On 22/01/2024 11:48 am, Simon Mason wrote:
How about a nice, light-hearted social media furore to kick off your week, eh?
But before we get to the latest anti-cycling attention seeker, a bit of context first. On the next episode of the road.cc Podcast – which will be on all good, and some rubbish, streaming platforms from this coming Thursday – I chat to Will Cubbin,
the manager of the Safer Essex Roads Partnership, who is currently undertaking a PhD exploring the relationship between cyclists and motorists on the road.
As part of his research, Will has found that many drivers – particularly those with limited or no knowledge of cycling or, worryingly, the Highway Code – view certain actions by cyclists, like taking up primary position in the middle of the lane,
not as the result of external factors (such as the sudden narrowing of the road or the upcoming presence of a traffic island) which force them to adopt a safer position, but as a result of “defects” or flaws in the cyclist’s character.
Which is why, then, social media is inundated with angry motorists spewing anti-cycling venom for the simple reason that some people were riding bikes on a road. And which brings me to our new friend Donny.
Posting a photo of two cyclists riding single file on a rural road (a photo which may or may not have been taken from behind the wheel), Donny wrote: “Had a brilliant time passing these w*****s as close as I could, almost clipped one with my wing
mirror.
“They definitely knew I was there unless they were hard of hearing #beepbeep. Hopefully upset a few w*****s. #muppets.”
Hmmm. Never has the muppet hashtag been more appropriate. (Warning: Probably best to steer clear of Donny’s other Twitter posts. Frighteningly, this close pass one is probably the tamest of the lot.)
Anyway, Donny’s dangerous driving confession was mostly met with bafflement by Twitter-using cyclists, while some were concerned about the long and steady rise of this kind of irrational hatred towards other road users.
“There seems to be an increase in people incriminating themselves on social media because of their deep hatred of other road users,” wrote CyclingInASkirt.
“It’s truly bizarre,” agreed Chris. “I really hope someone has footage of this close pass and Donny gets an NIP through his door very soon.”
“Assume you’re trying to generate clicks but that’s a really weird thing to say and or do. Imagine they were your friends/parents/kids etc,” said Fingers McGurty (probably not their real name).
“What is he annoyed about exactly?” asked Tom.
“Using a mobile phone while driving and being distracted is more likely to cause an accident than those cyclists,” noted Ian, rather helpfully.
“Pretty sure we can add that to list of things that didn’t happen,” added CBikeLondon.
Which, thankfully, is almost certainly the case with this one. Well at least I hope so, anyway.
https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-22-january-2024-306313#live-blog-item-54079
STOP PRESS!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!
VAN DRIVER OVERTAKES CHAV-CYCLISTS AND DOESN'T HIT THEM!
READ ALL ABOUT,,,
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