Live blog: Kensington and Chelsea turned against cycle lane after 450 emails; Video - Cyclist won't let motorist take shortcut down wrong side of the road, then the police turn up; MSPs vote against 20mph speed limit + more

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

I'm not generally a fan of deliberate confrontation, and with the wrong driver it could end very badly but my hat is doffed to Mikey - That is a thing of beauty. It could not have panned out better with plod turning up when they did, the driver getting a fine, points and a nice self inflicted dent as a wonderful reminder of the incident every time he looks at it.

Except that the only thing of which it will remind him will be the fackin' cyclist who got in his fackin' way when he wasn't fackin' doin' nuffink wrong, innit?

From now, until the day that he draws his last breath, that selfish c**t will never accept that he has done anything wrong.  He is simply the 'victim' of a 'vigilante' cyclist.  Of a 'lycra lout' who 'thinks he owns the road', but who 'doesn't know the difference between red and green', and who 'is always on the fackin' pavement'.  And all of this without payin' no fackin' road tax. 

And all of his friends will nod sympathetically, and tell him what he should have done to that 'cant', if the Old Bill hadn't turned up when it did. 

I am constantly amazed that so many commentators on road.cc appear to completely underestimate the depth of the enraged, visceral hatred that the British driving public has for the British cyclist.  

I have to agree, this action just promotes an us and them conflict.

I'd like to see Mikey discarding his cycling gear and doing this as a concerned citizen rather than as a cyclist.

Or better still involve the police. 

bikeman01 wrote:

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

I'm not generally a fan of deliberate confrontation, and with the wrong driver it could end very badly but my hat is doffed to Mikey - That is a thing of beauty. It could not have panned out better with plod turning up when they did, the driver getting a fine, points and a nice self inflicted dent as a wonderful reminder of the incident every time he looks at it.

Except that the only thing of which it will remind him will be the fackin' cyclist who got in his fackin' way when he wasn't fackin' doin' nuffink wrong, innit?

From now, until the day that he draws his last breath, that selfish c**t will never accept that he has done anything wrong.  He is simply the 'victim' of a 'vigilante' cyclist.  Of a 'lycra lout' who 'thinks he owns the road', but who 'doesn't know the difference between red and green', and who 'is always on the fackin' pavement'.  And all of this without payin' no fackin' road tax. 

And all of his friends will nod sympathetically, and tell him what he should have done to that 'cant', if the Old Bill hadn't turned up when it did. 

I am constantly amazed that so many commentators on road.cc appear to completely underestimate the depth of the enraged, visceral hatred that the British driving public has for the British cyclist.  

I have to agree, this action just promotes an us and them conflict.

Oh, no.  That's not what I'm saying.    The 'them and us' mentality exists, but very little of it is fed by cyclists, or - despite somewhat bizarre claims to the contrary - by road.cc. 

The British driver sees himself as a victim.   He is utterly convinced that road traffic laws are too harsh (and genuinely does not see the de facto - and often de jure - impunity with which he cuts a swathe through the British landscape, killing animals, people and the environment on his way), and that he is a 'cash cow' for the British exchequer.    One of his main allies in this plaintive whining about how he's hard done to, is the right-wing press - which in 21st century Britain, is essentially 'all of the press'.  

The myth of the 'war on the motorist' didn't just materialise out of thin air.  Nor was it coined by the car drivers, most of whom are too demonstrably thick to conjure up anything more imaginative than 'pay fackin' road tax!' as they whizz past at 50 mph in a 20 mph zone, safe in the knowledge that plod won't do anything because most of them don't give a flying shit, and because the ones who do, have been roped into sitting in front of a PC every day by their inspector, checking to see whether any comedians have dared to say anything derogatory about Nigel Farage.  

The right-wing press in the UK - with the Daily Mail, the Sun and the Express at the forefront - can only be described as utterly evil, and their profitable contracts with the Road Haulage Association, the automobile manufacturers and the petrochemical multinationals, are what pushes them to champion the most destructive means of mass transportation that our species has yet invented, to the detriment of anyone who thinks that he or she can get about without an internal combustion engine. 

So no.  They don't hate us because of what this guy does.  They hate us because we exist. 

bikeman01 wrote:

...

I have to agree, this action just promotes an us and them conflict.

