Had my flying session spoiled today by some old tosser on a bike who decided it would be a good idea to shout "that's illegal, you prick, get off the :censored: road" while I was flying (line of sight) just testing RTH and circuits from my usual place. The car is parked on the road, the plane was currently over the field....
It annoyed me a bit the more I thought about it, so I gathered my gear and drove towards him down in the car about 1/2 a mile away and pulled up further along the road, got out and attempted to flag him down - primarily to make the peace and explain what I was doing.
He may have thought I was going to batter him because he refused to stop and simply kept on cycling as if I wasn't there - so I drove alongside him, wound the window down and said "hey, I just want to show you what I was doing, there's no threat or anything" .. and he shouted "not interested" so I turned around and drove back.
Maybe I shouldn't have driven after him and just let it go, but it annoys me why people immediately jump to the "illegal" thing (and he had no business calling me a prick at that point) so I figured I'd try to sort it out. I was acutely aware that as a cyclist he made have had cameras, so I was on my best behaviour anyway lol.
I mean if you're going to say something to someone, don't just ride off like a coward. Typical 60-odd bloke who takes the Daily Mail at gospel.
Sort of spoiled a good session though - and why I tend to fly early in the morning or late at night when people aren't around :(
The public have been feed a load of cr*p by the media and they also watch too many sci fi movies where "Drones" can do anything, so the uneducated think all sorts of rubbish.
I do my very best to keep away from "joe public" as they either disbelieve or expect far too much of our hobby, fly first thing in the morning and the uneducated are still looking for the family brain cell too bother us and the air is calm first thing.
Hi Steve
Sorry to hear about the altercation with some old tosser, and as you say it spoils the day.
That is one reason why I stopped flying on Beverley Westwood. The public get fed all this bullshit and then think that they are qualified Judge and Jury.
Put it behind you and carry on.
I thought you behaved in a very reasonable and mature manner. I must take a leaf out of your book!
QuoteTypical 60-odd bloke who takes the Daily Mail at gospel
Speaking as someone who will be a "60-odd bloke" next week, I like to think I'm not typical nor do I read the Daily Mail
I do however like to get my goggles on and have a fly around whenever possible
Sorry you had that hassle Steve. You'll probably be running through your head what you could, should or might of said. It'll bug you for a day or two but will wear off. You'll be well prepared if it should happen again (hopefully not)
Maybe next time he'll end up in a shallow grave at the edge of the field ;D
At the end of the day, I think the title of your thread explains and sums it up very well and puts it in the right context. He really was just an arsehole on a bike.
Sorry I didn't mean any offence to anyone "older" on here - there just seems to be a whole load of people who are around that age who simply like to whinge (especially about FPV) without actually knowing what they're talking about. It becomes a problem because people tend to believe them since they're older and couldn't possibly lie through their teeth, or be wrong at all...
I mean I'm not exactly young myself any more (mid 30's and clinging on for dear life) but the reason I got myself a bit annoyed was that he decided to simply call me a prick then cycle off without a care in the world, then refused to listen to me when I caught him up (which I'm sure he didn't reckon on happening).
"Holier than thou"? Or just a drive-by coward? :)
It's not going to stop me from flying there but I really hate this type of person (it's happened before) .. I feel more annoyed at myself for trying to justify what I was doing to someone who clearly didn't give a monkeys whether he was right or wrong and just felt he needed to say something.
Suppose it won't be the last time it happens...
I would have just contradicted him then and there. "No its not" and then leave it.
It's very nice of you to attempt to educate and explain to the public- but I'm not sure why you bothered. Especially to someone so rude.
Why justify your actions?!
Not much to do with the flying, as such. People are just full of anger and use any excuse to dump their sh*t
Could he have been complaining about your parking? And not the flying (if he even realised you were flying?)
Andy
Could of been worse.
You could of had your goggles on,
And then tormented him with the plane lol.
Then once he fell off simply say "Sorry prick, that was illegal, what i was doing before i knocked you off with my plane wasn't. Hope I cleared that up for you." lol
Quote from: Andy Sayle on September 11, 2016, 11:37:36 AM
Could he have been complaining about your parking? And not the flying (if he even realised you were flying?)
Andy
Doubt it, I was pulled off the road and in the field entrance...
Probably exactly as the title suggests then! Best ignore it, and carry on having fun ;)
It does play on your mind when this sort of thing happens , I agree.
I took the FX to a spot I'd wanted to fly from for some months.
Its miles from the nearest village and on the edge of a huge flat plain/bog near where I live.
I took off and climbed quickly to a few hundred feet whilst heading away for a 20 minute trip to video an old castle.
I returned about 50m above an estuary(for last mile) before making 2 turns to make my final approach to land in the marsh next to the road where I was set up.
Shortly a car stopped and a friendly chap and his wife warned me that the canal worker who operates a swing bridge nearby , had just called the police!!
They said that he was reporting me for scaring cattle that free range over the plain , although they couldn't see it themselves ??
I packed up the kit and decided to go and see what his problem was. I found him skulking down the road waiting to get my licence number . When I asked him what his reason was for "so called" phoning the police he said I'd cause a stampede and terrified the few cows that were around.
So I said " right I was filming from my plane so can we go to your office and I'll prove to you that they didn't bat an eyelid"
Well that shut him up , he was lost for words , obviously he knew he had been telling porkies and just didn't want me flying near his patch.
Anyway , he clearly hadn't actually called them and if he had , he would have looked a twat because sure enough when I studied the video later the cattle barely blinked as I went past them!
I fly next to fields of sheep-horse's and cows back home, and am quite disappointed that they don't show any interest in my plane - ignorant peasants ;D
Could be worse, could be this guy at 40 seconds...
https://youtu.be/IXApfBIEfw8
The problem you often have is people think they know the law when they don't. I spoke to a guy st an equine centre once who said it was illegal for even full size aircraft to fly near there farm. I knew this wasn't true - it falls under the low flying rules like everywhere outside of controlled airspace in the uk*. I thought he was just bullshitting at the time but thinking about it there are websites which will put you on the 'no fly zone' database - sounds convincing but means nothing legally and is all a bit of a scam. The laws aren't well known and most people are wary of 'drones' as we are all aware. Fly safe and keep your nose clean.
