I'm interested in the use of this term "cool".
I've been trying to get researchers here interested in research into teenage
cycle culture (partly as a representation of teenage culture in general)
because there are some interestingly positive aspects to it, particularly
given the negative press that teenagers seem to get in the UK.
Some years ago I pursuaded the local council to give the local cycle forum
some land and we worked with the local kids and built a BMX track there.
The council were quite miffed when we declined to have a grand opening day
but, as we explained, teenagers don't want to the world to know about it and
they'll spread the word within their own community so it'll work fine.
Which is what has happened.
But, even though we live in an affluent area, near to London, we've never
found evidence of the issues of gangs, drugs and violence, beloved of the
press, which plague other areas. The track existance is not publicised
explicitly, though it does appear on a number of BMX websites such that
about half the users are "tourists"...meaning they don't live in the area
but just turn up and go cycling. We shot a publicity video (for something
else) at the site, and pulled out 8 garbage bags of pizze boxes, soft drinks
and water, crisp packets...but no evidence of illicit substances or
alchohol.
So why is that this teenage sub-community of interest does not appear to
exhibit the territorialism and generally negative charateristics that other
unsupervised teenage sub-communities are often accused of?
By the way.....I ride a large black Danish Long John freight bike and,
unlike many individuals in other age segments, teenagers invariably think
it's a really "cool" bike....very many comments using that specific word. So
my question is: why is that modern teenagers use that term for the heaviest
and ugliest bike known to man, ridden by a puffing and blowing 60 year old?
I think we maybe have to look back to the days of my youth for some of the
answers.........
Cheers
John Meudell
CTC
-----Original Message-----
From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gail Jennings
Sent: 27 July 2010 16:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Melbourne developments
Indeed they should... Once I'm done with trying to work out how to make
cycling cool in Cape Town :-)
On 27 Jul 2010, at 4:56 PM, Veitch, Alex wrote:
> Cycling becoming cool here in London really is the best thing to
> happen for cycling in my lifetime. Unfortunately we cycling
> campaigners/tree huggers are terribly uncool so having hip trendy 20
> somethings cycling is absolutely brilliant. I have absolutely no idea
> how or why it happened...someone ought to do a PHD..!
>
> In terms of Hackney, where I live, we have awkward public transport
> connections which are very expensive too, so there is a real "push" factor
to cycle.
>
> And while it is true to say that Hackney have done very little special
> cycling infrastructure, most of us cycle through Camden and Islington to
actually get to work, both of whom have done some good cycle infrastructure,
including some of the only segregated cycle lanes I've seen in London, and
cycle paths to get us across City Road near the Angel junction.
>
> Basically Hackney Council get away with being utter cheapskates but
> only because other boroughs do more.
>
> Cheers
> Alex
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gail Jennings
> Sent: 27 July 2010 15:47
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Melbourne developments
>
> Perhaps the attraction is that they are illegal?
> And on a different angle, one of the challenges we're seeing (in South
> Africa, that is) with donated bicycles to school learners is that
> within a few weeks of donation, the brake blocks are gone - sold as
> bike spares :-( Then the learners use their school shoes as brakes.
>
> On 27 Jul 2010, at 4:32 PM, Simon P J Batterbury wrote:
>
>> Aren't fixies illegal in most countries because of the frequent lack
>> of two brakes? They are in Oz. Technically.
>>
>> Confession - I think they are unpleasant machines and wasteful of
>> rear tyres.Using a salvaged frame is often set off with brand new
>> alloy rims costing hundreds. Not in the conservationist spirit.
>>
>> I also overtake their young riders all the time on an old bike with
>> gears, and I'm in my late 40s, so I really don't see the point.
>>
>> One gear, dangerous, and hard to stop.
>>
>> It must be cultural.
>>
>>
>
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