You might even call it karma… a new video shows the moment that a driver having a row with a cyclist who accused him of cutting him up becomes so riled he rear-ends the car in front.
David Brennan, a helmet-cam cyclist, videoed the moment a van driver cut him up, and decided to speak to him about it as they travelled along Crow Road in Jordanhill, Glasgow.
In the video, entitled, ‘Ooops’ -What happened to the white van driver when he abused a cyclist?, Mr Brennan also captured the moment the white van hit the back of a car in front.
After the crash, someone off-camera shouts: 'Oh for f*** sake'.
In the film, the van overtakes Mr Brennan, who is heard shouting: “No! Are you serious?
“You were overtaking me to get in front of me. Did you really think you were going to get in front of me?
“Goodbye. Jesus, what an idiot!'
A voice, apparently of the van driver, retorts:”Don’t be a f****** p****.'
Once the van hits the car in front, Mr Brennan assures its driver: “Mate, I've got it on camera, so I'll be a witness.
“Mate, he was actually busy shouting profanities at me at the time so he wasn't paying attention.'
The van driver says to the cyclist: “Jog on. You're weaving in and out of the traffic out there causing all sorts of problems.”
But Mr Brennan has the last word, saying: “You were shouting abuse at me and went into the back of somebody.”
73 thoughts on “VIDEO: Karma as van driver screaming abuse hits car in front”
Must get in front…
Must get in front…
That accident wouldn’t have
That accident wouldn’t have happened if the rider hadn’t been so aggressive. OK, so the driver didn’t need to get in front of the cyclist, but wearing a helmet cam doesn’t give you the right to behave like a c*ck.
Oranj wrote:That accident
Personally I don’t have a problem with challenging a drivers behavior because the police certainly won’t.
ron611087 wrote:Oranj
Oh, and you believe shouting at someone makes them drive better? You’re kidding us here, right?
mikroos wrote:Oh, and you
And doing nothing is a great remedial strategy?
Conflict is unpleasant. Behaviour that causes it will be avoided, so yes I do think it works.
ron611087 wrote:mikroos
These are your words, not mine. If you have video footage, you can report someone’s driving, for example. The driver won’t suddenly start doing good just because you chase him down the street nad shout at him, causing even more danger to everyone around.
Another case of a cyclist
Another case of a cyclist making things even worse with an unnecessary rant against a driver. Yawn.
Stupid things happen to people in traffic. They simply do, whether you are a cyclist, pedestrian or a driver. But chasing someone just to shout because someone was trying (in a relatively safe way!) to get on your lane? That’s even more stupid than what the driver did in the first place.
‘Cut him up’? Really? Aren’t
‘Cut him up’? Really? Aren’t we getting a bit oversensitive about ‘bad driving’? Ok, there was no real point in him overtaking in what appears to be an endless line of traffic, but whilst he moves left/prevents the cyclist from cycling up the middle of the line of traffic, I wouldn’t really suggest this is ‘cutting up’ – certainly not a particularly dangerous manoeuvre.
As per recent videos posted, I think that ‘discussing’ what we, as cyclists, might deem to be bad driving with motorists is at best, pointless (what is the point in being reasonable with someone who can’t see reason) and at worst, dangerous (when motorists might decide to assault cyclists).
Our actions as cyclists, motorists and pedestrians are clouded by the red cloud of anger. Take a deep breath and think before allowing a situation to escalate beyond what you can control
Having said all of that, the rear-end punt was quite amusing!
Not being funny here, but, as
Not being funny here, but, as much of a fan of cameras to catch bad or dangerous driving. I am finding more and more cyclists…. Have to say something to inflame the situation…Why?? If its that bad you have the evidence….
His seat is too low
His seat is too low
fatsmoker wrote:His seat is
Saddle. Smart Alec 😉
Jharrison5 wrote:fatsmoker
That was my first thought, he is go a have knee problems
Funny, but it could just as
Funny, but it could just as easily have been the cyclist going into the back of someone while shouting at the driver.
Kind of reminds me of the so
Kind of reminds me of the so called parody video with the white van pass the other day. Still the driver should have ignored the cyclist and concentrated on the road in front but the cyclist didn’t need to do that, I’d have been pleased if a driver had given me that much room.
tee hee
it’s hard not to be a
tee hee
it’s hard not to be a bit self righteous at times when you’re on two wheels and see someone driving like an utter twunt
the van driver clearly hasn’t read the bits of the Highway Code that apply to bikes (and motorbikes) with regard to filtering in traffic, not to mention remembering to keep looking ahead
OK, not the most considerate
OK, not the most considerate piece of driving but not bad enough to start an argument about, imo. And it’s not karma for the innocent car driver who got hit.
