7 August 2008

Old People, Animals and Children

Age and Grace
We have a rule in the film industry that one should always avoid working with old people, animals and children. Fortunately, this unwritten rule does not apply to a true bicycle culture.

14:20 - 19 Copenhagen Minutes
Au contraire. The very prescence of old people, animals and children on the bike lanes is the surest sign that you are doing something right.

Felix on Ile de Ré
Found this half-forgotten photo of Felix from a holiday a couple of years ago on the brilliant Île de Ré off the west coast of France. The island's best beach was 10 km from our house and we made the trip on rented bikes each day. On the way home, the Boy Wonder invariably fell asleep on his kid's seat on the back of my bike - in the 35 degree heat with headphones playing his favourite music.

3 comments:

Charlotte said...

Oh, Île de Ré - incredible cycling there. The winds on the bridge from La Rochelle are something else though!

Anonymous said...

Well, as a boomer myself I'm not sure how "old" those two people are... Some people are silver-haired at 40 or even younger. Obviously whether 40s, 50s or 60s, cycling has certainly helped keep those two fit.

I've only been to Copenhagen once, very briefly (working at a conference) so alas I've never cycled in your fair city (this will of course be remedied - I have friends there, and of course they ride their bicycles everywhere, every day, even in the wintertime). In Amsterdam, I've seen people old enough to be the parents of the woman or the man in your pictures cycling (slowly). I mean people well into their 80s!

Imagine that it is the same in Copenhagen.

Colville-Andersen said...

charlotte: indeed, a great cycling paradise. every time i've been there, it's been stifling hot with no wind - except for once in the winter.... big time wind.

lagatta: the lady at the top was over 60. the man in the middle was included in the 'old' label... it's the dog in the shot that counts.

and you're right, we have many elderly cyclists.