London bike riders face ‘inhumane’ abuse online, says British Cycling

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Ondong Cyclists fear that “inhumane” language directed at them on social media will turn into attacks on the streets.

uk cycling The problem is particularly bad in the capital, he said. southeast Places where there are a proportionate number of people on bicycles.

British Cycling Policy Manager Nick Chamberlain said: [behaviour] On the road where people used vehicles as weapons, verbally or tragically physically.

“It’s generally dehumanizing language. The situation hasn’t improved. Abuse still exists. The language is as offensive now as it was ten years ago.”

In 2019, British Cycling launched a campaign of attitude change inspired by Channel 5’s documentary The Scourge of the Streets.

Chamberlain said the closed community Facebook Groups were one of the worst channels for messages and comments to cyclists, but he also noticed a trend in comment sections of news articles and call-in radio shows.

“Online abuse has just reached tragic levels, and cycling is unfortunately caught up in it,” he added.

“For many people, this is a sign of heavy traffic, congested and nasty roads. This is especially around our big towns and cities. Some know people who ride , and for some reason when they see a cyclist going faster than them in an urban area, it really triggers them.”

Bicyclists use Facebook and twitter A message sent to Standard indicates the types and levels a Hate Rider can receive.

When it was reported on a North London Facebook group that a schoolchild had fallen off a bicycle in a suspected hit-and-run, a commenter responded:[They] I should walk to school so I can get to work without fending off stupid cyclists… get out of my way.

Another poster wrote, “How many points do you get for killing two Tour de Shoreham Muppets?”

Councilor Joe Rigby said he doesn’t like the word ‘cyclist’

/ Handout

Wandsworth City Councilman Joe Rigby said he had been harassed about cycling on Twitter, but said there were “conspiracy theories” circulating that a “cycling lobby” was infiltrating government departments.

“The word ‘cyclist’ has become a term of entitlement, but I really don’t think it’s a problem for them and us,” she said. “I think I was a resident who sometimes walked and sometimes biked. You shouldn’t define someone’s whole identity.”

A rep for Balham said she was “hunted down” on Twitter by “extremely angry men” but came back with a different mindset.

Haringay-based cyclist Carla Frankome said her gender was targeted and when she posted on Twitter she was told, “What do women have to do with this?”

“I had someone yell at me and call me a chunky b***h,” she said of the incident on the street. I said I was scared, but he said he didn’t mind if the cyclist died.”

Ms Frankcom said her friend made her a “chunky b***h” T-shirt as a joke to rebuild it after the incident. They added that they try to speak up for each other if there are signs of hateful or anti-cycling posts.

“There should be room for everyone on the road,” added Mr. Franccome, who drives on occasion. “It’s not just cyclists, it’s not just car drivers. We all should want safe roads. We all need to work together on this.”

Carla now proudly wears a ‘chunky b***h’ t-shirt and tries to stand up to abuse

/ Carla Frankom / Twitter

British Cycling has joined the social media blackout after French sprinter Nacer Bouhanni was subjected to ‘toxic’ racist abuse online after the race.

“We have to hold on to it as a last resort,” Chamberlain said. “Our preferred method is to be proactive and we will continue to use social media to try and implement better behavior. I would like to speak.”

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-bike-riders-facing-dehumanising-abuse-online-british-cycling-say-b1040003.html London bike riders face ‘inhumane’ abuse online, says British Cycling

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