Conservative MP Philip Davies accused of "massive prejudice against cyclists" after "angry email rant" to constituent who questioned his "contradictory" road safety views and number plates for cyclists stance

Not tories.

I wont forget to celebrate on the 5th of July when the Labour candidate for Shipley knocks this idiot out of parliament. What makes it all the more sweeter is the candidates statements supporting Vision Zero.

Get stuffed Philip

I think this is less a case of Philip Davies hating all cyclists, and more the fact that he's too frightened to ride on his local roads but can't admit it in public  

There's also the possibility that he can't ride a bike at all - something he no doubt finds embarrassing - which would explain the slightly hysterical replies and victim blaming. 

Invite him to stand at Fox Corner, the busy light controlled junction outside his own Con Club in Shipley.

He can watch the clustefxxk that is Bradford driving.

Number plates and insurance don't seem to be impacting much on the free for all that counts as driving in the city.

Extraordinary level of rudeness to one of his constituents who seems to want to debate courteously. You'd think if nothing else self-interest would dictate reasonable politeness.
I guess he knows he's on the way out - or maybe assumes (probably correctly!) that not many cyclists will be voting Tory this time round, so no point pretending.

Sir Philip Davies wrote:

"Perhaps you will come down to London sometime and stand by the pedestrian crossing outside the House of Commons and count the number of cyclists who drive through a red light. I can tell you now that it will be easier to count the number who stop for a red light."

This one, Phil? I ride through and around Parliament Square hundreds of times a year, yes there are the usual cockwombles who run the lights, I would say maybe 5%-10% of riders, fewer at rush-hour when the pressure of traffic makes it harder to do. There most certainly aren't more who do than don't, you're simply lying. I see that your seat in Shipley is predicted as a 93% certain Labour win, enjoy your last few weeks on the gravy train!

Checking up on the IDS speech on his Causing Death by Dangerous Cycling clause, he mentions a litany of cases where to my eye half had the cyclist at no fault.

I had a look at the shit IDS has been shovelling.

So weak is his case that he felt the need to mislead the House of Commons:

IDS: In July 2020, Peter McCombie, 72, was killed by cyclist Ermir Loka, who had jumped a red light.
(Loka: did not stop, they found him, prison 2 years)
https://news.sky.com/story/cyclist-ermir-loka-who-jumped-red-light-and-k...

IDS: In June 2022, Stewart McGinn, 29, was jailed for a year after he sped on his bike around a corner on the pavement in Monmouth, south Wales, hitting Jane Stone, 79, who died four days later.
(McGinn, did not stop, turned himself in, prison 1 year)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-62153644

IDS: Regents Park Case. In June 2022, Hilda Griffiths—this is a very important case—who was aged 81, was run over by a cyclist, who was racing along at 29 mph in a 20 mph zone on a high-performance racing bike. She subsequently died.
"The case was unable to proceed because the speed limit does not apply to cyclists. "
(Coroner's verdict ACCIDENT, with no unlawful acts, IDS misleading Parliament. It did not proceed because the cyclist did not cause the collision by any unlawful act; the claim that it did not proceed becasue of cyclists not being subject to speed limits is a lie. The pedestrian stepped out directly into traffic.)
https://road.cc/content/news/no-charges-cyclist-after-crash-which-oap-wa...

IDS: "In 2016, Diana Walker, 76, died when a cyclist hit her in Pewsey, Wiltshire. "
(Police found that 'no crime had been committed'. The pedestrian stepped out directly into traffic without looking in all accounts I have seen.)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-41047810

 In June 2020, Ian Gunn, 56, died in south Manchester yet the cyclist was cleared of wanton and furious driving.
(Cyclist, Cornelius De Bruin, was found not guilty by a jury.  The police could have charged him with Careless Cycling, but did to feel it would likely succeed, which is the criteria.)

Link to speech:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-05-15/debates/70FB3786-C2A3-4...

I wonder three things.

1 - The small state point is interesting; I have not tried arguing that one. But then this administration in 2014 brought in the changes to PSPOs which makes them able to be done with little or no evidence, in little or no time, with a mere 6 weeks' consultation and severe restrictions on reasons for objection.

2 - Perhaps it is time we started editing sober, cited and evidenced to the contrary, accounts of view on cycling into politicians' Wikipedia pages. If he is defending his opinions, he is presumably proud of them.

3 - Davies is down as a likely loss in the General Election. Labour Target no 59, and Cons are expected to lose 200+ seats.

In that sense he is probably a Sunk cost, like Rishi Sunk. But he may have a decent Captain Mainwaring vote.

I wonder if there is humourous merit in compiling a list of anti-cycling fopdoodles who are for the chop. Then we can have a Bingo Card for July 4th.

On the list already are Theresa Villiers, Mark Harper, Iain Duncan-Smith, Philip Davies and several others.
 

He's being disingenuous (obviously - he's Tory) and the real reason that he wants registration etc for cyclists is to put a barrier in the way of getting people onto bikes and starting to cycle.

Tories - they want people sick and dying, not healthy and happy.

Never argue with stupid people tory MPs: they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience, Mark Twain.

I detest this rabble rousing populist rhetoric.  
However,  living, riding and working in London for the last 30 years, I would say the increase in people on hire bikes (esp the elec assist ones) is definitely causing issues.  I would estimate I have to avoid cyclists whilst crossing on a green man at least 3 times a week.  Nothing to do with risk management on their part , just rudeness and a disregard of the rules of the road.  
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Davies

I just used language that would see me excommunicated from just about every organised religion in this arm of the galaxy. His views on cycling might be amongst the more anodyne and less offensive of his smorgasbord of douchebaggery.

Look, I know that we have more than enough evidence that Tory MPs are mostly fuckwits but is anyone else surprised at the puerile language from this specimen?

"I bet you think all cyclists are saints" WTF? And a complete failure to even debate or discuss. Isn't that pretty much the most important quality for an MP?

Just how the actual fuck did we end up with these morons running the country?

Interesting to see that the representation of Yorkshire constituents is based on MPs personal experiences from crossing the road in Westminster.

I don't condone running red lights, but perhaps this is seen as a "risk-reduction" method, as the longer you are cycling in London, the higher the chance of being a victim of armed robbery or hit-and-run.

The above is also a perfect example of the flawed logic of using licence plates to control crime. Armed robberies are often carried out with the use of motor vehicles, which require licence plates. This does not seem to be an issue for criminals, licence plates are only useful for issuing minor penalties to typical road users.

Fake/cloned plates, no plates and camera blocking tape are common practice with criminal and reckless road users, so why would this be any different for cyclists?
If he's so concerned about cyclists jumping red lights in London, why not just get some bobbies to stop them and issue tickets? This would surely be simpler than a nationwide requirement for licence plates, affecting thousands of responsible road users, with the costs borne by the tax payers. 🙄

Perhaps Sir Phil is also annoyed by watching cyclists cruise by while he's stuck in the interminable London traffic?

"It doesn't fit with his world view: light-touch small states, less regulation, people should be free from government interference, and then he wants to micromanage cyclists, it seems a bit contradictory for him."

Cyclists are sub human & therefore not people according to the polls that have been conducted recently so it probably isn't contradictory for him.