I thought the Brits were nicer than us

[Kerlenbach]

Maybe I'm wrong.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article3097464.ece

In case you don't want to click though, it's a column from a few days ago advocating stringing piano wire across roads to decapitate cyclists because we're smug and toss litter about. Stepfam, is this what the British think?

[solveg]

He's downplaying this insane article. It's a must-read.

[Tom Bombadil]

I liked this sidepiece on who's still alive and kicking:
http://timesonline.typepad.com/comment/2008/01/ten-people-you.html

[Wino Ryder]

I liked this sidepiece on who's still alive and kicking:
http://timesonline.typepad.com/comment/2008/01/ten-people-you.html



Yeah I thought that was pretty interesting too, because I honestly thought Ernest Borgnine had already died a decade ago. Also, its pretty cool Olivia DeHaviland is still alive. I liked her a lot.

But back to the OP. The brits, for the past 400 years, have always thought themselves to be the most civilized people on earth, and maybe to an extent they are. (the french may disagree, however). But no matter what. There's always a bad element in any society. The 'Times on line' editorial is just the english counterpart to 'Clear Channel', that we all know and love so well. :(

[CrossChain]

Goes to prove that even the effete and snobbish, beneath their bloodless and thin white skin, can be caught trolling. I say. Sounds like Hugh Grant on a bad day. Quite a bit removed from Stapfam.

[stapfam]

Goes to prove that even the effete and snobbish, beneath their bloodless and thin white skin can be caught trolling. I say. Sounds like Hugh Grant on a bad day. Quite a bit removed from Stapfam.

Naw- We are all like that over here. Pig Ignorant journalist's who have the right to say what we like in a publication that we work for. This bloke obviously has a problem- Probably caused by a cyclist throwing his bike under the wheels of his Chelsea Tractor- (BIG 4x4) and him having to out on a big insurance claim. Attitudes like this occur all over- like the gun toting yobs in 4x4's that plague parts of the States. Luckily- the CTC (The cycling body of the UK) will be putting him to task for his statement and legal Proceedings will be taken.



P.S.
Have just written to the customer service of this rag to voice my views on advocating the murder of Cyclists.

[BSLeVan]

P.S.
Have just written to the customer service of this rag to voice my views on advocating the murder of Cyclists.

Way to go Stapfam! :beer:

[Juha]

If you read the next article by the same author, at the very end you'll find an "apology to the cyling community" (sic). Sort of.

--J

[BluesDawg]

Too bad he chose to go so over the top to make his point. While calling for the murder of cyclists, even in jest, is inexcusable, he does make a few valid observations about the silliness of some "serious cyclists".

[Rick@OCRR]

In my experience, while in the U.K. (at least once a year for the last ten years), the average Brit does seem more friendly to a stranger (that would be me) than the average U.S. citizen. When asking directions, however, British women seem to be much more helpful than British men. Maybe just a coincidence.

And none of the Brits have seemed to be offended by my American accent. Nor have any (that I've met) had anything bad to say about cyclists. Perhaps I've just been fortunate. I'll be back in the U.K. later this month (Jan. 18 - 23), so I'll check this time . . . but I don't expect much change.

Flying into London Heathrow, Express to Paddington, Tube to St.Pancras, then National Rail to Birmingham for a cycle show (work) for four days. Should be fun!

Rick / OCRR

[Monoborracho]

Luckily- the CTC (The cycling body of the UK) will be putting him to task for his statement and legal Proceedings will be taken.



P.S.
Have just written to the customer service of this rag to voice my views on advocating the murder of Cyclists.

Good ! After 9-11 plus the Tube bombings the guy should be indicted for advocating terrorism, along with his editor (who approved) and his publisher (who printed).

Similar incident actually happened in Lubbock, TX.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=266332&highlight=lubbock

The suspect was indicted for two counts of aggravated assault.

[Big Paulie]

I liked this sidepiece on who's still alive and kicking:
http://timesonline.typepad.com/comment/2008/01/ten-people-you.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheeta

Cheeta is STILL ALIVE!!!!!!!!! :):):)

[hairytoes]

His dumb article has earned him complaints to the police for 'inciting violence', and over 200 complaints to the Press Complaints Commission.

[solveg]

What was really disturbing were the comments people made. I didn't realize people were so irritated with cyclists.

