The war on Britains roads, 5th Dec BBC
Comments
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Well, here I go again with my camera.
This was Saturday going in to work. I'm going to make no comments just let you see the video of 4 lorry overtakes on the same journey (total distance covered about 2 miles from 1st to last)
http://youtu.be/zg8XzeNosF0
So, the camera being useful or am I looking for trouble?Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Veronese68 wrote:
Ok, I probably said can be, just too lazy to type it all out. Trying to drum in a bit of awareness to a 14 year old is really quite difficult. I'd beat it into him but he's bigger than me now. I think I've even used the "assume everyone else is an idiot" line, a point a lot of that programme seemed to underline.vermin wrote:Roads aren't dangerous, so I'm told. :roll:
And your son should be in bed.
Kids are more aware than they let on.0 -
Ron Stuart wrote:Geffen has a pop at helmet wearers again... http://www.ctc.org.uk/blog/roger-geffen ... we-respond
Geffen shows a still of the thug about to punch one of the riders and then he goes on to say "I also pointed out yesterday that – with the notable exception of Cynthia – the combatants in the BBC’s 'war' are all battle-hardened males, with the cyclists all wearing helmets and cameras. This is hardly the way to support the promotion of cycling as a safe and normal activity, which people of any age, gender or background can do in whatever clothing they would normally wear."
The issue that Geffen is side-stepping is that many people in the UK are wearing helmets and helmet cameras because, in the main, they do not feel subjectively safe on the roads and opt for extra protection/insurance in the event of a mishap. These accessories (particularly the latter) are not the problem, but a symptom of the deeper and long-standing problem: the fear of cycling. Campaigning organisations such as the CTC should accept that they have had limited success in ameliorating the conditions on the ground and their efforts to persuade the public of the simple pleasures of riding a bike have been largely ineffective.0 -
'@Downfader not worth it imo, some of the members of @bikeradar are just truly disgusting people.'
I guess that gaz doesn't like us.....
I am staggeringly indifferent.
Ah Cohiba, thy burn is constant and thy taste is smooth.0 -
gtvlusso wrote:'@Downfader not worth it imo, some of the members of @bikeradar are just truly disgusting people.'
I guess that gaz doesn't like us.....
I am staggeringly indifferent.
Ah Cohiba, thy burn is constant and thy taste is smooth.
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And what a stunning display of indifference you've put on in this thread :Pgtvlusso wrote:I am staggeringly indifferent.Origamist wrote:The issue that Geffen is side-stepping is that many people in the UK are wearing helmets and helmet cameras because, in the main, they do not feel subjectively safe on the roads and opt for extra protection/insurance in the event of a mishap. These accessories (particularly the latter) are not the problem, but a symptom of the deeper and long-standing problem: the fear of cycling. Campaigning organisations such as the CTC should accept that they have had limited success in ameliorating the conditions on the ground and their efforts to persuade the public of the simple pleasures of riding a bike have been largely ineffective.
+1, this is spot on.0 -
CiB wrote:
I've though that too. Imagine:Green Brompton wrote:We should get helmet cams and show people what our commute is really about - getting from A-B quicker than most other modes of transport, comfortably and enjoyably. Unfortunately nobody is likely to air/watch a 30 minute, boring, action free, commute.
Minutes 0 - 3: Getting going, no traffic, country lane - telegraph pole = first mile. Gentle breathing.
Minutes 3 - 5: First village, past church, nice drop where I can open my legs and show my class [(c) Colemanballs] and get the obligatory 30mph out of the way. Still no cars. Slight whistle or hum tune in head from Chris Evans Breakfast Show when I was leaving.
5 - 20: Country lanes. Village, junction, country lanes...
22: T to main road turn right. Potential action... maybe not, not much traffic, slide out, hit 30 again on downhill and keep pace up to edge of first town.
29-35: Filter past traffic, most of which slides over to the left to let me through. Repeated acknowledgements from me. Hit roundabout, slide round at first exit, continue filtering as before.
38:. DANGER!!!!! Centre reservation single file primary... oh no-one's trying to pass, just waiting patiently. No fight today then, like every other day except one last summer, when I had to call someone a t!t.
