Share The Road - shcoking bias in BBC reporting

I just heard the BBC London radio news.

"TfL announce a crackdown on nuisance cyclists in the capital" (something like that)
Interview with Jack Thurston at Hyde Park Corner, reporter again says
"TfL will be cracking down red light jumping cyclists"
Jack holds his own well, commenting that cars need to share the road also.
Only then does reporter say that today is the launch of TfL "Share the Road" campaign.
Absolutely shocking, but I think we could have predicted this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/

"John Hearns" wrote in message
news
I just heard the BBC London radio news.

"TfL announce a crackdown on nuisance cyclists in the capital" (something
like that)
Interview with Jack Thurston at Hyde Park Corner, reporter again says
"TfL will be cracking down red light jumping cyclists"
Jack holds his own well, commenting that cars need to share the road also.
Only then does reporter say that today is the launch of TfL "Share the
Road" campaign.
Absolutely shocking, but I think we could have predicted this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/


Yes, I heard exactly the same bias. No metnion of how in 'share the road'
that the cracking down could include cracking down on drivers who RLJ, use
ASLs... mobile phones... no the reporting bias was distinctly aimed at
cracking down on the errant cyclist with no mention of errant motorist
whereas sharing the road should be about *all* road users...

Cheers, helen s

wafflycat wrote:
Yes, I heard exactly the same bias. No metnion of how in 'share the road'
that the cracking down could include cracking down on drivers who RLJ, use
ASLs... mobile phones... no the reporting bias was distinctly aimed at
cracking down on the errant cyclist with no mention of errant motorist
whereas sharing the road should be about *all* road users...

I think the BBC report is biased - there's a line which mentions
motroists:
"On Monday he said he wanted to see a shift in culture on the roads,
where aggressive driving was considered unacceptable."
I assume he means driving and cycling.

I've sent an email to Mr Ken saying that I hope they come down hard on
motorists as well as cyclists.

peter

John Hearns wrote:
I just heard the BBC London radio news.

"TfL announce a crackdown on nuisance cyclists in the capital" (something like that)
Interview with Jack Thurston at Hyde Park Corner, reporter again says
"TfL will be cracking down red light jumping cyclists"
Jack holds his own well, commenting that cars need to share the road also.
Only then does reporter say that today is the launch of TfL "Share the Road" campaign.
Absolutely shocking, but I think we could have predicted this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/

I bought a 50p Evening Standard this evening, my attention having been
caught by the headline "New Fines for Cyclists" on one of those
plackards the vendors have. The report suggested that there would be
police at junctions all over London tp catch Red-jumping cyclists.
Apart from a brief mention of enforcing ASLs the report focussed
entirely on cyclists.

My immediate reaction was that this was Evening Standard bias. However
when I checked the press release at
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-cent...t.asp?prID=885
I discovered that the original press release does seem to focus on
misbehaviour by cyclists.

PaulO

Paul Oter wrote:
John Hearns wrote:
I just heard the BBC London radio news.

"TfL announce a crackdown on nuisance cyclists in the capital" (something like that)
Interview with Jack Thurston at Hyde Park Corner, reporter again says
"TfL will be cracking down red light jumping cyclists"
Jack holds his own well, commenting that cars need to share the road also.
Only then does reporter say that today is the launch of TfL "Share the Road" campaign.
Absolutely shocking, but I think we could have predicted this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/

I bought a 50p Evening Standard this evening, my attention having been
caught by the headline "New Fines for Cyclists" on one of those
plackards the vendors have. The report suggested that there would be
police at junctions all over London tp catch Red-jumping cyclists.
Apart from a brief mention of enforcing ASLs the report focussed
entirely on cyclists.

My immediate reaction was that this was Evening Standard bias. However
when I checked the press release at
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-cent...t.asp?prID=885
I discovered that the original press release does seem to focus on
misbehaviour by cyclists.

PaulO
Discrimination against cyclists or other minority road users that
annoy and enrage motorists by their very presence is quite simply
a vote winner. As the pressure on the road system increases
targeting minorities is too easy a win to resist. However there is
hope, no-one will actually care if there is any real action, perhaps
a few headlines will win just as many votes.