Sneakeasy/bicycling

Automobile Manufacturer Audi has come out with a new commercial for one of its new cars, called Audi A3 TDI - Do Your Part, and it takes a slap at Bicyclists that is far from funny, and is rather insulting, and offensive.

I have a peculiar sense of humor, and write humor, and poetry, about bicycling, and plan to include humor in my own future efforts on YouTube, as The Cycling Dude cyclingdude.com [cyclingdude.com] ), but this commerical is not funny at all.

The commercial doesn't have a specific target audience, to me, anyway, unless you consider the piece to be an attempt to coax people to quit riding their bikes, and "get back in the damn car, already!".

And they are supposed to do this why? The new car is powered by Vegetable Oil!

They just insulted not just Cyclists, but Environmentalists, too.

The commercial has an anouncer condescendingly intoning that "Many people are trying to do their part. . ." as we see some unhappy Bike Commuter getting jostled by strangers on a crowded bus; a frightend cyclist in a suit trying to avoid a car as rain pours down around him; and some goofball on a Segway trying to remember the ineffective lessons he must have just been given, as he rides a sidewalk.

The Commuter is obviously an Immigrant, possibly of Middle Eastern Descent.

Talk about stereotype! Yes, minorities combine bus, and bike, to commute, but so do I, and other Middle Class people, and as well as people who make far more than we do!

And, besides riding the bus is not the horror they try to make it out to be.

As for the guy in the rain...No-one I know is that stupid, or desperate (At least the guy is obviously not in the States, since the sidewalk is on his LEFT. In the US he's be toast!).

With all sorts of clothing to wear in the rain available, there is no excuse to do so if you simply MUST ride in the rain (Hell, even I've pedaled my bike with one hand steering, and one holding an Umbrella!).

Of course the smart thing when it rains, or snows, as everyone knows, is to leave the bike at home, and take the bus, or commuter train! ;-D

I WILL concede, though, that some Segway users are just like this one, and should be given plenty of space...hee, hee! ;-D

This commericial makes it seem like Bicycle Commuting is weird, unpleasant, dorky, and dangerous.

What a bunch of ignorant BS!

I first was introduced to the Glider Rider, by Randy Eady, in December 2006, and since then an adult version of the bike had been developed as well as the popular child version.

The website describes the original bike this way:

"The Glider Rider is a fantastic new toy riding vehicle that gets tykes on a bike SOONER THAN EVER BEFORE! The Glider Rider teaches balance, self confidence and frees children & parents from training wheel dependence. One ride and you'll never understand why training wheels were ever designed. Once gliding, you and your youngster will experience the ultimate joy of effortless accomplishment"

Gary once sent me a copy of a letter he sent to to Bicycling Magazine, that he was never sure was published, and i will share here, as I did on my blog, The Cycling Dude:

"Dear WORLD's Leading Bike Magazine,

As you are the globe's preeminent authority on all things two wheeled, I was caught by surprise when your How to Raise a Cyclist article recommended starting 2-4 year olds on "a training wheel equipped bike." Perhaps a broader glance around the world may have better grounded your essay writer's instruction.

European cycle enthusiasts have recently recognized so-called, yet mis-labeled "training wheels" were the construct of clever marketing nearly a half century ago. (They offer little benefit in the way of balance training and generally instill fear/doubt in a rider's natural balance capability.)

By using a new form of pedal-free bike for the past three years on the continent, the application of outside stabilizers has become the exception and the average age of newly self-supported bike riders is now about four and a half.

Though this may seem a minor point, when the underlying issue for "raising a cyclist in the U.S." is actually countering the influence of a sedentary lifestyle and a culture of obesity. Shockingly, health organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Heart Association and American Medical Association report balance ability now peaks at about the age of 10, that 18% of adults (18-55 years of age) report being non-bike balance capable and that childhood obesity is expected to reach the 25% level in the U.S. population by 2010. It's no wonder the NIH predicts one out of three (one out of two hispanic) children born after 2000 will contract diabetes. It's also no wonder the bike industry will be facing lower and lower rider-ship levels if more and more children get stuck on training wheels and aren't weaned off before they're drawn to the virtual fascination of a screen-based substitute."

In the 60's I was still riding a bike with training wheels, at age 5, or 6!

Today there are kids riding bikes with no training wheels by as early as age 4, after learning to bicycling on a Glider Rider.

Gary told me that "We're an American-German company ;-)

Here's why: We see our product "cycling" between the US & Europe, i.e., children's version started in Germany and migrated to the USA. The adult version will start in the USA and migrate to Europe in 2009-10."

I've seem pictures of the adult version, and it is a very cool looking bike!


To learn more about my initial correspondence with Randy, a follow-up in 2007, and other articles he shared with me, go here...

cyclingdude.com/2006/12/raising_a_cycli.html [cyclingdude.com/2006/12/raising_a_cycli.html]

And here... cyclingdude.com/2007/11/raising-a-cycli.html [cyclingdude.com/2007/11/raising-a-cycli.html]

A worthy cause, since 2002!

FROM THE WEBSITE:

"The Tour de Force's dual mission is to honor the victims of 9/11 by keeping their memory alive through cycling events and to raise funds, to benefit the families of police officers, who were killed in the line of duty, each year, nationwide, making the ultimate sacrifice."

An outstanding resource!

Some of Web's most popular biking news, videos, and blogs are linked here, including my own, The Cycling Dude cyclingdude.com [cyclingdude.com] )

Here it is!

3min. 48sec. of cycling history!

A day that will live in inf...Um, it will live, anyway, hee, hee!

It took years to screw up the courage to become a YouTuber, but I've done it.

You don't have to be an expert with the camera to get out there, and share with the world your passions, and interests.

I'm proof of that!

A long, but information rich, essay designed to help cyclists interested in attempting their 1st Century, but still a bit intimidated by the notion. ;-D

Wonderful, and hilarious! ;-D

An interesting article about a bikeblogger I've never heard of before, but will soon check out to see what all the fuss is about. ;-D