Why don't women cycle?

[slowmotion]

There are two sorts of non cycling women: those who have never cycled and those who have given it up. I didn't start cycling until I was in my late twenties. Right now as you seem to be aware I am having qualms about continuing to cycle, so yes I think I might be able to relate to both types.

We could also divide non-cycling women another way, those that don't want to cycle, and those that want to cycle yet don't. Probably no one here can relate to the former, but everyone (male and female) have felt the pressure to stop cycling, and even though we have resisted it, we understand why someone might have given into it.

No one wants to be lying on the tarmac, nearly under the wheels of a Prius in Kensington after midnight. But I think it has a extra frisson of danger that I am a woman, and it is men in the car that hit me standing over me trying to bully me into not calling the police, men who run over in response to my screams, it's a policeman who stumbles on the scene. Every person involved could have physically restrained me, hurt me or worse. Sure, the policeman and the bystanders would have almost certainly stood up for me, but I don't want to rely on the kindness of strangers. And the next time, if there are no bystanders and passing police? I don't want to be in that situation again and the best way to avoid it involves 4 wheels, locking doors and an engine.

I could have shared this, but instead I ended up responding to butt hurt men who were offended at the principle that maybe there are a few times and places when they should listen rather than talk.

But now I have seen your vital hearsay anecdata, I understand the urgency of your need to have your say. Men have been silenced for too long! </sarcasm>

I'm sorry, but if the OP asks a question on a cycling forum, people are going to reply, and some of the replies are not going to be links to earnest academic studies, but anecdotal. Some of them might even be from men. I just passed on my wife's and daughter's opinions. Is there a problem?

 

[Lavender Rose]

what absolute nonsense.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear. I was implying that the group of women who come to do spin at my work are not serious about cycling.....they only come to cycle so they feel a big better for all their drunken weekend antics sprinkled with takeaways etc

 

[Lavender Rose]

What absolute nonsense

I really don't need to justify myself to you....

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You're not being asked to justify yourself. @User was simply pointing out that your posts appear to contain the sort of ignorant generalisations that don't add anything to the discussion.

I think @Charlotte Alice Button@s post merely contains some of her life experience regarding the topic.
Nothing any of us on this forum can add anything meaningful to this discussion unless we embark in a systematic UK non cycling female population survey, then publish the results.
Of course, we could quote links to similar surveys already done, then close the thread.
Or we could just continue relaying our unscientific life experiences in the matter.
When (if) the OP comes back, I will ask him what he prefers done.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

It might also help if, when making these sort of interventions, you make it clear whether you are doing so in your capacity as a moderator or in a personal capacity. That used to be the practice on this forum but does seem to be somewhat more honoured in the breach these days...

I wouldn't dream of patronizing you with the "mod hat on" thing, I'm sure you know yourself when you've been naughty.
On saying that, I do put the hat on when I'm pulling someone up for breaking the CC rules, if I did forget in the past I apologize.
To clarify, I was commenting as me.
And I believe Charlotte: women, men too, talk all the time about how they got drunk/eat a calorie laden meal/can't remember a thing but was a fab night.
I'm going to they gym today because I eat a domino's last night is also a recurrent topic.
Lazy? Yes, some women (men too, but here the topic is women) are too lazy to cycle, they rather drive: that is exactly what some colleagues told me when I asked why they don't cycle, they said "Nay, I'm too lazy, I drive".

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Mod hat on:
@User not everybody is on CC 24/7.
@User that's great, let's agree to disagree.
Everybody else: let's go back on topic without further ado.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I don't get the "mod hat on" and I'm not really sure why the mod hat is on, seeing as you weren't answering charlottes post as a mod, why do you need the mod hat on, or are you telling me as you are a mod you are above questioning, in fact I really have no idea what you are on about.

Apologies: it was a joke directed a Reg, you got it that I wasn't answering as Mod.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A few days ago, @MontyVeda posed an interesting question about why other countries (I think it was Netherlands but maybe Denmark) have a far higher, sometimes the higher, cycling participation rate.

For me, that question moves on to a slightly different question from the OP's: what is it about the typical UK construction of gender identity that brings about such an imbalance? For example, what is it that makes cycling so unattractive for so many adolescent girls? Obviously, I never went through a female puberty, and I grew up in a family of 3 boys with no sister.

The question is posed as a father of a daughter (who won't get on a bike) and grandfather to a granddaughter who adores being on a bike.

 

[Inertia]

[QUOTE 5277572, member: 9609"]Where have I said gender doesnt come into it? I said may be women are not attracted to cycling as much as men are, different sexes like different things. I certainly don't see any significant evidence that one gender is responsible for the other gender not taking part, I get the impression some want to blame men but then some of you seem to like to blame men for about everything.

And where did I say I was bored with it and trying to shut the thread down? I specifically said these threads fascinate me as I was unaware the way some people view these things[/QUOTE]
You are fascinated in the threads but you dont seem fascinated in finding out why more women dont cycle. You seem more fascinated that people care that there is an imbalance, would that be accurate? Is there a reason not to to try and encourage more women to cycle?

 

[MontyVeda]

A few days ago, @MontyVeda posed an interesting question about why other countries (I think it was Netherlands but maybe Denmark) have a far higher, sometimes the higher, cycling participation rate.

For me, that question moves on to a slightly different question from the OP's: what is it about the typical UK construction of gender identity that brings about such an imbalance? For example, what is it that makes cycling so unattractive for so many adolescent girls? Obviously, I never went through a female puberty, and I grew up in a family of 3 boys with no sister.

The question is posed as a father of a daughter (who won't get on a bike) and grandfather to a granddaughter who adores being on a bike.

It was Germany, Holland and Denmark... all of which are well known for having a better cycling infrastructure and far more utilitarian cyclists than the UK. It could be that it's more of a cultural thing rather than a gendered thing. I wonder in Germany, which apparently has a cycling population (for want of a better term) of 55% female and 45% male, if they're asking why more men don't cycle?

 

[Lavender Rose]

[QUOTE 5277563, member: 9609"]it may also be an accurate observation, I take it @Charlotte Alice Button has actual met these women where as you haven't?[/QUOTE]

Yep....it is not an generalisation. It was an observation of SOME of the women I see at work. However, there are others who have competed in Half Ironman/Ironman/Triathlon/Duathlons who I have much respect for. I was trying to present a broader spectrum of the type of women who take part in exercise.

 

[jefmcg]

Is there a problem?

 

[mjr]

When (if) the OP comes back, I will ask him what he prefers done.

I'm still loving how many people are assuming it's a "him".

 

[classic33]

I'm still loving how many people are assuming it's a "him".

He's in his third year of his Phd at Manchester.

 

[sheddy]

Cycling UK ladies survey
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/womenandcycling