Should magnatom sell his camera?

[magnatom]

She does indeed know you best, I have no doubt. Possibly she quite likes you as well, how un-biased can that be?

Biased yes, but honest as well. She has quite clearly said that I should calm down and not react to incidents as much as I do. How does the fact she likes me or not affect he ability to determine if I would be the same with or without the helmet camera. She knows how I react seeing mobile phone drivers if I am walking along the road, she knows how much I hate tailgaters when I drive the car, so I think she is as qualified as a person can get to answer this question don't you?

Unfortunately most folk who know me well quite like me, so I am not sure how I could remove this bias for you.

 

[botchjob]

Have to admit that I have found myself wondering how it is that Magnatom has SO MANY close scrapes. I commute 10 miles daily in London and I probably get 1 or 2 camera-worthy moments a year.

Which leaves me to conclude that one or more of the following must be true:

A) car drivers in Scotchland really really hate cyclists
car drivers in Scotchland really really hate Magnatom
C) there is something about Magnatom’s roadcraft which contributes to the number of camera-worthy moments he has

 

[magnatom]

Have to admit that I have found myself wondering how it is that Magnatom has SO MANY close scrapes. I commute 10 miles daily in London and I probably get 1 or 2 camera-worthy moments a year.

Which leaves me to conclude that one or more of the following must be true:

A) car drivers in Scotchland really really hate cyclists
car drivers in Scotchland really really hate Magnatom
C) there is something about Magnatom’s roadcraft which contributes to the number of camera-worthy moments he has

Ah, but do you have less? If you have time (and you would need a fair amount) have a look at my videos. the majority of them are not serious incidents, more annoyances, bad driving/cycling etc. Most of these are of the type that, had I not filmed them, I probably would have forgotten them. So I too might have looked at 'me' and thought, I don't have as many incidents as magnatom!

I think there is also a D). Although cycling is on the increase in Glasgow, it is still a minority transport. So drivers don't have experience of driving near cyclists. The only way to improve that is to get more cyclists on the roads.

I don't believe in a and b, I can't really comment on c!

 

[col]

as someone who lives not too far from magnatom and cycles a lot of the same roads, particularly the recent 'taxi driver roundabout exit' I have to say that, whether intentional or not, I do believe that Mags takes an unnecessary primary/weak primary road position far too often and, as a result, experiences a lot more incidents than your average cyclist would. Coming off that roundabout there is plenty of room for a car to safely pass in the approach to the pinch point and mags had pulled across the road unnecessarily early.

I'm by no means a gutter hugger when it comes to road position, but we all have to remember that we are slow moving traffic at times and don't have an undeniable right to hold up other road users unless we believe it would be unsafe to act in any other way.

I'd also add that he comes across as far too aggressive with certain road users. Not the taxi driver maybe when i'm sure he was in shock, but the lady driver who was about to reverse into him in a recent clip was obviously apologetic and shocked at what she'd almost done, but still had to sit in her car while an angry looking man shouted at her through her window. Incidents like that one could be good lessons for drivers,but if the cyclist over-reacts it's more likely to simply increase antagonism towards cyclists.

So, I reckon he should give up the cam. Subconsciously I think it does alter his behaviour as he believes it's a safety net which leads to an unnecessarily aggressive cycling style and over-the-top reaction to incidents.

Actually, if there was no cam there'd be no "have you read cyclecraft?!" clip which i saw for the first time yesterday. cam must stay!

I'm still quite new here and could be totally wrong though.

Well put, but be carefull, you will be accused of being overly bias and even a troll if you carry on thinking like that.

 

[adunn01]

Two other cyclists have since visited the roundabout in question and agreed with my line. I am however, not going to get into a discussion about that one again!

I won't re-state my disagreement then!

I agree in general I need to try not to react as much, but I am after all, not superhuman, have emotions and a particular love for continuing to live and not get hurt, so yes when someone endangers me, in the past I have reacted, although I should point out that my reactions have always been of the sort where I ask 'why did you do that?' etc, and not just hurling abuse.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hurling abuse where it's merited. My point is more that I feel you put yourself in unnecessary positions and always seem ready to blame the driver for whatever happens, no matter how imperfect your cycling may have been.

As for the reversing car, I don't think that I reacted particularly badly! I say, 'you don't just reverse back into me!' in an exasperated tone, she apologises, and I wave her on. Your not seriously suggesting that that was a bad reaction! Look at my hand guestures. Open hand towards the lady in question. That is a fairly neutral guesture which if you find agressive then you are in trouble!