* Your average farm doesn't quite have the standing to become a prohibited area!
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In my experience as a 60+ driver, most, but not all, obviously, cyclists think they own the road, can ignore traffic lights, zebra and railway crossings, one way streets, footpaths, double white lines, pedestrians, speed limits especially 20 mph ones around built up areas, lack manners and road sense and think they look cool squeezed into stupid Lycra. This one of the reasons all our vehicles now have auto recording dash cams front and rear.
I am with Jeremy Clarkeson on this topic!
On a more personal safety note I would not have chased him down in my car, you leave yourself open.
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In my experience of both driving and cycling and then hearing other cyclists and motorists gobbing off it seems that everyone who does mostly one or the other develops an idiotically warped view of the overall competence of "their" group vs the incompetence of the other.
Worth reading this from someone who has a bit more of a clue than most:
https://trafficwmp.wordpress.com/2016/09/09/junction-malfunction-and-a-new-dawn/
Some good stuff in there too about folks using dash/helmet cams and getting hoisted by their own petards when they think they can just use the bit that shows an incident.
The thing that annoys me about cyclists is they have no license or insurance. Everyone else on the road has to have them so why not cyclists.
There are plenty of morons on bikes, but there are also plenty of morons in cars. At least the morons in cars have a number plate that identifies them. (assuming they are legal and not driving a stolen/cloned car)
As for they guy shouting at you Steve, sadly there are ignorant ****'s that think its ok to shout abuse at people. Dont let them get to you. Enjoy flying.
But a moron on a bike is highly unlikely to kill or injure anyone but themselves.
Quote from: Loopdreams on September 12, 2016, 10:31:17 AM
But a moron on a bike is highly unlikely to kill or injure anyone but themselves.
Dunno, I think I'd fancy my chances getting hit by a 2kg foam drone at 30mph than a 80kg bloke + bike hitting me at the same speed.
Quote from: BigT on September 12, 2016, 09:55:25 AM
On a more personal safety note I would not have chased him down in my car, you leave yourself open.
Correct of course - although I wasn't being aggressive I bet some would have seen it as such since I pulled alongside him a couple of times trying to get his attention. Like I say, just in case he was filming I was on my best behaviour anyway but yea.. lesson learned, I should have just let it go.
Not sure why people feel the need to get so angry about aircraft though - it wasn't even a "drone" as you'd see in the media (Phantom etc), it was my Mini Talon .. maybe I should stick to Bixlers and their smiley, happy shape :laugh:
Quote from: Steve W on September 12, 2016, 11:18:41 AM
Dunno, I think I'd fancy my chances getting hit by a 2kg foam drone at 30mph than a 80kg bloke + bike hitting me at the same speed.
Sorry, I was meaning vs morons in cars. Not that many people are killed each year as a result of being hit by bicycles.
Quote from: Ratty on September 12, 2016, 10:19:35 AM
The thing that annoys me about cyclists is they have no license or insurance. Everyone else on the road has to have them so why not cyclists.
There are plenty of morons on bikes, but there are also plenty of morons in cars. At least the morons in cars have a number plate that identifies them. (assuming they are legal and not driving a stolen/cloned car)
As for they guy shouting at you Steve, sadly there are ignorant ****'s that think its ok to shout abuse at people. Dont let them get to you. Enjoy flying.
As a motorist and cyclist I tend to agree with Loopdreams, i regular see examples of bad cycling and bad motoring, the consequences of one however are potentially more serious than the other.
As for insurance, while not compulsory many cyclists do have 3rd party liability insurance through the various cycling associations. I am covered through British Cycling.
I cannot see any benefit whatsoever to having licences for cyclists, surely no one sees that as a good idea?
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Being friendly doesn't make "angry dashcam" videos though :)
Quote from: Loopdreams on September 12, 2016, 10:31:17 AM
But a moron on a bike is highly unlikely to kill or injure anyone but themselves.
Less likely to kill or injure yes, but can just as easily cause damage.
I didnt know cyclists had insurance Big A, so thats good news. Although i would assume it is mostly the dedicated and safety conscious ones, not the morons being reckless. (common theme in hobbies? lol)
No i dont think having a license is a good idea, i more meant a license plate. Doing a test to ride a bike would be a funny experience. (a huge waste of time and money.) Like i said tho, everyone else on the road has to have a license plate and insurance. Even if you are on an electric scooter, and mobility scooter, a segway, all of which are just as unlikely to kill or injure.
Bet the bloke on the bike is enjoying telling his story about how the 'nutter with a drone thing' chased him down in a car :P :P :P :P :P
I'd of just told him to **** off and been done with it lol. Although things like this are hilarious, in that you can imagine the guy not feeling so big and clever as Steve pulls up beside him for a word :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
As for the car/bike hate debate, I drive a car and ride a bike(in lycra, all 22 stone of me :P) and see idiots doing both, but when I see idiots on bikes riding stupidly(wrong side of road etc), I find myself thinking 'They're going to get themselves killed' as opposed to people who drive stupidly that make me think 'They are going to kill somebody'........ I know which one sounds worse to me.
I had a purple faced Mr Angry stomp up to me and stick a camera in my face for flying over his property and allegedly filming him. I was actually filming a very old graveyard with a morthouse which was a bit beyond his property. Keeping calm I just let him rant then drove off. Later, after filming elsewhere, I returned, got hold of him and beat the sh......sorry, musn't let my instinctive reaction get in the way if a what actually happened. I calmly explained what I had been doing, offered to show him the gear and answer any of this questions. Having totally deflated his sails he couldn't get rid of me quick enough.
A couple of weeks ago, filming outside my village, some young twats in a hot hatch, zoomed past, informing me I needed a licence. So not just grumpy old gits feel the need to open their mouths and let their bellies rumble.
Quote from: drambuidhe on September 11, 2016, 05:54:38 PM
... because sure enough when I studied the video later the cattle barely blinked as I went past them!
