Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => On The Road => Topic started by: Ham on 05 January, 2022, 05:45:35 pm
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https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jan/05/filming-cyclingmikey-dangerous-drivers-mike-van-erp-motorists-britain-roads-safer
Quite a balanced article
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I'm amazed he's still alive.
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Perhaps if the police did their jobs, then it wouldn't be left to 'vigilantes.' (I don't really agree with his approach, but then I'm not sure why we should hold drivers to such a low standard, and I didn't realise his father had been killed by a drunk driver.)
For reasons, we drove the merry highways of Surrey and Kent every day over the holidays. Saw no shortage of atrocious driving. In seven days over the Christmas period we saw precisely zero police officers. I think we've given up on road policing beyond the occasional speed camera.
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I did realise his father had been killed by a drunk driver but didn't realise he'd seen the crash scene, with his dead dad covered by a blanket.
I don't think that trauma ever leaves you. For myself, I've had a thing about drunk drivers since my aunt was killed by one just before I turned three. A young adult witness is hardly the same as a toddler who is told these things she hasn't seen though.
I doubt Wendy would bother recording & reporting if he wasn't experiencing dangerous motorist behaviour in a well-policed city.
Every day.
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Mike is a good personal friend. Straying from the standard is the least of my worries.
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Years ago I bought a kiddy trailer from him for a friend. Does this make me famous? (porobably not).
I was on a Friday's ride between Christmas and New Year, which included a lap of The Regent's Park.
"Is Gandalf Corner?" asked one rider. Why yes, yes it was. No Mikey though.
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Agree with him or not (and I confess I don't) he always comports himself in an exemplary manner.
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Perhaps if the police did their jobs, then it wouldn't be left to 'vigilantes.' (I don't really agree with his approach, but then I'm not sure why we should hold drivers to such a low standard, and I didn't realise his father had been killed by a drunk driver.)
For reasons, we drove the merry highways of Surrey and Kent every day over the holidays. Saw no shortage of atrocious driving. In seven days over the Christmas period we saw precisely zero police officers. I think we've given up on road policing beyond the occasional speed camera.
As we know Mikey is not a vigilante, since he doesn't 'take the law into his own hands', and is actually 'supported'/acknowledged by the police. Drivers illegally on phones annoy me intensely, so I say all power to him.
About three years ago we had a car tyre puncture on a midlands dual carriageway at night. The police officer (in BMW) that stopped to help, said he was the only highways patrol car for the county that night - whereas they used to have multiple double teamed vehicles.
Police forces are all over twitter, probably for PR purposes - highlighting the latest unlicenced driver, with positive drug test, no VED, nor valid insurance... Makes one wonder if the detection rate is so low due to staff cuts, that most of it is actually reported on shoshul meeja.
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Mike is a good personal friend. Straying from the standard is the least of my worries.
Please give him my best wishes. J
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Perhaps if the police did their jobs, then it wouldn't be left to 'vigilantes.' (I don't really agree with his approach, but then I'm not sure why we should hold drivers to such a low standard, and I didn't realise his father had been killed by a drunk driver.)
For reasons, we drove the merry highways of Surrey and Kent every day over the holidays. Saw no shortage of atrocious driving. In seven days over the Christmas period we saw precisely zero police officers. I think we've given up on road policing beyond the occasional speed camera.
Atrocious driving is the norm.
Police now, apparently, can't do grim drivers because they have to unglue people from roads*.
* before anyone gets excited:
1) glueing yourself to a road is perfectly acceptable, in my view
2) should be more police**
** No, they shouldn't be private forces
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[…] Makes one wonder if the detection rate is so low due to staff cuts, that most of it is actually reported on shoshul meeja.
Can't be anything to do with axing the actual number of actual coppers actually able to do actual policing, because when the Police Federation raised this very point with the-then The Home Secretary* they were told that they were scaremongering and shit. And surely an experienced and well-respected** The Home Secretary would not use policy-based evidence-making?
* Tess of the d'Underheads
** LOLZ0RZ
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Perhaps if the police did their jobs, then it wouldn't be left to 'vigilantes.' (I don't really agree with his approach, but then I'm not sure why we should hold drivers to such a low standard, and I didn't realise his father had been killed by a drunk driver.)
For reasons, we drove the merry highways of Surrey and Kent every day over the holidays. Saw no shortage of atrocious driving. In seven days over the Christmas period we saw precisely zero police officers. I think we've given up on road policing beyond the occasional speed camera.
As we know Mikey is not a vigilante, since he doesn't 'take the law into his own hands', and is actually 'supported'/acknowledged by the police. Drivers illegally on phones annoy me intensely, so I say all power to him.
About three years ago we had a car tyre puncture on a midlands dual carriageway at night. The police officer (in BMW) that stopped to help, said he was the only highways patrol car for the county that night - whereas they used to have multiple double teamed vehicles.
Police forces are all over twitter, probably for PR purposes - highlighting the latest unlicenced driver, with positive drug test, no VED, nor valid insurance... Makes one wonder if the detection rate is so low due to staff cuts, that most of it is actually reported on shoshul meeja.