I don't really think there was any need for you to say anything to the lady who had just slammed on the brakes after you knocked the back of her car as she almost reversed over you. pretty sure her slamming of the brakes was an acceptance that she'd done wrong and realised it!

Also read above the comments made by my wife. I think she knows me best!

come on, you've quoted your wife's opinion a few time over the last few days as if a husbands account of his wife's opinion of him is the neutral judgement everyone should be looking for!

 

[adunn01]

Well put, but be carefull, you will be accused of being overly bias and even a troll if you carry on thinking like that. B)

my opinions been well considered over the last few months, believe me - I've no desire to be seen as the new User3143101010!

 

[adunn01]

Have to admit that I have found myself wondering how it is that Magnatom has SO MANY close scrapes. I commute 10 miles daily in London and I probably get 1 or 2 camera-worthy moments a year.

Which leaves me to conclude that one or more of the following must be true:

A) car drivers in Scotchland really really hate cyclists
B) car drivers in Scotchland really really hate Magnatom
C) there is something about Magnatom’s roadcraft which contributes to the number of camera-worthy moments he has

I'll ignore the little englander use of scotchland to refer to this great nation. No point starting an argument that's so easily won.

I think it has to be C). There is some poor driving on the roads around Glasgow and drivers definitely need educated, and Mags is right - cyclists are in a minority and suffer from other road users ignorance, but there's something about the way he cycles that seems to bring out the worst in fellow road users.

 

[magnatom]

OK adunn01. As I can't thnk of any other way of proving to you that I am who I am, how about meeting? We could get a coffee or something similar, have a chat and we could go along to the roundabout in question and have a look, cycle it and you could even film me from another view point.

I'm serious. I would happily do this. This is open to anyone else on here. Obviously it would have to be organised via PM to keep my, ahem, fans away, but, how about it?

I'll even buy the coffee (don't drink it myself).

 

[Cab]

I don't really think there was any need for you to say anything to the lady who had just slammed on the brakes after you knocked the back of her car as she almost reversed over you. pretty sure her slamming of the brakes was an acceptance that she'd done wrong and realised it!

Lots of comments like this here. And I don't get it.

For a start, what has 'need' got to do with it? So theres no 'need'; who cares? Do we all only do things we 'need' to do, rather than sometimes things we WANT to do? Magnatom wanted to vent some of what this lady made him feel, what of it? Whats the problem?

More to the point, why isn't there a need? Okay, she slammed the brakes on, but thats quite forgettable really. Some people out on the roads rely on slamming the brakes on far too often, to do so is really no impact at all. Here Magnatom alerted her to what she'd done wrong, the impact of speaking out is likely to have stayed with her.

Will this mean she dislikes cyclists more? Maybe. Who cares so long as it has made her more aware (which is very, very likely I think)?

 

[Cab]

I'll ignore the little englander use of scotchland to refer to this great nation. No point starting an argument that's so easily won.

I think it has to be C). There is some poor driving on the roads around Glasgow and drivers definitely need educated, and Mags is right - cyclists are in a minority and suffer from other road users ignorance, but there's something about the way he cycles that seems to bring out the worst in fellow road users.

Every day I see cyclists accept really, really shoddy manoevres from motorists. As bad as the ones Mag. posts or, more often, worse. The difference between Mag. and many other riders is not how badly motorists behave towards him, its how he reacts (he posts the incidents online and discusses them, he's aware of the risks rather than blind to most of them.

I don't post about all of the insane overtakes I see because, frankly, living in Cambridge, I'd do nothing else.

 

[adunn01]

Lots of comments like this here. And I don't get it.

For a start, what has 'need' got to do with it? So theres no 'need'; who cares? Do we all only do things we 'need' to do, rather than sometimes things we WANT to do? Magnatom wanted to vent some of what this lady made him feel, what of it? Whats the problem?

More to the point, why isn't there a need? Okay, she slammed the brakes on, but thats quite forgettable really. Some people out on the roads rely on slamming the brakes on far too often, to do so is really no impact at all. Here Magnatom alerted her to what she'd done wrong, the impact of speaking out is likely to have stayed with her.