An overreaction from both
An overreaction from both parties in my view but seriously some cyclists piss me off.
How many thousands have been killed or seriously injured over the years by law breaking drivers who escape justice because of lack of evidence? Then people start gathering evidence (and uncountable acts of dangerous driving) and they’re suddenly the bad guys who should shut the fuck up an get back in their place?
Come on guys some helmet cam wearers are a bit over the top but they are vastly outnumbered by dickheads in cars
StoopidUserName wrote:An
Well said and thank you for saying what I couldn’t find the right words to explain.
You guys complaining about helmet cam wearers, I get what you’re saying, that some of them inflame the situation, but in all the situations I’ve seen the cyclist is reacting to aggression or stupidity on the part of the driver, not starting the confrontation. You don’t know what happened before the video. Was this guy hassling him for some time before the video started? Did he get cut up by one or more other drivers before this guy and this was the moment he decided he’d had enough of d1ckheads putting him in danger? We’ve all been there and know how hard it is to keep your cool in that situation.
You don’t know the level of experience of the rider. As we all know, the ability to remain calm in a situation where your life is threatened, deliberately or accidentally, improves with experience. None of us can claim to have remained calm every time some driver does something stupid either in an act of aggression or inattention that puts our lives in danger.
Hold on a second the cyclist
Hold on a second the cyclist was filtering through traffic, the van driver acted aggressively first. He took offence at being passed by a cyclist and immediately tried to get back past. Would he have done the same on a motorcycle. Yes the cyclist was the first to communicate, but “are you serious?” is a good question. The van drive doesn’t have an argument so resorts to profanities. Thus I can’t see how the cyclist was at fault in anyway.
kylemalco wrote:Hold on a
^ Spot on, it amazes me that people can watch the video and somehow miss that he tried to cut in front of the cyclist at 1:10 in a classic Must-Get-In-Front move that in this case would not benefit him what-so-ever.
These damn helmet camera
These damn helmet camera cyclists! I hate them I really do! Going around asking reasonable questions! Who do they think they are!? If I ever meet this cyclist face to face…… I’ll,….. I’ll…. Probably smile in the mirror. 🙂
magnatom wrote:These damn
Here’s a reasonable question. What do you think you’re achieving?
Here’s another one. Why do so many cyclists deplore what you do?
And a last one. Why don’t you take a shorter route to work?
None of that needed to
None of that needed to happen. Camera guy just needed to shake his head and think “what a dick”. Done.
The cyclist made a mountain
The cyclist made a mountain out of a mole hill. Yes the driver was an arse. But let it go. Enjoy the ride.
Feel for the innocent Mondeo
Feel for the innocent Mondeo driver.
Seriously is it that hard to
Seriously is it that hard to notice the van driver purposely closing the cyclists filtering gap? The only vehicle to move their vehicle in such a way as to stop the cyclist’s progress?
The driver even presents the plainest of tropes regarding the rider ‘weaving in and out of traffic’.
Oh please.
1. He wasn’t ‘pointlesssly
1. He wasn’t ‘pointlesssly overtaking’ he was merging into the near side lane, which is the default straight on lane in this road, as up ahead is a right turn that only lets through 2 cars at a time, ‘magnatom’ knows this, he has posted enough videos there to know that.
2. One needs to know the difference between filtering and overtaking on the inside…..
3. More cyclists than drivers in Glasgow have a problem with this particular self righteous idiot and his cameras.
4. Van driver is plainly an idiot.
5. Van driver and the cyclist got themselves severely distracted here, we can see that by angle of head cam….
5. No cyclists were harmed here,this was not prevented by the presence of a helmet cam.
Flying Scot wrote:
3. More
Who knew he was so divisive? Isn’t he the guy that organises Pedal on Parliament, with tens of thousands of cyclists attending? :/
vbvb wrote:Flying Scot
Have a look at any Glasgow specific cycling forums.
He noises up everyone we share the road with and his videos grossly exaggerate the poor driving seen and put people off cycling on the road.
He posts videos when there is no problem, (like this ) confronts and distracts the drivers of moving vehicles (like here to the point the guy crashes) and doesn’t know the difference between bad driving and mistakes.
