[Closed] gaz545, shouty man on bike off of that youtube. A little uptight or justified?

I tend to shout at people when I'm riding around town and they do stuff like that to me. I don't often swear quite that much, though.

No idea how many hours riding he did to get those shots though and I've not read the explanation in full but I seem to get somethign like that once or twice a week and I only ride about 4 miles a day.

Looks to me like his blood pressure might benefit from leaving the bike at home.

just watched the first 60seconds (without sound), those incidents would piss me off so worth getting upset IMO

Edit IIRC gaz also does crap cyclists compilations to keep a little balance and he can be quite critical about them.

Edit IIRC gaz also does crap cyclists compilations to keep a little balance and he can be quite critical about them

Yep spotted a few films of him moaning at other cyclists, mostly for going through red lights.

Half the stuff he's shouting about I don't see a problem with. He needs to relax a bit

Is that 'silly cyclists'? That's moronic too. Is he a failed traffic cop?

i reckon the bloke is a knob, going out of his way to film stuff.
and the fool obviously cant ride in a cycle lane.

He needs to lay off the bike for a while.

It's all well and good riding around with his "I'm better than everyone else" attitude and shouting at drivers but in a few of the incidents, he could've avoided the situation and saved himself some aggro.
There's no point in being right but dead.

uphillcursing - Member
Looks to me like his blood pressure might benefit from leaving the bike at home.

+1

I'm liking his horn, it seems very effective. Where do I get one?

Seems like a proper knob - what's his log-in on here?

😆

People uploading their boring little films onto the internets ... what a life full of purpose and meaning they must lead

His blood pressure must be through the roof - needs to chill a bit

It's a tough life when you're a collector of car reg numbers mind

what a life full of purpose and meaning they must lead...
It's a tough life when you're a collector of car reg numbers mind...

Plus there has been some rather good* videos showing pretty awful behaviour by other road users, bexley punch, that guy getting hit then run over last week. Some go viral get seen by Joe public and it highlights this sort of stuff is not acceptable.

*good examples, not good in a nice way.

Laughing out loud every time he repeats a number plate just because they came a little close to him!!
I mean, come on! Yes, some of those incidents were worthy of an f and c, but 95% of them were just 'day to day' traffic, and he wasn't really in danger!
He needs to learn how to ride in traffic too, if that keeps happening to him!

DrP

"FH62 GNU" - sorry, a car parked outside seemed a bit close to my house...

how many people come on here having a good old rant fully expecting nothing to ever happen about it but do so anyway just to get it off their chest?

never did understand ranters

[i]People uploading their boring little films onto the internets ... what a life full of purpose and meaning they must lead[/i]

I don't think anyone posting on this thread, on this forum is really in a position to be critical?

he needs to take the camera off, take a chill pill, ride in cycle lanes and not ride like he's driving a car otherwise he's going to film his own death, heart attack or murder.

Yes there was some shocking driving but as cyclists surely we all should expect drivers expect to see us driving near the kerb and using as little room as possible?

but as cyclists surely we all should expect drivers expect to see us driving near the kerb and using as little room as possible?

edit I am as ever surprised that on a cycling forum so many people don't know about road riding techniques/safety. (not just applicable to roadies, even MTBers occasionally need to ride some blacktop.

some of those cycles lanes were unsafe to ride in and far too narrow - asking to get squashed into the kerb - correct road positioning is to be out from the kerb holding a lane when needed to ensure room on the road.
The IAM advises cyclists to take the primary position IE hold a lane.

You should always be at least 60 cm from the kerb and IMO more like 1- 1.5 m at a minimum

some discussion and quotes here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/aug/01/cyclist-take-the-lane

Edit - this bit is good

"The guidance we give cyclists is to take the space they need.The potential hazard is that drivers behind might not understand what you are doing.

The courteous thing when you are riding in that assertive position is to look behind you and make eye contact. You still get drivers who don't understand, but as more and more people get on their bikes you get more understanding from drivers.

I'm going to get one of those cams, then we'll see some [i]proper[/i] entertainment! 😀

His only problem is that whilst he's very shouty, he don't follow it up when people get out of their cars. If yer gonna rant and rave, be able to back it up or keep schtum, cos you don't know who's gonna get out of a motor.

i reckon the bloke is a knob, going out of his way to film stuff.
and the fool obviously cant ride in a cycle lane.

See, couple of points, Ton:

1; Filming stuff enables others to see what ****s many drivers are, and brings people's attention to the problem of cycling in congested urban areas. And it can be useful in gathering evidence against idiots who shoon't be on the road in the first place.

2; He is under no obligation to ride in the cycle lane, and can ride wherever he feels is safe to do so. Many cycle lanes at the side of roads are littered with drain covers, potholes etc, so sometimes are better avoided. rivers are obliged to give cyclists a wide berth for safety's sake, and there's plenty of incidents in that video where they don't.