That's why I put vigilante in quotes, that's from the article. My roundabout point was that he shouldn't have to be doing this, when I used to cycle regularly, I don't think there was any commute when I couldn't have pulled over a half-dozen drivers. It's that bad in south London. I imagine everywhere else.
Surrey do much the same on social media – and I imagine for the same reasons – but that's the only place I saw them over Christmas was Twitter. Not a jab at individual officers, but our resourcing and priorities, particularly as the news over the holiday was full of terrible stories of road deaths and significant accidents, and drink/drug driving is now largely unpunished (what happened to those Christmas drink driving campaigns?).
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I gave Mikey a wooden Brio-compatible train set, which was surplus to requirements, about 10 years ago...
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Hopefully with the forthcoming & overdue law update (Barreto loophole closure), there'll be more efficient reporting / higher levels of successful enforcement. Perhaps increasing to a minimum £400 with unlimited 'ability to pay' fine structure may help...
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The sadness is, the technology and the funding (as it makes money) exists now to enforce traffic laws through video cameras, councils do this extensively, but somehow "War on the poor motorist" is confused and conflated with "War against motorists who break laws". Probably because such a large proportion of the public break laws and see nothing wrong with so doing. They are entitled to drive fast, they are entitled to park where they want, etc etc etc
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https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-13-january-2022-289479
Cycling Mikey claims he was assaulted by texting motorist
Mike van Erp, better known by his online alter ego Cycling Mikey, has established himself over the past few years as the king of London’s helmet camera users.
Motivated by his experience as a teenager when his father was killed by a drunk driver, he has reported close to 1,000 law-breaking motorists to the police since 2006 and has proven a particular thorn in the side of those intent on using their phone while driving.
Mikey’s camera has even picked up a few famous scalps along the way, including ex-boxer Chris Eubank, film maker Guy Ritchie and footballer Frank Lampard (coming to a court near you soon).
However, last night it seems one driver – filmed while sending a WhatsApp behind the wheel – took exception to the two-wheeled videographer’s methods:
CyclingMikey tired of road crime. 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇿🇼
@MikeyCycling
Wow just had a phone driver assault me. I’m fine, broken bits on the Brompton and cuts and scrapes on my legs that I’ve noticed so far. Tried to steal the camera. Called 999 and made a report. He was a huge bloke.
5:17 PM · Jan 12, 2022
Read the full conversation on Twitter
Luckily no damage was done to Mike’s camera, so hopefully the enraged driver will have his day in court.
GOT THE FOOTAGE!!!!
CyclingMikey tired of road crime. 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇿🇼
@MikeyCycling
And one of my very smart friends has found out who he is already. I'm not going to contact him, and I'm not going to share details. Sorry. I'd much rather the justice system dealt with him and he didn't get off anything because of such contact.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-south-yorkshire-59987284?fbclid=IwAR189vApgIkBx66XkJJOioNmsOOwynSnlh2V_nZbr627skLCHOm6n6_Yd8A
A nurse in Sheffield on the close passes she has to suffer.
That first one, where the lorry comes ridiculously close, is encouraged by the road layout: the "optional" (ie broken lines) cycle lane encourages the cyclist to ride in the gutter and leave the space for the lorry driver to do what he did. Had she ignored that cycle lane, and taken primary, then my guess is that that would have discouraged that sort of potentially lethal pass. But then she would have been subject to verbal abuse for "not getting in the fucking cycle lane".
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-south-yorkshire-59987284?fbclid=IwAR189vApgIkBx66XkJJOioNmsOOwynSnlh2V_nZbr627skLCHOm6n6_Yd8A
A nurse in Sheffield on the close passes she has to suffer.
That first one, where the lorry comes ridiculously close, is encouraged by the road layout: the "optional" (ie broken lines) cycle lane encourages the cyclist to ride in the gutter and leave the space for the lorry driver to do what he did. Had she ignored that cycle lane, and taken primary, then my guess is that that would have discouraged that sort of potentially lethal pass. But then she would have been subject to verbal abuse for "not getting in the fucking cycle lane".
I know that road, there's a reason I don't use it.
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Sheffield is not flat and maintaining primary when grinding up a hill isn't really possible.
That road doesn't look too steep but would still make safe, assertive cycling almost impossible.
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The only thing worse than maintaining primary through a pinch point while moving slowly uphill is maintaining primary through a pinch point while moving slowly up hill when some pillock has painted a cycle lane on it. :hand:
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Sheffield is not flat and maintaining primary when grinding up a hill isn't really possible.
That road doesn't look too steep but would still make safe, assertive cycling almost impossible.
The road with the close pass on is Carlisle St, along the Don Valley, the flat bit of Sheffield.
