Tuesday, January 16, 2007

The Law of Bicycles in Popular Culture

As a person who thinks that the bicycle is the best way to travel, I have an interest in how bicyclists are represented in popular culture. Careful observation has led me to formulate this law:

The Law of Bicycles in Popular Culture
All adult characters shown riding a bicycle for utilitarian purposes in a creative work will be depicted as either perverts, losers, or both.

Clause A: This law applies only to works set in the years from 1970 onwards.

Clause B: This law applies consistently only to American works, though foreign examples may occur.

This blog will catalog examples of The Law's validity.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

what about in gooney's when the big brother has to chase after them and he is met by the so-called "cool kids" in their red convertable and he ends up getting thrown over the side of the road? yes, he was a douchebag to begin with, but there's definitely an anti-bicylce message in there.

Unknown said...

oh man, i forgot about Pee-Wee! that's huge. case in point. this blog rocks.

Steven said...

Yeah, I also immediately thought of Pee-Wee

PopularBicyclist said...

oh yeah, how could I have left out Pee-Wee...

Anonymous said...

what about Butch Cassidy and Sundance? Criminals yes but definitely not perverts or losers.

Scott said...

Sorry, please see Clause A of The Law.

Anonymous said...

Can't leave out that loser Dupree in "You, Me, and Dupree" (http://www.youmeanddupree.com/game/) with cameo by Lance Armstrong

Anonymous said...

A notable exception to your law may be American Flyers. While the protagonists in this movie may have problems or represent the underdog, I would not consider them losers.

Also as an FYI, check out the CBF bicycle-themed film review, Roll Film!.

PopularBicyclist said...

Thanks for the Roll Film heads-up. I haven't seen American Flyers, but isn't it about bike racing? The Law applies only to depictions of utilitarian bicycling.

Anonymous said...

check out bicycle scenes in Two for the Money

Anonymous said...

I think that part in the Goonies was not so much the big brother was riding a bicycle, but the fact that it was a little girl's bike with training wheels.

Anonymous said...

Have you seen "21"? The main character rides a bicycle and he is far from a loser. He develops and loses the bike and comes back to it in the end after learning some life lessons. Overall, I'd say that there is a positive message regarding bicycles in this film.

Anonymous said...

E.T.?