Police on to Contact from Cab "maybe a touch too close"

ydrol

the police response to a cabbie bullying and making contact with a cyclist (*) shows attitudes that will hinder the uptake of cycling without a separate infrastructure...

http://youtu.be/8pj4Khg1sRw?t=17m21s

"Maybe he got a touch too close ?"

(*)Cyclists was TrafficDroid - and that may have contributed to the polices 'inaction' - but I think the police response should be the focus not the victims persona !

- I've also posted this on one other forum

taff..

it shows attitudes that's entirely pragmatic.

you put yourself in that postion.

cookeeemonster

The guy is utterly, utterly mental...but so are some of the people he comes into conflict with. The cab driver was way too close and if knew anything about the highway code would hold his hands up and apologise. I didn't watch it with sound on because I'm at work but I'm guessing he came out with the normal sh*t.

"Professional" drivers can be some of the most lawless and reckless drivers on the road in my experience, so it pays to give them a wide berth just in case (dont mean to tar all with the same brush, I am talking about a bad minority here)

slowbike

CookeeeMonster wrote:

The guy is utterly, utterly mental...but so are some of the people he comes into conflict with.

I watched a little bit - and my over-riding thought was - this guy (the rider) was not at all sympathetic to other road users.
IMHO, it is up to us to help facilitate sensible overtaking as much as it is up to the driver to overtake sensibly. That includes riding to the left where possible and backing off to give the overtaker room to get past.

The "Touch" from the taxi driver seemed to be a classic case of there being sufficient room for both to exist on the road, but the bloke on the bike not wanting to give an inch. In general parlance, "he was asking for it"

veronese68

I won't be watching it. The guy is a first class lunatic that rides around with about 87 cameras mounted on his bike and himself and then goes looking for trouble. It's hardly surprising that he finds it on occasion, more surprising that he doesn't find more of it.

pastryboy

She's fit.

Didn't really take much else away from the video to be honest.

arthur_scrimshaw

He is a bit eccentric, I can't see his style of 'educating' people about their inadaquate driving is helping cyclists as a group, quite the reverse.

ydrol

Slowbike wrote:

The "Touch" from the taxi driver seemed to be a classic case of there being sufficient room for both to exist on the road, but the bloke on the bike not wanting to give an inch. In general parlance, "he was asking for it"

I think the cyclists maintains he was taking the lane because of a pinch point up ahead. The taxi driver accelerated past and the bump happened. Regardless what we think of this particular cyclist and his history, whenever we take the lane, some drivers will always think we are asking for it.

But in this case you could argue he was asking for it because prior to the bump he was already having words with the taxi driver, and there was some element of provocation. Then the cyclist signal/indication, to take the lane, was very brief before he changed position in front of the annoyed and accelerating taxi. A good lesson is if you are having any kind of words with a driver, just let them go and report them if necessary or deserved. If you both escalate the situation whilst in motion you are putting yourself at risk as the red mist descends ...

I cycle commute, and have two relatively inexpensive cameras, if I encounter poor driving that puts me at risk I laugh - or swear! - and cycle on, and submit a roadsafe report. I was doing minor infractions but it's time consuming with about 1 numpty encounter per commute, so I may just stick to more serious stuff that warrants a change of shorts...

Colinthecop

pastryboy wrote:

She's fit.

I agree. There should be more of that sort of thing. 8)

diy

Trouble is he is giving out "driving advice" with no real knowledge. He flags up the first car who makes a left turn without indicating. But there is nobody to benefit from the indicator. Indicating is something that you do for a reason.

slowbike

ydrol wrote:

I think the cyclists maintains he was taking the lane because of a pinch point up ahead. The taxi driver accelerated past and the bump happened. Regardless what we think of this particular cyclist and his history, whenever we take the lane, some drivers will always think we are asking for it.

But in this case you could argue he was asking for it because prior to the bump he was already having words with the taxi driver, and there was some element of provocation. Then the cyclist signal/indication, to take the lane, was very brief before he changed position in front of the annoyed and accelerating taxi. A good lesson is if you are having any kind of words with a driver, just let them go and report them if necessary or deserved. If you both escalate the situation whilst in motion you are putting yourself at risk as the red mist descends ...

I cycle commute, and have two relatively inexpensive cameras, if I encounter poor driving that puts me at risk I laugh - or swear! - and cycle on, and submit a roadsafe report. I was doing minor infractions but it's time consuming with about 1 numpty encounter per commute, so I may just stick to more serious stuff that warrants a change of shorts...

