I see that another “ism” has been invented in “Rider” magazine this month under the title “Bikeism – living somewhere near you”:
At the time of the debacle about alleged racism on Celebrity Big Brother, Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights was one of the reviewers. One of his comments struck a chord. He referred to what is clearly racism involving verbal abuse but that it can be more insidious. The example he gave was on driving to the BBC in a big car he was asked who he had come to pick up. How many of us who travel by motorcycle on business have been assumed to be making a delivery?
Actually, never. However, I do recognise the symptoms.
Ironically, shortly afterwards while checking in to give my oral evidence for the House of Commons Select Committee on Transport, the security staff asked me if I was making a delivery. More recently, on going to a meeting of the Road Users Alliance one of the reception staff told me to use another entrance before I had even reached the desk. He was unable to provide an answer when I asked why he assumed that someone travelling by motorcycle was there to make a delivery.
Yup, people make assumptions. Silly, ignorant assumptions based upon their narrow prejudices. How many times have I been turned away from a pub because I turned up on a bike? Enough to tell me that there is a deep rooted prejudice in this country that owes much to the mods and rockers of the sixties rather than current reality. Nothing new here, merely the manner in which the prejudice manifests itself. Personally, I take my helmet and waterproofs off and pack them in my panniers before going to any business meetings. The people on reception are unaware that I’ve turned up on a bike.
Other examples of bikeism are the ignorance shown by MEPs in spite of the information we gave them during the lobby on the 3rd EC Driving Licence Directive; a presumption by institutions and researchers that motorcycling is dangerous and should not be encouraged; and a general refusal to take motorcycling seriously as transport in spite of the existence of a national strategy.
This, however, is more worrying as I pointed out the other day. Parliaments have no right legislating from a position of ignorance. MPs and MEPs have a duty to educate themselves; to be fully armed with the facts, not prejudice and bigotry gained through too many viewings of “The Wild One”.
While being a motorcyclist is a choice (like religious faith) and that we can easily change our identity unlike skin colour, gender, sexual orientation and disability, there’s clearly an issue of discrimination.
Well, quite. However, I’ve never seen much point banging on about it. I ride a bike; it’s my choice and if others don’t like it, well, too bad; get used to it. All I ask – just as I have in any of my rants here on civil liberties – is leave me alone to live my life as I see fit. I’m not doing anyone else any harm, so it’s no one’s business but mine. It’s a simple enough concept.
Now that we have The Government’s Motorcycling Strategy, a sustained campaign to stamp out bikeism may be the next challenge to ensure that it’s not ignored.
Frankly, that may do more harm than good. Being part of a minority group jumping onto the “ism” bandwagon is not how I want to see myself. People will always be people and that includes an overwhelming deluge of stupidity, ignorance, prejudice and bigotry. Get used to it and move on.