You might think that a video of a cyclist being pushed off his bike and into a ditch by a man in a passing car might receive universal condemnation, but after broadcaster, journalist and cycling campaigner Jeremy Vine posted such a video on social media on Tuesday, that unfortunately wasn’t the response from everyone.
Vine posted an old video of a car passenger leaning out of the window to push a cyclist into a ditch, laughing with the driver as he did it, which was subsequently picked up by a number of media outlets including radio station LBC.
Wonder who these guys are. pic.twitter.com/fFX8KvY5fE
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) March 13, 2018
The vast majority of social media users who responded to Vine and LBC’s tweets were appalled by the video, but not journalist and painter Jane Kelly, who decided that a cyclist being pushed into a ditch and potentially injured was something worth celebrating.
Sounds bad, until you see the film and can't help cheering. We've all longed to do it to the Lycra Men.
— Jane kelly (@Janekelly25) March 13, 2018
Kelly, who writes for conservative political magazines The Spectator and The Salisbury Review, and has previously contributed to The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, was quickly criticised by fellow journalists, including Peter Walker, The Guardian‘s political correspondent who frequently comments on cycling, and chief sports writer at The Times, Matt Dickinson.
Please, Jane, never, ever drive a car again.
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) March 13, 2018
Not safe with a twitter account, never mind a car
— Matt Dickinson (@DickinsonTimes) March 14, 2018
Despite the negative response to her tweets, Kelly continued to defend her opinion that the men in the car should be applauded for pushing the cyclist into the ditch, saying that the cyclist was “in full control of his bike” as he crashed at high speed into the ditch.
In the film we saw the cyclist cycling manfully, in full control of his bike, down into the ditch
— Jane kelly (@Janekelly25) March 14, 2018
She also wrote that “as far as I can see, no one was hurt in the incident” and that the cyclist “didn’t even wobble” (despite the fact that the video shows him going over the handlebars into the ditch.
Not sure what you mean, but as far as I could see no one was hurt in the incident & the Lycra Man didn't even wobble
— Jane kelly (@Janekelly25) March 14, 2018
This seems to be Kelly’s first contribution to the world of cycling, but she has been no stranger to controversy over the years, including being sacked by the Daily Mail after a painting of hers featuring serial killer Myra Hindley was exhibited in Liverpool.