Under heavy fire

[TwickenhamCyclist]

What a state...

Mag, I think that in nearly everything you exemplify with your videos on youtube you are correct. The trouble is that this is the internet, you can't win an argument on unvetted fora against a background noise of bullies and idiots and, regrettably, youtube just ain't set up for what you've been trying to do. If you then go and poke hornets nests like bloodbus with a dirty great stick then you'll get trouble.

If you can find a reasoned, thinking bunch of motorists in their own corner of the internet then you may well have more luck. Trouble is, it ain't the reasoned, thinking motorists who are the problem. Almost by definition you're trying to convince the most recalcitrant, difficult people on the road through the one route where they're least vulnerable to persuasion; their minds.

Add to that the near anonymity they can gain online, and the strange capacity for the internet to turn people into bigger morons than they already are, and I tend to think that you're on to a loser.

That doesn't mean that I think your aims are wrong or that what you're saying is wrong. It just means that there will always be idiots who try to give you trouble for it.

I appreciate what your getting at here cab – and think you’re pretty spot on with your analysis of the situation – but I think getting these people to post their comments in public helps to expose them as the idiots they are – its like the BNP – give them enough rope…
I’d much rather have their vile attitudes and postings out and in the public domain for all to see, than hidden away in obscure forums – and as for near anonymity – most of them will and do slip up – most of them will use the same e-mail address for facebook or something – sites like that never destroy information. Most reasoned people, even those that don’t have much sympathy for “lycra louts”, will, if shown the kind of treatment magnatom is getting, probably change their attitudes a little towards the fact that some road users are a danger to cyclists – if it changes just one person into a more contentious driver then I think its worth it

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

What's your bike and common route, twickenham?

Hi Spindrift - you talkin' to me (he says in a goodfella's/italian accent)


I mainly cycle from Twickenham to Kew as a commute – not quite as far as I’d like, but can’t really do much about that – depending on what I need to carry and how smart I need to look, I’d quite happily cycle up to the west end and back when needed, but that doesn’t happen as often now as I’d like – for leisure I enjoy the occasional lap of Richmond Park/Wimbledon Common/Bushey park – but usually get as far as the White Swan and then get a little distracted. I like driving and don’t mind catching the bus, but 9 times out of 10 find cycling around Richmond / Twickenham much quicker, cheaper and more fun - as I'm sure most cyclists on here do.
The bike is an old carbon framed Giant MTB with slicks, as I’m mainly on the road – saving up for one of those new hybrid/racing bike hybrids (if that’s the correct term) – like the MTB set up, need a strong frame, but I’ve reached the limit with the mtb gears – feel I could go a good 5 to 10 mph faster on the flat if only I had the gearing. You local to Twickenham as well?

 

[spindrift]

My brother is, we cycle and jog the towpath by kew gardens but there are lots of rambling peds there. It's a nice bit of river, grey herons fly over and old rotting hulls look like giant's ribcages decomposing into the mud.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

My brother is, we cycle and jog the towpath by kew gardens but there are lots of rambling peds there. It's a nice bit of river, grey herons fly over and old rotting hulls look like giant's ribcages decomposing into the mud.

That stretch of towpath is pretty picturesque – but I avoid it on the bike during the summer and at weekends – as you say, it gets a little crowded – as a child I used to know that whole stretch, from Barnes railway bridge to Ham just like the back of my hand – we’d often stop at railway bridge in Kew and swim (and I’m afraid to say, much to my horror now as a parent, climb up the railway bank, walk along the track and jump of ironwork into the Thames) – bringing back some lovely memories of youth – oh well – better get back to work

 

[Cab]

I appreciate what your getting at here cab – and think you’re pretty spot on with your analysis of the situation – but I think getting these people to post their comments in public helps to expose them as the idiots they are – its like the BNP – give them enough rope…

And they'll do macrami? I'd love to think that what is happening here is that they'll be drawn in to make fools of themselves and that action will be taken to stop them being so dangerous, but it won't be. Or at least it seems very unlikely that it will. Better, if you're going to record those events on the roads, to take them to companies responsible for drivers or straight to the police. By all means put them online (until such a time that this is shown to be illegal, which I doubt will happen), but don't go and throw custard pies at the culprits until they get angry at you. It won't help.

I’d much rather have their vile attitudes and postings out and in the public domain for all to see, than hidden away in obscure forums – and as for near anonymity – most of them will and do slip up – most of them will use the same e-mail address for facebook or something – sites like that never destroy information. Most reasoned people, even those that don’t have much sympathy for “lycra louts”, will, if shown the kind of treatment magnatom is getting, probably change their attitudes a little towards the fact that some road users are a danger to cyclists – if it changes just one person into a more contentious driver then I think its worth it

I see where you're coming from, but I think thats a high-pain approach for very little gain.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

And they'll do macrami? I'd love to think that what is happening here is that they'll be drawn in to make fools of themselves and that action will be taken to stop them being so dangerous, but it won't be. Or at least it seems very unlikely that it will. Better, if you're going to record those events on the roads, to take them to companies responsible for drivers or straight to the police. By all means put them online (until such a time that this is shown to be illegal, which I doubt will happen), but don't go and throw custard pies at the culprits until they get angry at you. It won't help.

