They say that 'not all heroes wear capes'. Who says this you may ask? Well, from my cursory research, which comprised a quick Google search of the phrase and glancing at the first result, it appears that band Owl City, creators of saccharine pop ballads, say this. While Owl City may be right on this point, that not all heroes wear capes; a lot of heroes do wear lycra, or some other form fitting fabric, and more power to 'em. Were I to spend my time lifting portly middle-aged gentlemen out of burning buildings, I'd want to show off my no doubt admirable physique too. However there are plenty of other people out there who wear lycra too, including, cyclists; though it is important to remember that correlation does not imply causation. I hear Robert Mugabe cycles a lot in lycra and from what I've gathered, he's a pretty bad egg.
However, there is one lycra-bedecked cyclist who has soared into the public consciousness today who is entirely deserving of being labelled a 'hero'. When Bobby Sands was tired of being refused special category status as a prisoner, he went on hunger strike; when that man in Tienanmen Square with the shopping bags was angry with all those tanks disrupting his shopping trip, he stepped in front of them, blocking their path; and now, these grand protesters can welcome an illustrious new addition to their cohort.
The 'middle-finger bike lady'. Her name, like that of so many protesters throughout history, is unknown, but her actions will become a part of our collective consciousness. This brave soul, after seeing Trump's motorcade leaving the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, followed the solemn procession of black cars on her bike. She weaved her way between traffic, pedalling furiously to get level with the car containing real-life Jabba the Hut cosplayer, Donald Trump, purely to flip him off.
Lone cyclist responds to @POTUS motorcade shortly after departing Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va. (Photo: @b_smialowski/@AFP) pic.twitter.com/MKM1kVIyTY
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) October 29, 2017
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This should act as an inspiration to us all. It is in a way the purest, most elegant form of protest. Were we all to saddle up and flank the roads in some vast peloton of middle fingers, following around President Trump, or indeed any other unsavoury political figures, the true extent of our political ire could be felt. It would also be excellent cardio work. There are literally no drawbacks.