My local club field has cattle in two adjoining fields. We have discussed with the farmer the effects that our models might have on the beasts. Bear in mind that we have a general club mix of i.c. and electric. His advice was that young cattle might get a little frightened but will soon settle and get used to the noise. He had no particular concerns. Sometimes they come over and watch us but never run or show signs of distress. We have even had a few models ditch in their field and they wander over to investigate but never trample on the models or harass anyone retrieving the models.
A few years ago I filmed a seal colony from my Twinstar (pre quad days) and they were totally unperturbed. I guess to them a Twinstar resembles a seagull and is therefore no threat. However when coastal filming elsewhere I have noticed that the seagulls get really noisy when the Twinstar is up. I haven't tried them with a quad yet.
I live near the sea so Herring Gulls are a constant. The only time they are really bothered seems to be during breeding season, in which case they will form a big gang, follow a quad all around the sky shouting at it, watch it land, watch you pick it up and then continue to harass you all the way until you've got in the car and gone. Amazing birds, though. I love watching them fly round the houses near me, so effortless and precise, they make all human attempts at flight look completely pathetic. They make brilliant markers for thermals in the summer too.
Some people are sad, frustrated little men. No doubt he's since told all of his friends how he confronted a 7 foot tall muscular man covered in blinking LEDs then successfully stopped him from flying a quadcopter in front of "Nancy from up the road"'s window.
From now on I'm simply going to have a GoPro recording inside the back of the car so if anyone approaches I have a record of what was said. Not sure it would have helped in this case though, what with it being a drive-by assault on my ears and all :)
Probably good advice for anyone flying FPV nowadays actually...
Having spent some time sitting watching a major junction in London I have to say the main villains of the piece, on the pavement, running red lights on junctions and crossings were the cyclists. Also they were first to complain.
There, said it now and I feel much better.
Steve, best let it go. Some people will never be reasonable.
RE: Car v's bike.
I have two excellent pieces of Dashcam footage showing both side.
1 - Travelling home on a single carriageway, when a large group of cyclists head towards me from the other direction. Some of them had their head down and were on my side of the road, forcing me to break very heavily, so they could veer out of the way. I am sure they have a death wish. Didn't stop me getting jeered by them, perhaps next time I should let them bounce off my bonnet ?
2 - Last week, following some Wiggins wannabe's who to be fair were single file, so I just sat back until I could overtake. But the car in front of me overtook them on a blind right hand bend, I was literally wincing because if a car came the other way there would have been a very serious accident, involving a probable head on crash and cyclists.
Not sure what the answer is really, but I do feel on certain types of roads and conditions that Cars and Cycles just do not mix.
I remember when doing some advance motorcycle courses being told and constantly reminded, you must ride defensively, you wont get second chances. Something that I feel is lost on a lot of cyclists I see flouting road rules on a daily basis.
The answer is for people to get a grip and realise the need for cooperation. If you read that article up there from the Police the evidence from the accidents they have investigated is that when cars and bikes collide it is usually the fault of the driver.
You can ride defensively up to a point but there are times when you just have to trust that the driver has seen you and isn't going to pull out. I get really irritated by some cyclists as I do by some drivers but it's vital when you're in a car to remember how vulnerable cyclists are regardless of how badly you think they are riding.
Anyone who lets it aggravate them into a dangerous pass lest they be delayed for thirty seconds needs to turn in their license as they aren't mentally fit to get behind the wheel of a car. And this is loads of people, just try keeping an eye out next time you're in a line of cars passing a bike and see how little room some idiots leave. I'd love to see more forces doing the sort of evidence-based enforcement which the ones writing that blog are.
I am a cyclist and whilst I have seen many videos where vehicle drivers are totally at fault, including deliberately hitting cyclists, my own personal experience has been that cyclists are the worst offenders.
Stealth cycling at night (town or country but country is worse) with no lights, black clothing and on a dark frame
Same but in the rain so that the reflections from other vehicle lights mask the stealth cyclist
Ignoring traffic lights
The wrong side of the road
Coming off a pavement right in front of a car
Cutting up the inside when the width available is only 10mm wider than the handlebars
No signal before veering off in front of you
Too many cyclists do not realise that right or wrong, they will always come off worse. The stealth cyclists should note that blood red makes them less stealthy. Pity that it took a collision to realise this.
This is way beyond topic- but car drivers often forget that cyclists often drive cars too. This gives cyclists a far more informed opinion than car drivers.
Car drivers expect cyclists to obey the same laws to the same standards as they do. Whilst this isn't entirely unreasonable- cyclists are slower and have far far less damage potential than cars. Thus their disobeying certain laws on the road is far less serious.
Anyway- sounds like the cyclist was just an idiot. I wouldn't have cared at all.
Reminds me of a time I was driving my not so normal performance car, well within the speed limit. Had a nob on a bike shouting "SLOW DOWN" as he passed in the opposite direction. Just so happens I was stopping about 50 metres down the road anyway and he was just doing a lap of the block. As I got out of the car he popped out the junction and went very pale when he saw me. I politely asked him why he thought my speed was an issue when I was driving well within the posted limit. He started by saying "Don't know what your on about" shortly followed up with "wasn't me" in a slightly wavering slightly high pitched voice. I just laughed and let it go :)
He probably thought he was doing his bit and had a warm fuzzy feeling for doing so and had no expectation of ever seeing me again. Turns out hes local to me and I see him down the local pub quite often....never says a word to me, I think he realised what a nob he had been :)
Quote from: Dave on September 12, 2016, 11:25:35 PM
Reminds me of a time I was driving my not so normal performance car, well within the speed limit. Had a nob on a bike shouting "SLOW DOWN" as he passed in the opposite direction. Just so happens I was stopping about 50 metres down the road anyway and he was just doing a lap of the block. As I got out of the car he popped out the junction and went very pale when he saw me. I politely asked him why he thought my speed was an issue when I was driving well within the posted limit. He started by saying "Don't know what your on about" shortly followed up with "wasn't me" in a slightly wavering slightly high pitched voice. I just laughed and let it go :)
He probably thought he was doing his bit and had a warm fuzzy feeling for doing so and had no expectation of ever seeing me again. Turns out hes local to me and I see him down the local pub quite often....never says a word to me, I think he realised what a nob he had been :)
Ha that's a good story.
