But like any passion, also comes the opposition, criticism, and resistance. All too frequently in recent months we have seen an increasing number of public instances where cyclists have been scrutinized and beaten down in an attempt to reduce our influence on the world. For me, it started with the public address via Tony Kornheiser's radio show in which he asked drivers to give cyclists a little "bump" on the road. He attempted to joke with the world, that living some Grand Theft Auto fantasy would be appropriate to convey to the general public. Sadly, we all know the reality in this world and abstract way our minds comprehend ideas and thoughts. There were people who actually believed in what he said and supported his sermon to the fuel induced society.
A few months later I was made aware of a commercial created by a casino in the Town of Blackhawk. If you do not know already, the gambling driven town just off I-70 in the foothills had actually passed a law "banning" the use of bicycles in their town limits. Extreme, a little but we could get over it. Social media stormed the town bashing their ideals and governing body, in an attempt to get the communities that support the town to boycott their business. Soon after, it seemed as though the town reacted by crafting a television commercial to get back at the cycling community. Pointless and irrelevant to their product and cycling, it was clear they just wanted to prove that they too could play this game. See for yourself here:
During the Tour de France this year, Mr_MichaelSmith, a football show commentator publicly humiliated the events of a horrific crash during stage 9, when Johnny Hoogerland was sent flying viciously into a barb-wired fence at 30 miles and hour after being hit by a media vehicle that swerved to avoid a tree on the side of the road. In need of 33 stitches to repair the numerous lacerations to his body, Johnny showed the pure courage, determination, and spirit of cycling, finishing the stage on his own power. The finish became an iconic part of the Tour, as he finally broke down in tears on the podium during his acceptance of the "Most Aggressive Rider" jersey for the day.
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| Johnny Hoogerland overcome by emotion and pain while accepting the Most Aggressive Rider jersey for Stage 9 of the Tour de France |
Just a few days ago, General Motors released the following ad, directed toward college students:
For a company with a dwindling marketing budget, dominated by low sales numbers that have been going to their competitors including Ford, Honda, and Toyota, I found it interesting that they would try to tap into another market. Cycling. The concept of "Stop Pedaling, Start Driving" clearly didn't make sense to the masses of cyclists and college students who ride a bike to commute purely out of the desire to live healthier lives and reduce our carbon footprint. Once again, cycling is a culture, a way of life. If a college kid wants a car, they will buy a piece of crap for $700 to get them through their education. This ad lasted all of about 8 hours on the market until GM removed it from their rotation.
Imagine the money spent producing this advertisement. A group of high-paid account executives sat around a round table, and through our government bailout funds, collectively decided that attacking a new market was the best direction for their business. It's like Apple creating an ad that asks people to "stop watching TV, listen to an iPod". Both similar in industry and markets, but two totally different means of entertainment. Only 24 hours later, the "smart executives" at Giant Bicycles were able to convert hundreds of thousands of failed advertising dollars from GM into an attractive, bold statement that cost them about 10 minutes of time and the Adobe Creative Suite software.
In all of these events this year, there is one common theme in the outcome. The Cycling Community is strong, resilient, and will not be pushed around without a fight. In each case, the cyclists came out in masses, fighting back through social media, blogs, and the support of celebrity leaders in the movement. Tony Kornheiser's remarks were retracted a day later with an instant interview with Lance Armstrong giving him a lesson in being a public entity. Soon after Mr Michael Smith's remarks regarding feelings that he found the crash of Johnny Hoogerland "hilarious", cyclists attacked in full force via Twitter putting a temporary stop to his account for 3 weeks. A big accomplishment considering he managed an account with just under 100,00 followers at the time. Finally, through social media outlets, GM was forced to withdraw their new advertising campaign with a public apology via Twitter with the following statement:
"@lancearmstrong Wanted to let you know we have been listening to the community and decided to pull the ad from our rotation. Sorry 4 any offense. "
With an account of just 30,000 followers, GM was smart to reach out to Lance's some 3 million followers with their apology which he later retweeted to get the message out.
The passion we have as cyclists is truly imbedded in our heart and is a force to be reckoned with. As drivers, we drive out of necessity and as sports fans, we cheer for entertainment value. But as cyclists, we come together from all different sides whether it be road, mountain, BMX, or transportation for a common goal: To make a difference in our world. And I am proud to be apart of the movement.
TMP
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