The War on Britain's Roads

[thirdcrank]

I'll suggest that firing off emails or even formal complaints to the BBC is a sheer waste of time and it's probably counter productive in that it's an indicator of heightened audience interest. Anybody with substantial grounds for grievance can go direct to a lawyer and take the licence payers to the cleaners.

(A lot of posts since I started on this one,)

[squeaker]

Watched it this morning. IMHO, OK for the genre, apart from the crow-barred in at the end clips from the 5yr old courier 'race'.
Clearly loads of numpties out there (on all sorts of wheels): just that the one's conducting the heavier vehicles have the most potential for doing serious harm
Typically, the Sun's piece is a distortion - Cynthia Barlow's approach to the RMC shareholder meeting came over as measured and well researched - maybe more journalists should follow her example

[Simon L6]

I'll suggest that firing off emails or even formal complaints to the BBC is a sheer waste of time and it's probably counter productive in that it's an indicator of heightened audience interest. Anybody with substantial grounds for grievance can go direct to a lawyer and take the licence payers to the cleaners.

(A lot of posts since I started on this one,)

absolutely correct. If anybody is that interested they should read the BikeBiz article.

[Geriatrix]

Here is further evidence that the BBC "documentary" was all about sensationalism. Only the first part of the incident was shown in the documentary. Watch the whole clip and it changes your perspective, but then the second part never suited their agenda.

[al_yrpal]

Just watched it. What a depressing programme? How do we design and afford decent seperate cycle lanes in an urban landscape that is almost universally unsuitable for it? I'll be planning my touring routes avoiding busy roads in cities with even more vigour in the future. I would like to see Chris Boadmans proposed 'how cycling could be' programme. Let's hope the Beeb or someone takes him up on it.

Al

[reohn2]

One of the standout edits was on Ben's video. They showed the near head-on with a motorcyclist. They didn't show the motorcyclist offering a heartfelt apology.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekSMrAL-N9E bad language alert!

The word cut and shut(down) spring to mind and also show what a travesty this appalling "documentary" is

[kwackers]

How can observers know if someone is smug or arrogant from a glance as a bike passes/is passed, or at best paused at some lights... Ah no, cycles never stop at those.

They don't.
Cyclists make them feel inferior. We're fit and healthy, not paying through the nose for fuel, 'road tax' etc. We're not destroying air quality, or wrecking towns and cities.
What they feel is their guilt, they know we're not feeling it and they presume that makes us smug.
It's just relativism in action.

[reohn2]

......Cyclists make them feel inferior. We're fit and healthy, not paying through the nose for fuel, 'road tax' etc. We're not destroying air quality, or wrecking towns and cities.
What they feel is their guilt, they know we're not feeling it and they presume that makes us smug.
It's just relativism in action.

I've often wondered about this and think of the human condition,specifically it's egocentricity. Especially when it's let to rule in the individual,so as that same train of thought can be applied to to all humans,it's not just motorists who fall under it's spell.
There is an element of smugness in some cyclists,we only have to examine the "their not a proper/real cyclist" accusation some level at others to elevate themselves to position of bona fide real cyclists.

[ukdodger]

How can observers know if someone is smug or arrogant from a glance as a bike passes/is passed, or at best paused at some lights... Ah no, cycles never stop at those.

They don't.
Cyclists make them feel inferior. We're fit and healthy, not paying through the nose for fuel, 'road tax' etc. We're not destroying air quality, or wrecking towns and cities.
What they feel is their guilt, they know we're not feeling it and they presume that makes us smug.
It's just relativism in action.

It's simpler than that. Cyclists make them feel that we're privileged.

[kwackers]

......Cyclists make them feel inferior. We're fit and healthy, not paying through the nose for fuel, 'road tax' etc. We're not destroying air quality, or wrecking towns and cities.
What they feel is their guilt, they know we're not feeling it and they presume that makes us smug.
It's just relativism in action.

I've often wondered about this and think of the human condition,specifically it's egocentricity. Especially when it's let to rule in the individual,so as that same train of thought can be applied to to all humans,it's not just motorists who are under it's spell.

There's a whole psychology based around it.

We're one of the wealthiest nations on earth and yet many of us feel poor and hard done by. In lots of countries that are genuinely poor and hard done by there are lots of folk who don't.
As social creatures we internally compare ourselves to others and from that construct our worth.
Once you know what your worth is then you can target those who you perceive to have higher worth. As a rule the politics of envy mean you'll generally hate those you perceive to have more value. It's not often anyone hates folk they feel superior to...

[reohn2]

It's simpler than that. Cyclists make them feel that we're privileged.

I'd say it's even simpler than that,some people like to feel superior none more so than those in a position of power.
Which is bad enough when that power is limited ie;subject to laws,enforced by others with greater power than themselves(police?)
But when those laws aren't enforced,their absolute power corrupts absolutely,that kind of corruption is very dangerous in the hands of anyone but in this instance a tonne or more of steel with with a very powerful means of propulsion .

Edi:- this bit added

[reohn2]

......... As a rule the politics of envy mean you'll generally hate those you perceive to have more value. It's not often anyone hates folk they feel superior to...

Wish I could believe that,as to take it to it's logical conclusion motorists would feel they needed to help cyclists along a bit by atleast feeling sorry for their perceived inferiority.I've never yet met a motorist who feels inferior to cyclists ie;the guy the big stick will always feel superior to the guy with little one.

[AlaninWales]

The program certainly has reached people other than cyclists... I'm now defending Magnatom's riding over in the IAM forum (members only I'm afraid - it's not always lonely in there, but if any IAM members are here, I could use some help as my fingers are getting tired).

[ukdodger]

......... As a rule the politics of envy mean you'll generally hate those you perceive to have more value. It's not often anyone hates folk they feel superior to...

Wish I could believe that,as to take it to it's logical conclusion motorists would feel they needed to help cyclists along a bit by atleast feeling sorry for their perceived inferiority.I've never yet met a motorist who feels inferior to cyclists ie;the guy the big stick will always feel superior to the guy with little one.

Ah yes the road pecking order. Lorries abuse vans, cars and motorcyclists, vans abuse cars and motorcyclists, cars abuse motorcyclists, they all abuse us.

[kwackers]

Hmmm, present government excluded then?

The government don't hate us.

We're a commodity, and getting cheaper by the minute!