Bill, you hit it on the head. People who wear NFL/NBA/MLB jerseys and are not playing the sport are fans. If, however, they are decked out in full uniform for a pickup football/basketball/softball game, they are major poseurs. The same holds true for cyclists. I would have no problem wearing one of those awesome wool Molteni or Cinzano jerseys as casual wear, but I would never dare to wear one on a ride.
Think of your world as having two spheres of ethics - or standards. One that is what you can stand in the world… expectations for other folks, and another that is about your expectations for yourself. This allows you to have such high standard as ‘never whereing a teams jersey of which you are not a member’ for yourself - but allows the rest of the world to do as they want. It releases you of the urge and the weight of judgemental feelings and behaivior. You can use those things to better your self image if you want… but life is much better when you let the little things go.
My definition of a poser is someone with a great sense of humor. There is this old guy who owns a Lance/TDF Trek replica. He wears his yellow jersey whenever he cruises out to pick up a six pack. Doesn’t quite have the same impact when I do it on my TCR or old 12 sp.
I believe you have just summed up why I hate SUVs. You don’t need an SUV in a snowy climate and If you need a suburban to go camping, its not camping. You would think that people weren’t able to survive pre-SUV from all that. As far as accident safety, SUVs are not more safe and they would probably flip over if I hit you with my “ecologically correct” car. Not to mention the aggressive driving mentality that nearly all SUV drivers seem to have. Not to mention the fact that gas guzzling cars keep us at the mercy of oil producing countries.
I fail to see what connection there is between all the excellent reasons to be anti-SUV, and liberalism. SUV’s are the epitome of spendthrift profligacy, quite antithetical to conservatism. Just because Bob’s SUV can easily kill someone in an ordinary car doesn’t make it a good idea to drive one. Rather the reverse, I would have thought.
you city dwellers crack me up. If the wife and I didn’t have 4WD there would be many weeks each winter when we don’t make it to work or we don’t get home due to Ice , Snow, Mud, downed trees. yes I carry my Chainsaw in the back all winter. Living in the mountains has its price of admission that I gladly pay
The rest of the year we take both of our bikes and gear to the races in one vehicle
Eric, though I don’t require a chainsaw, I drive an SUV to get me where I want/need to go. I live in Boulder, CO and spend a fair amount of time in the backcountry all year. Without 4wd and the clearance of my SUV, I couldn’t do that.
To say that nobody needs an SUV (paraphrasing) outside a farm environment is laughable. Yes, many people have gotten along without them in the past. A lot of people did OK without antibiotics as well.
I consider my last statement as ridiculous an analogy as some of the anti-SUV comments that have come before.
lol, well I was out last season with a busted wrist but if you raced in Northern Cal. I officiated at every and I do mean every USAT Sanctioned race…so you may know me.
I couldn’t agree more. If some people don’t want to wear team gear unless they are on the team, fine. If they wont by an expensive bike unless they are TDF material, fine. But, for some people, if it takes wearing a Yellow Jersey with USPS Shorts, and a USPS Trek, fine. That is their money gone, good for them that they have it to spend.
The only thing i don’t like is people faking what they are. These people usually stand out, most people know they are posers. In this case, just dont pay attention to them. You know what they can really do. But more importantly, you know what YOU can do. If telling a big ‘fish story’ (sorry, im a hick at heart) gets them on the road, fine. I still have more respect for these people than those who don’t get off the couch all day with the exception of going to the bathroom and the fridge. Just my $.02, take it or leave it.
Around here, if someone shows up for the group rides wearing a team jersey, it usually means they are on that particular team. I remember last year at the Palomar Challenge when I was out warming up and thinking when I saw this guy wearing a Saturn jersey and a team bike, “what a poser”. Luckily I didn’t say anything out loud, it was Trent Klasna.
I do agree with the earlier post, whatever it takes to get you up and off the couch and on the road.
I tend to never say anything, as I have become a reformed bad behaviour-type. The former behaviour got me eating my toes on occasion. The biggest thing is that you never know who is really wearing that jersey,as the type of stories you told have happened even in St. Louis, MO.
I am with you on the “what ever gets you off of the couch” mentality. I was a couch potato after an unsuccessful career as a USCF racer. I have been on that couch.
What about d) lives in a snowy climate, e) likes to go camping f) likes to go hunting g) tows a boat h) likes to improve their odds of surviving an accident i) has a large family j, k, l, m,…
