It is kicking off on the Daily Mail again
![veterangaz](https://forum.bikeradar.com/applications/dashboard/design/images/defaulticon.png)
veterangaz
Posts: 79
Love reading the comments section about cyclists when they put one of these stories up.
http://tinyurl.com/nzogmot
http://tinyurl.com/nzogmot
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Why all the comments from Canadians (who seem equally as ignorant as their UK counterparts) and why is any self-respecting cyclist giving their story to the Mail and boasting about the value / weight of the bike. The driver in this has over-stepped the mark by a long way and deserves everything he gets but the cyclist isn't exactly doing his best for peace and harmony on the road.
On an aside, I'd be very wary of some cockney geezer with an expensive motor. He's probably a gangster. Judging by Eastenders only gangsters can afford a car of any type so he must also be a major gangster!0 -
It is incredible when you read some of the comments from people. If someone has seen a cyclist jump a red light then that is it, all cyclists are tarred with the same brush and must be killed if they get in the way. Funny thing is, these people that spread such hatred probably have family members that have bikes!0
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It's not just red lights, half the comments on those sorts of things are usually "I was going down a single track road and there was a group of cyclists ahead of me and they didn't pull over to let me overtake". Nevermind that it was single track and there was no space to overtake and that the cyclists had as much right as the driver, no, sigh.0
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Video of incident posted here:
viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=129617030 -
The problem is these people are idiots and won't let the truth get in the way of their prejudices. My former boss was telling anyone who'd listen the only cyclist he'd ever seen stop at a red light was one of our colleagues (his golden boy). I pointed out that this was clearly utter cobblers as I had stopped next to him the previous evening. This brought on a fit of spluttering and "yes, but..". As with most prejudices they are based on stupidity and ignorance.0
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He rode all the way home on the pavement! Bloody cyclists.
Top speed of 30mph on that Trek? Needs to learn to ride it better.0 -
You can almost hear the Mail hack's thought processes which went into writing that article!0
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With all the emphasis put on the value of the bike and car and the car's power it could have been written by a Bikeradar regular who will remain nameless0
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Having watched the video I reckon that's the last time that cyclist calls a car driver a wanker....
It was like the 'bus stop wankers' scene from the inbetweeners. :roll:0 -
Should have taken his helmet off and got close enough to the high and mighty tw4t and just come off his mouth with it and left his teeth on the street beside his expensive car...jumped on his bike and cycled off and left him to gather up his teeth.Lapierre Aircode 300
Merida0 -
markhewitt1978 wrote:You can almost hear the Mail hack's thought processes which went into writing that article!
yep 316 shares and 192 comments in under 10 hours, jobs a good 'un0 -
Daily Mail readers in prejudice shocker. In other news: 'Bear shits in wood'0
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I like how he needs to point out his bike is carbon lol0
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Every time I see stories in the press and ensuing comments regarding cyclists it makes me think we are just p*ssing in the wind. Its clear that the majority of folk just see us as an inconvenience to be, at best, tolerated and at worst abused. It doesn't matter whether this is a discussion in the pub, at work or just something I come across on the internet the feeling is the same.
What we need is a complete cultural change. This needs to be done right from primary school age doing bike ability and rammed home during driver training. There needs to be proper enforcement on our roads for everything - mobile use, speeding etc etc. Driving licences revoked much more, they are not a God given right. Even if this was to happen it will take at least a generation to to see improvement. Car use is just too ingrained in our broken culture to be diluted easily.
We also need guidance and standards for road infrastructure to aid planners. We see botched attempts at making junctions safe and everyone is up in arms about them - so why no standard that everyone can work from? Its obvious it is required so why isn't there one? Maybe there is but everyone ignores it.. or doesn't know it exists.
On the plus side, by assuming everyone is trying to kill me on the road I have so far managed to avoid major incident on the bike. I put this down to a bit of luck and having driven many miles through the years and having decent enough road sense. Ride safe all.0 -
Buckie2k5 wrote:I like how he needs to point out his bike is carbon lol
He didn't, the author did.0 -
Griffsters wrote:Every time I see stories in the press and ensuing comments regarding cyclists it makes me think we are just p*ssing in the wind. Its clear that the majority of folk just see us as an inconvenience to be, at best, tolerated and at worst abused. It doesn't matter whether this is a discussion in the pub, at work or just something I come across on the internet the feeling is the same.
