As a life-long cyclist who rides his bike to Beaconsfield station every morning I should really be an outspoken champion of the Brompton bicycle set. Those dedicated eco-friendly suburbanites proudly flying the nuclear-yellow flag of enlightened commuting (in the form of a reflective rain resistant riding jacket) who ride/carry their fold-up Bromptons to work each morning...but I'm not. And I don't know why I'm not. On paper it all makes sense. It saves them parking costs at their home station. It saves them clogging up the country roads so the school run mums can drive faster. It saves them taking a cab or the tube on the London end of their trip. All of which saves them money and shaves a few inches off the carbon foot print they leave on the world. So why I am so cynical?
I can't find one reason in particular...so here are seven:
1) Wet bikes on crowded trains are dirty and annoying.
2) Persistent wiff of self-satisfaction and superiority oozes from all Bromptonites.
3) Not sure I would trust a banker whose suit traveled with him to work in a ruck-sack.
4) As a rule...English men are way too pale to wear shorts in public.
5) Impossible not to look ridiculous riding a bike designed for children and circus clowns.
6) Hard not to be suspicious of suburbanites who insist on screaming 'Look....I'm alternative'.
7) No one really needs to see middle-management in Lycra.
No comments:
Post a Comment