You can sit there and scoff at him, but it's people like him trying to do something to make all our journeys safer.

I disagree with several of you, but then, I have loads and loads of experience riding a bike in Central London, whereas it obvious some of youse don't, which basically means you don't know what you're talking about and I do and you ought to be quiet instead of raising yer blood pressure really, don't it? 😉

I disagree with several of you, but then, I have loads and loads of experience disagreeing with everyone, whereas it obvious some of youse don't, which basically means you don't know what you're talking about and I do and you ought to be quiet instead of raising yer blood pressure really, don't it?

FTFY

and the fool obviously cant ride in a cycle lane.

Don't you understand, its his human rights not too innit 🙂

Maybe it's the camera angle, but a lot of those didn't seem all that close to me. There's a few that could've been quite nasty (people turning across him, for instance), but he does seem to be going out of his way to be indignant.

Mind you, I suspect he's had his fair share of close calls riding round London, so I can understand him being a bit miffed.

rivers are obliged to give cyclists a wide berth for safety's sake

I'd have thought it should be the other way round? Or at least they should be advised that bikes aren't great underwater.

He is a bit shouty. I go for opening the back passenger door...

I'd have thought it should be the other way round? Or at least they should be advised that bikes aren't great underwater.

Well the Thames gives me a wide berth. Which is just as well otherwise I'd flipping punch it! 😡

He is a bit shouty. I go for opening the back passenger door...

It's true that he gets himself unnecessarily wound up. Far better to make yer point in a calm and reasonable manner, and let them get all steamed up. I end up laughing at people and mocking them in a cruel and nasty manner for getting all irate.

If you're going to be confrontational, then you've got to be able to back yourself up. Kick someone's car, they're going to be irate. Either make sure they ain't gonna be able to duff you up, or have an escape route ready if you're going to resort to such tactics.

Many cabbies are complete ****s though, it must be said. I once threw my bike through the windscreen of a black taxi, cos it's driver cut me up turning left (hit me front wheel), then got out to remonstrate with me after I'd shouted at him. 😀 Shooduv seen his face; he weren't going to continue that argument.

Road rage is bad. I try my best to avoid situations these days, as it's not good to go round smashing people's cars up and punching people in the face. Satisfying, but can land you in so much trouble. Over a bit of space on the road.

I think the tactic of filming them then putting pressure on the police to act on evidence of bad driving and stuff is more effective. When drivers start to lear that bad driving isn't something they can get away with as much, then maybe they'll learn.

I'd be happy if that cabbie at the end lost his licence. Whatever the cyclist did, assaulting someone is inexcusable.

DrP - Member
DrP

"FH62 GNU" - sorry, a car parked outside seemed a bit close to my house...

I love that... a man so obnoxious that even rivers give him a wide birth 😀

It's knows not to mess with me, TSY...

[img] [/img]

To be honest it just reminds of how crap riding in London is, I used to be a cycle courier and some of the driving I witnessed was shocking. I like what he does, and overtaking really close to a cyclist should be highlighted as dangerous. Yes he's shouty, but some drivers have no idea that what they are doing is dangerous.

[img] [/img]

That bloke who overtakes on a solid double white line, nearly hits that car then gets out and says "You nearly caused an accident" 😯

It shouldn't surprise me. But it does.

I reckon a good 25-30% of those are down to bad road positioning.
A few more are occasions where a little bit of foresight and letting other traffic get on with its business would also have helped. He does seem to have an [i]"I'm going to go as fast as I can all the time regardless"[/i] attitude going on, which is ironic given that's what he finds at fault with some of the drivers.

TBF to the guy, he does say that the majority of "interactions" are OK, this is just a compilation of stuff collected over a long period.

My favourite is the person who holds down the horn because they're being held up getting to the stationary queue of traffic ~ 10 metres in front.

druidh - Member
I reckon a good 25-30% of those are down to bad road positioning.

E.g?

Stop. You're making him famous. He'll be on twitter next

Lifer - Member
>druidh - Member
>I reckon a good 25-30% of those are down to bad road positioning.
E.g?

He's not [i]that[/i] shouty.

Shall I post up some of mine?

I'm amazed that some of you are cyclists. Certainly glad I don't go riding with you. Mutual, I'm sure.

I do like an inventive insult

" hope yer next craps a pineapple"

"thrombus" ( bloody clot)

He's not taking enough space, if he added another 50cm then cars couldn't do half the overtakes.

The knobs pulling out/ turning right in front of him is a different matter, nothing can control that, apart from
riding like people are our to get you and making sure your brakes are primed.

It's a daily occurrence in our fair city, best not let it get to you or you look like a mental riding around shouting.