What car was it?
Some cars just look and sound fast even at 30. The people who are terrible at judging others speed are often the poor or even non drivers themselves.
I am struggling to find anywhere outside of my living room in Newport South Wales where I can fly my 250 quad. Tried a number of local flying clubs and to a man was told they don't want quads there. 1 club allows quads but they charge a fortune for membership and I will only be allowed to fly at set times when they say so. Tried using Google maps today to find a field in the middle of nowhere that conforms to the guidelines and is safe to fly at and I found 2 places. Went to one to find it is now fenced off and the other I had a number for the guy who runs a banger club there, but when I got there, there are pylons in the field. I completely run with the CAA guidelines and the law as I have read and understood them, but it seems that the press has painted such a dull picture of this sport that it is killed off before it can even get going. Oh well, back to hovering in the living room.
It's getting that way. We were flying this morning on a quiet stretch of the coast, we had driven there specifically because it's miles from any towns or busy roads. We even had a spotter warning us of anyone approaching on the nearby path etc. But then some other complete arsehole on a bike rolls up and his opening gambit was "do you have BMFA insurance?" obviously thinking we wouldn't even know what he was on about and then started ranting about how we shouldn't be flying there when there was literally no reason whatsoever that we shouldn't be flying there. Turned out he was a member of a local RC club who obviously just hated FPV. Absolute knobhead. These pricks are everywhere now, though.
Re: Steves cyclist friend... I would have been just as wound up mate lol... But I'm not brave enough to go chasing anyone lol
Re: cyclists v drivers. Trying to convince cyclists that they're not gods of the road and can be the cause of accidents just as much as poor drivers is like trying to have a logical discussion about religion to a religious person. They will never falter from their standpoint no matter what reasonable points you might make... so I don't bother trying anymore.
Quote from: BlueFlyer on September 18, 2016, 02:46:09 PMcan be the cause of accidents just as much as poor drivers
Except the evidence is that that's just a load of absolute bollocks. Pretty much all the cyclists and pedestrians killed or seriously injured are victims of poor drivers. Poor cyclists amount to little more than a nuisance in the actual real world.
Lol, oh and don't get me started on caravanners
Certacito,
There's quite a few of us in the area, and plenty of good places to fly! I'm up near Usk, and fly in a range of fields and have been to a couple of different clubs (GwentMAC are alright :) ). If you head west down the M4, there are lots of events going on with team woolly sheep etc.
I'd be interested to see how you've only identified two fields - There's alot of places to fly round here that allow you to conform to the CAA regs.
Quote from: Loopdreams on September 18, 2016, 02:44:32 PM
It's getting that way. We were flying this morning on a quiet stretch of the coast, we had driven there specifically because it's miles from any towns or busy roads. We even had a spotter warning us of anyone approaching on the nearby path etc. But then some other complete arsehole on a bike rolls up and his opening gambit was "do you have BMFA insurance?" obviously thinking we wouldn't even know what he was on about and then started ranting about how we shouldn't be flying there when there was literally no reason whatsoever that we shouldn't be flying there. Turned out he was a member of a local RC club who obviously just hated FPV. Absolute knobhead. These pricks are everywhere now, though.
This is the problem... I'm not flying anywhere "dodgy" or causing problems, but when I go out to have a fly I do it for fun and to relax away from my desk. Not to argue the toss with some self-appointed judge, juror and executioner who's heard something on the Jeremy Vine show. I can easily see how my afternoon would be ruined by someone like that, even though I should just let it go. Problem is, if someone sticks around to argue - what else can you do except get pissed off? You can't smack them in the face to shut them up as that's assault. You can't ask them to leave because it's public land. So yea. if someone is going to cause problems even if they're wrong then there's not really much we can do about it.
People need to just live and let live.
Personally I'm looking for a place where I can "hide" - I couldn't give a monkeys if someone sees the plane, I'd just rather them not be able to come up for a chat while I'm in the goggles - angry or not.
QuotePersonally I'm looking for a place where I can "hide" - I couldn't give a monkeys if someone sees the plane, I'd just rather them not be able to come up for a chat while I'm in the goggles - angry or not.
big yep from me
Quote from: Gundummy on September 18, 2016, 09:14:45 PM
big yep from me
One of the obvious advantages of using a Monitor instead of goggles, you can see whats going on around you, and fly the plane.....:)
Imagine being in the goggles when Mr Knobhead rocks up looking for a reason to spoil your day...Worse, he could be a cyclist as well....LOL.
:vulture:
If someone is badgering you, you can always say "go ahead, call the police Mr Know-It-All.. be sure to hang around so I can tell them you were endangering an aircraft by distracting the pilot" :D
You need to add one of these to your flight bag Steve.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B9F0ONI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00B9F0ONI&linkCode=as2&tag=pipex-21 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B9F0ONI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00B9F0ONI&linkCode=as2&tag=pipex-21)
Well to be honest I'm leaning more and more to simply operating out of the car. I think I really need to investigate how to properly put an aerial on the roof in such a way that it looks like part of the car for both my control and video link.
Quote from: Steve W on September 18, 2016, 10:51:49 PM
Well to be honest I'm leaning more and more to simply operating out of the car. I think I really need to investigate how to properly put an aerial on the roof in such a way that it looks like part of the car for both my control and video link.
I doubt people would bother you if you did this. they may notice the extra antennas and think police or taxi perhaps.
Gives you an incentive to fly a good 700m away. No one would think it was someone in their car half a mile away.
Provided you have a good autopilot it should be easy and safe.
It will become loads of hassle if you have an antenna tracker though. But a couple of extra antennas on the roof- particularly if you could make them look semi permenant- should be pretty easy.
