# Brian Cooke of TFL claims cyclists are freeloaders.



## glenn forger (3 Jan 2015)

https://twitter.com/BrianCookeBeck/status/551329127329173504

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*Brian Cooke*‏@BrianCookeBeck
@BristolCyclist @VincentStops irrelevant. They pay lots in taxes that help pay. Cyclists pay virtually zilch.


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## Hip Priest (3 Jan 2015)

Brian Cock more like.


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## phil_hg_uk (3 Jan 2015)

By the looks of it brian would benefit from getting out on a bike himself.


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## downfader (3 Jan 2015)

He's been threatening to sue a number of riders on twitter for "deformation"


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## dodgy (3 Jan 2015)

He's getting completely demolished on Twitter by fact and reason. But it won't make any difference, the cronies at TFL will likely still look after their own.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (3 Jan 2015)

What an embarrassment.


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## Bollo (3 Jan 2015)

phil_hg_uk said:


> By the looks of it brian would benefit from getting out on a bike himself.


Separated at birth? (or hatching? I don't know how Hutts, or tfl board members are born)


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## Pale Rider (3 Jan 2015)

All Cooke seems to be saying is motoring is more heavily taxed than cycling.

It's a banal observation, but hardly an offensive one.


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## 400bhp (3 Jan 2015)

downfader said:


> He's been threatening to sue a number of riders on twitter for "deformation"



Looks like he deformed himself by over eating.


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## BrynCP (3 Jan 2015)

> They pay lots in taxes that help pay. Cyclists pay virtually zilch.




New tax band? Cyclist, 0%?
Wear your helmet or Lycra to the shops and pay 0 VAT?

I rarely spend my money, but since taking up cycling Wiggle et al have collected a lot of VAT off me! That'll be in addition to five figure income tax bill.


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## deptfordmarmoset (3 Jan 2015)

Pale Rider said:


> All Cooke seems to be saying is motoring is more heavily taxed than cycling.
> 
> It's a banal observation, but hardly an offensive one.


A TfL board member who doesn't have the slightest idea how the roads of his city are funded. That is a deep insult to the people he's pretending to represent. And he's now trying to wheedle his way out of his stupidity by saying there are few cars that pay no VED. That's few cars that produce small enough emissions. He really doesn't have a clue.


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## phil_hg_uk (3 Jan 2015)

User14044mountain said:


> I pay taxes....council taxes, VED taxes, income taxes, tax on booze, VAT etc etc etc........and I'm a cyclist.



I don't use taxis


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## snorri (3 Jan 2015)

I would say Brian has the expertise and knowledge to write a helpful book for cyclists, it could be titled "The Cyclists Guide to Cake Stops in Britain"


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## glenn forger (3 Jan 2015)

£18 grand a year he gets.


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## deptfordmarmoset (3 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> £18 grand a year he gets.


And, could you guess it, free transport....

With effect from 1 August 2004, the basic fee is £18,000 per annum. Additional fees are paid for each appointment to a Subordinate Body, up to a maximum payment of £24,000 per annum.

The additional fees are paid at the rate of £2,000 per annum as a member and £4,000 per annum as the Chair, of a Subordinate Body. Most members also receive free travel for themselves and a nominee valid on TfL transport business areas. ​So, for paying ''zilch'' he gets to criticise cyclists for freeloading, and after getting himself sacked from TravelLondon for inappropriate political activity (campaigning for Boris) he gets rewarded by Boris with a paying post on the board. Another Conservative activist, all guns blazing for free enterprise, prizing money from the public purse.


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## glenn forger (3 Jan 2015)

It's not funny. He controls budgets. He's a fat controller, ha ha! It's not funny.


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## glenn forger (3 Jan 2015)

Here's Mr Cooke making friends on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/OrpingtonGossip/posts/363189210481559


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## Drago (3 Jan 2015)

I pay North of £1200 a month income tax an NI. How in the name of Jesus H. Cameron is that "freeloading"?

Fat pie munching git.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (3 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> Here's Mr Cooke making friends on facebook:
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/OrpingtonGossip/posts/363189210481559


Wow such a terrible attitude and language. I used to expect more from people in power. Then as I grew up I realised that I was just naive.


