Red, White and Green Commuter Transport: cycling and ghost cycling

Red commuting produces white rage and dead cyclists

Red commuting produces white rage and dead cyclists

I am the enemy you killed, my friend.
I knew you in this dark: for so you frowned
Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed.
I parried; but my hands were loath and cold.
Let us sleep now…’ (Wildrid Owen Strange Meeting)
Image courtesy jscolman – with added blood See also: Ghostcycle.org

My winter post on White Commuting has led me to the following classification:

  • Red Commuter Transport: uses hydrocarbon energy to create air pollution, noise, dust, asthma and road rage
  • White Commuter Transport: white rage is what green commuters are driven to when most of the roadspace is allocated to red commuters
  • Green Commuter Transport: uses human energy for quiet, health-giving environmentally friendly commuting
Ideal green commuting in a hot country (Italy)

Perfect green bicycle commuting in a hot country (Italy)

5 thoughts on “Red, White and Green Commuter Transport: cycling and ghost cycling

  1. Marian

    It would be great if all the journalists following David Cameron on his bike had to cycle too 🙂
    Media power is unfortunate but could be useful!

    Reply
  2. Tom Turner Post author

    Yes, yes, yes to journalists on bikes.
    London has some policemen on bikes, which makes them far more useful than the pairs of male and female policemen one often sees talking to each other and scarcely looking at what is happening around them.

    Reply
  3. Christine

    Cycling politicians seem to cop ridiculte rather than the credit for their efforts. [ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1038230/Caught-camera-The-moment-gang-teenagers-nicked-David-Camerons-beloved-bike.html ]

    I wonder how the average ‘person on the street’ would fair if tailed 24/7 for a week? [ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/03/22/police-to-give-conservative-leader-david-cameron-cycling-safety-advice-115875-20358646/ ]

    So I suppose if David Cameron was followed by journalists and police on bicycles at least it would be a level playing field re: potential traffic misdemeanours.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Christine Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *