Britains Most Hated Cyclist

[classic33]

Me? I'm flattered but it seems unlikely, he never returns my calls.

You still witholding your nuumber?

 

[Drago]

I don't really hate drivers. I find it interferes with the karma of riding a bike. I do wish for people's attitudes towards cyclists to change though.

That's fair enough, but in the interests of peace and harmony cyclists attitudes to car drivers should also perk up somewhat. There's a fair proportion of both car driver AND cyclists that behave like tools on the road, and the sooner we all understand that people were born idiots and didn't simply become that way the day they bought a car/bicycle/segway/private jet [delete as applicable] then the better we'll all get along.

 

[Simpleton]

That's fair enough, but in the interests of peace and harmony cyclists attitudes to car drivers should also perk up somewhat. There's a fair proportion of both car driver AND cyclists that behave like tools on the road, and the sooner we all understand that people were born idiots and didn't simply become that way the day they bought a car/bicycle/segway/private jet [delete as applicable] then the better we'll all get along.

What are you trying to get at?

I fully understand that some drivers and cyclists behave like idiots. That's a given and pretty much everyone will tell you this who has been cycling/driving. But the distinct difference is that a bad attitude towards vulnerable road users and the driving that follows can and does kill people.

What examples would you class as something that a cyclist does to act the tool which has led to a KSI stat?

You may think I should get off my high horse but I'm bringing some perspective.

 

[winjim]

I think the bloke with he camera is doing a public service. There are far too many using phones while driving. The other day i saw a driver of a big skip wagon texting while driving. Imagine if he'd have broke suddenly and half the skip's load was shed over the road or worse on a passing cyclist. There are far too many idiots making and receiving phone calls while in charge of a vehicle. They deserve punishment if caught, that includes losing their job.

In this particular case the driver shouldn't have been in the phone and it is right that he lost his job*. But, and it's a big but, Dave Sherry is not interested in road safety. He is interested in his own ego, his notoriety and his YouTube channel. He will be positively revelling in the title of most hated cyclist.

He has been caught out lying on this very forum and refuses to engage in debate about his own roadcraft or his motives for posting his videos. I think he may see himself as a bit of a hero but has got himself so wrapped up in the character he has created that he is unable to objectively look at his actions. Anyone whose response when asked if they are ok after an incident is "I've got it on camera" has their priorities a bit wrong imho.


*Not that hands free are any better. This was covered in an episode of All In The Mind which @User13710 linked to some time ago if anyone wants to search for it. I'm not sure if it's still available though.

 

[summerdays]

Even if the bus driver somehow thought using a hand held phone didn't cause a problem, I imagine his terms and conditions of employment made it quite clear that he wasn't to do so whilst sitting in the drivers seat of the bus, and probably spelt out what would happen if caught using one. I don't feel sorry for him and hope this hits home with a few other people who think it's ok. This case gives it a bit of publicity.

 

[Brandane]

It wasn't. Any road safety bod will tell you that hands free is just as bad a distraction as holding a mobile. As soon as they issued hands free they undermined their own statement.

+1 ... I drive lorries sometimes, and use bluetooth hands free to communicate with the office of whatever company I happen to be driving for. They invariably phone you with instructions for collections and/or deliveries which distract you from the task in hand, i.e. driving the lorry! Please don't suggest pulling over to take the call, it isn't always convenient on the M6 or wherever, and in these modern days of trackers, transport managers want to know why you have stopped unnecessarily (in their view).

Another point I want to make is the reference to "professional drivers". WTF? What makes them professional? They have just passed another test or two. A lot of them like myself don't drive "professionally", but do it part time as a second income. In any case they might have just passed their HGV test last week; yet people are expecting them to somehow have super powers when it comes to driving. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed! Pay peanuts get monkeys also springs to mind in some cases.

 

[mjr]

They invariably phone you with instructions for collections and/or deliveries which distract you from the task in hand, i.e. driving the lorry!

I don't understand why they would do that. Wouldn't it be better if they sent a message with such instructions, which the phone can read out and then you could refer to it later if needed?

Pay peanuts get monkeys also springs to mind in some cases.

Yes, there seems to be some problems with how some drivers are paid.

 

[winjim]

I am not sure that he is the only one who is wrapped up in obsessing about his persona.

I'm not sure if you're specifically referring to me or not.

We all have different personas, be it online, offline, with friends, colleagues, family, whatever. Dave Sherry is building up a public media profile, with appearances on TV, in the papers etc and seems to want to position himself as a spokesperson for cyclists. I think that this makes it reasonable for me to comment on, criticise and even ridicule the sue perb vigilante superhero character that he has created, especially where it conflicts with my opinion on how to achieve his stated objective of "safer roads for all".

As for me, I'm just some dickhead chatting bollocks on the internet. My opinions, contradictory, stupid or just plain wrong as they may sometimes be, are mine alone and I represent nobody and nothing.

 

[Brandane]

I don't understand why they would do that. Wouldn't it be better if they sent a message with such instructions, which the phone can read out and then you could refer to it later if needed?

I suspect that it's down to time. Transport managers are busy people trying to juggle with several different vehicles, drivers, freight loads, freight in warehouses, and customers, all at the same time. Plus it's easier to answer any queries from the driver at the same time by phoning.

 

[Hip Priest]

I think there's something a bit snide about informing on a colleague, but on the other hand, mobile phone / tablet use behind the wheel is lethal, so on balance I'd say Mr Sherry did the right thing.

 

[summerdays]

Put it this way if some I know rings me and it sounds as if they are driving, I ask them to ring back later.

 

[Hip Priest]

Put it this way if some I know rings me and it sounds as if they are driving, I ask them to ring back later.

Which isn't the same as getting them sacked.

 

[Brandane]

It wasn't. Any road safety bod will tell you that hands free is just as bad a distraction as holding a mobile. As soon as they issued hands free they undermined their own statement.

My confession: Last week I was driving a car on the A9 towards Inverness from Perth. A long, boring road with sections of dual carriageway in between the single carriageways. There are now average speed cameras along its length. I decided to break the boredom by making a phone call on the bluetooth system integral with the car audio. I was on a section of dual carriageway sticking to the 70mph limit. Engrossed in the conversation, I didn't realise until sometime later that the dual carriageway had ended and I was doing 70 on the single carriageway. I will let you know if a speeding ticket drops through my door. Just an example of how the distraction is more down to the actual phone call, rather than the physical aspect of holding a phone; which let's face it is no worse than changing a CD, lighting a cigarette, or a multitude of other things which are perfectly legal. Young children in a car must be the worst distraction of all.

 

[glenn forger]

I wonder if any of the Glasgow bin lorry driver's colleagues knew about his medical history and remained quiet, anxious not to grass a colleague and stitch him up like a kipper.

 

[summerdays]

Which isn't the same as getting them sacked.

They aren't driving in a professional capacity, and I can't actually see them doing it.