And then there are we walkers. We hate being called pedestrians, because pedestrian has the additional meaning of ordinary, and boring. Rise up, Walkers!!
Not all cyclists are horrible people. Probably not even half of them. Of course not all automobile drivers are horrible people either. Maybe not even half of them.
I do think that using a bike for your primary means of transport probably does make you a lot more paranoid about those people driving the big heavy killer-vehicles.
I first learned that some people don’t like being directly identified when I first found out that garbage collectors (a perfectly honorable profession) wanted to be called “sanitary engineers.” Okey-doke! Just…please…don’t rattle those cans so loudly at 5 a.m.!
We’re already known as “Knights-of-the-Road”… You wanna argue? I’ll ram you off the motorway… Oops… masked slipped a little there… Yes… as I was saying… “Knights-of-the-Road”… 10/4…
So, WHY are guys who ride a MotorCYCLE called “Bikers”, but guys who ride a BIKE are called “Cyclists”???
AND, if you don’t like truckers, try to live one month without using ANYTHING that was on a truck at one time or another. You will end up naked in a cave, living on nuts and berries! 35 years driving over-the-road, several MILLION safe miles, by the way… in spite of the idiots in the cars… and I have the ATA awards to show for it, too!
If I’m crossing the street with the light, if I see a car coming toward the red light heading my way, I don’t worry about it and just cross. If I see a cyclist doing the same thing, I stop and wait to see what he’s going to do, because I know he may just go right through that light and hit me.
Not all riders-of-bicycles act like the selfish, infantile, arrogant road hogs that cause the trouble. No matter what they are called, we can tell the difference but the bad ones will continue to make us wary of all of them.
Living in a country where bicycles are an economic necessity for lots of folks, I have noticed that the attitude towards cyclists is very different than in the U.S.A. Drivers are a lot more tolerant of bicycle riders than motorcyclists.
There aren’t many of the lycra-clad cyclists here, thank goodness. The rare few you do see on the roads are serious bicycle racing competitors, not the obnoxious roadhogs you encounter in the States.
If “Cyclist” is demeaning… one must wonder how it came to be so.
Personally I’m with the crowd. I think cycling is great, but some of the most rude, arrogant people I’ve met on the road were cyclists. Of course, to be fair they’re probably exactly the same way when they’re driving their automobiles. It’s not that they’re cyclists; they’re just rude, arrogant people who are more visible than hiding inside a car.
There are good cyclists… polite, yielding, follow the law, don’t stretch out across the road. It’s the bad ones that give cycling a bad reputation.
Oh, it just hit me: if cyclists travel the same path every day, are they re-cyclers?
Considering how many names they call those of us who drive cars because we are old or simply work so far from home, the CYCLISTS can go screw themselves.
And, if we do want to go down this road of lunacy, we need to change other words like teacher, governor, astronaut, senator, employee, ad infinitum. We could not refer to people by their job titles anymore, even in the workplace. Imagine how much more burdensome conversation could become. Just stop it now.
Oooh, I knew this one would bring out the keyboard cadets from all sides. I love peeking on here every once in a while to see how polarizing the smallest little thing can be… keeps me from ever getting optimistic about the human condition. #sadbuttrue
BE THIS GUY over 4 years ago
But jerk is already taken.
Templo S.U.D. over 4 years ago
must be Jef’s doing
Bilan over 4 years ago
If he doesn’t have a problem with being called Rat, …
DennisinSeattle Premium Member over 4 years ago
And then there are we walkers. We hate being called pedestrians, because pedestrian has the additional meaning of ordinary, and boring. Rise up, Walkers!!
sirbadger over 4 years ago
Hey Mother Truckers! You need a new name!
Concretionist over 4 years ago
Not all cyclists are horrible people. Probably not even half of them. Of course not all automobile drivers are horrible people either. Maybe not even half of them.
I do think that using a bike for your primary means of transport probably does make you a lot more paranoid about those people driving the big heavy killer-vehicles.
Gent over 4 years ago
So now we shouldn’t call a cyclist a cyclist? I’ve got another word for you, cyclist. But you may not like that either.
Kind&Kinder over 4 years ago
I first learned that some people don’t like being directly identified when I first found out that garbage collectors (a perfectly honorable profession) wanted to be called “sanitary engineers.” Okey-doke! Just…please…don’t rattle those cans so loudly at 5 a.m.!
The Moose Group over 4 years ago
Better name for cyclists…..targets
Zykoic over 4 years ago
So many bike lanes! So few bikes!
So many buses! So few passengers!
So much government! So many idiots!
Yontrop over 4 years ago
I don’t understand why Pastis wants to try to squeeze humor out of adding to the divisions among people. Very few people who ride bikes are like that.
Radish the wordsmith over 4 years ago
I suppose you could call them bi-cyclists.
Walrus Gumbo Premium Member over 4 years ago
Another name for cyclists? Auto Shaming Smugness, also known as A.S.S.
jessie d. over 4 years ago
hey, cartoonists, you need a new spiel?
Troglodyte over 4 years ago
Re-cycled bi-cycle humour.
Breadboard over 4 years ago
Cyclists = Road Leeches …. because somebody else paid for the roadways they demand to ride on …
asrialfeeple over 4 years ago
That’s much better than being disliked for thinking you own the road.
Alexander the Good Enough over 4 years ago
And I suppose that all the cyclists want you to also use their preferred singular personal pronoun, “they.”