I'd like to see Mikey discarding his cycling gear and doing this as a concerned citizen rather than as a cyclist.

Or better still involve the police. 

It IS 'us and them' and no amount of wishful thinking or bemoaning the sterling efforts of folks like Mikey will resolve that. I've spoken about it on Twitter when this video originally appeared. I hit that blind left hand corner many times a week as part of my commute and as part of 100's of cyclists chainganging Regents Park.  If that driver and everyone he's already nicked did that infront of a crew on that corner it would be ugly. Mikey is stopping serious incidents from happening. For that he has my respect.

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

Except that the only thing of which it will remind him will be the fackin' cyclist who got in his fackin' way when he wasn't fackin' doin' nuffink wrong, innit?

From now, until the day that he draws his last breath, that selfish c**t will never accept that he has done anything wrong.  He is simply the 'victim' of a 'vigilante' cyclist.  Of a 'lycra lout' who 'thinks he owns the road', but who 'doesn't know the difference between red and green', and who 'is always on the fackin' pavement'.  And all of this without payin' no fackin' road tax. 

And all of his friends will nod sympathetically, and tell him what he should have done to that 'cant', if the Old Bill hadn't turned up when it did. 

I am constantly amazed that so many commentators on road.cc appear to completely underestimate the depth of the enraged, visceral hatred that the British driving public has for the British cyclist.  

Exactly this.

Out on bike on Wednesday doing a couple of errands. Taking the lane on quiet residential road, as cars parked on the right, so no space to overtake - van driver behind me revving engine in an intimidating way trying to get me to move over to let him pass, despite red traffic lights ahead - narrow bridge - and a couple of other cars already waiting there. The lights went green as we approached, but more of the same conditions past the bridge until turning onto main road. Driver finally had room to safely get past, but busy making "wanker" signs at me for holding him up for a few seconds over less than 0.1 of a mile!

While good on him for taking a stand and preventing some possible head-on collisions, with both other vehicles and cyclists, I agree with Hirstute and Morgoth - you've made your point, now let the police deal with it, before someone really gives you a kicking or, like Legs suggests, he takes it out on another cyclist somewhere else with worse consequences.

LastBoyScout wrote:

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

Except that the only thing of which it will remind him will be the fackin' cyclist who got in his fackin' way when he wasn't fackin' doin' nuffink wrong, innit?

From now, until the day that he draws his last breath, that selfish c**t will never accept that he has done anything wrong.  He is simply the 'victim' of a 'vigilante' cyclist.  Of a 'lycra lout' who 'thinks he owns the road', but who 'doesn't know the difference between red and green', and who 'is always on the fackin' pavement'.  And all of this without payin' no fackin' road tax. 

And all of his friends will nod sympathetically, and tell him what he should have done to that 'cant', if the Old Bill hadn't turned up when it did. 

I am constantly amazed that so many commentators on road.cc appear to completely underestimate the depth of the enraged, visceral hatred that the British driving public has for the British cyclist.  

Exactly this.

Out on bike on Wednesday doing a couple of errands. Taking the lane on quiet residential road, as cars parked on the right, so no space to overtake - van driver behind me revving engine in an intimidating way trying to get me to move over to let him pass, despite red traffic lights ahead - narrow bridge - and a couple of other cars already waiting there. The lights went green as we approached, but more of the same conditions past the bridge until turning onto main road. Driver finally had room to safely get past, but busy making "wanker" signs at me for holding him up for a few seconds over less than 0.1 of a mile!

While good on him for taking a stand and preventing some possible head-on collisions, with both other vehicles and cyclists, I agree with Hirstute and Morgoth - you've made your point, now let the police deal with it, before someone really gives you a kicking or, like Legs suggests, he takes it out on another cyclist somewhere else with worse consequences.

No, I think more people should do it.  I just think that if you're going to do it, then make sure you're able to defend yourself when the inevitable attack comes from the self-entitled, verminous dog called 'the British driver'.   Whether that's a weapon or your fists, is up to you.  

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

... the only thing of which it will remind him will be the fackin' cyclist who got in his fackin' way when he wasn't fackin' doin' nuffink wrong, innit?

I can see your point.  I think that driver honestly has no idea what he did that was wrong...  FFS he's even trying to argue the point to the police! 

