Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Chris L
08-24-04, 06:37 AM
For once, the story has a happy ending. In the thread about why there seem to be so few female bike commuters, I made the following observation:
I remember one female commuter I used to meet occasionally. She was quite enjoying it up until schoolies' week last year. I rode with here on the Thursday evening of that particular week (which is more like a fortnight these days), she described the whole experience that week as "absolutely horrible". I haven't seen her since. I really think all those 45 year old "teenagers" yelling, flashing and doing God only knows what else put her and numerous other females off.
Lo and behold, who do I happen to see on my ride home from work this evening? Must be nearly 10 months since I last saw her, but she's still there, and still apparently riding just about everyday. Apparently she's changed her working hours, which is why we haven't met for so long. I'd been seriously worried that the treatment she received during Schoolies' week last year would have scared her off forever.
When I first met her I told her about lane-claiming when the situation demands it (i.e. the southern end of the Esplanade in Surfers), today she told me that what I said was extremely helpful, reassuring, and that she's passed it on to so many other people. It's moments like this that make it all worth it, for all the doubters out there who give us all the usual guff (i.e "you're gonna die! etc etc" -- including, sadly, some at the Bicycle Gold Coast meeting this evening), there are still those who are willing to give it a go and find out for themselves. There is still hope.
I remember one female commuter I used to meet occasionally. She was quite enjoying it up until schoolies' week last year. I rode with here on the Thursday evening of that particular week (which is more like a fortnight these days), she described the whole experience that week as "absolutely horrible". I haven't seen her since. I really think all those 45 year old "teenagers" yelling, flashing and doing God only knows what else put her and numerous other females off.
Lo and behold, who do I happen to see on my ride home from work this evening? Must be nearly 10 months since I last saw her, but she's still there, and still apparently riding just about everyday. Apparently she's changed her working hours, which is why we haven't met for so long. I'd been seriously worried that the treatment she received during Schoolies' week last year would have scared her off forever.
When I first met her I told her about lane-claiming when the situation demands it (i.e. the southern end of the Esplanade in Surfers), today she told me that what I said was extremely helpful, reassuring, and that she's passed it on to so many other people. It's moments like this that make it all worth it, for all the doubters out there who give us all the usual guff (i.e "you're gonna die! etc etc" -- including, sadly, some at the Bicycle Gold Coast meeting this evening), there are still those who are willing to give it a go and find out for themselves. There is still hope.