Don’t get me wrong, careless or wilful bad driving, I sometimes confront drivers on too, but when they have stopped. Or with apprpriate short hand signals when moving….then I move on. Those many drivers who hold back and allow me to turn right get a thumbs up
Flying Scot wrote:He noises
He posted a video of a guy in our cycling club who had the temerity to pass him without “giving me a shout”.
Pompous, sanctimonious, embarrassing tube.
Quote:1. He wasn’t
I think the point is that there was no need for the van to pass at that point in that volume of traffic. If he had stayed behind the cyclist, he wouldn’t have got so wound up. Too many people think they simply have to get past the cyclist. That includes the three muppets who passed me on this morning’s ride.
don simon wrote:Quote:1. He
My point was, he moved out (giving the rider more space) then realised that lane is blocked by right turning traffic and moved back in.
As usual you get the screamy histrionics of the twit on the bike who does this every time someone causes him to brake or alter course.
Am I watching the right
Am I watching the right video? I have no idea what the van did to annoy the cyclist. He didn’t get too close, he indicated, pulled into the outside lane, overtook at a safe distance respecting the cyclist taking primary in the left hand lane, did not pull in front and did not deliberately move to block filtering, the lanes were just narrower past the lights, at which point the van is well ahead and if anything it is the car in the left lane that is a little far to the right and preventing the cyclist from going down the middle.
Remember that the cyclist has a far better view of the traffic slowing up ahead, after the traffic lights, from an elevated vantage point and has at least as much responsibility to moderate speed and not push through traffic when it isn’t safe to do so. I was actually thinking that the cars up the road on the left might even be parked as I initially thought the buildings on left had the look of turning into a parade of shops and that the cyclist was about to be taken out by someone filtering into the right hand lane.
In my opinion, on the evidence of the video, the cyclist must take some responsibility for causing the accident by distracting the van driver and really ought to apologise to both the van driver and the owner of the black estate car that got bumped.
Edit:
I just twigged who authored the video, explains everything. Can we club together to buy Magnatom a bus pass? The man is an absolute liability on a bicycle.
I was surprised by how calm
I was surprised by how calm the van driver was when he got out.
Good grief. If that cyclist
Good grief. If that cyclist commuted in London he would end up having a fit by the time he got to work.
olic wrote:Good grief. If
Maybe its why so many of you in London are been killed, you seem to moan then.
What I find most is that if
What I find most is that if there is a scenario where there are cars and cyclists, the cars will encroach upon cyclists space rather than space of other cars. Perhaps it’s because cyclists don’t have mandatory insurance, so hitting one isn’t going to affect your no claims bonus.
ronin wrote:What I find most
I’m fairly certain a collision with a cyclist could end up affecting your insurance. Why wouldn’t it?
Frankly you pass me on a bike
Frankly you pass me on a bike with miss matching bottle cages you’re in for some abuse 🙂 😀
Quote:My point was, he moved
I’m struggling to see why he’d need to move out in the first place. There was no reason, particularly if right turning traffic was in the way, for him not to stay behind the bike. That’s obviously just me then…
People on bicycles are being
People on bicycles are being endangered, injured and killed by people in motor vehicles so cycle cameras are being used to provide evidence of this. In a very motor-centric society the police and courts simply cannot be relied upon to respond appropriately to the evidence. Consequently it seems entirely reasonable to me for cyclists to confront motorists for their dangerous driving and to show the evidence on YouTube. Anyone who thinks the problem here is with the cyclist rather than with the poor driving and response of the motorist is simply the type of victim-blamer that cyclists encounter all too often in the UK.
You’re weaving in and out of
Just when you think the irony record couldn’t be beaten, an idiot says this after having crashed in to the car in front after having tried the stupidest move ever. MGIF – must get in front. And he was constantly lane changing.
Mr Brennan needs to shave his
Mr Brennan needs to shave his legs.
If nothing else this is a
If nothing else this is a fascinating example of how people perceive the same event. I wasn’t there, Mr Magnatom obviously felt in danger and responded in a way that he is rather becoming infamous for.
However for the rest us keyboard observers who have the benefit of being able to re-run the footage with stop frame analysis, we are all seeing the same video and coming to remarkably different conclusions.
These are the key points that I am seeing.