A Common 'tator over 4 years ago
We’re already known as “Knights-of-the-Road”… You wanna argue? I’ll ram you off the motorway… Oops… masked slipped a little there… Yes… as I was saying… “Knights-of-the-Road”… 10/4…
Geophyzz over 4 years ago
Cervelo, are you going to weigh in on this?
mjb515 over 4 years ago
It is the thing itself, not the word that causes dislike.
V45mikky over 4 years ago
Truckers new name semi road warriors.
Masterskrain over 4 years ago
So, WHY are guys who ride a MotorCYCLE called “Bikers”, but guys who ride a BIKE are called “Cyclists”???
AND, if you don’t like truckers, try to live one month without using ANYTHING that was on a truck at one time or another. You will end up naked in a cave, living on nuts and berries! 35 years driving over-the-road, several MILLION safe miles, by the way… in spite of the idiots in the cars… and I have the ATA awards to show for it, too!cdgar over 4 years ago
Take that Jef.
fjames01 over 4 years ago
And they really do. https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/03/experts-cyclist-word-dehumanizes-bike-riders/
Ignatz Premium Member over 4 years ago
The word has taken on a negative connotation because of the behavior of the people it refers to.
Ignatz Premium Member over 4 years ago
If I’m crossing the street with the light, if I see a car coming toward the red light heading my way, I don’t worry about it and just cross. If I see a cyclist doing the same thing, I stop and wait to see what he’s going to do, because I know he may just go right through that light and hit me.
Carl Rennhack Premium Member over 4 years ago
Paris, there are NO “maybes” about it!
uniquename over 4 years ago
Not sure I’d pick truckers as the first group to confront.
Zebrastripes over 4 years ago
Gasp! Watch it! Those truckers can be misconstrued as…..
Ellis97 over 4 years ago
Look who’s talking.
YippiKiAyMofo over 4 years ago
If they don’t like “cyclists” they can always go with “impotents.”
LKrueger41 over 4 years ago
Not all riders-of-bicycles act like the selfish, infantile, arrogant road hogs that cause the trouble. No matter what they are called, we can tell the difference but the bad ones will continue to make us wary of all of them.
Reader over 4 years ago
Cyclists like Jef don’t consider themselves mere mortals anyway, correct?
Ralphsloan over 4 years ago
More Crocs and little guard duck please.
Al Nala over 4 years ago
The Cycleism is coming…Coming….COMING!!!!!
witten.homer175 over 4 years ago
Leaving them alone,they will soon become extinct.
Mighty Phavahg over 4 years ago
Man, there’s a lot of angry people on this page.
walstib Premium Member over 4 years ago
When I worked at a logistics/distribution center, we’d tell the drivers to get the truck outta here.
Linguist over 4 years ago
Living in a country where bicycles are an economic necessity for lots of folks, I have noticed that the attitude towards cyclists is very different than in the U.S.A. Drivers are a lot more tolerant of bicycle riders than motorcyclists.
There aren’t many of the lycra-clad cyclists here, thank goodness. The rare few you do see on the roads are serious bicycle racing competitors, not the obnoxious roadhogs you encounter in the States.
Cerabooge over 4 years ago
Lots of car-ists seem to get triggered by any mention of people who use bicycles.
DCBakerEsq over 4 years ago
I’ve got a few suggestions …
Snoots over 4 years ago
If “Cyclist” is demeaning… one must wonder how it came to be so.
Personally I’m with the crowd. I think cycling is great, but some of the most rude, arrogant people I’ve met on the road were cyclists. Of course, to be fair they’re probably exactly the same way when they’re driving their automobiles. It’s not that they’re cyclists; they’re just rude, arrogant people who are more visible than hiding inside a car.
There are good cyclists… polite, yielding, follow the law, don’t stretch out across the road. It’s the bad ones that give cycling a bad reputation.
Oh, it just hit me: if cyclists travel the same path every day, are they re-cyclers?
Kurtass Premium Member over 4 years ago
Where’s Jeff?
Ermine Notyours over 4 years ago
Call ’em psychoists.
And another group: don’t call them stewardess, call ’em trolley dollies.
MartinPerry1 over 4 years ago
Is this real? If so, it’s an indication of too much blood flowing to their legs and not enough to their brains.
Leojim over 4 years ago
Wow, there are a lot of triggered people here today!
Manitobaman over 4 years ago
Call me anything you like. Just don’t call me late to dinner. :-)
zeexenon over 4 years ago
Antibikeite?
jonnytest over 4 years ago
Considering how many names they call those of us who drive cars because we are old or simply work so far from home, the CYCLISTS can go screw themselves.
jbruins84341 over 4 years ago
I heard about this some months ago. As a cyclist, I have no problem with the term. It is just some more made-up PC wannabe nonsense.
jbruins84341 over 4 years ago
And, if we do want to go down this road of lunacy, we need to change other words like teacher, governor, astronaut, senator, employee, ad infinitum. We could not refer to people by their job titles anymore, even in the workplace. Imagine how much more burdensome conversation could become. Just stop it now.
WCraft Premium Member over 4 years ago
Sure sounds better than “Spandex Encased Guys Hogging the Road.”
Digital Frog over 4 years ago
How about Cyclepaths?
grafdog over 4 years ago
Oooh, I knew this one would bring out the keyboard cadets from all sides. I love peeking on here every once in a while to see how polarizing the smallest little thing can be… keeps me from ever getting optimistic about the human condition. #sadbuttrue
AtariDragon over 4 years ago
I would want to be called a Cyclops.
Sisyphos over 4 years ago
I like Rat!
Who cares what cyclists think?