# A proper ding dong in my local rag



## very-near (15 Jul 2009)

Link

Some 'interesting' attitudes being displayed in the comments 



> Yes I heard about this primary position.
> 
> I too do not recall reading anywhere in the highway code about preventing people over taking you?
> 
> ...


----------



## summerdays (15 Jul 2009)

I suspect he probably hasn't heard about what size of a gap he should leave when passing a cyclist either.

PS. the linky doesn't seem to work though


----------



## very-near (15 Jul 2009)

Try it again


----------



## theclaud (15 Jul 2009)

very-near said:


> Link
> 
> Some 'interesting' attitudes being displayed in the comments



Put 'em straight, then, Linf. Or are you already doing so?


----------



## summerdays (15 Jul 2009)

Works now... without knowing the correspondants but if its anything like the Bristol ones there are a couple of antagonists on there who seem to like winding each other up about bikes and every time bikes are mentioned in an article out they come to argue their respective blinkered corners.

In fact I went to check what was today's offering by them and a cyclist was knocked down by an ambulance. One quote from the comments:



> Let's face it, people - cyclists are the scourge of the city and the bane of pedestrian and drivers' lives. They run red lights, race through pedestrian crossings (when people are crossing them!), have total disregard and disrespect for anyone other than themselves, weave in and out of pedestrians (how many cyclist/pedestrian collisions/injuries have I seen over the past year - oh, how I've lost count!). *And they ring those stupid bells. And wear lycra. And eat lentils. *
> They're dangerous, they're a nuisance, and they're out of control. What worries me even more is the fact these self-important scrotes are being encouraged by the region's Cycling City status. As if we need any more of these cretins.



http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/home...lance-999/article-1167292-detail/article.html


----------



## parnes (15 Jul 2009)

yep, Summerdays, it's common:

Olympic chiefs ‘are only paying lip service’ to needs of cyclists

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...g+lip+service+to+needs+of+cyclists/article.do

The only lip service that should be paid to cyclists is a fat one.

*- Bj, London*


----------



## summerdays (15 Jul 2009)

Or there is another article about the Ghost bike that has appeared on the Portway and one comment is:


> IT WOULD BE MORE SUITED, TO MAKE IT LAW FOR ALL BIKES ON THE ROAD TO BE WHITE; IT WONT BE LONG UNTILL ANOTHER GHOST BIKE WILL BE PRESENT IN BRISTOL!
> Burchells Green,, Speedwell



Nice comment given that the father of that ghost bike is likely to read it.


----------



## Origamist (15 Jul 2009)

"Let's face it, people - cyclists are the scourge of the city and the bane of pedestrian and drivers' lives. They run red lights, race through pedestrian crossings (when people are crossing them!), have total disregard and disrespect for anyone other than themselves, weave in and out of pedestrians (how many cyclist/pedestrian collisions/injuries have I seen over the past year - oh, how I've lost count!). *And they ring those stupid bells. And wear lycra. And eat lentils. *
They're dangerous, they're a nuisance, and they're out of control. What worries me even more is the fact these self-important scrotes are being encouraged by the region's Cycling City status. As if we need any more of these cretins. "


*Confirmation bias – check; fundamental attribution error – check; grade A twat – check.*


----------



## summerdays (15 Jul 2009)

Actually there is yet a third bit to do with cycling today:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news...d-Bristol/article-1165980-detail/article.html

About hire bikes which has been criticised by cycle campaigners (and I can see why with few locations and nothing to stop vandalism).

and quotes from the comment section include:



> So cycling campaigners are now criticising cycling initiatives as well? Is there no end to their whingeing?
> 
> Perhaps the council could do us all a favour and fix the new hire-bikes with breaks that are activated by traffic lights: that way they'll be doing an actual public service by teaching these self righteous cycling campaigners a thing or two.
> Rob, Bedminster



and



> Kim - From my own experience and speaking for myself, cyclists do not terrorise pedestrians, but as a general rule are considerate to pedestrians.
> 
> Kim. I bet you just drive around in your car ALL THE TIME getting fat? Sounds like you are the sort of person to do that to me. Tell me I'm wrong


 (from one of the regular pro cycling wind up merchants)

If you ask me most of those people sound like they are about 8 and in the playground shouting taunts at each other.


----------



## very-near (15 Jul 2009)

> Can't be bothered to read them all. Same bunch of selfish nutters.
> 
> What did you post on there linf?



