Cycling Mikey

Seve OB · 09-03-2021 4:22pm #1

Any of you guys seen this fellas You Tube channel and whatever other platform he posts on? I'm all for seeing road users who break the laws/rules get punished, but this guy goes way to far. I should point out before anyone gets the wrong impression that I do believe if someone is breaking the law they should be punished. While I have absolutely no sympathy for some of these drivers, it's Mickeys attitude and the way he goes about his business and some of his "collars" is what I despise.

The first few of his videos which I seen left me kind of impressed with him to be honest, but that's because they were genuine enough going about his daily business and coming across absolute assholes.

But then you look at what he actually does, he has targeted a few locations where he can shoot some fish in a barrel. He purposely just goes out to catch motorists breaking the law, which some will commend him for and some of the absolute tossers he has caught most definitely deserved their punishment, but most of them are quite innocent and Mickey is just on a bit of a power trip. He cycles up and down gridlocked traffic to try and catch someone who might be checking their messages/maps whatever. These are stationary cars who are not moving anywhere. He sneaks up on them and if they don't twig him looking through their window he might read out their text/private information. He calls out their reg number in the phonetic alphabet as if he is on the Bill. He stands behind bushes with his helmet cam on ready to jump out at unsuspecting road users. He speaks to them like he is their superior.

I am surprised I haven't seen any comments on his videos which slate him off for what he does, but I guess he probably just gets them deleted. I have only seen one video of his where someone shouted some stick at him for doing what he does. I'm surprised he hasn't had more threats, although maybe he just keeps those clips to himself or I'd say it would be more likely that he is trying to get people prosecuted for threating behaviour.

I'm surprised he hasn't been slapped around a bit or had his bike nicked (although maybe he has). All in all, I find him to be a very unlikable person, slithery and sneaky.

What do you think of him and they way he conducts his operations?

cletus · 09-03-2021 4:40pm

I'd never heard of him before this, so I looked it up on YouTube. The first two videos were him standing I a hedge at a particular corner that seems to have a lot of people doing stupid/illegal things

On the one hand, he's catching people breaking the law. On the other hand, he's spending his time standing in bushes waiting to catch people break the law. I have to think there's more personally fulfilling ways to spend your time. Perhaps with a loved one, or taking part in a hobby, or learning a new skill.

The biggest disappointment in all of this is that YouTube are now going to recommend his videos to me until the end of time

Seve OB · 09-03-2021 4:45pm

cletus wrote: »

The biggest disappointment in all of this is that YouTube are now going to recommend his videos to me until the end of time

Lol, welcome to my world!

But you have summed up my opinions pretty well there

cletus · 09-03-2021 4:47pm

Seve OB wrote: »

Lol, welcome to my world!

Well, I'm blaming you, Seve

km991148 · 09-03-2021 4:54pm

The problem with a lot of these clips is that by 'raising awareness' or catching people in a way that gets people's back up (i.e. name calling someone an arrogant phone using idiot etc) is that you ultimately make thing's worse. The driver who has an argument with a cyclist trying to uphold the law without authority isn't suddenly going to change their ways or look at their own behaviour and certainly won't be sympathetic towards people cycling (and probably more likely to be more aggressive towards cyclists in the future).

I'm not saying think about the poor offenders feelings or anything. By all means report those close passes and all the other crap. But don't go out your way to antagonise.

RobertFoster · 09-03-2021 4:57pm

I thought this was going to be a medical advice thread.

cletus · 09-03-2021 4:59pm

Also, I think his name is Mikey, not Mickey, if a mod wants to amend the title...

magicbastarder · 09-03-2021 4:59pm

yeah, was just coming in to ask about that.
i had the forewarning to open it in a private window.

buffalo · 09-03-2021 5:01pm

cletus wrote: »

Also, I think his name is Mikey, not Mickey, if a mod wants to amend the title...

I thought it was deliberate clickbait.

breezy1985 · 09-03-2021 6:25pm

RobertFoster wrote: »

I thought this was going to be a medical advice thread.

I was full sure it was someone with a saddle issue like the cycling version of tennis elbow.

