BBC helmet cam film to explore cyclist-motorist conflict

[tadpole]

I did wonder if the "War" will be any worse on Thursday as a result of that prime time programme. I can't see it happening really. Nearly all London drivers are pretty good people.
Not sure about you lot....

On my cycle into work I was passed by at least three cars, where the drivers must have watched the programme, one waited behind me as I cycle past two pinch points, without revving his engine once, one allowed me to pull out of a junction before overtaking me safely, and the third man gave me so much room on an overtake he was fully on the other side of the road.
Not sure I can get used to this.

 

[apb]

I got a couple of unusual looks this morning. Even up here in Scotland where things are far more civilised.

Me, i was watching "The Hour".

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Do people only hear what their preconceptions are?

In this case, the police visited the owner of the car - it wasn't the assaulted male and they wouldn't name him. That much was said on the program. Pretty hard to trace him at that point.

When they uploaded the video and it went 'viral' the driver, fearing being recognised, handed himself in and the police reopened the case and charged him.

How is this doing nothing? I know there are cases where we are crap, but this isn't one of them - we can't magic up offenders details from thin air.

I didnt see the programme but i do agree with this statement. The cops are tied down by the law and i guess th elaw says they need solid evidence...which is where it all gets silly because cyclists are being assaulted daily by drivers and th ecops cant do anything because its almost impossible for a cyclist to provide evidence because in th eheat of the moment they ar ethinking about surviving not prosecuting.

One thing I will say though, where i ride there are almost no cop cars ...where are they...its a busy coastal road...we need more traffic cops out there and they need to be looking out for the safty of cyclists first and not motorists. They need to to be visable as a deterant so thes emorons behave.

I bet to plod cyclists in uniform get zero harrassment from the coward drivers ...maybe I'll dress up like a cop cyclist ...joking...but something has got to be done to stop this madness and aggression displaid by drivers.

Fundamentaly that needs to be a change in attitude to one that puts the cyclist views first instead of assuming the driver is right which it seems to me most non cyclists assume.

This isnt about being a 'vigilante' etc...its about protecting my own life in the face of threats. I have a right to protect myself on the road as much as i have ab obligation to not harm others., Drivers forget the latter part of that statement.

 

[locker]

Indeed, and let's not forget the original name of Taypet's vid was the charming 'Fat Black Mamma'.

Lets not forget what an idiot & complete T0$$er you are, I did not mention any racial remarks at all, it refered to Martin Lawrence`s film Big Momma, get a life & write something constructive for a change

 

[ianrauk]

Lets not forget what an idiot & complete T0$$er you are, I did not mention any racial remarks at all, it refered to Martin Lawrence`s film Big Momma, get a life & write something constructive for a change

Rubbish. You know what you put on the vid and you changed it after you got pulled up about it.

 

[davefb]

Do people only hear what their preconceptions are?

In this case, the police visited the owner of the car - it wasn't the assaulted male and they wouldn't name him. That much was said on the program. Pretty hard to trace him at that point.

When they uploaded the video and it went 'viral' the driver, fearing being recognised, handed himself in and the police reopened the case and charged him.

How is this doing nothing? I know there are cases where we are crap, but this isn't one of them - we can't magic up offenders details from thin air.

I've always wondered why that isn't an offence , when to tick "i dont know" on a speeding camera is an offence?

(unless you're a footballer and can sign affadavits saying you don't know who had the car)..

 

[fossyant]

Haven't watched the programme, but Locker, are you the guy on the electric assist bike that ran into that lady on the shared use path ?

I'm going to have to watch the programme on Friday night with a few glasses of wine ! As I mentioned earlier, my BIL thinks all cyclists are now a menace having watched the programme (he knows I have 4 bikes and live and breath cycling).

 

[Mushroomgodmat]

my biggest problem with the whole program is they had nothing, nothing at all positive to say about cycling.