1. Cyclist filtering – All OK
2. Cyclist taking primary in the left hand lane, keeping up with the traffic flow and leaving plenty of space to the car in front – All OK
3. The white van behind does not get too close, he does not flash lights, does not sound his horn, shows no kind of aggression over the cyclist pulling into the lane he was travelling in, none at all.
4. The traffic in the outside lane is now travelling faster than the cyclist. The van signals, pulls into the outside lane and the camera switches to the front view. At around 60 seconds the van draws level, and moving with the traffic flow eases past the cyclist leaving plenty of space. He is not tailgating the car in front he is simply going with the flow. This is all OK and quite normal.
5. We are now approaching the traffic lights, they are green, the traffic is flowing in both lanes, the van is ahead. It’s about 10 seconds after the van has pulled into lane 2 and overtaken the cyclist. From the cyclist’s vantage point you can see the cars on the other side of the junction slowing, we cannot tell if the van driver has the same view. To be honest he’s probably more concerned about the blue BMW? and other traffic, including a large van coming from the other direction which is waiting to turn right across the flow of traffic.
6. On entering the junction, the dual carriageway road markings disappear, but the van is certainly ahead in his lane and therefore has priority. He hasn’t pushed his way through, he’s just going with the flow of traffic in that lane. Ahead of the cyclist in the nearside lane a silver car slows and comes to stop more on the right side of the lane than on the left. The van drifts ever so slightly to the left to keep a reasonable distance from the blue BMW and other traffic waiting to turn right, really just looks like a few inches but is clearly still fully in lane 2 as it crosses to the other side of the junction and the lane markings resume. At no time does it move into Mr Magnatom’s lane, but I can see how the very slight left movement may have looked like the start of such a maneuver, even though it would have ended in a collision with the silver car.
The cyclist has plenty of room, due to his primary road position. His lane however is stopped and he is wishing to resume his filtering. He cannot fit through the gap between the silver car and the van which at worst loses him a few seconds of his precious time.
Now I like a good road rage video as much as the next man, I firmly believe there is something to be learned from other people’s mistakes and experiences. But there is nothing in this video to my mind except a ranty cyclist who appears to have very little empathy for driving a car, and I suspect quite a lot of experience of riding in traffic that he uses to put himself into conflict situations for the purposes of internet video stardom. Some of the videos he posts do indeed show very poor driving, dangerous passes and drivers doing things they shouldn’t but many times I’m thinking that the rider, whilst apparently aware of the traffic around him makes no attempt to defuse a developing scenario until it gets to the point where he can throw his hands in the air and hurl abuse at drivers. He posts an awful lot of videos and to my mind, at some point you have to stop thinking that the poor guy is just unlucky in coming across so many idiots seemingly intent on running him over.
Mungecrundle wrote:If nothing
100% correct. Most cyclists simply want other road users to ‘share the road’. This aggressive ‘dickhead-on-a-bike’ seems to think that doesn’t apply to him. It is he who needs to learn how to share road space … not the unfortunate van driver who he abused disgracefully.
Quote: He posts an awful lot
I think this is partially due to his route to work (and he may not have any viable alternative) but it appears to have a lot of dual carriageway with narrow lanes, so when traffic is flowing it has to use both lanes. Out of 50 drivers, passing you safely , you will get a numpty.
The van driver was trying to get around the cyclist, but shouldn’t have bothered.
The railings means the cyclist was best holding primary and making the van driver aware of is presence. Exactly what he did…
Watching the video again I think that last bit is unfair.
seems a spectacular storm in
seems a spectacular storm in a tea cup over not alot IMO, how can the van driver be cutting the rider up, if the van driver is and remains still in the adjacent lane :/
at worst the van driver manipulates the situation with the queuing traffic and blocks the rider with the traffic to keep him in his lane, but thats half as much to do with the fact the cyclist wasnt reading the traffic in his lane slowing as anything else, and it has to be the subtlest piece of cutting up driving Ive ever seen,the drivers movement is just as likely to be reacting to the larger sized vehicles coming towards him on the drivers side,and trying to give himself more space in his lane.
when van drivers cut you up, subtle they aint, Ive had ones drive 3/4qtrs ahead of me and then pull sharply intowards the kerb, Ive had them overtake in traffic and then block the cycle lane so I cant then get past, somebody vaguely sort of boxing you in for a second or two isnt cutting up in the grand scheme of things IMO sorry.
the van driver’s now stuck in
the van driver’s now stuck in a lane often delayed by right-turners just down the road. that would have been sweet enough for me.