I see where you're coming from, but I think thats a high-pain approach for very little gain.

Fair comment cab – I guess your probably right – anyway, thanks to you I’ve now got images going round in my head of Nick Giffen and associated skinheads knitting and having a go at cat’s cradle – that’s going to keep me amused all afternoon – thanks!

 

[andyfromotley]

Can you pleeeeeeeeeeease tell me that there isnt really a website about bus drivers. that is abssolutely f5ckin hilarious!!! Makes cyclists look like james bond!

Whilst not wishing to belittle Magnatoms predicament, if i had to be threatened by anyone then these badboys would be somewhere near the top of my list.

Hilairously absurd.

 

[nethalus]

that Bloodbus forum is bonkers, loads of people claiming they've been sacked cos of magn's clips- utter bullsh1t.

I'd register and argue with the blighters but life's too short, laugh at them instead.

No there is only one person claiming they were sacked, or suspended, because of Magnatom's Bullied off the road video. No one else on there has made any such claim.

 

[sanoffyhighstepson]

Firstbus are not too good

I know there is truth in at least one of the disciplines at Scotstoun Depot. Only cos a used to work there, so av got lots of friends in there. I got sacked in February for makin comments, to what turned out to be a freelance reporter, that the good bus drivers are pissed of wi neds and bricks goin through windows, and a ended up in the paper. Company didnt like it for whatever reason only known to themselves. They gave it the whole "Problem with vandalism and assault? We dont have one!"
Know that Firstbus have very shitty disciplinary procedures and would sack some poor bast-ard for trippin up on a banana skin!!!

 

[nethalus]

I know there is truth in at least one of the disciplines at Scotstoun Depot. Only cos a used to work there, so av got lots of friends in there. I got sacked in February for makin comments, to what turned out to be a freelance reporter, that the good bus drivers are pissed of wi neds and bricks goin through windows, and a ended up in the paper. Company didnt like it for whatever reason only known to themselves. They gave it the whole "Problem with vandalism and assault? We dont have one!"
Know that Firstbus have very shitty disciplinary procedures and would sack some poor bast-ard for trippin up on a banana skin!!!

Thy blasphemes against the Sacred and Holy Pink F!!!!

 

[Terminator]

I feel sorry for bus drivers so I try not to have a go if they do a dodgy move which is very rare anyway.Not a job I would like to do.

 

[historyman]

About Twickenham, carhaters can enjoy a good sight by the bridge as unwitting motorists park on the slipway down to the Thames, unaware that the tide will rise. There's a pub with a perfect terrace for watching this happen slowly on a summer afternoon...

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

About Twickenham, carhaters can enjoy a good sight by the bridge as unwitting motorists park on the slipway down to the Thames, unaware that the tide will rise. There's a pub with a perfect terrace for watching this happen slowly on a summer afternoon...

I worked in it – The White Swan. For a few days of the month the tide reaches a good 4 feet above the road surface. Its quite common to get “locked in” by the tide for an hour or two. People would often park on the road and have cars flooded – I can remember two occasions where drivers got shirty with me as I attempted to warn them about the tide – both times I think they assumed I was telling them they couldn’t park there. Left them there for a few hours while going for a walk only to come back to a partly visible roof and a few cheers from the pub balcony.

 

[PBancroft]

I worked in it – The White Swan. For a few days of the month the tide reaches a good 4 feet above the road surface. Its quite common to get “locked in” by the tide for an hour or two. People would often park on the road and have cars flooded – I can remember two occasions where drivers got shirty with me as I attempted to warn them about the tide – both times I think they assumed I was telling them they couldn’t park there. Left them there for a few hours while going for a walk only to come back to a partly visible roof and a few cheers from the pub balcony.

Oooh! I know exactly the sort! I bet that you had one or two who still tried to blame you or someone else for this blundering idiocy.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Oooh! I know exactly the sort! I bet that you had one or two who still tried to blame you or someone else for this blundering idiocy.

Oh yes - even when they had parked on a slipway under a "Warning - road liable to flooding" sign -
We actually had one guy, who had been drinking in the pub for a few hours, come back in and get really annoyed with the landlady because he’d got a parking ticket (he’d parked on a yellow line, up the road, during the day when restrictions were in force). She tolerated him for a bit, but pointed out that parking was really his responsibility. Then he shouted at her “What kind of f***ing pub doesn’t have a car park anyway?” and she replied instantly, with a dead pan expression “The kind of f***ing pub that was built 200 years before the internal combustion was invented!” At which point he rather sheepishly left while everyone else sniggered.