A sad day yesterday ... another cyclist killed on our roads

[glasgowcyclist]

unless the circumstances are nailed on.

Oh PR, you are a card!

 

[monkers]

When I used the term 'in collision with' I never knew I was being controversial or dull. I hadn't sought to apportion blame to Helen or the driver of the van. I simply had tears in my eyes as I typed those words.

A week ago a car driver pulled out very suddenly from a standstill while I was on a small roundabout. I just about managed to avoid riding straight into the driver's door. I was going straight ahead, he was emerging from my left to turn left (his left) to leave by the same exit. I could see the back of his head clearly, he just hadn't looked, his head was turned away while he chatted to his passenger, then he just went. He then pulled up outside a shop, I decided to challenge him politely. He didn't believe that he hadn't looked, he denied nearly knocking me off, but then he spotted my riding companion, who then told him that he had pulled out. Without a trace of sincerity, he just said 'well, then I suppose I should apologise', but no actual apology followed. Then the passenger, who I took to be his wife, chimed in, saying 'don't apologise, it's their word against ours, two against two and there's nothing they can do'. Then the window went up and he looked away. Absolutely spineless detestable wretch of a man.

After another couple of miles, we were turning right on an urban road in an estate with a limit of 30mph. We were doing 22mph on our bikes, we checked behind, and moved out to the correct position. I made the turn, but there was a sudden squeal of tyres and the car behind her just about pulled up without rear-ending her. The gap was about an inch. I could see the phone in his hand.

A couple of miles after that a small van pulled out from my right. I could see he had seen me, but he just decided to come out anyway forcing me to scrub the kerb with my front wheel. At the tee junction ahead he was turning right, so I went on the inside (we were going left), I called out 'you very nearly had me off my bike', he just waved a dismissive hand and drove off.

Further on another van driver yelled at my companion to 'get off the road' and then close passed me forcing me off the road into the verge.

There is a cultural problem in this country (UK) of ours. It's not just a lack of care for cyclists, it is something deeper.

 

[Pale Rider]

I think The Sun and journalism are only related to each other in the most general of senses.

Evidence suggests otherwise.

That being any number of exclusives which the rest are reduced to following.

A recent example is the number of complaints about the Phil coverage.

The BBC said only there have been 'many', that we know the number - about 110,00 - is thanks to another Sun exclusive, which once again the other media followed.

Not that they always lead the way.

The Sun missed out on the Sky hackettes breaching Covid rules tale, despite being offered it first.

That one was left to a sharp young reporter at Guido Fawkes to break first.

Incidentally, the same guy has been hired by GB News, so that will be worth watching for those who like decent political stories.

Yes interesting that when for example a cyclist is involved they're assigned blame.

Yet the 100's of "accidents" involving cars are different.

It's trash reporting like that which creates issues.

You need to grasp the difference between a manhunt and an appeal for information.

Oh PR, you are a card!

So do you.

But you are so blinded by your dislike of The Sun you are incapable of doing so.

Much better to post a sneering smiley.

Whether you like it or not, The Sun's reporting of the story you linked to was professionally correct, based as it would have been on a statement by a police officer made on behalf of the Chief Constable, which is privileged.

Which in turn means the cyclist cannot sue for libel, even if the incident is eventually found to be the fault of the child.

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

There is a cultural problem in this country (UK) of ours. It's not just a lack of care for cyclists, it is something deeper.

I don't agree with the implication that UK drivers have a uniquely bad attitude, compared with other countries. It's better in some other countries; in many other countries it's a lot worse.

 

[monkers]

I don't agree with the implication that UK drivers have a uniquely bad attitude, compared with other countries. It's better in some other countries; in many other countries it's a lot worse.

Please kindly re-read my post to understand my point.

 

[Pale Rider]

When I used the term 'in collision with' I never knew I was being controversial or dull

Just to be clear, I was not criticising anyone for using 'in collision with', just trying to explain why the polis used 'crash'.

I've used 'in collision with' myself many times, not least because there aren't so many alternatives which do not suggest blame.

Sorry to hear about your recent bad experiences.

As I'm sure you know, the response from the driver you challenged is very common.

At that point, all they care about is avoiding any responsibility for their action.

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

Please kindly re-read my post to understand my point.

Are you by any chance an engineer?

 

[monkers]

Are you by any chance an engineer?

What does that have to do with my post on a non-engineering topic?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

But you are so blinded by your dislike of The Sun

It is not restricted to the gutter press, the BBC and others do it too, it was simply the first example I found.
My dislike of that rag is irrelevant and, for the record, I don't dislike it, I despise it.

 

[Pale Rider]

It is not restricted to the gutter press, the BBC and others do it too, it was simply the first example I found.
My dislike of that rag is irrelevant and, for the record, I don't dislike it, I despise it.

Carry on, Sun readers will continue to enjoy the exclusive stories and you will continue to hear about them secondhand.

There are examples of poor Sun journalism - no one's perfect - but you have not found any for this thread.

 

[Brandane]

There is a cultural problem in this country (UK) of ours. It's not just a lack of care for cyclists, it is something deeper.

Totally agree. I think the basic problem is that we live in a nation with a higher than normal proportion of selfish, entitled, ignorant feckwits. I see it in all walks of life, every day. Not limited to the roads, far from it. But it does manifest itself in the way people drive.

 

[C R]

Totally agree. I think the basic problem is that we live in a nation with a higher than normal proportion of selfish, entitled, ignorant feckwits. I see it in all walks of life, every day. Not limited to the roads, far from it. But it does manifest itself in the way people drive.

I don't think that's exclusive to the UK though.

 

[monkers]

I don't think that's exclusive to the UK though.

It's a rabbit hole that's been created. Neither Brandane or myself had said or implied as much.

 

[Brandane]

I don't think that's exclusive to the UK though.

That is why I chose my words carefully, i.e. "a higher than normal proportion", which I firmly believe to be true.

 

[matticus]

I would say that most of our near neighbours in the western world show that it is quite feasible to have a better culture (at least on our roads). There are certainly worse places to walk/cycle further afield, but that's not much of a silver lining.