Author Topic: Cycling Thugs  (Read 2969 times)

Cycling Thugs
« on: 03 October, 2017, 10:11:32 am »

rogerzilla

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Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #1 on: 04 October, 2017, 06:30:40 pm »
Easily solved - a small blue sign would have made it legal.  It's not as if they do anything else round here to make a cycle path.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #2 on: 08 October, 2017, 09:09:16 am »
Same old poor reporting

We had a discussion a few years ago where a "Cyclist" mugged a pensioner, pointing out that a previous robbery where the individual had driven a way had not been reported as "Motorist burgles house" was unwelcome

Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #3 on: 08 October, 2017, 09:34:25 am »
Black man. Bearded man. Man. Cyclist.

Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #4 on: 20 October, 2017, 04:02:25 am »
Weird. If a motorist does something wrong he’s responsible for his actions. If a cyclist does something wrong then all somehow cyclists are guilty.

Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #5 on: 20 October, 2017, 10:42:13 am »
But a fairly serious assault nevertheless and I don't see anything in the article that blames all cyclists or is in anyway racial.

I have no doubt we would condem the behaviour of any idiot who rides into a group of people and then punches them.

Weird. If a motorist does something wrong he’s responsible for his actions. If a cyclist does something wrong then all somehow cyclists are guilty.

Based on what part of the article? I don't see anything that suggests all cyclists are guilty.

Are some folk in danger of reading into a report and coming to the wrong conclusion regarding blaming cyclists?

To my mind, the person who assaulted the others was an idiot.  He was riding a bicycle. He was on the pavement. He is identifiable. Perhaps that might just jog someone's memory who can help the police to further their work in arresting the idiot for assault.

Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #6 on: 20 October, 2017, 11:20:59 am »
If someone drove their car up to a group of people at a bus stop, leapt out, and beat them up, would it be reported as "a motorist ... seriously assaulted a group of people"? Would they be referred to in the headline or the body of the article as a motorist? If they'd driven on the pavement, would there be a note that this was an offence under the Highways Act of 1835?

Sure, there's nothing explicit that says all cyclists are to blame for the actions of this man, but there's plenty of labelling going on.

The report isn't "a man assaulted three people. He looks like  [$photo] and he was riding a bike."

Instead, it's "a cyclist assaulted three people. He looks like  [$photo]. He cycled on the pavement to get to them. He cycled away from them. Cycling on the pavement is a specific offence under $laws."

It's a peculiar approach to the report, and it reinforces the idea that cyclists are seen as an out group.

Kim

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Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #7 on: 20 October, 2017, 11:33:41 am »
Cyclists *are* an out-group.  Hardly anyone rides a bike.  That makes is a distinctive feature.

Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #8 on: 20 October, 2017, 11:40:51 am »
Loads of people ride bikes in Hackney ...

Yes, it's a distinguishing feature - but surely not to the point of being the lead for the whole report.

Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #9 on: 20 October, 2017, 11:43:13 am »
This incident happened just down the road from me and has been covered extensively in the local press.  At no time did I feel the coverage disparaged cyclists in general (unusually).  The guy is obviously a dangerous thug - the fact he was on a bike at the time is largely irrelevant and only included to help identify him.

The far more disturbing aspect of the story is the Met have done virtually nothing to find him and it's been left to the victims themselves to launch a public appeal in an effort to track him down. That fits in with my personal experience of the Met - totally useless if they are actually required to do any work.
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mattc

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Re: Cycling Thugs
« Reply #10 on: 20 October, 2017, 04:28:19 pm »
...

Instead, it's "a cyclist assaulted three people. He looks like  [$photo]. He cycled on the pavement to get to them. He cycled away from them. Cycling on the pavement is a specific offence under $laws."

It's a peculiar approach to the report, and it reinforces the idea that cyclists are seen as an out group.

That bit is downright bizarre!

Not that I expect much better from internet news-writers ...
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles