Arsehole on a bike

[FPVSteve]

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 :(

[mutley2]

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.

[Drone 5]

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.

[Lola]

I thought you behaved in a very reasonable and mature manner. I must take a leaf out of your book!

[grahamjb]

Typical 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

[MarkLloyd]

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.

[FPVSteve]

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...

[Billy_boy_2010]

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?!

[rank]

Not much to do with the flying, as such. People are just full of anger and use any excuse to dump their sh*t

[Andy Sayle]

Could he have been complaining about your parking?  And not the flying (if he even realised you were flying?)

Andy

[_tj_]

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

[FPVSteve]

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...

[Andy Sayle]

Probably exactly as the title suggests then!  Best ignore it, and carry on having fun ;)

[drambuidhe]

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

[elmattbo]

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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