Also got to love this thinking
"motorists breaking the law" followed by "but most of them are quite innocent"
God bless those innocent law breakers

timmyjimmy · 09-03-2021 6:41pm

righttobikeit in Cork is exactly the same. Fair enough he's submitting lots of videos and motorists are getting fined but some of his videos, he's the antagonist looking for trouble. There's a few videos where he gets himself into some sticky situations due his self-righteousness and is lucky not to come out without an injury, he shows complete lack of awareness of his behavior and very poor etiquette on the road.

Weepsie · 09-03-2021 6:59pm

I remember his video from last year. I'm all for better enforcement, but he's going out of his way to look for anything no matter how minor, and I'd wager his own road use is far from perfect.

Reminded me a bit of that cycledub chap from years gone by. He'd be calling out the most inane of things, and then doing something incredibly stupid themselves.

CramCycle · 09-03-2021 7:23pm

timmyjimmy wrote: »

righttobikeit in Cork is exactly the same. Fair enough he's submitting lots of videos and motorists are getting fined but some of his videos, he's the antagonist looking for trouble. There's a few videos where he gets himself into some sticky situations due his self-righteousness and is lucky not to come out without an injury, he shows complete lack of awareness of his behavior and very poor etiquette on the road.

I don't think righttobikeit is that bad, I'll admit most of what he gives out about I ignore daily but I really shouldn't, with one or two exceptions. I don't think he looks for it but could be wrong. It's easy found and if I had the time or cared, I could probably generate as many videos with ease, I just don't have time. The few videos I have put on youtube take so long to upload and the few complaints I have made to Gardai are such a pain in the arse to follow through, the system has me bet.

Eamonnator · 09-03-2021 8:20pm

Seve OB wrote: »

Any of you guys seen this fellas You Tube channel and whatever other platform he posts on? I'm all for seeing road users who break the laws/rules get punished, but this guy goes way to far. I should point out before anyone gets the wrong impression that I do believe if someone is breaking the law they should be punished. While I have absolutely no sympathy for some of these drivers, it's Mickeys attitude and the way he goes about his business and some of his "collars" is what I despise.

The first few of his videos which I seen left me kind of impressed with him to be honest, but that's because they were genuine enough going about his daily business and coming across absolute assholes.

But then you look at what he actually does, he has targeted a few locations where he can shoot some fish in a barrel. He purposely just goes out to catch motorists breaking the law, which some will commend him for and some of the absolute tossers he has caught most definitely deserved their punishment, but most of them are quite innocent and Mickey is just on a bit of a power trip. He cycles up and down gridlocked traffic to try and catch someone who might be checking their messages/maps whatever. These are stationary cars who are not moving anywhere. He sneaks up on them and if they don't twig him looking through their window he might read out their text/private information. He calls out their reg number in the phonetic alphabet as if he is on the Bill. He stands behind bushes with his helmet cam on ready to jump out at unsuspecting road users. He speaks to them like he is their superior.

I am surprised I haven't seen any comments on his videos which slate him off for what he does, but I guess he probably just gets them deleted. I have only seen one video of his where someone shouted some stick at him for doing what he does. I'm surprised he hasn't had more threats, although maybe he just keeps those clips to himself or I'd say it would be more likely that he is trying to get people prosecuted for threating behaviour.

I'm surprised he hasn't been slapped around a bit or had his bike nicked (although maybe he has). All in all, I find him to be a very unlikable person, slithery and sneaky.

What do you think of him and they way he conducts his operations?

He's a bellend.

timmyjimmy · 09-03-2021 8:25pm

CramCycle wrote: »

I don't think righttobikeit is that bad, I'll admit most of what he gives out about I ignore daily but I really shouldn't, with one or two exceptions. I don't think he looks for it but could be wrong. It's easy found and if I had the time or cared, I could probably generate as many videos with ease, I just don't have time. The few videos I have put on youtube take so long to upload and the few complaints I have made to Gardai are such a pain in the arse to follow through, the system has me bet.

I've seen righttobikeit get into a situation where he could have been really injured due to his self-righteousness. A motorist in front him flashed another so that it could exit onto a road. Anyone with half a brain could have read the situation and held back but he decided to keep going and get himself into a situation where he could have been really hurt, he has very poor reading of the road.
I've also seen him cycle the wrong way down one way streets and take videos of cars on footpaths and then later delete the video when called out on it.
He never sees himself do any wrong and has very little awareness of his own actions.

