Stop hating on cyclists

Urban cyclists have become fodder for the tabloids. It's time to separate fact from fiction.

Cyclists, Brooklyn
(Image credit: (AP Photo/Kathy Willens))

To hear it from the tabloid trolls, we live in a dystopian hellscape where cyclists pedal lawless through the streets, terrorizing grannies and innocent drivers alike. Cyclists have been branded as "terrorists on wheels," "assassins in Spandex," and villains with "curses on their lips — and blood on their hands." And that's just one column.

The demonization of bikers was on full display over the weekend, after cyclist Jason Marshall struck and killed 59-year-old Jill Tarlov in New York City's Central Park. Marshall was swiftly cast as yet another heartless "speed demon," even though we still don't know the full circumstances of the crash. The case is tragic, but the simple truth is we don't know exactly what happened.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.