A clown takes a pratfall

[Mave]

xRIEx said:

The driver was an impatient dick, no question, but the overtake occurred at a large gap in the parked cars - the cyclist could have moved over a foot if he was that concerned about his safety. There was no risk of a dooring at that time.

The driver showed himself to be a dick, why would any cyclist want a driver like that behind them?

This motorist didn't give the cyclist chance to move into the large gap.

[Mave]

xRIEx said:

I wasn't aware anyone suggested the cyclist goaded the driver into a dodgy overtake.

There have been numerous suggestions that the cyclist should have moved over to the left to facilitate the overtake (into the gap that didn't yet exist), there are suggestions that he didn't because he was entitled to stay where he was, there was a suggestion he didn't move over just so he could get something to put on YouTube. Suggestions that the cyclist was inconsiderate for not doing something he wasn't given the opportunity to do.

[walm]

xRIEx said:

The driver was an impatient dick, no question, but the overtake occurred at a large gap in the parked cars - the cyclist could have moved over a foot if he was that concerned about his safety. There was no risk of a dooring at that time.

I think you're right.

[Harji]

xRIEx said:

walm said:

Or he should have completely ignored the significant danger of a dooring and left the car more space to overtake because that overtake is MORE IMPORTANT THAT HIS SAFETY.

The driver was an impatient dick, no question, but the overtake occurred at a large gap in the parked cars - the cyclist could have moved over a foot if he was that concerned about his safety. There was no risk of a dooring at that time.

The driver showed himself to be a dick, why would any cyclist want a driver like that behind them? Even when I'm driving, if I get a dhead driver behind me, I try to facilitate an overtake - rather them in front where I can keep some distance and an eye on them, than them behind where they can crash into me.

Do you even cycle? Do you realise that when cycling if you turn your head round you can't see what's ahead? Try it when driving, and also your advice goes against all recommended advice, you are also forgetting the speed differential between a motor vehicle and cycist, you can have nothing behind and then suddenly there's a vehicle behind you.

AA and TfL advice

Ride assertively, away from the gutter. If the road is too narrow for vehicles to pass you safely, it may be better to ride in the middle of the lane to prevent dangerous overtaking.
Ride in a straight line past parked cars, rather than dodge between them, and allow at least a full door's width between you in case the doors are suddenly opened.

[Tornado180]

They both come across as aholes

[DonkeyApple]

3xpendable said:

DonkeyApple said:

Big conundrum, do you let your son think you just got bh slapped by a mincer on a pushbike or tell him you're such a malcolm you smashed yourself up.

I had to look that up:

Malcolm
Nothing to do with the name, but modern English slang for a WOSP. Reputed to be a remnant belonging to a failed branch of evolution, malcolms are usually, but not exclusively, male. Having no social skills, they are inept and uncoordinated.

It is hoped that the British Government will authorise a malcolm cull in much the same way as they did for badgers, as a malcolm is less use than a badger's arse.

I've always assumed it derived from 'malc' being the abbreviation of malcoordinated.

As one of the 'chosen few' at school who was not exactly a natural sportsman, being called Malcolm wasn't exactly uncommon. . Luckily they stopped calling me Malcolm when the name 'ginga' came into parlance.

[Camoradi]

I've cycled for 31 years, at times well over 10,000 miles a year, and I haven't had as many confrontations with drivers as this guy has posted up in the last 6 months. I was on one occasion faced with a driver who pulled into a lay by, and ran out into the road to punch me as I rode by, pushing me across the road into the path of an oncoming car, this was about 25 years ago and I've learned since to get on with my ride and accept that people will sometimes misjudge distances and space etc.

This cyclist seems to hate drivers and wants to punish anyone who even marginally invades his road space. He's obviously looking for trouble and given the choice of moving a foot to the left to make an overtake safer, or a foot to the right to make it a tight squeeze, I suspect he'd do the latter in order to get another "outrageous" video for his youtube channel. If this cyclist is ready to be so critical of drivers skill levels, he should also work on his cycling skills which are pretty poor in my opinion.

[Mr2Mike]

heebeegeetee said:

I don't have any problem with a cyclist saying "you're too close" with impunity. I struggle to see how it could be any other way, tbh.

I do have a problem with drivers like that behaving like that, with impunity. He's barely in more control than a drunk driver.

Good for you. I have a problem with sad adenoidal tts who have failed so badly at life that they get their kicks from baiting car drivers and recording to reaction on a camera. I'm sure his mother (who he undoubtedly still lives with) is very proud.

[heebeegeetee]

Mr2Mike said:

Good for you. I have a problem with sad adenoidal tts who have failed so badly at life that they get their kicks from baiting car drivers and recording to reaction on a camera. I'm sure his mother (who he undoubtedly still lives with) is very proud.

Perhaps, but of the two he's much less likely to explode in temper and perhaps mow someone down when he's decided they're s too, isn't he?

Tbh the cyclist isn't relevant. But something should be done about drivers like that imo.

