[road]

Hello everyone,

I have stumbled upon a bit of a problem. I record my rides with a GoPro on the front and another on the back of my bike, both to share good videos but also to share footage of dangerous driving with the police. I’ve had success previously, with no fewer than 11 convictions (including one getting their licence revoked!) from around 250 videos submitted. It’s a lot of work and the rate isn’t great but I’ll do anything to keep vulnerable road users safe.

Here’s where we get to the problem. In one of my videos that I sent to the police, I have to admit that I did not keep a cool head, and used what they have described as ‘racially charged language’. I don’t dispute that, and it was a momentary lapse when I was almost run down by a man who was on his mobile phone at the time (I know because I caught him as such on camera). At this point, in shock of almost being killed, I screamed something I am not proud of as I reached for the most offensive term I could. The driver did not hear me, or at least did not react, and I consider myself lucky that he did not.

I submitted the footage to the police regardless, and explained in the same way that I did above why I said what I did, and that I am not a racist person. Their response was to telephone me while at work and ask me to retract the report or I would potentially face a conviction myself which, for reasons I don’t need to go into, is not something I want.

The issued me with what they described as an ‘informal verbal warning’. Has anyone else received such a warning before, and know what it means? I think it’s ridiculous that my momentary lapse of vocabulary as a result of almost being murdered by a dangerous driver could be used against me, when I’m helping the police out by submitting such videos.

Does anyone have advice on what to do next, and if this warning has any actual meaning, or is just a bluff? It won’t stop me on my crusade against murderous drivers, but it does make me unsure if I am putting myself at risk by doing so in future.

Thanks I’m advance.

Topic

[hawkinspeter]

chrisonabike wrote:

Wodehouse was perhaps being ironic – many languages have some “greats” who seem to sow their words and phrases broadcast across a language*, many of which then sprout in unexpected places.  Often giving rise to malapropisms also**.

So Shakespeare and certain versions of the Bible in English.  I quite like the Russian take on this, where even the name of a similar “giant” Pushkin has given rise to new expressions (possibly like the usage of “Einstein” in English).

* Whether by invention, popularisation or just that “to those that have more will be credited” – “gilt by association” you might say. ** “Malapropism” is another lovely coinage the credit for which appears to have stuck to people other than the (uncertain) originator.

As language mistakes go, I prefer eggcorns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggcorn

[Tom_77]

Rendel Harris wrote:

it’s astonishing how many people whom one would not have suspected of having a familiarity with the works of Shakespeare seem to know that quote, but very few seem to know that it comes from Polonius, the “tedious old fool” and garrulous windbag who is wrong in virtually everything he says and does.

To fully understand Shakespeare you need to read him in the original Klingon.

[chrisonabike]

Wodehouse was perhaps being

Wodehouse was perhaps being ironic – many languages have some “greats” who seem to sow their words and phrases broadcast across a language*, many of which then sprout in unexpected places.  Often giving rise to malapropisms also**.

So Shakespeare and certain versions of the Bible in English.  I quite like the Russian take on this, where even the name of a similar “giant” Pushkin has given rise to new expressions (possibly like the usage of “Einstein” in English).

* Whether by invention, popularisation or just that “to those that have more will be credited” – “gilt by association” you might say. ** “Malapropism” is another lovely coinage the credit for which appears to have stuck to people other than the (uncertain) originator.

[Rendel Harris]

“Neither a borrower nor a

“Neither a borrower nor a lender be” – as PG Wodehouse said, it’s astonishing how many people whom one would not have suspected of having a familiarity with the works of Shakespeare seem to know that quote, but very few seem to know that it comes from Polonius, the “tedious old fool” and garrulous windbag who is wrong in virtually everything he says and does.

[chrisonabike]

Always a source of amusement

Always a source of amusement (or sadness) for those in the know.  James Joyce had a good example of someone getting the wrong end of Shakespeare (there are several).

[Matthew Acton-Varian]

Understanding a full

Understanding a full quotation can often cause a chasmic shift in perception for often used paraphrases when ignorant of its meaning. The full “jack of all trades” often springs to mind.

I try to avoid using them unless I know the full and original source.

[Left_is_for_Losers]

First message = sarcastic

First message = sarcastic

Second message = reality

[Rendel Harris]

Left_is_for_Losers wrote:

Is there anything that hasn’t happened to you?

Ah, this is an old favourite, back to the days of when you were thisismyusername (before you were banned), when apparently I must have been making it up when I said that some mates of mine lived on the edge of the Railton Road LTN, amongst other things. You seemed incredulous about the concept of people having mates, this may say rather more about you than it does about me.

Seeing as you are, somewhat pathetically, implying that I am lying I will clarify what you seem to find so hard to believe: I’m 55 years old and have lived a fairly full and relatively adventurous life, a good deal of which, alas, has been spent in various drinking establishments, so it’s hardly surprising that I’ve encountered threats from both black and white people, usually drunks, I’m sure most people have a story or two to tell over forty years or so of frequenting public houses in the capital. I cycle in London every day and have done for decades, so it’s hardly surprising that I have almost been killed by both black and white drivers; again, I’d be surprised if anybody (barring your mate Martin73 of course, who claimed never once to have had a near miss in 40 years of London cycling) who has cycled in London as long as I have couldn’t say the same thing. Finally, I was mugged at knifepoint in Bath, of all places, by a black person when I was at the University as a postgraduate. Just goes to show, I’ve never been mugged in London.

So you see your pathetic little attempt at trying to score over me is as weak and foolish as your usual standard. To use your own phrase, perhaps you could stop following me around this website now?

[Rendel Harris]

Left_is_for_Losers wrote:

It’s not a surprise you’ve been threatened

So now you’ve gone from implying that I must be lying about something happening to me to say it’s no surprise that it happened. Wrong side of bed this morning, poppet?

[Left_is_for_Losers]

Thanks for your exorbitantly

Thanks for your exorbitantly long justification. 

It’s not a surprise you’ve been threatened so much if you go around with the smug, haughty and arrogant attitude you trash everyone with  (bar your road.cc puppets here, one of whom has already commented) 

[Steve K]

chrisonatrike wrote:

He’s probably busy doing his festive 1000.  Apparently some similar-looking fellow is having this Christmas off…

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”* but I’m not sure “identity theft” is quite the same.

* … ” that mediocrity can pay to greatness”, to finish it.

I’m not sure I knew the second half of the quote – thanks for that.

[perce]

Are you back from your

Are you back from your honeymoon?

[Left_is_for_Losers]

Is there anything that hasn’t

Is there anything that hasn’t happened to you?

[chrisonabike]

He’s probably busy doing his

He’s probably busy doing his festive 1000.  Apparently some similar-looking fellow is having this Christmas off…

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”* but I’m not sure “identity theft” is quite the same.

* … ” that mediocrity can pay to greatness”, to finish it.

[Rendel Harris]

Given that it’s well over 24

Given that it’s well over 24 hours since the OP chucked this controversy bomb and that he hasn’t commented on it since, I think it’s pretty safe to conclude, as I said below, that it didn’t happen and he was just trolling to see if he could get a response that would allow him to say there you are, cyclists care more about themselves than about racism. In which case he’s been somewhat disappointed, I fear. A PBU trying to get smart, one suspects.

[Author]

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