Cycling shows what we're like at work (BBC)

pangolin

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25366998

Lucy wrote:

Cycling through the City of London to work on a dark morning recently, I was overtaken by a man in a black coat with no helmet, no lights, and listening to music through headphones, writes Lucy Kellaway.

Idiot, I thought.

So did I, Lucy. So did I.

Lucy wrote:

So what does my cycling style show?

That I like being in control.

That I'm cavalier about some rules and fairly selfish, but try not to be flagrantly obnoxious.

I wear a helmet, a nasty fluorescent tabard and high heels - but to prevent any more pairs being destroyed by the pedals I have invented a heel condom made out of an old inner tube.

Which shows I can be creative - but only when really desperate.

All good things then. Article is worth a read if you're a bit bored and fancy a laugh.

timothyw

I may be going completely mad, but I could have sworn that I read basically this exact article a month or so ago (despite it being dated today).

Anyone else or has the mulled wine got to me?

timothyw

Ah, bingo, it was in the FT apparently: http://road.cc/content/news/98374-does- ... s-it-might

willy b

TimothyW wrote:

I may be going completely mad, but I could have sworn that I read basically this exact article a month or so ago (despite it being dated today).

Anyone else or has the mulled wine got to me?

First thing I thought!

Also, Lucy writes for the FT.

junglist_matty

pangolin wrote:

Lucy wrote:

So what does my cycling style show?

That I like being in control.

That I'm cavalier about some rules and fairly selfish, but try not to be flagrantly obnoxious.

I wear a helmet, a nasty fluorescent tabard and high heels - but to prevent any more pairs being destroyed by the pedals I have invented a heel condom made out of an old inner tube.

Which shows I can be creative - but only when really desperate.

and I would assume her to be a complete muppet for choosing to wear high heels to ride a bike :roll:

rjsterry

willy b wrote:

TimothyW wrote:

I may be going completely mad, but I could have sworn that I read basically this exact article a month or so ago (despite it being dated today).

Anyone else or has the mulled wine got to me?

First thing I thought!

Also, Lucy writes for the FT.

1. Write light-hearted piece based on half-arsed regurgitated pop-psychology.
2. Tart it around any 'news' outlet that'll give you the time of day.

We've all got to make a living somehow I guess.

daviesee

^^^^ Easy money. ^^^^

EKE_38BPM

junglist_matty wrote:

and I would assume her to be a complete muppet for choosing to wear high heels to ride a bike :roll:

I was doing urban driver awareness training with some lorry drivers and we ask them what cyclists do that annoys them.
Along with the usual RLJ and no lights rants, one driver complained about "pretty women in short skirts and high heels". Every one gave that driver a quizzical look and another driver said "That annoys you? That is the only type of cyclist I like!"
I don't see any problem with pretty women in short skirts and high heels, there is even a website dedicated to it.

Applespider

junglist_matty wrote:

and I would assume her to be a complete muppet for choosing to wear high heels to ride a bike :roll:

Actually, I used to think that and then ended up having to ride a couple of miles in heels. Was surprisingly easy - you can get the heel to act a little like a toe-clip in reverse. Much easier than flat shoes on slippery pedals if you don't have SPDs.

Did agree on her point about blokes being passed by women - short skirts and heels or not. It really is astounding how even those who have never heard of SCR suddenly want to join the game if it was a woman who passes them especially if she's on a road bike.

In the summer, I lost my shorts in the pub (don't ask) and ended up cycling home in short sundress that, let's just say, felt a little breezy at times. I've never been given so much space by drivers

veronese68

Applespider wrote:

junglist_matty wrote:

and I would assume her to be a complete muppet for choosing to wear high heels to ride a bike :roll:

Actually, I used to think that and then ended up having to ride a couple of miles in heels. Was surprisingly easy - you can get the heel to act a little like a toe-clip in reverse. Much easier than flat shoes on slippery pedals if you don't have SPDs.

Did agree on her point about blokes being passed by women - short skirts and heels or not. It really is astounding how even those who have never heard of SCR suddenly want to join the game if it was a woman who passes them especially if she's on a road bike.

In the summer, I lost my shorts in the pub (don't ask) and ended up cycling home in short sundress that, let's just say, felt a little breezy at times. I've never been given so much space by drivers

When I first started driving, a very long time ago, I nearly crashed due to exactly that kind of distraction. Bleedin' dangerous if you ask me, distracting us poor innocent menfolk like that. Long may it continue.

The Rookie

And no mention yet of ram air scoops at all!

EKE_38BPM

Applespider wrote:

In the summer, I lost my shorts in the pub (don't ask) and ended up cycling home in short sundress that, let's just say, felt a little breezy at times. I've never been given so much space by drivers

You can't write that you lost your shorts in a pub and then say don't ask. There is a story there and it is obviously a burden to you. Get it off your chest. A problem shared and all that.

fatsmoker

The offending article is the most popular on the BBC website. Does it mean that the majority of BBC website readers are cyclists or that drivers are looking for another reason to hate cyclists?

Kerguelen

fatsmoker wrote:

The offending article is the most popular on the BBC website. Does it mean that the majority of BBC website readers are cyclists or that drivers are looking for another reason to hate cyclists?

As if they needed one.