Daily Mail anti-cycling headline

[Roadhump]

Key facts:
·In London (1998-2007), just 4% of reported pedestrian injuries due to red-light-jumping involved cyclists - the other 96% were hit by red-light-jumping motor vehicles.

Cyclists aren't the problem. I'm sick of idiot non cyclists bleating on about RLJs, pedestrians killed or seriously injured. It's perfectly clear where the problem lies.

Which is why I told my mate to get a bit of proportion. However, the few cyclists who choose to be irresponsible let us all down, so when they are seen ignoring a red light, they hand the anti-cycling crew ammunition, a bit like the minority of benefit cheats, or bent police officers whose crimes are seized upon by those with a vested interest in using them as evidence that none can be trusted.

As a cyclist, I have experienced the bullying and abuse of impatient drivers (as well as the courtesy of others to be fair), and that adds to my resentment of unbalanced reporting in rags like the DM, as well the shallow thinking behind many of the comments that follow the article. But to be honest, I also see cyclists letting the side down which annoys me.

I actually think the biggest problem with cyclists is the hoody type youths, of whom there are plenty round my neck of the woods, who ride along the pavement, without lights and ignore traffic signs etc, often riding in a way to deliberately intimidate or harass other road users and pedestrians. They probably won't ride bikes much past their teenage years, but some of their behaviour is atrocious. Many people who read the likes of the DM poison will consequently see that biased anti-cycling propaganda reinforced, and us responsible types end up with an undeserved reputation, especially when there is very little high profile reply to counter it.

 

[Pale Rider]

Bleating about the Daily Mail is spectacularly missing the point - unless you think the six named individuals were not killed by cyclists.

The article goes on to say 25 pedestrians have been killed by cyclists in the last seven years.

Is that a price worth paying for the freedom to cycle?

Or should more be done than is presentiy being done to reduce the numbers of deaths?

Doing more will inevitably reduce the freedom to cycle in one way or another, so that would have a general impact on all of us, and a direct impact on some of us.

 

[Markymark]

Cycling is massively safer for everyone than driving. The problem here is that stuff like this restrict cycling thus further encourage driving. This will kill and injure more in the long run.

 

[mjr]

Victims of killers on two wheels: These six people all died after being hit by cyclists and 100 more are badly hurt every year - so when WILL the law crack down?

How about right after it cracks down on the 9 killed and 100 badly hurt by motorists every WEEK? Let's get a sense of proportion and target the bigger danger instead of rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

 

[palinurus]

I actually think the biggest problem with cyclists is the hoody type youths, of whom there are plenty round my neck of the woods, who ride along the pavement, without lights and ignore traffic signs etc, often riding in a way to deliberately intimidate or harass other road users and pedestrians.

Particularly visible perhaps, but barely a problem. The biggest problem with cyclists is there aren't enough of them.

 

[numbnuts]

Since the Charlie Alliston case I seem to be getting more and more verbal abuse as late, today I was shouted at twice telling to to get off the f...ing road and both times I was not holding anybody up and I think the media has a lot to answer for.

 

[jefmcg]

Post facts and comments on the Daily Mail website.

Do not feed the beast.

 

[mjr]

Since the Charlie Alliston case I seem to be getting more and more verbal abuse as late, today I was shouted at twice telling to to get off the f...ing road and both times I was not holding anybody up and I think the media has a lot to answer for.

When cycling along a cycleway recently, I was especially surprised to hear a loud long honking and being shouted at to get ON the road.

I'm not sure it's entirely media to blame for stupid motorists.

 

[jefmcg]

How about right after it cracks down on the 9 killed and 100 badly hurt by motorists every WEEK?

Or they could focus on to 40 additional pedestrians killed by cars in 2016 compared to 2015

 

[youngoldbloke]

When cycling along a cycleway recently, I was especially surprised to hear a loud long honking and being shouted at to get ON the road.

I'm not sure it's entirely media to blame for stupid motorists.

- there's a lot of stupidity about certainly, but why are the Mail, Express, Telegraph etc so intent on stirring the shoot? Is there no comeback for publishing such misleading stuff? Press Complaints Commission maybe?

 

[Welsh wheels]

Daily Mail produce anti-cycling headline? Time to break out grandpa's old shotgun. In fairness, they need something to write about in the winter when they can't invade women's privacy on beaches and take photos on them in their swimwear.

 

[snorri]

y, but why are the Mail, Express, Telegraph etc so intent on stirring the sh1t? Is there no comeback for publishing such misleading stuff?

The comeback for the press of printing controversial rubbish is increased hits on their website which is measured and used to boost their appeal to advertisers which in turn boosts their income.
Cyclists are a minority group in UK society so an easy target whose ability to fight back is limited.

 

[Milzy]

There’s roadies who know more about the Highway Code than most. Then there’s complete planks on BSO’s riding on pavements giving all the club ‘real’ cyclysts a bad name

 

[snorri]

l the club ‘real’ cyclysts a bad name

 

[oldstrath]

Bleating about the Daily Mail is spectacularly missing the point - unless you think the six named individuals were not killed by cyclists.

The article goes on to say 25 pedestrians have been killed by cyclists in the last seven years.

Is that a price worth paying for the freedom to cycle?

Or should more be done than is presentiy being done to reduce the numbers of deaths?

Doing more will inevitably reduce the freedom to cycle in one way or another, so that would have a general impact on all of us, and a direct impact on some of us.

Are the 400 pedestrians killed by car drivers ' a price worth paying' for the ability to travel by car?

That's why we 'bleat about the Daily Mail' - not because we imagine they are lying about the 6 people killed by cyclists, but because they ignore the much greater problem caused by motor vehicles.