Insults to a dead hero!

Sleipnir
Sleipnir Posts: 4
edited March 2011 in Commuting general
Reading the Obituaries in the paper today, I came across the following:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituar ... rrett.html

It is the tribute to Group Captain Tom Barrett who was killed whilst riding his cycle. He was president of the RAF Triathlon Association and a keen swimmer and cyclist. He died after a van hit him. The driver was not arrested.

A scumbag calling himself John Fogarty wrote in the comments:

"The only safe bicycle is an exercise bicycle."

Now that is a sick comment to make on the death of any person. To make such a comment on the the death of a war hero is really sick! Group Captain Barratt fought for his country in Iraq and Afganistan. He flew Jaguar strike aircraft. What that means is he trained to fly 500 mph at hedgerow height. When his country called he flew into hostile airspace at great risk to his own life.

He survived all that to be killed riding a bike by some stupid plonker in a van! Then he is insulted in death by a stupid moron.

John Fogarty - you are not fit enough to lick his boots clean!

Comments

  • moffatt666
    moffatt666 Posts: 30
    Please take the outrage bus back to the MT, the keys are needed elsewhere.

    I'm not so sure it's an insult in light of the fact Gp Capt Barrett, sadly, died in the saddle. Unfortunately Fogarty is, in a way, correct - cycling on the road has the potential to be hazardous and is significantly more dangerous than a session on the turbo.
  • Sleipnir
    Sleipnir Posts: 4
    Moffatt666, are you deliberately being vexatious?

    The roads do not belong to car drivers; there were cyclists on the roads before cars. Far too many people are killed on the roads every day. There is a time and place to make a statement about whether or not cycliing is dangerous. We could argue on the merits of all forms of transport. There are plenty of forums like this to engage in the debate

    To make such a statement by adding it to the comments to an obituary, well is it bad manners or bad taste? Or is it someone with a grudge?

    I find Fogarty's comments distatseful. I find your defence of them pathetic.
  • Marcus_C
    Marcus_C Posts: 183
    Sleipnir wrote:
    The roads do not belong to car drivers;

    You're deluding yourself with that one, one commute is enough to tell anyone that, and, while that comment is in poor taste, it is, sadly, quite true.
    - Genesis Equilibrium Athena
    - Cannondale CAADX Force/105/Rival
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    I'm sorry, while the tone is poor, as an observation John Fogarty is correct (well there are still risks on ex-bikes, but they are far smaller).

    As for 'plonker in a van' do you have a basis for that as I can't find any detail on the actual accident.

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    OP, might not be the most appropriate comment from John Fogarty, but certainly not worthy of the levels of indignation you have expressed. And if you really wanted this post to blow up, you should have posted in Commuting Chat.
  • WisePranker
    WisePranker Posts: 823
    Sleipnir wrote:
    He died after a van hit him. The driver was not arrested.
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    He survived all that to be killed riding a bike by some stupid plonker in a van!

    Here's a thought, maybe the van driver wasn't to blame for the accident???
    Surely if the police had any reason to believe that the van driver had caused the accident and killed the Group Captain then they'd have arrested him.
  • moffatt666
    moffatt666 Posts: 30
    Sleipnir wrote:
    Moffatt666, are you deliberately being vexatious?

    ......

    I find your defence of them pathetic.

    Get a grip and stop being offended by pretty tame comments. The guy is, ultimately, right - any time we go out on the road be it as a driver, cyclist or pedestrian, we are putting the safety of ourselves into the hands of others. If other road users behave inconsiderately or dangerously, we are at greater risk of an incident occurring. Likewise if you happen to drive/cycle/walk like a divvy.

    We shouldn't have any deaths on the road, but we will as long as it is the domain of humans. Like it or not, we do have to accept cyclists are more vulnerable than car drivers.

    As much as you have the right to flounce around and take offence at Fogharty's comments, he also has the right to write such comments. Move on and find something worthy of such indignation.

    Moff out - I have better things to do.

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