Dear Sir,

Re Good News Week and Anti-Cyclist Guests

On 13 October I wrote to Network Ten complaining of the anti-cyclist sentiments expressed by guest Magda Szubanski on Good News Week on 28 September. Among other cyclist criticisms, two ‘comedians’ suggested that drivers hit cyclists. I emailed my letter to 18 cyclists.

On 15 October 2009 I received a response. Network Ten has missed the point. “In our experience, viewers recognise that the format and tone of the program, and this segment in particular, are clearly comical and that the comments made during the program are not malicious but are made in the context of a humorous and satirical program.”

My first letter omitted that many Australian drivers are inconsiderate or aggressive towards cyclists, to the point of threatening cyclists. One day I suffered four near misses, when drivers ignored road rules. Another evening I suffered four incidents of harassment shouted from cars, eg “I am going to F _ _ _ you!” There are enough idiots on the roads, without ‘comedians’ encouraging more.

My letter did include “I have been hit three times by negligent drivers and left with permanent back injuries, which impacts on my life. More distressing is that negligent drivers killed three of my cycling friends. It is no laughing matter. Magda, please encourage road safety, rather than literally or physically knocking cyclists.”

I have ‘no sense of humour’ when it comes to inciting people to hit, injure, maim or kill cyclists. I am not the only one – search the web. The response of Channel 10 does not encourage me to return to watching Good News Week.

P.S. I emailed copies to 18 cyclists.

Gbomb: The same sort of attitude seems to lead to councils
proposing to charge personal trainers to use local parks, proposals to make cyclists pay to use the roads. I would have thought that considering the fears of an obesity epidemic, councils and other community/governing bodies should be encouraging people to exercise, and certainly not be doing things to make it more difficult for people to do physical activity.

Councils are charging the personal trainers, not the participants, because the trainers are using public land to make money. That is fair enough to me. It is free to use the park by yourself to run, walk, jog, train, etc.

James D:
Firstly it is a fact (if you dont believe me just do a bit of research) that for every 1 km I cycle I save 70 cents for the government.

Can you post some URL’s to support that comment?

motiv8dan: Get out of my way, go ride on the bike track. I hate the fact that it costs me so much to put my car on the road and then to be held up by a bunch of free loading cyclists.

Freeloaders hey. That always amuses me when people say cyclists are freeloaders. Lets be realistic, Considering that most of my travel on my bicycle is for transport, and considering that I have done over 3000 Kms last year. Lets think about this.

Firstly it is a fact (if you dont believe me just do a bit of research) that for every 1 km I cycle I save 70 cents for the government. Addtionally the cost of petrol does not cover the cost of ripping it up, the damage it does, or the cancer it creates or the shortened lives people have because of the pollution.

So do the math 70 cents (.7) X 3000 kms = $2100 to me.

So who are the freeloaders? I think its the motorists not the cyclists.

On Saturday 3 October 2009, I was disappointed with your guest, well-known comedian Magda:
– She objected to cyclists using Beach Road (in Melbourne) and said they should use the path instead. Although I live in SA, I know that the volume and speed of cyclists on Beach Road negates using a path.
– She criticised cyclists walking into coffee shops with their shoes making tapping sounds. It is common after exercise for cyclists to refresh themselves with a coffee – healthier than alcohol or cigarettes. Some cycling shoes can make a noise on some surfaces, but such shoes are designed for cycling efficiency.
– She also criticised cyclists, while waiting at red traffic lights, doing a ‘balancing thing’. The design of the most efficient cycling shoes requires the shoes (and therefore cyclist) to be attached to the pedals. Waiting for the light to turn green, then reattaching to the pedals creates inefficiency and delay in reaching speed. It could even hold up an impatient driver.

What is most disappointing is Magda publicly reinforcing negative attitudes towards cyclists. This encourages motorists to continue to disregard bicycles as a legitimate transport mode that are entitled to road space. Also to disobey road rules around cyclists and disrespect the safety of cyclists. Currently in Australia, when comparing the distance travelled by cyclists with car occupants, cyclists are more often injured, seriously injured or killed.

I have been hit three times by negligent drivers and left with permanent back injuries, which impacts on my life. More distressing is that three of my cycling friends have been killed, again by negligent drivers. It is no laughing matter. Magda, please encourage road safety, rather than literally or physically knocking cyclists.

Please remember that the community is becoming aware of the environment, greenhouse gases (from motor vehicles), Climate Change, Peak Oil, and lack of exercise creating an epidemic of obesity related ill health. Cyclists are doing something about it.

I hope in the future that your guests are more community aware, or I will not be watching your show. On 5 October Good News Week was on again, but the criticism of cyclists was too fresh, so I changed channels. There was Magda again, so I switched off and read a book.

