Journalism and cycling

RayCun · 01-09-2017 10:15AM

Chuchote wrote: »

And the prizes?

Same, afaik
For example, Dublin marathon prizes, the marathon majors overall prizes are the same for men and women
and any race I've ever been in, to the best of my knowledge

tomasrojo · 01-09-2017 10:26AM

magicbastarder wrote: »

tennis seems to be one sport where women get a significant chunk of the coverage? i'm not someone who follows tennis, but i understand the women's game is more about skill than power, which had come to have an undue influence in the mens game?

I don't know a lot about sport but I did see a documentary about Billie Jean King which detailed her hard-ball tactics in getting women's prize money to be brought closer to men's. I think it's the same now in all the majors. I think women's tennis was already very popular, which gave her considerable leverage when she threatened to boycott the US Open.

greenspurs · 01-09-2017 10:33AM

magicbastarder wrote: »

tennis seems to be one sport where women get a significant chunk of the coverage? i'm not someone who follows tennis, but i understand the women's game is more about skill than power, which had come to have an undue influence in the mens game?

Its about power in womens tennis now too ... The serves are getting faster all the time, and more "beating into submission" from the base line nowadays than in previous years, but a lot of skill and finesse too.
But still, not much support in the stands .....

ThisRegard · 01-09-2017 10:34AM

tomasrojo wrote: »

I think it's the same now in all the majors.

And where it is you then have the argument coming from the opposite end of the spectrum that women are actually getting paid more than men relative to the work they put in as their games are shorter.

tomasrojo · 01-09-2017 10:38AM

I think, like professional musicians, the vast bulk of the work is in the years of preparation, rather than the actual performance.

plodder · 01-09-2017 10:55AM

RayCun wrote: »

Athletics

Ask someone to name ten Irish athletes, and half of the names will be women. At an athletics meet, the women compete at the same time as the men.

Definitely women's athletics has closest to parity of esteem compared with any other sport. This might be because :
a) Women's athletics is longer established (similar point made in the article)
b) Women's athletics is just as watchable as men's athletics (similar point in the article)
c) There's no money in athletics, outside of the handful of super-star names (who it has to be said, are all men).

Tenzor07 · 01-09-2017 11:04AM

Fair play to the city of Ontario!

http://isure.ca/new-driving-laws-ontario/

CramCycle · 01-09-2017 11:04AM

Prepares to be put against the wall and shot for following comments

greenspurs wrote: »

How can it be changed ??

Better coverage to be fair. Lets not BS here. While in days gone by it was out and out sexism, nowadays it is more historical. The money is already in alot of sports on the male side, therefore the businesses that run them plough money into the male side, therefore coverage, revenue and interest is kept up. Since this isn't there historically in the womens side of the sport, it does not seem to grow or keep pace nearly as well.
The Rugby world cup ran here was great only for the comically poor planning. They claimed to sell out really quick but they underestimated interest, and sold tickets as day passes, meaning two out of three matches a day at the beginning often did not have a capacity crowd but then they had no tickets to sell for safety (from an organisers mouth, maybe incorrect). Such a mess up would never happen in the mens sport. This said the coverage and advertising for it was great considering the relatively small size of the event.
A big push for equal coverage alone would start narrowing the gap quite quickly IMO. Interestingly, and this is my sexist comment of the day, because of the lack of interest/coverage at a publication/television level, I find many sports when looking at the womens competitions to be less cynical and far more enjoyable. I cannot watch soccer anymore at the televised level, and even coming down the ranks, the cynicism is bleeding through, although nowhere near as bad. GAA is regrettably going the same way, but again, womens GAA is far more entertaining, less f*cking about, falling over or over reacting to nothing.
Athletics would appear to be the exception in some countries, depending on which event but overall it appears to be on par.
Another unfounded sexist comment, in the sports where women are not treated any differently, the issues that I give out about do resurface more plainly, particularly talking about cynical play and doping, talking about athletics and tennis here.
Long story short, it is getting closer to what it should be but it is a long way off.

I agree with Nee about the track, I raced against her there and seen the mixing of the sexes, you would be hard pressed to keep up with the likes of Olivia even when at the top of your game in Ireland on that track.

buffalo · 01-09-2017 12:28PM

An interesting emphasis comparison here - two stories, one each from the Irish Times and RTE, presumably both based on the same press release about the census:

magicbastarder · 01-09-2017 02:25PM

kinda ties in to some of the discussion a few posts up:

Cycling magazine apologises over 'token woman' picture caption
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/01/cycling-weekly-apologises-token-woman-picture-caption

sexist, or a little bit of truth telling from the subeditor?

