CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
If you knock down a cyclist, don't tell Twitter
(123 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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Aside from the actual incident itself, this is hilarious!
Moral (One of them at least): Don't put anything on social media that may come back to bite you.
For that very reason, I didn't put my recent road rage experience on my choice of social media site just in case somebody-who-knows-somebody-who-knows-somebody happens to know the driver as a friend. Could end up messy even though I only share my profile with friends.
Hope she ends up regretting her stupidity many times over.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I feel a bit sorry for her.
To have posted on social media just shows she's been caught up in the whirlwind of peer pressure, the dogma and prejudices of older adults, anti-cyclist media, politicians, personalities (if Clarkson has a personality, that is), etc.
She's as much a victim of that redtop national mindset as the cyclist is of her driving; that mindset that a cyclist is an irritating object, rather than a human being.
The driving test is failing if it's not drumming it into youngsters' heads that cyclists are fellow road users, vulnerable, and demanding respect.
Now she'll be paying big-time, when her actions are as much the fault of the groups mentioned above.
No excuses, but still.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Despite her stupidity and naievity, the attitude she is clearly unashamed to publicly flaunt is alas all too prevalent in the society around us.
Most people would have stopped after such a collision, even if they shared similar attitudes. That she did not is evidence enough that she is not a fit and proper person to be in charge of a motor vehicle.
Posted 12 years ago # -
By contrast, I don't feel sorry for her at all. To strike someone down and leave them on the roadside is one of the most callous actions possible to the average western individual.
I can't begin to speculate on the mindset of someone who then feels that the correct course of action is to publicly brag about the fact.
Posted 12 years ago # -
It's our society that is creating individuals like that, which is the depressing thing.
She's obviously a callous beastie, but I don't think it's just her mindset ... it's a collective mindset of society in general.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Well, you could say the same about anyone - it's not me guvn'r, society's to blame - and sure there's an element of truth to that but there comes a point where you've stepped so far off the cliff of normal human behaviour, when you've passed the point where socialisation can be used as the excuse, that sympathy and empathy need to be withdrawn.
When I got knocked off my bike by a young lad in his car, I genuinely had no desire for him to be punished. He was plainly mortified. He didn't mean it and didn't try to shirk responsibility. I dusted myself down (assured the polis and ambulance that I was OK) and moved on.
Crashing into someone and running away is cowardly and reprehensible. Crashing into someone, running away and then boasting about it is way over the edge.
I don't think it is the mindset of society in general. Most people don't cut you up, pass too close or hit you. They are actually reasonable, careful and considerate. Most drivers do not hate cyclists. They just don't. If they did we wouldn't be discussing it.
Posted 12 years ago # -
That's what's worth bearing in mind. I'll have someone drive truly horrifically awfully around me maybe once a week, twice if I'm unlucky; there are a lot of innattentive moments, or times when someone overestimates their ability or space; but when you think about the number of drivers you interact with within that week the grand majority are fine, of no concern whatsoever.
As Insto says, society can be used as an excuse up to a point (note, it's not a good excuse, and shouldn't necessarily be accepted, but we often forget how strong societal pressures can be - just try living child-free and explaining your choice on the matter to experience this very strongly); but the lassie here has over-stepped a mark. I still feel a little sorry for her, but it's more pity in knowing how panicked she'll have been as she realised her mistake, and the impact that can have on a very young career (fit and proper person to be an accountant? Though I don't think she'll actually wind up with too much bother).
Society can work the other way as well, in that there will be people who read the story who think this will be an over-reaction, that people should have 'free speech' to say what they want, and that this is the 'nanny state gone mad'. But those people are clearly lunatics who should be ignored and left to get on with voting for UKIP.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
Carlton Reid (@carltonreid)
21/05/2013 12:10
Hit & run tweet boaster may do some good after all. Visits to http://www.ipayroadtax.com going through the roof. Factual info getting out there."
Posted 12 years ago # -
And note the boxout in this article, "The so-called 'Road Tax'"
Posted 12 years ago # -
My brother knows the chap who was hit. He was on the same sportive that day - just a little further back.
Along with another friend of the chap - a police inspector....
Posted 12 years ago # -
There's a great graphic to be made in there - a peloton of road cyclists or just a bunch of cyclists stopped at lights, with a little arrow going to each one, and a label "police inspector" ; "teacher" ; " accountant" etc
Posted 12 years ago # -
SRD, consider it done - you've just filled a page in Friday's .cc.
Posted 12 years ago # -
a lighter take : "of course I own the roads; my taxes paid for them" youtu.be/mZAZ_xu0DCg
Posted 12 years ago # -
Adding in to SRD's marvelous idea, maybe include things like "lives nextdoor", "chap at the pub last night", "doing weekly shop", etc.
