On The Weekly this week, Charlie Pickering has taken on one of Australia’s favourite passtimes: hating on cyclists.
“Nowhere is the media’s appetite for division more obvious than in the coverage of a supposed war on our roads,” said Pickering
He then confessed that like many people around the country, he too is a cyclist, saying: “As a white, middle class, hetero male, it’s not often I get to feel like a hard done by minority. It’s why I love cycling. It gives me an insight into some full blown, Aussie bigotry.”
Even though cyclists enjoy a myriad of health benefits and – with appropriate infrastructure – cycling can improve traffic flow and travel times for all road users, getting on a bike makes many people the subject of vitriol from other road users.
Earlier this year, cyclists in Melbourne were the victims of a 15-month long attack, with someone leaving tacks on the road to try and force cyclists off the road, putting cyclists, walkers, children and dogs at risk.
“The news only started caring after a dog got hurt,” Pickering said. “Cyclists are officially lower than dogs.”
And that’s why Pickering wants to start a new campaign to make cyclists feel safe on our roads. And it’s called “Stop Being A Wanker”.
After all, Australia is the only developed country in the world where the rate of cyclist deaths is increasing. And in 79% of road accidents where a cyclist was seriously injured, the driver was directly to blame.
So, Australia, it’s officially time to Stop Being A Wanker and treat our cyclists properly.
Watch the segment here:
For more information on The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, visit their website.
What do you think about the way cyclists are treated in Australia?
For more on Charlie Pickering, try these:
Charlie Pickering: “I know nothing about racism in Australia.”
Charlie Pickering just blew away everything you thought you knew about foreign aid.
Charlie Pickering just obliterated Tony Abbott’s opposition to same-sex marriage.
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