[Durzel]

Camoradi said:

I've cycled for 31 years, at times well over 10,000 miles a year, and I haven't had as many confrontations with drivers as this guy has posted up in the last 6 months. I was on one occasion faced with a driver who pulled into a lay by, and ran out into the road to punch me as I rode by, pushing me across the road into the path of an oncoming car, this was about 25 years ago and I've learned since to get on with my ride and accept that people will sometimes misjudge distances and space etc.

This cyclist seems to hate drivers and wants to punish anyone who even marginally invades his road space. He's obviously looking for trouble and given the choice of moving a foot to the left to make an overtake safer, or a foot to the right to make it a tight squeeze, I suspect he'd do the latter in order to get another "outrageous" video for his youtube channel. If this cyclist is ready to be so critical of drivers skill levels, he should also work on his cycling skills which are pretty poor in my opinion.

Well said.

It's a sad reflection of our times really that everyone feels entitled, there's very little consideration given to making concessions or sacrifices to others anymore. Given the choice between avoiding an accident and proving a point, even if only in their own head, these people would throw themselves into danger to do it. These social justice warriors are everywhere now, it's not enough for them to just get on with their lives, everything has to be a huge scene.

Unfortunately there's no way of knowing what this guy was like before he got a camera and an audience, I suspect he was always a bit unhinged emotionally but the camera enabled his behaviour to take on a surreal solicitation angle. As has been said for him to have 200+ incidents in the space of 2 years questions rightfully need to be asked of him.

That's not taking anything away from the actions or behaviour of the driver, which was bad also, but the cyclist does himself no favours pushing peoples buttons gleefully.

[RicksAlfas]

Harji said:

Ride in a straight line past parked cars, rather than dodge between them, and allow at least a full door's width between you in case the doors are suddenly opened.

Footnote: This advice can be ignored completely when whizzing through lines of queuing traffic.

[Birdster]

It's interesting reading through this to see opinions. I've only been cycling on the road for six months and I've seen the impatient driving, the turning left in front of me, I’ve even had two of these close overtakes. One where I was going past the last two parked cars (out of 8-10) and then 30 feet to the give way junction. So they’ve squeezed past and then had to stop to give way with me behind them. I didn’t cycle in front of them as I’d prefer them in front of me instead of behind. To be fair I've seen plenty of good driving where people have given me space and they have hanged back etc. It's a bit of give and take. I've seen people wait at width restrictions and I can tell that they can get through and be gone before I get there so I wave them through and they're grateful. As mentioned by others before it's all about give and take.

Although I had my second incident when cycling the other day. A car coming towards me who was slowing down for a junction where I had right of way and then at the last moment they decided to go for it. I'd made eye contact, they didn't seem to be driving aggressively, or speeding (the usual indicators of impatient driving that will result in someone pulling out on you whether you're in a car, or on a bicycle) so I felt safe and presumed they were giving way.



The blue line is my route, the line through it was where I was when they pulled out, the yellow line is the cars route. I'd already slowed down enough as I saw the car as a hazard anyway, but we met at the parked car (blue rectangle). Even the guy getting into that car shook his head said something. I didn't say a word as I didn't see the point in getting into a confrontation. I didn't even speed up to confront the driver. I remembered the registration number and thought of reporting it, but then what does it do? I feel rather than reporting it, or recording it I'm better off learning from it and next time don't assume that even though they've given all the correct signals still expect the unexpected, more so than when in a car. In the car it would be crushed panels. On the bike, broken limbs. My mistake was forgetting I’m not in a car.

I consider myself pretty good at reading the behaviour of road users and had I been in a car I feel they wouldn't have pulled out as I'd have been more towards the middle of the road to take that bend and they wouldn't have had the 'I can fit there/don't want to be held up by a cyclist attitude'. I need to remember that I'm the cyclist and more vulnerable. I carried on up the road for another 30 seconds and she was getting out of her car, she looked at me and I said "Thanks for giving way". She just smiled and looked down. People like this won't learn until they hurt someone and end up in court. All that rushing when she was going halfway up the road. I was fine until I see them taking their time pulled up. There was no rush, just a need to beat the cyclist. There is no common sense and no amount of confrontation/videoing will change people like this as they think they are in the right. The gap to overtake the cyclist was just big enough for the driver in this video to get past and so was it for the lady who pulled out on me. They don't think about ‘what ifs’ or leaving a margin for error. It’s two dimensional driving, like those who slow to let someone out when there is nothing behind them, or only one car. They think they’re being nice, but it’s actually slower than just carrying on.

[nurseholliday]

Stuff the dissection and enjoy this article

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/a-brief-overanalysi...

At least 75% as funny as the fat guy hitting the deck

[mybrainhurts]

walm said:

heebeegeetee said:

I agree. I'm no angel but there is no chance whatsoever I would overtake a cyclist like that. Is anyone saying differently?

No. The usual cretins are suggesting that the cyclist should have known there was an impatient tt behind him and pulled over and stopped in the gap between cars because that's the right thing to do for more important vehicles.

If the cyclist showed the slightest courtesy he would be dismounting onto the pavement as soon as he hears any sort of engine behind him because CARS HAVE PRIORITY.

