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Video: Ouch! If you're not Chris Froome you shouldn't be 'Frooming'

Staring at your stem for hours on end might be okay for Zen master Chris Froome, but it's not a good idea for the rest of us...

Who hasn’t at times found themselves bowling along, momentarily lost in a reverie admiring the elegant lines of their stem - 'Frooming' as it’s called? Yes, it’s never done Chris Froome any harm (apart from the odd missed attack).

But there’s a time and a place for those of us - like the poor chap in the video below - who don’t have the luxury of Richie Porte by our side shouting “brake!”, “right hander at 50m Froomey” and such like. A stretch of road somewhere in suburbia is probably not that time or place even if it's straight and it was clear when your stem contemplation began.

While SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You) sadly cuts it all too often on Britain’s roads, Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You Cos I Was Admiring The Strong Sculptural Lines of My Deda Elementi… See The Play of Light and Shadow On Its 3D Forging It’s got Titanium Screws Don’t You Know (SMIDSYCIWATSSLOMDE…STPLSOI3DFIGTSKYK) is less likely to get a sympathetic hearing and it’s not going to catch on as an acronym either. 

The video was posted to Youtube by IdiotDriversUKExposed but was actually first posted to Facebook by Ed Barlow - apparently it was his first driving lesson and it appears that the incident took place in Liverpool. Luckily the cyclist appears to have suffered no more than dented pride, the back of the driving instructor’s car may not have gotten off so lightly. No word on any stem damage.

road.cc's founder and first editor, nowadays to be found riding a spreadsheet. Tony's journey in cycling media started in 1997 as production editor and then deputy editor of Total Bike, acting editor of Total Mountain Bike and then seven years as editor of Cycling Plus. He launched his first cycling website - the Cycling Plus Forum at the turn of the century. In 2006 he left C+ to head up the launch team for Bike Radar which he edited until 2008, when he co-launched the multi-award winning road.cc - finally handing on the reins in 2021 to Jack Sexty. His favourite ride is his ‘commute’ - which he does most days inc weekends and he’s been cycle-commuting since 1994. His favourite bikes are titanium and have disc brakes, though he'd like to own a carbon bike one day.

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20 comments

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primalcarl | 8 years ago
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andyp | 8 years ago
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nob.

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Flying Scot | 8 years ago
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OK so it's a poor chap when a rider isn't looking where he is going, but on here you want jail sentences when it's a rider?

Both have the potential to cause death or injury to others.

I agree with the post that he is a nob, he is.

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2wheelsgood | 8 years ago
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Poor chap. He was probably working out the acronym correctly at the time. Should end …DYK.

I’m available for prize collection all weekend!  4

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Cooks | 8 years ago
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Somehow, in some way, I blame Lance Armstrong.

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J90 | 8 years ago
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Nob. Also looks like a nob to boot.

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don simon fbpe | 8 years ago
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Did you see how fast that car was reversing? The poor cyclist didn't stand a chance.
Drivers are just shite!
It's not like they've even got a right to be there, they have to have lessons then apply for a licence and everything.
The sooner they are off the road, the better.

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pizzathehut2001 | 8 years ago
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Never had a near miss getting jelly babies out of back pocket, while flicking through 10 screens of data on my Garmin thing.

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saitrix | 8 years ago
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I hope he is ok, I went into a back of a van but at 25mph (van infront emergency stopped when I was also doing 30mph). Unfortunately for me it meant a fractured back and off the bike for a few months. Only damaged the rear wheel and one of the drops. Shame I didn't get a video.

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marc_j_w | 8 years ago
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This was filmed near Sefton Park, Liverpool. There's an article in today's Liverpool Echo. It seems he ran into a driving instructor's car.

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Beaufort | 8 years ago
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You'd hope he'll learn his lesson and not do that again but...

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Notsofast | 8 years ago
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Watch it in slow-mo, he has a smart phone on his bars, I bet he was reading Facebook or maybe even road.cc

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FlatBattery | 8 years ago
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Hope nothing's damaged except his ego!

I seem to remember there were posters? films? in our cycling club 45 years ago about the dangers of riding with your head down on public roads. Obviously we aren't passing the message on...........

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JonD | 8 years ago
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Hmm, where are all those people that were slagging off the on-bar prism periscope thingy ?  1

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hectorhtaylor | 8 years ago
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I've done that. Though I my case I failed to see the Volvo turning right into my path. The driver was an insurance company rep - paid for the damage and a bit extra for the humbug in cash on the spot and gave me a lift home.
Nice chap - but he didn't film me lying on my back on his bonnet with the wheels still spinning (it was in the days of toe clips and pressing button B for your phone money back...)

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Simmo72 | 8 years ago
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I hope he isn't planning on any coastal cliff top rides. There is being caught off guard and there is blatant riding like a tool. This is the latter.

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Rupert | 8 years ago
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Oh so that's why it's a good idea to wear a helmet  40

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Simon E replied to Rupert | 8 years ago
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Rupert wrote:

Oh so that's why it's a good idea to wear a helmet  40

No, it's a good reason to look where you're going.

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LondonDynaslow | 8 years ago
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All the driver's fault - the car should have been painted hi viz.

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danthomascyclist | 8 years ago
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Glad he's okay - I hope he paid for any damages he caused. I did have a chuckle at the way his rear wheel was still spinning.

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