The Muppet Show

[Riverman]

Hi magnatom,

I appreciate some of the work you're doing to raise awareness of people about the dangers cyclists have to contend with.

The thing that puzzles me most is how you seem to have so many problems. I cycle everyday myself and very rarely experience any of the shoot you've encountered, thank God. It's almost like you're attracting it like a magnet.

The one difference I've noticed is that you do tend to look over your shoulder a lot.

Don't take this the wrong way though, it's just an observation.

 

[goo_mason]

Riverman - I think it's just a matter of luck, location and time of day. Plus the fact that when you consider Magnatom is cycing daily, to-and-from work commutes all year round, the number of incidents cf. days cycled is VERY small.

Glasgow is a rough'n'tough city for a man like Maggers with a girly scream

 

[RedBike]

I got so obsessed with reading the daft comments and watching your other videos I completely to bid on an item that was finishing on ebay at lunchtime.

You know owe me a pair of secondhand pair of 8spd sora shifters with lightly scratched tops for £130. (Don't worry, they're only £99 new).

 

[BentMikey]

Riverman, read my posts in response to StuartG above.

 

[4F]

The one difference I've noticed is that you do tend to look over your shoulder a lot.

I guess you have never ridden a motorcycle ? The lifesave look over the shoulder is exactly that. Not only does it make you aware of what is behind you, when approaching a pinch point a good glare at the driver lets him know you are there .

 

[Riverman]

I'm not saying I don't look over my shoulder, I just don't look over my shoulder anywhere near as much as magnatom.

If you do it too much, you can lose your balance a little and lose sight of what's going on in front of you. I don't think it's necessary to do it that much.

I've seen people do it and wiggle abit, which I imagine would piss off some drivers as in order to overtake you, I think drivers prefer you to be going in a straight line.

 

[Origamist]

WTF, cyclists are now inviting trouble because they maintain rearward observation...

.

 

[BentMikey]

I'm not saying I don't look over my shoulder, I just don't look over my shoulder anywhere near as much as magnatom.

If you do it too much, you can lose your balance a little and lose sight of what's going on in front of you. I don't think it's necessary to do it that much.

I've seen people do it and wiggle abit, which I imagine would piss off some drivers as in order to overtake you, I think drivers prefer you to be going in a straight line.

Doh! That's so wrong!!!

There's little better than a good wiggle in getting drivers to overtake you with a decent amount of room. There's a difference between a safely planned one, and an unintentional uncontrolled wiggle that might put you in danger. FWIW there's something wrong with your cycling if you aren't looking back enough in an organised and planned way, and can't keep in a straight line whilst doing so.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

...I've seen people do it and wiggle abit, which I imagine would piss off some drivers as in order to overtake you, I think drivers prefer you to be going in a straight line.

Actually most of them would prefer it if we weren't on the road... but I don't really give a toss what the driver would prefer, I have a perfect right to be there and they need to drive accordingly.

 

[magnatom]

I should also point out that I tend to look back more when I can sense a threat from behind. If something is going on behind me, I want to keep a close eye on it. If a driver finds that annoying, that is their problem!

 

[Riverman]

FWIW there's something wrong with your cycling if you aren't looking back enough in an organised and planned way, and can't keep in a straight line whilst doing so.

As I said, I'm not the one wiggling, although I don't think you can rule it out however long you've been cycling for.

you aren't looking back enough in an organised and planned way

I never said that. I've remained safe on the roads, I cycle everyday, have done for the last year and have fortunately only had a couple of minor incidents with drivers. I don't think looking over my shoulder more often than I do would have prevented those at all. So, I'm must be looking back often enough and in an orgnaised and planned way and to be honest, I'm sure of it. As I believe I do it at the correct times, mainly at junctions.

What I see when I watch those youtube videos, are riders who never seems to stop looking behind them. I think that's totally unnecessary frankly. It's important to be aware of what's going on behind you sure but within reason.

 

[4F]

I'm not saying I don't look over my shoulder, I just don't look over my shoulder anywhere near as much as magnatom.

If you do it too much, you can lose your balance a little and lose sight of what's going on in front of you. I don't think it's necessary to do it that much.

I've seen people do it and wiggle abit, which I imagine would piss off some drivers as in order to overtake you, I think drivers prefer you to be going in a straight line.

Ahh the professional wobble. I have used that to great affect and it does work well. I agree with Sh4rky, I have as much right on the road as anyone else and if they are held up because they are trying to overtake in a stupid place then so be it.

 

[BentMikey]

I don't think Magnatom looks back too much, Riverman.

 

[magnatom]

I should point out folks, when I use the c word in the video (a word I absolutely hate) I was only repeating word for word what the driver had said to me. I didn't think the video had picked it up, so I repeated it. It does sound like I was calling him the c word, which I wasn't.

 

[Norm]

It does sound like I was calling him the c word, which I wasn't.

I thought that the first time around but, after saying that line, you do also say that you are repeating what he said for the camera.

TBH, the first two didn't look that unusual to me. Camera angles and all that sort of thing come in to play, I know, and I don't know if it's a good or bad thing that I'd have ignored them.

Third one was a bit of a soft cow, although I'm impressed that you seem to have attained puberty since your last filming.