Branson down

[nickyboy]

Personally, I have no hate for him. I admire what he has done, from his record label producing Tubular Bells, to his airline(s), train franchise, etc.. But all that doesn't earn him exemption from criticism when he becomes a serial bike crasher, and then makes stupid claims about what saved his life.

I'm fine with his claims as regards what saved his life. It's his opinion, just as your opinion is that it is a "stupid claim"

But nobody who regularly rides a bike suffers from "brake failure". All that happens is you go too fast and fall off, in this case causing someone else to fall off. Dressing it up as something it isn't makes him look foolish, at least to regular bike riders

 

[AndyRM]

I met him once, seemed a decent guy.

He was the figurehead of Virgin Money and visited the offices when they took over Northern Rock. Walked around the whole building, talking to folk. I asked if he'd play 5-a-side with us in the evening (horrifying my colleagues) to which he replied "I would, but I don't have my boots".

And you know what? I reckon he would've.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Must be a hydraulic disc brake. He must have pulled it straight and held it there.

Not necessarily both cables might have snapped at same time

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Jeff Bezos nicked his pads

 

[slowmotion]

I wouldn't wish that nasty lump on his hip on anybody. I hope he gets better soon.

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

Why is he hated so much?

Seems to me he is a smart guy, that and a bit of luck, and did alright for himself.

It’s the way of the world nowadays unfortunately.

Serial underachievers enjoy nothing more than slagging off someone who has done well.

Not all underachievers feel that way though. I have nothing against Mr Branson. 😂

 

[mjr]

Why is he hated so much?

Seems to me he is a smart guy, that and a bit of luck, and did alright for himself.

He's done quite a bit of seriously unethical stuff along the way, including lying to staff to retain control of his early magazine business and basically smuggling records in some sort of VAT fiddle.

He's done some good business too, including spotting opportunities to set up a planet-killing airline and how to exploit trademarks to keep control of businesses he doesn't own, but I think he's untrustworthy and has different ethical standards to most of us.

 

[tyred]

He's done quite a bit of seriously unethical stuff along the way, including lying to staff to retain control of his early magazine business and basically smuggling records in some sort of VAT fiddle.

He's done some good business too, but I think he's untrustworthy and has different ethical standards to most of us.

I suspect that's true of most people who have been successful in business.

 

[Gillstay]

I had to keep him safe once and he did as I asked, was very polite and even took time to write to me afterwards to thank me for my efforts.
How he put up with the journalists and photographer afterwards is beyond me, I would have walked after 5 mins and he managed to be brilliant to them for 20 mins. I ended up liking him to my surprize.

 

[slowmotion]

He's done quite a bit of seriously unethical stuff along the way, including lying to staff to retain control of his early magazine business and basically smuggling records in some sort of VAT fiddle.

He's done some good business too, including spotting opportunities to set up a planet-killing airline and how to exploit trademarks to keep control of businesses he doesn't own, but I think he's untrustworthy and has different ethical standards to most of us.

That may or may not be true but I still can't quite celebrate his injury.

 

[mjr]

That may or may not be true but I still can't quite celebrate his injury.

Where do you think I did that?

 

[slowmotion]

Where do you think I did that?

I apologise. It wasn't a personal jab at you, more an uneasiness at the levity with which Branson's accident was treated on this thread. Just as a cyclist, I have sympathy for him.

 

[mikeIow]

I recall reading his first autobiography….his exploits were verging on lunacy, especially the hot air balloon record attempts (balloonacy!).
I’ve no doubt he has a ruthless business streak that will harbour within it some BadStuff™, but such is the way of the MegaSuccessful….

 

[Arrowfoot]

Why is he hated so much?

Seems to me he is a smart guy, that and a bit of luck, and did alright for himself.

His mistake was being successful. Whether it is in football or business you are supposed to keep a low profile, go to the pub and to be seen queuing up for takeaways. It does not matter if your company created thousands of jobs over 3 decades in entertainment, telco, banking, airlines and rail.

He also made no attempt to be one of us. Instead of crashing his bike, he could have snorted cocaine and crashed his Range Rover while on the way to buy more, had a dysfunctional family life etc.

Sorry we can't accept him.

 

[Dogtrousers]

But nobody who regularly rides a bike suffers from "brake failure".

I did once. Due to the incompetence of a numpty mechanic (me). I'd just transported my bike by car, put the wheels in and forgot to close the QR thingies on the brakes. The brakes still worked, but not very well. Fortunately I was going pretty slowly when I noticed. Heart missed a couple of beats though - levers squashed almost down to the bars and not much happening.