This afternoon I saw on twitter that LBC were doing a bit of cycling bashing. So I thought I would listen in, at no point would I have thought that I would get this angry about the presenter, callers or even the cyclist that phoned in.
When they started by stating numerous times (the ill-informed Julia Hartley Brewer and callers alike) that car drivers pay to use the roads so should have exclusive use of them, I was hoping for ANYONE to point out that Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) does not pay for the roads, but roads are paid for by regular taxation, so I do pay for the roads, even if I don’t have a car or a bike. Check ipayroadtax.com for more details on that, but safe to say they are wrong. I did call in but unfortunately LBC didn’t call me back.
And MOTs, licenses and registration plates for cyclists is a useless suggestion, considering the police struggle and pretty much fight a losing battle against motorists who drive without insurance, how the hell do you expect this to be enforced. If anyone has any ideas I’d love to know. Before anyone mentions insurance, I have third party insurance on my bike, although I would never expect to use it.
Next, callers were virtually threatening cyclists. I don’t remember his name but the driver that said of cyclists “I’ve hit one before and would do it again. If they’re in my way I’ll run them down.” WHAT THE FUCK. I guess it says something that the caller drives a BMW but I wish he had given his number plate so I can avoid him altogether. And report him to the police if he tries to use his car as a weapon.
Cyclists that “wear lycra and think they’re professional cyclists” should dismount and use a footbridge (as suggested by a caller) is bollocks. We have a right to use the road and when we are traveling at a fair speed, why should we sacrifice journey time by minutes when we would only hold up cars for a few seconds, most of the time.
To the cyclist who is the only one who doesn’t break the highway code and thinks other cyclists (and I think he included the LCC in the statement) are arrogant scum is living in his own little world, I see hundreds of cyclists every year that are fine cyclists and don’t jump lights and so on.
And as for the presenter I don’t remember the complete build up, but saying that if you kill a cyclist you should be the one people feel for is pathetic, you come across as a selfish cow. You have no more right to use the road than a cyclist, and while I can’t remember the incident as you described it, I do remember thinking you did not have right of way, so it would have been your fault. Maybe you can email me at matt@mattbee.co.uk to explain it again, because I now simply believe you to be a danger to myself and other cyclists for not even knowing the highway code.
I am very sorry that LBC couldn’t call me back so that I could defend cyclists and point out their errors, ask why they think the aggressive behaviour of some motorists is acceptable and why a 4 year old case has brought the fact that a cyclist could kill a pedestrian into the media spotlight when hundreds (or thousands) of cyclists AND pedestrians are seriously injured by motor vehicles all the time (no pedestrian deaths in the last 4 years involving a cyclist hitting a pedestrian, there have been 3 people killed by cars or lorries in the past 2 weeks!).
And don’t get me started on Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs)… when will drivers/motorcyclists get punished for entering those I wonder.
I must agree, I am an occasional cyclist and I am shocked to hear somebody would not be concerned about hitting a cyclist, whoever that person is they should not be allowed behind the wheel of a car (or any other other road vehical). I am shocked that anybody would want to air that oppinion, let alone support it! When football pundits are sacked for sexist comment made off air and footballers are fined for making miledly contreversal jokes on their own twitter pages it is hard to believe that somebody can get away with abdicating violent criminal behaviour!
I’m a cyclist and regular listener to LBC. It seems that LBC has a policy of employing rubbish presenters for the afternoon slot and supporting an anti-cyclist view. JH-B is in my opinion a dreadful presenter who talks far too much. James Whale (4pm-7pm) regularly knocks cyclists. Nick Ferrari (7-10am) used to until his recent ‘conversion’ due to being involved in the Boris bike scheme.
Regardless of LBC and their strange presenters, I do find it strange how motorists’ attitude toward cyclists has worsened over the last few years despite all the various campaigns to promote the benefits of this great activity!
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Julia Hartley Brewer is a complete moron.
I wish she would get off LBC. She really winds me up!!