The van driver is clearly a
The van driver is clearly a bell end but then so is the cyclist.
The route he takes to work each day is insane. The same traffic volume as a motorway but with the added dangers of left and right turns. It’s not even the quickest way. I bet he goes this long way round a suicidal shortcut just to get into confrontations.
He thinks he’s doing us a favour. He’s actually doing the opposite. Glasgow is less safe for cyclists coz of this twat. But then people like this develop a ‘bunker mentality’, the more criticism he hears the more convinced he is that he’s right. God help us all…
HalfWheeler wrote:The van
Amen brother, I live near the twat, and travel a completely different route, firstly, as you say, it’s an awful road for accidents, in a car or bike, secondly I don’t want to see the diddy or anyone to mistake me for him.
Van driver did basically
Van driver did basically nothing wrong! Van driver was reacting to traffic on the other side of the road and staying in his lane. Cyclist causes unnecessary accident with distracting rant although driver should have kept eyes forward as he immediately realises. Not sure why roadcc is peddling this crap as bad driving. Distracting drivers unnecessarily is not good cycling. And the advert at the beginning seems to show that he’s doing it primarily for money.
This idiot on a bike isn’t
This idiot on a bike isn’t doing cyclists any favours!
It’s like reading the
It’s like reading the comments section of the daily mail. I liked the video, the drive made a right tit of himself.
Calm down everyone, this is
Calm down everyone, this is clearly another spoof. “LOOK HOW CLOSE HE WAS!!!!!!”
The driver clearly moves over
The driver clearly moves over to block the cyclist from filtering down the centre. The filtering was obviously annoying the driver for some reason as it was the first thing he said when he got out of the car.
Kadinkski wrote:The driver
In understand how you take that from the video, but he really was just getting into the right as at that point it becomes apparent you need to be in the left lane to progress.
Frequent users of the road (e.g. Magnatom) know, and expect traffic on the outside to start looking to move in exactly at this point.
Magnatom was desperate to hold the guy to rights (as he is entitled to do) by not allowing him to merge, but then distracts the guy after he barges to the end he whacks the mondeo.
Just as we’ll it wasn’t another bike in front on the van eh?
Ok. You’ve seen through me.
Ok. You’ve seen through me. I’m a thug. Here’s a video of the preceeding few minutes that proves it. I slam a van door, I scare a pedestrian and… I’m sorry about this…. I might even sing a bit. 🙁 https://youtu.be/9yTIgT8MP44
magnatom wrote:Ok. You’ve
Or you could just answer some of the other points raised, namely;
Why don’t you take the shorter, quieter route down to the tunnel?
What do you think you are achieving?
Do you care your videos get picked up by the likes of the Daily Mail who then use it for grist to it’s anti-cycling mill?
Do you expect the subjects of your videos to like cyclists more after you’ve posted a confrontation up?
Apologies. Didn’t realise I
Apologies. Didn’t realise I had been avoinding any questions. Happy to answer them
Why don’t you take the shorter, quieter route down to the tunnel?
I’ve answered this in detail previously here http://www.magnatom.net/2014/09/ouch.html
What do you think you are achieving?
Quite a lot actually. From my videoing I’ve learned an awful lot about myself and other road users. It has helped me write my blog (which is quite well respected) and to found and help organise a cycle campaign (Pedal on Parliament). What do you think you are achieving?
Do you care your videos get picked up by the likes of the Daily Mail who then use it for grist to it’s anti-cycling mill?
I think you’ll find the Daily Mail copied my video illegally. I am pursuing that. As for using it as anti-cycling…apart from overstating how angry I was (I was more…bemused) I can’t see it as anti-cycling. The anti-cycling slant is in the comments. I was always told the bottom half of the internet is best avoid…(Yet here I am…)
Do you expect the subjects of your videos to like cyclists more after you’ve posted a confrontation up?
The chap in this video didn’t like me to start with and was ignorant of my right to filter. Perhaps if he see this he will learn that it is in fact legal and safe. Perhaps he will be more aggressive, but that is borne of his own prejudice and not by anything I have done.
Now I’ve answered your questions, can I ask you one…
Does my follow up video suggest I am a Lycra Lout that is out looking for trouble? If so, why?
Quote:Frequent users of the
Which would be all well and good if the van hadn’t been in the left lane 30 seconds prior to the incedent and was indeed overtaking the cyclist.