Quote from: Steve W on September 18, 2016, 10:51:49 PM
Well to be honest I'm leaning more and more to simply operating out of the car. I think I really need to investigate how to properly put an aerial on the roof in such a way that it looks like part of the car for both my control and video link.
That's one of the reasons I have gone to extremes with the E61 to integrate AV input. I will post pictures on how and why I add kit to do this if anyone is interested.
Deffo mate, would make a great thread.
To be honest it'll also be good for winter flying. Nice and toasty in the car :)
Certainly a lot less vulnerable to approaching dog walkers etc .. no hassle at all to be outside for launch, flick into RTH and then get comfy inside the car before pootling around the sky. Biggest issue for me is that I don't actually have a 5.8GHz receiver apart from the one in my goggles.
Next purchase I think.
How much dB gain would you lose by having a 2m extension lead from the antenna to the v8deo rx? would be a pretty simple solution but 2m could lead you to lose some.....
Preferable to have a rx on the roof and have the av cable running into the car. 5.8 vrx are extremely cheap, so ideal to have as a backup anyway just in case your module goes duff
Thing is everyone else who came up to us yesterday morning stopped for a chat, we let them have a look through some goggles while we petted their dogs or whatever, all really pleasant. The only one who had a problem was this "fellow RC enthusiast" (he even went as far as taking a picture of our cars, for what I have no idea). The thing is I know that most people who are into RC aren't like him. I've met loads of people from the club I used to go to when I've been out and about FPV flying and to a man they've all been interested and just keen to chat about it. Same as with FPVers really, there's just a few total dickheads that give the rest of us a bad name.
Pretty much the same experience. I've met a few idiots but mostly nice people - even then though I'd simply prefer to be left alone to do my own thing.
Yeah but I don't think stealth-flying from cars etc. will really do anything to help the situation either. Or at least if that's what it's coming to then it's time to find another :censored: hobby.
As this thread has, at times, wavered a bit from the title, I though this might be another reasonable deviation. Self driving cars are here to stay and the accompanying video shows car/pedestrian interaction. I do however find the smile slightly sinister. Whilst not intending, in any way to be racist, I think it is because of the angled headlights. Whilst some vehicles may appear less sinister in their intentions, others may appear decidedly aggressive and positively evil. If we are to see this invention in common use, it may be time for a styling rethink. Judge for yourselves.
http://semcon.com/smilingcar/ (http://semcon.com/smilingcar/)
Had this happen today and it reminded me of this thread or at least of when it drifted into cars vs bikes a page or two back...... The sweary person on the bike is me and the one having a near death experience is my Mrs! Luckily I had decided to shove my mobius on my bike.....
http://youtu.be/1pNisByggNs (http://youtu.be/1pNisByggNs)
Jeez!
The only thing I would say was they were obviously prepared to hit the other car than your wife. A few inches between the cars but a couple of feet between car and bike.
Obviously seriously stupid though!
Needs his /her license taking off them. End of.
Quote from: Billy_boy_2010 on September 26, 2016, 10:54:53 PM
Jeez!
The only thing I would say was they were obviously prepared to hit the other car than your wife. A few inches between the cars but a couple of feet between car and bike.
Obviously seriously stupid though!
If the other car hadn't of stopped (and he did quickly) the idiot driver would of had nowhere else to go but into my wife. If he had of hit it then he would most likely of bounced off into her. The car coming towards us really saved the day by having enough awareness of what was going on in front of him to stop.
Some drivers can't see other cars, let alone bikes - that video doesn't surprise me in the least. Glad you and your wife are unharmed.
Quote from: jt on September 27, 2016, 08:36:20 AM
If the other car hadn't of stopped (and he did quickly) the idiot driver would of had nowhere else to go but into my wife. If he had of hit it then he would most likely of bounced off into her. The car coming towards us really saved the day by having enough awareness of what was going on in front of him to stop.
Good on the other car for stopping for sure. But stopping wasn't what helped really. It was him hugging the hedge so there was room for 2 cars and a cyclist side by side.
Had the car coming the other way been a bus or wide vehicle then yes very likely your wife would have been clipped.
It's definitely worth sending that footage to the local plod so they can at least have a word with the prick.
Quote from: Steve W on September 27, 2016, 08:52:59 AM
Some drivers can't see other cars, let alone bikes - that video doesn't surprise me in the least. Glad you and your wife are unharmed.
Me too :D
Quote from: Loopdreams on September 27, 2016, 09:59:11 AM
It's definitely worth sending that footage to the local plod so they can at least have a word with the prick.
Yeah, I'll get the Mrs onto that. :)
Why were you so far out to the right instead of being directly behind your missus?
I suspect you two had been cycling like that, and even side by side for miles down that back road just making the drivers behind you more and more frustrated... No wonder drivers take chances like this.
1. I'm happy you're both safe.
2. The driver overtaking you in that clip was wrong and stupid.
These things I do not disagree with... But showing a small bit of footage (i.e. The only bit that shows others wrong diing) is a classic tactic.
Quote from: BlueFlyer on September 27, 2016, 11:48:24 AM
Why were you so far out to the right instead of being directly behind your missus?
I suspect you two had been cycling like that, and even side by side for miles down that back road just making the drivers behind you more and more frustrated... No wonder drivers take chances like this.
1. I'm happy you're both safe.
2. The driver overtaking you in that clip was wrong and stupid.
These things I do not disagree with... But showing a small bit of footage (i.e. The only bit that shows others wrong diing) is a classic tactic.
What video was you watching Blue?
The first car that overtook did it on the straight where visibility was at its highest, the other car overtook on a blind bend.
Look how close to the edge JT´s wife was riding and JT himself is right behind her when that complete cock overtook on the corner....
Quote "No wonder drivers take chances like this. " - This is because there are twats out there that can´t wait 20 seconds for the road to open up! The End!
I wouldn't even consider riding a bike down that road.
I've seen enough near misses and heard enough reports of the not-so-lucky to realise this sort of driving isn't going stop.
I simply wouldn't put myself in that position in the first place.
It's not just 20 seconds is it though?
Not on those kind of roads. You can get stuck for ages behind side by side riders or even lone riders on narrower roads.