There is nothing wrong with cyclists, but I think it is the way in which the roads are poorly designed with these stupid cycle lanes. You only have to take a look at the way europe have done this and their cycle lanes are completely seperate from the road, much better idea (Paris, Amstadam). Motorists are more to blame for their arrogance and lack of patience.
As for Julia Hartley Brewer, she just talks too much and complete nonsense, all the time. I totally agree with the last users comment, she really winds me up too! Ever since, Jennie Barnett left or should I say sacked, LBC is just trash now in the afternoon, shame.
I totally agree that this woman is a complete idiot, I can’t believe that LBC employ her. I used to enjoy listening to the station but now radio is re-tuned to a competitor station in the afternoon so I don’t have to endure her bigoted ill informed drivel.
Hartley Brewer just “rabbits” ten to the dozen – she uses “y’know” and “er er er” on average once every 15 seconds because she speaks too quickly for her brain to keep up. She is absolutely woeful. She’s also always got a personal angle on every story – making her an “expert” …. “I have lots of gay friends, I was once robbed, I know a man who knows a man who was once shot in a riot etc etc. – I’ve got a degree in economics so I know all about the credit crunch. I really cannot bear her!
I hate Julia Hartley Brewer:
Here’s a sentence from her show today:
A lot of the, especially bankers, y’know, if the bankers want to y’know keep the the the the money in their y’know, coffers, er then then then they will have to y’know, look at other options”
- all delivered at the speed of light and in that hysterical monotone that she adopts. She is absolutely CRAP
I can’t stand Julia Hartley-Brewer she looks like a drag queen and spews offensive rubbish at a rate of knots. Maybe if she spoke less and thought more she might make some sense.
I have to endure my parents listening to LBC, but Julia Hartley Brewer is THE WORST. She hasn’t got a clue about anything, her whole show consists of a thug spouting shite as they’re mumbling in their sleep. Except she isn’t mumbling, she’s squealing.
During the first half hour of her show today Julia used the word “well” 24 times. “today we are talking about, well, is southern Europe suffering in the recession because it’s predominantly, well, catholic.”. Watch out for this particular verbal tick of hers it WILL drive you – well, MAD!
Use a five bar gate system and count her “wells” and “y’knows” …. It’s quite extraordinary!
To professional drivers, who drive for a living and spend anywhere up to 10 hours a day on the road, cyclists can be a total menace! I’m sure there are plenty of responsible cyclists, who treat other road users with respect, but there are also plenty of idiots, who either think they are indestructible (until they go under the wheels of a bus) or seem to regard car and van drivers as Satan’s spawn – I’d like to see them collecting a washing machine from Curry’s on their bike!!!
With reference to VED, the first ‘road tax’ was introduced in 1920 to pay for road construction, but from 1937, it was it was incorporated to general taxes. Regardless of this, every year I have to pay a small fortune to ‘tax’ and insure my fleet of white vans (yeah, I’m Mr White Van Man) and I’m sick and tired of paying to repair dents and scratches caused by cyclists who pay nothing for the privilege of using the road and don’t feel they have to wait in stationary traffic, like all other road users have to, when they can squeeze through a gap half the width of their bike!!!
If a cyclist hits and damages one of my vans, they don’t have insurance for me to claim on and there is no way of proving who they are, because as you were ranting on about, they have no visible means of ID (registration plates). In this situation, unless I or the driver involved, physically restrains the cyclist until the police arrive, I have to dip in my pocket again and things are tough enough at present – I’ve had to lay off staff because of rising overheads.
Sorry, I’m afraid I have very little time for whingeing cyclists – get a life or get a car!!
Hi MADMEX,
At least you accept there are plenty of cyclists that do cycle well – and I bet half the good cyclists you don’t even notice as they don’t pass you when they don’t have to or do silly things.
I don’t agree with the vehicle excise duty should mean you get priority over other road users though – I do own a car and do pay VED, so you can’t say I don’t contribute by using a bike! There’s a reason I cycle, because its quicker and better for me, as well as being more fun than driving. Similarly though – I was knocked off my bike by a lorry hitting my while overtaking – and he didn’t stop (don’t even think he realised) and losing skin and muscle hurt me more than you having a few dents in your fleet.