Id argue that he was asking for it by the very nature of his bike handling - he doesn't want an overtake and will do nothing to facilitate one. Of course, he's within his rights not to give way, but it doesn't always help and it needs to be a clear reason why not.
I don't cycle in London so I could easily be wrong in my analysis. Most of the vehicles who overtake me are usually clear and well gone by the time we get to any pinchpoints, however I still help the larger vehicles get by, especially where they'd be stuck behind me for some time if I didn't. I still get the arrogant pricks behind the wheel that just must overtake a cyclist or even worse - try and pass as close as possible ... But there does seem to be a tolerance for cyclists providing the cyclist isn't seen to be riding arrogantly.

roger_merriman

Slowbike wrote:

ydrol wrote:

I think the cyclists maintains he was taking the lane because of a pinch point up ahead. The taxi driver accelerated past and the bump happened. Regardless what we think of this particular cyclist and his history, whenever we take the lane, some drivers will always think we are asking for it.

But in this case you could argue he was asking for it because prior to the bump he was already having words with the taxi driver, and there was some element of provocation. Then the cyclist signal/indication, to take the lane, was very brief before he changed position in front of the annoyed and accelerating taxi. A good lesson is if you are having any kind of words with a driver, just let them go and report them if necessary or deserved. If you both escalate the situation whilst in motion you are putting yourself at risk as the red mist descends ...

I cycle commute, and have two relatively inexpensive cameras, if I encounter poor driving that puts me at risk I laugh - or swear! - and cycle on, and submit a roadsafe report. I was doing minor infractions but it's time consuming with about 1 numpty encounter per commute, so I may just stick to more serious stuff that warrants a change of shorts...

Id argue that he was asking for it by the very nature of his bike handling - he doesn't want an overtake and will do nothing to facilitate one. Of course, he's within his rights not to give way, but it doesn't always help and it needs to be a clear reason why not.
I don't cycle in London so I could easily be wrong in my analysis. Most of the vehicles who overtake me are usually clear and well gone by the time we get to any pinchpoints, however I still help the larger vehicles get by, especially where they'd be stuck behind me for some time if I didn't. I still get the arrogant pricks behind the wheel that just must overtake a cyclist or even worse - try and pass as close as possible ... But there does seem to be a tolerance for cyclists providing the cyclist isn't seen to be riding arrogantly.

he (traffic droid)appears to move out as the Taxi is attempting to overtake, taking the lane is one thing, moving out while being overtaken seems at best rash.

since he has so many cameras one with a better view would seem supprising not to be used.

Central London Traffic is on the whole used to bikes, and frankly a whole lot of things, as long as you are clear what you are doing, don't pull any odd moves it's normally fine.

diy

I think this is the "cyclecraft" mentality and its blimin dangerous. Assume he does have a hazard ahead and thinks that a car overtaking him is going to cause a squeeze on his distance from danger he always has the option of backing off and moving out behind the taxi.

debeli

Traffic Droid is (to my mind) on the 'bad' end of the helmetcam youtube spectrum. Some are good. He seems to look for issues and then scratch at niggles to get a response.

His riding is often unusual, bordering on aggressive or simply poor. He seems sometimes to fixate on a particular piece of driving and then lose all perspective and cycle poorly himself while addressing the matter of the supposed transgressor.

His videos are great comedy, but I think his positive impact on road behaviour is nil. It may even be negative.

I believe he is well intentioned, but seems to be a massive egomaniac who wants to be the story himself and sits uncomfortable close to the sort of behaviour seen in Kick Ass-type films.

I thought the police officer handled it very well.

Long_Time_Lurker

Debeli wrote:

I believe he is well intentioned, but seems to be a massive egomaniac...

I would say that he has some sort of mental disorder. His whole approach to bad driving is at best 'unconventional' and at it's worst 'confrontational'.

Squawk

Can't watch it, too annoying. I got to 2 mins and the moron doing the filming veered into the middle of the road and then blamed the car/van behind for not realising that he was going to ride like a moron veering into the middle of the road. Quite clearly there was room for 2 vehicles, as a second vehicle pulled alongside the van.

He's a crap cyclist, and on a mission to piss people off.

andrewc3142

Absolute tw@t. No road sense, very poor positioning, deliberately moves over to block cars when he's got loads of room.

Seems to be trying to provoke situations in order to film them.

Quite apart from looking utterly ridiculous with about 10 cameras and enough lights for a film set.

I appreciate these are edited clips, but he seems to have more incidents per km than I've had in the last 10 years of commuting 50km into Central London.

Switch off the cameras and the lights and concentrate on learning to ride would be my advice.

supersonic

Some awful cycling in that video. Looks like at one point was shouting at a bus for giving him room, bizarre.

awavey

Debeli wrote:

Traffic Droid is (to my mind) on the 'bad' end of the helmetcam youtube spectrum. Some are good. He seems to look for issues and then scratch at niggles to get a response.

His riding is often unusual, bordering on aggressive or simply poor. He seems sometimes to fixate on a particular piece of driving and then lose all perspective and cycle poorly himself while addressing the matter of the supposed transgressor.
l.

one thing it highlights though if there are that many drivers on the phone all the time on the roads he's on, why dont the police just get the cycle bobby to follow him around one day and ticket them all.

I agree his road positioning is poor in some of those examples and leads to some of the problems he encounters, and maybe the first encounter with the taxi isnt that bad, at least the taxi pulled out of the move when he realised there wasnt the space, but the 2nd encounter, that to me was a classic aggressive driver move trying to make a point with their vehicle on the cyclist,which regardless of who riled who first, is out of order. the taxi driver wouldnt have driven that close to his wife or kids or parents on a bike so why just because the guy is a complete stranger and has annoyed him is it necessary.

but what can the police do, except remind everyone to get along.

jimmypippa

Debeli wrote:

Traffic Droid is (to my mind) on the 'bad' end of the helmetcam youtube spectrum. Some are good. He seems to look for issues and then scratch at niggles to get a response.

Kieran Burns is on the other end - most of the videos he posts are of courteous drivers etc.

Kieran_Burns

jimmypippa wrote:

Debeli wrote:

Traffic Droid is (to my mind) on the 'bad' end of the helmetcam youtube spectrum. Some are good. He seems to look for issues and then scratch at niggles to get a response.

Kieran Burns is on the other end - most of the videos he posts are of courteous drivers etc.

...wanders off to hide the others one....

jimmypippa

Kieran_Burns wrote:

jimmypippa wrote:

Debeli wrote:

Traffic Droid is (to my mind) on the 'bad' end of the helmetcam youtube spectrum. Some are good. He seems to look for issues and then scratch at niggles to get a response.

Kieran Burns is on the other end - most of the videos he posts are of courteous drivers etc.

...wanders off to hide the others one....

Most, and the odd example of bad driving stands out as not being something that you are actively seeking I remember a stonkingly bad van (was it a florist?)

Kieran_Burns

Walk the dog... that little tale had an interesting ending in itself, with some wine and a huge tin of chocolates left for me

EKE_38BPM

Why did I watch that?
I know what "Traffic Droid" is like. He is an idiot and his videos wind me up. I don't think he actually enjoys cycling.

I once saw him in Central London after I had stopped in an ASL. He pull up next to me then bladted his AirZound at the motorist who had stopped behind us and then ranted at them for being too close when they weren't.

When the lights changed I took off at my normal speed and he took off very slowly (possibly due to the weight of all of his kit) and bimbled along in super primary position so that nothing could overtake safely. I stopped at the next set of lights and turned to watch the chaos he was causing and listen to the blasts from his AirZound.

He is an awful cyclist and a danger to himself and others. I suggest he takes a Bikeability course and spend some quality time relaxing with his significant other, if he has one.

slowbike

EKE_38BPM wrote:

bimbled along in super primary position so that nothing could overtake safely.

Judging by his breathing he's not bimbling - he's in full on TT mode ... so he's either unfit or all the weight and windage of his appendages really do slow him down ...

EKE_38BPM

Slowbike wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

bimbled along in super primary position so that nothing could overtake safely.

Judging by his breathing he's not bimbling - he's in full on TT mode ... so he's either unfit or all the weight and windage of his appendages really do slow him down ...

I was on my way to work so was carrying tools, paperwork and 9 hi-viz bibs but it was quite a warm day so ss lycra jersey and 3/4 leggings. He was lugging around more cameras than Jessops stocked and I think he had a pannier and a rujsack. He was in a heavy, Altura type hi-viz coat and waterproof looking trousers.

Add the weight of his kit to TT mode and you get heavy breathing but not much actual speed.

slowbike

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Add the weight of his kit to TT mode and you get heavy breathing but not much actual speed.

Next time you see him suggest that he gets an electric assist bike ... or perhaps he's better suited to a mobility scooter*!





* no offence intended to the majority of mobility scooter drivers who know how to operate them sensibly

Kieran_Burns

It's the red card that does it for me... It's all a little mind-boggling

andrewc3142

The red card, yes, but it's the sheer effort, time and cost of the whole thing that I find really mind-boggling.

phil s

What a total bellend.

jimmypippa

On the other hand, he obviously has "issues" and if I was in London, would rather he rode a bike, antagonising other road users rather than used a car.