Rubbish article in the Indy

[MJ Ray]

"Dave Larrington" <[email protected]>
> http://motoring.independent.co.uk/comment/article1362350.ece
> Usual nonse from an FLJS too lazy to do any research. Probably not worth
> the dignity of a reply; it might make him think people /care/ about what he
> writes ;-)

Proabably not, but I did anyway:

Sean O'Grady disputes that cycling is safe and quick, but doesn't give
any figures, which should make any reader suspicious. There are no
figures because the figures clearly refute the argument: there were
2,895 cyclist casualties in 2005, but 14,779 car casualties (London Road
Safety Unit 12 month summary, published May 2006); and the average
journey time over 4 miles in central London is 22 minutes for a bicycle,
but 40 minutes for a car (TfL Street Management Speed Facts). Cycling
is both safe and quick - and with London finally getting long-needed
road improvements, it is getting safer and quicker.

The author also seems to suggest that all cyclists are uninsured and
should be banned from the roads for paying no vehicle tax. Many cyclists
are covered by their home insurance or specialist providers, and would
the Independent give space to a campaign to ban low-emission cars from
the roads because they also pay zero vehicle tax now?

This type of research-free ranting should have no place in good
newspapers.

--
MJR/slef

 

[Phil Cook]

David Martin wrote:

>
>elyob wrote:
>> "Alistair Gunn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > elyob twisted the electrons to say:
>> >> "No bike can beat a car, even in heavy traffic."
>> >
>> > <grins> Hell, I've beaten a bus across York (Badger Hill to Parliament
>> > Street) whilst on a Pashley Mailstar!
>>
>> I've beaten the bus from Heathrow to Kingston ..
>
>So? How about a real challenge. I used to beat the bus into Kingston
>irrespective of what I was carrying on the bike. ;-)
>
>Hampton Court to Kingston would be more of a challenge.

I always beat a friend who took the tube from Waterloo to East
Finchley, even at 10.30 at night.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

 

[Tony W]

"MJ Ray" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Sean O'Grady disputes that cycling is safe and quick, but doesn't give
> any figures, which should make any reader suspicious. There are no
> figures because the figures clearly refute the argument: there were
> 2,895 cyclist casualties in 2005, but 14,779 car casualties (London Road
> Safety Unit 12 month summary, published May 2006); and the average
> journey time over 4 miles in central London is 22 minutes for a bicycle,
> but 40 minutes for a car (TfL Street Management Speed Facts). Cycling
> is both safe and quick - and with London finally getting long-needed
> road improvements, it is getting safer and quicker.
>
> The author also seems to suggest that all cyclists are uninsured and
> should be banned from the roads for paying no vehicle tax. Many cyclists
> are covered by their home insurance or specialist providers, and would
> the Independent give space to a campaign to ban low-emission cars from
> the roads because they also pay zero vehicle tax now?
>
> This type of research-free ranting should have no place in good
> newspapers.

Mine was :-


What a plonker. I trust the Independent doesn't pay this fool to write
drivel like this.

1. Cycling is safer than walking. But O'Grady probably doesn't do that
either.

2. Whole journey times are comparable or faster than car or bus or train in
cities. And much cheaper.

3. Look at the BMA's thoughts on the health benefits -- they are huge --
even taking into account accidents.

4. (This will not interest the petrol heads) cycling is environmentally
friendly as well.

Let's have real comment in your paper -- not bigotry masquerading as
intelligent thought.

 

[thrawn]

MJ Ray wrote:

> Proabably not, but I did anyway:

Who/how did you write to?
Dont see any way to interact except to e-mail motoring@indep.... Surely
a waste of time. And is there a way to comment on the regular cycling
column by this guy Hanks(?) Whenevr I've looked at it seems to have
been rather a waste of space?
Bill

 

[Dennis Davis]

In the referenced article, Mark <[email protected]> writes:

....

>What an utterly ignorant writer. I am surprized than the
>Independent would publish this kind of stuff.
>
>How about this old chestnut to illustrate the level of journalism
>in this piece : "Yes, it is the cyclists who seem to think they
>own the road, even though they pay not a penny in road fund
>licence. Nor are they insured"

Yup, it's the usual ******** canard about "road fund licence". It
doesn't exist anymore. It's now vehicle exise duty:

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

And the money raised *doesn't* go to funding roads. Despite what
such ignorant writers would want you to believe. Instead the money
goes into the general taxation pot to be used as seen fit.

I believe central government funds pays for motorways and A roads.
Local councils pay for everything else. So *my* community charge
helps maintain the roads I cycled on this morning.
--
Dennis Davis, BUCS, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
[email protected]

 

[wheelist]

Yeah but notice that all th people he knows wear h's but get broken teeth, pelvises, ankles ... He must know some really bad cyclists!

Bryan

I imagine the only cyclists he 'knows' are the ones he's run over in his FUV whilst reversing out of his drive in the morning.

Steve

 

[elyob]

"David Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> elyob wrote:
>> "Alistair Gunn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > elyob twisted the electrons to say:
>> >> "No bike can beat a car, even in heavy traffic."
>> >
>> > <grins> Hell, I've beaten a bus across York (Badger Hill to Parliament
>> > Street) whilst on a Pashley Mailstar!
>>
>> I've beaten the bus from Heathrow to Kingston ..
>
> So? How about a real challenge. I used to beat the bus into Kingston
> irrespective of what I was carrying on the bike. ;-)
>
> Hampton Court to Kingston would be more of a challenge.
>

To do that I think I'd need to put a couple of ringers on the bus ..

 

[dkahn400]

Tony W wrote:

> Let's have real comment in your paper -- not bigotry masquerading as
> intelligent thought.

