The Thunderer declares war on cyclists?

[Fab Foodie]

It doesn't surprise me....
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2022/jan/31/the-times-editorial-cycling-licences

 

[matticus]

It doesn't surprise me....
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2022/jan/31/the-times-editorial-cycling-licences

2012 must be a long time ago for staff at The Times:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...ked-off-bike-by-driver-speaks-out-zs90569tfsg

(Bowers is still paralysed in a care home, as far as I can tell.)

 

[icowden]

Good article except for the logic:-

Of course, it wasn’t phrased so directly, but if you argue for such measures, that is in effect what you want. Any of those regulatory handcuffs being applied to bikes, let alone all three, would be so unwieldy, so counter-productive, so utterly, utterly pointless that pretty much no country or territory has ever attempted it, and the few that did generally gave up quite quickly.

I mean which is it? No country gas ever attempted it, or some countries have but gave up quickly?
(Spoiler - it's the latter).

I'll give the next paragraph the benefit of the doubt, assuming that he was looking for a country that has required a license, badge and insurance on bicycles. Still - poor writing though. Can they not afford sub-editors any more?

 

[matticus]

Still - poor writing though. Can they not afford sub-editors any more?

I suppose that's quite important. Compared to a paralysed cyclist. Good spot.

 

[icowden]

I suppose that's quite important. Compared to a paralysed cyclist. Good spot.

Well obviously not - but it does make what could have been a great article into only a good one. You lose confidence in the expertise and knowledge of the writer as they cannot properly frame an argument. If that is the case, maybe their research is also flawed? Maybe the whole article is just trying to get one over on the Times. Maybe the Times article makes better arguments and has better evidence to make their case?

If there is an error, it is that I meant to reply to @Fab Foodie - the link with Mary Bowers was not the crux of my reply

 

[Ian H]

Murdoch is after Rothermere's customers.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Murdoch is after Rothermere's customers.

They're taking part in the Great British Bike Off!

 

[PaulB]

The Daily Heil is MUCH worse than this. Their anti-cyclist main story has something like 9 thousand respondents nearly all purple with indignation at the rights we cyclists have stripped from the car-drivers and a lot of them vaguely threatening reprisals. It's bloody scary knowing we have to share the roads with such people when that kind of mentality is cranked up.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Seems like the DM's attitude is that

HOW DARE A MERE CYCLIST CAUSE A CAR DRIVER TO SLOW DOWN

base don the KNOWN FACT that cyclist is a lower class of person due to the FACT that they are poorer as proved by the fact that they are riding a cheaper machine
and - yes - I know about the thing about bike and the car they are on

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

The Daily Heil is MUCH worse than this. Their anti-cyclist main story has something like 9 thousand respondents nearly all purple with indignation at the rights we cyclists have stripped from the car-drivers and a lot of them vaguely threatening reprisals. It's bloody scary knowing we have to share the roads with such people when that kind of mentality is cranked up.

Yeah they spend every day of last week to talk about the new law and how unfair it is to car drivers how we evil cyclist are blocking their roads.. Meanwhile if they paided attention next time to go and visit hookers in Amsterdam they would see it works just fine if the infrastructure is up to it.. There are no more traffic jams in the Netherlands than there are in the uk.

 

[Ian H]

Seems like the DM's attitude is that

HOW DARE A MERE CYCLIST CAUSE A CAR DRIVER TO SLOW DOWN

base don the KNOWN FACT that cyclist is a lower class of person due to the FACT that they are poorer as proved by the fact that they are riding a cheaper machine
and - yes - I know about the thing about bike and the car they are on

Perhaps it's that they're less likely to be Daily Heil readers (I have no evidence for this view, but it stand to reason, dunnit).

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Perhaps it's that they're less likely to be Daily Heil readers (I have no evidence for this view, but it stand to reason, dunnit).

Seems likely

has anyone seem any actual research/survey that maps 'people who cycle' to the news source they use??

might be interesting

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

Seems likely

has anyone seem any actual research/survey that maps 'people who cycle' to the news source they use??

might be interesting

Yeah but considering how the daily fail is looked upon in the cycle world, or in city's where they reported let's say badly about a certain football disaster, it's also questionable you get the actual results of you do such a research like that. In other words i don't believer everyone will say it honestly when asked.

 

[albion]

https://road.cc/content/news/spectator-writers-column-about-cyclists-draws-criticism-299763?amp

Ignorance and a cheap meal ticket methinks. The most sad thing is that people usually choose the pavement inorder to stay alive.

 

[Beebo]

Pedestrians have their safe space.
Cars have their safe space.
Cyclist seem to be punished for daring to go on either.
Children and elderly often cycle on pavements, why can’t everyone just get on?