Commuting - L.A.'s Invisible Riders

A cool article on Alternet.org about L.A.'s Invisible Riders (http://www.alternet.org/story/38776/) day laborer/bicycle commuters.

Saw them everyday. Talk to some of them while on the traffic light, they usually ask why I like riding on the street (as oppose sidewalk) so much.

Bicycling Magazine did an article on them awhile back. Good read.

Good reading. Thanks for the link.

The article was just in Utne magazine...a 7 some page spread.

http://www.utne.com/pub/2006_136/promo/12170-1.html

The article was just in Utne magazine...a 7 some page spread.

http://www.utne.com/pub/2006_136/promo/12170-1.html

I live 2 blocks from the intersection (Wilshire/Vermont) mentioned in the article. If I had better tools, and maybe a garage to work in, I would open up my place for free maintenance work a couple times a month to these guys.

I disagree to some point with the article. While there are definitely a lot of Huffy's around these parts, I am seeing a few people on decent road bikes, and even some Specialized, Gary Fishers, and Treks within the past 2-3 years. BMX bikes are also popular, though more so with the 20-something aged riders.

I thought this was a key phrase: "There are more of them than us," says Aaron Salinger, a public school teacher and bicycle-only commuter who also volunteers as a mechanic for local riders in his Los Angeles neighborhood. The "us" Salinger is talking about is recreational riders, dedicated fitness cyclists, people who commute on two wheels by choice. For several weeks in June, Salinger and I rode among the unseen. The veil was hard to lift. Many riders were afraid to talk to us; some thought we were immigration officers and pedaled quickly away."

And this is why I tend to feel that those that promote "cyclist education" as the panacea to all motorist/cyclist issues are like those that suggest "herding cats."

These riders and others like them, such as the college students that also bike commute for economic reasons, are well outside of the reach of the typical advocates normal communication methods.

For any one LAB educated cyclist giving motorists the "right" example, there are dozens of these "invisible riders" out there giving "other" examples.

Good article. Lots of invisble riders in NYC, but they're pretty visible to me. Some of them are messengers and deliverymen so their bike is their money maker.

Oh, they are visible to me all right. They have to be or I'll collide with them because they usually are very unpredictable (no offence meant, just stating an observation).

I saw the article on this in Bicycling Magazine, and thought it was well written. After reading it, I resolved to wave the same to anyone on any bike that I pass. I'd mostly done this before, but for some reason (subconcious prejudice of some sort I'm sure) I'd skip the guys in jeans and a t-shirt riding a Huffy on the sidewalk. The article really gave me some perspective.

I read the article when published in Bicycle Magazine. It resides in my mind now. I went to Disneyland for a week, no bike so I got up an ran 5:30 every morning, and saw them, up before me, on their way.. I never would have saw them without the article, Or as I drove my family around LA, and saw those small stores, with all those bikes for sale out front.. very good read.

excellent article. i've always thought of the 'come one, come all' attitude of such urban events as critical mass and the midnight ride as being slightly naive, as there is never really any concerted effort that i know of to reach out this very significant part of the cycling 'community.' that pervasive attitude of faux-inclusivity often obscures how, in many ways, we are just as segregated and elitist as any other institution. it's like, oh great, we've got fixies, bmx's, and racers. and some of us dress funny. wow, how diverse of us.

anyway, this is not a dis of public rides. i support and participate in them--just an observation.

excellent article. i've always thought of the 'come one, come all' attitude of such urban events as critical mass and the midnight ride as being slightly naive, as there is never really any concerted effort that i know of to reach out this very significant part of the cycling 'community.' that pervasive attitude of faux-inclusivity often obscures how, in many ways, we are just as segregated and elitist as any other institution. it's like, oh great, we've got fixies, bmx's, and racers. and some of us dress funny. wow, how diverse of us.

anyway, this is not a dis of public rides. i support and participate in them--just an observation.
You hit the nail on the head with your observation about "pervasive attitude of faux-inclusivity" affecting some members of the cycling community. It may even be detected on BF (especially the commuter and A&S lists) in the posts of those who speak of "us" but mean only those cyclists who fit the poster's self selected narrow profile.

I don't see anything elitist about "excluding" those "invisible riders" from cycling advocacy. Firstly, nobody is really excluding them from anything, they are just not inerested in participating; they are preoccupied with other stuff (which is very understandable). You can't make the proverbial horse drink. Secondly, I am much more interested in improving life of (and in particular cycling conditions for) the people who are actually the lawful residents of my country. Those who chose to break the law to get here shouldn't be very surprised at the absence of rivers of milk and honey.

