Nice .... yes, they are pushbikes

arran77

ManOfKent wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Of course, there's nothing on the tally that suggests it's knocking cyclists off - it could equally be cyclists he's helped out with mechanicals or a tally of a specific bike he's seen - it's just a tally and means nothing on it's own.

Yep, in the same way that Spitfire pilots kept a tally of German airmen they rescued or how many Me-109s they'd seen.

I suppose at a push it might be considered humour but I wouldn't employ anyone whose van carried that sticker.

Exactly this.

If you were say a fisherman rather than a cyclist then I guess it wouldn't offend you as much and you'd possibly employ that person but because you're a cyclist it offends you.

Humour will invariably always offend one group or another, it's just the nature of the beast

slowbike

arran77 wrote:

Humour will invariably always offend one group or another, it's just the nature of the beast

Although it generally helps if you know when someone is trying to be funny ... I don't mind deadpan humour at all and throwing insults around is absolutely fine when the recipient(s) knows it's done in jest (usually within a group of friends) - otherwise it's just insults.

tomisitt

The sad thing for me is that these stickers normalise acts of aggression against vulnerable road users. The implication that causing harm to others is a source of pride, or humour, is appalling.

I'm guessing that if the stickers portrayed religious minorities, or the disabled, there might be a slightly different reaction.

handful

Qube wrote:

Oh well, that's OK then Mr. Stenning, as long as you didn't kill them.

Dick.

Maybe he was driving this van as well.

http://www.fleetpoint.org/newsletter/watch-cyclist-russia-narrowly-misses-hit-car-lorry/26188/?utm_source=Net+Torque&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=02102014+FleetPoint+68

nweststeyn

^ what he said... the problem with this particular example of 'humour' is that it's not funny. It wouldn't be funny if it were 'grannies with zimmers' instead of bikes or anything else at all.

It's pretty damn stupid from a business perspective though.

davep1

tomisitt wrote:

The sad thing for me is that these stickers normalise acts of aggression against vulnerable road users. The implication that causing harm to others is a source of pride, or humour, is appalling.

I'm guessing that if the stickers portrayed religious minorities, or the disabled, there might be a slightly different reaction.

That's my problem with it too. Even my wife (who hasn't even passed her driving test, ffs, but that is a whole other can of worms!) uses the phrase "bloody cyclists" as does her sister who was upset that a large ride went through her village at speed last weekend. How dare cyclists be out on the roads!? Is there any chance the government will start a campaign to see cyclists treated as live, vulnerable human beings, and be given some room and courtesy?

johnmiosh

Its a very old joke. Not the Nine O'Clock news did it in 1979. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R5tUc1S3cc

TheHound

It's nothing to do with humour. Funny not funny.

I'm sure the stickers are indicative of his general attitude towards cyclists. Which I'm sure is less than charitable or tolerant.

slowbike

TheHound wrote:

It's nothing to do with humour. Funny not funny.

I'm sure the stickers are indicative of his general attitude towards cyclists. Which I'm sure is less than charitable or tolerant.

Well - as long as you're sure that's fine ... I wasn't happy with the forums decision until you made your views known.


ridiculous? yup ... totally ...

At best you have circumstantial evidence. No, it's not funny, it's in poor taste - but doesn't mean anything by itself does it. Would you not think that perhaps if this chap HAD hit that many cyclists that the police would have been involved already?

lawrences

arran77 wrote:

Colinthecop wrote:

Or cats...!!!

If they were pics of cats i'd be right round to smash his windows. :x

Cats don't wag their tails!

slowbike

lawrences wrote:

arran77 wrote:

Colinthecop wrote:

Or cats...!!!

If they were pics of cats i'd be right round to smash his windows. :x

Cats don't wag their tails!

Cats do wag their tails.

arran77

Slowbike wrote:

lawrences wrote:

arran77 wrote:

Colinthecop wrote:

Or cats...!!!

If they were pics of cats i'd be right round to smash his windows. :x

Cats don't wag their tails!

Cats do wag their tails.

Especially when the little beggars are trying to wind each other up

diy

The humour is going to be based on your own point of view. Its probably going to be funny to some, sad to others and insulting to a few. But, he's in business and this van is his advert. if he wants to narrow his customer based its up to him. Its also up to him if he wants to give plod a perspective on his attitude to cyclists in the event that he ever does accidentally have an accident with one.

Its a bit retarded in my view.

navrig2

Does nobody remember the film Deathrace 2000?

Participants in a car race were awarded points for the damage done with most points going for knocking people/animals etc over. I think the easier the target the more points.

Totally non-PC by today's standards but in 1975. For many years afterwards we would have conversations in the car along the lines "20 points for the pram, 30 for the mother".

It seems to me that we have had a sense of humour by-pass.

We have no idea about the driver's attitude to cyclists, it is all supposition. He may be a cyclist!

slowbike

Navrig2 wrote:

Does nobody remember the film Deathrace 2000?

Participants in a car race were awarded points for the damage done with most points going for knocking people/animals etc over. I think the easier the target the more points.

Totally non-PC by today's standards but in 1975. For many years afterwards we would have conversations in the car along the lines "20 points for the pram, 30 for the mother".

We had a similar conversation just a few years ago - a fleet of dayboats (Flying Fifteens) tacking towards us whilst we were sailing downwind in a boat more than twice their size - open water, so no restrictions. One of the support boats comes up to us and tells us (not asks - tells!) to go around them - bearing in mind that there is basically a wall of FF's about 1 mile long coming towards us, but it's a thin wall. No chance of going around them. Apparently it was "the worlds", according to the support boat - my helm called across to the (now red faced) skipper of the support boat "The World Championships? Good, that means double points for each one I hit" ....