Nothing on this story, but I did on one run a couple of days ago. Nothing more or less than I'd post here really.


----------



## theclaud (16 Jul 2009)

very-near said:


> Nothing on this story, but I did on one run a couple of days ago. *Nothing more or less than I'd post here really*.



So you banged on about yoghurt-knitters, wind farms that kill llamas and the uselessness of the entire public sector? I hate to break it to you, Linf, but that's unlikely to have persuaded a lot of cyclist-haters to change their tiny minds...


----------



## very-near (16 Jul 2009)

theclaud said:


> So you banged on about yoghurt-knitters, wind farms that kill llamas and the uselessness of the entire public sector? I hate to break it to you, Linf, but that's unlikely to have persuaded a lot of cyclist-haters to change their tiny minds...



The problem as I see it is that more than a couple of yoghurt knitters here have taken up cycling as a vehicle for demonstrating their green credentials.
I personally don't like the hijack of cycling as it gives the impression that to cycle is to be someone who is actively 'saving the planet'.

I'd rather cycle because I like to.


----------



## parnes (16 Jul 2009)

very-near said:


> The problem as I see it is that more than a couple of yoghurt knitters here have taken up cycling as a vehicle for demonstrating their green credentials.
> I personally don't like the hijack of cycling as it gives the impression that to cycle is to be someone who is actively 'saving the planet'.
> 
> I'd rather cycle because I like to.



Classic linf, slag cyclists off but lack the courage to name them.

The Glouceshire story and all of you posts on this thread have nothing whatsoever to do with cycle campaigning.


----------



## 661-Pete (16 Jul 2009)

Personally I haven't the foggiest how to 'knit' yoghurt - the first stumbling-block appears to be the threading-it-on-the-needles bit. Perhaps someone can furnish me with a pattern and instructions? 

And many different thoughts go through my head, whilst I'm cycling. Some of them are private and not for this forum. Sometimes - yes - I do think about 'saving the planet' - why shouldn't I? Sometimes I look at my surroundings and think, what a wretched planet we live on. Sometimes: quite the opposite, I think, there are still beautiful things to see on this world of ours (I passed a good number of butterflies on the wing, on today's ride). Why shouldn't I?

As to this clutch of people who seem to make a career out of indiscriminately slanging off cyclists on the 'comments' columns - are they a threat: do they cause damage? I suppose it depends how much words translate into actions, or whether words alone are harmful. "_Stick and stones...._" - or is it?


----------



## mm101 (17 Jul 2009)

I don't condone RLG but it seems to me the usual drivers' rant about cyclists passing through red lights is only because they cannot do it without risking getting points and a fine

A bit rich for a motorist to tar all cyclists with the same brush. Do we not always hear about drivers always whinging on about the enforcement of speeding laws and parking regulations? The wailing and gnashing of teeth when God forbid another enforcement camera goes up? Or God forbid you should get a parking fine for parking where you shouldn't park. The speed limits are routinely ignored people think they have the God given right to drive at whatever speed they see fit.

I am cyclist and a motorist and much prefer cycling. Drivers are always banging on about the cost of fuel and the cost of motoring but isn't it the case that most journeys are are only about 2 miles in distance? Remember reading that but cannot remember the source. We as a nation have become lazy and soft. We cannot cycle or walk two miles? No driver sitting in traffic can complain about congestion because they are contributing to the problem.

I always see drivers as a frustrated lot. You cannot drive anywhere in this country without sitting in queues. Whether queueing at lights, getting in to the supermarket carpark - sitting in the car losing the will to live on a nice sunny bank holiday, because everyone had the same idea of going to the beach/countryside as you. Is exactly why i took up cycling. You can moan and whinge about it and blame others or try take control of your life and do something about it. 

For me cycling is the logical intelligent choice.


----------



## PBancroft (16 Aug 2009)

mm101 said:


> Drivers are always banging on about the cost of fuel and the cost of motoring but isn't it the case that most journeys are are only about 2 miles in distance? Remember reading that but cannot remember the source.



Not quite.


----------



## summerdays (16 Aug 2009)

Kaipaith said:


> Not quite.



Interesting graphs - I guess if you are getting in your car - you don't think I will go to the local shops ... instead I will go to the ones with the best parking/better shops etc. In education I have definitely seen that people seem to travel reasonable distances to get their kids into schools -even at primary school level and know of plenty of cases where the kids are transported past multiple schools to get to their one (in several cases half way across the city!!). 

