Putney Bridge Jogger arrested.

Richard D wrote:

One DM columnist has managed to use the incident as an excuse for an anti-cycling rant.  During which she covers most of the usual bases, including that our roads weren't built for bicycles!

The DM and all its loathsome tabloid brethren should be run over again and again and then nuked from orbit.  Just to be sure.

Tommytrucker wrote:

I'd just like to put in a good word for the bus driver. They have a bad rep on here ( and usually rightly so ), but this driver's reactions have potentially saved a life here, so well done, Mr / Mrs Driver.

London bus drivers are usually pretty good. Elsewhere perhaps less so.

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

The amount of coverage and media attention this has gotten is absurd, when compared to how little attention is paid to things like the aggressively-swerving van driver elsewhere on this site. That said, I admit I'm intrigued to know what this guy was thinking - it was such a peculiar thing to do, I want to know what was going on in his head. But that's the point, I guess, it gets attention because it's unusual, whereas motorists doing similar things happens all the time. And then idiots don't notice that its the very rarity that makes it news and start making crackpot generalisations about joggers.

You're looking at it all wrong: remember - according to most media outlets, all accidents involving motorists and anything else at all are entirely the fault of the vehicle, not the driver, and we can't prosecute the vehicle  

brooksby wrote:

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

The amount of coverage and media attention this has gotten is absurd, when compared to how little attention is paid to things like the aggressively-swerving van driver elsewhere on this site. That said, I admit I'm intrigued to know what this guy was thinking - it was such a peculiar thing to do, I want to know what was going on in his head. But that's the point, I guess, it gets attention because it's unusual, whereas motorists doing similar things happens all the time. And then idiots don't notice that its the very rarity that makes it news and start making crackpot generalisations about joggers.

You're looking at it all wrong: remember - according to most media outlets, all accidents involving motorists and anything else at all are entirely the fault of the vehicle, not the driver, and we can't prosecute the vehicle  

You're right, I forgot for a moment. Oddly the papers didn't report this as 'woman knocked over by a t-shirt, shorts and a pair of trainers'.

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

brooksby wrote:

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

The amount of coverage and media attention this has gotten is absurd, when compared to how little attention is paid to things like the aggressively-swerving van driver elsewhere on this site. That said, I admit I'm intrigued to know what this guy was thinking - it was such a peculiar thing to do, I want to know what was going on in his head. But that's the point, I guess, it gets attention because it's unusual, whereas motorists doing similar things happens all the time. And then idiots don't notice that its the very rarity that makes it news and start making crackpot generalisations about joggers.

You're looking at it all wrong: remember - according to most media outlets, all accidents involving motorists and anything else at all are entirely the fault of the vehicle, not the driver, and we can't prosecute the vehicle  

You're right, I forgot for a moment. Oddly the papers didn't report this as 'woman knocked over by a t-shirt, shorts and a pair of trainers'.

Good lord: you're not implying that the papers might be applying double standards on their reporting...?

(Excellent comment, btw  )

stemps wrote:

You're right, it's insane. 

As someone who runs as well as cycles, I'm now reading in national 'newspapers' that I'm a dangerous scumbag who should be banned from all pavements and paths. One sociopath represents all runners, apparently.  

Fat old men such as Adam Boulton want to tell people where they are allowed to exercise. 

Not only exercise. This doesn't 'just' cover leisure.

I have *some* sympathy with the notion that someone who goes for a jog or run should try to pick a route away from busier pedestrian routes, for everyone's sanity. I would have thought most runners do that anyway to avoid constantly sidestepping peds - that's the last thing I want to be doing when I go for a run.

But what about active commuting? I run home from the office every now and then, and I know plenty of others who do, and that means mixing with other commuters for at least part of the way.

Bitter fatties don't understand running or cycling to/from work, or the health, cost and relief-to-transport-network benefits it can bring to a country, so they criticise it. They'd rather bikes were off the roads and runners were off the pavements, because they're an inconvenience to them trying to wobble from A to B in a straight line. If we let them dictate travel policy, the country will be one big motorway with free mobility scooters to get you from your front door to your car.

This is just another excuse for the tubby majority to lash out at relatively fit weirdos. It'll blow over. There'll be a new flavour of Ben & Jerry's or something exciting their fat fingers next week.

Sorry OP: my own rant popped out there. Original point - yes, about time assault with a vehicle is treated as what it is.

davel wrote:

Bitter fatties don't understand running or cycling to/from work, or the health, cost and relief-to-transport-network benefits it can bring to a country, so they criticise it. ... If we let them dictate travel policy, the country will be one big motorway with free mobility scooters to get you from your front door to your car. .

WALL-E?  

https://animationfascination.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/wall-e.jpg

Rich_cb wrote:

I see the guy who knocked someone over whilst jogging has been arrested on suspicion of GBH.

I don't think he has been proven guilty yet. I read elsewhere that someone who has been arrested (not sure if it is the same guy) has proof that he wasn't in the country at the time.

Also why is it GBH? According to the BBC, the woman received minor injuries. I doubt the injuries sustained would even constitute actual bodily harm, sounds more like common assault - http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/l_to_o/offences_against_the_person

The person could have been seriously injured or killed if they were hit by the bus, but equally they same could be said if they hit their head.

It is a terrible incident, but I don't think there was any crime committed which matches the severity of the incident. I'm not sure what the offence would be called for 'committing an act that could have caused a collision which may have resulted in serious injury or death'.