I don't see anything elitist about "excluding" those "invisible riders" from cycling advocacy. Firstly, nobody is really excluding them from anything, they are just not inerested in participating; they are preoccupied with other stuff (which is very understandable). You can't make the proverbial horse drink. Secondly, I am much more interested in improving life of (and in particular cycling conditions for) the people who are actually the lawful residents of my country. Those who chose to break the law to get here shouldn't be very surprised at the absence of rivers of milk and honey.


Chephy,
Last I checked, most of our families were immigrants at one point in time. Just because we have more stringent laws about border crossing these days doesn't make how we got here any different. Also, assuming that every "invisible rider" is here without papers is flawed. I know and work with many immigrants that are here legally and still can't afford much more than the Huffy they ride to their poorly paying job.

Chephy,
Also, assuming that every "invisible rider" is here without papers is flawed.
It's also a flawed assumption that cyclists invisible to the self proclaimed Serious Cyclists are only immigrants (w or w/o papers.) Some self proclaimed spokesmen for "we cyclists" totally ignore the desires/requirements of the largest population of cyclists who use bicycles for transportation - youth, as well as being blind to anyone else who doesn't fit the club cyclist or recreational cycling enthusiast profile.

Last I checked, most of our families were immigrants at one point in time. Just because we have more stringent laws about border crossing these days doesn't make how we got here any different. I am in fact an immigrant myself. A legal one, which is not to say that I would never immigrate anywhere illegally (as an extreme example, if my life was for some reason threatened in Canada, I'd run away even if it means illegal border crossings). I do not have it in for the illegal immigrants, but it is a reality: if you were not asked to come to a place and you are not needed or welcome there, nobody will cater to your needs. Nor should anyone, in my opinion, feel obliged to do so and be branded elitist for failing to do so.


Also, assuming that every "invisible rider" is here without papers is flawed. I know and work with many immigrants that are here legally and still can't afford much more than the Huffy they ride to their poorly paying job. True. When I wrote my post, I was mostly thinking about the article which focussed on illegal immigrants specifically.

However, it's not how much your ride costs, it's how you ride it. I paid 50 U.S. bucks for my current bike (a 90s steel Miyata, yummie! :)), and I do not feel "excluded" from cycling advocacy. But if somebody doesn't care about cycling so much and cannot be reached by the cycling community... well, what can you do except to try to reach those you can reach?

I also think that, as a rule of thumb, whatever benefits the "elitist serious cyclist" will also benefit a poor man on a Huffy (e.g. greater acceptance of cyclists on the roads, secure bike parking etc.)


It's also a flawed assumption that cyclists invisible to the self proclaimed Serious Cyclists are only immigrants (w or w/o papers.) True as well.


Some self proclaimed spokesmen for "we cyclists" totally ignore the desires/requirements of the largest population of cyclists who use bicycles for transportation - youth Yes - an important and often overlooked cycling demographics. It is not, however, the largest, if you are talking only about pre-teens - and I don't think we're at the stage where we can or should make all major arterials cycleable for 8-year-olds. And if you are including teenagers, they aren't so much different from adult cyclists in my humble.


as well as being blind to anyone else who doesn't fit the club cyclist or recreational cycling enthusiast profile. You also say that those spokesmen are mostly found on "the commuter and A&S lists". This totally does not jibe with my observations. The percentage of "club cyclists and recreational cycling enthusiasts" is probably the lowest there than anywhere else on BF. And what would those types of riders advocate for?? More mountain bike trails, more recreational paths, more TV coverage of Tour de France? :D These are not the sorts of topics I see on those forums at all.

Where I live a lot of these guys, these "invisible" riders, don't really ride all that invisibly. But maybe that is because we have so many cyclists here in total. I can't ride to work without seeing dozens of cyclists. They don't all ride wrong way or on the sidewalk. They actually do learn how to do it the "American" way. I know because I ride with these guys--sometimes passing them, sometimes being passed by them--all the time.

They don't all ride wrong way or on the sidewalk. They actually do learn how to do it the "American" way. You're kidding me! I thought riding on the sidewalk was the American way! :eek: Surely that's what most Americans will tell you.:p :rolleyes:

Bicycling Magazine did an article on them awhile back. Good read.


The article was just in Utne magazine...a 7 some page spread.