Still, maybe before cyclists have to have registrations (making it very inaccessible to everyone) maybe you should direct some anger to uninsured untaxed vehicles, a lot more dangerous than a cyclist and also a massive reason you pay over the odds for insurance.
Same as everything there are both extremes, but at least you know the facts, unlike Hartley-Brewer!
Cyclists are awesome and should own the road. I’d like to congratulate you all on being so much nicer that I am.
I love you all!
I agree Julia HB is a bitch she is so self centered and I swear 90% of her topics are for her own self serving interests ALWAYS going on about kids, schools or woman’s rights. FFS talk about things that concern everyone not just for your self.
PS is their any radio station similar to LBC in the afternoons so I don’t have to keep hearing her whiny voice?!
Have you EVER heard ANYONE rabbit as much as Julia! She seldom finishes the sentence that she’s on before starting on the next one. She’s always banging on about how she’s a “posh bird” “went to Oxford” yadda yadda – big fat lump.
Haha, I Googled JHB to vent after being so wound up again by her total ineptness at smooth delivery. I agree with all your comments about her & cycle prejudice. Actually, she changes her ‘opinion’ when challenged or appears the bad guy.London’s Briefset Conversation (& MOST interrupted is vile & self serving intent on profiteering whilst pretending to be a champion of the people by providing a forum for debate INCLUDING (lol) us. I had a van & motorbike all my life but found it no longer cost effective as I did less than 1k mpa yet paid the same as any rep.etc. I heard the bike tax sour grapes & wondered what % cost a bike owes for wear & tear & space used & of course-what about pedestrians?-They are a danger to cyclists (& vehicles)as they mindlessly walk into us & so accordingly they must pay to leave the house too! LOOK< OMG! Every cyclist is the answer to grid-lock, congestion and safer streets & you want them back on fossil fuel? Madness. Give them every incentive-UK weather is crap.Finally, its so sad to hear u spitting bile a& contemptuos sour grapes because occasional the cyclist has the advantage over you!!The reason cyclist use narrow gaps is because vehicles dominate the highway-physically and egotistically. I have a trike-I moved a double bed never mind utilities.I have a massive basket on my bike . I am the HGV of cycles avoiding the need for a vehicle with my payload. Trouble is, speed bumps play havoc with my load and support rack. Another thing-it's not what you do but the way you do it. If I carefully & respectfully mount the pavement giving ped's. priority, no harm done. If I scoot the light with the ped's.- Why not? Ped carries bike = ok, but, obstructive. Cyclist scoots bike – angers all. CYCLISTS are NOT the probem, they are the solution. Amen
Last week some bloke closed down Tottenham Court Road by threatening people in one of the offices there – Julia went on to full “breaking news – minute by minute monologue” on the “unfolding events”. I turned her off, put the radio back on 2 and a half hours later and she was STILL going on – “as I say, er, er, er, er, er, a man has, er, er, er, er taken hostages and as I say, er, er, er er, ….” I despair.
At last I have found like minded people who find the arrogant, self serving, un professional Julia up my own arse Hartley Brewer quite simply mind blowing, her attempts to discredit anything from alternative medicine to cyclists is legendary, her ability to shout people down or just butt in show not only her lack of understanding on any given subject but her ability as a radio presenter is desperate.
On the subject of homeopathy she wrote the whole thing off, the homeopaths as fakes and the patients as some kind of cranks that she felt sorry for.
Over six million people choose to use alternative medicine, including members of the royal family, that is a big releif to the creaking NHS, no mention of that then Julia
Jhb was Hilarious today – way out of her depth in a discussion on northern Ireland and her majesty shaking hands with Martin mcguinness. Her knowledge of the background was so superficial that she sounded like an idiot. She was umming and ahhing so much that lbc must have been simply livid.
