Online abuse ‘dehumanises’ cyclists and puts them in danger on the roads, British Cycling warns “We will continue to use social media to try and enforce better behaviour,” says the governing body cycling
– including those created to oppose active travel initiatives such as Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and cycling infrastructure – tend to be among the worst anti-cycling offenders, though the policy manager says that comments sections under news stories and call-in radio shows also provide a platform for abuse.“It’s symptomatic of our busy, congested and unpleasant roads for a lot of people. This is especially around our big towns and cities.
“And then there are those who don’t cycle themselves or know anyone who cycles – when they see a cyclist going faster than they are in an urban area, we know that is a real triggering aspect for some people for some reason.” Responding to whether another social media boycott is necessary to curtail these potentially dangerous levels of abuse, Chamberlain said: “We have to hold that up as a measure of last resort. Our preferred method is to be proactive, and we will continue to use social media to try and enforce better behaviour. We want to call these things out and talk about what we can all do.
“‘Cyclist’ has become such a term, with connotations of entitlement, when really I do not think it is such a them and us issue,” the councillor for Balham, south London, said. “I would say I was a resident who sometimes walks and sometimes rides a bike. It should not define someone’s entire identity.”
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