Author Topic: Petronella Wyatt on Cyclists (Read 4108 times)

Tom B · « **on:** 15 February, 2010, 10:13:12 am »

From the DM (with thanks to the GMCC mailing list)

Synopsis
1) Her mother was hit by an irresponsible cyclist and had her arm broken
2) Cyclists are bad, motorists are victimised
3) Ludicrous self-contradiction

The first four paragraphs are fairly straight. For the rest it would be a bold satirist who could do better

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 February, 2010, 10:28:35 am »

I had a read of the transport report she references (I had to register to download it - can email if people are interested - pm me).

If you only consider the 'all ages' figures, then the accident *solely* the driver's fault in more cases than the cyclist. However, the solely cyclist's figure is high, around 40%.

If you take out under-15s, the figures change dramatically. Suddenly it is nearly all drivers, cyclist's being solely at fault drops off massively. I haven't bothered to actually add it up, but at a rough estimate the figures are more like 20% for cyclists solely at fault.

fruitcake · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 February, 2010, 10:31:40 am »

Tom, FTFY

3) She rides like a moron, going the wrong way down one way streets and shouting at road users before losing control of her bicycle.

Strangely, her premise (not that I think she genuinely has a 'premise', or an argument) is more surreal that all of that: it's the bike that made her do it.

Wascally Weasel · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 February, 2010, 10:36:48 am »

I don’t need to read the article to know that her judgement is suspect. Anyone who would willingly have sex with Boris Johnson is clearly lacking in any critical faculty.

Speshact · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 February, 2010, 10:38:20 am »

I stumbled upon this via Google News, got worked up, started to draft a comment, got more worked up, then remembered the number one rule.

Don't ever click on a Daily Wail link if you want to live to avoid high blood pressure and live to a ripe old age.

So I went for a nice ride instead.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 February, 2010, 10:45:20 am »

If I had to go through life with a name like "Petronella", I expect I'd be bitter and twisted too.

clarion · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 February, 2010, 10:52:02 am »

Daughter of Woodrow. Nuff said.

spindrift · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 February, 2010, 11:00:53 am »

Petronella Wyatt attacks the cult of cycling after her frail mother was knocked down

Biggest cult I've ever seen.

But the police have found that half the collisions between bicycles and cars are the fault of the cyclist, according to analysis by the Transport Research Laboratory.

That's not what they said at all.

Yet Brussels is now proposing to make motorists responsible for all accidents involving cyclists, irrespective of who was actually in the wrong.

A bare-faced lie, that's not what happens at all, although it's weighted in the cyclist's favour so if they were cycling on the wrong side of the road they'd still only be held liable by 25%.

So if you are driving responsibly along the street and you are hit by a cyclist who has shot a red light, done a wheelie and is listening to his iPod, you will have to pay for damage to the bike and compensation for the cyclist's injuries.

No, actually, the proposal was that if a cyclist and vehicle collided, the driver automatically became liable for any crime the cyclist committed for the rest of his life. I for one welcome our cycling overlords. Still would though.

Charlotte · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 February, 2010, 11:36:03 am »

Thanks for that Tom. I felt like a rant.

spindrift · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 February, 2010, 01:26:38 pm »

Can I state for the record, I am NOT Petronella Wyatt.
I'm much more self-centered, opinionated and self-serving than her.

She may be the woman who once claimed "applause is better than sex" (and who am I to argue), but no, I am not she. I'm much, much more of an attention-seeker than she could ever hope to be.

While I may dream of owning a Pashley with a dinky basket on the front, I have never found myself so fortunate to actually own one.

Nor have I ever had an extra-marital affair with Boris Johnson, which resulted in me having an abortion, the break-up of two marriages and his sacking as a front-bench minister for attempting to conceal our affair. (as reported in The Times, 14/11/2004)

No, Petsy is right to lambaste cyclists for their wrongdoings, whether real or imagined. I'm altogether less qualified than her when it comes to claiming the moral high ground and making sweeping generalisations on their conduct.

Daily Mail columnist attacks cyclists and calls for compulsory tests | road.cc | The website for pedal powered people: Road cycling, commuting, leisure cycling and racing

handcyclist · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 February, 2010, 01:54:19 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 15 February, 2010, 11:36:03 am

Thanks for that Tom. I felt like a rant.

Thanks for that.
Espesh the end.
You made I laaff.

Charlotte · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 February, 2010, 02:06:44 pm »

Stop press: someone's sabotaged her wiki page. Again.

