The Morality of Cycling

rick_chasey

flimflam_machine wrote:

But that's not a belief that you're morally superior to them. It's just common or garden smugness/pleasure that you've worked out a way to avoid all the unpleasantness associated with the normal PT/car commute that non-cyclists think are unavoidable.

Do you really not think even for split second that you're better than cars when you're on the road? Not even in a fit of irritation?

bails87

flimflam_machine wrote:

jonomc4 wrote:

I cycle for the 3 F's
Fun
Faster
Fitness

Of course other things like hating delayed trains and smelly commuters also have a bearing. I do feel morally superior to fat taxi drivers though

Frugal? Financial? There's got to be more..

Ahem

flimflam_machine

Rick Chasey wrote:

flimflam_machine wrote:

But that's not a belief that you're morally superior to them. It's just common or garden smugness/pleasure that you've worked out a way to avoid all the unpleasantness associated with the normal PT/car commute that non-cyclists think are unavoidable.

Do you really not think even for split second that you're better than cars when you're on the road? Not even in a fit of irritation?

Well I get pissed off with bad drivers and I get pissed off that we've built our society in such a way that people feel they need to take a 2-ton metal box to work with them. My general feeling is that if you're driving to work through a busy city with nobody else in the car then you should have a damn good reason, like having no legs. But on a personal level I think that the main reasons that people don't cycle are: 1 - They don't believe that it's feasible (which is mostly due to the above social convention), 2 - They think road conditions are too hostile (partially true and generally understandable) or 3 - They just haven't tried it yet. I find it hard to blame individuals when their decision to drive is mostly down to wider factors rather than personal bastardy.

rick_chasey

I don't believe people through that thought process every time though.

Anyone can rationalise in front of a keyboard. On the road it becomes a lot more basic.

mtb-idle

JonGinge wrote:

I ride a bike coz I like it.

I ride a bike to work coz:
1) I get to ride a bike. Yay
2) I prefer it to Train/Tube

That's it.

This.

Some of you guys really spend too much time thinking about stuff..

veronese68

I often used to feel morally superior to a former neighbour that would get into her car, drive into the middle of Kingston and pay to park in a multi-story car park to go to the gym. It would take longer to drive there and it's only a five minute walk.

rolf_f

meanredspider wrote:

The closest I think I come to the morality position is when I'm being run off the (single-track) road by an impatient car driver that can't lift off the gas for a couple of seconds. I get to thinking: "If I were in a car too then you'd have had to have stopped, but, because I'm on a bike, all you really needed to do was slow down".

My take on that one is "If I were in a car, I'd be contributing to that queue of cars at the junction you will be waiting at in 30 seconds. Because I'm on a bike, you'll get through that junction sooner. And you are annoyed at me?"

I really don't understand where they think they will get by overtaking hurriedly......

itboffin

JonGinge wrote:

I ride a bike coz I like it.

I ride a bike to work coz:
1) I get to ride a bike. Yay
2) I prefer it to Train/Tube

That's it.

I agree 100% and and and I rode home this evening just enjoying the ride, that doesnt happen often enough - even with the brutal headwind it was still very enjoyable.

cycling IS FUN