I'm not defending the drivers actions, it was idiotic.
Quote from: BlueFlyer on September 27, 2016, 11:48:24 AM
Why were you so far out to the right instead of being directly behind your missus?
I suspect you two had been cycling like that, and even side by side for miles down that back road just making the drivers behind you more and more frustrated... No wonder drivers take chances like this.
1. I'm happy you're both safe.
2. The driver overtaking you in that clip was wrong and stupid.
These things I do not disagree with... But showing a small bit of footage (i.e. The only bit that shows others wrong diing) is a classic tactic.
What????? Having a bad day Blue? :laugh:
I am riding within a foot or two of the bank all the time???? We never ride side by side, that's both stupid and irritating. Living as we do in Norfolk, many of the roads are tiny and you often have to stop to let cars pass(which we do). If you listen to the audio in the video you can quite clearly hear me say "car" for the first one, and then for Mr special driver "another one coming" , as he approached, he definitely wasn't stuck behind.....FFS. I have a mirror and use it!!!
This knob jockey overtook us on a blind bend, the other car was in sight just before he overtook and he did it anyway, then he goes round the 90 degree left hander in the middle of the road...... Clearly my fault...... :'(
The reason the video is only 39 seconds long is that that was the interesting bit...... I could have uploaded the entirety of the ride but I'm sure 26 miles of my wife's arse(despite being fit) would have got a touch boring??? :laugh:
Please upload and I'll make my own mind up ;)
I'm being harsh here of course, that dude is a c word for his behaviour.
I have absolutely no grounds to accuse you of disrespectful cycling. I apologise
Bottom line is, the car should have given them enough room. Not enough room to pass? Don't do it. Lack of patience is not an excuse, cyclist acting like an idiot in the road - you wait.
It's that simple. I'm not even a bikerist either.
Yer i would have waited, then shouted "wan*er" as i went past at a safe distance. :P
As much as i dont like cyclists, i dont want to kill any.
Passing anything on a blind corner is just stupid. I came round a corner last week to be greeted by a pickup truck passing a horse box. Lucky i was paying attention and slammed on the brakes.
Morons come in all shapes and sizes.
You cannot tarnish all bikers as being pompous pricks who should pay road tax and have insurance any more than you should tarnish all car drivers saying that they're blind and should know better!
Lets not forget that we as FPV enthusiasts are being wrongly tarnished by the press as pests and scallywags, spying on people and causing a public nuisance, with accusations of flying low over Mrs. Miggins bloomers hanging on the washing line, to Rev. Pinks assertions that we're likely to steal the Church funds using that new fangled flying whatchamacallit with a grabber! Or was that in a recent Beano I read?!?
I'm always on edge when I go out to fly in a public place. I just want to be left alone to get on with it. The irony is that I expect Steve wanted to distance himself from people/clients jabbering on and escape for 20 mins to fly in a safe place, to only get an earful from a passerby.
Absolutely true
As one of those "Older people" I can say with confidence, that it's a clear fact, that folk riding cycles these days do seem to ride further from the roadside gutter than we did back in the day...no idea why..?
I met one on the way to the flying site a week or two ago, it's a fairly wide A road but I still had to go over the white line to get past her having waited until oncoming traffic had passed... Id say there was at least 3 feet between her and the roadside edge.
She was a 30 something, helmet, racing bike, and all the lycra gear too, an obvious serious rider Id say. That in my book makes it even more inexcusable.
I think part of the problem is that if a cyclist is riding well clear of the gutter, Mr Car driver has already seen them doing it from 30 yards away (or more) and is from then on wary and gives them a wide berth regardless.
Some women are also not spatially aware like men are, that's just a fact. Witness them driving down the middle of a parked up road as they head towards you hogging the road because they dont know how wide their car is, sound familiar?
Not a rant or saying any of this is happening in the Video, it's just an observation over a long period. It's a good job that woman wasn't driving the hedge hugging Silver Car.....:)........ :dazed:
:vulture:
The cyclist is allowed to use the entire lane if need be - they're to be treated as if they were a car.
It's safer for a cyclist to be away from the kerb due to
a) all the rubbish/stones/glass/etc in the gutters
b) drain covers
c) pedestrians accidentally stepping out or overhanging the path with bags etc
d) wind making them wobble around into the kerb with potential issues including coming off!
I think what it boils down to is peoples' temperaments while driving - if you can't wait a couple of minutes to get past someone else legitimately using the road then you probably should consider why you're so wound up.
Same with horses.
I've completely mellowed in recent years with this stuff because I found myself wound up for very little reason way too often and the only person going to end up either dead or in prison was me...
Quote from: Steve W on September 27, 2016, 08:31:48 PM
I think what it boils down to is peoples' temperaments while driving - if you can't wait a couple of minutes to get past someone else legitimately using the road then you probably should consider why you're so wound up.
Same with horses.
I've completely mellowed in recent years with this stuff because I found myself wound up for very little reason way too often and the only person going to end up either dead or in prison was me...
Are you really saying that you would have the patience to wait behind a cyclist for TWO MINUTES whilst it's doing 10-20mph when you would potentially be doing 50-60?
Wow you remind me of that Jack Nicholson character from that film anger management.
That's right. I'm not saying I wouldn't start getting a little flustered, but I wouldn't pull into the other lane on a blind corner just to get past, no.
I've got little kids to think about at the end of the day - that trumps anything else, including being late. That's a consequence of poor time management, not poor cyclists.
Quote from: Billy_boy_2010 on September 27, 2016, 09:16:33 PM
Are you really saying that you would have the patience to wait behind a cyclist for TWO MINUTES whilst it's doing 10-20mph when you would potentially be doing 50-60?
Wow you remind me of that Jack Nicholson character from that film anger management.
Presumably you have the patience to wait at a junction when there's traffic. You have the patience to wait at a crossing if the lights are red, and allow pedestrians to cross you have the time and the patience to park your car in a car park potentially minutes from your intended destination and walk into town? Why would you risk someone elses life because you're angry that a cyclist slowed you down for a couple of minutes?