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## Bollo (3 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> £18 grand a year he gets.


He likes to call it "lunch".


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## confusedcyclist (3 Jan 2015)

I wish being a cyclist meant I didn't have to contribute to the public's coffers, I'd be significantly better off. Still, even with the tax paid, I'm still better off than Jabba... I mean Cooke. Good job riding a bike makes me a infinitely more attractive than this muppet.


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## Pale Rider (3 Jan 2015)

Drago said:


> I pay North of £1200 a month income tax an NI..



Aye, and in a year or two we'll be paying you a six figure lumper and a couple of grand a month - for life - for you to sit on your backside.

Not that police pensions are absurdly generous or unaffordable.

You do, after all, contribute a whole 12 per cent of salary.

And I'm sure everyone thinks you're worth it.


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## confusedcyclist (3 Jan 2015)

Seem's he's 'Cooke'd up quite a storm...


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## glenn forger (3 Jan 2015)

This bloke's a complete idiot:

@tomstaniford @VincentStops Tom. When did I say that I didn't. Frankly you are the Buffon who can't read

@tomstaniford Tom you are a liar. I never said that. Be very careful you are close to deformation by your lies


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## Drago (3 Jan 2015)

Pale Rider said:


> Aye, and in a year or two we'll be paying you a six figure lumper and a couple of grand a month - for life - for you to sit on your backside.
> 
> Not that police pensions are absurdly generous or unaffordable.
> You do, after all, contribute a whole 12 per cent of salary.
> ...


15% as it happens. I'll get an ok pension because I'm paying 500 quid a month into it, and for no other reason. No such thing as a free lunch.

Unless you work for TFL.


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## Accy cyclist (4 Jan 2015)

Another "cyclists don't pay tax" dummkopf!


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## The Jogger (4 Jan 2015)

He looks a big bit like Eric Pickles, I wonder are they from the same stable. .....


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## The Jogger (4 Jan 2015)

I wonder does he think that people who take up more space on buses should pay more?


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## Fab Foodie (4 Jan 2015)

The Jogger said:


> He looks a big bit like Eric Pickles, I wonder are they from the same stable Trough .....


There, that's better ....


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## Drago (4 Jan 2015)

He looks like he's eaten Eric Pickles.


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## Booyaa (4 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> https://twitter.com/BrianCookeBeck/status/551329127329173504
> 
> User Actions
> Follow
> ...


Where does he say that?


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## deptfordmarmoset (4 Jan 2015)

Drago said:


> He looks like he's eaten Eric Pickles.


Pickles was just the accompaniment.


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## glenn forger (4 Jan 2015)

Booyaa said:


> Where does he say that?



On Twitter. He seems to have form for being mad on the internet, he had a sort of meltdown and started threatening to sue everyone.


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## downfader (4 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> On Twitter. He seems to have form for being mad on the internet, he had a sort of meltdown and started threatening to sue everyone.



Hmmm has Brian deleted a load of tweets? Conversations no longer link up.... (could be my browser)


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## Shut Up Legs (4 Jan 2015)

downfader said:


> Hmmm has Brian deleted a load of tweets? Conversations no longer link up.... (could be my browser)


I just had a quick look at his Twitter page, and he's getting quite a battering! Serves him right, though, for posting such rubbish in the first place.


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## downfader (4 Jan 2015)

victor said:


> I just had a quick look at his Twitter page, and he's getting quite a battering! Serves him right, though, for posting such rubbish in the first place.



The way he responded I did wonder if it was a genuine account. After reading on a bit it appears it was him... bit depressing isnt it...


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## Pale Rider (4 Jan 2015)

As the poster who - a bit mischievously - raised Drago's pension, I would like to give him the thumbs up for the way he's dealt with the discussion.

Plenty of members on here would have got very huffy in his position.

*MOD NOTE:
The posts to which this refers have been Deleted, in order to avoid a 2-topics-in-one-thread situation.

This post has been left, to demonstrate that CC folk can be civil, polite .... sometimes even when disagreeing with one another. 
*
Those who wish to re-start the discussion on Police and other pensions, please start a new thread.

Thank you.


