BBC Look East - "run em down"

[downfader]

10 PRINT Media says something unfair/untrue about cyclists.
20 PRINT Cyclists complain to media
30 PRINT Media sends standard apology letter to cyclists
40 GOTO 10

Thats what I think will happen. We need noncyclists to start chipping in too I reckon, and I've met a few like-minds who are noncyclist online. Possibly someone will have some common sense at the Beeb and make an on-air statement.... small chance though.

 

[Fab Foodie]

e-mail sent

Sad news about you clubmate FWN, but beautifully crafted email.




If we could achieve ONE thing, it would be to get the BBC/ITV to actually get their reporters and presenters to stop pedaling the whole 'ROAD TAX' innacuracy, it's really important that people realise what VED is for and how roads are funded. Time and time again I hear the BBC talking about 'ROAD TAX' and somehow I find myself screaming at the radio...

 

[PBancroft]

Thats what I think will happen. We need noncyclists to start chipping in too I reckon, and I've met a few like-minds who are noncyclist online. Possibly someone will have some common sense at the Beeb and make an on-air statement.... small chance though.

Small chance indeed. Why would they? They were only airing opinions shared by many of the great British public. It doesn't matter that those opinions are factually incorrect and set a dangerous example.

It would be different if the presenter said that cyclists shouldn't have any rights on the road, which didn't happen.

 

[downfader]

It would be different if the presenter said that cyclists shouldn't have any rights on the road, which didn't happen.

Trouble is they've said it by proxy by airing the views of the ignorant, which to me is the same.

 

[Bollo]

The road tax non-issue is just a hook to hang the out-group prejudices that some people hold about cyclists. If we were to pay a cycling road tax tomorrow, it "wouldn't be enough" or we'd "think we owned the roads". It wouldn't do a thing to change attitudes - the prejudice would just find a new sore to pick.

More recently a motorists' victim culture seems to have evolved, fed by the right-wing press in particular, where the poor driver is assailed on all sides by 'unfair' increases in petrol prices and stealth tax speed cameras. I think some drivers project their perceived grievances on those they think are anti-car and who do not share their 'burden'. Someone MUST be to blame (right-wing press again) and cyclists are a convenient and out-enough group on which to attach that blame.

10 PRINT Media says something unfair/untrue about cyclists.
20 PRINT Cyclists complain to media
30 PRINT Media sends standard apology letter to cyclists
40 GOTO 10

You're still using BASIC at the castle!!! No wonder my council tax bill is so high!

(I think a variation of this software is in use by the Inland Revenue automated telephone service)

 

[BSRU]

More recently a motorists' victim culture seems to have evolved, fed by the right-wing press in particular, where the poor driver is assailed on all sides by 'unfair' increases in petrol prices and stealth tax speed cameras. I think some drivers project their perceived grievances on those they think are anti-car and who do not share their 'burden'. Someone MUST be to blame (right-wing press again) and cyclists are a convenient and out-enough group on which to attach that blame.

Plus all these websites set up to help motorists avoid prosecution for there bad driving, never their fault. One website stated how it got a woman off a fine for driving in the bus lane because the occurrences of the words "BUS LANE" were slightly more than 300 metres apart.

 

[PBancroft]

Trouble is they've said it by proxy by airing the views of the ignorant, which to me is the same.

It is, but it also gives them a handy getout clause.

More recently a motorists' victim culture seems to have evolved, fed by the right-wing press in particular, where the poor driver is assailed on all sides by 'unfair' increases in petrol prices and stealth tax speed cameras. I think some drivers project their perceived grievances on those they think are anti-car and who do not share their 'burden'. Someone MUST be to blame (right-wing press again) and cyclists are a convenient and out-enough group on which to attach that blame.

The thing is that it isn't just drivers. I think its human nature to not want to accept culpability. How often do you see people squirm and fidget and lie in order to avoid blame for some demeanour, no matter how trivial?

Its a helluva lot easier to project the image of the "bad guy" onto someone else than to accept it might actually be you. Heck, sometimes we are even guilty of that on this very forum.

 

[martint235]

I think we need tougher penalties across the board and no excuses. "My disabled badge was upside done and I got fined", how difficult is it to put it the right way up. "But my wheel was only 2 inches outside the parking bay", again you know the rule, follow it. "It was an important call, I had to take it", so pull over. And my personal favourite, "I had to go through the red light to feel safe".

Let's start punishing people in a way that means something. Let's enforce the idea that these things are done by choice, not necessity and they certainly aren't someone else's responsibility. Go through a red light, £200 FPN. Driving whilst on your mobile, 6 months mandatory ban. Parking ticket, £200. Keep doing it till it hurts and people notice.

Sorry, got into a rant but this really does bug me.

 

[ufkacbln]

We had a particularly odious member of staff who used to spout the "Road tax" argument daily if he felt a cyclist had in any way held him up.

One day, he was using the usual argument when I asked him about road tax and how he thought it was assessed.

Then educated him that it was VED and paid on pollution... He became most upset when I also pointed out that if I was assessed under the present scheme my cycle was in Band A and I already paid the full amount for a BAnd A vehicle - NOTHING.

So the choice he was left with was whether to raise the VED Band tariffs or wind his neck in..... he hasn't mentioned "Road Tax" in my presence since

 

[brokenbetty]

So the choice he was left with was whether to raise the VED Band tariffs or wind his neck in..... he hasn't mentioned "Road Tax" in my presence since

Road tax pays for the roads like tobacco tax pays for cigarettes

 

[martint235]

I have just got my "I pay road tax" cycling jersey, expect to see it on SE London roads soon!

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Let's start punishing people in a way that means something. Let's enforce the idea that these things are done by choice, not necessity and they certainly aren't someone else's responsibility. Go through a red light, £200 FPN. Driving whilst on your mobile, 6 months mandatory ban. Parking ticket, £200. Keep doing it till it hurts and people notice.

Points then

So many bosses or company execs just view FPNs especially for parking as an expense to go through accounts.

financial penalties hurt some but the most arrogant offenders remain untouched

 

[wafflycat]

Has anyone who has emailed Look East had anything other than the bog-standard holding response?

 

[martint235]

Points then

So many bosses or company execs just view FPNs especially for parking as an expense to go through accounts.

financial penalties hurt some but the most arrogant offenders remain untouched

ST I agree, if it takes points lets do it. We have to get into the public conscious that these things are wrong. Not just wrong but illegal.

 

[Crankarm]

Since when did a journalist report anything correctly? Most (not all) are as thick as pigsh1t .