I have given up on LBC in the afternoons since Julia Hardly Bearable took over from Petri Hosken. I can’t understand most of her incoherent babbling and when she lowers her awful voice to what she seems to think is a seductive whisper I dive for the off button. When she was on holiday recently it was brilliant – Petri for two weeks !!
Julia Hardly Bearable!!! ha ha ha ha !!! brilliant! she’s the end!
I knew Julia Hartley back in her late teens before she added the hyphen Brewer bit to sound posh.
She would hog every debate and had to be the centre of attention. Liked to manipulate everyone and everything. She wanted to be the centre of cool and popular. If it wasn’t going her way she would feign illness to get sympathy from teachers. Back then you don’t analyse these things but now I can see she really had all the markings of someone who was deeply insecure and suffered from a serious narcissistic disorder. Maybe she’d had a hard time in her formative years, who knows.
As for LBC, let’s face it, they thrive on pissing people off.
That sounds just about right for Julia hardly bearable. Shes actually not very good at all. She finds it difficult to construct a sentence without stumbling over her words, using the wrong words using errr emm “who are we tryin to kid” and “well” all the time. I also detest the way she greets callers with a whispered “whatyawannasay” ugh
And “igorrabeonest”
Oh the irony of a bunch of horrible, offensive bitchy people accusing Julia Hartley Brewer of being horrible, offensive and bitchy. You really couldn’t make it up!
Perhaps, but I still stand by my original and subsequent opinions of JHB. There may be some hipocrasy (but I wouldn’t call it irony – but then I’m not an English expert). Out of interest, do you think JHB was correct to defend the driver who stated he has hit cyclists before and would again?
I’m sure Julia Hartley Brewer could make something up about that stance.
Hello Matt
I’ve read through the blog post and the subsequent comments but I can’t see where you claim that JHB ‘defended a driver who has hit cyclists and would do it again’. IF this is the case, then of course that’s unacceptable. However, I’m a long time listener of LBC and I subscribe to their podcasts so I will try to find the show in question and listen in so I can make my own judgement. I don’t like to jump to conclusions based on just one side of the story.
I once complained about James Max’s views on Nottinghill Carnival and was told that, unlike the BBC, LBC presenters are allowed to have their own point of view on the subjects they choose to discuss, but they must allow members of the public, or even guests, with opposing views on to the show to express theirs. Some presenters, I’m told, play ‘devil’s advocate’ to liven up the debate. Generally I find this to be the case with most presenters. Some presenters I find unbearably right wing but I still listen to them because all opinions have some validity. Often the general public have extremely interesting contributions to make. JHB is not the best presenter, but she’s certainly not the worst and the appallingly nasty comments above say much more about the personality flaws of those who’ve written them, than they do about her.
Stay safe on the roads ;o)
It probably doesn’t come through in the text but it was a caller who said he had hit a cyclist deliberately and would again, and JHB (from what I remember) said that he had every right to do such a thing if he wished, which made me furious.
And on that show, despite me calling in, not a single cyclist was represented, just numerous people criticising and attacking cyclists!
I don’t listen to LBC any more and never will again I hope!!
Yay ! I am glad it is not just me that finds JHB annoying, smug and ‘Well’ overall a disingenuous person !! Some poor woman was just telling her about the day her child went off happily to school and JHB ‘Super Mum’! (yes we know Julia! you have a child Julia! and you’re a great mum!! get over yourself !) just completely cut her off and started banging on about the day her child started school instead !!! How dam right Rude !! I have never met or known anyone that seems so self obsessed and yet tries to portray herself as a Saint !
Jog on St Julia !! You aint fooling no one !!
And I can stand the whispered seductive ‘whatdoyouwanttosay’ Either !!!! Arghhhhhhhhhh!!!
Not listening to her anymore!!
RANT OVER !
She is at it again! Bashing cyclist! Watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMphhd8QCwA&feature=player_embedded. Her subject was about this video (something interesting for once in her LBC show!). But she seemed to be only expecting calls and texts saying the CYCLIST was in the wrong and said “O it not like im blocking calls from people who support the cyclist umm ahhh umm the only calls im getting proves me right that the cyclist is to blame!” . Lying bitch if u look at the comments on utube and the lbc website u will see that more people are saying the police was in the wrong!. fed up with this cyclist bashing from LBC. Bet none of the LBC staff actually cycle to work!
