A letter to the cyclists of Oxford
Dear Cyclists,
Do you see this long, paved area here? Does it look like a road? No. It doesn’t. Do you know why that is? That’s because it’s what we call “a pavement”. And “pavements” are meant for pedestrians.
I know that “pedestrian” is a very long word and may be hard to grasp at first. So let’s break it down. The Classical Latin root “pedestr-“ means “going on foot”, and the suffix “-ian” means “of or belonging to.” So, a pedestrian is one who goes on foot.
Now, would you indulge me for a moment, my dear cyclist, and look downwards. No, not there; that would be rude. Look at the part of your setup which makes contact with the ground. Is it your feet? No? Then what can it be? That’s right! Wheels. So, do you think you can validly be called a pedestrian? Think carefully… are you “going on foot”? No.
When riding around Oxford on your bicycle, then, you might want to consider that those long, paved areas are meant for people who “go on foot”, and that the flat, tarmacked areas we call “roads” are intended, nay designed, for those who “go on wheel”: cyclians, as we may call them. There may be a lot of other cyclian traffic (cars, say, or lorries) in your way, but you must remember that they are your fellows; you belong with them.
So, when it’s rush hour and Oxford’s narrow pavements (built for little medieval people) are full of anxious workers rushing home to their warm fires and comfortable wives, it would be just super if you could keep to the roads, and not whizz through the crowds at 100 miles an hour, leaving a mess of mangled pedestrian bodies in your wake and shouting obscenities at those who get in your way.
And when there are signs saying “cyclists dismount” on busy thoroughfares, that does mean you too. Unless of course you’re one of my students and late for a tutorial. Then you’re legally exempted.
With all best wishes,
EJ
Do you see this long, paved area here? Does it look like a road? No. It doesn’t. Do you know why that is? That’s because it’s what we call “a pavement”. And “pavements” are meant for pedestrians.
I know that “pedestrian” is a very long word and may be hard to grasp at first. So let’s break it down. The Classical Latin root “pedestr-“ means “going on foot”, and the suffix “-ian” means “of or belonging to.” So, a pedestrian is one who goes on foot.
Now, would you indulge me for a moment, my dear cyclist, and look downwards. No, not there; that would be rude. Look at the part of your setup which makes contact with the ground. Is it your feet? No? Then what can it be? That’s right! Wheels. So, do you think you can validly be called a pedestrian? Think carefully… are you “going on foot”? No.
When riding around Oxford on your bicycle, then, you might want to consider that those long, paved areas are meant for people who “go on foot”, and that the flat, tarmacked areas we call “roads” are intended, nay designed, for those who “go on wheel”: cyclians, as we may call them. There may be a lot of other cyclian traffic (cars, say, or lorries) in your way, but you must remember that they are your fellows; you belong with them.
So, when it’s rush hour and Oxford’s narrow pavements (built for little medieval people) are full of anxious workers rushing home to their warm fires and comfortable wives, it would be just super if you could keep to the roads, and not whizz through the crowds at 100 miles an hour, leaving a mess of mangled pedestrian bodies in your wake and shouting obscenities at those who get in your way.
And when there are signs saying “cyclists dismount” on busy thoroughfares, that does mean you too. Unless of course you’re one of my students and late for a tutorial. Then you’re legally exempted.
With all best wishes,
EJ
posted by EJ at 8:19 pm
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