The War on Britain's Roads

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Ayesha
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Ayesha »

In a search for material to throw at the doom merchants, I stumbled on a YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb_0YSc4cO4

A magnificent piece of ‘selective editing’. Straight from the top drawer of ‘sensationalists’ filing cabinet. Filled with clips from ‘disaster movie’ motion pictures.

Admittedly, this video is probably not by half as scary as the upcoming ‘selective edited’ TV docu’ about cyclists and motorists arguing, and that won’t have clips from any disaster movies.

A cyclist and a Range Rover had a Near miss on a London junction. Can things get any worse?
Geriatrix
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Geriatrix »

kwackers wrote:
Geriatrix wrote:Motorists however play just as hard and fast with the rules but with the difference that their lawbreaking is less visible,

Actually that's were you're wrong, they're just as visible.

Yes I know, but visibility is both a physical and a mental thing. If as a motorist you don't perceive you own law-breaking as anti-social, your actions are invisible to you (and anyone else indulges in the same behaviour). It's the anatomy of bias.
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled - Richard Feynman
sore thumb
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by sore thumb »

We will be able to judge the effect of the program. We might see an increase in aggressive/road rage incidents against cyclists.

I will monitor my you tube channel to see if I get an increased hit rate and an increase in nasty comments.
TwoWheelsGood
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by TwoWheelsGood »

Here's an update:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/b ... onsible-mp

I'd argue everyone at Leopard Films and the BBC connected to this film should have a good think about what they've done. For a start, they've made an unbalanced and hysterical documentary.

But more than that, anyone who actively contributes to a mood of division, mistrust and hostility on the roads is being pretty irresponsible. Let's just hope that none of the several million people who watch it on Wednesday evening drive to work the next day thinking, even unconsciously, "Cyclists are a pretty reckless, aggressive bunch. Why should I watch out for them?"

It certainly appears to be the case that Leopard Films were trying to make something more 'exciting' than real life in order to entertain viewers, but have gone too far in doing so as a consequence.
snibgo
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by snibgo »

Of course motorists break the official rules, but more rarely do they break the unnofficial rules of motoring.

Speeding, for example, doesn't hold up motorists so it's not a problem -- to motorists.

Pavement parking doesn't hold up motorists so it's not a problem -- to motorists.

That's the real problem some motorists have with cyclists: they flagrantly break all the unnofficial rules of motoring. And some cyclists have the temerity to suggest that motoring should be even more difficult than it already is.
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Simon L6
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Simon L6 »

well, as I asked earlier...'who is Peter Walker?'

To be honest, to suggest that this is top of the new DG's in tray is a tad fanciful. As in completely barking. I read this guff and think....'go on, keep the Lucas Brunelle footage, just to give people like Mr. Walker the adrenaline rush he craves so badly'.
Ayesha
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Ayesha »

snibgo wrote:Of course motorists break the official rules, but more rarely do they break the unnofficial rules of motoring.

Speeding, for example, doesn't hold up motorists so it's not a problem -- to motorists.

Pavement parking doesn't hold up motorists so it's not a problem -- to motorists.

That's the real problem some motorists have with cyclists: they flagrantly break all the unnofficial rules of motoring. And some cyclists have the temerity to suggest that motoring should be even more difficult than it already is.


And some cyclists don't even read the official rules of cycling. Let's face it, they don't have to, and nothing is forcing them to.

Take Highway Code rule 73 for example. The cyclists who didn't read and understand this are now ex-cyclists.
Zigster
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Zigster »

snibgo wrote:Speeding, for example, doesn't hold up motorists so it's not a problem -- to motorists.


There were a lot of people on the M1 yesterday who might disagree with that! The M1 was closed for hours as those 140mph prats were scraped off the tarmac. I wonder if the War on Britain's Road's producers will have time and inclination to include something on that accident and its causes.
Vorpal
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Vorpal »

Zigster wrote:
snibgo wrote:Speeding, for example, doesn't hold up motorists so it's not a problem -- to motorists.


