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Oh yes Alice Fisher from the Observer no other Alice Fisher, just Alice Fisher from the Observer.
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The popularity of fixed gears in the UK (and everything that goes with it) is lagging a couple of years behind the US. Judging by what has been going on in the US, I'd expect to see a lot more of this sort of shit for a while as more and more people get involved. Awesome photoshop up above by the way.
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Pft. None of that works.
It doesn't matter whether the search term appears once or many times on a page... it only counts the first time, and if you repeat it too many times it looks like spam and is negatively counted.
It doesn't matter if you link the page when you're on the site... only links between differing domain names add to the page rank value of the page.
What got the Google ranking is the code on this page that tells Google which parts of the page contain the pertinent content.
So please all quit spamming this site with Alice's name when it is in vain.
If you really are offended so greatly (like nothing else in your life is worth dealing with above this) then maybe consider doing something about it like writing to the editor of the piece outlining your grievances.
Or if you want to 'fix' the Google position, then do that which counts:
- Agree a URL that you will all use, perhaps this one: http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/4895/5/fixedgear-article-in-the-observer-9th-march/
- Link to the article from other domain names, using the term "Alice Fisher" within the link name. Only one link from each domain is needed.
- Digg the URL.
- Reddit the URL.
- Add the URL to your social bookmarks.
- Add the URL to your blog, flickr, facebook, or other locations... providing they are public.
Or... just accept that it's a pretty immature thing to do and that the whole thing is quite irrelevant.
Journalists have forever mid-understood, mis-represented and simply not got subcultures. Even with the best possible sources you can rely on them to not 'get it'. If they just 'got it' it wouldn't be a sub-culture. If we spend all our time and effort moaning and whinging about the journalists, their editors and their publications that don't understand what we do it would just be a shame... as when the attention really does come you'll be so stressed and worked-up about it all that you wouldn't be doing the one thing that identifies us... being out there riding.
Really though. Quit polluting this place with her name!
- Agree a URL that you will all use, perhaps this one: http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/4895/5/fixedgear-article-in-the-observer-9th-march/
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i don't get what this woman is supposed to have done wrong? what, she wrote a poor to average article about our beloved bicycles? Do we expect her to care about our little hobby? yeah it's disjointed and patronising and cringe-worthy but... get a grip. she's a JOURNALIST.
Alice Fisher.
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She's a slut!
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Pistanator She's a slut!
A journalist. Big difference. Let me show you:
**Slut **is a pejorative term for a person who is deemed sexually promiscuous.
A **journalist **is a person who practises journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues and people.
This is all going way beyond funny. She's only written an average to bad article, this happens every day (don't you all read newspapers?). What she hasn't done is hurt or harm anyone, so why hurt or harm her? And yes, you are doing so when you call her names and hope to tarnish her work life.
It's like the Daily Mail didn't exist and the worst thing you can all find to do is go after someone so irrelevant!
Shit, I'm outta here... too much effort for this. Work to do.
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I'm just being saucy and acting a twat. Chillax! ;-)
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The Saturday Independent had an article on the BEST 50 Bikes. The Charge Plug won! Also included was a Pista and other single-speeds. Funny though that the Charge Plug was number one, and the writer works for Ev*ns. blogs.independent.co.uk/independent/2008/02/50-best-bikes.html. Is there a trend amongst the journos at the moment to get on their proverbial bikes, and chat/write about single-speeds? Thats 2 national papers in the same weekend, having features that have fixies in them. Coincidence?
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dudes, just let it go, she wrote a poor article, get over it, what did you expect, she's treating it as a fashion trend. If your serious about sticking the boot in, write letter to editor, explain if they want to do pieces on riding fixed maybe they shouldn't write about it as if it was an article of clothing, which can be worn, then discarded once the new seasons piece has come in, expect no reply and know that more bad/ill informed articles are going to be written, and will continue to be written until the trendiness of riding fixed disappears, whats the cycle (no pun intended) on trends/fads, underground to overground 3-5yrs, 5-10yrs.
Just Keep Riding, and fuck the rest of it. -
I tried to find the article within the Independent Online site, but it doesn't show it. I've got only got the hard copy Independent magazine. The link I showed was all I found to lead to the article. Dud I guess?