Brightside Lane, which runs parallel is my preferred choice for heading in that direction.
edit: https://goo.gl/maps/59MgMntvJQCunLRc6
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-south-yorkshire-59987284?fbclid=IwAR189vApgIkBx66XkJJOioNmsOOwynSnlh2V_nZbr627skLCHOm6n6_Yd8A
A nurse in Sheffield on the close passes she has to suffer.
That first one, where the lorry comes ridiculously close, is encouraged by the road layout: the "optional" (ie broken lines) cycle lane encourages the cyclist to ride in the gutter and leave the space for the lorry driver to do what he did. Had she ignored that cycle lane, and taken primary, then my guess is that that would have discouraged that sort of potentially lethal pass. But then she would have been subject to verbal abuse for "not getting in the fucking cycle lane".
The lorry is driving in the cycle lane at the island. I don't know how the traffic planners get away with painting lanes for motor vehicles that are less than the width of a lorry, but similar examples are all over the place.
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Questioning a road plaaner about a proposed cycle lane (across the face of a 'T' junction with a dashed give way line at the end suggesting cycles should give way to passing traffic before a pinch point >:( ), he came up with the line "Not all cycle lanes are intended to be used, but are there to raise the awareness of drivers." :o :o :facepalm: >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
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That's astonishing. Maybe they could distinguish between them with a sign saying "This cycle lane is for decorative purposes only."
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Questioning a road plaaner about a proposed cycle lane (across the face of a 'T' junction with a dashed give way line at the end suggesting cycles should give way to passing traffic before a pinch point >:( ), he came up with the line "Not all cycle lanes are intended to be used, but are there to raise the awareness of drivers." :o :o :facepalm: >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Yes, I once had a conversation with the council planning dept about a stretch of road with crap cycle lanes on. The response was "The purpose of the cycle lanes there is to put the motor vehicles closer to the centre of the road, which encourages them to slow down past the school". So again, not for the actual use of cyclists.
They pointed out that there was an actual shared-use cycle path nearby, off road, but that was basically unusable for other reasons (which they didn't have the funds to remedy).
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Looks like FL has 'loopholed' Mikey's video footage...
https://road.cc/content/news/frank-lampard-mobile-phone-charge-reportedly-dropped-289521
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Questioning a road plaaner about a proposed cycle lane (across the face of a 'T' junction with a dashed give way line at the end suggesting cycles should give way to passing traffic before a pinch point >:( ), he came up with the line "Not all cycle lanes are intended to be used, but are there to raise the awareness of drivers." :o :o :facepalm: >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Yes, I once had a conversation with the council planning dept about a stretch of road with crap cycle lanes on. The response was "The purpose of the cycle lanes there is to put the motor vehicles closer to the centre of the road, which encourages them to slow down past the school". So again, not for the actual use of cyclists.
I'm suspicious that that's also the reasoning for this one (https://goo.gl/maps/hJ6wNttezzFPCik1A), which is useless for cycling on account of serving as a car park for dog-emptiers, ending abruptly just before the top of the hill, and in autumn contains more slime than Ghostbusters 2. Naturally you get bullied for cycling outside the chutney zone in a way that never used to happen before the lane was painted.
The traffic lights at the junction are also interesting, being a relatively recent addition. The junction operated fine without signals for decades with all the traffic from the late lamented car factory. I'm convinced that their primary function is to hold a queueue of cars with their interminably long red period, in order to discourage speeding on the dual cabbageway.
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Mike talking to Jeremy Vine...
https://twitter.com/JeremyVineOn5/status/1483393835011088387?s=20
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-south-yorkshire-59987284?fbclid=IwAR189vApgIkBx66XkJJOioNmsOOwynSnlh2V_nZbr627skLCHOm6n6_Yd8A
A nurse in Sheffield on the close passes she has to suffer.
That first one, where the lorry comes ridiculously close, is encouraged by the road layout: the "optional" (ie broken lines) cycle lane encourages the cyclist to ride in the gutter and leave the space for the lorry driver to do what he did. Had she ignored that cycle lane, and taken primary, then my guess is that that would have discouraged that sort of potentially lethal pass. But then she would have been subject to verbal abuse for "not getting in the fucking cycle lane".
The lorry is driving in the cycle lane at the island. I don't know how the traffic planners get away with painting lanes for motor vehicles that are less than the width of a lorry, but similar examples are all over the place.
Lanes for motor vehicles which are less than the width of a lorry are numerous, but not as common as lanes for cycles which are less than the width of bike's handlebars.
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I was intrigued by the rear facing GoPro mount apparently on the rear axle. Then I saw the first generation Burley trailer hitch on the other side and thought, this person knows their trailer hitches. I think that makes me a trailer geek, but I'm okay with that.
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The f-ing telegraph had an article on t'web with the loop hole shit basically admiting lampard had his phone in his hand but can't prove he was using it but still it's a war on motorists with mikey being described as a vigilante
(Edited as put the wrong ex Chelsea player)
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Lanes for motor vehicles which are less than the width of a lorry are numerous, but not as common as lanes for cycles which are less than the width of bike's handlebars.
That's ok. As every driver knows, a bike is only as wide as its tyres.