Maybe slightly more humanised than just career descriptors?
Posted 12 years ago # -
The 'society' get out clause has some merit. It is perfectly acceptable amongst many folk to express distaste, annoyance, even hatred for 'cyclists'. Celebrities like Clarkson have helped to promote and reinforce such socipathic views, make them a part of mainstream culture. Some young people even seem to think this is 'cool' in a 'rebel without a clue' kinda way.
It's not that big a step to take from talking about hating cyclists, and talking about knocking cyclists off bikes, to actually doing it. After all it only takes a few seconds in a car, and what will the judicial consequences be? There's little risk that the driver will be penalised, even if the cyclist is killed, as long as the driver comes up with a good cover story ("the sun was in my eyes"; "I never saw anything"; "I thought it was a bollard") and drums up a show of remorse.
This young woman was too immature and foolish to do what most of the minority of sociopathic drivers would do: act the innocent. She candidly sought approval online for her righteous crusade against "bloody cyclists" instead.
I hope this rebel without a clue gets what she deserves. She showed no sympathy to the man she hit with her vehicle, so she does not have any sympathy from me.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@WC we often forget how strong societal pressures can be - just try living car-free and explaining your choice on the matter to experience this very strongly
I won't say I've fixed that for you, but I may have translated that for you!
Robert
Despoiler of the world (car and >2 children)Posted 12 years ago # -
"SRD, consider it done - you've just filled a page in Friday's .cc."
woo-hoo!
Posted 12 years ago # -
There is definitely a 'norm' in society (NORM!) of 2 kids + 2 cars. Even just having one car (and then choosing not to use it all the time) is weird enough.
I went to uni with someone who hadn't had a tv in her home till she was about 16. How? came through my head more than once.
There are loads of other examples. At work white or blue (or occasionally lilac) shirts are the norm (NORM!) while I'm sitting here today in a green number and generally work my way through the spectrum.
Each group has societal norms (NORM!(s)) - really everyone should be allowed to live their life as they want as long as it doesn't harm others (it's another reason I can't understand politicos coming out with some strange belief that allowing gay marriage will impact on them personally).
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'd like to take a moment to talk
shoproad safety...Posted 12 years ago # -
O the TV thing, I used to work with a colleague who never owned a TV.
I once asked her what she pointed her furniture at? She looked confused at my light hearted question.
Just goes to show, one persons norrm is another persons weird in almost everything we do.Posted 12 years ago # -
Speaking of societal norms, and bearing in mind that I'm not a psychologist, I saw a useful framework that defines why people act the way they do, and what factors might encourage them to change for the better:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/03/3379/5
Bit heavy, mind.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Horrific story. Annoyingly, the comments from the cyclist himself are that it was all a bit of a laugh, he is fine with the drivers actions and cyclists don't pay road tax.
Dude, if someone smashes their car into you and drives away then looks for praise for doing it, you are not being treated like a second class citizen, you are being treated like something of no consequence whatsoever. A piece of vermin whom no-one will miss and whom the world will be far better without. There isn't even a class for that.
I hope that charges will be pressed anyway but I expect she will get to drive off with a wee slap on the wrist.
Posted 12 years ago # -
more bbc coverage http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22614569
Posted 12 years ago # -
We got rid of our TV a few years ago. We wanted to get away from the habit of having it on constantly from 6pm to 10-30pm. We felt we were watching too much garbage, like fly-on-the-wall docu-soaps...
Now we watch stuff occasionally on demand, through BBC iPlayer or 4OD. For us this is much better, we wouldn't dream of going back to the 'old ways' of watching TV.
TBH, I don't even miss watching the news, which I was fairly addicted to. Stepping back from it, you can see that it's all sensationalised to 'hold' the viewer anyway.
News: "The FTSE fell by 11% today, disaster, downturn, economy reeling, bleak, etc..."
My take: "The FTSE fell by 11% today, but don't worry because tomorrow it'll bounce right back up again"
Posted 12 years ago # -
@WC it's another reason I can't understand politicos coming out with some strange belief that allowing gay marriage will impact on them personally
I expect some church leaders will serve time for this in the future, so it may well impact me personally...
However, yep, it's more of a societal impact rather than a personal one.
Robert
Posted 12 years ago # -
I find this one shocking:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17914504Toronto's tough-talking mayor has never hidden his disdain for cyclists. Now they are accusing him of trumping up a war on two-wheeled commuters. Bike lanes have been removed...
Posted 12 years ago # -
They're about to discuss this on Jeremy bone BBC radio 2.
Posted 12 years ago #
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