[Big Paulie]

Over the past weekend, I was riding behind a group of road cyclist made up of what appeared to be retirees. There were 7 or 8 of them, men and women, all gray haired. We were all on a road with a wide bike lane, plus AT LEAST 30 feet of ashphalt to the right of the bike lane. Gobs of room to ride safely.

The group was riding 2 and 3 abreast, and edging leftward out of the bike lane and into the lane of traffic, chatting away like they were the only people in the world.

Occasionally a car would honk -- not in a particularly aggressive manner -- and they would get visably agitated...thinking they were "put-upon cyclists harrassed by evil automobile drivers."

It was so bad, I almost started a thread about it in A&S, but let it go.

My experience is that, percentage-wise, cyclists are significantly less courteous than drivers. Is it any wonder cyclists are thought of in negative terms?

Obviously, this article is out of line by the measure of any publication...but it's easy to understand why there isn't more outrage towards it by the general public.

[maddmaxx]

Purples and Greens.

[CrossChain]

I agree, Paulie, that some cyclists are discourteous jerks. But sometimes what seems obnoxious may only be assertive behavior for good reason. There are times where, with no shoulder, I'll swing out onto the road to make sure I'm seen, and then move back over as the approaching car (a) moves to go around me safely, (b) slows to acknowledge I'm there, or (c) gives no indication he's seen me and I'd better dive for the shoulder. Also, just staying out in a traffic lane at a stoplight, then pulling out slower than a car while clipping in and accelerating across the intersection seems to aggravate drivers.

In some cases, irritation simply stems from different points of view.

I'll omit stories of thrown garbage, getting egged, idiots who rush in front to make their right turn, the fool who looked at me last year and then pulled out of his driveway causing me to put the bike down in some roadside gravel, and then just blithely drove away. We all can relate those. This car vs. bike may be a Hatfield and McCoy thing.

[Big Paulie]

CC is right about assertive behavior being misconstrued by motorists...but on the same ride last weekend I also saw so much "cyclist junk" along the road (it's a heavily used cycling area) I would have stopped to pick it up if it hadn't been so late in the afternoon.

For me, the bottom line is that because cars are infintily more ubiquitous, and because they have the power to kill, cyclists have to assume the bulk of the responsibilty for making ourselves respected.

[maddmaxx]

I would be willing to bet that there are as many jerks in any one segment of society as in any other.


If I were being charitable, I would quote the corollary of that. "the other segments of society will have as many jerks as the one in question."

[CrossChain]

I would be willing to bet that there are as many jerks in any one segment of society as in any other.
If I were being charitable, I would quote the corollary of that. "the other segments of society will have as many jerks as the one in question."


Of course, BF50Plus is exempt?

[zonatandem]

If it wasn't for the Brits we'd all be speaking Dutch or French!
There's bad apples all over the world.
Have heard it on radio to 'hit those bicyclists!' And yes, been hit hard 3 times, so far, by car/truck.
Got 6 more hits to go and then my 9 lives are up!
Pedal on into 2008!

[maddmaxx]

"unfortunately," he says introspectively, "any of I/we/us can be a jerk at a moments notice given some slight provication". :p

[Cholmeleian]

You must realise that Matthew Parris has an advanced sense of humour (and is a famously gay ex-MP). The guy appears on TV game shows for Goodness sake. Do you Yanks have no concept of irony (answer = No!).

I can't imagine a more mild mannered gentleman than Matthew. He even keeps Llyamas at his home...

When a Brit says someone should be "strung up", they mean mildy chastised.

When a Brit says something is "not bad", they mean very good.

Get with it.....

[CrossChain]

[QUOTE=Cholmeleian;5916391]You must realise that Matthew Parris has an advanced sense of humour (and is a famously gay ex-MP). The guy appears on TV game shows for Goodness sake. Do you Yanks have no concept of irony (answer = No!). QUOTE]

Ahh, so he's really just a sort of professional "twit" and therefore not to be forgiven so much as disregarded. When one's humor and sense of irony becomes so advanced as to be removed from reality, a sort of hot house flower, then one sniffishly becomes irrelevent to the rest of us.

His "humor" reminds more of snippy adolescent with a thesaurus than a sharp and observant commentator.

[stapfam]

You must realise that Matthew Parris has an advanced sense of humour (and is a famously gay ex-MP). The guy appears on TV game shows for Goodness sake. Do you Yanks have no concept of irony (answer = No!).

