OldSkoolKona
New Member
- Location
- Richmond, London
Sorry to post this as a newbie on cyclechat, but this has so incensed me I had to raise it here.
On Monday, I was listening to the radio on the way into work (had to drive in) and I was aghast at a segment on BBC Radio London about cycling and the comments from one of the presenters.
The background was an initiative in Southwark in London by the Met and TFL to have cyclists sit in the cab of a lorry - good enough idea and good to have the coverage on the radio. However, one of the presenters, JoAnne Good, used this as a platform to have a go at cyclists.
You can listen to it online now here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/london/aod.shtml?london/breakfast_mon
For those of you that don't want to bore yourself with the whole broadcast, here are some of the clinkers. (timings are time into the show as given on the player)
Plan is to write to the BBC, Ofcom and LCC. You get used to comments in the media of this type, but this was a whole show, and it was a missed opportunity to promote safer cycling AND safer driving. It coudl also be interpreted as justifying dangerous driving towards cyclists.
If anyone would like to join me in complaining the links are:
BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complaints_stage1.shtml
OfCom - http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/progs/
On Monday, I was listening to the radio on the way into work (had to drive in) and I was aghast at a segment on BBC Radio London about cycling and the comments from one of the presenters.
The background was an initiative in Southwark in London by the Met and TFL to have cyclists sit in the cab of a lorry - good enough idea and good to have the coverage on the radio. However, one of the presenters, JoAnne Good, used this as a platform to have a go at cyclists.
You can listen to it online now here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/london/aod.shtml?london/breakfast_mon
For those of you that don't want to bore yourself with the whole broadcast, here are some of the clinkers. (timings are time into the show as given on the player)
BBC Radio London said:01:38 This is about when I tuned in
JoAnne – They are [cyclists], sorry I’m not generalising, yes I am, foulmouthed and very angry but I’ve said that a million times I won’t go into it.
Paul Ross – Not all cyclists though. If you’re a cyclist, give us a call. This isn’t turning into an anti-cycling rant.
JoAnne – Well, it might do
BBC Radio London said:01:47 The infamous lorry caller - take care around Wimbledon for this guy!!!![]()
JoAnne – Lets go to a lorry driver. Graham’s called us from Wimbledon Morning Graham.
Caller – Good morning Jo
Paul – So have you ever had a collision with a cyclist?
Caller – Yes, I drive for a living. I drive [some type of lorry] and I’ve got mirrors everwhere. [....] I was driving along this straight road. I saw this cyclist in front of me, about 100yds, and I caught up with him at the roundabout. I started to proceed over the roundabout and nearly got completed when the cyclist just decided to turn right.
Paul Ross – So he was crossing in front of you then?
Caller – Yes
JoAnne – That’s like David and Goliath, what a ridiculous thing to do
Caller – Well I class him as a professional cyclist
JoAnne – Oh yeah, the helmet and the day glo and the little tap shoes
Caller – [...] with wrap round sunglasses and I’m sure he had head phones on because he definitely didn’t know I was there. I knocked, I didn’t thank God knock him because if I did he wouldn’t be here today but I knocked his bike, he went flying and he actually enpierced (sic) himself on the handlebar. So he eventually came out of hospital. I can understand how lorry drivers are getting a bad name, but its not always their fault.
Paul Ross – And how long was he in hospital for?
Caller – About two, maybe three weeks
JoAnne – Well thank you very much for that Graham, let that be a lesson.
"BBC Radio London said:02:11 After a text message from a cyclist"]
JoAnne – What I hate about cyclists, and I’ve said this before and I’ll stop saying it soon, is that we are breeding a very bold generation of cyclists, they have so much freedom. We’re making them angry and bold and over confident. That is the danger. You know you should have humility when you are cycling
Plan is to write to the BBC, Ofcom and LCC. You get used to comments in the media of this type, but this was a whole show, and it was a missed opportunity to promote safer cycling AND safer driving. It coudl also be interpreted as justifying dangerous driving towards cyclists.
If anyone would like to join me in complaining the links are:
BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complaints_stage1.shtml
OfCom - http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/progs/