We see it as our choice to be able to choose to not go to the nearest/local schools/shops etc but don't then recognise the outcome of our choice is congestion.


----------



## akaAndrew (16 Aug 2009)

661-Pete said:


> As to this clutch of people who seem to make a career out of indiscriminately slanging off cyclists on the 'comments' columns - are they a threat: do they cause damage? I suppose it depends how much words translate into actions, or whether words alone are harmful. "_Stick and stones...._" - or is it?



I'd say there is a 'drip drip drip' kind of damage. The continual condoning of such attitudes, either by reinforcing others or saying it to yourself over and over, I reckon could lead to action on the road. My guess is it's happening too. Mr Angry Driver feels justified in deliberately overtaking too closely, or cutting up, to redress the balance because his feelings of being treated unequally are endorsed by the similar attitudes of others.


----------



## 661-Pete (16 Aug 2009)

Kaipaith said:


> Not quite.


I wonder if the trends are now (i.e. in the years since 2002) moving downwards, seeing as we now have a recession?

Only one of the bars in that set of graphs nudges above ten miles. Is this a round trip (there-and-back) distance or point-to-point, I wonder. For even the least energetic of our cyclists, a ten-mile round trip would hardly be overly taxing. So all those 'average' journeys are within the cyclists's compass, even if they are over two miles.



akaAndrew said:


> Mr Angry Driver feels justified in deliberately overtaking too closely, or cutting up, to redress the balance because his feelings of being treated unequally are endorsed by the similar attitudes of others.


This is what I feared. Though I don't see any evidence of it happening round my way - yet. There are plenty of DM and redtop readers in my area (judging by the queue in WH Smiths) - perhaps none of them gets beyond Page 3 (or whatever passes for correspondingly juicy bits in the DM) before turning at once to the sports. Serious stuff like cycling-related articles in an inside page, probably get passed over, along with the comments...


----------



## PBancroft (16 Aug 2009)

661-Pete said:


> I wonder if the trends are now (i.e. in the years since 2002) moving downwards, seeing as we now have a recession?



I have no evidence, but I doubt it. This is entirely subjective, but I think that people will still go shopping out of town - I wouldn't be surprised to find they travelled further to get to ASDA or Morrisons to save a few pennies over Waitrose or Sainsbury's.

Those still with a job (which is the majority of people, last time I checked) will still be working at the same place they probably did before the recession, and their kids will still be going to the same school.

Leisure is a slightly different beast, but even that I wouldn't be shocked to find people are driving further to enjoy the countryside for their "stay at home" breaks.



661-Pete said:


> Only one of the bars in that set of graphs nudges above ten miles. Is this a round trip (there-and-back) distance or point-to-point, I wonder. For even the least energetic of our cyclists, a ten-mile round trip would hardly be overly taxing. So all those 'average' journeys are within the cyclists's compass, even if they are over two miles.



I've lost track of the number of people who have stood mouth wide open when I tell them my commute is 10 miles. The stock response is the self detrimental "I couldn't even do one mile on a bike anymore." Despite how many times I tell them otherwise, very few people let that sink in.

A ten mile journey might not be overly taxing, but it doesn't mean that people don't imagine it that way. For some people, a long way is from the car park to their desk.


----------



## Lazy-Commuter (10 Sep 2009)

summerdays said:


> Interesting graphs - I guess if you are getting in your car - you don't think I will go to the local shops ... instead I will go to the ones with the best parking/better shops etc. In education I have definitely seen that people seem to travel reasonable distances to get their kids into schools -even at primary school level and know of plenty of cases where the kids are transported past multiple schools to get to their one (in several cases half way across the city!!).
> 
> *We see it as our choice to be able to choose to not go to the nearest/local schools/shops etc but don't then recognise the outcome of our choice is congestion.*


Probably the best example of that was a letter from somone to the local rag down here in deepest darkest Kent, who'd recently moved into the area and was complaining about the congestion / lack of parking and so forth. 

And then went on to say that the situation was so bad that they did their shopping back in Reading where they'd moved from, and still worked. 

(Fair enough, people can live / work wherever they wish, but it seems a bit off to move into a densely populated area, moan about how busy it is and then make the situation worse by commuting 80+ miles each way every day on a notoriously busy road!!)

And kaipath is also speaking truth: for many, it IS a long way from the car park to their desk. One of my colleagues will quite happily drive 2 miles to / from work each day (it would be 1 mile if he walked - shorter route round some lakes) and then moan about the traffic.


----------