Type 17 · 09-03-2021 8:49pm

cletus wrote: »

The biggest disappointment in all of this is that YouTube are now going to recommend his videos to me until the end of time

Tip: when you see a vid in your suggestions that you don't want to see more of, click on the three dots to the right of the video title and choose 'Not Interested' in the drop-down menu.

PS: Yerman Mickey is just antagonising people, and leading to more division and labelling of Us and Them. There are enough unintentionally-collected videos of morons in cars (and on bikes) doing stupid stuff, no need to pro-actively collect more.

cletus · 09-03-2021 9:00pm

Type 17 wrote: »

Tip: when you see a vid in your suggestions that you don't want to see more of, click on the three dots to the right of the video title and choose 'Not Interested' in the drop-down menu

Thanks for that, type17.

It would seem my attempt at humour has fallen somewhat short

Type 17 · 09-03-2021 9:03pm

cletus wrote: »

It would seem my attempt at humour has fallen somewhat short

Fair enough, but you'd be surprised how many people haven't spotted that

Breezer · 10-03-2021 2:24am

When I first saw one or two of his videos, I thought he was great. Like others have said, when I realised there was a whole series of him waiting in the bushes all day to ambush people, I decided he was a knob.

TheBlaaMan · 10-03-2021 9:04am

RobertFoster wrote: »

I thought this was going to be a medical advice thread.

I clicked on the thread thinking it was about saddle fit......:D

km991148 · 10-03-2021 9:11am

Type 17 wrote: »

Fair enough, but you'd be surprised how many people haven't spotted that

It doesn't always work tho.. as you might then get served up similar videos by different publishers because you have effectively just told them what might be controversial for you... Something controversial pops up and you click. Job done, advert has been served.

Macer123 · 10-03-2021 10:35am

Watched one of Mikey's videos recently where he told a driver using a mobile phone while driving that his father had been killed by a drunk driver. He continued and equated drink driving with driving while using a mobile. This maybe his motivation !!!

magicbastarder · 10-03-2021 10:39am

timmyjimmy wrote: »

righttobikeit in Cork is exactly the same.

from the 30s i've seen of cycling mikey, i don't really see it; righttobikeit is out using the roads, armed with a camera used as a defensive weapon, so to speak. cyclingmikey uses it as an offensive weapon, he seems to set out to actively catch people misbehaving.

breezy1985 · 10-03-2021 10:55am

Macer123 wrote: »

Watched one of Mikey's videos recently where he told a driver using a mobile phone while driving that his father had been killed by a drunk driver. He continued and equated drink driving with driving while using a mobile. This maybe his motivation !!!

4 times more likely to crash when driving and using your phone according to the RSA so not a small issue

buffalo · 10-03-2021 11:09am

I don't know, it's quite satisfying to see people like this get what's coming to them. Love the entitlement of shouting while being ticketed/charged by a police officer "mate I've got to go to work" like it's a valid excuse.

timmyjimmy · 10-03-2021 11:15am

magicbastarder wrote: »

from the 30s i've seen of cycling mikey, i don't really see it; righttobikeit is out using the roads, armed with a camera used as a defensive weapon, so to speak. cyclingmikey uses it as an offensive weapon, he seems to set out to actively catch people misbehaving.

Fair enough, maybe not as bad as cycling mikey but I do think rightobikeit is a bit of an antagonist ready to pounce any hint trouble. FWIW I live in Cork and know the roads to drive and cycle on.

km991148 · 10-03-2021 11:49am

Macer123 wrote: »

Watched one of Mikey's videos recently where he told a driver using a mobile phone while driving that his father had been killed by a drunk driver. He continued and equated drink driving with driving while using a mobile. This maybe his motivation !!!

I understand he is motivated by something, but there is also an element of him doing the policing which doesn't really work out.

Film some evidence, report it fair enough. Inserting you in the middle of it (i.e. knocking on the windows and having a word with drivers, calling them a wanker, catching up with them a mile down the road and giving an earful) isn't doing anyone any favours and more likely to further divide drivers and cyclists (i.e. paint a target on other cyclists back).