41: Country lanes, occasional horse, dog walker, tractor, car coming other way.
60: Hit ring road, push hard for last mile, signal right for roundabout, traffic melts to let me across, quick wave of thanks, onto office.
68: Arrive. No hassle, no danger, nothing worth putting on Youtube or ranting about. Same as most days, with variations on the route.
I reckon that's most people's commute; it just happens, no issues, no danger, no need to gesticulate wildly at drivers. Ride to work, arrive at work, get off bike. I can imagine the viewing figures for something that tedious though., lower than an OU repeat.
FYI Today this morning on R4 had a brief discussion between Jill Etherington and Michael Hutchinson (CW columnist and decent rider). Nothing much came out of it except for both sides agreeing that it's idiots who cause problems, and that co-operation is the answer. R4, Today today, from about 8:45 for 4 minutes.
Yup.
Else I wouldn't cycle.
I have a single roundabout on my way home, and take the right hand exit. I am let into the right hand lane on virtually every day - maybe I have to wait a bit about 2-3 times a year. I thank the drivers and vice versa. I do stop car drivers sometimes - last was when the road ahead was blocked and I knew there would be a better alternative route for them.0 -
Poor Gaz is getting a rough time. Personally I think his silly cyclist vids are great. Not done in an arrogant way at all imo.
He certainly was the victim of some ropey editing and how the programme makers managed to let the cabbie off the hook I dont know. Making Gaz out to be the antagonist when the taxi had just tried to force him off the road was inexcusable. When youre confronted by an enraged well built guy Id say youd do some funny things too!
And dont start me on that muppet of a cop.0 -
I was thinking last night, if that thug of a cabbie does smash into someone after driving far too close, would there be any suggestion of liability with the bbc, who never once pointed out to him how dangerous his driving is?0
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mybreakfastconsisted wrote:I was thinking last night, if that thug of a cabbie does smash into someone after driving far too close, would there be any suggestion of liability with the bbc, who never once pointed out to him how dangerous his driving is?
No, there wouldn't, but the footage might not help him in pleading mitigation.0 -
It doesn't have to!gtvlusso wrote:0 -
Flashbang, COD style.0
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Kieran_Burns wrote:Well, here I go again with my camera.
This was Saturday going in to work. I'm going to make no comments just let you see the video of 4 lorry overtakes on the same journey (total distance covered about 2 miles from 1st to last)
http://youtu.be/zg8XzeNosF0
So, the camera being useful or am I looking for trouble?
That second one, you should have dragged him out of his cab and beaten him to a pulp until he learns to drive better!!
Or just don't wave at the pr!ck, that's such a zen response
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woodnut wrote:Kieran_Burns wrote:Well, here I go again with my camera.
This was Saturday going in to work. I'm going to make no comments just let you see the video of 4 lorry overtakes on the same journey (total distance covered about 2 miles from 1st to last)
http://youtu.be/zg8XzeNosF0
So, the camera being useful or am I looking for trouble?
That second one, you should have dragged him out of his cab and beaten him to a pulp until he learns to drive better!!
Or just don't wave at the pr!ck, that's such a zen response
the wave is to let them know the trailer is clear of me and they can pull back in. I usually get the alternating indicators or a hazard flash at that
The second one was the one I was hoping people would comment on - although the looming shadow scared the living poo out of me. :shock:
For the record I have written a polite letter expressing my disappointment and included a link to the vid (which if you notice is NOT public)Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
second one was close alright. rest were very well behaved0
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Kieran_Burns wrote:woodnut wrote:Kieran_Burns wrote:Well, here I go again with my camera.
This was Saturday going in to work. I'm going to make no comments just let you see the video of 4 lorry overtakes on the same journey (total distance covered about 2 miles from 1st to last)
http://youtu.be/zg8XzeNosF0
So, the camera being useful or am I looking for trouble?
That second one, you should have dragged him out of his cab and beaten him to a pulp until he learns to drive better!!
