# The Traffic Droid.



## dawesome (22 Sep 2011)

Mentioned here:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23989720-cyclists-crusade-to-film-danger-drivers.do

I searched on Youtube and found a few:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNZVj29jDOA



View: http://www.youtube.com/user/SonofthewindsInc#p/u/42/Y6nmayb1ycY


He's got that really polite Nigerian accent!


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## Melonfish (22 Sep 2011)

watching that first vid i swear all i can shout is "GET OUT THE DOOR ZONE!!!"


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## BSRU (22 Sep 2011)

I have been a subscriber to his channel for a while, not just showing bad driving but other things of note/interest on his journey to/from work.


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## BSRU (22 Sep 2011)

I note the Association of British Drivers representative not seeming best pleased.


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## subaqua (22 Sep 2011)

I love the comment at the bottom of the ES article

"Roger Lawson, London co-ordinator for the Association of British Drivers, said: "There are a lot more aggressive cyclists than drivers." "


no doubt a bloke who puts Adam Rayner on his Christmas card list


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## dawesome (22 Sep 2011)

BSRU said:


> I have been a subscriber to his channel for a while, not just showing bad driving but other things of note/interest on his journey to/from work.



Like beautiful young girls blowing him kisses!


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## BentMikey (22 Sep 2011)

BSRU said:


> I note the Association of British Drivers representative not seeming best pleased.



Are they not the same sort of level of cockwomble as SafeSpeed? Not a reputable pair of organisations, I think.


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## dawesome (22 Sep 2011)

BentMikey said:


> Are they not the same sort of level of cockwomble as SafeSpeed? Not a reputable pair of organisations, I think.



Yep, the ABD copy and past Safespeed lies on their website. 
Basically they are extreme libertarians, they oppose measures proven to save lives and defend the silly boy racers who blight our roads.


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## Dan_h (22 Sep 2011)

I do watch some of these videos and I follow the traffic droid on twitter but sometimes I can't help but feel that he is making the situation worse. The BMW driver for example certainly should have stopped at the crossing but by chasing him and then throwing something through the window on the way past he is clearly winding up the driver and putting himself at risk. We already know he was not a good driver to start with from his initial actions!

I am sure we have all seen examples of bad driving and many of us do every day. I gave up commuting by car because the other drivers used to wind me up too much, oddly their bad driving gets me less angry when I am on my bike! 

I am just not sure that the TD is not making the situation worse in some cases (and perhaps giving the impression that cyclist are in fact totally mad!).


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## gaz (22 Sep 2011)

He is certainly a unique character on the road, and i enjoy watching some of his videos.
But I'm not a fan of the way he doesn't report dangerous road users to the police or to their bodies. For example a bus driver gave him an extreamly close pass but he did nothing about it. What is the point in that when you have a video camera and the fantastic facilites in London to easily report such stupid driving to both the police and TFL.




> a one-man war against bad drivers


Strong words and there certainly isn't one of us.


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## Origamist (24 Sep 2011)

I have seen this chap - he's easy to spot with a GoPro strapped to his helmet. I worry when he "chats" to drivers though (I know Mags, BM and Gaz do this) but the added dimension of the calling card treatment seems to particularly rile people.


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## Hip Priest (24 Sep 2011)

Dan_h said:


> I do watch some of these videos and I follow the traffic droid on twitter but sometimes I can't help but feel that he is making the situation worse. The BMW driver for example certainly should have stopped at the crossing but by chasing him and then throwing something through the window on the way past he is clearly winding up the driver and putting himself at risk. We already know he was not a good driver to start with from his initial actions!
> 
> I am sure we have all seen examples of bad driving and many of us do every day. I gave up commuting by car because the other drivers used to wind me up too much, oddly their bad driving gets me less angry when I am on my bike!
> 
> I am just not sure that the TD is not making the situation worse in some cases (and perhaps giving the impression that cyclist are in fact totally mad!).



I agree. The BMW driver was a cock for running through the crossing, but you just shake your head and get on with your day. By chasing him down (twice!) and starting an argument with his female passenger, you risk escalating things to the point where you could get hurt.

I just don't think it's worth it.


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## downfader (24 Sep 2011)

I like the guy - he comes across as a likeable bloke who actually gives a s*** for others. Perhaps this reflects in the way he wants to talk to people and doesnt want things to escalate to the Police level, I dont know.

He has the option of Roadsafe - we don't have that here in Hants. 

I'll be honest, I've pretty much stopped talking to drivers... I think BM and Gaz might have started to take this approach? It took me a while to realise the camera speaks for itself (which is why some spout rubbish on our vids).

You have to appreciate that he's going out there trying to connect and raise the profile of cycling and safety. Most cyclists are dangerously meek at a time when we need to educate ourselves and speak up a little more, and realise this isnt righteous or mouthy, but needed. I think his heart is in the right place.


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## gaz (25 Sep 2011)

downfader said:


> I'll be honest, I've pretty much stopped talking to drivers... I think BM and Gaz might have started to take this approach? It took me a while to realise the camera speaks for itself (which is why some spout rubbish on our vids).


I stopped a while back, just not worth it as it rarely has a positive effect. I only 'chat' to drivers if they start and even then I can't get a word in edge ways.


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## Origamist (25 Sep 2011)

gaz said:


> *I stopped a while back, just not worth it as it rarely has a positive effect.* I only 'chat' to drivers if they start and even then I can't get a word in edge ways.



I'd been telling you that for a couple of years!

I'll miss you "going live", but we'll still have your dulcet tones on silly cyclists


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## gaz (25 Sep 2011)

Origamist said:


> I'd been telling you that for a couple of years!
> 
> I'll miss you "going live", but we'll still have your dulcet tones on silly cyclists


 I'm sure there will be the odd case of a taxi driver getting out and shouting at me.


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## tiswas-steve (25 Sep 2011)

Hands up all those who soooo want to meet The Droid after seeing the vids where he just speaks to people and christened them his " soul brothers ".


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## downfader (25 Sep 2011)

tiswas-steve said:


> Hands up all those who soooo want to meet The Droid after seeing the vids where he just speaks to people and christened them his " soul brothers ".




Thats what I like - he gregarious in a way I can never be.


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## Crackle (25 Sep 2011)

He's an eccentric. If he wasn't doing this he'd be shoeing ducks around a park or something. Quite why this was worth a mention in the CTC newsletter is beyond me, perhaps they think he's somehow relevant because he rides a bike.


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## Crackle (25 Sep 2011)

[QUOTE 1554216"]
How does that work? 



[/quote]

 o e has his ways.


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## BentMikey (25 Sep 2011)

I think he's cool, if a little eccentric in a very good way. He's kind and caring about others, and I love some of the unusual and cool videos he comes up with.


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## Holdsworth (25 Sep 2011)

I have mixed opinions on his style of dealing with incidents. I applaud his calm and conservative attitude in situations where many of us may loose it; but on the other hand I don't like the way he flick his calling cards through windows etcetera, it isn't really necessary and can escalate relatively minor incidents. One example would be a recent video where R777 UFO went through the pedestrian crossing, fair enough he got the finger from the passenger and I would be pissed at that and probably had another chat down the road, but chucking the card through the window obviously made the driver see red and cut him up after the roundabout. He then wonders why he did that and seemed shocked, not really hard to see the reason for the driver's actions, even if they were over the top.

No need for actions in situations like that IMO.


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