The comments by Chris Hoy and published in the Telegraph deeply disappointed me, although they are just the latest in a line from high profile cyclists. I've ranted about the myth of mutual respect before.
I expected more from Chris Hoy though, as he has always come across as a reasonable, intelligent, and thoughtful guy with a mature sensible point of view.
They legitimise the view among the ignorant that all people riding bikes need to behave before any are treated as human beings, let alone equals.
If it was just the law that was expected, but it is the imagined laws.
"Cyclists should get off the road and on the path"
"Bloody cyclists always riding on the path"
"Riding all over the road 2 abreast"
"Riding in the middle of the lane"
"Not wearing a helmet"
"Wearing a silly bit of plastic"
"Not wearing hivis"
"Dressing up like power rangers at Christmas in silly clothes"
"Not paying tax"
There is a natural state that whatever cyclists do, there seems to be an equal and opposite reaction from the idiots and the haters.
Even suggesting that respect needs to be earned, just feeds into the hands of the bigots, as they will always invent another excuse or a made up reason to justify their hate.
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