About advertising... I believe nothing

I just read the good David Bisbal can give a kiss to his girlfriend and, what's more, riding his bike. I was sure a man, and of course a woman, needs more than singing to live, that seems clear to me. What's not so clear is why they keep trivializing such a social transformation tool. Same way they use it, in this case, offering an easy going image ot this neat couple, as being used in almost every car advertisement. Yes. Don't you remember? When the responsible family father male brings into the garage for parking properly the family car. Because, in this cases, what's being advertised is a family car. No sport cars, nor all terrain cars or powerful motorcycles. To the family's car corresponds a charming father whose children enjoy the healthy ciclist sport. Of course, as soon as the boy turned eighting he'll go to the driving school cause, anyhow, that's what's being advertised, never energy saving measures.

About the girl, we still live in a society in which they drive better than men do, however, it's more difficult for them to have a car. When thinking about the present envirnomental circumstances not driving should almost be something to be proud of. At least, one can say he knows nothing about this mess. But what's true is, in the equality aspect, car is more a reason of unequality than any other thing. For instance, now I can't remember any advertisement in which the imposing wife brings the nice family car into the garage, without hitting the suffering bike. And I am writting "nice" because cars never pollute nor cause crashes in advertising. Something wonderful, isn't it. I am refering to advertising which treats us as stupid ones and we never notice it. However, getting back to the imposing wife, she is no part of the magnificient car culture. She plays the self-sacrificing wife role only interested in her children education, advicing them to fasten their seat belts.

Well, I'd better stay close to my bike which, at least, knows about equality, mobility rights and those rumors about cars polluting, being noisy and having something to do with thousand of people dying in roads every year. And, by the way, about advertising... I believe nothing.

Masa Crítica de Enero / January Critical Mass

¿Qué ferrocarril prefieres? ¿Uno deteriorado, que apenas recibe inversiones, cuyas lineas han ido cerrando los sucesivos gobiernos y al que no nos dejan acceder con nuestras bicicletas o uno con buen aspecto, bien gestionado y al que podamos subir nuestras bicicletas. Queremos un tren público, social y sostenible. !BICIS AL TREN!

What kind of railway do you prefer? The one spoiled, without money invested, whose lines have been closed by the Spanish governments for the las twenty years and in which we can not take our bikes with us or the one good looking, well administrated and which allow us to get with our bikes into. !BIKES TO TRAIN!

CARTA DE UN CICLISTA URBANO / LETTER FROM A CITY BIKER

En el día de ayer, un artículo del Periodico de Aragón convocó un ingente número de reproches, insultos y recriminaciones a los usuarios de la bicicleta como medio de transporte. Nuevamente, las cosas no son lo que parecen.

Querido coche-inómano:

Yo no manejo un automóvil. Circulo en bicicleta. Las diferencias entre ambos medios de locomoción no se reducen al número de ruedas o a la existencia o no de un motor de combustión interna. Son bastante más evidentes, aunque usted no parezca haberse dado cuenta.

En su país mueren cada año miles de personas en accidentes de tráfico. ¿Sería usted capaz de asegurar que el mismo número muere en accidentes en los que se encuentra involucrada una bicicleta? ¿Sería usted capaz de explicarme por qué se siguen construyendo carreteras, autopistas y autovías y desaparece el ferrocarril convencional que apenas supone medio centenar de muertes anuales?

En su país la velocidad media dentro de las ciudades se reduce a unos 6 km/h. ¿Sería usted capaz de explicarme porque se pone tan nervioso cuando una bicicleta que circula a unos 20 km/h transita delante de usted?

En su país, desde que se aplicó el carné por puntos, 3200 de sus correligionarios han perdido su permiso de conducir. ¿Me puede poner al corriente de por qué me exige que cumpla una normativa orientada exclusivamente a su modo de transporte cuando ustedes son incapaces de cumplirla? ¿No es usted consciente de que el modo de quebrantarla reduce la cantidad de riesgos a los que me enfrento?

Su país presenta serias deficiencias en cuanto a inversiones en investigación civil y educación. ¿Sería usted capaz de explicarme porque exige que yo pague un impuesto de circulación cuando usted no asume el ingente gasto en infraestructuras que supone un modelo de transporte basado exclusivamente en el vehículo que usted maneja? ¿Sería usted capaz de argumentar por qué, tan convencido cómo está de la necesidad de fiscalizar las bicicletas, no paga ya, y voluntariamente, un impuesto relativo al principio de que “quien contamina, paga”?

El día que usted responda a estas preguntas quizás lo encontremos andando a nuestro lado en su bicicleta. Nosotros estaremos encantados de incluirlo entre nuestros compañeros.

Yesterday, an article published by the Aragón Newspaper caused an important number of insults and recriminations at city bikers. Once again, things are not always what they seem.

Dear car-maniac:
I don’t drive a car. I ride a bike. The differences between both vehicles are not only the number of wheels they have or if the do, or not, an engine. They are quite evident although you seem not to figher them out.

In your country, thousand of people die every year in car crashes. Could you assure the same amount of people die in bike crashes? Could you explain to me why the government is still building roads and highways and allowing the train to vanish off the face of the earth, when only about fifty people die in railway accidents every year?

In your country, 6 kilometers per hour is the city average speed. Please, Are you able to explain why you get on your nerves when a bike rider at 20 kilometers per hour is moving ahead of you?

In your country, from the very first day the penalty point driving licence was aproved, 3,200 of your roadmates have seen revoked their ones. Could you tell me why do you want me to live according to a law written after the vehicle you drive when you can’t? Haven’t you ever thought if I broke it could be because that way I face much less risk?

Your country don’t spend money on civil investigation and education. Are you able to argue about why you want me to pay circulation taxes when you are not paying the huge amount of money roads and highways, because of this car based transport system you defend, mean to all of us? Why are you not paying a green tax?

When you found the answer to all the questions above maybe you start riding a bike. We’ll be happy of welcome you as a bikemate.