Or just don't wave at the pr!ck, that's such a zen response
the wave is to let them know the trailer is clear of me and they can pull back in. I usually get the alternating indicators or a hazard flash at that
The second one was the one I was hoping people would comment on - although the looming shadow scared the living poo out of me. :shock:
For the record I have written a polite letter expressing my disappointment and included a link to the vid (which if you notice is NOT public)
Well, it kind of is, now.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
paul_mck wrote:second one was close alright. rest were very well behaved
Which was exactly what I was hoping to show... Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
rjsterry wrote:Well, it kind of is, now.
the vid is marked as unlisted. You need the link to be able to see it. Once this topic has moved on (and I've had feedback from the company) I will be marking it as private.Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
I like what KB has done with his vid;
Kept it private, kept it to the point and informed the company involved - good way of dealing with it. The only public bit has been on this forum as an example.
IMHO; great stuff. Not that anyone cares about my opinion or has to listen to me....!
It is the whole making it public, calling it educational for some very tenuous justification and putting reg numbers up on t'internet that twists my melon.....It is not educational it is just getting one over on the motorist, nothing more.
A la Gaz and some of his buddies.0 -
lol, sillycyclists is fairly tongue in cheek. I dont think its a serious educational tool!0
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its not arrogance imo, its a bit of fun with some educational content. Seeing what other cyclists are capable of would make you think a little. I'm usually concentrating on what cars and lorries are doing, as opposed to other cyclists.
Some of them are proper WTF moments, that no-one would foresee. So there is a little education in there too
Lighten up ffs.0 -
paul_mck wrote:its not arrogance imo, its a bit of fun with some educational content. Seeing what other cyclists are capable of would make you think a little. I'm usually concentrating on what cars and lorries are doing, as opposed to other cyclists.
Some of them are proper WTF moments, that no-one would foresee. So there is a little education in there too
Lighten up ffs.
Being attentive is all part of being on the road anyway, no matter what the transport medium. It is not a 'new' concept.
[arrogance on my behalf]
Why would I, cycling/racing for ~25 years in numerous countries, anywhere between 100 and 250 miles per week, want to watch videos made by someone who has by admission been cycling for ~3 years @ ~30 miles per day in one city?
[/arrogance on my behalf]
Gaz seems to have allot more incidents than anyone else - as shown publically by his videos. What Gaz believes to be a silly move may be perceived by others to be wholly correct - yet, Gaz has already Judged and executed by posting the video, and thats not arrogance?! The power of the media!
So, we have to ask, as being educational seems to have been ruled out, what is the motive here? Is it massaging Gaz's ego? Getting one-up on the motorists by putting reg numbers with videos?
As KB has just shown - you can film, report it to the company/police all privately, why not do that?!
By making the reg numbers public it is only fuelling the fire - getting one over on the motorist. Again, this stinks of arrogance and a fire, aim, ready mentality.0 -
Daddy0 wrote:
Car crash TV, I guess. After the first bend on F1, everyone switches off!
**I hate F1!0 -
gtvlusso wrote:I like what KB has done with his vid;
Kept it private, kept it to the point and informed the company involved - good way of dealing with it. The only public bit has been on this forum as an example.
IMHO; great stuff. Not that anyone cares about my opinion or has to listen to me....!
It is the whole making it public, calling it educational for some very tenuous justification and putting reg numbers up on t'internet that twists my melon.....It is not educational it is just getting one over on the motorist, nothing more.
A la Gaz and some of his buddies.
What would your reaction be to a video showing something like DDD's encounter with London Dynamo riders?0 -
Just to point out: this isn't the only time I've done this. I got cut up by a liveried van a while back and did the same thing then; I had a very apologetic email from the company owner. The same for a coach company, the same for an EON van driver (actually I can't remember if I kept that public or not as it ended so well, I didn't want to get the guy in trouble!) I've made public a bad overtake that showed the aftermath: the driver stopping and apologising, then the both of us departing very happy.
I've kept a couple of REALLY bad ones public just 'cos - although the woman on the phone fully deserves public condemnation for her driving (and subsequent lying).
For me, it's more like an online blog of my cycling: lots of good, and the odd bad bit that could be shared and a few more that no one here has seen - used to show why I have a reason to complain.
Generally though: it's owls and canals and mud and swearing :oops: and sillinessChunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0