You have no authority cycling mikey!

fryup · 10-03-2021 11:54am

i read the title as cycling "mickey"

i thought someone was suffering from numb penis syndrome after long cycles

Seth Brundle · 10-03-2021 12:05pm

RobertFoster wrote: »

I thought this was going to be a medical advice thread.

fryup wrote: »

i read the title as cycling "mickey"

i thought someone was suffering from numb penis syndrome after long cycles

I can't find a video of it but I do recall Billy Connolly discussing how cyclists could get "Penile Numbness" and a discreet massage would be necessary whilst oun the saddle.

fryup · 10-03-2021 12:13pm

Type 17 wrote: »

Yerman Mickey is just antagonising people, and leading to more division and labelling of Us and Them. There are enough unintentionally-collected videos of morons in cars (and on bikes) doing stupid stuff, no need to pro-actively collect more.

nothing better to do with his time? just another busybody?

Seve OB · 10-03-2021 12:21pm

breezy1985 wrote: »

4 times more likely to crash when driving and using your phone according to the RSA so not a small issue

Won’t argue with you. It pisses me off when I see gob****es driving down the M50 or wherever who are texting or whatever.

But FFS when a car is stopped in heavy traffic jam the way Mikey pounces he needs to leave well enough alone.

breezy1985 · 10-03-2021 12:28pm

km991148 wrote: »

I understand he is motivated by something, but there is also an element of him doing the policing which doesn't really work out.

Film some evidence, report it fair enough. Inserting you in the middle of it (i.e. knocking on the windows and having a word with drivers, calling them a wanker, catching up with them a mile down the road and giving an earful) isn't doing anyone any favours and more likely to further divide drivers and cyclists (i.e. paint a target on other cyclists back).

You have no authority cycling mikey!

Doing something illegal or not anyone jumping out of bushes at you is gonna lead you only one conclusion and that is that you are dealing with a lunatic and I wouldn't be surprised if someone goes straight through him out of sheer panic some day

km991148 · 10-03-2021 12:51pm

breezy1985 wrote: »

Doing something illegal or not anyone jumping out of bushes at you is gonna lead you only one conclusion and that is that you are dealing with a lunatic and I wouldn't be surprised if someone goes straight through him out of sheer panic some day

yeah the bush thing is likely to get him a hiding.

But the 'engagement' when on the bike and lecturing in a condescending tone.. that just makes life worse for everyone on a bike as it reenforces negative stereotypes of "Arsehole entitled cyclists".

wheelo01 · 10-03-2021 2:27pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I can't find a video of it but I do recall Billy Connolly discussing how cyclists could get "Penile Numbness" and a discreet massage would be necessary whilst oun the saddle.

It's from his "wreck on tour" concert, I'm now determined to find the video, but here's an audio clip.

https://www.madmusic.com/samples/b/i/Billy_Connolly_-_Penile_Numbness.mp3

Breezer · 10-03-2021 6:36pm

buffalo wrote: »

I don't know, it's quite satisfying to see people like this get what's coming to them. Love the entitlement of shouting while being ticketed/charged by a police officer "mate I've got to go to work" like it's a valid excuse.

I'm not condoning the drivers, and if I happened to be cycling down this street and someone decided to drive at me the wrong way, I'd let them know my feelings on the matter (briefly. I don't see the point in extensive arguments when I've somewhere to be). But hiding in the bushes all day long is a bit sad.

breezy1985 · 10-03-2021 6:57pm

Breezer wrote: »

I'm not condoning the drivers, and if I happened to be cycling down this street and someone decided to drive at me the wrong way, I'd let them know my feelings on the matter (briefly. I don't see the point in extensive arguments when I've somewhere to be). But hiding in the bushes all day long is a bit sad.

If I was one of the cyclists passing by I would drive down the middle to F him off. Wouldn't jump out a hedge though and I know we can see his arm but Mikey strikes me as the kind who would do all this dressed as Batman

Seve OB · 10-03-2021 9:12pm

buffalo wrote: »

I don't know, it's quite satisfying to see people like this get what's coming to them. Love the entitlement of shouting while being ticketed/charged by a police officer "mate I've got to go to work" like it's a valid excuse.

He doesn’t usually blur them like that, wonder why he did this time and then he calls out the number plate anyway!!!

One of these days someone like your man is just going to go a little further than a nudge and go right through him.

