Advocacy & Safety - Do you approve of costumes at bike advocacy rallies?

I've noticed that at most bike advocacy rallies I attend, there's a group who shows up in some sort of 'look at me' costume... face paint, capes, hats, hallowe'en masks, streamers, santa suits, even clown costumes. Sometimes there are songs, noisemaking, and dancing. Inevitably, these colourful folk are featured prominently in any media coverage of the event. How do you feel about people who wear costumes to bike advocacy events?

This was supposed to be a poll (yes/no/to each his own)... not working, sorry.

For the record, I prefer to be a 'regular person who rides a bike', but my very good friend likes to come to these things with balloons, capes, tiaras, and lots of enthusiasm. I think there are some good points to be made for both styles of dress, and I only wish we could have the media attention her style garners along with the much more boring 'cyclists are normal people' message that I hope my style demonstrates.

Bloomin Scruffy Crusty Protestors

Well its quite time someone brought this up isn't it? I mean who the devil do they think they are. Turning up at all of the Anti-Globalisation protests looking like they have just been dragged through a hedge backwards. I mean what kind of ruffian image do they want to give off. With their dayglo clothes, dogs on strings and scruffy hair cuts, I'm sure their parents are outraged.

I for one have had my fill with them, its about time somebody told those smelly kids that we just won't take it any more. Scrub up an take yourself seriously, you look worse that a one eyed leper at an Egyptian bazaar. Speaking of which, I remember one time on my travels, I was in Cairo, had spent a little too long on the old hubbly bubbly and realised that I was quite intoxicated. Anyway I stood up and staggered up to an old leather faced store lady, my tie was all askew and I am sure I had started to perspire a little. Talk about hazy head, anyway the old dear began to stare into my eyes, and I felt the floor begin to sway. Couldn't remember much else to be honest, but woke up in my hotel, room stark naked and looked next to me in the bed when who should be.....Sorry drifting off the subject there a little. Yes Scruffy bloody hippies and students, quite a bloody sight if you ask me. There was a time when a man was a gent and a woman was a lady, what. I tell you what Charles my tailor would have a bally word or two to say about some of the blooming excuses for clothes those tykes seem to mistake for fashion.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti fashion, but there are limits to common decency. Dreads and beads, are not for me thanks, a nice paisley cravatt is quite flouncy decor enough.

So listen up and listen clear you ruffian types. All of us fine fellows are going to have to pull you up to scratch. Believe me you will feel all the better for it, a good scrub and a clean, a nice set of clothes, some new cufflinks and some polished shoes. What more could a young chap want from life. We are going to drag this blossoming protest movement out of the primeaval caves and into the world of dapper dress. We are many and we are growing.

Harold Battersby-Crawshaw
http://www.spacehijackers.co.uk/notcricket/html/frames.htm

How do you feel about people who wear costumes to bike advocacy events?

does this apply to ridiculous lycra team kits as well?

:D

I don't mind the costumes, just the incongruity.

A rally for X ... and here come some Ys.

I remember the same debate about the anti-war protests back in '03. A lot of us thought that showing the gov't and the public that dragging our nation into an illegal, pointless war that would cost tens to hundreds of thousands of casualties (not to mention billions of dollars) was a terrible idea was serious business. As such, it seemed like people who showed up wearing clown make-up and chaps/g-string combos detracted from the seriousness of the message. Civil rights protesters don't dress like sideshow attractions. Why would we?

Unless you're advocating for circus performer rights, don't dress like you're in the circus. It detracts from your message and makes everyone associated with you look like fools. If you're serious about advocacy, act and look like it. Save dress up time for bar hopping and Halloween.

I don't approve of rallying ralliers at rally rallies.

-Kurt

I agree that it's counterproductive. Trying to attract the average schmo by doing everything to distance yourself from the average schmo can't be an effective strategy.

Of course, there are people who flitter from protest to protest just because that's their hobby.

So long as they aren't distracting from the cause what difference does it matter what they wear?

Well, DC, on the face of it, I agree with what you say here; trouble is, they DO distract, by Attracting all the attention away from the issue at hand. Who can think about Share the Road, sharrows, 3-foot rule, when you have a half-dozen yahoos who look like they made a wrong turn on the way to a Gay Pride parade taking up all the camera and airtime?

My honest opinion is: if you want to be taken seriously, present yourself seriously. If you want to be a sideshow display, you can do that anytime, anywhere...else.

So long as they aren't distracting from the cause what difference does it matter what they wear?

That depends on what the goal of the cause is.

If it's simply to get airtime on the local news, loud and brash will get it every time.

If it's looking for more than mere publicity -- like asking for bike-friendly facilities, showing how many people regularly ride instead of drive, etc etc -- do the obnoxious costumes really help?

Do we have to be bearded hemp-wearing vegans or wear body paint, neon wigs and G-strings to be "cycling advocates"? Or can we just look like regular people?

What I'm saying is, preaching to the choir doesn't gain anything. If you want to "spread the love", so to speak, you'd want regular NON-cycling people to easily identify with you.

Nobody sees cycling advocates talking to their city councils, well-behaved or not. But, they do see the lunatic parade on the local news.

Well, DC, on the face of it, I agree with what you say here; trouble is, they DO distract, by Attracting all the attention away from the issue at hand. Who can think about Share the Road, sharrows, 3-foot rule, when you have a half-dozen yahoos who look like they made a wrong turn on the way to a Gay Pride parade taking up all the camera and airtime?

My honest opinion is: if you want to be taken seriously, present yourself seriously. If you want to be a sideshow display, you can do that anytime, anywhere...else.

DM,

Agreed, if one wishes to be taken seriously they need to act serious. Which is one of the problems that I have with most CM rides. And I agree with ya that if the "customs" are too outlandish and over the top that they are more of a hindrance to the cause then they are a help.

And on the flip-side let's not forget that for some people out there, that flamboyant, outlandish dress IS there normal mode of dressing. Do we really want to reach the point where we tell people that if they want to help change things that they have to dress a certain way?

And on the flip-side let's not forget that for some people out there, that flamboyant, outlandish dress IS there normal mode of dressing. Do we really want to reach the point where we tell people that if they want to help change things that they have to dress a certain way?

Nah -- they'll learn it on their own, no need to impose on them; it may take 50 years, and we may lose out on some cherished advocacy thanks to them, but it'll happen. Life is what happens when G_D looks away.....

That depends on what the goal of the cause is.

If it's simply to get airtime on the local news, loud and brash will get it every time.

If it's looking for more than mere publicity -- like asking for bike-friendly facilities, showing how many people regularly ride instead of drive, etc etc -- do the obnoxious costumes really help?

Do we have to be bearded hemp-wearing vegans or wear body paint, neon wigs and G-strings to be "cycling advocates"? Or can we just look like regular people?

What I'm saying is, preaching to the choir doesn't gain anything. If you want to "spread the love", so to speak, you'd want regular NON-cycling people to easily identify with you.

Nobody sees cycling advocates talking to their city councils, well-behaved or not. But, they do see the lunatic parade on the local news.

Agreed, and all we have to do is to look at the thread about bicycle advocates who drive their cars to the meetings instead of riding their bikes. To understand that even "regular, normal" people who are advocating for improved bicycle infrastructure don't always "walk-the-walk." Yes, I realize that for some of them that time and/or distance may be the motivation behind their using their cars vs. their bikes to get to the meetings.

And I agree that if the mode of dress takes airtime away from the cause that it isn't a good thing. But by the same token should someone who is both a cyclist and into goth be told that they need to stay away because they distract from the cause?