Blood on the streets

He lied about them killing cyclists:

"[Articulated buses] wipe out cyclists, there are many cyclists killed every year by them."

He probably knew this wasn't true, but he also knew it would resonate with voters.

It's just like the headphone distraction. You say something that isn't true, in a high profile way, but you know that most people believe it, then weeks or months later you retract it on the quiet.

He's a lying little shit, basically.

That's based on the misleading stats published by TfL that I referred to above. These stats do exist. They don't show what they are popularly believed to show, but Johnson isn't the only one to have believed they did show that. To the best of my knowledge, to this day TfL hasn't published a proper analysis of the figures to correct the misleading impression that they created.

(It's generally not the case that many cyclists are killed by bus operation in London. The two recent deaths in crashes with (non-articulated) buses are very much the exception. I can't remember how many deaths there were in collision with articulated buses. I have a vague memory that there may have been none (again, in London).)

(It's generally not the case that many cyclists are killed by bus operation in London. The two recent deaths in crashes with (non-articulated) buses are very much the exception. I can't remember how many deaths there were in collision with articulated buses. I have a vague memory that there may have been none (again, in London).)

Bus drivers in London on the whole are very good around cyclists. Bus lanes are good for riding in (apart from some that have blue paint indicating that riders 'should' stick to the left when riding in them). Unfortunately people who don't ride much or use them are scared by the concept.

No, he realised that the emotional attachment to the old Routemasters was a useful vehicle for exploiting a weakness of Livingstone's, who had, after all, gone back on his original promise.

I still think Livingstone's main mistake was to just buy articulated buses from abroad instead of using the job to support British industry. OK, people badmouth British industry, but you have to give it a chance to grow again before you condemn it.
The bendy buses were 5cm wider than other buses (and about 15 cm wider than Routemasters) due to change in regs. The Swiss did have a narrow version more suited to London and Valletta but not so good for super-sized passengers.
At 2.52m the new boris bus is 3cm narrower, when overtaking every cm counts.

I think TfL did a fair analysis of the bendy bus casualty stats for a MQT reply. By then Boris was mayor so this rebuttal of his election campaign stance did not get wide publicity.

That's based on the misleading stats published by TfL that I referred to above. These stats do exist. They don't show what they are popularly believed to show, but Johnson isn't the only one to have believed they did show that. To the best of my knowledge, to this day TfL hasn't published a proper analysis of the figures to correct the misleading impression that they created.

(It's generally not the case that many cyclists are killed by bus operation in London. The two recent deaths in crashes with (non-articulated) buses are very much the exception. I can't remember how many deaths there were in collision with articulated buses. I have a vague memory that there may have been none (again, in London).)

Do you also believe that Boris has a set of cyclists killed while wearing headphones statistics?

I wish I had your faith in him.

He's a devious, lying toerag who will make populist points - whether true or not - to distract from his inaction or to pursue his own personal ideology. In the case of the recent cycling deaths this means smearing dead cyclists who can't speak up for themselves.

By then Boris was mayor

Quite.

I think TfL did a fair analysis of the bendy bus casualty stats for a MQT reply. By then Boris was mayor so this rebuttal of his election campaign stance did not get wide publicity.

I don't think I saw that. Can you remember when approximately it was?

^ He's a politician. In order to get to high office, I believe it's a prerequisite to sell your principles, you morals and your granny.

I wish I had your faith in him.

What makes you think I have 'faith' in him?

He's a lying little shit, basically.

Nailed it.

He doesn't operate with statistics he will tell a lurid, headline grabbing, lie and quietly retract later once the damage has been done.

Bendy bus stats were at Mayors Question Time in first few months after may 2008.

For a good example of Boris rhetorical skill see webcast of this week's MQT from 19:50m. He evades and blusters against John Biggs' question for a full five minutes.

You didn't write they hate them in Malta Dammit you wrote:

Do they cause the traffic jams in Malta?
They could suit Malta's medieval street plan (like London's) since they can turn round tight bends. They had easy access for people with Buggies. Johnson had a bugbear about them perhaps because of an negative interaction he had with one? (Speculation)

Huge jams, they can only just fit down the roads and round (some) corners when there is nothing else there- add in some other traffic and they simply get stuck.

Patrick Field (See op and read his blog) and Andy Thornley bring some sense and balance about this issue on yesterday's BBC Radio London's Fiona Phillips Show (2:07:07)

Amongst Patrick's comments he pointed out that:
-3 peds died on 15th November which was hardly mentioned in the media
-People die on the streets because we tolerate it . (Like we used to tolerate slavery- "I can't live without my slave/car")
-It's fried potatoes and sofas that kill, not bicycles
-In the short term people need educating. In order to be safe you need to control the space around you
-Drivers are the victims of their own lack of imagination which is why they get behind a wheel

Worth a listen if only for a refreshing change from the current victim blaming reaction of the Police, Boris and (some) media

As long as HGV's remain, one thing will keep us relatively safe and that is to keep our distance from them at all junctions

As Patrick says it's about controlling the space around you and influencing drivers by your road position and communication. When you need to get seen, get in front of the driver and look back.

He does run the London School of Cycling, he's a cycle trainer. His messages are exactly what you would learn from cycle training. And yes drivers don't all get this and occasionally wish to punish people who are 'in their way'. (This 'punishment' was his original thought when he predicted 'blood on the streets.)

Still best advice if you are concerned: consider cycle training*

As long as HGV's remain, one thing will keep us relatively safe and that is to keep our distance from them at all junctions

The HGV that ran me off the road in 100% visibility and zero other traffic was nowhere near a junction..

Not sure where this goes, and it's probably a repost, although I did try to find it here....

#StopTheKilling of cyclists - YouTube

Fair point.

Started a bit cheesy but he got to the point without too much emotion. Would watch again, 7.5/10

From the 'Calling Out ...' thread but just as applicable here...

Not sure if this has been discussed elsewhere but last night on Radio 4 they had a rep from the Licnesed Taxi Driver Association (or whatever it is called) who had apparently set up cameras at two traffic lights in London and recorded 47% of cyclists RLJing at one and 60% plus at the other. Through this very narrow peice of empirical data the chap, or cunt as I prefer to refer to him as, asserted that a 'very large of majority of cyclists' regularly broke the law, not only in London but everywhere in the country, and drew the same conclusion as Boris Bumbaclot, that cyclist safety is their own responsibility and that they die because they break the law all the time.

He then state the money that is due for the improvement of the roads in London for cyclists shouldn't be spent at all, rather all that is needed to solve the problem of cyclists going under lorries is better training for cyclists.

Jimmy, the full length footage is interesting:

Hackney 1hr low res - YouTube

Untold RLJing by motorists, rampant ASL abuse.

45:55 is one of the worst, but on nearly every single cycle motor vehicles jump the lights. Why aren't they included?

Does anyone know what time of day this was filmed?

Sptember 23rd 2013. 8:15pm to 9:15pm

This is interesting, the same Andy Jones posted this:

Rickshaw Crash Test - YouTube

That's to show how dangerous rickshaws are by showing a taxi smashing into them at high speed, which is missing the point by a country mile!

What does 'dangerous' mean?
Likely to get harmed or to cause harm?