I've noticed this before but haven't written about it, it's now happened so much that I need to include it in this blog. Whenever I'm on my bike and I ride past a male cyclist, most of the time, I notice that the dude looks at me, sees how fast I am going and then speeds up to try to pass me. They don't say anthing to me, but they don't have to say anything to me, their actions speak louder than their words.
About me, I'm not really a fast rider, my regular speeds can go from 9 to 14 miles an hour. I may be a die hard bicycle commuter now, but I rather enjoy riding slow, lolly-gagging if you will. Sure, my main goal is to get from point A to point B, but I will make my time on the bike count. It's a wonderful stress reliever and works me out (EcoVelo even blogged about this "slower ride + heavier bike = better workout").
But no matter how slow or fast I go, I always run into a pleasure rider who tries to outrun me. As if they feel less macho, because I passed them on my bike. Me? With my heavy body and heavy bicycle? puh-lease! LMAO, it even happens when I'm biking in a dress and heals.
It feels kind of nice just flying past these dudes and see them startled when they realize that they've been passed by a girl, then see them pick up their pace suddenly and try to pass me by as if they were trying to make themselves feel more manly and bad-ass. Jeeze.
I'm onto you guys...
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out riding
riding my flying pigeon
7 comments:
One thing I've noticed cycling to work is that other male cyclists, generally speaking, tend to be dicks. Yes, I know, that's a gross generalization (particularly in LA where virtually everyone on the road seems to be a dick) but I've seen more dicky guy cyclists than girls. Weird, eh?
I cycle at a pace that makes me happy. Screw what everyone else does.
I had just been reading -- it must have been a print publication because I can't find it on the internet -- that men exercise harder in the presence of women. Men sometimes have funny ideas about what gets the attention of women but it seems that appearing fit is high on the list.
One other point of view: my daughter had played soccer on a boys' team because she was good enough to compete with them. The boys did not like being beat by a girl, but when it happened over and over, it turned into respect.
Don't take it personally. Some of us, myself included, will race anything that passes, be it you, Lance, Usain Bolt, or just a bird. When I ran, I used to race waves on Ballona Creek! Out there on my bike, is the one time when it's 99% ok to indulge my basic impulse to compete.
I will race the shit out of you if I see you. It will be fun!
LOL Alex, I'll remember that the next time I find myself in the WestSide.
Keep bloggin'
Yes some men are like that. Some do the same in cars. Even when you are driving at the speed limit they have to be in front of you rather than behind. The same sort as pedestrians are the most amusing - skin-tight T-shirt over beer belly and silly long shorts, baseball cap usually back-to-front and a big fierce dog trying nopt to look embarrassed on the other end of the lead. I feel sorry for the dog!
On my commute home, on the bike path, I'd get passed by this woman riding a Sears cruiser-type bike--she would just fly past me at like 18 or 19 mph! No helmet, blonde hair flowing in the wind, and flip-flops on her feet. She looked like a soccer mom. I would try like crazy to catch her--well because, er, I'm a guy right? And fancy myself a fairly good cyclist. She would just leave me in the dust and I would exhaust myself as she just kept getting further and further ahead of me.
I have to say I felt discouraged about my own riding--I'm getting my butt kicked by Martha Stewart... Last week I saw her and she was stopped. Her bike had one of those electic motors on it! So I stopped and said hi, and told her about how all this time I had been trying to keep up with her and we had a laugh about it.
Cheers!
It's just they didn't discover the slow bike mouvement.... :)
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