Journalism and cycling

meeeeh

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-high-cyclist-deaths-eu-4990173-Feb2020/

Christ... the comments on this. People are astounded to see cyclists with no high viz or helmets, they seem to think these things are required by law. I've never worn either and never will.

Just as by the by, the same report does look into helmets and studies tracking injuries. Head injuries are significantly down and neck injuries are up but overall reduction is 15%. They don't recommend mandatory helmets to encourage higher numbers cycling but it is safer overall if you believe that report. The same report advocates use of reflective clothing an accessories especially for children.

The articles in media zoomed in on one table out of about 15 and on very little of a 40 page report. It covers everything from road behavoiur to design of segregated routes, school education and so on.

meeeeh

rubadub wrote: »

They are probably including deaths of elderly people getting on or off bikes -not while actually cycling. I am in 2 minds about them being reported, it is good to highlight the problem but not really what people think of when they hear of cycling deaths.

If a load of faulty car jacks resulted in mechanics being crushed by cars I don't think it should be included in car death figures.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/25/older-men-using-e-bikes-behind-rising-death-toll-among-dutch-cyclists



Also there are simply more older people now cycling in the Netherlands, if there was some reason they were not walking and suddenly loads did you would expect a rise in accidents.

https://www.treehugger.com/bikes/87-percent-dutch-cyclists-killed-while-e-bikes-were-over-60-years-old.html

Netherlands has disproportionately higher share of road deaths among over 65's. How representative those stats are is quickly illustrated in the actual report where safety measures in Netherlands are often cited as something to strive towards.

Stark

https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2020/02/03/cyclists-advised-to-wear-high-vis-gear-helmet-notification-of-next-of-kin/

Suddenly tempted to take out a paid subscription to them.

Seth Brundle

Stark wrote: »

https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2020/02/03/cyclists-advised-to-wear-high-vis-gear-helmet-notification-of-next-of-kin/

Suddenly tempted to take out a paid subscription to them.

It says a lot when a satirical site can write a piss-take article that pretty much echoes the standard message from RSA

Grassey

Cycling as an election issue... Tune into the last word in a few mins

Hurrache

Grassey wrote: »

Cycling as an election issue... Tune into the last word in a few mins

Did you listen? Deirdre Duffy will entertain the idea at some point of identifying cyclists through registration of some sort. Maybe after she gives all kids free cycling helmets.

Grassey

It started with a joke* about how mentioning cyclists always gets a huge response on the texts, lets go and read this for example.. "Road tax, high vis, running reds, an annoyance on the road etc" Matt called out the road tax doesn't exist, ignored the other points. It then went into a piece about how we've the highest rate of increased deaths in Europe over a 9 year period.

That was about all I caught. Hope it picked up from there.

MiskyBoyy

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-51296021/cycling-through-europe-s-deadliest-air

Eamonnator

Stark wrote: »

https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2020/02/03/cyclists-advised-to-wear-high-vis-gear-helmet-notification-of-next-of-kin/

Suddenly tempted to take out a paid subscription to them.

"cornflakes reflector"
Deadly.

Hurrache

Grassey wrote: »

It started with a joke* about how mentioning cyclists always gets a huge response on the texts, lets go and read this for example.. "Road tax, high vis, running reds, an annoyance on the road etc" Matt called out the road tax doesn't exist, ignored the other points. It then went into a piece about how we've the highest rate of increased deaths in Europe over a 9 year period.

That was about all I caught. Hope it picked up from there.

He may have got flack over it, or realised the stupidity of some of the messages he felt obliged to read out as he posted this shortly after.
[url]

https://twitter.com/cooper_m/status/1224385599773315073?s=19[/url]

Grassey

Link didn't work for me..

I'd hardly say he's an advocate. And he seems to spend more time agreeing with options that aren't cyclist friendly


@cooper_m
I have been a cycling advocate on air and in print for a long time. I realize though that I have to give time to the opinions of those who aren’t and to challenge politicians to answer points of view, whether considered valid or not by cyclists, held by many.

AndrewJRenko

Hurrache wrote: »

Deirdre Duffy will entertain the idea at some point of identifying cyclists through registration of some sort.

Tenzor07

Ban cars? Ohhh noooo!


https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2020/0203/1112941-cycle/

what_traffic

Grassey wrote: »

I'd hardly say he's an advocate. And he seems to spend more time agreeing with options that aren't cyclist friendly

True he is not - regardless of what he thinks he is.
He really is just a "Punch" and "Judy" merchant, his radio and TV shows have same format.
He is not somebody who advocates for people who cycle. If he was - he would be upsetting the advertisers.

Macy0161

Grassey wrote: »

I'd hardly say he's an advocate. And he seems to spend more time agreeing with options that aren't cyclist friendly

If he was a boards poster, he'd start every anti-cyclist rant and generalisation with "I'm a cyclist myself"...