Chuchote · 01-09-2017 02:43PM

The Herald on the rise of cycling commuting

http://www.herald.ie/news/dubs-get-on-their-bikes-as-number-of-cycling-commuters-goes-up-43pc-36089707.html

Dubs get on their bikes as number of cycling commuters goes up 43pc
Laura Lynott – 01 September 2017 02:30 AM

Dublin's cyclists are leading the fight for a greener route to work, with two-thirds of all commuting cyclists living in the capital, new figures show.

The number cycling to work nationally has risen dramatically - by 43pc (56,837) since 2011 - according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The Commuting In Ireland report highlighted that three million people were commuting to work, school or college daily in 2016 - up 9.3pc on 2011.

The number working in Dublin city and suburbs passed the half-million mark in 2016, with a daytime working population of 512,449, up 9pc on 2011, and a total of 29pc of the State's workforce.

In April 2016, two-thirds (38,870) of all cyclists were in the capital, while only 2,330 cycled to work in Cork city and suburbs, 1,874 in Galway, 968 in Limerick, and 395 in Waterford.

Men accounted for three-quarters of those who cycled.

The numbers walking to work increased by 4,570 to 175,080 - just 9.3pc of all commuters.

Walkers and cyclists accounted for 22pc of commuters in 1986 (196,750), falling to just 12pc (231,917) in April 2016.

Dublin is, according to the figures, bucking a national trend that has seen most drivers refusing to relinquish their cars for the daily commute despite congestion and environmental concerns.

More than 65pc (1,229,966) of the country's three million commuters take to the road or are transported to work in a vehicle.

More than six out of 10 used a car to get to work in Cork and Limerick, and seven out of 10 in rural areas. But Dublin showed itself to be greener, with just under half of workers driving to the office.

For those who decided to stay in their cars, commuting times increased.

(snip)

Chips Lovell · 01-09-2017 02:46PM

Dublin's cyclists are leading the fight for a greener route to work

It always gets on my goat when journalists assume that the only reason people cycle is that they care about the environment. I've yet to talk to a single cycle commuter who does it for environmental reasons.

magicbastarder · 01-09-2017 02:50PM

it's one of the reasons i do it. i am a bit of a treehugger though.

Doeshedare · 01-09-2017 03:14PM

Its one of the tree(sic)reasons I do it too...the others being fitness and stress

Chuchote · 01-09-2017 03:14PM

Part of the reason I got rid of the car was the fact that cars are a major cause of carbon pollution and implicated in diseases ranging from asthma to Alzheimer's. Part was the expense, which seemed crazy.

Chips Lovell · 01-09-2017 03:16PM

Now I've met tree of you.

magicbastarder · 01-09-2017 03:16PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

kinda ties in to some of the discussion a few posts up:

Cycling magazine apologises over 'token woman' picture caption
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/01/cycling-weekly-apologises-token-woman-picture-caption

sexist, or a little bit of truth telling from the subeditor?

btw, i assume the simon richardson quoted in the article is not the same one who is a GCN presenter?

buffalo · 01-09-2017 03:23PM

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

It always gets on my goat when journalists assume that the only reason people cycle is that they care about the environment. I've yet to talk to a single cycle commuter who does it for environmental reasons.

+1 on this.

It's reliable (vs bus doesn't always arrive, traffic can be heavy), there's no daily costs (fare, petrol, parking), and it's convenient (no walk to/from bus-stop/station, don't have to find/book a parking spot). It's also contributing to my fitness, and I think it's generally socially responsible.

I like that it's environmentally friendly, but it's somewhere at the bottom of the top five reasons.

Fian · 01-09-2017 03:26PM

http://www.thejournal.ie/would-you-cycle-to-work-poll-3576241-Sep2017/

Comments are what you would expect.

Doeshedare · 01-09-2017 03:29PM

buffalo wrote: »

I like that it's environmentally friendly, but it's somewhere at the bottom of the top five reasons.

I forgot the 4th reason, money. Environment wouldnt be the top reason although I like to think I am concerned if I was really concerned I'd be a vegetarian by now.

Chips Lovell · 01-09-2017 03:34PM

buffalo wrote: »

I like that it's environmentally friendly, but it's somewhere at the bottom of the top five reasons.

I do care about the environment alright, but like you it's a way down the list. Main reason is it's convenient, fast and fun.

eeeee · 01-09-2017 05:26PM

Fcuk Cycling Weekly. It's disgraceful. I found this on Facebook this morning, and the comments made me lose faith in humanity. Again.
I then made the mistake of reading the comments under the Stickybottle article on same, and it was every bit as bad.

The absolute and senseless stupidity of people is a continuous surprise to me.

Equestrianism is the only Olympic sport where women and men compete as equals FYI.

Environmental issues don't make the top five reasons why I cycle, but it's in there.

magicbastarder · 01-09-2017 05:35PM

i reckon (maybe i mean 'like to think') it may have been deliberate by the subeditor - as in a 'this is the genuine attitude i deal with in this place and i'm not going to hide it' approach.

a friend of mine once had quite an argument with his boss about putting a photo of a woman on the cover of a magazine without photoshopping out her underarm stubble. i suspect he may have a few other stories along the lines of being told 'make sure the women in the photos are good looking'.

eeeee · 01-09-2017 05:38PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

i reckon (maybe i mean 'like to think') it may have been deliberate by the subeditor - as in a 'this is the genuine attitude i deal with in this place and i'm not going to hide it' approach.

a friend of mine once had quite an argument with his boss about putting a photo of a woman on the cover of a magazine without photoshopping out her underarm stubble. i suspect he may have a few other stories along the lines of being told 'make sure the women in the photos are good looking'.

LOL. That would be wildly optimistic.

It could also be an indication of the culture at that publication, mirroring that of the sport as a whole that it covers.

The apology was hilarious, god love them having to suffer with their one rogue element :rolleyes:

It's just pure, plain old fashioned sexism IMO. Difficult to defend it otherwise.

HivemindXX · 01-09-2017 09:24PM

buffalo wrote: »

An interesting emphasis comparison here - two stories, one each from the Irish Times and RTE, presumably both based on the same press release about the census:

The Examiner's article on this has the headline "Commuting times rise in every county" which is slightly less inflammatory. Only 10% take over an hour on the commute so it seems odd for the IT to focus on that. Who am I kidding, it is completely expected...

Apparently average commute times have risen from 26 minutes five year ago to 28 minutes this year. The increase doesn't seem too bad to me and a less than 30 minute commute seems reasonable. From reports so far anyone using a bus along the north quays in Dublin is seeing a big decrease.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/commuting-times-rise-in-every-county-458114.html

AndrewJRenko · 01-09-2017 09:28PM

HivemindXX wrote: »

Apparently average commute times have risen from 26 minutes five year ago to 28 minutes this year. The increase doesn't seem too bad to me and a less than 30 minute commute seems reasonable.

And they're the average figures, so for every person who has mad crazy 90-120 minute commutes, there must be 3 people with 10 minute commutes to balance them out.

amcalester · 01-09-2017 09:33PM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

And they're the average figures, so for every person who has mad crazy 90-120 minute commutes, there must be 3 people with 10 minute commutes to balance them out.

Be interesting to see how long the mode commute is.

magicbastarder · 01-09-2017 09:37PM

HivemindXX wrote: »

Only 10% take over an hour on the commute so it seems odd for the IT to focus on that. Who am I kidding, it is completely expected...

well, to be fair, they've been running a series on how much commuting takes out of peoples' lives.

which, to be fair, is deathly dull.

magicbastarder · 01-09-2017 09:39PM

amcalester wrote: »

Be interesting to see how long the mode commute is.

our office is in leopardstown. a good few years ago, a woman commuted from armagh to the office. she drove to either newry or dundalk - can't remember which, but it was to catch the enterprise to connolly, got the dart from connolly to blackrock and the staff bus from blackrock to the office. and obviously the reverse in the evening.

Arcade_Tryer · 02-09-2017 01:02AM

nee wrote: »

Er no,. no it's not. Women have been systematically discriminated against, prevented from accessing education and sport for the vast majority of human history. Equality still does not exist. Sport is designed by men, for men.
The Giro, TDF etc. all happened before women even had the vote.
Contraception was illegal in this country until 1992 and we still don't have bodily autonomy in this state. It was legal to beat and rape your wife in this country in recent times. none of this is theoretical or hard to prove. To think sport operated entirely outside these few examples of systematic oppression is, frankly laughable if it wasn't so willfully ignorant. I find that viewpoint simultaneously worrying and chilling.
Historically women were barred from access to sport. Look up the history of women's football in the interwar and early post war era in the UK, women's football drew much larger crowds, was more professional and commercially lucrative. So the FA banned it :rolleyes:

It's not at all, even a tiny bit difficult to fins systematic sexism, misogyny with regards to women's sport historically, culturally and socially. And even right up to this day. As a woman who competes at national level (I've even won some medals) I can categorically tell you this happens every single day of the sporting week to one of us at least!

Parity isn't a wistful fantasy, it's a necessity. Commercialism or no commercialism.

Agree with most of that.

Some things are bigger than money.

That's for the market to decide.