Safe Speed Forums

.....it was that ... b-b- bicycle.....

Per today's "Mail" ...

When it first appeared - there were gasps of horror!

Oooh! Leading young gals into ruin and disgrace.

Ohh! Wanton and abandoned liaisons with the boy from the next village instead of the one next door!

It would ( ) encourage immodest attire and provide sexual arousals whilst on the go.

Worse still - it would mean wimmin would not be able to have children!


Please enough - me sides are splitting!

( If only they knew about lycra and muesli back then )


The humble bicycle ... voted the top invention ever in BBC R4 poll last week and is held responsible for the real emancipation of wimmin.

1890's woman was confined to the home and was supposed to dress to a rigid dress code of corsets and bustles and frilly collars.

Whilst Pankhurst was campaigning for votes for wimmin - Amelia Bloomer was designing biking kits for wimmin - trousers

Wimmin all over the place ditched their long frocks, donned trousers and boldly pedalled off in search of a mate.

It kick-started the road system and the birth of the car industry. One Mr Pope mass produced the bicycle and Ford learned from him.

But the bicycle was not the first that our cycling pals would have us believe./



Listen!- Peyote and C+ lurks! The car woz 'ere first! French bloke in the seventeenth century has a four wheel pedal car I am very proud to ackowledge that this French bloke was ... A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE

A German Baron Karl on Drais invented a wooden wheeled bicycle in 1818 - it was a status symbol. You were a nobody unless you owned one!

In 1867 - Michaux started to manufacture bicycles - and organised a wiimin's race. This caused a near spectator riot when Miss Julie and her four short skirted fellow racers made a superhuman effort and reached disgraceful speeds in Bordeaux! )

speed - and no one injured ...


Brits were shamed into producing a bicycle capable of a sinful 20 mph - and weighing 44 lb - it could KSI.... especially if the lady's bustle got int he way,...

Just think - Rover seems to have started via bicycles..... In fact, the Rover Safety Bicycle is the prototype of all the Konas, Diamondbacks, Raleighs, Bianchis ....and wimmin could ride these in skirts.

By 1890 - a bike could outpace a runaway horse. Police, postmen and the army were riding them.

Albert Pope began the first mass production - and all aspired to own a bike. Pope's success paved the way for mass production of cars - and, after we settled after the war - bikes were not enough. We wanted our cars! Cycling became sport and hobby.

Greenies would say the mode of cycling has not been bettered.

I disagree. Cars provide a means of getting from A to B very quickly and are a necessity for those of us with large families.


Cycling to me ....something I enjoy with the family in my free time.

Driving. I love it. I love the speed, the time save - and the extra experiences it allows me - as I can get to places quite quickly..

I love track days and I love the extra speed and comfort.

But for all that - I will acknowledge that the invention of noth bicycle and car has allowed me to enjoy my life all the more.

I will also acknowledge that female emancipation has also enhanced life - and shall thank all wheels for encouraging this - even if Wildy : neko: wears the trousers.

Thought our cycling pals may enjoy this article - especially if they missed it in todoay's "Mail" - and may wish to add their comments.

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Mad Doc - been trying to get my missus to drive for 25 years - why -I wonder why , cause if she had licence and we go up north, past Ian H country, up to the real wilds of scotland, i'd still be looking out for problems.
However two of my kids ( the gals) have got a licence.One is a great townie driver, needs more experience on the open road( thats when i either shut up or start reading the road ) try it some time - read the road for a novice - teaches you a thing or two . The other needs a lot of help - now her sister is going to have to help, and then little sis will grow up in the passenger seat RAPIDLY ( or wear nappies).Funny thing older sis has a hubby with HGV 3 ,crane op etc etc - won't take her out to teach her any thing.
Never mind perhaps dad will have to do it again- pass me the vallium.

Mind you mad doc-

we all had the choice - us in trousers or them.

Certain sections of our populous prevented this by any means

The rest gave up.


Now did yorks ( a male bastion , give up witout a fight??)

Linked to the "emancipation theme"

There was a very witty piece in yesterday's Grauniad...Zoe Williams reckons all you need to be a safe cyclist is a pair of fishnet tights and mouthful of razor blades and Zoe's outlook on life....

I shall type out the bits I found funny....



Well.. that seems to nobble day-glo then

But she's right - I notice a girl with a striking vampish appearance with a hint of "come hither" in her fishnets....

Hope my own wife is not lurking one here....

Interesting she says



Norris doubts the efficacity of helmets

But - sounds familiar.... about officials lying? Get away with you Zoe - you little minx! We've known this for years....

Her final comment



Unfortunately Zoe....we cannot deny that we have many asylum seekers who are here under false pretences - just the same as we have genuine refugees.

And we cannot bury heads in sands and believe that all cyclists are perfect any more than drivers or bikers or lorry drivers or police drivers or pedestrians.

I did consider opening this as a new thread - but think it should be with Mad Doc's cycling history thread....

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Cheers for that MM and IG. Some entertaining stuff there.

Especially the bit about the pedal car being the first invention (although I doubt I'd believe everything written in the Mail). To be honest with you when I call myself a cyclist I should probably qualify that by saying I'm a cyclist at the moment. Hopefully as soon as I've saved up enough I'll be a recumbent tricyclist too!

Give me enough steel tubing a welding kit and I'll have a bash at being a quadcyclist as well (though I'm not sure if quadcyclist is a real word)!