It's the same article, originally from Bicycling.

if you were not asked to come to a place and you are not needed

YOU may not need them, if you never eat out or don't live/work in a constructed building, but the rest of us benefit from immigrant labor everyday of our lives whether we know it or not. but that is a whole other debate...


But if somebody doesn't care about cycling so much and cannot be reached by the cycling community... well, what can you do except to try to reach those you can reach?

i'm not saying it's anyone's duty to reach out to the 'invisible riders' and to a certain extent i agree with you that they probably would be wary of the cycling community at large even if we did reach out to them. for all we know, they think we're all crazy for CHOOSING to commute on bikes when we can actually afford to drive. my point has more to do with the smugness that some bikers exude, like we're this microcosm of the perfect society, when all i see when i look around is middle-class middle-aged guys and well-educated young hipsters.

my point has more to do with the smugness that some bikers exude, like we're this microcosm of the perfect society, when all i see when i look around is middle-class middle-aged guys and well-educated young hipsters.
I agree that that seems to be the profile of the typical self appointed spokesmen for "we" and "us" bicyclists when I look around on this (and other) internet bicycle discussion groups.

However, when I looked around while cycling in US cities (and far more so in Europe) I see all sorts of cyclists who are apparantly invisible to (or are not considered worthy) cyclists by the smug Internet Real Bicyclists.

YOU may not need them, if you never eat out or don't live/work in a constructed building, but the rest of us benefit from immigrant labor everyday of our lives whether we know it or not. but that is a whole other debate... Um, and how do you explain this then: "Ticket numbers are pulled from a hat, and the bike owners trundle into the trucks, lucky to have been selected for a day that pays $8 an hour, cash. Not every man works every day. Francisco waits calmly. He chats with a few friends. With his dignified appearance, he wouldn't be out of place if the park had chess tables and he were a retiree spending his golden years at leisure. Instead, he wonders: Will I be chosen? Is today one of those days that adds up to something?"

There are a lot of these folks out there. So many people are willing to work at lousy job for a tiny paycheck, they aren't even in such great demand.


for all we know, they think we're all crazy for CHOOSING to commute on bikes when we can actually afford to drive. I am willing to bet the majority of them are that way. If they ever get so lucky that they can afford a car, they'll ditch that bike in a millisecond. They'll also be the ones to tell you to get onto the sidewalk because they used to be bikers and they know that's the proper way... :rolleyes:

In fact, I would be delighted if cycling advocacy could reach those people, but the reasons for my delight would be purely selfish: if more people ride in accordance with the traffic rule and with due assertiveness, car drivers will get conditioned to expect that of cyclists.


my point has more to do with the smugness that some bikers exude, like we're this microcosm of the perfect society, when all i see when i look around is middle-class middle-aged guys and well-educated young hipsters. I'm afraid, I fail to see the smugness. I can't hold it against people that they fall into one of those two categories, and I assume that's not what you object to either. So what are they saying that makes them so smug and elitist?..

I don't care for the title of 'Invisible riders.' The only reason they're invisible is that some people don't want to look at them. Here in Lansing, 'they' are the majority and 'we' (the smug ones) are the minority. I do agree with genec's observation that most cyclists aren't interested in safety training. Maybe they will get interested when they observe that some cyclists ride safer and faster in the street than they do on the sidewalks? I don't know....

BTW, here in Lansing, all races and accents are represented in both groups of cyclists--the 'visible' and the 'invisible.'

I'm afraid, I fail to see the smugness. I can't hold it against people that they fall into one of those two categories, and I assume that's not what you object to either. So what are they saying that makes them so smug and elitist?..
:rolleyes:

BTW, here in Lansing, all races and accents are represented in both groups of cyclists--the 'visible' and the 'invisible.'

i specifically didn't mention race in my description of community rides because i didn't want this to be just about race--class plays at least as prevalent a role in this issue. however, while i don't have any hard data, i am willing to bet money that these groups are predominantly middle-class and white. not that there's anything wrong with that in and of itself--some of my best friends are middle-class and white :p. it's just that we're in freaking LA for chrissakes, supposedly one of the most diverse cities in the world, and the disparity is very noticeable. at least it is to me.

but if that's true about lansing, then hey that's great. we should all be so lucky (and no i am not being sarcastic).

Interesting in the current issue of bicycling, there's a comment that the article on invisible riders inspired a variety of reactions, including "hate mail".

Interesting in the current issue of bicycling, there's a comment that the article on invisible riders inspired a variety of reactions, including "hate mail".
Can you summarize the comments - who hates whom?

