Another "cyclist vs driver" rage story in the news...

[anonymous-user]

nickfrog said:

No idea what a militant cyclist is but I reckon cyclists will call a twonk a twonk, whether a driver, a cyclist, or both or a forum poster only able to think in a binary manner. ;-).

Lets just run that through the PH filter.

'militant cyclist' = cyclist
'moronic driving' = making progress

[ORD]

Enlighten us: what do you (guess / speculate / completely make up) as the reason to justify using a bike lock to smash someone's rear window?

Extra points if you can justify it even when, as could perfectly well be anticipated, there is a person (in this case, a baby) in the back seats.

You take out a weapon to attack someone (including by attacking the vehicle in which they are travelling) and you deserve jail time. It's bizarre that anyone should want to defend this conduct!

[anonymous-user]

nickfrog said:

St John Smythe said:

I wonder how the resident PH militant cyclist gang are going to defend this cyclist's actions?

No idea what a militant cyclist is but I reckon cyclists will call a twonk a twonk, whether a driver, a cyclist, or both or a forum poster only able to think in a binary manner. ;-).

I cycle everyday in London. You twonk.

[anonymous-user]

ORD said:

Enlighten us: what do you (guess / speculate / completely make up) as the reason to justify using a bike lock to smash someone's rear window?

Extra points if you can justify it even when, as could perfectly well be anticipated, there is a person (in this case, a baby) in the back seats.

You take out a weapon to attack someone (including by attacking the vehicle in which they are travelling) and you deserve jail time. It's bizarre that anyone should want to defend this conduct!

I'm not defending anyone, but as per usual in these things the pertinent information is left out and the 'shock horror' headlines get rolled out. The BBC are hopeless.

[Al U]

Barnaby.

That is definitely the sort of name you give a child with a destiny of being a victim isn't it. FHL.

[MJG280]

Where was Ronnie Pickering when he's needed?

[heebeegeetee]

St John Smythe said:

I wonder how the resident PH militant cyclist gang are going to defend this cyclist's actions?

Was he sat on his bike when he smashed the window or was he on foot, 'cos if he was on foot then he was a pedestrian.

[DrTre]

yonex said:

I'm not defending anyone, but as per usual in these things the pertinent information is left out and the 'shock horror' headlines get rolled out. The BBC are hopeless.

Pretty justified shock and horror though isn't it?

There was as much information about what had happened previously as can be gleaned though, and credit to her for actually having an intuition at why the cyclist might have been annoyed (not that it excuses assault).

In the absence of being able to interview the cyclist, what do you expect the BBC to report?

Edited by DrTre on Wednesday 21st October 13:01

[BoRED S2upid]

Learner driver, rush hour traffic the cyclist probably got cut up. Still no excuse to smash a window.

[BOR]

ORD said:

Enlighten us: what do you (guess / speculate / completely make up) as the reason to justify using a bike lock to smash someone's rear window?

Putting 2+2=5 then you can read in her textthat they were overtaking close enough for the Lycralist to tap the roof of the car.

Try reaching out your arm right now to get an idea how close that is.

This will feel life threatening to the cyclist, but rather than just keep it buttoned, she has to lean out and have another bite as they go past again.

You are quick to complain about the use of locks a s weapons, what about the use of cars as weapons ?

[anonymous-user]

BOR said:

ORD said:

Enlighten us: what do you (guess / speculate / completely make up) as the reason to justify using a bike lock to smash someone's rear window?

Putting 2+2=5 then you can read in her textthat they were overtaking close enough for the Lycralist to tap the roof of the car.

Try reaching out your arm right now to get an idea how close that is.

This will feel life threatening to the cyclist, but rather than just keep it buttoned, she has to lean out and have another bite as they go past again.

You are quick to complain about the use of locks a s weapons, what about the use of cars as weapons ?

There he is.

[thelawnet1]

ORD said:

Enlighten us: what do you (guess / speculate / completely make up) as the reason to justify using a bike lock to smash someone's rear window?

