What???

cntl
cntl Posts: 290
edited June 2008 in Commuting chat
Why did the commentator said the "cyclist forgot which side of the road he was supposed to be on" ??? What a moron (the commentator). IT IS A PERFECTLY LEGAL OVERTAKING:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7478830.stm

Comments

  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    I just left this feedback with the BBC, for what good it will do.

    I'm going to learn French and move.

    This article is factually incorrect. A cyclist has videoed a near miss. The commentary then goes on to say "and then the cyclists forgets which side of the road they should be on".

    In fact, the cyclist is obstructed dangerously by a van and then proceeds to overake slower, and then stationary, traffic in the legally prescribed manner along a stretch of road with road marking indicating that overtaking is permitted.

    In the video, the cyclist encountered no oncoming traffic (other than the van which pulled across their path) and proceeded to the front of the queue, in order to be in the safest position to tackle the junction.

    Misinformed and lazy journalism of this type simply reinforces misconceptions about cycling and undermines the entire purpose of the story being reported.

    Is it beyond the capacity of the BBC to send a person to report on a cycling story who has the first idea about the subject? Or perhaps to require that the journalist do some research?
  • prj45
    prj45 Posts: 2,208
    Oh dear, Keith Doyle of BBC news needs to read the highway code.
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  • cntl
    cntl Posts: 290
    Oh yes, I sent an email to BBC too. Hopefully more people from the forum will follow (just go BBC website/contact us).
  • prj45
    prj45 Posts: 2,208
    (and is that really a cyclist? That's quite some acceleration he's got going there!)
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  • cntl
    cntl Posts: 290
    >>(and is that really a cyclist? That's quite some acceleration he's got going there!)

    Initially I thought it was Magnatom (from CC).
  • JoeSoap76
    JoeSoap76 Posts: 109
    Hmmm... bad report all round. From the ignorant "seems to have forgotton which side of the road" comment to positioning Chris Peck in front of one of the better looking cycle paths (taking the wind out of the sails of his argument that the roads aren't designed for cyclists)... to the fact that the essence of the report is that cyclists are saying that the roads aren't safe yet we only have VT of cyclists breaking the law (are they really saying that they couldn't film a single car going through a red light?). For example, is it just me or when the report is stood beside that ASL and the light goes green, does the people carrier get to the front line a little too quick to not have been in the green box already? We even have the guy from the AA listing the laws that cyclists break whilst dismissing illegal drivers with a casual "doing things that they shouldn't"

    Seems clear that the journalist submitting this one is a little on the unfavourable side when it comes to bikes.

    With such a 'pro' cyclist ( :roll: ) report it's a good job that they also have this one up there to balance things up for motorists:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7478908.stm
  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    More ignorance noted: The Highway Code being confused with the Law. They are not the same, and the difference should be understood by everyone who pontificates.
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    What an idiot!!

    So overtaking is now illegal as well :shock:

    Its SOLID WHITE LINES that you are not allowed to cross.

    I must admit what both the CTC and AA spokesman said was actually worthwhile. Usually that just slag each other off. It seems they now acknowledge that we all have a right to use to roads.

    I like the idea of an advance green signal for cyclists. That way we are more up to speed with the flow of traffic.
  • cntl
    cntl Posts: 290
    I found the ower of teh video:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=35qX44veDc8

    It was a statinary traffic because.....THE CARS WERE WAITING AT A RAILROAD CROSSING :shock: Why didn't the BBC show the whole clip? It makes the whole report even more outrageous!

    EDIT: Obviously the cyclist knew the road and the reason the cars were stationary and that it was safe to overtake.
  • prj45
    prj45 Posts: 2,208
    cntl wrote:
    Why didn't the BBC show the whole clip?

    Well, he does break the solid white line at the end and stop in the box junction...
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  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    The cyclist does overtake the van on the approach to a junction on the right, he had no way of knowing that the van would not turn right, made me cringe watching it.
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
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  • karl j
    karl j Posts: 517
    The idea of an Advanced / Cyclists Only green light is a good one. As is the idea of enforcing ASL's

    It was good to see the CTC guy actually get chance to say something constructive and not just reply to petrolhead nonsense, i think it went along the lines of "a lot of cycle facilities aren't really designed with cyclists in mind, they're designed to keep cyclists off the road and to mingle with pedestrians" , before talking about possible changes to the rules

    Sadly, though not unsurprisingly, the reporter was just a n*b. And as for the AA bloke, why did he even bother getting out of bed ?
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