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## hopless500 (4 Jan 2015)

User14044mountain said:


> I pay taxes....council taxes, VED taxes, income taxes, tax on booze, VAT etc etc etc........and I'm a cyclist.


That's why people like him are so damned irritating. Do they thing we all wear hessian, live in tents, eat carrots and do nothing but cycle??


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## Dogtrousers (4 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> Old bill's pension arrangements are fascinating and deserve their own thread.


Indeed. Perhaps not on one of the cycling related boards.


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## Leodis (4 Jan 2015)

The guy is a fat self-gratification artist.


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## gbb (4 Jan 2015)

Brian Cooke claims cyclists are freeloaders eh....
Thats alright...I don't care a flying fook what he thinks


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## jefmcg (7 Jan 2015)

I thought the name was familiar when I just saw it. Has he got some sort of ... um ... <searches for political correct word> ... learning disability?


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## derrick (7 Jan 2015)

Why does twitter attract so many twats?


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## raleighnut (7 Jan 2015)

Wonder what Boris thinks of his comments


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## downfader (7 Jan 2015)

derrick said:


> Why does twitter attract so many twats?


No he's all over facebook too, making crass comment to others (not just cyclists - see above)


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## albion (7 Jan 2015)

Makes you really wonder how the team is made up, what with that other guy, Peter Anderson's company actively lobbying against cycling.

https://tompride.wordpress.com/2014...ll-decide-funding-for-cycling-super-highways/


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## User16625 (7 Jan 2015)

Hip Priest said:


> Brian Cock more like.



Isnt he a sciencist?


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## glenn forger (7 Jan 2015)

albion said:


> Makes you really wonder how the team is made up, what with that other guy, Peter Anderson's company actively lobbying against cycling.
> 
> https://tompride.wordpress.com/2014...ll-decide-funding-for-cycling-super-highways/



Plus three cabbie lobbyists.


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## glenn forger (8 Jan 2015)

UPDATE: Cooke deleted the "cow" tweet on Wednesday evening and earlier today deleted his Twitter account.

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/tf...-contribute-virtually-nothing-to-roads/017305


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## glenn forger (12 Jan 2015)

*TfL says board member should be "more restrained" after he called Twitter user "lying cow"*
Remarks didn't call "into question Mr Cooke's suitability" for TfL board, says organisation.


http://road.cc/content/news/140295-...-more-restrained-after-he-called-twitter-user


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## albion (17 Jan 2015)

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/tf...-contribute-virtually-nothing-to-roads/017305

"Last week Cooke – who describes himself as "strong Conservative" and was sacked as boss of TravelWatch for making a pro-Boris political statement in the last mayoral election"


Goes without saying why he got the cushy TFL job in the first place.


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2015)

He disappeared from Twitter then popped up again to slag off Scottish people. I don't mean to be unkind but he seems amazingly thick.


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## dodgy (17 Jan 2015)

He didn't exactly 'slag' off Scottish people, did he?


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2015)

Yes.


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## dodgy (17 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> Yes.



Thanks for that informative post. What did he say?


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2015)

He slagged off the Scotch. It says so in my post.


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## dodgy (17 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> He slagged off the *Scotch*. It says so in my post.



You mean 'Scots'.

Are you having trouble understanding my posts?

Are you angry again?


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## glenn forger (17 Jan 2015)

How come you reckon what he said wasn't offensive if you have no idea what he said?


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## albion (17 Jan 2015)

Scotch?

Must have been Bells.


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## jefmcg (17 Jan 2015)

Must have be pretty offensive. His account has been deleted. The google cache doesn't have anything interesting


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## Dave Davenport (17 Jan 2015)

As a middle aged male with fond memories of the early 80's female dance troupe Hot Gossip, I must say I was rather disappointed after clicking on the link to Orpington Gossip.


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## dodgy (17 Jan 2015)

glenn forger said:


> How come you reckon what he said wasn't offensive if you have no idea what he said?



Because I was incredulous that he might be off again and wanted to know what he said! This is why I asked you what he said, but as usual you get all defensive!


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## atbman (17 Jan 2015)

The Jogger said:


> He looks a big bit like Eric Pickles, I wonder are they from the same stable. .....


 
There wouldn't be room


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