Car drivers are also very good at “making mistakes” then expecting to be let in at the head of the line. You see it on a daily basis on the M61 to M60 junction.
Another problem we have is that it’s difficult to work out how close the van actually was a the video is misleading.
#DivideAndConquer
never met either of the main
never met either of the main protagonists, so I can’t judge their characters or routes to work. The van does swerve in a bit, and in my personal experience seeing that happen can make the heart flutter a bit, and our experience of viewers is going to be different because we know it doesn’t actually hit, and even if did, we’re not the ones getting knocked off. So I’m reluctant to say the cyclist overreacted, but even if he did, he’s not the one that crashed into someone else whilst shouting abuse and not looking where they’re going
and that’s the dividing line really. It’s not an offence to be an idiot, but crashing your vehicle because you’re not looking where you’re going, I’m pretty sure that is. Was the cyclist “distracting” the driver? Maybe, but that’s for the driver to manage …
1. There is a completely
1. There is a completely tarmaced route via Balmore Rd, Summerston, Maryhill, Kelvindale and Broomhill, lots of it on suburban streets, very few traffic lights or major junctions. From your point of view I can see two drawbacks. Firstly it’s about 5 minutes longer. Secondly it’s much quieter and so not so many opportunities for martyrdom.
2. Conflating PoP with your videos is a pretty hamfisted strawman argument. The context of my point, and which I’ll make clear now, is ‘what do you think you are achieving by posting your countless videos on the internet?’.
I have to admit your rationale that you video and post these things up to learn “an awful lot about myself and other road users” as a bit odd. I already know that other road users are often maniacs. I’ve come to this conclusion without the aid of a video camera. As for learning something about yourself, well…
I genuinely believe you’re further embittering already dangerous drivers who will mistake someone else for you and knock them off. Mind you just as long as you’ve learned something about yourself in the process, eh? Not so fortunate for the other cyclist mind you (or you and your family if you’re the one knocked off).
As for what have I achieved? I get out on my bike and I do it without making legions of dangerous enemies for cyclists. Can you say the same?
3. Regardless of what the actual article said the headline was ‘Indignant Cyclist…’, the comments (and therefore content) was vehemently anti-cycling and that just fed into it’s already anti-cycling narrative through several op-ed pieces and ‘news’ stories (and attendant readers comments) going back years. The Daily Mail is no friend of cyclists. Surely you can not be blind to this.
4. You can’t credit knuckleheads behind the wheel of a car with the intelligence to learn lessons. They won’t. They’ll just get pissed off and be more likely to take it out on someone else because they have been humiliated and want revenge. But you know what, I don’t think you care. That is chilling.
As for your follow up question. No I don’t think it makes you a lout. Sorry, your point is?
When it comes to the principle of using a camera and handing it to the rozzers, I’m certainly in favour of this but that’s not the issue.
My problem is you seeking these confrontations out and posting scores of them on the internet in this self serving, pompous, pious manner as if you’re doing cyclists a favour. It’s not, it’s potentially counter productive and does none of us any favours.
HalfWheeler wrote:
My problem
^^ exactly.
@Magnatom, you mention ‘the bottom half of the internet is best avoided (yet here I am..)’ – do you not think posting videos on youtube and the quality of discourse you encourage and partake in is not firmly in that ‘bottom half’?!
Winding up drivers, seeking out confrontation, acting in a hysterical fashion, posting videos online in an attempt to humiliate others puts you firmly in that ‘bottom half’ of Internet contributers.
It’s a shame since other work you’re involved in, such as the Pedal on Parliament campaign, is a force for good in seeking safer roads for cyclists.
The seeking out of conflict, videoing and posting the results of your efforts counteracts and undermines that good work.
1. So your ‘better route’
1. So your ‘better route’ (please share it with me if you can) would require me to use Balmore Road. That is the road that I have the most problems on. My route actually on most mornings avoids Balmore Road completely, I go up via Baldernock.
2. Not at all. POP came directly from my videos. By producing my videos over the years I learned a lot. I thought about them and cycling a lot, and I came to realise what I thought was needed to make the roads safer. I was pleasantly surprised that many people agreed. I also have quite a few videos which are a comment on issues, such as pavement cycling, red light jumping, road culture etc. Go on, have a look, there are quite a few.
As for me encouraging drivers to knock people off….ahem, if you say so. In fact I’ve had plenty of comments in the past from drivers and cyclists alike thanking me for my videos and saying they now realise what it can be like to be a cyclist.
