Cycling Mikey and third party reporting

[matticus]

Since the Peter Walker article I've seen numerous coppers come out in praise of Mikey's work. Here is today's


View: https://twitter.com/bikelawman/status/1478739941018513412?t=mf9_GFvQWzF9rB89O0kr1Q&s=19


Oddly enough, not one of these officers felt the need to end their tweets with:
" ... it's just a shame he's so knobbish."

 

[FishFright]

I do wonder about whether overall his impact is net positive for cyclists - sure there may be a small deterrent effect, and a few may change behaviour (or maybe be more careful when doing it?) but what may the impact have been on those many millions' view of cyclists as a group and the way they treat them as fellow road users?

I have no idea, btw, nor any way of knowing, failing doing Focus Groups or similar, just wondering out loud.

It's a positive outcome for all road users that stay within the law surely.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

It's a positive outcome for all road users that stay within the law surely.

Yes, absolutely 😊

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Since the Peter Walker article I've seen numerous coppers come out in praise of Mikey's work. Here is today's


View: https://twitter.com/bikelawman/status/1478739941018513412?t=mf9_GFvQWzF9rB89O0kr1Q&s=19


Oddly enough, not one of these officers felt the need to end their tweets with:
" ... it's just a shame he's so knobbish."

Excellent

 

[Arjimlad]

Spreading the word that bad driving can be caught anytime anywhere is a good thing. Many of my friends say they take greater care around cyclists having seen the videos I post up from time to time. Whether drivers take more care because they realise it's another person in danger, or because of the fear of consequences for themselves, the point is that both subsets will refrain from dangerous behaviour around other road users.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Spreading the word that bad driving can be caught anytime anywhere is a good thing. Many of my friends say they take greater care around cyclists having seen the videos I post up from time to time. Whether drivers take more care because they realise it's another person in danger, or because of the fear of consequences for themselves, the point is that both subsets will refrain from dangerous behaviour around other road users.

It's unalloyed good news, for sure.

 

[GilesM]

I think it’s worth reprising his videos. This is one of his very best when the entitled merc driver gets instant karma. Enjoy.

View: https://youtu.be/aA4Nw4sDT4U

I'd never heard of this strange Dutchmen until I read the stuff about Lampard, and this video is the first time I've seen any of his vigilante work, he is definitely an odd character, it's the very concerning way he seems to be sitting there waiting for somebody to do what the Merc driver in the video has just done, and once the Merc driver had made his some what dumb manoeuvre, it would have been safer to let him go right rather than trying to force him back, film the guy breaking the law and report it if he thinks that would help, but behaving like a jumped up wee parking attendant is totally wrong. If I remember rightly the highway code requires everyone to take action to prevent possible accidents, this seems to be trying to force somebody to do something dangerous, and if he'd been in the road to start with the Merc driver would not (I accept I am speculating now, but chances are I'm right) have gone the wrong side of the traffic island, yes what the Merc driver did was wrong, but who hasn't done something technically wrong when they are able to accurately assess the risks. Obvious conclusion is that those who have mentioned that Mr Van-Erp needs help are correct.

 

[matticus]

I'd never heard of this strange Dutchmen until I read the stuff about Lampard, and this video is the first time I've seen any of his vigilante work, he is definitely an odd character, it's the very concerning way he seems to be sitting there waiting for somebody to do what the Merc driver in the video has just done, and once the Merc driver had made his some what dumb manoeuvre, it would have been safer to let him go right rather than trying to force him back, film the guy breaking the law and report it if he thinks that would help, but behaving like a jumped up wee parking attendant is totally wrong. If I remember rightly the highway code requires everyone to take action to prevent possible accidents, this seems to be trying to force somebody to do something dangerous, and if he'd been in the road to start with the Merc driver would not (I accept I am speculating now, but chances are I'm right) have gone the wrong side of the traffic island, yes what the Merc driver did was wrong, but who hasn't done something technically wrong when they are able to accurately assess the risks. Obvious conclusion is that those who have mentioned that Mr Van-Erp needs help are correct.

And yet the police strongly support him (see here ) . Can you explain to us why they are wrong?

 

[Cycleops]

Maybe he is a little strange Mr Giles. But perhaps no more strange than the pedo hunters who pose as children to entrap predators.
He says part of his motivation is his father was killed by drunk driver.
What the Merc driver did wasn't just 'technically wrong' but could have resulted in a nasty accident if a cyclist or car came around the corner on the right side of the road.He did no risk assessment, he just wanted to get there a bit faster
I guess you either think he's a ' jumped up wee parking attendant' or a campaigner for safer roads.

 

[GilesM]

And yet the police strongly support him (see here ) . Can you explain to us why they are wrong?

A good friend is a traffic cop, I will ask him for the general feeling towards Mr Van-Erp

 

[Alex321]

And yet the police strongly support him (see here ) . Can you explain to us why they are wrong?

I have seen nothing to suggest that they "strongly" support him, including your link.

I am quite sure some police do support him, as shown in that link - but note that the one in your link specifically says he isn't traffic police, and there is nothing to say what "the police" in general think of him, just what some individual officers think.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Remember that - at least according to him - that people have been injured by people doing exactly what these drivers are doing - os he does have a point.

I do think he is a bit of a knob at times - but mostly he is doing something that needs to be done
Any driver he stops is likely to think more carefully next time - and other drivers who can see it all are also likely to think a bit more.
Clearly there will be some that are set in their ways and feel they were in the right - even when it is clear they were not. Some of those will never change but will probably end up banned for something more major - which they also felt entitled to do

 

[Alex321]

Maybe he is a little strange Mr Giles. But perhaps no more strange than the pedo hunters who pose as children to entrap predators.
He says part of his motivation is his father was killed by drunk driver.
What the Merc driver did wasn't just 'technically wrong' but could have resulted in a nasty accident if a cyclist or car came around the corner on the right side of the road.He did no risk assessment, he just wanted to get there a bit faster

With Mikey standing there blocking the road, that [increased the chances of an accident, and certainly significantly increased the chances of other, legitimate road users being blocked.

I guess you either think he's a ' jumped up wee parking attendant' or a campaigner for safer roads.

It is perfectly possible he could be both.

As I've said before, I think videoing and reporting these drivers is entirely laudable. Taking vigilante action isn't so laudable IMO.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Think a lot of the helmet camera folk do on occasion forget themselves a touch but IMO Mikey is the most grounded of the very few I would follow.

Some however are a complete liability, rhymes with draffic troid

 

[GilesM]

Maybe he is a little strange Mr Giles. But perhaps no more strange than the pedo hunters who pose as children to entrap predators.

No idea why you wrote that, just a touch irrelevant

He says part of his motivation is his father was killed by drunk driver.

I would suggest having a close relative killed by a drunk driver would probably make me less likely to jump out in front of a car making an illegal manoeuvre.

What the Merc driver did wasn't just 'technically wrong' but could have resulted in a nasty accident if a cyclist or car came around the corner on the right side of the road.He did no risk assessment, he just wanted to get there a bit faster

From the video I don't think it is possible to come to that conclusion, the guy certainly stopped quick enough to prevent any serious injury to Mr Van-Erp

I guess you either think he's a ' jumped up wee parking attendant' or a campaigner for safer roads.

As others have already mentioned, he can campaign for safer roads with his camera if he that's what he wants to do, but deliberately stopping drivers to aggressively give them a piece of his mind is not very helpful, and/or sensible, he needs help, no other conclusion is possible.