BJ Mann- Who and why?

[Grendel]

I saw that a BJ Mann was mentioned on another thread. Who is he and what is track record?

 

[humptygocart]

He is a nutjob. He infests talkboards or discussions about cyclists with single-note paranoid ramblings about how cyclists punch kittens and kill millions.

His latest contribution is to point out that motorists pay for cycle lanes, below a story about a child cyclist killed in an RTA.

 

[garrilla]

A classic BJ Mann

You are driving along at the safe speed for the conditions, you see a hazard, you slow down.

A camera is a hazard.

You slow down.

But, a), it's not a real hazard, it's an artificial one, so you don't know what to slow down to, and you start sweeping for clues like arbitrary signs, while slammuing your brakes on.

Unfortunately, because you are dealing with one hazard already, you miss the kid.

Or, rather, you hit him.

 

[humptygocart]

I think he's a retired solicitor who supports one of those barking mad pro-speeding websites.

 

[StuartG]

Just Google 'B J Mann Cyclists' for why care in the community was a mistake.

However the above is one of Mr Mann's more lucid moments. It has some substance. When I pass a speed camera on my bike I grip the handlebars hard. Why? Because when I pass a speed camera in my car I'm looking at my speedometer not for cyclists. Doh!

 

[humptygocart]

when I pass a speed camera in my car I'm looking at my speedometer not for cyclists.

That's because you're not a very good driver.

What, do you think, would have happened on your driving test if you collided with a cyclist or pedestrian and offered the excuse "I was distracted by a speed camera!".

 

[2Loose]

Shocking, I thought his posts were limited to the Nottingham Post, but he vents his drivel all over the country. I wonder what drives someone like that.

 

[garrilla]

I wonder what drives someone like that.

The outageous quantity of tax paid by motorists when the thieving government spends it it all on cyclists, bus lanes and other stuff that impeded the motorist. !

 

[purplepolly]

A classic BJ Mann

You are driving along at the safe speed for the conditions, you see a hazard, you slow down.

A camera is a hazard.

You slow down.

But, a), it's not a real hazard, it's an artificial one, so you don't know what to slow down to, and you start sweeping for clues like arbitrary signs, while slammuing your brakes on.

Unfortunately, because you are dealing with one hazard already, you miss the kid.

Or, rather, you hit him.

Wow, I know men are supposed to be worse at multi-tasking than use women but I hadn't realised things were that bad. BJ Mann makes a very good case for banning men from driving.

 

[PBancroft]

when I pass a speed camera in my car I'm looking at my speedometer not for cyclists.

That's because you're not a very good driver.

What, do you think, would have happened on your driving test if you collided with a cyclist or pedestrian and offered the excuse "I was distracted by a speed camera!".

True - but in all honesty most people drive like that. People get into bad habits - avoid the thing that catches you doing something bad, not the bad thing itself.

 

[Dilbert]

True - but in all honesty most people drive like that. People get into bad habits - avoid the thing that catches you doing something bad, not the bad thing itself.

The ironic thing is that by writing that he has admitted he is a bad driver and that he is the problem not other road users (and yes there are plenty like him.) (He is probably also admitting to Driving Without Due Care and Attention but I'm no Lawyer)

1. You should always know what the speed limit is when you are driving, and in areas where there are cameras there are normally repeaters up so they can't be challenged in court so that is no excuse.

2. When driving you should scan continously Far distance - Middle distance Near distance - Instruments - Mirrors - repeat.... What a lot of drivers don't realise is there eyes should never be still and they should move their heads to clear blind spots, especialy caused by the A Pillar which are very thick on modern cars and can hide a cyclist/ pedestrian easily.

In my experience most motorists just anchor up when they see a speed camera, they don't check their speed first, so unless they loose contol the speed camera will have reduced the impact speed of anything they were going to hit anyway because they weren't watching what they were doing.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Well, it appears from this link that a) he's a raving fruitloop with a massive chip on his shoulder, and he lives in Valley Road, Basford. Anyone up for a critical mass - style event on his road?

 

[garrilla]

Valley Road is the ring-road, so it would be easy to pull off an island-to-island tour

 

[Graham O]

In my experience most motorists just anchor up when they see a speed camera ....

How very true. This morning, downhill, breaking to 20mph, as there is a car in front. The 30mph warning sign (not a speed camera) flashes on and the car driver slams on his brakes and almost does an emergency stop. Followed him down to work and he pulls in to the same site. And guess where he's going; a speed awareness course!

At the bottom of the hill, there are traffic lights and advance stop lines. Lights are red, the same car goes into ASL's, passes through them and stops with his back wheels beyond the white lines. Makes me wonder and shudder!

 

[StuartG]

when I pass a speed camera in my car I'm looking at my speedometer not for cyclists.

That's because you're not a very good driver.

Correct, average at best. That's the point as a cyclist you should expect most folks passing a speed camera to be not looking out for you.

Are you sure 'good' drivers don't do the same (or if not, they actually exist?). An issue with motorists is that even a 'good' driver is more of a danger to other road users than a 'bad' cyclist or pedestrian. And I'm less skilled cyclist than driver ... perhaps I should just stay in bed?