Abuse from pedestrians - are we entering the area of conformity and
roles in social behaviours? Deviation from socially expected norms of
behaviour certainly attracts abuse - even riding the Moulton gets this kind
of comment, let alone the recumbents.
I have found that cycling generally attracts abuse on the grounds of being
insufficiently 'manly' i.e. not being in a car. On the other hand, I quite often
get shouts of encouragement and admiration when at speed on the low
racer recumbent (particualrly from motorists) - these certainly outnumber
derogatory comments.
Is abuse aimed women rooted in a perception of the transgression of
legitimate social space in that the roads are still seen as a male
domain, with women's public sphere ending at the kerb? Does basic
feminist argument need restressing for a generation of younger men
who have missed out?
It all points for me towards a need to examine the wider social
perception of cycling and the area of appropriate transport. Modal shift
requires changing attitudes as much as behaviours? Or am I just feeling
the usual february pessimism about the depressing state of the world
and impending descriptions by my students of my being middle-aged?
Peter Cox
Programme Leader in Community Studies
School of Social Science
University of Chester
Parkgate Road
Chester CH1 4BJ
01244 375444 xt2039
Quoting Parkin John <[log in to unmask]>:
> I am starting another thread here I know, but....
>
> My wife's experience when cycling on her own in Bolton (a town with
> relatively little cycling) is that she is frequently verbally abused,
> much more so than I ever am. We cannot work out the logic of this one,
> because, as Tim suggests, one would traditionally think that females
> generally offer and attract less aggressive behaviour.
>
> It might be that the road is viewed as a "dangerous place", where it is
> acceptable for men to go, but it is not acceptable for women to go. If
> therefore, a woman is seen in the road, the reaction is that the woman
> must be in some way deficient for not having realised this "fact". Any
> perceived deficiency in a person is often pounced on by the unloving
> (school bullying as an example).
>
> Dr John Parkin
> Department of the Built Environment
> The University of Bolton
> Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5AB
> Dir Tel 01204 903027 Mob Tel 07903 523017
> Fax 01204 399074 www.bolton.ac.uk/staff/jp10
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Tim Jones
> > Sent: 07 February 2006 11:22
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: The effect of cycle lanes on Cyclists' road space
> >
> > Peter
> >
> > Can't comment on recumbents but one thing that I notice
> > whilst riding my upright is that I am given more space and
> > respect by motorists when I ride with my partner in
> > situations where I ride at the front.
> >
> > It is well know that higher response rates to doorstep social
> > surveys are achieved by females rather than males for all
> > sorts of reasons. I am wondering whether this same issues are
> > at interplay here... Are women prone to less conflict than
> > men? Do men respect females riders more than their male
counterparts?
> >
> > Tim Jones
> >
> > Peter Cox wrote:
> >
> > >Hi
> > >
> > >One of the things I and other riders of 'non-conventional'
> > Bikes notice
> > >(anecdotally of course) is that riding a recumbent one
> > rarely - if ever
> > >- gets cut up close, whereas on a diamond-frame it happens fairly
> > >frequently.
> > >
> > >The suspicion is that drivers are forced to think about
> > something they
> > >do not recognise or that is out of the 'ordinary' rather than just
> > >mentally file it as street furniture. How is your instrumented bike
> > >equipped - does the kit alter its appearance at all?
> > >
> > >Peter Cox
> > >Programme Leader in Community Studies
> > >School of Social Science
> > >University of Chester
> > >Parkgate Road
> > >Chester CH1 4BJ
> > >01244 375444 xt2039
> > >
> > >
> > >Quoting Ian Walker <[log in to unmask]>:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >>I emailed Pete Owens, who conducted that study, yesterday,
> > to suggest
> > >>we do it again with our instrumented bike which measures
overtaking
> > >>proximities. It would be great to see if those findings are
> > supported
> > >>with accurate measures.
> > >>
> > >>Ian
> > >>-----
> > >>Dr Ian Walker,
> > >>Department of Psychology,
> > >>University of Bath,
> > >>Bath BA2 7AY,
> > >>England.
> > >>
> > >>Tel: +44 (0)1225 383908
> > >>E-mail: [log in to unmask] (academic)
> > >>E-mail: [log in to unmask] (other matters)
> > >>Website: www.drianwalker.com
> > >>
> > >>On 7 Feb 2006, at 10:43, Peter Cox wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>So does this mean that a full study should be undertaken?
Anyone
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >got
> > >
> > >
> > >>>time/money sources?
> > >>>
> > >>>Perhaps taking into account both gender and style/type of
> > cycle might
> > >>>be useful other factors as well as relative traffic speeds?
> > >>>
> > >>>Peter Cox
> > >>>Programme Leader in Community Studies School of Social
Science
> > >>>University of Chester Parkgate Road Chester CH1 4BJ
> > >>>01244 375444 xt2039
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>Quoting Tim Jones <[log in to unmask]>:
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>>This is an interesting critique of cycle lanes but with
> > respect the
> > >>>>methodology leaves a lot to be desired.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>-Use of one FEMALE cyclist
> > >>>>- No randomisation
> > >>>>- Selective use of evidence (i.e. to what extent do the
> > photographs
> > >>>>represent the true situation?) etc
> > >>>>
> > >>>>Tim Jones
> > >>>>Oxford Brookes University
> > >>>>
> > >>>>Peter Cox wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>Hello all
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>Interesting study with photographs at
> > >>>>>http://www.warringtoncyclecampaign.co.uk/
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>If you haven't already seen the internationally renowned
> > "facility
> > >>>>>of the month" pages on the same website then you have
> > been missing
> > >>>>>a
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>treat.
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>>>Peter Cox
> > >>>>>Programme Leader in Community Studies School of Social
Science
> > >>>>>University of Chester Parkgate Road Chester CH1 4BJ
> > >>>>>01244 375444 xt2039
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> >
>
|