Evening Standard Article on Cycling

Evening standard are leading with this article

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23765003-cycle-deaths-and-serious-injuries-rise-20-per-cent.do

Check out the only comment. Unbelievable!

Well ‘James, London’ make a fair point. I mean in all my years of cycling I've yet to ever see a trained, tested and licensed driver EVER make a mistake. No I’m sure all of these accidents are down to us. I’m pretty sure the last accident I had where some dickhead pulled out of a side street (even though he’d seen me) into my path causing me to come off and break my coccyx was all down to me not being licensed

I was just about to post on this. I'm so angry I can't make an educated response... I will do when I am able to take the "cnut" out of my drafted responses.

Well he is right in a way.

Some cyclists I have seen are real muppets, but bring back cycling proficiency, will that cure all?

But does this mean that drivers will get more training too? We have all met muppet bus drivers and taxi drivers and drivers in general, so did they not have training?

Yeah but referring to dead cyclists as Muppets is it a little harsh is it not?

Yeah but referring to dead cyclists as Muppets is it a little harsh is it not?

I have taken the opinion that he did not mean dead cyclists, there are accidents we all make mistakes of judgement which deserve a verbal telling off not injury. Or am I being a bit too open?

imo it is quite insensitive seeing there is a photo of one of the victims.

What annoys me is that as soon as the Standard publish an article on cycling you get ant-cyling nonsense straight away. Even an article on cyclist deaths does not seem to deter these morons. If it were an article on a big crash on the M25 due to dangerous driving, would you post up "these muppets in their fast cars don't know how to drive' etc?

I know its the evening standard and they deliberately try to provoke outrage and a response as they are just the Mail in disguise. It is still a paper and site that has a very wide circulation in London

I posted. He's a dick. I didn't say that though. I made some argument about there being no basis for thinking the dead cyclists were not trained/experienced and made a bad joke about muppets.

Well it is getting people to talk andd visit the site.

I guess he has a point. But London roads would also be considerably safer if they sent drivers out on a bike for an hour or so.

Be safer if people walked distances up to a mile, cycled 10 miles etc. Actually be healthier too. Or cycled to the gym instead of taking the car.

Or just be nicer to each other on the road.

But that used to be quite a normal progression - you rode a bike, perhaps to school, perhaps on a delivery route, sometimes both. At 16 you may get a moped, 17 a sports moped 0r 125cc bike or take driving lessons. Drivers who have experienced life as a vulnerable road user themselves as a cyclist/motorcyclist are often better drivers - certainly more hazard aware I would say.

But that used to be quite a normal progression - you rode a bike, perhaps to school, perhaps on a delivery route, sometimes both. At 16 you may get a moped, 17 a sports moped 0r 125cc bike or take driving lessons. Drivers who have experienced life as a vulnerable road user themselves as a cyclist/motorcyclist are often better drivers - certainly more hazard aware I would say.

Yeah and imo you are right those drivers/riders are more hazard aware.

thats true, i also believe as a cyclist if you have a driving licence as well you tend to be more aware of cars acceleration speeds and what drivers might do

thats true, i also believe as a cyclist if you have a driving licence as well you tend to be more aware of cars acceleration speeds and what drivers might do

And more compassionate to cyclists and letting cyclists past in traffic

compassion is a word eh? sorely lacking in daily life full stop

Could someone keep an eye out for my mate jo in the ent's section (eddie izzard new tour) http://www.londonfgss.com/thread32474.html

thats true, i also believe as a cyclist if you have a driving licence as well you tend to be more aware of cars acceleration speeds and what drivers might do

Definitely true to a point, as a driver and a cyclist you know about the distractions, blindspots, temptations etc. It would be great is city drivers could see things from a cyclists POV too.

they seem to have removed the offending comment, unless I'm missing something

you are missing something

shit,no you're not!

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23765003-cycle-deaths-and-serious-injuries-rise-20-per-cent.do#readerComments

The comments section of that website is always full of dickheads, James from the city of London (could be the same as on that page) is always first to post and generally says idiotic shit just to stir things up (well he could just be an idiot i guess).

Anything to do with cycling generally brings out they should all be taxed, licensed and it's their fault they got run over/ killed, bunch of red light jumping..granny running over...toddler maiming...eco activist think their better than everyone cause their saving the planet..cunts.

interesting that the licensed/unlicensed thing is such a favourite - these people will be the very people who will be quite happy to allow ID cards in this country, because we'll then 'know who everyone is'