neighbours do ,rather than something fit people do. I accept what you both say, that the suggested method (of different terminology) has problems, but I'm still inclined to think it also has merits.
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Re: This woman talks a lot of sense
When we talk about drivers, we tend to differentiate them by the type of motor vehicle they are driving (e.g. a lorry driver, a car driver, a coach driver).
I think it's perfectly acceptable to differentiate between cyclists by the type of cycling they're doing (e.g. shopping, commuting, touring, downhill, audax*) but the basic fact is they're all still cyclists as they're using cycles.
I don't see the utility in having another word to describe people who are using cycles...
*Did anyone see that 'audax' was the answer to a question on University Challenge this week?
I think it's perfectly acceptable to differentiate between cyclists by the type of cycling they're doing (e.g. shopping, commuting, touring, downhill, audax*) but the basic fact is they're all still cyclists as they're using cycles.
I don't see the utility in having another word to describe people who are using cycles...
*Did anyone see that 'audax' was the answer to a question on University Challenge this week?
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Re: This woman talks a lot of sense
And along with Madison and cyclo-cross it's apparently a branch of "sport cycling"
For what it's worth, I think more and more people see "cycling" as a mode of transport or a fun leisure activity, not a sport. But then I live in a middle class London commuter bubble, not at the foot of Box hill.
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