BBC Gets Skewered by The Social

[highland145]

yeah, assholes in 2 ton cages don't give a fuck about human life.

I stopped riding anything on 2 wheels because of it.

QFT but the argument that I'm hearing in this thread is that it's your right so ride on. Maybe the others will correct me if I misunderstood.

 

[Ns1]

QFT but the argument that I'm hearing in this thread is that it's your right so ride on. Maybe the others will correct me if I misunderstood.

That is correct. But like you alluded to, right of way is not the same thing as self preservation skills. Because while a cyclist might have the right of way by law, often times right of way is determined by likelihood of survival.

 

[Cozarkian]

Clearly the van did not make a safe overtake, but why are people saying it wasn't safe to overtake at all?

At the point the van actually started to pass it was not solid double white, the white line was broken on the left and there was no oncoming traffic. The van could have, but chose not to, make a legal pass.

A woman wearing a skirt is not breaking the law. At the point the van actually passed, the cyclist was violating Rule 68: a cyclist must not "ride in a dangerous, careless, or inconsiderate manner."

I also see that rule 68 permits cyclist to ride two abreast but only single file on busy or narrow roads. The obvious reason for that rule would be to facilitate other cars overtaking the cyclist, which would indicate, at a minimum, once the double white stopped the cyclist here was legally obligated to move further left.

Of course, almost dying is far beyond the appropriate sanction for the cyclist's minor infraction, while losing his job is not enough for the van driver. I agree the van driver needs to be charged with vehicular assault.

 

[Crumpet]

The cyclist was NOT in violation of Rule 68. The rider is not obligated to move over, at all.

The van driver showed his aggression at being forced to obey the law, following the rider until safe to overtake, by sideswiping the rider.

Let's get a couple things clear here;

1, i'm not a road cyclist. I've been a long term motorcyclist though, and we suffer the same dangers all the time.

2, motorists need to get it through their heads that other road users don't have the same rights as them. "Oh but they don't pay road tax". Um, actually...they do. Did you know that "road tax" doesn't actually pay for the upkeep of the roads? That's covered by council tax, you know, the tax that the cyclist pays too? The same tax that horse riders pay to.. And joggers..And anyone else you want to try to run over.

They have a legal right to be on the road, they have a legal right to road safety. And you are at law to not endanger them.

And before anyone kicks off about road tax, road tax was abolished in 1937. What you pay is Vehicle Excise Duty, VED is essentially a tax on pollution, which is why cyclists don't pay it. VED gets paid into the UK's general treasury, and does not pay for the upkeep of roads.

 

[highland145]

Looks like we're finally on the same page. Might makes right...until the law shows up.

I like getting home in one piece and I hope you guys make it in one too.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Hasn't been my experience but I've never tried riding in the middle of the road either. This is the redneck South. Guess I'll keep doing what I've been doing.

One dickhead like the one in the van? That's the only one it takes. Be safe.

Let me rephrase what I said before, maybe I can explain it better.

There are two types of dickheads on the road. Deliberate kind, and accidental kind.

The deliberate dickheads like the one that ran the cyclist off the road in this thread will try to fuck you up no matter where you ride, that's just who they are as a person.

The accidental kind is different, it's people who simply do not know better because they've never been on the other side of the fence - they've never spent any serious time biking on the road so they do not know what it feels like to be a cyclist. They do not know how scary and intimidating it feels when someone passes you 1-2 feet over with throttle wide open. They don't realize how unsafe it is to pass a cyclist biking to the side of the road on a narrow road without waiting for oncoming traffic to clear to make a proper pass. They don't realize that cyclists often bike at 20-25mph, they don't realize they don't really have enough time time to pass a cyclist biking that fast so they end up cutting cyclists off or right-hooking them. These are not bad people, they simply do not know better.

I cannot do anything about the deliberate dickhead, he's going to be a dick no matter what. However, I can "encourage" accidental dickhead to be a better driver by biking in the middle of the lane. The accidental dickhead is much less likely to engage in unsafe behavior if I bike in the middle of the lane, that's just a fact based on my own experience and every biker that I've talked to. Keep in mind that deliberate dickheads are actually fairly rare, where I live I encounter someone laying the horn on me, or cursing at me, or flipping the bird at me about once every 3 months give or take (thankfully I haven't had anyone try and actually run me off the road yet). The accidental kind outnumbers that by a factor of 10. If I bike in the middle of the lane I am safer because I help accidental dickhead, of which there are aplenty, to be a better and safer driver.

