Rolling Victories: Flexing the Rights of Our Bikes

The first blog post that I chose to respond to was on the blog Tree Hugger, written by Lloyd Alter from Toronto. The blog itself if very well put together in terms of its aesthetics. It also addresses a number of good points in its posts, so much so that I had some difficulty determining which post to respond to. The post I eventually decided upon was titled: In Bike vs Car, The Bike Sometimes Wins. Initially, I found this post on another website, that also found it to be important and quoted the entire thing in order to highlight it. I found the second post on the Bike Snob NYC blog. It was similarly stocked with relevant, innovative topics. This post in particular was titled: Don’t Tread On Me: Building a Nation of Cyclists. In this blog post, the author compares modern American cyclists to the English (especially as they are portrayed on the HBO series “John Adams”). Both posts are able to effectively address the issue of a cyclist’s role as a second class citizen on the road, at least in the eyes of drivers. One provides concrete examples as to how biker’s can behave to flex their rights, and the other reads more as the proposal of a bicycle nation, or even as a call to arms.

In Bike vs Car, The Bike Sometimes Wins

Comment: In your post, you first point out that when bikes and cars normally collide, bikes are generally the ones considered to be at fault, and cars can get away without any major losses. In the case of your article, however, the cyclists prevail. The post regales a story in which a woman was driving illegally through Nankai University in China and skimmed a cyclist. She then began demanding reparations for the scratch she had caused on her car, then became angered, in effect, causing a riot on the campus. The students who gathered became so angered that they caused far greater damage to the car than was done in the first place. I found this to be such an accurate portrayal of the common, angry driver. In my experience, people get very upset as soon as they figure out that they have committed an assault with their vehicle. Immediately they become defensive and even angrier than they originally were, which in turn incites cyclists to become concerned with their inherent right to the road, and to fight for it. However, I do disagree with this general school of thought that antagonizing drivers is the way to go. It is a tough line to straddle, certainly, but I still believe that speech is a better received by ignorant drivers than an angry car beating.

Your blog post did not really offer too much of a comment on this situation, although the tone in which it was reported seemed sufficient enough in this case to summarize your position. The second incident your post touches on reads like good justice on the road. I am particularly glad the driver was ticketed by bike cops. I decided to the post it since it seemed to be a good introductory article to show the context for the second post I found. I was very happy to come across it since it was a fine example of cyclist’s standing up for themselves to an irrationally upset driver and teaching the driver a lesson. Both posts could really help non-bikers to consider and appreciate the unfair circumstances imposed on bikers and the ways that bikers fight back to assert their equality.

Don’t Tread on Me: Building a Nation of Cyclists

Comment: I must commend you; Bike Snob NYC is always a great site to read, but this post is particular managed to be informative and still maintain a sense of humor. I definitely have found this to be true that biking permeates many communities and makes all of part of this cycling “nation” you refer to. The parallel you draw between bikers and Americans as baby nations really works well for the purposes of your blog post. I was laughing all the way through your article, simply because I completely agreed with it, but am able to recognize that any non-biker would find it utterly ridiculous. This does not stop me from agreeing with you on all counts. I would have liked to read your description of what exactly Cyclist’s Day would entail. Maybe nobody is allowed to use a car for the day, which would be difficult. Or perhaps people should be encouraged to find time to ride a bike at some point during the day. We could have bike parades! However the technicalities of the holiday work out, I see your point, that having a holiday makes a group nationally recognized. In terms of our own homeland, I think we may already be closer to this than you suggest here. I think the likely choice would be somewhere overseas where a vast numbers of the population ride bikes daily, but even here in Los Angeles we have a designated bicycle district on a block that was not taken that cyclists have somewhat hijacked.

I appreciated that you balanced out your post and prevented it from turning into a whiny rant, by also cataloging the progress cyclists have made so far because the things that we already have are what make the cycling community what it is right now. The industry is huge. Last week I wrote a post about hipsters and cyclists, differences, and referenced much of the garb people buy to distinguish themselves as bikers. Let me just say thank you. Thank you for comparing Sheldon Brown to Ben Franklin. That was perfect and made my day. I think it makes it much more sense to fight for out rights in this way, to celebrate what we have, than to allow ourselves to get upset by every car we see.

