How fair is this on cyclists?

[classic33]

http://www.grumpyoldsod.com/cyclists 3.asp

From the foot of the page
"If he keeps going he will certainly end up under the wheels of an artic and there will be some who won't be entirely sorry. Actually, there are some who won't be at all sorry, because he's objectionable. But it won't be his fault of course; after all, he's a cyclist and can therefore do no wrong."


Gaz is this one of yours?

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mJAKKQSOoI

 

[jarlrmai]

I think that's one Gaz's from ages ago when he was more confrontational, typical reaction from idiots, why is the cyclist objectionable? Because he had the temerity to question being cut up?

The problem with POV video with wide angle lenses is even if you are right it can make you look like a tit.

Even as a cyclist with a camera when I've watched back my clips and those of others and noticed

Your voice is louder in the video, makes you seem like an aggressor.
The person appears smaller and the lens diminishes them even more.
If you point a huge finger points a small person on the tape, sounds silly but even as a person who's done it Ive watched my videos back and thought wow that wasn't quite how it appeared.
Distances and angles are distorted making close passes look further away.

Also some people (seems to be a Britsh thing) object to any one speaking up about things which are not correct or safe.

Also this was recorded a long long time a go and Gaz is still riding and well, so his assement of Gaz's future is way off and mainly because of the way Gaz cycles.

 

[classic33]

So that would be an old picture of him in the link then?

 

[Matthew_T]

A motorist approaching a parked car has to go through the whole mirror-signal-manoeuvre business – he can't just assume it's OK for him to pull out. But cyclists generally do just pull out without looking, and wonder why they get knocked down.

What has shoulder checking when passing a parked car got to do with anything? The motorist should see that the cyclist is manouvring around an obstacle and not overtake. Once again, trying to put the blame onto cyclists.

It's not his place to educate drivers, and he has no more rights on the road than the rest of us.

This is probably the worst line in that whole thing. Just because we have equal rights, doesnt mean that we cannot try and educate others. Why shouldnt the most vulnerable road user try and get others to see the dangers they pose? Why must cyclists not have a word with a driver just because they have passed too closely or pulled out from a side road?
How is anyone meant to learn if we just keep quiet? The driving test has hardly anything cycling related in it. The police are loosing numbers every year. The only plausible solution is for members of the public to help one another.

 

[jarlrmai]

So that would be an old picture of him in the link then?

Not sure what you mean? If you mean his YouTube channel then he's probably changed his profile since this video was taken

 

[classic33]

Not sure what you mean? If you mean his YouTube channel then he's probably changed his profile since this video was taken

There's his name in full & his picture at the top of the page.
IF it is Gaz I hope he's changed since that picture was taken.

 

[jarlrmai]

Looks like Gaz to me what's your point? Most of that ill-considered rant is based on the War on Britain's Roads TV show that Gaz featured in where his footage and interviews were edited to try and create some sort of engineered conflict, likely in the name of the BBC's misguided approach to balance.

 

[ianrauk]

There's his name in full & his picture at the top of the page.
IF it is Gaz I hope he's changed since that picture was taken.

It is Gaz and as @jarlrmai has asked, what is your point?
Gaz is an exceptionally good cyclist and a great human being to boot.
(Fivers in the post @gaz )

 

[jarlrmai]

I think it's the haircut....

 

[gaz]

LOL. love it when people judge you based on a few seconds in a video.

Come and ride with me, lets go have a beer, eat a meal what ever. You'll see the real me and you'll see that I'm not like that all the time. Nearly hit me, yeah i'm going to shout about it and stand up for my self, normal human reaction.

As for cycling in the middle of the lane, I think we all know what proper cycling technique tells you to do when you are doing 25mph in a narrow bus lane.

 

[gaz]

[QUOTE 2872067, member: 30090"]Still way down there though when it comes to CC cyclists. 'Down there' being a bottomless pit.

CC cyclists in order of riding brilliance.

Origamist > User30090 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everyone else.[/quote]
As long as the rest of us are all equal, I'm not to sure I have anything to complain about too loudly on that one :P

 

[wiggydiggy]

So that would be an old picture of him in the link then?

IIRC its a talking head shot of Gaz from the programme, funny, the website author is a bit critical of the BBC yet will happily use an uncredited image from one of their programme's

 

[steveindenmark]

What has shoulder checking when passing a parked car got to do with anything? The motorist should see that the cyclist is manouvring around an obstacle and not overtake. Once again, trying to put the blame onto cyclists.
.

A shoulder check gives the vehicles behind some idea of what you are about to do. Quite often a cyclist can mask the object he is about to overtake. In your statement you are putting all the responsibility on other road users. It seems you don't have to make any observations and can do whatever you like and it's up to everyone else to dodge round you.

In reality, if you are on the road you have as much responsibility as everyone else.

I am guessing you don't drive a car and have no idea what a driver can miss when he is driving behind a cyclist.

Steve

 

[classic33]

It is Gaz and as @jarlrmai has asked, what is your point?
Gaz is an exceptionally good cyclist and a great human being to boot.
(Fivers in the post @gaz )

Some of the comments seen pointing to that piece were non to subtle over what they wanted/would like to do to that person. I'm not having a go at Gaz in any way.

 

[classic33]

The page as a whole is what I was asking about being fair to cyclists. The comment at the bottom for reasons given in my last post.