 

[highland145]

Let me rephrase what I said before, maybe I can explain it better.

There are two types of dickheads on the road. Deliberate kind, and accidental kind.

The deliberate dickheads like the one that ran the cyclist off the road in this thread will try to fuck you up no matter where you ride, that's just who they are as a person.

The accidental kind is different, it's people who simply do not know better because they've never been on the other side of the fence - they've never spent any serious time biking on the road so they do not know what it feels like to be a cyclist. They do not know how scary and intimidating it feels when someone passes you 1-2 feet over with throttle wide open. They don't realize how unsafe it is to pass a cyclist biking to the side of the road on a narrow road without waiting for oncoming traffic to clear to make a proper pass. They don't realize that cyclists often bike at 20-25mph, they don't realize they don't really have enough time time to pass a cyclist biking that fast so they end up cutting cyclists off or right-hooking them. These are not bad people, they simply do not know better.

I cannot do anything about the deliberate dickhead, he's going to be a dick no matter what. However, I can "encourage" accidental dickhead to be a better driver by biking in the middle of the lane. The accidental dickhead is much less likely to engage in unsafe behavior if I bike in the middle of the lane, that's just a fact based on my own experience and every biker that I've talked to. Keep in mind that deliberate dickheads are actually fairly rare, where I live I encounter someone laying the horn on me, or cursing at me, or flipping the bird at me about once every 3 months give or take (thankfully I haven't had anyone try and actually run me off the road yet). The accidental kind outnumbers that by a factor of 10. If I bike in the middle of the lane I am safer because I help accidental dickhead, of which there are aplenty, to be a better and safer driver.

Fair enough.

 

[clamum]

I think the douche cyclist should've gotten the fuck over and the van driver shouldn't have been so aggressive. How about people just stop acting like assholes and be considerate of other people on the road? What a goddamn amazing thought.

Oh, what was the outcry about from social media? I don't see what's so bad about the BBC's original tweet. Is it for even suggesting the cyclist was at fault? lol

 

[WelshBloke]

I think the douche cyclist should've gotten the fuck over and the van driver shouldn't have been so aggressive. How about people just stop acting like assholes and be considerate of other people on the road? What a goddamn amazing thought.

It doesn't matter if the cyclist gets over or not.

If there's no one coming the van would have space to overtake if it's safe.
If there is someone coming it's not going to be safe for the van to squeeze past the cyclist whilst staying in his own lane.

 

[slayer202]

this thread is a good distillation of why people are so stupid these days. it's not a black and white issue, morons who are saying the cyclist is completely free from blame here.

obviously the van is at fault, but the cyclist wouldn't have been in that position if he was riding closer to the shoulder. that doesn't give the van the right to do what he did, but the cyclist wasn't doing everything in his power to stay safe, you dicks. he was being a dick, and someone else replied by being a bigger dick.

just like that united flight where the guy got dragged off. united makes a dick move, overbooks and tries to kick him off. doctor man is a dick back, refuses to leave like a child. escalates some more and ends badly. the guy who takes it too far is always at fault but people share blame...

whether it was a safe spot to pass is not relevant. the reason the driver was being a dick is because the cyclist was taking over the lane. otherwise I'm sure the van would have driven in a safe manner, deciding whether it was safe or not to pass a cyclist who was minding his own business on the side of the road where he belongs

if it wasn't safe to pass what was gonna happen? the van attempts and ends up running the cyclist off the road? oh wait...

 

[Ns1]

whether it was a safe spot to pass is not relevant. the reason the driver was being a dick is because the cyclist was taking over the lane. otherwise I'm sure the van would have driven in a safe manner, deciding whether it was safe or not to pass a cyclist who was minding his own business on the side of the road where he belongs

already discussed and dissected.