We didn't get a coherent response.

btw - we didn't interfere with their racing too much - we had rights over those on port tack, but not those on starboard - held a steady course and made contact with the (iirc) 2 boats we would have negatively effected to ensure they knew where we were going and caused minimal fuss ... the racers really weren't worried. The skipper of the support boat was last seen zooming off at great speed to the next victim. Pillock!

chris_bass

Navrig2 wrote:

Does nobody remember the film Deathrace 2000?

Participants in a car race were awarded points for the damage done with most points going for knocking people/animals etc over. I think the easier the target the more points.

Totally non-PC by today's standards but in 1975. For many years afterwards we would have conversations in the car along the lines "20 points for the pram, 30 for the mother".

It seems to me that we have had a sense of humour by-pass.

We have no idea about the driver's attitude to cyclists, it is all supposition. He may be a cyclist!

sounds like the game carmageddon, i used to like that, it was kind of a race but you got points fro running people/things over.

People need to lighten up a bit i think, it's not like the stickers make him more or less likely to run anyone over, if you don't like it, don't laugh and maybe don't hire him to do any work for you.

diy

Slowbike wrote:

We had a similar conversation just a few years ago - a fleet of dayboats (Flying Fifteens) tacking towards us whilst we were sailing downwind in a boat more than twice their size - open water, so no restrictions. One of the support boats comes up to us and tells us (not asks - tells!) to go around them - bearing in mind that there is basically a wall of FF's about 1 mile long coming towards us, but it's a thin wall. No chance of going around them. Apparently it was "the worlds", according to the support boat - my helm called across to the (now red faced) skipper of the support boat "The World Championships? Good, that means double points for each one I hit" ....

Solent by any chance ?

TheHound

Slowbike wrote:

TheHound wrote:

It's nothing to do with humour. Funny not funny.

I'm sure the stickers are indicative of his general attitude towards cyclists. Which I'm sure is less than charitable or tolerant.

Well - as long as you're sure that's fine ... I wasn't happy with the forums decision until you made your views known.


ridiculous? yup ... totally ...

At best you have circumstantial evidence. No, it's not funny, it's in poor taste - but doesn't mean anything by itself does it. Would you not think that perhaps if this chap HAD hit that many cyclists that the police would have been involved already?

Lol what the hell you on about? I wasn't aware I'd said he had knocked anyone off.

Just seems obvious he wouldn't have those stickers if he thought cyclists are awesome and there should be more of them.

dilatory

A white van driver in an occupation seemingly full of tinkers and scoundrels in dodgy sense of humour and bit of an arse shocker.

Sadly nothing much will change here. We'll still think the same of him. He'll probably think cyclists are even more anal than he first assumed for reacting so strongly to the sticker all his mates thought were funny.

slowbike

diy wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

We had a similar conversation just a few years ago - a fleet of dayboats (Flying Fifteens) tacking towards us whilst we were sailing downwind in a boat more than twice their size - open water, so no restrictions. One of the support boats comes up to us and tells us (not asks - tells!) to go around them - bearing in mind that there is basically a wall of FF's about 1 mile long coming towards us, but it's a thin wall. No chance of going around them. Apparently it was "the worlds", according to the support boat - my helm called across to the (now red faced) skipper of the support boat "The World Championships? Good, that means double points for each one I hit" ....

Solent by any chance ?

Where else?!

slowbike

TheHound wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

TheHound wrote:

It's nothing to do with humour. Funny not funny.

I'm sure the stickers are indicative of his general attitude towards cyclists. Which I'm sure is less than charitable or tolerant.

Well - as long as you're sure that's fine ... I wasn't happy with the forums decision until you made your views known.


ridiculous? yup ... totally ...

At best you have circumstantial evidence. No, it's not funny, it's in poor taste - but doesn't mean anything by itself does it. Would you not think that perhaps if this chap HAD hit that many cyclists that the police would have been involved already?

Lol what the hell you on about? I wasn't aware I'd said he had knocked anyone off.

Just seems obvious he wouldn't have those stickers if he thought cyclists are awesome and there should be more of them.

Just seems obvious ... ah ... that'll stand up in court ...

M'Lud, it just seems obvious that this chap has mown down 14 cyclists in cold blood contrary to Section 14 Para 3 of the vehicle decoration act, why else would he have a tally on the back of his van.

TheHound

Again, I never said anything about court.

Pull your head out your ass and you might be able to make sense of what I actually said.

dilatory

To be honest a good chunk of cyclists are weird, moany bastards. After seeing this thread I might put a check mark for every cyclist I don't wave to.

nweststeyn

Okay so this got a bit weird...

I re-posted the picture on Twitter to the Cycle Hatred page who shared it and it went 'viral', as they say. It then got shared a bunch of other places and then I saw this:

http://pedaller.org.uk/2014/10/14/resul ... te-can-do/

Apologies to the original taker of the photo as they are claiming I took it, which I obviously didn't.

Cyclists are an angry bunch

cornerblock

Seems like a positive response from them. I do like the 'Dismount and use crossing' sign in the picture. It's as if they knew that van was there!

chris_bass

Well that will certainly help get rid of the moaning cyclists stereotype then!

AndrewRH

nweststeyn wrote:

Apologies to the original taker of the photo as they are claiming I took it, which I obviously didn't.

The article has been updated to reflect that.
ref Result! What a polite yet firm note can do