For thr most part, this guy seems to contribute to his own misadventure. If he learned to give just a little then I'm sure that his journeys would be much less fraught...

...and his videos less interesting. Maybe that's the point?

Wasn't it Einstein that said: [i]"doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is a sign of insanity"[/i]

So easy for some dick in his chair, typing "Ooh why does he shout at a bus just because its a bit close to him?"
"ooh, he should be taking up more space on those roads I've never been on and have no idea of the traffic conditions"
Jeez.

... give just a little then I'm sure that his journeys would be much less fraught...

...and his videos less interesting. Maybe that's the point?

The familiar sound of nail being hit on the head ...

People with headcams do seem to be involved in an unusually high number of 'incidents' 😕

They're obviously providing a very useful public service. In their head.

[i]People with headcams do seem to be involved in an unusually high number of 'incidents[/i]

Maybe because they're the ones your seeing? On the web?

I ride more chilled with the cam on, because I know I can laugh about the incident later.

So you got that wrong eh?

@DezB

I regularly commute in and out of London by bike and rarely have an issue. Granted, bus drivers can be a menace, so you have to be quite assertive with them but they're the exception rather than the rule.

The golden rule of commuting is "Don't be a d**k".

So you got that wrong eh?

This is what I enjoy most about here - "you're opinion is different to mine therefore you're wrong"

😉

Well you are implying that people with headcams go looking for incidents to film.
And that. Is wrong.
not only is it wrong but it's ****ing annoying.

Do I really need to say - it's the incidents that provoke us to install a camera? Do I really need to explain that on a cycling forum?

joao3v16 - Member
People with headcams do seem to be involved in an unusually high number of 'incidents'

Agree - it seems like they're trying to prove that all drivers are bad. This one is especially bad, with his Rain Man style monologue of number plates of poor drivers - what's the point?!?

This guy really needs to chill out, accept that drivers are bad, and accept that they are faster than you in a straight line. No point in hogging the road just to infuriate someone when you can drop into the kerb if safe to let them past.

[i]No point in hogging the road just to infuriate someone when you can drop into the kerb if safe to let them past.[/i]

So you're disagreeing with those who say he's not taking up enough road?

****ing hell this is pointless

Too many idiots from the "I'd rather be right than alive" camp.

But I'm sure posting on Look-at-me-Tube will solve all the issues - it's a well known fact that all motorists spend their evenings painstakingly reviewing cyclist headcam vids & making notes for their own improvement ...

It's called cycling to the conditions. When it's safe for folk to pass, let them. When it isn't, position yourself accordingly.

**** hell this is pointless

That sums up internet forums pretty concisely I think

the thing is, I cycle to work and it's relaxing, I enjoy it, it puts me in a good mood for the day ahead, and chills me out on the way back. Occasionally I'll experience bad driving, and occasionally I'll shout, but this guy really needs to chill out.

what makes me laugh about this video is you think he's going to launch into volley of swearing, but instead it's FY06 3BN. I just imagine pedestrians thinking he's a nutter, shouting random numbers and letters every 20 seconds

warton - Member
what makes me laugh about this video is you think he's going to launch into volley of swearing, but instead it's FY06 3BN. I just imagine pedestrians thinking he's a nutter, shouting random numbers and letters every 20 seconds

I think some of it is justified. I would have got pretty sh**ty at the taxi man who said stick in the taxi lane but I think some occasions you don't know whether he was signalling etc so you have to give the benefit if the doubt to the driver as well. Got shouted at by a cyclist last night who couldn't signal and I nearly knocked him off.

but instead it's FY06 3BN

Some people go plane spotting, this guy is clearly car-spotting.

Every day wen he gets home he'll spend his evening, eating his ready-meal for one, ticking off the numbers he's seen that day in his Big Book of Vehicle Registration Plates.

joao3v16 - Member
> but instead it's FY06 3BN
Some people go plane spotting, this guy is clearly car-spotting.

Every day wen he gets home he'll spend his evening, eating his ready-meal for one, ticking off the numbers he's seen that day in his Big Book of Vehicle Registration Plates.

DezB - Member
No point in hogging the road just to infuriate someone when you can drop into the kerb if safe to let them past.

So you're disagreeing with those who say he's not taking up enough road?

**** hell this is pointless

Why rant then?

you're just being a ____ (fill in blanks as you see fit) 😀

I think quite a lot of the stuff in teh video could have been avioded. He certainly didn't need to get that mad!

I commute in London everyday, and whilst yes probably 20% of my rides i'l shout at somebody if they endanger me, most of the time i'm happy just cycling home/to work.

One thing I have found is that when you bike in London you almost have to pretent you're a car or people will just not see you!

Too many idiots from the "I'd rather be right than alive" camp.

But I'm sure posting on Look-at-me-Tube will solve all the issues - it's a well known fact that all motorists spend their evenings painstakingly reviewing cyclist headcam vids & making notes for their own improvement ...