Seemed more like bigotry masquerading as bigotry to me.

--
Dave...

 

[soup]

elyob quoted
> "No bike can beat a car, even in heavy traffic."
>
> Oh yes?

Jeremy Clarkson (ptoi) driving was beaten by a chap RUNNING never mind
being on a bike.
Was on a Top Gear programme, they ran or drove the marathon route
through London, the runner beat the car.
--
This space intentionally left blank.

 

[Tony Raven]

Phil Cook wrote on 05/09/2006 13:42 +0100:
>
> I always beat a friend who took the tube from Waterloo to East
> Finchley, even at 10.30 at night.

When did you stop beating your friend? ;-)

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

 

[Tony Raven]

Roos Eisma wrote on 05/09/2006 12:41 +0100:
>
> so much for finishing off the paintwork
> outside or the gardening!
>

You've clearly adapted to married life very fast ;-)

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

 

[wafflycat]

"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Roos Eisma wrote on 05/09/2006 12:41 +0100:
>>
>> so much for finishing off the paintwork outside or the gardening!
>>
>
> You've clearly adapted to married life very fast ;-)
>

I beg to differ. If she had of adapted, she'd have said that *Pete* had to
be finishing the paintwork outside and be doing the gardening...
irrespective of the weather ;-)

 

[Roos Eisma]

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> writes:

>"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Roos Eisma wrote on 05/09/2006 12:41 +0100:
>>>
>>> so much for finishing off the paintwork outside or the gardening!
>>
>> You've clearly adapted to married life very fast ;-)

>I beg to differ. If she had of adapted, she'd have said that *Pete* had to
>be finishing the paintwork outside and be doing the gardening...
>irrespective of the weather ;-)

Guess who's cooking the apple crumble right now


Roos

 

[Danny Colyer]

elyob quoted:
> "No bike can beat a car, even in heavy traffic."

Who needs a bike? In the Bath rush hour I used to be faster than the
cars when I was riding a unicycle. With a 20" wheel.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

 

[wafflycat]

"Roos Eisma" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> writes:
>
>>"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>>> Roos Eisma wrote on 05/09/2006 12:41 +0100:
>>>>
>>>> so much for finishing off the paintwork outside or the gardening!
>>>
>>> You've clearly adapted to married life very fast ;-)
>
>>I beg to differ. If she had of adapted, she'd have said that *Pete* had to
>>be finishing the paintwork outside and be doing the gardening...
>>irrespective of the weather ;-)
>
> Guess who's cooking the apple crumble right now
>

Sistah! ;-)

 

[JonMcD]

Dennis Davis wrote:
> In the referenced article, Mark <[email protected]> writes:
>
> ...
>
>> What an utterly ignorant writer. I am surprized than the
>> Independent would publish this kind of stuff.
>>
>> How about this old chestnut to illustrate the level of journalism
>> in this piece : "Yes, it is the cyclists who seem to think they
>> own the road, even though they pay not a penny in road fund
>> licence. Nor are they insured"
>
> Yup, it's the usual ******** canard about "road fund licence". It
> doesn't exist anymore. It's now vehicle exise duty:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_excise_duty
>
> And the money raised *doesn't* go to funding roads. Despite what
> such ignorant writers would want you to believe. Instead the money
> goes into the general taxation pot to be used as seen fit.
>
> I believe central government funds pays for motorways and A roads.
> Local councils pay for everything else. So *my* community charge
> helps maintain the roads I cycled on this morning.

According to http://www.britishtaxdiscs.co.uk/History.htm the last time
anyone paid for a Road Fund Licence Disc was 1938!

JonMcD

 

[Nick Kew]

Roos Eisma wrote:

> Guess who's cooking the apple crumble right now

wot, no blackberries?

/me enjoys cooking, and finds the blackberry season particularly
satisfying 'cos it's something good I don't have to buy.

--
Nick Kew

Application Development with Apache - the Apache Modules Book
http://www.prenhallprofessional.com/title/0132409674

 

[Ningi]

elyob wrote:
> "Alistair Gunn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> elyob twisted the electrons to say:
>>> "No bike can beat a car, even in heavy traffic."
>> <grins> Hell, I've beaten a bus across York (Badger Hill to Parliament
>> Street) whilst on a Pashley Mailstar!
>
> I've beaten the bus from Heathrow to Kingston ..
>
>

That would be the 285. I think I could almost walk faster than that.

I have beaten the 285 by bike almost every time I have ridden to Kingston.

Pete

 

[Ningi]

David Martin wrote:
> elyob wrote:
>> "Alistair Gunn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> elyob twisted the electrons to say:
>>>> "No bike can beat a car, even in heavy traffic."
>>> <grins> Hell, I've beaten a bus across York (Badger Hill to Parliament
>>> Street) whilst on a Pashley Mailstar!
>> I've beaten the bus from Heathrow to Kingston ..
>
> So? How about a real challenge. I used to beat the bus into Kingston
> irrespective of what I was carrying on the bike. ;-)
>
> Hampton Court to Kingston would be more of a challenge.
>

.... and I beat my friends in a minibus on that route on saturday. Pub
to curry house. I was there first. Muahahaa!

Pete

 

[Tony Raven]

wafflycat wrote on 05/09/2006 18:13 +0100:
>
> "Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Roos Eisma wrote on 05/09/2006 12:41 +0100:
>>>
>>> so much for finishing off the paintwork outside or the gardening!
>>>
>>
>> You've clearly adapted to married life very fast ;-)
>>
>
> I beg to differ. If she had of adapted, she'd have said that *Pete* had
> to be finishing the paintwork outside and be doing the gardening...
> irrespective of the weather ;-)
>

You have your fantasies, I'll have mine ;-)


--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci