Is Cycling Abnormal?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
User avatar
Shoogle
Posts: 173
Joined: 6 Feb 2008, 11:31pm

Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by Shoogle »

There was a closed road bike event in Glasgow city centre at the weekend. I didn't attend. The local evening newspaper, the Evening Times, reported that "the roads were closed off to normal traffic." Does this make cycling abnormal?
fastpedaller
Posts: 3435
Joined: 10 Jul 2014, 1:12pm
Location: Norfolk

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by fastpedaller »

According to a local (who runs) cycling isn't normal - so YES it is abnormal :lol:
User avatar
Cunobelin
Posts: 10801
Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 7:22pm

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by Cunobelin »

Shoogle wrote:There was a closed road bike event in Glasgow city centre at the weekend. I didn't attend. The local evening newspaper, the Evening Times, reported that "the roads were closed off to normal traffic." Does this make cycling abnormal?


Normal - all traffic that uses the route may do so
Closed to normal traffic means that a subset of that group is allowed and the rest excluded.

London Marathon is an example, residents only, an incident where only emergency vehicles are allowed, and a thousand other situations, not abnormal at all
tony_mm
Posts: 49
Joined: 24 Nov 2016, 7:15pm

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by tony_mm »

Ha ha ....

The norm nowadays is still to have cars on the roads...
Pete Owens
Posts: 2443
Joined: 7 Jul 2008, 12:52am

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by Pete Owens »

reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by reohn2 »

fastpedaller wrote:According to a local (who runs) cycling isn't normal - so YES it is abnormal :lol:

Does he have a car?
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by reohn2 »


How do you figure that one out?
It's was a closed road festival of cycling event much like a carnival,you have the choice to attend or not.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
rob_wales
Posts: 78
Joined: 27 Aug 2017, 11:58am

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by rob_wales »

The word 'normal' is one of those pathetic excuse words that Rees-Mogg might object to, and quite right too. It is used by people who are too lazy, or stupid to write a sentence that explains accurately what they mean to convey. Other examples are:

Very (Rees-Mogg hates that one)
Average
Somewhat
Sorry
Dunno
Yeah
Hey
Right
fastpedaller
Posts: 3435
Joined: 10 Jul 2014, 1:12pm
Location: Norfolk

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by fastpedaller »

reohn2 wrote:
fastpedaller wrote:According to a local (who runs) cycling isn't normal - so YES it is abnormal :lol:

Does he have a car?

He has a hybrid car - It was interesting to see what was under the bonnet!
Mike Sales
Posts: 7884
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by Mike Sales »

As the Bonzo Dog sang,
We are normal and we want our freedom


Or Love

We are all normal when we want our freedom.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
User avatar
661-Pete
Posts: 10593
Joined: 22 Nov 2012, 8:45pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by 661-Pete »

I'm inclined to ponder the more general question: "are people who cycle abnormal?" - or more specifically, "are people who cycle perceived as 'abnormal'?" (presumably by those who don't cycle).

Once a week I do a 10-mile-each-way trip to play bridge. I must confess that, along with the shopping and other occasional short journeys, this is as much cycling as I do nowadays :( :oops: . But every time I arrive at bridge, I can guarantee that at least one other player is going to ask me "how was the cycling today Peter?" or "do you find the traffic scary Peter?" or "how long does it take you Peter?" etc. etc.

Of course I know they mean well, so I answer politely (usually). I feel rather inclined to retort "how was the driving today?" or "did you have trouble parking?" or some-such. But I try not to ask 'loaded' questions! Anyway, not all my fellow-players drive to the venue. I have great admiration for one of my regular partners, a guy well into his 80s, who walks right across from the other side of town (and Lewes is very hilly!). Perhaps if he lived a little further off he might even think of taking up cycling - or E-biking or triking - and join the 'abnormal' set!

Did I say "usually"? We all have our weaknesses at times. A couple of weeks ago, when you will remember the temperature was high in the 30s, I didn't cycle, nor did I risk the train: I drove. On that occasion, when about the sixth person asked me "did you cycle today Peter?" - I snapped. :oops: I'm only human!

Of course I haven't really answered the question, "is cycling abnormal?". Just anecdotal stuff...
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Ron
Posts: 1385
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 9:07pm

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by Ron »

Shoogle wrote:. The local evening newspaper, the Evening Times, reported that "the roads were closed off to normal traffic." Does this make cycling abnormal?

Not at all.
It means the roads were closed to people who might normally pass that way en route to home or work, to leisure facilities or shops. regardless of mode of travel. Buses, trams, horse and carriage, scooters, cars, lorries even pedestrians and cyclists not entered for the event would be barred.
Pete Owens
Posts: 2443
Joined: 7 Jul 2008, 12:52am

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by Pete Owens »

reohn2 wrote:

How do you figure that one out?

simple
organisers wrote:On Sunday 4 August, we closed the roads of Glasgow to traffic

IF the organisers thought that bicycles counted as traffic - normal or otherwise - then
organisers wrote: and hosted a free cycling festival.

would not be possible.

Now I realise this may seem like nit picking, but use of language is important in framing how we view the world. In the same way that crashes should not be referred to as "accidents" (because it tends to imply unavoidable blame free incidents) we need to avoid any references to "traffic" when what is really meant is "motor vehicles". Traffic is important (certainly to those tasked with managing the infrastructure to accommodate it). When the word "traffic" is used casually to refer to motor vehicles then cyclists and pedestrians logically cease to be considered as traffic at all, but rather as obstructions to the flow of traffic which need to be managed out of the way.
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by reohn2 »

Pete Owens
You're right it's picking,I'll leave it at that.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Pete Owens
Posts: 2443
Joined: 7 Jul 2008, 12:52am

Re: Is Cycling Abnormal?

Post by Pete Owens »

reohn2 wrote:Pete Owens
You're right it's picking,I'll leave it at that.


I said "may seem like nit picking". Perhaps I should have been clearer by explicitly continuing "to those who see cyclists as second class citizens".
Last edited by Pete Owens on 6 Aug 2019, 4:10pm, edited 3 times in total.
Post Reply