I'd imagine that posting the evidence of bad driving in urban areas might do a lot more to highlight the issues road users face, than posting silly comments on here.

So, what are YOU doing to highlight issues faced by cyclists then?

Cos all I've seen so far is a load of posturing waffle...

This thread seems to say more about that Lahndan than about cycling.
Thank flook the damned place is 200 miles away from me.

The Sanity Assassin - Member
This thread seems to say more about that Lahndan than about cycling.
Thank flook the damned place is 200 miles away from me.

Well the OP was about cycling in Croydonm, [b]south LAHNDAN[/b] (kind of). Did that escape your notice? 😉

You can expand the discussion by regaling us with tales of commuting in your local urban conurbation.

correction;

posting the evidence of bad driving in urban areas [s]might[/s] will do [s]a lot[/s] no more to highlight the issues road users face, than posting silly comments on here

I can't beleive those that say he's taking up too much room, or should drop into the curb etc are cyclists. You need to be assertive or you just get pushed off the road, the video is obviously a collection of his worst instances. Otherwise it would be a pointless video to post wouldn't it. I've ridden in croydon and all over London, it's a nightmare compared to what I experience in and around Brighton. In the summer you can literally feel the tension on the roads rising and boiling over, it's awful.

Heres one of mine, keep a sharp lookout for the golf, the pickfords lorry, and the vectra driver

Do some you guys actually ride bikes? Presumuably you must do, but at a rough guess not very often on the road. An awful lot of you seem to have zero idea about road positioning. There is so much victim blaming going on it is depressing. I'll let you into a little secret. His camera has a wide angled lens. It makes the miss distance look far less close than it actually is.

As for the comments about 'you should just accept that you are going to get close passes'. These things aren't inevitable. Try cycling in Holland or France. They only happen here because the public think that they are acceptable. People like Gaz are attempting to change things.

No, I don't have a camera myself.

Too many idiots from the "I'd rather be right than alive" camp.

But I'm sure posting on Look-at-me-Tube will solve all the issues - it's a well known fact that all motorists spend their evenings painstakingly reviewing cyclist headcam vids & making notes for their own improvement .

I take it you don't watch TV either

correction;

No, you've just broken it is all.

Listen to imnotverygood, for he/she speaketh sense.

I luv you elf. You give me a warm squiggly feeling inside*

* in a manly sort of way in case my wife is reading this

The reason he chants the reg number is so that its recorded on the camera sd card just incase the camera doesnt catch a picture of the reg number, i do on my vid , it also makes motorists look at you a bit odd, as they wonder who youre talking to.

I think this is a nice balanced piece...

imnotverygood makes alot of sense, we should not just accept near misses. Is this forum being invaded by petrolheads?

tobciocc

Its full of petrolheads

Yay, some [s]people[/s] [b]cyclists[/b] with sense speak at last.

(Not you TJ - tibiocc and imnotverygood) 🙂

It does come across like* he's encouraging the confrontations with his behaviour/positioning/airhorn. Also that he's taking a little too much self satisfied pleasure in being self righteous. That said, some of the driving was terrible. But, I've always driven/rode with the full expectation that ALL other road users are eejits, and I'm only rarely pleasantly surprised. That way I don't get cross about it, and can make allowances when nessessary, blood pressure remaining within norms.

*not saying he is, just that's how it comes across, [i]to me.[/i]

Try cycling in Holland or France....

Most cycle commuters here ride slowly on sit up and beg Btwins without helmets. It isnt seen as a middle class fitness regime, just the easiest way of getting from A to B.

If you displaced Gaz to here, he wouldn't get any less ranty because its still him riding the bike.

Worryingly I find myself agreeing with the Dark Elf Lord on this one.

I do think gaz545 is sometimes a little [i]over-sensitive[/i] (tho [url= http://www.youtube.com/user/magnatom ]magnatom[/url] and [url= http://www.youtube.com/user/cyclingmikey ]cyclingmikey[/url] are probably worse), but he is doing a good job in highlighting the dangers and bad driving that cyclists in cities face.

It got us talking about it - so it is doing some good. And I know that magnatom has been featured on the Scottish News.

I think it's a useful counterpoint to the usual [i]"red-light jumping lycra-lout who doesn't follow the highway code"[/i] nonsense that we constantly get. The only thing that worries me is that it portrays cycling as very dangerous, which puts people off trying it.

As for reading out the numberplates: yeah he does this so he has a note if the camera misses it. The worst offenders get reported to the police, or their boss if the have company livery, others he just posts on YouTube with their number-plate in the title, so the drivers find it if they ever google themselves.

Also I quite enjoy his http://www.sillycyclists.co.uk/ site. So there 😛

v8ninety +1

Theres no better way to use the road.