 

[ImpulsE69]

They charged the guy who wrecked the motorcyclist. They should charge this van driver. It doesn't matter if the cyclist was in the wrong, the van driver purposely tried to injure him.

 

[highland145]

They charged the guy who wrecked the motorcyclist. They should charge this van driver. It doesn't matter if the cyclist was in the wrong, the van driver purposely tried to injure him.

Ours isn't much but better than what we had which was nothing. $250 fine or 30 days.

 

[slayer202]

already discussed and dissected.

mostly nonsense though

The point: if there is insufficient room for cars to safely pass. the number of dickheads who are willing to run a cyclist off the road when said cyclist is taking the lane is less than the number of dickheads who are willing to run a cyclist off the road when said cyclist is riding as close to the curb as possible.

gotta take into account the odds of an unsafe pass if you're on the side of the road, subsequently causing a car to run you off. if the odds are that high, everyone else should follow your lead and stop riding. otherwise the odds of someone getting pissed at you taking the entire lane is probably 99% these days. if you're vulnerable, it's probably smart to go out of your way to avoid angering people, whether it's fair or not.

 

[Ns1]

otherwise the odds of someone getting pissed at you taking the entire lane is probably 99% these days.

it's probably closer to 99.9%, but the odds of someone who is pissed AND willing to murder you is substantially lower. The odds of someone blowing by you at an unsafe distance/speed while riding close to the edge is 100%.

 

[WelshBloke]

obviously the van is at fault, but the cyclist wouldn't have been in that position if he was riding closer to the shoulder.

Wouldn't he? Or would it just have encouraged the van driver to squeeze through in an unsafe pass? And if he couldn't get pass we are in the same situation with Mr AngerIssues getting irate behind the cyclist again.

the reason the driver was being a dick is because the cyclist was taking over the lane. otherwise I'm sure the van would have driven in a safe manner, deciding whether it was safe or not to pass a cyclist who was minding his own business on the side of the road where he belongs

The driver was being a dick because he's an idiot with anger issues. You don't go from safe and courteous driver to murderous psychopath that easily, and if you do you want locking away.

 

[cbrunny]

mostly nonsense though

just because you don't understand it doesn't make it nonsense.

 

[slayer202]

it's probably closer to 99.9%, but the odds of someone who is pissed AND willing to murder you is substantially lower. The odds of someone blowing by you at an unsafe distance/speed while riding close to the edge is 100%.

if that's the case then these people should go to a spin class. cyclists are so creepy

 

[Ns1]

if that's the case then these people should go to a spin class. cyclists are so creepy

or just buy a lot of insurance. I take solace knowing that my wife will be able to fund all of her dreams should I be nailed at 55mph.

 

[highland145]

or just buy a lot of insurance. I take solace knowing that my wife will be able to fund all of her dreams should I be nailed at 55mph.

Some men ride for their wives. Some men buy their wives bikes.

 

[cbrunny]

if that's the case then these people should go to a spin class. cyclists are so creepy

we aren't creepy. we just spend way too much money on bicycles and then wear spandex and compression gear, and wonder why the world doesn't revolve around us.

and fwiw, I ride indoors 6 days a week. I did 311 km last week without leaving my house.

 

[cbrunny]

even off the road though it isn't safe.

 

[slayer202]

we aren't creepy. we just spend way too much money on bicycles and then wear spandex and compression gear, and wonder why the world doesn't revolve around us.

and fwiw, I ride indoors 6 days a week. I did 311 km last week without leaving my house.

sounds reasonable to me. not worth the risk going out there with the crazies. I got an email a couple weeks ago from the dental practice I used to go to saying that one of the dentists was killed while cycling. I'd love to get a motorcycle but it's just not worth it imo

 

[KMFJD]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1879573955648607

I saw an ambulance do that to some guy in a microvan in the DR, the van wouldn't move over kept going at a slow leisurely pace while the ambulance was trying to pass.

 

[Ns1]

I saw an ambulance do that to some guy in a microvan in the DR, the van wouldn't move over kept going at a slow leisurely pace while the ambulance was trying to pass.

man people don't realize how good ambulances in the US got it until they check out ambulances in 3rd world countries. NOBODY moves for the ambulance in Mumbai. And Mumbai traffic looks like this.