At the end yer one was probably giving him the finger and not a thumbs up;)

Eamonnator · 10-03-2021 10:20pm

I wonder where he gets his authority to stop and direct traffic.
He's not a Policeman in uniform.
Maybe he's herding cattle!

on_the_nickel · 10-03-2021 10:48pm

timmyjimmy wrote: »

Fair enough, maybe not as bad as cycling mikey but I do think rightobikeit is a bit of an antagonist ready to pounce any hint trouble. FWIW I live in Cork and know the roads to drive and cycle on.

100% agree. I try to avoid him but a lot of the videos I see are from Carrs Hill, a road I've not cycled on in 10 years, because it's totally unsuitable for cyclists.

I'm well aware that cyclists HAVE EVERY RIGHT etc but the point is that that road is the only route between Carrigaline/Ringaskiddy and Cork city/pretty much everywhere else. It is extremely busy, 100km speed limit and not wide enough to overtake on and honestly, it's not fair to other road users to cycle on it. Instead of taking the many parallel, quieter roads leading to Donnybrook or Douglas, he chooses to go on that road, and I'm convinced it's for StickyBottle and Jeremy Vine retweets. Yes, he has every right to go on that road, but a little give and take helps.

crosstownk · 10-03-2021 10:54pm

I think I'd prefer cycling mickey to cycling mikey.

timmyjimmy · 11-03-2021 8:36am

on_the_nickel wrote: »

100% agree. I try to avoid him but a lot of the videos I see are from Carrs Hill, a road I've not cycled on in 10 years, because it's totally unsuitable for cyclists.

I'm well aware that cyclists HAVE EVERY RIGHT etc but the point is that that road is the only route between Carrigaline/Ringaskiddy and Cork city/pretty much everywhere else. It is extremely busy, 100km speed limit and not wide enough to overtake on and honestly, it's not fair to other road users to cycle on it. Instead of taking the many parallel, quieter roads leading to Donnybrook or Douglas, he chooses to go on that road, and I'm convinced it's for StickyBottle and Jeremy Vine retweets. Yes, he has every right to go on that road, but a little give and take helps.

THIS. My mrs is learning to drive, she wouldn't drive Carr's hill, never mind cycle it, yet he chooses to cycle it on almost a daily basis. There are far more pleasant options that take pretty much the same length of time but righttobikeit won't get any youtube likes from going the other options.
Yeah, it's his right to cycle where he wants but I think we all want to get home safe when we hit the roads and have a choice to make about route options, he chooses the most difficult routes so that he can upload to youtube, he looks for trouble, safety is way down his priority list. I now take any legitimate videos of his with a pinch of salt unfortunately.

To put it in other words, in Cork he'd be known as a langer.

km991148 · 11-03-2021 8:20pm

Of course, now I've ended up watching a good few of his videos..

Some are funny enough. The entitled 'doctors' in the Volvo and nabbing Guy Ritchie were kinda funny..

Still think it's only a matter of time before he gets a kicking and no need for the attitude..

AndrewJRenko · 12-03-2021 12:34am

Seve OB wrote: »

Any of you guys seen this fellas You Tube channel and whatever other platform he posts on? I'm all for seeing road users who break the laws/rules get punished, but this guy goes way to far. I should point out before anyone gets the wrong impression that I do believe if someone is breaking the law they should be punished. While I have absolutely no sympathy for some of these drivers, it's Mickeys attitude and the way he goes about his business and some of his "collars" is what I despise.

The first few of his videos which I seen left me kind of impressed with him to be honest, but that's because they were genuine enough going about his daily business and coming across absolute assholes.

But then you look at what he actually does, he has targeted a few locations where he can shoot some fish in a barrel. He purposely just goes out to catch motorists breaking the law, which some will commend him for and some of the absolute tossers he has caught most definitely deserved their punishment, but most of them are quite innocent and Mickey is just on a bit of a power trip. He cycles up and down gridlocked traffic to try and catch someone who might be checking their messages/maps whatever. These are stationary cars who are not moving anywhere. He sneaks up on them and if they don't twig him looking through their window he might read out their text/private information. He calls out their reg number in the phonetic alphabet as if he is on the Bill. He stands behind bushes with his helmet cam on ready to jump out at unsuspecting road users. He speaks to them like he is their superior.

