Oh, Twitter. Widely recognized as a place for thoughtful and thoughtful debate (right?), the social media platform can also – surprisingly – provide a largely anonymous haven for some groups’ more toxic opinions.
And so it turned out, when over the weekend Jeremy Vine posted another video of his ride in London, which showed a van driver driving up the path to pass a taxi on what was once the cycle path of Kensington High Street:
Yesterday Kensington. 😡@Trafficwmp @SurreyRoadCops @roaddangers @Lord_nikon0131 @London_Cycling @KensingtonVan @kensington @KensingtonRoyal @kensingtonband @betterstreetskc @BetterChiswick @AracerRacer @rant_rate @ormondroyd @danbamb @jonburkeUK @RailtonLTN @LoveFor2Wheels pic.twitter.com/H8LzO2TD9G
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) March 19, 2022
One particularly obnoxious taxi driver’s response to the broadcaster’s video was, shall we say, rather blunt:
@theJeremyVine … you are a sad jerk
—Tom (@tjab1425) March 19, 2022
In fairness, Vine didn’t hold back either:
So sad you got a license to embarrass London. Please find another job.
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) March 20, 2022
You don’t understand, do you? The more people on the bike, the clearer the roads for you to pick up passengers. But you have a strange hatred for cyclists instead of loving us.
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) March 20, 2022
After some more childish and largely meme-based taunts (I’d probably avoid visiting Tom the Taxi Driver’s profile, as he’s pretty disreputable), one user came up with a handy idea for cyclists to avoid the anti-bike taxi drivers:
I wish toxic Twitter taxi drivers put their Twitter handles on the side of their taxis so you can avoid them. There are so many charming taxi drivers out there, but there’s the concern that you might end up with someone who has all that hate.
—Railton LTN (@RailtonLTN) March 20, 2022
This prompted some cyclists, including Simon MacMichael of road.cc, to share their favorite bike taxi stories:
My favorite London taxi story? Cutting well for the Eurostar, take a taxi from Paddington.
Driver: “Effin’s cyclists, think they’re in the Tour de France. Anyway, where are you heading?”
“Paris. Introducing next year’s Tour de France route. Don’t worry, don’t think Euston Road is there.” https://t.co/a6rLsbb2aP— Simon MacMichael (@simonmacmichael) March 20, 2022
Some of those in Edinburgh aren’t much better! https://t.co/Ok9d8cec1X
— Deacon Thurston 🚴♂️ (@DeaconThurston) March 20, 2022
And my favorite, from cycling author Chris Sidwells:
Mine is. Irish taxi driver. “What are you doing?”. Me, “I write about cycling” She, “I hate fucking cyclists.” Then, “Do you know Sean and Stephen?” Me, “Yes I do” Her, “Ah, they’re lovely guys.”
— Chris Sidwells (@ChrisSidwells) March 20, 2022
Others, however, were keen to point out that Tom the Taxi Driver certainly does not represent all taxi drivers:
The Tubes were playing one morning so I took a taxi to Euston. I said I was cycling to work and he asked which club I rode for ‘Catford’ (at the time). “Oh, I’m West Kent RC”. Nice trip.
— Rob Bullyment (@RobBully) March 20, 2022
But so many charming drivers who were a great comfort in dark and sad times.
—Railton LTN (@RailtonLTN) March 20, 2022
When I was last in a taxi a few weeks ago in the coastal town of Bray, just outside Dublin, we spent nearly an hour chatting with our driver, a cafe owner retired who raced mountain bikes, reminiscing about local cycling legends. like Peter Crinnion. Luckily, he didn’t run the counter…