Pinch Flat

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Ban cars? Ohhh noooo!


https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2020/0203/1112941-cycle/

Oh my god how will we manage. I was stopped there this morning, doesn't look too tight. A bit of realignment of the lights would ensure Dermot or Mary can squeeze their quashqai by on the way from lucan to their job in the ifsc

Seth Brundle

A glimmer of light for the Liffey cycle path?
Construction of long-awaited cycle path along River Liffey could proceed as early as this summer

p15574

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Ban cars? Ohhh noooo!


https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2020/0203/1112941-cycle/

Scaremongering to try and ensure it doesn't happen. If I was cynical I'd suspect brown envelopes between certain car park owners and certain council officials but thankfully this is Ireland, not Russia.

Fian

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/election-2020-where-do-the-political-parties-stand-on-cycling-1.4161217

Synopsis of comittments on cycling from party manifestos.

CramCycle

p15574 wrote: »

Scaremongering to try and ensure it doesn't happen. If I was cynical I'd suspect brown envelopes between certain car park owners and certain council officials but thankfully this is Ireland, not Russia.

I'm not cynical but I would be surprised if it hasn't happened in some form.

it is very simple, Bus lane and a limited number of permits for deliveries only, between certain hours, preferably between 3am and 5am. No through traffic for taxis, deliveries to other parts of the city or private vehicles bar blue badge holders. ANPR cameras at the exit and entry to the bus lane, job done.

Kop Idol

Apologies, this is not immediately cycling related but I thought its a very innovative approach to a traffic problem in India...

India: Honk More Wait More

I'm sure there must be ways of implementing something similarly innovative here where we could actively 'discourage' (or even 'encourage') certain behaviours by varying light signal times.

AndrewJRenko

what_traffic wrote: »

True he is not - regardless of what he thinks he is.
He really is just a "Punch" and "Judy" merchant, his radio and TV shows have same format.
He is not somebody who advocates for people who cycle. If he was - he would be upsetting the advertisers.

Bring back the old Matt;

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/george-youre-the-criminal-matt-cooper-slams-newstalks-george-hook-on-ireland-am-31349206.html

mr spuckler

Kop Idol wrote: »

Apologies, this is not immediately cycling related but I thought its a very innovative approach to a traffic problem in India...

India: Honk More Wait More

I'm sure there must be ways of implementing something similarly innovative here where we could actively 'discourage' (or even 'encourage') certain behaviours by varying light signal times.

I've seen a similar concept in Italy before when I was driving above the speed limit through a town, the lights turned red because I was speeding. It's so simple and effective so of course it's well beyond our reach...

CramCycle

what_traffic wrote: »

True he is not - regardless of what he thinks he is.
He really is just a "Punch" and "Judy" merchant, his radio and TV shows have same format.
He is not somebody who advocates for people who cycle. If he was - he would be upsetting the advertisers.

I think he used to be good, he was a neutral stance (sort of), like a good interviewer should be. If someone was pro cars, he was anti cars, if the were anti cars, he was pro. Getting them to expand upon their view to see was it reasonable and why or how they got there. He therefore could seem pro or anti any stance. I hear he has gone more TV3 clickbait in recent times but I always found him a good interviewer, even though, quite rightly, I didn't agree with him half of the time.

what_traffic

CramCycle wrote: »

I think he used to be good, he was a neutral stance (sort of), like a good interviewer should be. If someone was pro cars, he was anti cars, if the were anti cars, he was pro. Getting them to expand upon their view to see was it reasonable and why or how they got there. He therefore could seem pro or anti any stance. I hear he has gone more TV3 clickbait in recent times but I always found him a good interviewer, even though, quite rightly, I didn't agree with him half of the time.

Would be of the same opinion over the years listening to Matt - but to say one is an advocate he would have to take far stronger positions than he ever has.
When I say "Punch" and "Judy" - this is not about him per se - rather the formats of Current Affairs provision on radio/television. Its cheap output.

Seth Brundle

Video: Close pass or assault using car as a weapon? Opinion is split…


The responses to the original tweet show how it is obviously the fault of the guy on the bike for not using the expensive cycle lane. The driver is the obvious victim here.
https://twitter.com/NorfolkPolice/status/1224324042523541504

Lol expensive cycle lane. Wonder how much they spent painting a bike and an arrow on the existing footpath

Seth Brundle

Cycling through Europe's deadliest air (in Serbia)

tomasrojo

Grassey wrote: »

Link didn't work for me..

I'd hardly say he's an advocate. And he seems to spend more time agreeing with options that aren't cyclist friendly


@cooper_m
I have been a cycling advocate on air and in print for a long time. I realize though that I have to give time to the opinions of those who aren’t and to challenge politicians to answer points of view, whether considered valid or not by cyclists, held by many.

He's definitely not an epidemiologist:
https://twitter.com/cooper_m/status/1224783222262915072

magicbastarder

that was an obnoxious response from him. i threw my tuppence in, FWIW.