There were a lot of people on the M1 yesterday who might disagree with that! The M1 was closed for hours as those 140mph prats were scraped off the tarmac. I wonder if the War on Britain's Road's producers will have time and inclination to include something on that accident and its causes.


I think that if you ask most motorists, they will agree that speeding is a problem. Especially silly speeds (over 100 mph?).

Even most of the people sitting on a closed motorway don't consider speeding a problem when it is less than 10 mph over the speed limit. Most people don't even consider it speeding. The lower the probability of being caught and prosecuted for it, the higher likelihood that it is not 'speeding' in the minds of most motorists.

There is a cultural attitude in a number of countries that speed limits are not *limits*. They are guidelines which cannot be exceeded by more than a socially accepted amount.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
thirdcrank
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by thirdcrank »

Simon L6 wrote:well, as I asked earlier...'who is Peter Walker?' ...


I was going to ask if I might phone a friend but then I decided to use some of the detective skills for which I was never famous. I see he's a hack and not just any hack: he's the hack who has written the stuff in The Guardian. Vital to a vibrant democracy and all that.

This is an example of what's bemusing me. I can't see where you did ask earlier. Was it somewhere else where feelings have been running a lot higher? As for this thread, without some serious effort on the tiller it's heading for a discussion of safe speed on motorways. I hope nobody has any headcam footage to contribute to that debate. :lol:
chazza
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by chazza »

Simon L6 wrote:To be honest, to suggest that this is top of the new DG's in tray is a tad fanciful. As in completely barking. I read this guff and think....'go on, keep the Lucas Brunelle footage, just to give people like Mr. Walker the adrenaline rush he craves so badly'.
In the current climate I think the honesty and ethical values of outsourced tv programmes will be right at the top of the DG's tray. One of my colleagues used to be a film editor, he feels sorry for the Leopard team who are probably working all night to cut out the trash seen in the preview and trailers and build an honest, engaging programme.
thirdcrank
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by thirdcrank »

If the media are to believed, the last chap had to go because something didn't make it to his in tray, or at least, not to the top. I'd be feeling sorry for him if the the blow hadn't been softened by a payout in the order of £10K for every day in office. (Not necessarily in the office.)

If my experience of the workings of big public organisations is typical, the new chap will need an in tray the size of a large skip: everything will be sent to him.
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Simon L6
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Simon L6 »

chazza wrote:
Simon L6 wrote:To be honest, to suggest that this is top of the new DG's in tray is a tad fanciful. As in completely barking. I read this guff and think....'go on, keep the Lucas Brunelle footage, just to give people like Mr. Walker the adrenaline rush he craves so badly'.
In the current climate I think the honesty and ethical values of outsourced tv programmes will be right at the top of the DG's tray. One of my colleagues used to be a film editor, he feels sorry for the Leopard team who are probably working all night to cut out the trash seen in the preview and trailers and build an honest, engaging programme.
I can assure you that the Leopard team are not working all night. As of yesterday afternoon they weren't making changes.
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Simon L6
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by Simon L6 »

thirdcrank wrote:This is an example of what's bemusing me. I can't see where you did ask earlier. Was it somewhere else where feelings have been running a lot higher?
TC......what on earth are you on about?
Last edited by Vorpal on 4 Dec 2012, 3:59pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: fix quotes
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BeeKeeper
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Re: The War on Britain's Roads

Post by BeeKeeper »

I was going to ask who Peter Walker was as well, but then decided there was so much other stuff in this Thread which I don't understand either it probably wouldn't help me much even if I knew.

There seems to a be a discussion going on here between intiates who have insider knoweldge or long memories of events past, which no doubt is completely clear to them, but which to the rest of us is a bit like watching a few aliens having a natter.

I might just watch the programme or perhaps wait until it is discussed on here and then decide if it is worth watching on iPlayer.
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