Hip to Irony: Avoiding a Subculture

In a conversation with a fellow biker the other day, we approached the topic of the "hipster." He argued that the term and entire culture are made up, and that there are in fact no hipsters. But I believe if someone is identifying as a hipster, that is what makes it real. This moved me to look deeper into the word, and to analyze its role within the biking community. The term "hipster" originated in the 1940s. The group became associated with the less known jazz movement and later, the Beat poets and authors. Today, take a quick peek at UrbanDictionary to read a number of people's definitions of a hipster, and glean from it the general tone of negativity, although I suspect that many of them probably are hipsters.

How to Identify a Hipster in the Wild

An educated upper-middle class person with leftist values (see picture left). Must frequent thrift stores, coffee houses, small cafes, underground clubs and bars. Must listen to indie rock. And most importantly, must have purchased clothes than have already been worn, or been expertly sewn to look as though they have been. Must be politically active, or at the very least, informed. Must take an interest in supporting local businesses. Must consume organic and eclectic food, but also must stay lean. Showers not required. Traditional Hipster Garb includes very tight pants, especially for boys. Ironic tee-shirts are always a plus. Patterned Vans or Converse are common. For girls short hair is appropriate, even edgy. Chipped nail polish. Every boy should be in a band. Think emo, but hopeful.

People in the Los Angeles bike community observe many of these behaviors, yet do their very best not to be recognized as hipsters. They find themselves in a constant struggle against an overwhelming paradox: if they do not dress this way they may not be identified in passing as a biker, but if they submit, they run the risk of being seeing as a hipster.

So how did bikers get clumped with hipsters? And why is that fact so offensive? Although hipsters are thought to be liberally minded, they also retain a certain air of pretension. Also, I suppose because it means we are grouped with people who do not ride bikes. To solve this dilemma, the best we can hope to do is sport something that will distinguish us as bikers, in the hope that another biker will recognize our true status on the street as we ride by.

The thing is this, being a hipster (see picture below) can be very expensive. Even in a subculture so dedicated to living out a protest of the mainstream, commercialism is present and flourishing. Although, no one can argue the movement's success in influencing youngsters to go out and spring for overpriced tight black jeans and bandanas. The only way to secure an identity as a hipster or a biker is to own the products that all of the other hipsters or bikers own. Ultimately, however, bikers are redeemed by the fact that even owning all the paraphernalia popular among cyclists will not save you in the bike world. If you can not talk the talk and walk the walk, it does not matter how expensive your bike is, or what a cool bag you are wearing. If you do not know how to signal, or are dumb enough to ride without a light, pump, and extra tube, everyone will know you are merely a fake.

The Measure of Legitimacy

So how do you prove your legitimacy in the bike world? Know what you are talking about. Be able to point out every part on your bike, refer to local bike shops, legendary riders and groups, also know your brands. Have experience with a number of different bikes. Even if you only own one bike, you should be comfortable riding and comparing a fixed gear, a single speed, bikes made from different materials, to, god forbid, a beach cruiser. Track stands and tricks are always impressive, but here is the real question. Can you go the distance? This is one reason bike messengers can have instant respect. They have to have stamina, and be tough, because riding is their job. It is good to participate in some longer rides since what goes along with this is the experience of drafting and at some point, probably intense hill climbing. Then you have stories to tell. Are you able to avoid crashes? That may sound simple enough, but even seasoned riders crash sometimes, which is perfectly alright so long as they are not crashing because they are purposefully riding aggressively and putting other bikers in danger. On a similar note, when taking into account a biker's legitimacy, one must consider their ability to properly communicate with the cars around them. A good rider must find a happy medium in which they are neither being pushed around by the cars on the road, nor stirring up anger towards the biking community by antagonizing drivers without good reason. Bike aesthetics are, of course, a personal choice, but bearing that in mind, other riders will see your bike, and identify it with you.