"Perhaps that’s why older writers are so angry at cyclists—it reminds them of a depressing period in American life (well captured by historians like Jefferson Cowie and Rick Perlstein), when the still-quite-new American empire seemed to be tumbling down, as best exemplified by the gas shortages of the 1970s. The gas-burning, chrome-covered sleds of yore gave way to a form of transportation previously left to “weirdo types” and the “social fringe.” (Even worse, the Pinto.) It seemed like a civilization collapsing. I’m always mystified by people who freak out over bicycles, but it might just be generational. If you were lucky enough to miss the 1970s, it’s just a way to get around; if you lived through that low dishonest decade, it’s a symbol of privation."
— The Early History and Politics of Chicago Bike Culture - The 312 - August 2012 - Chicago