Pity Mikey wasn't holding a d-lock when he fell onto the bloke's bonnet...

hirsute wrote:

Fair enough refusing to get out of the way on your normal journey but I'm not sure of the wisdom of hiding up in the bushes. He's going to end up getting lumped by someone.

According to the Youtube video a cyclist was hit by a van whose driver was performing this very maneouver, at this location.  If he is willing to invest his time into this, I think it is admirable.

jh27 wrote:

hirsute wrote:

Fair enough refusing to get out of the way on your normal journey but I'm not sure of the wisdom of hiding up in the bushes. He's going to end up getting lumped by someone.

 

According to the Youtube video a cyclist was hit by a van whose driver was performing this very maneouver, at this location.  If he is willing to invest his time into this, I think it is admirable.

I don't dipute any of that, I just think he is going to come unstuck with this tactic when he meets a rabid driver.

He was fortunate the Police turned up when they did, although why the driver was not marched off for assault is unclear. The Police need to be more proactive in this spot.

What is the video btw ?

hirsute wrote:

jh27 wrote:

hirsute wrote:

Fair enough refusing to get out of the way on your normal journey but I'm not sure of the wisdom of hiding up in the bushes. He's going to end up getting lumped by someone.

 

According to the Youtube video a cyclist was hit by a van whose driver was performing this very maneouver, at this location.  If he is willing to invest his time into this, I think it is admirable.

I don't dipute any of that, I just think he is going to come unstuck with this tactic when he meets a rabid driver.

He was fortunate the Police turned up when they did, although why the driver was not marched off for assault is unclear. The Police need to be more proactive in this spot.

What is the video btw ?

Sorry, it was in the description of this video, on YouTube.  Looking more closely, it doesn't say specifically that it was at this location.

-- Update, in one of the YouTube comments, Mikey clarifies:

"Only about 40 minutes. This guy turned up in the first 5 minutes. Didn't get anyone else because unsurprisingly nobody dares to do that with a police car there. With the Doctors video I got 6 drivers in about 40 minutes that day. The reason I'm waiting for these drivers is that this is a notorious blackspot, and a cyclist was knocked off here recently by a van driver doing the same shortcut. Lots of the Regents Park cyclists are complaining about these idiots and have had close calls with them."

jh27 wrote:

It was in the description of this video, on YouTube.  Looking more closely, it doesn't say specifically that it was at this location.

It's moot now as we have this post which covers the same scenario.

shishman wrote:

A motorcyclist doing exactly the same thing (ignoring a keep left sign) trying to save a 'few seconds' hit my wife as she crossed the road with her bike to get to the island. 

The result is that she now has a knee replacement and has been medically retired from her job.

There is simply NO excuse for ignoring these signs.

hirsute wrote:

Fair enough refusing to get out of the way on your normal journey but I'm not sure of the wisdom of hiding up in the bushes. He's going to end up getting lumped by someone.

Is he, what probability over getting rammed/sid swiped/driven over whilst cycling on the roads?

I've been waiting over 30 years for a motorist to not just get out their motor and give it a gob full of shite but for them to get physical, they are ALL gutless cretins, that includes the young pups in their 20s/30s, big mouths and that's it.

It does all depend on your background and your mentality as to how far you'll go/stand up, it's been a very, very long time since I had a fight and for that I am thankful because these things can and do end really badly. I know that some people will carry a weapon but for me I think if you're gonna start brandishing a blade/bat/lump of metal or start throwing punches then you'd better know what you're doing because  if that's how it's going to be then it will be no holds barred. I guess I'm one of the fight persons but I fully respect those that flight, there's no shame in it whatsoever, it is an equally valid option, we all have our choices to make rightly or wrongly for our own preservation AND our own mental well being.

I just think the chances of getting lumped/stabbed/battered with a lump of metal/bat is massively more remote than getting struck on the roads by a motorist using an even bigger weapon.

ATEOTD you can't not applaud him and IMHO it's everyone's right to protect other human beings from harm, whether that be directly or indirectly.

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

I just think the chances of getting lumped/stabbed/battered with a lump of metal/bat is massively more remote than getting struck on the roads by a motorist using an even bigger weapon.

Sure, in the course of a normal journey.

I think the odds change a bit if you hid up in bushes looking for trouble.