[NOtotheEU]

The first bicycle video from the driving instructor I really rate but most of you love to hate! He gets left hooked (but not hit) by a German SUV, who’d have guessed?

To be fair I can see why most people on here don’t think much of him as in another recent video video he says

“You have to look after cyclists because they don’t really read the traffic and read the roads as well as they could do” which is an odd take given that 99% of his ‘driving fails’ are drivers.

On the plus side he then goes on a rant about how mobile use while driving is getting to “ridiculous levels” and “I think it’s about time we had some harsher penelties . . . . as 6 points & £200 doesn’t seem to be working” so I’m sure he’s now going to support Cycling Mikey. OK, I won’t hold my breath.

Topic

[Jenova20]

giff77 wrote:

Sadly those of us who regularly cycle have become accustomed to the horn being used as a form of bullying and intolerance. I’ve put this down mainly to the motorists (not all) mindset that those who cycle should only do so in the local park. I also think that since the horn shifted from the indicator stalk to the hub of the steering wheel it actually takes a lot more pressure to sound it resulting in a more aggressive tone. Also horns themselves seem to have more decibels today than 30 years ago. 

I remember reading about pedestrians seeing the dinging of a bike bell as often hostile, so maybe we all need a better way of warning others of our presence.

Yelling “Oi!” might work.

[Jenova20]

hirsute wrote:

I thought we meet the first Friday of every month in the parish hall.

You must part of the Deep State in cycling.

 

They told me we’re meeting at Taco Bell. Does the UK even have those?

 

[Mungecrundle]

I even went to effort to
I even went to the effort to contact Ashley via his driving school website as the nature of the postings here, under his name, seemed very out of character and at odds with the mostly considered opinions on his driving videos. He confirmed that these are indeed his postings.

I think what he demonstrates is that while he has experience as a driving instructor and can even relate to the shitty driving some other road users demonstrate around learner drivers that he does not yet have enough experience as a cyclist to understand that the same aggression, impatience and poor driving standards deeply affect the way that regular cyclists perceive dangers on the road. Use of horn being one such naive assumption. Further that as a cyclist you have far less “road authority” to control the space around you no matter how carefully you judge use of primary, secondary or any other lane position. I too have done IAM at various times, qualified as a motorcycle instructor and drive. In around 10 years of using dashcams I have no close calls or run- ins with other road users. However, on the bicycle I report a couple of incidents a year on average and have been on the wrong end of a hit and run, well two if you count the deliberate brake check where I went into the back of the car.

[IanMSpencer]

I think my take on Ashley and
I think my take on Ashley and how he has been received here is that he actually is reflecting the perceptions of the motoring community (whatever that is).

He’s made a variety of comments here that suggest he perceives the whole cycling community as poor quality road users, who therefore as drivers transfer their poor quality cycling skills to that task.

He knows that in the past I have achieved Advanced Driver status, and although I would not claim to be at that level now (I could probably turn it on for an assessment and maintain a higher level of observation, speed awareness and car control, but haven’t continued reassessment and have times where I assess myself as driving below standard) but he’s been dismissive of my comments. I think that is for two reasons, he perceives me as a cyclist, therefore I must be a poor quality road user by definition, and secondly, I disagree with him. In fact, when I pointed out that a cyclist does not perceive the intent of the noise of a horn, he used my mention of having passed an advanced driver test to dismiss my contention – how could someone who could claim to have the qualities of an advance driver not divine his intent in sounding the horn? Therefore I am a poor quality road user as a cyclist and don’t deserve my advanced driver accreditation (to be fair, I don’t, IAM don’t do reassessment yet allow you to retain the status) rather than it being “there is a chance that he has thought this through.”

I think it doesn’t take many postings to work out the nature of people. I’ve made the comment that Ashley doesn’t handle himself well on forums – I’ve got 30 years of experience back from CompuServe days and developed skills as a moderator back in the 90s so I see the mistakes he makes. For an example, he makes a claim that he doesn’t have opinions on what he hadn’t seen but simply accepts GE is a reasonable person, and is very open to the 3 very identifiable anti-cycling posters (the 2 are obvious and we have a fairly recent poster who has consistently taken the side against cyclists – anyone who suggests that a cyclist who is swiped off his bike by a motorist at high speed when they are correctly on the road is at fault for their own downfall alerts my Spidey senses) comments uncritically – all along with numerous comments that we are a nasty bunch here. Yet I perceive the discussions here as quite open and constructive – even if there is a cynical resignation to our fate as cyclists. I also note he’s been negative about road.cc generally but never engaged with the comments that made some criticisms of the video he posted. That creates a poor impression because it says to me he has dismissed the comments on his riding because he has already dismissed the views here views as without value, he’s come here because someone has tipped him off and he wants to know what people are saying about him, and he’s a bit miffed rather than engaging positively.

I think Ashley is a good presenter, specifically because he is relatable to his audience, but I don’t think he is a great analyst. I don’t have a problem with that, we all have different strengths, but a man’s gotta know his limitations, especially when they put themselves in the public eye.