I think that anyone who's getting stressed because they are stuck behind a bike for 2 minutes, cycling perfectly legally should consider handing their driving license in as they are clearly not fit to drive and have lost the ability to understand the responsibility that 1.5 tonnes of metal and plastic "should" demand!
Come and live near the new Forest where the Ponies stop you almost every day for minutes. It's just a fact of living around here. Oddly enough, most driver around here don't have a major problem with this and just let them do their thing, no shouting or swearing.
Now before I get my head chewed off, I'm no longer a keen cyclist, but my 9 year old daughter and 11 year old son are and I don't want some twat mowing them down because they wanted to save 2 minutes off their journey!
Quote from: Steve W on September 27, 2016, 10:52:07 PM
That's right. I'm not saying I wouldn't start getting a little flustered, but I wouldn't pull into the other lane on a blind corner just to get past, no.
Oh right that's quite different. No one would suggest pulling into the other lane on a blind corner justifiable or sensible. Even the driver in question- before and after- would no doubt say it wasn't justified.
LOL chill folks !
I live in Cambridge. We have more bikes than cars.
Just chill... Breathe and release....
When I took my driving test, there was a traffic light failure, and I said to the examiner "I think there is something wrong".
He sais "yes, I think so too - observe the situation and proceed with cauton".
Good advice, methinks.
Quote from: krikey on September 27, 2016, 11:13:25 PM
Presumably you have the patience to wait at a junction when there's traffic. You have the patience to wait at a crossing if the lights are red, and allow pedestrians to cross you have the time and the patience to park your car in a car park potentially minutes from your intended destination and walk into town? Why would you risk someone elses life because you're angry that a cyclist slowed you down for a couple of minutes?
I think that anyone who's getting stressed because they are stuck behind a bike for 2 minutes, cycling perfectly legally should consider handing their driving license in as they are clearly not fit to drive and have lost the ability to understand the responsibility that 1.5 tonnes of metal and plastic "should" demand!
Come and live near the new Forest where the Ponies stop you almost every day for minutes. It's just a fact of living around here. Oddly enough, most driver around here don't have a major problem with this and just let them do their thing, no shouting or swearing.
Now before I get my head chewed off, I'm no longer a keen cyclist, but my 9 year old daughter and 11 year old son are and I don't want some twat mowing them down because they wanted to save 2 minutes off their journey!
Not sure why you're targeting me I wasn't driving.
all journeys are a risk. If you want to make the risk zero make the speed limit 0.0mph (someone will still snuff it at 0.1mph).
Getting stuck behind cyclists is frustrating. Provided they are cracking on and keeping fairly close to the side I don't mind. Side by side, dicking about in the middle or a string of them so long that you can't overtake on straight bits and it annoys me hugely.
Glad to see you don't want your children killed!
Quote from: Billy_boy_2010 on September 27, 2016, 11:29:09 PM
Not sure why you're targeting me I wasn't driving.
all journeys are a risk. If you want to make the risk zero make the speed limit 0.0mph (someone will still snuff it at 0.1mph).
Getting stuck behind cyclists is frustrating. Provided they are cracking on and keeping fairly close to the side I don't mind. Side by side, dicking about in the middle or a string of them so long that you can't overtake on straight bits and it annoys me hugely.
Glad to see you don't want your children killed!
Yeah sorry. It was a bit of a rant :\
Question: TJ why where you driving as a mobile road block at 10 to 20 mph up a busy country lane? IMHO your action may have been a major contribution to the incident. If it was to act as a protection for your wife then surely it's too dangerous for her to be on two wheels on that road.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
He wasn't, not even remotely. You don't have to cycle in the gutter with hedges bouncing off your face. His wife was probably cycling nearer to the edge because of too many pricks in cars passing far too close.
Quote from: BigT on September 29, 2016, 10:22:27 AM
Question: TJ why where you driving as a mobile road block at 10 to 20 mph up a busy country lane? IMHO your action may have been a major contribution to the incident. If it was to act as a protection for your wife then surely it's too dangerous for her to be on two wheels on that road.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Watching that video, I saw no evidence that he was a moving roadblock any more than a slow tractor using the lane would be. The simple point of his video was that the driver overtook when they clearly should not have done.
Quote from: Loopdreams on September 29, 2016, 10:36:35 AM
He wasn't, not even remotely. You don't have to cycle in the gutter with hedges bouncing off your face. His wife was probably cycling nearer to the edge because of too many pricks in cars passing far too close.
I agree, the video clearly shows the driver having no patience what so ever and he could have caused a nasty accident. If you don't like cyclists on the road then don't sodding drive!
No patience?
For all we know there was a queue of traffic behind the cyclists that had been stuck behind them for miles.
It shows a driver doing something stupid, yes. It doesn't show or give insight as to what was happening in the drivers mind to make him do that silly manoeuvre
I'd suggest to all the people assuming that they must have been stuck or ages or that they cyclists had been riding badly or something to try riding a bike for a good length of time. I can guarantee that you would no longer be making those sort of idiotic assumptions. Everyone doesn't drive like you, there are loads of drivers with paper thin patience who will pull moves like that rather than wait for even a few seconds.
Quote from: BlueFlyer on September 29, 2016, 10:42:59 AM
No patience?
For all we know there was a queue of traffic behind the cyclists that had been stuck behind them for miles.
It shows a driver doing something stupid, yes. It doesn't show or give insight as to what was happening in the drivers mind to make him do that silly manoeuvre
Yes Blue, that's what I wrote, no patience. And why cant people wait? I´ve sat and waited for busses and trains no end of time and never moaned, get behind the wheel of a car and you all think the throttle has only got two positions.
For your information I was trained for two years as a professional driver in Crowthorn by 2 companies, Drive and Survive and ProDrive so I know what I am talking about and I know that most male drivers are complete cocks, I was one myself once, hence the training.
I'd suggest you stop assuming that the only people complaining about cyclists have never cycled before.
I've been an avid cyclist for years, rode from my home on the Wirral to the top of Moel Famau in North Wales, have cycled from Lincoln to Holyhead... And back again.