I am surprised I haven't seen any comments on his videos which slate him off for what he does, but I guess he probably just gets them deleted. I have only seen one video of his where someone shouted some stick at him for doing what he does. I'm surprised he hasn't had more threats, although maybe he just keeps those clips to himself or I'd say it would be more likely that he is trying to get people prosecuted for threating behaviour.

I'm surprised he hasn't been slapped around a bit or had his bike nicked (although maybe he has). All in all, I find him to be a very unlikable person, slithery and sneaky.

What do you think of him and they way he conducts his operations?

Just to be clear, when you say "quite innocent", you mean "deliberately breaking traffic laws", right?

I think you've made up the bit about him reading out private information, am I right?

Seve OB · 12-03-2021 12:51am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I think you've made up the bit about him reading out private information, am I right?

Nope

AndrewJRenko · 12-03-2021 12:52am

Seve OB wrote: »

Nope

Can you link to the video in question please?

Seve OB · 12-03-2021 12:58am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Can you link to the video in question please?

I’ve seen him do it on more than a few occasions. I’m not searching through his stuff looking for it or I’d be looking for hours

AndrewJRenko · 12-03-2021 6:12am

Seve OB wrote: »

I’ve seen him do it on more than a few occasions. I’m not searching through his stuff looking for it or I’d be looking for hours

So you did make it up then.

He will often state what activity is being done on the phone, which is a relevant factor for prosecution under UK law - he's Whatsapping or he's doing email or whatever. He's never breached privacy.

Wishbone Ash · 12-03-2021 7:22am

Macer123 wrote: »

... he told a driver using a mobile phone while driving that his father had been killed by a drunk driver. He continued and equated drink driving with driving while using a mobile. This maybe his motivation !!!

breezy1985 wrote: »

4 times more likely to crash when driving and using your phone according to the RSA.....

4 times more likely than who/what?

4 times more likely to crash compared to sober drivers not using a phone or 4 times more likely to crash compared to drunk drivers?

AndrewJRenko · 12-03-2021 8:21am

km991148 wrote: »

The problem with a lot of these clips is that by 'raising awareness' or catching people in a way that gets people's back up (i.e. name calling someone an arrogant phone using idiot etc) is that you ultimately make thing's worse. The driver who has an argument with a cyclist trying to uphold the law without authority isn't suddenly going to change their ways or look at their own behaviour and certainly won't be sympathetic towards people cycling (and probably more likely to be more aggressive towards cyclists in the future).

I'm not saying think about the poor offenders feelings or anything. By all means report those close passes and all the other crap. But don't go out your way to antagonise.

Same question as Seve - can you link to an example of where he calls people arrogant or gets into an argument please? He appears to be remarkably calm under significant pressure in his videos that I've seen.

km991148 · 12-03-2021 8:48am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Same question as Seve - can you link to an example of where he calls people arrogant or gets into an argument please? He appears to be remarkably calm under significant pressure in his videos that I've seen.

He regularly chases people down for a chat. Often calm but sometimes passive aggressive. Seem him chase down a fella when he was on the eBike. Called him a wanker and followed on for s good bit to shout through the window.

Film and report, great. Calmly explain what you are doing if asked fine. Taunting people and trying to engage with them after has less value and often a negative effect.

(You asked for the example if where he called someone arrogant. I didn't bookmark it at the time and I've watched too many of his videos at this stage to remember. From memory it was off the long cycle lane and not gandalf corner, but he does it often enough. I'm not disputing phone use is arrogant or entitled btw just that telling someone that after catching them out is likely to achieve nothing other that an argument and a lasting impression that cyclists are areoles - oh and maybe some self validation. What it will not do is suddenly correct the behaviour of the driver)

AndrewJRenko · 12-03-2021 8:52am

km991148 wrote: »

He regularly chases people down for a chat. Often calm but sometimes passive aggressive. Seem him chase down a fella when he was on the eBike. Called him a wanker and followed on for s good bit to shout through the window.

Film and report, great. Calmly explain what you are doing if asked fine. Taunting people and trying to engage with them after has less value and often a negative effect.

Can you link to that video please?

Cycling Mikey

Comments