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Failing to see any issue here. Just crazy rabid people objecting. 
London cyclists "too white, male and middle aged" and this is a problem.
- Thread starter G-MAN2004
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omg look its a normal person on the general discussion forum, get out of here whilst you can lad.
We're basically approaching a position where, no matter the "problem" at hand, BAME+women will have special grants and programmes that white men can't access.
It doesn't matter if problem=cycling, or health, or housing, or employment, or education, or whatever... If you're BAME/a women you'll have some special scheme just for you.
Everything has become a diversity issue by default. This is the promised land for positive discrimination advocates, who are of the opinion that BAME+women must always be starting from a disadvantaged position, no matter what the field of endeavour might be.
The rest of us think it's ********. But enough people are prepared to think "progressively" to make this a reality.
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It tends to be white middle class men that wouldn't have access to schemes and grants.
In this instance clearly white middle class men have very little discouraging them from cycling so why should they have access to these grants and schemes?
Hardly convenient in a full burka though is it? And I imagine wearing a helmet over your turban or head scarf would be a bit troublesome.
So basically the underlying issue is poverty. Why bring ethnicity into the debate at all then? Why bring sex into it?
If they're giving grants for low-income people to start cycling then it's nothing to do with "diversity", or sex.
But they've already gone there and made this about BAME+women, with middle-class white men being under attack for over-representing cyclists.
The quote from the OP is of the minister saying that unless "diversity" among cyclists increases, there will have to be "diversity targets" put in place, to get more BAME+women cyclists.
This is just hilarious. The fact that politicians are seriously considering introducing diversity targets for cyclists.
Don't wear them when cycling then I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
So...hold on...ive already been through this. Cycling is an incredibly cheap form of transport especially compared to other methods. How exactly is cost the restrictive factor here?
People get a bike because they can't afford a car.
Duh, they obviously can't afford the latest £15,000 road bike from Chris Boardman so they should be given a grant to buy one. Can't expect them to jump on a £90 Apollo bike from Halfords.
That's funny, because Eastern Europe is pretty much all white and has a hell of a lot of poor people. Yet violent crime rates are very low and their cities are some of the safest in the world
It's not race, it's the culture and soft policing.
doesnt india have a lot of cyclists and motorbikes?
hes looking at you bro
helmets aren't mandatory yet?
I thought in most cycling accidents that result in death a helmet wouldn't make a difference anyway?
Man of Honour
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I never said poverty is the underlying issue, middle class white women are considered underrepresented and will have access to these schemes.
Having people from different income backgrounds is diversity, you've just decided to take particular offence at the fact that white men are excluded (even though only a specific section of them are).
How is a scheme aimed at getting people who don't typically cycle an attack on middle class white men?
I'm starting to think that this need to be a victim or receive attention is not exclusive to the left/pc brigade anymore.
I'm not saying cost is a factor (although it could be for people who might perceive cycling to be expensive), just that a specific section of white men will not have access to these schemes but could still benefit from the effects of them.
Your post shows that people have opinions on cyclists that aren't always true. The people who cycle the most are usually the ones more likely to own cars.
I've already pointed out reasons why people could be discouraged from cycling.
It's not hard to think of reasons why people would be put off, not everyone thinks like you.
You're missing the point its not about financial access. Anyone can buy a cheap Chinese bike. What everyone is failing to realise is the toxic nature of Cycling in the UK which is and is perceived to be a rich white mans pursuit and this is alienating POC'S and Women from Cycling. As always there is a lack of inclusion. For instance, the sign that says 'Cycle within the white lines', is just re-enforcing archaic notions of Whiteness and supremacy.
I believe they do yes, but from when I've seen it on the news and Top Gear, I don't see many people wearing turbans etc and almost most of them have no head protection anyway, wouldn't fly in this country.
seems a lot of poor countries have a cyclist problem.
maybe they also have a public transport problem which encourages people to own a bike.