I stopped cycling on public roads when I got my driving licence (aged 21) and realised how much of a pain in the back side cyclists on the road really are.
2 minutes of "waiting" may not have much of an impact on slow cyclists travelling 10-20mph but when you're fully expecting to be able to travel AT the speed limit, 2 minutes is 2 miles distance you've stopped me from progressing in my journey.
Well then I don't know where you've been cycling to assume that people only make idiotic close passes after they've been waiting for two minutes. And furthermore to be so sure that this was the case here as to make up a scenario in your own head that the driver must have been waiting for this two minutes in order to make a move like that.
I've already apologised for making that assumption.
My point later on was that in this instance we don't know why he did it.
Not once defending him.
In the same way I shouldn't have assumed the bikes were causing a nuisance for miles, you shouldn't assume they were not.
I think we're all agreed what the driver did was wrong.
I'm done with this thread cheers and once again jt, apologies for being such a presumptuous oik.
He did it because he's a bellend. He overtook on a blind corner and not only put himself in danger, but the cyclist and the driver of the car on the other side of the road who had right of way.
It doesn't matter if jt had been cycling for 5 miles at 3mph, that was completely the wrong place to pass. He deserves to be reported.
JEEEEZZZZUSSSSSS!!!!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I'm starting to wish I hadn't posted the video now..........
I came onto that road about 200yrds back, I was leaving it again almost immediately by turning right off it. We were not annoying/holding up/pissing off/gesturing to/riding annoyingly etc etc etc at all. I went for a f***ing bike ride with my Mrs, that's all. Infact I really need to cycle, I had a 99% blocked left coronary artery that meant I was a whisker away from being dead, luckily they cleared it, but to go with my lifetime of meds I need to exercise my fat arse lots to keep the blood cholesterol down and my heart healthy(unlucky genetic disposition to it the consultant who saved me said, I'm only 42 FFS), this being so my 5 and 6 year old kids have a Daddy. Hence I now cycle 100 miles a week.....
Quote from: BigT on September 29, 2016, 10:22:27 AM
Question: TJ why where you driving as a mobile road block at 10 to 20 mph up a busy country lane? IMHO your action may have been a major contribution to the incident. If it was to act as a protection for your wife then surely it's too dangerous for her to be on two wheels on that road.
Huh??? I wasn't a mobile road block, I was riding about 2 foot away from the edge, nothing annoying or wrong with that is there????
How would my position on the road of made any difference to matey overtaking in the manner he did and risking making my kids down a parent???? FYI, a long straight leads up to that piece of road and around the sharp left ahead is another straight piece where overtaking is safe and easy
I do drive, I'm certainly not one of those annoying youtube cyclists swearing at every passing car and looking to annoy those irritating car drivers!!! :laugh:
I live in North Norfolk, that is a B road, hardly a country lane, we mostly do ride on country lanes though, as in single track roads.... I'm really shocked at the anti-bike sentiment here TBH, I would of thought as FPV'ers who are often targeted as 'bad' we would possibly have the ability to see things from more than one point of view instead of drawing quite wrong conclusions(as all those people including the original swearing at Steve bloke do).....???
2 minutes? Sure it can be frustrating if you want to press on and feel the need to drive to the speed limit. But consider the much greater delay if injured bodies and mangled cars are involved as well as Police. Ambulance. Fire Brigade, insurance, undertakers, courtroom etc. Hell you might even get delayed for 2 hours or 2 months or 2 years.
2 minutes is nothing.
Quote from: electrotor on September 29, 2016, 05:52:57 PM
2 minutes? Sure it can be frustrating if you want to press on and feel the need to drive to the speed limit. But consider the much greater delay if injured bodies and mangled cars are involved as well as Police. Ambulance. Fire Brigade, insurance, undertakers, courtroom etc. Hell you might even get delayed for 2 hours or 2 months or 2 years.
2 minutes is nothing.
Too Right Eh!
I'd love to add my 2 cents, but the parking meters full.
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/39/4f/3f/394f3f8d7eb3e528490dcebf15b251c1.gif)
Completely off topic, but there's a lovely Commodore Pet in that GIF.
Quote from: krikey on September 30, 2016, 10:56:44 AM
Completely off topic, but there's a lovely Commodore Pet in that GIF.
Oh yes, first computer I ever used at school. There was this interesting adventure game on it that I've never been able to find - used to use timing for attacks - so you had to press the space bar quickly else it would say you were too slow and take damage. Practically the first use of a quick time event (as made popular in Shenmue)
Now it's properly off-topic :D
I'd like to see an off topic forum in here, so we can chat about non fpv stuff. The general forum doesn't quite differentiate enough I feel.
We had a single Acorn Archimedes at school but not one teacher who had a clue. I remember it got wheeled out like some sort of museum artefact. Then carefully put away again. Never even saw it switched on.
IT Crowd set:
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/news/3080/computer-museum-helps-the-it-crowd/ (http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/news/3080/computer-museum-helps-the-it-crowd/)
Quote from: BlueFlyer on September 30, 2016, 11:13:02 AM
I'd like to see an off topic forum in here, so we can chat about non fpv stuff. The general forum doesn't quite differentiate enough I feel.
Nah! It'd turn into other forums where the vast majority of threads are about random stuff. Spoils it.
If we go down this route, PLEASE allow us to ignore boards.
and a guided tour:
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKJGUd-fFHc#)
Quote from: BlueFlyer on September 30, 2016, 11:13:02 AM
I'd like to see an off topic forum in here, so we can chat about non fpv stuff. The general forum doesn't quite differentiate enough I feel.
We already have an Open Rant thread for depressurising.
http://www.fpvhub.com/index.php/topic,48249.270.html (http://www.fpvhub.com/index.php/topic,48249.270.html)
You already can ignore boards.. I ignore all of mini quad stuff 😀
Quote from: Steve W on September 30, 2016, 11:24:56 AM
Nah! It'd turn into other forums where the vast majority of threads are about random stuff. Spoils it.
If we go down this route, PLEASE allow us to ignore boards.