Will this mean she dislikes cyclists more? Maybe. Who cares so long as it has made her more aware (which is very, very likely I think)?

i care. i think it's important that we all deal with motorists who show a blatant disregard for our safety. I'd never apologise for the argument I had with a taxi driver a few weeks ago who tried to force me off the road, or for calling him a c*nt. I'm not some shrinking violet, and I wouldn't encourage any cyclist to be. But...when a driver has made a genuine mistake, and is blatantly sorry, what need is there to resort to any sort of remonstration?!

I remember watching a video of a cyclist who was totally convinced he was in the right as he forced a driver to stop and shouted at him that he should have given way on a narrow-ish road because there was a street sign saying "give way to oncoming traffic" or similar. There was no need for a car to stop given the amount of room there was for the bike and car to pass each other, but legally the cyclist could take the high ground so he did and ran with it. Not saying Mags is anywhere near this level, but he's closer to it than I think there's any need to be.

 

[adunn01]

OK adunn01. As I can't thnk of any other way of proving to you that I am who I am, how about meeting? We could get a coffee or something similar, have a chat and we could go along to the roundabout in question and have a look, cycle it and you could even film me from another view point.

I'm serious. I would happily do this. This is open to anyone else on here. Obviously it would have to be organised via PM to keep my, ahem, fans away, but, how about it?

I'll even buy the coffee (don't drink it myself).

thanks for the offer! but, i'm not saying you're anything other than how you portray yourself online, I'm just saying that I'm not convinced you do yourself any favours! Anyway, mine's a beer!

 

[boydj]

I think you'll find that very few of the incidents that Magnatom has posted have been anywhere near 'life-threatening'. What he does post is, I find, very representative of my experience of daily commuter cycling.

I think the above is worth repeating and I too cycle in Glasgow. The vast majority of drivers are aware and careful round cyclists, but every couple of weeks there's an extra close shave, or a pull-out that causes a sharp intake of breath and a surge of adrenaline. It's these ones that have me wishing I had a camera - if only to encourage me to curb the language that's likely to fly at the errant driver.

Most incidents are simply thoughtless, careless or lack of awareness. The ones I really hate are the 'vigilante' drivers like Mags' taxi driver who think it is their duty to 'teach' cyclists what the correct road position is. I've had maybe four or five of these in the last three years, one of which led to a police interview under caution for the driver. A camera comes into its own in these situations.

 

[Cab]

i care. i think it's important that we all deal with motorists who show a blatant disregard for our safety. I'd never apologise for the argument I had with a taxi driver a few weeks ago who tried to force me off the road, or for calling him a c*nt. I'm not some shrinking violet, and I wouldn't encourage any cyclist to be. But...when a driver has made a genuine mistake, and is blatantly sorry, what need is there to resort to any sort of remonstration?!

Makes sure she'll remember I'd have thought. But in any case, what of it? Whats it matter that Magnatom let off a bit of steam? Either she's a 'bloody cyclist' kind of motorist and it makes no odds, or she genuinely knows she made a mistake and this sticks the message home. No need to resort to remonstration? No 'need' not to either.

I remember watching a video of a cyclist who was totally convinced he was in the right as he forced a driver to stop and shouted at him that he should have given way on a narrow-ish road because there was a street sign saying "give way to oncoming traffic" or similar. There was no need for a car to stop given the amount of room there was for the bike and car to pass each other, but legally the cyclist could take the high ground so he did and ran with it. Not saying Mags is anywhere near this level, but he's closer to it than I think there's any need to be.

Oh, that might be one of my videos you're referring to, where some motorists on one narrow stretch of road here in Cambridge assume that because you can physically fit in a gap with oncoming traffic you can safely do so. If it is mine, you've just demonstrated to me that I needn't concern myself with what you're saying any more, because your goal here is passive cycling in response to others taking risks with our safety.

 

[wesa]

Should Magnatom sell his camera? - No
I have been riding for years, on road and off road but when I started commuting by bike I quickly noticed a very different mindset on the part of the drivers. I did some online digging and quickly found Magantom's videos on Youtube. In turn these led me to this forum, where I have been lurking for some time. I have become a much better & safer rider based on all of the advce, including the arguments. Ok I would have found the forum and the information if Magnatom had not posted his videos but the videos showed me that there are cyclists out there who are not prepared to be treated like s***t by drivers. To those of you post your videos for debate, thank you for putting your heads above the parapet, something that I am not willing to do.