Britain’s Angriest Cyclist

[MontyVeda]

Vine is a prat who made a mistake on the bike...

I still can't fathom what Vine was supposed to have done wrong. At the start of the vid the shouty cyclist is a good bus-length behind him.

 

[HLaB]

I still can't fathom what Vine was supposed to have done wrong. At the start of the vid the shouty cyclist is a good bus-length behind him.

He cut across without looking again to see if the cyclist actually saw his earlier brief signal.

 

[Binky]

I still can't fathom what Vine was supposed to have done wrong. At the start of the vid the shouty cyclist is a good bus-length behind him.

It's difficult to see in the video but I don't think Vine did anything that justified the sustained abuse he got.
I'll add I'm definitely not fan of Vine, he clearly posts content for clicks and usually makes situations worse in doing so. In this case, I'd say the other cyclist was way more out of order.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

It's difficult to see in the video but I don't think Vine did anything that justified the sustained abuse he got.
I'll add I'm definitely not fan of Vine, he clearly posts content for clicks and usually makes situations worse in doing so. In this case, I'd say the other cyclist was way more out of order.

Thing is - at least to me - that he seems to genuinely believe that he is doing this for the good of Mankind and all Creation

The level of belief in his Moral Correctness seem to me to come across loud and clear

OK - he does occasionally admit to being in the wrong a bit - like here - but the rightness of his Crusade is just enhanced by this


I do have a habit of just taking a dislike to a few people - and he is just one of them
so I am probably just looking for things to disklike about him

or - more accurately - his public image and activities

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Thing is - at least to me - that he seems to genuinely believe that he is doing this for the good of Mankind and all Creation

The level of belief in his Moral Correctness seem to me to come across loud and clear

OK - he does occasionally admit to being in the wrong a bit - like here - but the rightness of his Crusade is just enhanced by this

Personal belief is that one way to make cycling safer for everybody is getting more cyclists on the streets.Having somebody like Vine who seems dedicated to convincing all potential cyclists how dangerous it is "out there", how it's an unending "life in your hands" avoiding drivers with no purpose beyond hitting you, hardly encourages anybody.

Whilst at the same time his frequently contrived "events" do nothing to make drivers reflect on how vulnerable cyclists are, it just gets their backs-up and contributes to the "us and them" situation battling for space on the roads.

So to me the net result of his "contributions" is to make things harder for cyclists.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Personal belief is that one way to make cycling safer for everybody is getting more cyclists on the streets.Having somebody like Vine who seems dedicated to convincing all potential cyclists how dangerous it is "out there", how it's an unending "life in your hands" avoiding drivers with no purpose beyond hitting you, hardly encourages anybody.

Whilst at the same time his frequently contrived "events" do nothing to make drivers reflect on how vulnerable cyclists are, it just gets their backs-up and contributes to the "us and them" situation battling for space on the roads.

So to me the net result of his "contributions" is to make things harder for cyclists.

I agree

You either get put in the "nutter on bikes wearing all black and a mask

or if you wear hi-vis and a helmet, then they think "another prat like that Vine character"

people do like to put other people in boxes - like BMW drivers and "white van man"

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Also I suppose whilst much of my cycling in rural lanes, I've still done a good distance in towns and cities and never had enough of an incident to spoil my ride. Occasional swerve to avoid a car door being opened without looking (when the swerve is an automatic reaction as I'm far enough out anyway). Be aware of Vine and you'd think life on a bike is a perpetual nightmare.

Does make me wonder if some do "attract" these incidents or maybe cynic in me thinks you don't become a high profile "celebrity" attracting click counts with lots of zeros before the decimal point showing videos of pleasant considerate rides without harsh words or having anything to avoid.

 

[Binky]

Also I suppose whilst much of my cycling in rural lanes, I've still done a good distance in towns and cities and never had enough of an incident to spoil my ride. Occasional swerve to avoid a car door being opened without looking (when the swerve is an automatic reaction as I'm far enough out anyway). Be aware of Vine and you'd think life on a bike is a perpetual nightmare.

Does make me wonder if some do "attract" these incidents or maybe cynic in me thinks you don't become a high profile "celebrity" attracting click counts with lots of zeros before the decimal point showing videos of pleasant considerate rides without harsh words or having anything to avoid.

Have you never been close passed by a vehicle? I'm not sure if I'd say they ruined my ride but I've had so many dangerous close passes over the last few years or so. On main roads and rural back lanes alike.
However, rather than go down the Vine route of confronting driver to make a bad situation worse, I record rides and send in any close passes etc to the police and let them deal with it.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Have you never been close passed by a vehicle? I'm not sure if I'd say they ruined my ride but I've had so many dangerous close passes over the last few years or so. On main roads and rural back lanes alike.
However, rather than go down the Vine route of confronting driver to make a bad situation worse, I record rides and send in any close passes etc to the police and let them deal with it.