You are most welcome to forward this email to Magda.

Heather

P.S. I am sending copies to 16 cyclists, as well as posting this.

And as for Magda. I thought better you. What a small minded idiot you are. An apology is not enough and is far too little too late. I won’t be watching or buying anything you do or endorse in future.

motiv8dan: maybe thats why you cycle, no friends and its a sport you can do on your own.

Yes, because that makes so much sense, not. If you’re doing it as a sport, then you must be competing against someone or in a team.

These blokes look like real loners with no friends>>

http://vimeo.com/6890161

Even if you are just doing it for recreation, there are always cycling events going on, and plenty of clubs and social groups to ride with, as well as cycling holidays. It is no less social than golf is, and that’s something you can do on your own, it’s a waste of a good walk, but it’s still a good social ‘sport’

And you know, driving a car to work alone without any passengers, like most, is such a social thing to do. You must meet so many people doing that? You must have sooo much to talk about to yourself and it must be so enjoyable being stuck in traffic?

It must really suck to be full of prejudice and feel hate for no good reason.

Gbomb: The same sort of attitude seems to lead to councils
proposing to charge personal trainers to use local parks, proposals to make cyclists pay to use the roads. I would have thought that considering the fears of an obesity epidemic, councils and other community/governing bodies should be encouraging people to exercise, and certainly not be doing things to make it more difficult for people to do physical activity.

I agree with you sort of, councils are entitled to charge for using their parks, i play cricket in summer and the amount of money it costs us to run our club, is amazing, the amount that the councils get is even more amazing.

But maybe some sort of encentive to help people move into exercise could be a good thing, considering how fat people are getting.

62shelby: motiv8Dan, like I said the truth hurts,

Truth hurts? What that your an idiot? People dont look at you in your lycra and think your cool, maybe thats why you cycle, no friends and its a sport you can do on your own.

I can speculate about the why it seems the majority of the populations seems to have such a negative attitude, but I think that it is not going to change in a hurry.

Australia’s been a petrol society for as long as I can remember. The trouble is petrol has always been affordable and when it’s teeters on getting “too expensive” governments bend over backwards to neutralise it as it’s a vote winner.

As a nation we haven’t really been forced to leave our cars at home yet. One day…

I mean for example when the hell pack went through a red light ending up killing a man, the reaction of the media and the general public was generally very red neck and negative towards all cyclists. Yet I am sure a lot more pedestrians and cyclists have been hit by cars and don’t even get into the news.

The same sort of attitude seems to lead to councils
proposing to charge personal trainers to use local parks, proposals to make cyclists pay to use the roads. I would have thought that considering the fears of an obesity epidemic, councils and other community/governing bodies should be encouraging people to exercise, and certainly not be doing things to make it more difficult for people to do physical activity.

Another example, I compete at reasonably high level level in triathlons and I am mid-forties. In my last job in the Western suburbs, the attitude of most people including my last manager was there was something pathologically wrong with me for doing so. Yet I would estimate that 80% of the employers were overweight, and a lot of people there in there mid-20s had pot guts.
I can speculate about the why it seems the majority of the populations seems to have such a negative attitude, but I think that it is not going to change in a hurry.

btw, married to a (male)track cyclist, actually we will be in Australia for World Masters for October, cause yeah, we are cool. lol

62shelby: So what it takes a few seconds to get past, it seems though that the more obese the general population gets the greater the resentment of cyclists is. I think its sub conscious self loathing.It must be awful to have a flabby disease ridden body and see some sleek lycra clad cyclist ahead enjoying a self propelled mode of transport that you probably wont ever experience again, your body is a reflection of your respect for self and the environment, so if you treat your body like shit its likely your attitude to the environment is the same. Sorry if the truth hurts.

All i can say is your why the world hates cyclists, this attitude of im cool because im on a bike only makes you look like a tool. Im sure there are normal people out there who ride and enjoy it, good luck, but to you pffftt, its time to get a girlfriend or boyfriend( im tipping this, not that theres anything wrong with that) and get your hand off it.

James: money being spent around Australia & the world on cycling infrastructure, and to the fact that there have been more bicycles sold in Australian than cars sold for something like the last 9 years.

Kids cant drive though, im tipping a major % of them sales figures would be kids, which is good, they need exercise..

I was genuinely horrified by this clip; to hear these words coming from the mouth of a comedian I had previously respected; to see other comedians I had respected laughing along in the background; to hear the audience cheering her on.

Seems like the most traditional Aussie characteristic of ‘mateship’ has been soundly defeated by the air-conditioned motorised box.