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/independent/2008/02/50-best-bikes.html -
GrandeAnse2Grenville I tried to find the article within the Independent Online site, but it doesn't show it. I've got only got the hard copy Independent magazine. The link I showed was all I found to lead to the article. Dud I guess?
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/independent/2008/02/50-best-bikes.htmlIt wasn't in the Independent Magazine but in that secondary listings mag that they do, The Information. Don't know whether it's online, but frankly it's not worth looking for...
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just mailed this over to the observer, awaiting a reply, don't expect one though. If you feel the article does us a disservice, and you've spent your time typing the womans name into this thread, you may want to make your feelings felt as well, you can send your mail to:
reader@observer.co.uk (for errors and inaccuracies)
travel.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk (though not sure, if this one is active as it spat it back the first time I mailed.)Hi there,
As a long term cyclist, and a rider of fixed gear bicycles, I'm writing to bring to your attention the offence you have caused to the fixed gear riding fraternity with the inadequacies of this article. http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/mar/09/green
It takes many of the hot topic issues which surround the use of fixed gear bikes and conflates them into an insensitive and mostly useless article which treats cycling as a fashion trend, when we all know that cycling is much more than that. This sort of lazily researched, sensationalist reporting of cycling is assumed by many as a given by the tabloid press, but when the Observer follows suit, it just makes it that much harder to believe that there is any difference between the level of journalistic integrity and rigour between the broadsheets and the tabloids, and makes you question the competence of an editor who chooses to use a style/fashion journalist on a piece about cycling, and reinforces the impression that those who edit and write such stories have no idea what they are talking about and have never ridden a bike in their lives.
Cyclists who ride throughout the year are passionate advocates of their chosen mode of transport and those of us who ride fixed are even more so, this continued misrepresentation of the bikes that we choose to ride makes us even less willing to engage with the press/journalists, as you do what the press always does with a subculture which gains popularity, by propogating the myths of its creation, causing many to want to become part of this new exciting culture, (even though riding fixed has been part of british cycling since the beginning of the 20th century, why else would we have a velodrome in herne hill for instance which to this day is used by those with track bikes) and then demonising this sub culture to the general public, as the misinformation you have spread comes to the fore and the exponents of riding fixed are viewed as being dangerous not only to themselves but to others.
Riding fixed doesn't mean you have no brakes, the resistance provided by your legs through the drive shaft to the back wheel counts as one brake, and the overwhelming majority of riders of fixed gear bikes also use a hand brake on the front wheel.
With a mayor who is trying to get more people onto their bikes and onto the roads through events such as last years London Freewheel, creating cycle superhighways, and other initiatives, does it not seem foolish to look at a subculture which in its own way is getting more people on to bikes, as a fad, a fashion, and something which is here today gone tomorrow. Cycling is a way to get fit and stay fit, is environmentally friendly and can be practised by anyone from 8-80. Your article does nothing to make those who are not on bikes, want to get on them, rather it reinforces the stereotypes of cyclists being a danger to other road users.
Your article talks about alleycats, as if they are an everday occurrence, overlooks the fact that we have world champions who ride track bikes, both male and female who will provide some of the UK's best hopes of gold medals at this years Olympics, and makes much of the fixed gear bike as a fashion object, when cyclists have been customising their bikes for years through use of different components, hubs, handlebars, paint jobs, etc.
In future I would have advised you to use the Guardians cycling correspondent Matt Seaton to be your first port of call for someone to write a story on cycling, but it seems he has gone off to pastures new, so maybe his replacement? Claire Armistead could have done a better job.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandhealth/series/twowheelsI look forward to a response to this email, and a subsequent rise in the level of journalism you provide on future stories about cycling, but I do not hold out much hope.
Many thanks
Jos
TheBrick(Tommy)
Momentum
rusty
Skülly
provenrad
Velocio
StandardPractice
Pistanator
GA2G
cornelius_blackfoot
hassanr
nimhbus
Platini-
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About
Fixed-Gear Article in the Observer 9th March
Posted by
Quality photoshop.
Don't worry, the budget is out today and people will be getting in a ho ha over something in that and this article will be forgot for the shit it is.
It is also worth bearing in mind the impression I get from journalist that I have talked to that the editor can radically change an article so we should be giving the editor just as much stick as as Alice fisher .