Or he should have completely ignored the significant danger of a dooring and left the car more space to overtake because that overtake is MORE IMPORTANT THAT HIS SAFETY.

The idea of waiting for a wider bit of road or a complete end to the row of parked cars before attempting an overtake isn't the sort of courtesy necessary for someone doing something more important than cycling - namely, driving.

...Behold, the Mighty Man In Tights speaketh to the world and the world must listen.

Tell you what, here's a better idea. Would you walk a pushchair on the road? No, it's dangerous. So is riding a bicycle on the road. So, banish bicycles from the road. How can that be wrong?

Job's a good 'un....

[akirk]

Mave said:

juansolo said:

He has hundreds of videos on his channel. So he's either the unluckiest biker in the world, or a tt baiting people into conflict for his channel.

Or he's posting things that happen every day on the roads. I don't agree with the way he confronts and escalates the situation, but the fact remains that each of those situations has started somehow. I haven't waded through his hundreds of videos, but in the couple I have looked at the baiting is AFTER a dodgy manoeuvre, he hasn't baited someone into doing it in the first place.

Exactly - scenarios that happen every day - car and bike on a road in a built up area - it is about give and take, not standing on 'rights' and then deciding to tell others off when you perceive them to be wrong - it isn't a 'situation' it isn't a particularly dodgy manoeuvre from the driver - it happens 1,000s of times a day all over the country, yes it is admirable to say that there should always be huge gaps when bike and car pass - but in reality that is not possible and just because the AA or others advise leaving a large gap doesn't make it illegal to pass safely with a smaller gap - the key is to ensure safety in an overtake, did the car hit the cyclist - no; did the car come close to hitting the cyclist - no; did the cyclist have to alter course to avoid the car - no; if something had happened to the cyclist and he had fallen would his life been in danger - no - so it is a compromise solution a choice made 1,000s of times a day when different road users need to be in the same place and move at different speeds -seems good - the cyclist then 'made it into something' and as others have said it doesn't take much effort to see his agenda and it is not pretty...

[culpz]

It does amaze me how things like this escalate so quickly and unnecessarily. Quite entertaining but utterly embarrassing.

You've got a rogue cyclist who seems to think he's a copper and is on a mission to take things into his own hands and hunt down a fugitive driver.

Then you've got Captain Caveman who is an utter mentalist with some serious anger issues making an absolute plonker out of himself.

I don't care who is right or wrong here, neither should have gone about their business the way they did.

[Mave]

akirk said:

Exactly - scenarios that happen every day - car and bike on a road in a built up area - it is about give and take, not standing on 'rights' and then deciding to tell others off when you perceive them to be wrong - it isn't a 'situation' it isn't a particularly dodgy manoeuvre from the driver - it happens 1,000s of times a day all over the country, yes it is admirable to say that there should always be huge gaps when bike and car pass - but in reality that is not possible and just because the AA or others advise leaving a large gap doesn't make it illegal to pass safely with a smaller gap - the key is to ensure safety in an overtake, did the car hit the cyclist - no; did the car come close to hitting the cyclist - no; did the cyclist have to alter course to avoid the car - no; if something had happened to the cyclist and he had fallen would his life been in danger - no - so it is a compromise solution a choice made 1,000s of times a day when different road users need to be in the same place and move at different speeds

The different road users didn't NEED to be in the same place. The motorist CHOSE to be in the same place by initiating the overtake. If something had happened to the cyclist and he had fallen would his life have been in danger - yes. 50cm is not enough clearance to make sure you don't run over someone who has fallen over (and remember that 50cm is from the camera, it doesn't take into account the width of the cyclist!). It may be a compromise choice made by motorists 1000s of times a day, but that's not a balanced compromise when you're balancing convenience to yourself against risk to someone else.

[heebeegeetee]

nurseholliday said:

Stuff the dissection and enjoy this article

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/a-brief-overanalysi...

At least 75% as funny as the fat guy hitting the deck

It is fking funny, that video. It will become a classic.

From now on every time somebody on here blathers about insurance and helmets for cyclists I am going to link this video.

There's just two small things missing from this vid: It's *such* a shame the tt didn't bellow "Road Tax!!" at some point - it's almost as though even he knows it doesn't exist, and that just can't be so.

And then the other thing - as the Puce One face plants, the cyclist should have stopped and just roared with laughter. he should have roared a great belly laugh while point at fatso "You fking stupid fat tt!!!! AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha I'm gonna die!!!!!!, pointing and holding his sides.

As it was, he probably pedaled off to his mum.

I love it though. Here he is, totally uninsured and unhelmeted.

[Winky151]

Stig said:

LOL! ZinZan street in Reading. Anyone from the area will know why this little performance accordingly comes as no surprise

I missed the road sign. Explains everything.

[bigandclever]

Winky151 said:

Stig said:

LOL! ZinZan street in Reading. Anyone from the area will know why this little performance accordingly comes as no surprise

I missed the road sign. Explains everything.

Except that misery guts driver is from that bastion of sensibility, Henley. Comes round here, gobbing off, waking up our drug dealers...