Your achievement is….that you ride your bike. That’s great, but won’t get my children cycling, or the masses of people who currently won’t cycle. Sure you don’t think what I do will help (do you think POP helps?), but I and many others do.
3. I am fully aware of how the media works and I am fully aware that if you use media sometimes it works for you, sometimes against. Did you see my articles on Amsterdam, various articles on POP, etc? Whilst I am not in control of the media, I have absolutely no control over the commentators. So we shouldn’t do media because there are anti-cycling commentators?
4. That’s a very sweeping statement. In fact I have a blog article where an abusive driver wrote to me and apologised for being so aggressive towards me. Just yesterday I had someone write to apologise to me for being aggressive when we first engaged, as he now understands what I stand for. If we don’t engage we will never change anyone’s mind. Engaging comes with risk, but if there is something I have learned in life, it is that you will never win big if you don’t take risks.
My point is that many suggest that I am. Many suggest I am looking for trouble, when in fact I am constantly searching for answers. I started off believing that roads were fine as they were. I then had kids and I realised that this was false. We need infrastructure. I’ve learned a lot of the years, and I’m still learning. Are you?
As for doing cyclists a favour….please. When I drive my car, if I was to drink drive, would I be giving all drivers a bad name. Please stop lumping us, that is people who use bikes into one amorphous lump. As we say at POP, we are everyone. Even me.
@ Magnatom
You’re response is
@ Magnatom
You’re response is much like your videos; in the end it’s all about you, eh?
“People love my videos.
People love my blog.
I’ve changed the way people drive.
I’m changing the way people think.
I’ve achieved so much (unlike you!)
I’m so worthy.
Now, if you excuse me I’m just going off to change some water into wine.”
LOL. Your comments were all
LOL. Your comments were all about me! I’ve offered it before and I’ll offer it again. Always happy to meet up. Just let me know. Though it week have to wait. I’ve got some important stuff happening in my life at the moment (yes me again). So I’ll let you guys carry on uninterrupted.
Cheers for now.
*Think I replied to the wrong person there. This is a reply to Halfwheeler, to avoid confusion. 🙂
I can’t see what the van did
I can’t see what the van did wrong. The overtake is fine. When the cyclist starts shouting the van is in front and doesn’t stray out of lane. It doesn’t even look like a close call. Until the van driver hits the other car it doesn’t look like he’s done anything wrong. Having someone ranting at him for no reason hasn’t helped but he should still focus on driving rather than getting into a pointless argument.
Musicalmarc, look at the
Musicalmarc, look at the second video I’ve linked to in the comments. At the end of it the driver also says he stopped pulling over when he heard me shout. He was about to pull into my stopping space, and considering the cars at that point were stopping ahead, that was a considerable issue, had he continued. He’d have hit the var in front of me, and I might have hit him.
magnatom wrote:Musicalmarc,
That’s the point. He stopped pulling over when he heard you shout. He didn’t hit you or any other vehicle. That alone may have taught him to check his mirrors and blind spot more thoroughly in future without any need to confront him. I may be wrong but I believe it is an offence for passengers to distract a bus driver. It’s my belief that you were doing the exact same thing as those annoying gits who stand at the front of the bus gassing away to the driver.
Very rarely do i see these
Very rarely do i see these helmet videos and side with the driver, but megatool you are mega wrong.
Firstly your ‘filtering’ is awful, far too quick for the volume of traffic. Unbelievable to say it but just the way you ride has an air of pompus indignation about it.
The van did nothing wrong and your altercation was the direct cause of the accident. Well done you, making the road safer for your children eh?
Even after the crash (if i was the driver the camera would have been so far up your arse it could have checked for fillings) both drivers seem calm and relaxed and happy to deal with the knock. You jump up and down like a spoilt child “I’ve got evidence”, and “he hit you really hard”. You’re such a pious little weasel.
For the good of those that mount a bike and other road users, grow up ffs!
LOL. Thanks alansmurphy, you
LOL. Thanks alansmurphy, you cheered my up this morning. 😀
No problem, i only wish you’d
No problem, i only wish you’d video’d yourself reading the reply…
He started to make a mistake
He started to make a mistake and then corrected it. Maybe it’s just me or possibly the camera angle but it doesn’t look like you were remotely in danger. Maybe the danger could have escalated but he didn’t move into your braking zone so it didn’t.