Can you summarize the comments - who hates whom?

They didn't say any more than that. They said the article had inspired some people to donate bikes to charity, some people to send hate mail, and two Texas bike mechanics to challenge attitudes about expensive bikes by building and racing a TT bike based on a Walmart Schwinn Roadmaster. The rest of the short item is about those two guys. They spent about $600 on the bike and upgrades and intend to "beat the pants off $4000 bikes" July 22 at the state time trial championships.

They didn't say any more than that. They said the article had inspired some people to donate bikes to charity, some people to send hate mail, and two Texas bike mechanics to challenge attitudes about expensive bikes by building and racing a TT bike based on a Walmart Schwinn Roadmaster. The rest of the short item is about those two guys. They spent about $600 on the bike and upgrades and intend to "beat the pants off $4000 bikes" July 22 at the state time trial championships.
Thanks for the reply. That would be Bicycling Magazine to think that using a "bargain" TT bike at some time trials championship will challenge anybody's attitudes or is relevant to the issue of the so-called invisible cyclists and their choice of bicycles; especially towards commuting cyclists who are apparantly invisible to the Bicycling Magazine publisher and his target audience.

Thanks for the reply. That would be Bicycling Magazine to think that using a "bargain" TT bike at some time trials championship will challenge anybody's attitudes or is relevant to the issue of the so-called invisible cyclists and their choice of bicycles; especially towards commuting cyclists who are apparantly invisible to the Bicycling Magazine publisher and his target audience.
I don't think this is fair to Rodale. Naturally they emphasize articles that appeal to the wealthy readership that their advertisers want to attract. OTOH, Bicycling sponsors Biketown every year, a program that gives away hundreds of utility bikes to nonriders. They have some mention of thisprogram in nearly every issue, and one issue a year features Biketown and utility riding. Also, it was Bicycling that published the original article being discussed here, and I've also seen other features about utility cycling and commuting in the magazine over the last couple years. As far as I know, Bicycling is the only magazine to cover these issues.

I don't care for the title of 'Invisible riders.' The only reason they're invisible is that some people don't want to look at them.

Have you ever seen one of them at night with black pants, black bike, black hooded sweater, and a black backpack? They are invisible.

Have you ever seen one of them at night with black pants, black bike, black hooded sweater, and a black backpack? They are invisible.
Just like black helicopters. They are there, just YOU can't see 'em, but THEY see you and know whether you have been bad or good.

I would be curious to see the numbers, but I would bet hard cash that in most cities, the so-called Invisible Riders make up the majority of bikes you'll see. On any given day in the city, I'll see 9 messengers or delivery men before I'll see 1 commuter or rec rider.

I read the article and found it interesting, but I guess calling it "9 Out Of 10 Bikers Aren't Riding For Fun or Fitness" wouldn't be as compelling. Those riders are really only 'invisible' to the Bike Industry.

I would be curious to see the numbers, but I would bet hard cash that in most cities, the so-called Invisible Riders make up the majority of bikes you'll see. On any given day in the city, I'll see 9 messengers or delivery men before I'll see 1 commuter or rec rider.

I read the article and found it interesting, but I guess calling it "9 Out Of 10 Bikers Aren't Riding For Fun or Fitness" wouldn't be as compelling. Those riders are really only 'invisible' to the Bike Industry.[/
Don't forget about youth. Quite true about the fitness/speed enthusiasts, I wouldn't say fun though. Those 9 out of 10 are just as invisible to the self proclaimed Bicycling Spokesmen who are into Riding for Fitness and Speed.

:rolleyes: What? If you're an male educated WASP everything you have to say is automatically discarded 'cause it has to be "elitist"?


On any given day in the city, I'll see 9 messengers or delivery men before I'll see 1 commuter or rec rider. Uh, messengers around here have some of the "coolest" rigs around; no rusty three-speeds, that's for sure.


I read the article and found it interesting, but I guess calling it "9 Out Of 10 Bikers Aren't Riding For Fun or Fitness" wouldn't be as compelling. Those riders are really only 'invisible' to the Bike Industry. So you are saying commuters ride for fun and fitness and messengers don't? Strange division. Commuters ride not JUST for fun and fitness (sometimes not at all) but also to get somewhere, while messengers might've picked their job because they like biking, so it's a fun workout for them...

What?
:rolleyes:

Uh, messengers around here have some of the "coolest" rigs around; no rusty three-speeds, that's for sure.
:rolleyes: