Why do so many drivers want to kill me?

Tenzor07

Ok, so it's London, but interesting enough:

Article:

Read more: DM

Scrappy600

He sounds like a proper tool. The daily mail is nothing but sensationalist drama filled crap anyway.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

I basically read that as if you cycle in London you will be killed. Seems a bit much, although I haven't ever cycled there.

Tenzor07

From what I read, the article came about after a "Twitter battle" between the writer, a BBC Radio 2 broadcaster, and Jeremy Clarkson, a BBC Motormouth..

Scrappy600

Yeah clarkson had a go after being stuck behind a cyclist who'd taken up position in the middle of the road and it's quite well known that he absolutely hates cyclists, although I reckon a lot of it is just playing to the cameras in the same way as he does with caravans. To be honest though if you're that scared of cycling so much that you don't know if you'll be alive tomorrow, then you need to stop cycling. Or at least stop whining about it in the daily mail.

Tenzor07

Scrappy600 wrote: »

Yeah clarkson had a go after being stuck behind a cyclist who'd taken up position in the middle of the road and it's quite well known that he absolutely hates cyclists

He and George Hook would get along great!

ghogie91

Id love to cycle london

Bike Messaging is my ultimate job aside from racing for a living

I wish I could get paid to train and race or cycle, I would even love a job as a bike post man, certinely beats an office job, would take the substantial pay cut aswell

Harrybelafonte

ghogie91 wrote: »

Id love to cycle london

Bike Messaging is my ultimate job aside from racing for a living

I wish I could get paid to train and race or cycle, I would even love a job as a bike post man, certinely beats an office job, would take the substantial pay cut aswell

I too want to be a postman. However, it'd be a pay rise for me.

Macy0161

Scrappy600 wrote: »

Yeah clarkson had a go after being stuck behind a cyclist who'd taken up position in the middle of the road and it's quite well known that he absolutely hates cyclists, although I reckon a lot of it is just playing to the cameras in the same way as he does with caravans.

If it's the photo I saw, it was completely irresponsible of Clarkson. I would generally dismiss anything the tory buffon says, but it was a stupid thing of him to do (and I hope he was reported for the handheld device while driving too!). The cyclist was doing nothing wrong, and there is no position the cyclist could've taken that would allow a safe overtake.

Tenzor07

ghogie91 wrote: »

Bike Messaging is my ultimate job aside from racing for a living

Maybe in some sunny small town it would be good!

In Dublin it's cold, wet, windy, your bike may get stolen, as well as dealing with jaywalkers and angry taxi drivers... Not Good!!

Scrappy600

Macy0161 wrote: »

If it's the photo I saw, it was completely irresponsible of Clarkson. I would generally dismiss anything the tory buffon says, but it was a stupid thing of him to do (and I hope he was reported for the handheld device while driving too!). The cyclist was doing nothing wrong, and there is no position the cyclist could've taken that would allow a safe overtake.

Again, it's just something he does, he gives out about cyclists, a lot of the time it's in jest and he's ripping the piss just to be seen to be doing so. A lot of the time yes he just doesn't like cyclists and not all cyclists are angels either.

Also just to play devils advocate here, who says the picture was taken with a mobile phone? Uk law says it's an offence to hold a hand held mobile phone. I'd be fairly certain you'd be ticked off if you were to be prosecuted for something with no proof of it happening.

ghogie91

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Maybe in some sunny small town it would be good!

In Dublin it's cold, wet, windy, your bike may get stolen, as well as dealing with jaywalkers and angry taxi drivers... Not Good!!

Ah still though

I deal with the rain daily on the bike so wouldnt be too worried As for people walking out in front of you and taxis, you get that everywhere, I have had my run ins with them also so what can you do except press on

Pinch Flat

Daily Mail & Clarkson = Take with a pinch of salt.

I lived in London and where as I never cycled there, the road behavior there is pretty confrontational and aggressive. Plenty of abuse being shouted, the old 'Nescafe hand-shake' (look it up!) is a common part of the driving vocabulary there.

Things seem to have moved on, but I would say London is still a vastly more aggressive and hostile place than Dublin to cycle.

two wheels good

I can sympathise with JV
This week I confronted a driver about his use of a mobile phone.
First he lied, saying he had only just picked it up. Then he got all shouty and sweary.
Then he swung the steering wheel in my direction.
Then he got out of the car, still threatening. (He wasn't tough enough to come round to my side of the car though)
When I'd returned to the kerb-side he drove his car, across another lane, straight at me.

The Garda I spoke to was very prompt following up my complaint.

Aside:
Maybe there should be an internet rule to deter mentioning that oaf Clarkson online e.g Godwin's law A corollary would do - no sense in giving him more publicity.

Macy0161

Scrappy600 wrote: »

Again, it's just something he does, he gives out about cyclists, a lot of the time it's in jest and he's ripping the piss just to be seen to be doing so. A lot of the time yes he just doesn't like cyclists and not all cyclists are angels either.

I said I normally ignore him, as I think he's a gobsh!te. However, he does have a lot of other gobsh!tes that do listen to him, and the photo he tweeted was ridiculous circumstances for a motorist to consider an overtake no matter the position of the cyclist, and actually would be an offence iirc (overtaking on a zebra crossing/ crossing the zig zag lines).

Scrappy600 wrote: »

Also just to play devils advocate here, who says the picture was taken with a mobile phone? Uk law says it's an offence to hold a hand held mobile phone. I'd be fairly certain you'd be ticked off if you were to be prosecuted for something with no proof of it happening.

The UK offence is actually about control of the vehicle not about being on the phone while driving. It doesn't matter once it was handheld if it was a phone, mp3 player, digital camera or a box brownie.

Pinch Flat

Thankfully someone has a solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBC-nnvixHc

CramCycle

two wheels good wrote: »

This week I confronted a driver about his use of a mobile phone.
First he lied, saying he had only just picked it up. Then he got all shouty and sweary.
Then he swung the steering wheel in my direction.
Then he got out of the car, still threatening. (He wasn't tough enough to come round to my side of the car though)
When I'd returned to the kerb-side he drove his car, across another lane, straight at me.

The Garda I spoke to was very prompt following up my complaint.

TBF, while I am guilty of shouting myself, it probably is not the way to go, from another thread here recently, unless you are in danger or are being put in danger, you should not get involved (maybe you were or felt you were), take the reg plate, report the incident. I say this knowing full well I shout at other road users who are being planks, so feel free to take my two faced advice with a pinch of salt. In this case, while unlikely, he could always argue that you were intimidating, and aggressive and he felt that his actions were in his own best interests (not sure how).