Originally Posted by sbhikes
I agree with all of you that vc (small letters) is a valuable thing for everyone to learn. However, as I read the above quotes I got the sense that some of these so-called advocates write these "folk cyclists" off.
I know some of these granny-types and they would definitely not ever ride in town if there were no bike lanes, or if they had to somehow negotiate a WOL with 55mph traffic. They would take the bus because they do not drive. That they are over 60 and over 90 and out there riding bicycles should be something to celebrate, and encourage, not work against.
I am just bothered that the big "alpha dog" VCers in these forums seem to write them and their needs off. What good is a cycling advocacy that works against legitimate users? Maybe those who would prefer a 100% VC no-cyclist-facilities-ever-world should compromise a bit.
Please don't jump to conclusions. I pretty much agree with you.
But it's not just VCers who ignore "folk cyclists." The most hurtful comments I have read about these cyclists were on the roadie forum and the commuting forum, not here. If I were half the man I want to be, I would try to help these folk cyclists, not by telling them how to ride, but by helping them to get their bikes fitted and fixed, or maybe giving them a blinkie or something. The other day I saw a big guy riding a cheap old BMX while somehow carrying a huge duffel bag in both arms. The whole frame was swaying like a broken dow old horse. Clearly, he needed something besides advice on which lane to ride in. (Actually, to demolish a stereotype, he was riding vehicularly!
)
But you know what? Don't sell the grannies short either. Several months ago, I posted an anti-VC post about an older lady I work with. She had just bought a comfort bike, and was scared to ride it the four blocks or so to the MUP where she wanted to ride. How, I asked Serge and others, was VC going to help her? I never did get an answer. However, that lady did start riding on a rail-trail near her vacation home, and got in good condition and began to feel confident riding her bike. Late this summer, she bought a new hybrid, one of the sportier ones. Now she is riding on streets all over her neighborhood as well as on the MUP. Her goal for next year is to ride across town to work. She would not have done this if I (or somebody else) had not explained that it is feasible to ride with cars.
That was good advocacy on my part. I gave her the information that she may ride on the public right of way with all the other vehicles.
But much more importantly, she would not have made this progress if she had not felt free to ride her bike
in her own style,until she had the conditioning, skills and self-confidence to move it onto the streets.
Sometimes the bicycle is its own best advocate!