'I'd happily run him over'

Cyclist who took part in controversial BBC documentary is inundated with hate and death threats

This headline shows the  inflammatory nature of the BBC programme 'War on Britain's roads'. Was it a programme with an agenda? Difficult to know, but as a supposedly objective programme, there are small but significant things that bothered me.

Whilst the main protagonists were interviewed, the camera angle was set so that they were speaking down into the camera - inevitably, they look aggressive.

The cyclists were filmed in cycling attire, the drivers in regular clothing - already, within minutes they were setting an 'Us v Them', feel to the programme.

Guy Willams is not like any cyclist I know. He is aggressive. He is a little over the top. But he does have a point when he says, on the subject of a war on the roads,  

"I wouldn’t say it was cyclists vs motorists though, more good road users vs bad road users."

Did we hear from any of the good road users? The savvy lorry driver and veteran taxi driver spent most of the time driving around pointing out careless cyclists.

Any interviews with the cyclist that give clear signals of intent? Or those that give a thumbs up when they see drivers making room for them as they drive past? Not one. Not a single clip, save one perhaps, where the friendly policeman cycles up to a cyclist at a junction to congratulate him for not jumping a red light!

So now, after an investigative programme from the BBC, we have people tweeting abuse about Guy Williams.
  
"This cyclist with glasses on BBC Panorama actually deseves to be knocked off his bike and die!!! Arrogant little .......!"

Another comment ..........

'I am a cyclist, but that first t**** in the glasses deserves to be run over.'

Ian Austin, the joint chairman of the Parliamentary Cycling Group and Labour MP foe Dudley North described the programme as 'stupid, sensationalist, simplistic, irresponsible nonsense.


I'm not usually inclined to side with politicians ...... but on this occasion, a disappointing effort from the BBC!