I can't imagine a more mild mannered gentleman than Matthew. He even keeps Llyamas at his home...

When a Brit says someone should be "strung up", they mean mildy chastised.

When a Brit says something is "not bad", they mean very good.

Get with it.....

No we don't. Anyone that chooses to make a statement like this deserves everything that is going to be thrown at him. I don't care if he said it jokingly- If he makes a statement like this- Some of our society will take him up on his suggestion. Just watch out in the next few days for a cyclist running into piano wire or fishing line strung across a path.

The mere fact that he is an "EX" MP and Gay to boot does not give him an excuse for the possible death or severe injury that a cyclist could incur by him being a complete idiot. May I make the suggestion that he gets on a bike and rides down a specially prepared path and run into the death trap that cyclist have prepared for him.

I have enough problems with idiots causing me problems when I am out cycling- without someone with a following of imbesciles suggesting that they try to kill me.

If any of you do feel strong enough to voice an opinion- The link below is to the press complaints commision in the UK.

http://www.pcc.org.uk/complaints/form.html

[Big Paulie]

You must realise that Matthew Parris has an advanced sense of humour (and is a famously gay ex-MP). The guy appears on TV game shows for Goodness sake.

I guess suggesting that people go out and kill gays would then be a funny joke which sophisticated people (ie. Brits) would get, and thus be acceptable?

[stapfam]

Since Matthew Parris is gay, I guess suggesting that people go out and kill gays would then be a funny joke that sophisticated people would get, and thus be acceptable?

That is no longer acceptable in the UK as Gays have rights.

[BSLeVan]

Stapfam: I must say I share your outrage. I went back and read the entire thing again. Mr. Parris commits many errors in his "logic" one would hope not to be present in a valid argument. First, he attacks an entire group of people, clumping them all together as a single thing. Second, he attributes a legitimate concern (littering) to this same group without any credible data to support his assertion. Next, he introduces the slippery slope argument error by suggesting that the behavior of cyclists is the cause of even greater problems such as "... poisoning entire provinces of China." The errors continue through the rest of his writing. It's clear to me that this article is very dangerous, just because by his attempt to be funny or perhaps entertaining, he panders to the worst part of being human. I'm a bit surprised it was published and think the "Times ONLINE" should be taken to task too.

[BluesDawg]

The guy may (or may not) be a talented and funny writer, but he stepped over a line by suggesting, even in jest, that people should severely hurt or kill someone for annoying him.

Don Imus made a stupid joke last year and was vilified by many and fired by his radio station and TV station. He carelessly insulted and disrespected innocent people. He didn't suggest anyone be hurt. He lost his job. He is back on the air now (to my delight), but he paid a price for his mistake as he should have.
What this guy did is much worse imho. If he is really as talented and funny as is suggested, I am sure he will find a new employer, but he should be fired by this one. If some numbskull actually takes him up on his suggestion and huts a cyclist, then there should be a more severe price to pay.

[Juha]

You must realise that Matthew Parris has an advanced sense of humour (and is a famously gay ex-MP). The guy appears on TV game shows for Goodness sake. Do you Yanks have no concept of irony (answer = No!).

I can't imagine a more mild mannered gentleman than Matthew. He even keeps Llyamas at his home...

When a Brit says someone should be "strung up", they mean mildy chastised.

When a Brit says something is "not bad", they mean very good.

Get with it.....OK, I'll bite. No Yank here, but a mild mannered gentleman. Suppose that in the spirit of advocating advanced sense of humor I send an open letter to Times Online. In that letter I note that all their columnists (not naming anyone) are raging lunatics, citing parts of their columns for proof, and urge readers to repeatedly hit said columnists with blunt instruments until they're all dead.

I doubt the rag would publish any of it. If the letter was good enough, they might publish a comment stating how they do not tolerate their staff being threatened in any way, emphasizing the importance of freedom of press and expression etc. And I would fully expect to receive a visit from my local police department.

I'm not looking for revenge for his unfortunate piece of writing. His apology and any action the PCC may take is quite sufficient. But you seem to be suggesting even that's too much to ask? Because he's gay with an advanced sense of humor? :rolleyes:

--J

[gear]

I seem to recall Dennis Leary (an American) doing some "jokes" on Leno about running over cyclists, they went over pretty well with Jay.

I immediately wondered if the "jokes" would be as accepted if they were about running over comedians.