BBC helmet cam film to explore cyclist-motorist conflict

[akb]

I like most of the stuff you post, both here and on youtube and think overall your contribution is positive.

But mebbe you should ask yourself if the edit was deliberate distortion to push the producers agenda or whether it was a fair reflection of the overall attitude you presented in the interview and elswhere.

Just picking on your Croydon Cyclist post 21 October. I understand the adrenaline driven expletive outburst, but 10 seconds later you pull up alongside and verbally tear the driver a new one before he has a chance to speak. Mebbe, the driver, like the motorcyclist in the full clip from the programme last night, would have been equally contrite had you first of all pointed out to him just how close and dangerous his pass had been. You seemed to assume his pass had been deliberate. If he had given you a mouthful then the moral high ground would have bee retained (along with further evidence) by simply telling him we was on video and would be reported to the police

I don't ride with a camera but have done as i suggest following close passes, often with positive results. One occasion a while a go in Teddington, I asked the guy to wind down his window (by gesture not rapping on it) and said I felt he had been too close, his response was that I had been a long way out from the parked cars, I told him that was to keep safe by avoiding the door zone the same way he drives some way out. His response was to apologise "I hadn't though of it that way"

In my experience, most conflict on the road arises from ignorance, misunderstanding and simple error. To think or speak in terms of "War" and "Us and Them" is counter productive to the objective of making the roads safer.

Mebbe?! Wtf

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Hello Glasgowcyclist.
I watched your video last night,completely horrifying !!!!!
So pleased your well and sincerely hope no further incidents of this type occur.
Incidentally if I may say I thought you presented your self and fellow cyclists very well.
Warm regards.
Doug. F.

Hi,

thanks but I think you've mistaken me for someone else.

I withdrew my video and took no part in the documentary. Going by what I've read on here I'm glad I didn't.

GC

 

[Bassjunkieuk]

@Gaz. I'd really like to know how you feel about that taxi driver now. Have you seen him since the 'event'? I know my attitude towards him softened as the show progressed. At first I thought he was an agressive thug.

I didn't soften to him, despite the pretty clear evidence he still couldn't see how his driver wasn't acceptable. Yes both parties admitted they over reacted but I don't think the driver showed any signs of remorse, as far as he appeared to be concerned he hadn't hit Gaz so it was an OK pass.

Overall the show wasn't as bad as I'd expected. Watched it with the wife (who point blank refuses to watch my footage), I'd already seen most of the headline incidents but she was squirming a few times.

Was really sad seeing the lorry kill that young girl and the taxi driver was a heartening twist.

Was interesting getting some of the Droids back story, agree with others who said he appears to be using TrafficDroid as an alter ego coping mechanism. Had quite a few hits on one of my first Droid encounter video, mostly comments supporting him but a few nasty ones that soon got "dealt" with.

 

[akb]

Things have changed now.

Your cycling and road attitude has got worse?! Surely being a helmet can cyclist, it should be the other way round by means of learning from your videos and not putting your self in dangerous positions or confrontations?

 

[CopperCyclist]

Don't get me wrong on this - I'm not saying he's a wimp. I'm the first man to cry. I was saying that the fact that he still cries shows that his experience has traumatised him more profoundly than I think the incident shown on film should. But, I think Jon2 raised some important points about this.

As BentMikey pointed out, the incident he cried about was not shown on film. There was no film of that - it was what prompted him to get a cam, so we can all only guess at how bad it was or wasn't. As you said, it clearly still affect him.

 

[mr_cellophane]

The cyclist who came out best last night was mikey, followed closely by Maggers

 

[Leodis]

They were searching early this year. I got my cam in March and hadnt uploaded anything worth watching really. Things have changed now.

Just looked up your video of being told off by the blue van driver... lol how I chuckled.

 

[akb]

The program now needs two follow ups. One completely from the side of the driver. They can highlight how 'our' red light jumping etc affects them, how we filter up the side of trucks, what they want from us (eg pay road tax) etc and how they think it'll all help.

We can then have a 'cyclists' side, where we can get across what we want I.e. the pointlessness of 'road tax' for us, the importance and reasons behind our positioning etc.

It may then all iron out!

And a half hour episode of Gaz's Silly Cyclist exactly as they are on YouTube.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Well I really enjoyed it, frightened my wife a LOT,....
But I really thought the cyclist police guy was brilliant and more of these are needed in cities.
He could nail hundreds of RLJ's in Cambridge, as they all need to be nicked along with all the unlawful motorists.

Zero tolerance for all roads users is the only way forward I think.

 

[benborp]

Here's Edmund King's follow up to last night:

Evening Standard Article

 

[redcard]

I didn't soften to him, despite the pretty clear evidence he still couldn't see how his driver wasn't acceptable...

Same here. I kept expecting him to have a revelation and admit he was more at fault that he would have liked to admit.

 

[BentMikey]

The cyclist who came out best last night was mikey, followed closely by Maggers

Not me mate. Did you mean the lawyer chaps on their training ride through Bexley? I thought they came across very well too.

 

[ianrauk]

Not me mate. Did you mean the lawyer chaps on their training ride through Bexley? I thought they came across very well too.

I really wish they showed your Vauxhall truck/cyclist vid to show that sometimes some cyclists really don't have a clue how to behave around large vehicles. It would have fitted well with the Truck driver they were following.

 

[mr_cellophane]

Not me mate. Did you mean the lawyer chaps on their training ride through Bexley? I thought they came across very well too.

No I meant you for having the sense to not appear.

 

[potsy]

Just watched the show, nothing we haven't seen before but interesting nonetheless.
Thought Magnatom came across really well, as did th lorry driver guy, Gaz less so but it's all in the edit as they say
Enjoyed the cycling copper too, great to see him chase down the motorcyclist