Quote

Biography

Born in Hell, Wyatt attended St Paul's Girls' School in London before reading History at Worcester College, Oxford for a week, and then transferring and later graduating from University College, London.

Quote

Wyatts real passion in life is Fixed gear bike tricks, her backward circles, bar spins and bunny hops; all taught by her equally able mother, often light up dull Labour party gatherings. sadly the hefty weight gain and accident that disfigured her face put paid to any sponsorship deals. the Swagger Fixie bike is now safely in the garage and more time is dedicated to her other passions, trying to find porky TV Chef - James Martins tiny penis, knitting, biscuit making, Nazi loving and writing armature blog quality articles for the Daily Fail

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 February, 2010, 02:23:09 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 15 February, 2010, 02:06:44 pm

Stop press: someone's sabotaged her wiki page. Again.

She's a pointless talentless unperson.

I was going to have a go at getting her wiki entry deleted, but someone has already tried that and been shot down.

Gandalf · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 February, 2010, 03:12:34 pm »

Petrolheadella

Classic.

Regulator · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 February, 2010, 03:30:47 pm »

The fragrant Petronella really is a waste of air...

Jaded · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 February, 2010, 03:44:25 pm »

Petrolnelly.

mattc · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 February, 2010, 05:07:12 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 15 February, 2010, 02:06:44 pm

Stop press: someone's sabotaged her wiki page. Again.

Quote
Biography

Born in Hell, Wyatt attended St Paul's Girls' School in London before reading History at Worcester College, Oxford for a week, and then transferring and later graduating from University College, London.

Quote
Wyatts real passion in life is Fixed gear bike tricks, her backward circles, bar spins and bunny hops; all taught by her equally able mother, often light up dull Labour party gatherings. sadly the hefty weight gain and accident that disfigured her face put paid to any sponsorship deals. the Swagger Fixie bike is now safely in the garage and more time is dedicated to her other passions, trying to find porky TV Chef - James Martins tiny penis, knitting, biscuit making, Nazi loving and writing armature blog quality articles for the Daily Fail

Brilliant. This is the first time I can honestly use the following acronym: LOL

John Henry · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 February, 2010, 05:36:38 pm »

I've met glassy-eyed drunks down the pub who could put together a more logical and original argument than that. I can't even find it within myself to get steamed up about it. It's just drivel.

If I'm annoyed at all it's because this talentless no-mark gets a platform for her incoherent ranting in a national newspaper, while good writers go unpublished.

clarion · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 February, 2010, 05:44:27 pm »

John, I don't know if you noticed, but you accidentally called the Daily Mail a newspaper.

Fab Foodie · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 February, 2010, 06:17:31 pm »

Quote from: Jaded on 15 February, 2010, 03:44:25 pm

Petrolnelly.

Wasn't he the American Private Eye whio lived in a caravan...

spindrift · « **Reply #20 on:** 15 February, 2010, 06:23:21 pm »

Rockford lived in a mobile home, Petrocelli was always doing his house up.

Poor old Petra's brain's been scrambled ever since she saw a sight no mortal should have to endure, Boris's happy face.

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #21 on:** 15 February, 2010, 06:32:08 pm »

"Let's do a wheelie and face it. Urban England is not suited to bicycles."

Well, in that case it's not suitable for cars either you stupid woman.
And I'm speaking as someone who has driver of over 20 years, owns a car and works for a company which builds racing cars and supercars.

John Henry · « **Reply #22 on:** 15 February, 2010, 07:01:03 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 15 February, 2010, 05:44:27 pm

John, I don't know if you noticed, but you accidentally called the Daily Mail a newspaper.

Well spotted. It's been a long day.

Ian H · « **Reply #23 on:** 15 February, 2010, 07:57:44 pm »

At least her father was occasionally amusing enough to laugh at (he was a sort of Paul Johnson figure skating across the political ice-rink from left to right, but without the intellectual rigour). His daughter appears to be the inverse of renaissance woman.

spindrift · « **Reply #24 on:** 15 February, 2010, 09:11:16 pm »

The Daily Mail have a long history of lying about cyclists, remember the Ipod Zombies claim, together with a picture of a young girl who, it was established, probably wasn't even wearing an Ipod...

How the anti-cycling lobby poisons public discourse

Author Topic: Petronella Wyatt on Cyclists (Read 4108 times)

spindrift

spindrift

John Henry

spindrift

John Henry

spindrift