I do think that we are quite insulated posting in forums like this, we tend to think that the support for cycling is bigger than it actually is in reality? Or is it just that the vast majority are indifferent but there's a vocal minority who want to complain?0 -
I do think that we are quite insulated posting in forums like this, we tend to think that the support for cycling is bigger than it actually is in reality? Or is it just that the vast majority are indifferent but there's a vocal minority who want to complain?[/quote]
Got it in one.
Complaining about these things on here is pretty pointless other than to get a few messages of support - you are already preaching to the converted.
Is only when you go onto a wider public forum that you see the lack of empathy, general ignorance and selfish attitude of the general public these days....dont get me wrong, there are plenty of cyclists with terrible attitudes too.... i despair about attitudes in general these days.....and its only getting worse.0 -
markhewitt1978 wrote:Griffsters wrote:Every time I see stories in the press and ensuing comments regarding cyclists it makes me think we are just p*ssing in the wind. Its clear that the majority of folk just see us as an inconvenience to be, at best, tolerated and at worst abused. It doesn't matter whether this is a discussion in the pub, at work or just something I come across on the internet the feeling is the same.
I do think that we are quite insulated posting in forums like this, we tend to think that the support for cycling is bigger than it actually is in reality? Or is it just that the vast majority are indifferent but there's a vocal minority who want to complain?
I mostly think that cyclist issues are not on their radar, so probably indifferent. However when pressed the default response amounts to cyclists inconveniencing them in their cars. Often quite innocently with little malice but there is no support for a diluting of motorists perceived 'rights'.
Our culture has bred a default position of bias towards the car and 'roads are for cars' mentality. Hence, even normally intelligent and compassionate folk see a cyclist in front of them and inwardly sigh. When you get this together with someone of lesser moral fibre or intelligence and we get the abusive and bullying type of motorist we have all witnessed.
As cyclists on this forum, most of us I would imagine being drivers as well, we get to see this from both angles so the view point is more balanced. But we are very much a minority. IMO we need to roll out the message of sharing the road, roads are not just for motorised vehicles and this needs to educated from a young age. I also believe this can only be done through education and culture change, confrontation is only met with confrontation and will just entrench opinions. Proper and consistent enforcement is also required - that goes for cyclists as well.0 -
things like this just remind me its not worth getting worked up at motorists or swearing at them, even muttering under your breath for something like them stopping in the cyclists bit at lights. It won't make them change and it just adds fuel to the angrier motorists hate of cyclists.www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes0
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I get cars pulling out in front of me on almost every commute now, but like everyone is saying, what can we do. I even have cars behind me flashing their lights at a junction to signal a car to pull out and almost hit me. They are allowed to almost hit us as apparently they pay road tax (Abolished about 50 years ago) and apparently cyclists are too poor to afford a car to commute to work. I still find the state of roads more dangerous than cars though, I am more prone to having to swerve at short notice to avoid a pothole that could puncture my tyre in seconds and throw me in front of a car with no chance for them to react. State of the roads though is a bigger issue involving a lack of communication between planners across various council departments. My local high street was finally resurfaced last month as the amount and depth of pot holes reminded me of a dirt road you drive across from Thailand to Cambodia. 2 weeks later the gas board came by for planned works and promptly dug most of it up again to do their work. Shambles.0
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wannabecyclist wrote:I get cars pulling out in front of me on almost every commute now, but like everyone is saying, what can we do.
I do shout if I see someone starting to pull out - I do have a loud voiceTry to keep it civil though - just an OI is all that (try to) use ... they'll hear the vowels more than the consonants anyway.
I have to say, the last few commutes have been very pleasant - nice drivers on the road coupled with lovely weather (ok - ignore the fog!) ... makes a nice change!0 -
The depressing thing is that I too have cars pulling out on my almost every morning too. Yet I'm driving a big red car with two big headlights ablaze.0