Many times. Really nasty ones are generally couriers and I take the view the underlying issue is the pressure on drivers from the company seeking ever more deliveries in ever less time - so on occasions I'll call the company concerned (or depot) and highlight the issue and have had some very positive reactions from managers. One courier company depot manager recognised the issue and decided he'd raise the importance of safe driving round cyclists at their next weekly driver meeting.

Correct positioning yourself on the road does make a massive difference in reducing close passes. I wonder if people recently (re)starting cycling might be more nervous about traffic and that discourages them to hug the kerb to "stay out of the way" rather than position further out to avoid. And Vine repeatedly pushing how dangerous it is cycling our roads is only going to make nervous cyclists ever more worried.

 

[Binky]

As it happens I find most couriers good, I suspect they realise a report to their company or the police could result in them potentially losing their job.
Worst by far for me are tractors and the general public in their cars. Couriers and lorries usually very good.

 

[Gwylan]

Surely gammon will just recognise their own kind?

But everyone else is their enemy

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Also I suppose whilst much of my cycling in rural lanes, I've still done a good distance in towns and cities and never had enough of an incident to spoil my ride. Occasional swerve to avoid a car door being opened without looking (when the swerve is an automatic reaction as I'm far enough out anyway). Be aware of Vine and you'd think life on a bike is a perpetual nightmare.

Does make me wonder if some do "attract" these incidents or maybe cynic in me thinks you don't become a high profile "celebrity" attracting click counts with lots of zeros before the decimal point showing videos of pleasant considerate rides without harsh words or having anything to avoid.

Yup
my main annoyance of a person walking along and not reacting when I ring my bell or slow down and say "excuse me"
then says sorry and move out of the way

would probably generate somewhat fewer views

I do suspect that a lot of people who view his videos - and other such people - do so in order to feel angry and justify their anger

 

[Gillstay]

I once came across Mr Vine doing a long piece to camera on the street in Brighton and as our paths crossed I said `morning Jeremy'.

Then left feeling very pleased hearing the director say, `Okay lets do that again'.

 

[katiewlx]

Personal belief is that one way to make cycling safer for everybody is getting more cyclists on the streets.Having somebody like Vine who seems dedicated to convincing all potential cyclists how dangerous it is "out there", how it's an unending "life in your hands" avoiding drivers with no purpose beyond hitting you, hardly encourages anybody.

Whilst at the same time his frequently contrived "events" do nothing to make drivers reflect on how vulnerable cyclists are, it just gets their backs-up and contributes to the "us and them" situation battling for space on the roads.

So to me the net result of his "contributions" is to make things harder for cyclists.

there are plenty of times on rides where Ive totally felt it is just an unending "life in your hands" avoiding drivers with no purpose beyond hitting you experience.

I had a tipper truck last week give me no more than 2ft of space, supposedly in a 30mph limit but it seemed to be going abit quicker than that as their aerodynamic wash pulled me towards their rear tyres, one of those supermarket delivery vans got even closer, I had a car dive through into a gap that was barely big enough just before a pedestrian refuge, and then took the very next immediate left anyway and that was just from one week. I had one just before Christmas the driver bailed out last second and went round the pedestrian refuge the wrong side into oncoming traffic...they gave me space I suppose.

and I could go on and on and on with examples just like that including every kind of vehicle and driver, including learners, you can think of, close passes, more like near flipping misses, and I do ride away from the kerb, noticeably further away than other riders who I see ride in the gutter, and I still get treated by drivers badly because you get a double dose from them, as you get the how dare you position your bike so I cant overtake you pass combined with the get out of my cyclist pass.

when I looked at Vines videos, when he was churning them out, Id be thinking, my rides Im often sort of like Furiosa dealing with stuff around me, and this guy is getting worked up because someones just pulled out abit onto a cycle lane 200 metres away with ample time to react, he isnt sitting there thinking Im glad I got home in one piece,, and not in the back of an ambulance, oh well got to do it all again tomorrow.

 

[PaulSB]

As it happens I find most couriers good, I suspect they realise a report to their company or the police could result in them potentially losing their job.
Worst by far for me are tractors and the general public in their cars. Couriers and lorries usually very good.

Tractors have always bothered me as has anything towing a trailer, caravan etc. Most drivers don't appreciate their length in relation to our speed. Since being hit by a tractor trailer at +/-35 mph if I hear one and there's an opportunity I dive into a refuge.

I'm 100% with your assessment. There are individuals within certain "categories" of driver who are a very real danger. Busy parents on the school run are amongst the very worst, I hate to say it but often women driving large 4 x 4s.

It's taken my whole cycling life but recently I've been forced to adopt some changes. The A road from my home to Chorley is now so busy I've completely changed my route to our meet point. To my surprise despite being 3.2 miles longer it's only three minutes more ride time. One set of lights against five and far less traffic. My route home often forces me to ride on this A road, I use the pavement as much as possible.

The traffic situation I find most worrying is walking on a pavement beside a 50 limit A road with vehicles approaching from behind. Bizarrely I feel safer, perhaps more in control, on my bike.