In addition they alluded to the fact they "taking the lane" is only done to annoy other road users. The police comment on using a whistle is just odd (and dangerous maybe?). The comment by the police officer about "cyclists not being where they should be" gave an incorrect impression that bikes on the road don't have the same right as drivers do with regards to where they can position themselves in the lane.

and finally Gaz..... in both occasions he was cut up by the taxi and badly overtaken on the bridge did no one of authority point out explicitly that he was in the right and the drivers where both in the wrong, and seeing as most drivers expect you to be in the gutter this only this only reinforces those ideas. And as such I feel this documentary has done nothing to help cyclists and will only be used to enforce ignorance.

What was good - Gaz generally (though I feel the editing was a very nasty touch by the program makers) , and the Scottish guy/lawyers/the lady at the end where awesome.

 

[fossyant]

Locker, you are that Taypet21 person ? Nuf said !

 

[davefb]

my biggest problem with the whole program is they had nothing, nothing at all positive to say about cycling.

In addition they alluded to the fact they "taking the lane" is only done to annoy other road users. The police comment on using a whistle is just odd (and dangerous maybe?). The comment by the police officer about "cyclists not being where they should be" gave an incorrect impression that bikes on the road don't have the same right as drivers do with regards to where they can position themselves in the lane.

and finally Gaz..... in both occasions he was cut up by the taxi and badly overtaken on the bridge did no one of authority point out explicitly that he was in the right and the drivers where both in the wrong, and seeing as most drivers expect you to be in the gutter this only this only reinforces those ideas. And as such I feel this documentary has done nothing to help cyclists and will only be used to enforce ignorance.

What was good - Gaz generally (though I feel the editing was a very nasty touch by the program makers) , and the Scottish guy/lawyers/the lady at the end where awesome.

complaint to bbc ?

 

[benborp]

Do people only hear what their preconceptions are?

In this case, the police visited the owner of the car - it wasn't the assaulted male and they wouldn't name him. That much was said on the program. Pretty hard to trace him at that point.

When they uploaded the video and it went 'viral' the driver, fearing being recognised, handed himself in and the police reopened the case and charged him.

How is this doing nothing? I know there are cases where we are crap, but this isn't one of them - we can't magic up offenders details from thin air.

My memories of that incident were that it took a considerable amount of effort from those involved to get the Met police to respond appropriately at several stages. Those that followed the incident at the time will have a different perception to those that got the brief run down of events from the programme last night. In a similar situation, Greater Manchester Police used the supplied footage to launch an appeal to identify the assailant of a cyclist.
I use a helmet camera because of my experiences of the Met's response to violent crime against cyclists. On two occasions, despite numerous witnesses, despite having the attackers in custody, despite the commitment of the officers on the ground my allegations were treated with contempt and I was treated like shoot. Unfortunately, many others in London have had similar experiences, frequently being threatened with prosecution for spurious offences. Criminal damage after going through a windscreen anyone? Assault for strangling yourself with your own scarf to the distress of the cabbie holding the two ends? My worst experiences with the Met were quite some time ago and I've had excellent results since, most recently without even having the back-up of camera footage (although the offender did manage to drop in to hate crime territory which made everything a bit simpler) . It's still possible to come up against a wall of instinctive hostility from time to time, but I get the impression that many in the service are working to change this, probably because such experiences colour people's perceptions so.

 

[Sore Thumb]

Outside the cycling community, does anyone know if this program has had any effect. Good or bad.

Such as other forums not to do with cycling.

Is it enforcing people's negative views of cycling or has it improved our image???

 

[BentMikey]

Indeed, and let's not forget the original name of Taypet's vid was the charming 'Fat Black Mamma'.

*Ahem* it wasn't that, please could you edit to reflect the real original title? I'm not defending taypet here, but your post is verging onto libel here.

 

[fossyant]

*Ahem* it wasn't that, please could you edit to reflect the real original title? I'm not defending taypet here, but your post is verging onto libel here.

If the TV programme featured his videos and Trafficdroid's, god help Gaz's "balanced" videos then.

 

[locker]

Rubbish. You know what you put on the vid and you changed it after you got pulled up about it.

I did not mention "Black" or "Fat", stop being a twat, I changed it because some people seen something that wasn`t there as you did