I think the author is missing the point of what Cucumber tries to accomplish -- to allow non-technical, non-coder business analysts (for example) to write tests in an English like syntax, and then a developer can go behind the scenes and make them pass.

Sure, anything can be done to excess. Writing unit tests closer to the metal in Ruby is one thing, but trying to find a common language that everyone involved in a project can speak is another.

So Cucumber is not a bad thing. Just don't use it incorrectly.