In our first-video interview for Real Lives. Real Cyclists., we speak to Ruth Mayorcas, mother of one and cycling safety advocate. Read more about Ruth, and watch her full interview below!
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I’m a retired associate producer, having previously worked with the BBC. I have one son who is now twenty-five.
How long have you been cycling for?
Ever since I was a child! But it was only after spending time in Amsterdam in the mid-seventies that I developed any confidence and learned to cycle properly. I returned to London with an old Dutch bike which I used for three years until graduating to a bike with gears.
Do you commute by bike?
I used to cycle to work before I became a location manager which, by its nature, required a lot of driving. However, I still used the bike for shopping and non-working days, and occasionally on set for the crew to get between locations!
I sold my car 5 years ago and do not miss it!
What are your experiences of cycling?
In the seventies, many of my contemporaries cycled, but interestingly very few do now, because they feel unsafe. Today, cycling often seems to be about dressing in Lycra and cycling come-what-may; it’s become very ‘us and them’.
I don’t call myself a cyclist, I just cycle because I love it.
You don’t call yourself a cyclist?
No, I believe I’m just a person who cycles, because it’s a brilliant way to get around, to see people and to socialise.
Tell us more about your views on cycling
To put it simply, cycling has to be normalised so that it is acceptable. I always cycle in my normal clothes, and go about my daily business as I would in a car. I want people to consider cycling as a normal part of their life, and not a massive burden on it.
What do you wish would change about cycling in the UK?
I believe there needs to be a top-down change from government and a mandatory space for cycling, with cycling becoming an everyday thing to do rather than for the few.
We’d like to thank Ruth for taking the time to be interviewed for Real Lives. Real Cyclists. If you would be interested in appearing, or have a story to share, please get in touch with us on our Facebook page, through Twitter or by emailing cycling@timeinc.com
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