[Simon E]

Ashley Neal wrote:

Ashley Neal wrote:

Some people don’t act in a way that does the cycling community any favours, they create division instead. Road.cc is usually one of the prime examples.

So should driver infractions involving a cyclist not be reported or discussed on a cycling news website? Who is causing this ‘division’ when most cyclists – including most of us posting on road.cc – are also drivers?

And what is this ‘cycling community’? Where do I join and what do I get in return? Is there a ‘driver community’ that is answerable for the many people I see daily doing 40-50 mph in 30 zones? Is there a ‘pedestrian community’ that should be held responsible for the dogshit and litter that appear on pavements?

Or is it that your opinions are because you view cyclists in particular as an out-group?

[chrisonabike]

Last time I had it out here

Last time I had it out here with someone over “we should all just get along” and “certain cycle-cammers are causing road rage” I asked how (given I don’t run a cam) that led to some folks in a car (opposite side of the road) throwing a drinks can at me, or some others accellerating past me at a “pinch point” while shouting out the window.  I don’t recall an answer but it just goes to show er… how corrosive posting stuff about bad driving on the internet is.  Or maybe how well most (“otherwise law abiding”) people do at repressing their rage at cyclists and we should be grateful for that.  Or something.

But maybe it’s really showing up my deficient road skillz?  (Such as cycling at night in a city, maybe?)

[ktache]

I have been hit while waiting

I have been hit while waiting for a gap in traffic at a roundabout, when completely stationery.

I have been hit from behind after passing a junction. Apparently, according to her, I was riding too slowly. It was near the top of a hill.  And no, I was not on a TT bike, which for some reason, to some posters here, make it much more likely.

Can anyone tell me how superior bike handling skills or complete awareness of my surroundings could have possibly prevented either of these incidents.

[anagallis_arvensis]

Ashley Neal wrote:

Ashley Neal wrote:

Cycling is without doubt more dangerous, but I’ve never been close to being hit in 30+ years of cycling on the roads. What does this tell you? and it’s not that I’m just lucky! I don’t need better infrastructure (although it would be nice for the less able)

I’m always told that a majority of cyclists are drivers, well if that’s the case I can tell you a majority of drivers are poor. Anyone in this thread up for a free assessment drive with me? Time to put your cards on the table.

Any time, I’ll take you for a cycle too.

You may have cycled for 30 years but,no offence, you don’t look like you do a lot of it!

[TallestTim]

This. 5 years of cycling to

This. 5 years of cycling to work, ended up sprawled on the floor twice due to drivers knocking me off through crap driving, and a number of hits by drivers using their vehicle as a weapon (including use of horn) because they didn’t want to share the road with me.

[TallestTim]

Aye, this. I’m particularly

Aye, this. I’m particularly concerned that @Ashley Neal, under the premise of “Education”, will counter the National Cycle Standard and the advice given to kids and adults through Bikeabilty, leading to more people being put at risk because of his behaviour.

For example, the in that video alone there is WAY too much
1) riding close to the mouth of a junction,
2) riding in the gutter
3) riding in the door zone

If he is actively going to go down the “rider education” piece, he should undergo the Cycle Training first, including to the level of being a certified Cycle Instructor, otherwise it’s sadly just another person using experience based upon the discreded Cycling Proficenecy banner to spread misinformation.

 

[quiff]

I don’t have an issue with

I don’t have an issue with the intent behind your “pip” Ashley. The problem though is that the intent is not always obvious to the recipient. My instinctive reaction to hearing a horn behind me is to look over my shoulder – and that is not always conducive to holding a steady line when someone is overtaking.

[ChrisB200SX]

Ashley Neal wrote:

Cycling is without doubt more dangerous, but I’ve never been close to being hit in 30+ years of cycling on the roads. What does this tell you? and it’s not that I’m just lucky!

Literally all this tells us is that you have been extremely lucky.
Cycling itself is not more dangerous. Having to share the roads with many dangerous drivers is what creates the danger for cyclists.

[hawkinspeter]

Rendel Harris wrote:

All you ever do is moan about it and us yet every day you’re back for more moaning.

Does that make him a re-moaner?

[Rendel Harris]

Flintshire Boy wrote:

Those on this site who are bike fascists will not allow that a cyclist is EVER in the wrong.

Whereas those on this site who are actual fascists or close to it (alt-right Trumpists etc) will virtually never allow that a cyclist is ever in the right.

As ever, the question is why do you infest this site when you hate it and the vast majority of its adherents so much? All you ever do is moan about it and us yet every day you’re back for more moaning.

 

[Flintshire Boy]

.

.

‘Some people don’t act in a way that does the cycling community any favours, they create division instead. Road.cc is usually one of the prime examples.’

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Dear God, Ashley, that is SO true.

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Those on this site who are bike fascists will not allow that a cyclist is EVER in the wrong.

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[Author]

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