Perhaps they had just attempted to run him over, thrown something at him, spat him, assaulted him, who knows? Do you have video footage of him?

ORD said:

You take out a weapon to attack someone (including by attacking the vehicle in which they are travelling) and you deserve jail time. It's bizarre that anyone should want to defend this conduct!

There is no offence of 'assault with a weapon'.

Moreover, this offence isn't even 'assault', given, that he, didn't actually attack someone. The law distinguishes between attacks on property and attacks on human beings.

Breaking a window is a summary only (more minor) offence, and the sentencing guidelines state:

"Minor damage e.g. breaking small window; small amount of graffiti " "Band B fine" with a range of "Conditional discharge to band C fine "
And the next level
"Moderate damage e.g. breaking large plate-glass or shop window; widespread graffiti" "Low level community order " with a range of "Band C fine to medium level community order "

[scherzkeks]

DrTre said:

In the absence of being able to interview the cyclist, what do you expect the BBC to report?

Edited by DrTre on Wednesday 21st October 13:01

You cannot be serious. Talk about soft-serve.

[thelawnet1]

DrTre said:

Pretty justified shock and horror though isn't it?

Not particularly? It's a broken window with no injuries, and it was the leading item on the news.

[popeyewhite]

thelawnet1 said:

DrTre said:

Pretty justified shock and horror though isn't it?

Not particularly? It's a broken window with no injuries, and it was the leading item on the news.

Yep, everyday occurrence for most. Can't imagine why any media outlet might think it could shock.

[Mr GrimNasty]

BOR said:

Try reaching out your arm right now to get an idea how close that is.

This will feel life threatening to the cyclist...

In nearly 50 years of cycling I could have reached out and touched 75% of the traffic that went past me.

Never once did I feel in mortal danger or need to hit the vehicle.

I also always cycle as near the edge of the road as possible, check behind before moving to avoid hazards, stop if necessary, always obey road signals/markings/signs and never inconvenience cars unnecessary.

I've never been knocked off or abused.

[ORD]

"life threatening to the cyclist"

"car as a weapon"

You couldnt make it up. It would be funny if it wasnt so tragic.

[DrTre]

thelawnet1 said:

Not particularly? It's a broken window with no injuries, and it was the leading item on the news.

From what I can see it's an item buried in the UK, regions, London section. Hardly front page, but perhaps it is on the TV. Edit to say, fair enough if it was on your news as the lead item, that's stretching the severity.
Further edit to add that the internet report isn't even a shock horror headline, it just reports what happened.


Horror might be overstating it but it's shocking, I know I'd not expect something like that.

scherzkeks said:

You cannot be serious. Talk about soft-serve.

Easy enough to hit back then. Why are the BBC hopeless? In what way could they improve the report with more pertinent information?
Genuine questions, I'm not fishing for an argument.

Edited by DrTre on Wednesday 21st October 13:35

[heebeegeetee]

Mr GrimNasty said:

I also always cycle as near the edge of the road as possible, check behind before moving to avoid hazards, stop if necessary, always obey road signals/markings/signs and never inconvenience cars unnecessary.

I've never been knocked off or abused.

Good. Glad you know your place, though a bit more forelock tugging would be nice.

Now, if I could *just* get my fellow motorist to do the same I'd be a very happy man.

[AyBee]

So to summarise - cyclist rides up the inside of a car with a learner driver behind the wheel, the gap was too small so he banged on the roof of the car, she told him to have some consideration because said driver is a learner and he then rode up to the car with his bike lock out and smashed the window?

I'm no expert, but unless the cyclist has massive anger issues (and I mean, way more than your typical angry cyclist), then there is no way that that's the whole story! Cyclist was a tt to take his bike lock out and smash a window, there's no excuse for that, ever (as a cyclist myself), but that story up there is definitely not true, no cyclist overtakes and hits a car on the roof for no reason!