And im sick of hearing about her kid, the way she goes on is like she is the only one with a kid!
Ha Ha! Yes!!! “SUPERMUM” – she was banging on about what a fantastic reader her kid is the other day – “I have to virtually drag her out of the library and I keep catching her reading under the duvet at night blah blah blah” wonderful! well done Julia!
She has recently taken to speaking so quickly that she has to constantly swallow as she runs out of breath – it sounds awful.
I’m not a fan!
I searched Google for Julia Hartley Brewer and the first search in the list contained the word “idiot”.
I can tolerate some of the LBC presenters, but Julia-harble-barble makes my brain explode. She tries to speak way too fast for her brain to keep up, but the content of what she says is so weak and superficial that it hardly matters anyway. Non sequiturs, terrible logic, “ah-ah-ah-ah”… “er-er-er-er”… “n-n-n-n”… high pitch child voice, low pitch seductive voice… she sounds psychotic.
James Max is another disingenuous high pitched irritating sh*t stirrer, a real sociopath (what kind of name is Mr Max anyway). He puts forward a controversial view so clearly designed to provoke people into calling in, then in brass faced fashion he waits for people to take the bait. If too many people agree (there is no short supply of half-wits) he switches to the opposite opinion with just as much fake conviction. What a d*ck.
Duncan Barkes just talks with an irritating bullish tone… even for the most inoffensive subjects he manages to raise by blood pressure somehow. Sometimes the tone of the voice has so little to do with the subject matter that it becomes bizarre/surreal.
Anthony “…well…” Davis recently slowed down the whiny thing he does with his voice. “…yes…” it was getting ridiculous at one point, but at least he allows a balance of views so I don’t mind him too much.
I especially like listening to the middle-aged cockney Daily Mail reading mugs and thugs that call in all angry… One of these days someone is going to have a stroke or heart attack on air.
Ha ha ha – Julia harble-barble!! Ha ha. When she’s doing her terminally dull rambling intro to a topic, tripping over every other word , she will invariably have a “funny” line that she repeats over and over and over again. Eg the other day she was talking about buy one get one free offers and said “bog off” about a zillion times … How we laughed!
I’ve got a degree from Oxford y’know. I’ve got a kid that I had when I was 38 y’know, my kid is an avid bookreader and terribly dmart y’know , I worked in restaurants and bars etc when I was at college y’know, I am an atheist , a feminist and a non-believer in homeopathic remedies y’know.
Now – what would you like to discuss that will give me an opportunity to repeat any or all of the above?
I wish i could put down in words what people have said regarding J H B. They’ve said it all and totally agree!
I only ask that no TV producer has her on his show, it would be a total disaster, and fear for their career.
The other presenter, is James o’ Brian, he always cuts people off, especially when he’s losing his argument!
Radio seems to have lost its way. How about a do it yourself program a bit radio 4 i know but it would make a change!
jhb god that horror of a woman would have all working class people believe that benefit claimants sit around smoking weed and drinking Carlsberg special brew all day .
The topic the other day of benefit claimants was constantly banged on by her about they have no rights to this that or the other simply because she pays for them due to her paying tax , jovially slagging the unemployed off with some other snob on the other end of the line .. ” disgusting woman ”
She really needs knocking down a peg or two .
She had this disaster slot on the show last week where she had a bob Crowe phone in. She spent half the time trying (and failing) to show how much smarter she is than bob. Meanwhile bob keeps sayin’ “at the end of the day” a million times and bring a thicker than mud thick arse. DISASTER
Also – James o’brien sounds like an undergraduate debating team member. He’s wafer thin and can’t tolerate being challenged. Even frank lampard out gunned him. Yes frank lampard – whose brains are in his feet
Totally agree with most comments, this women with her head soooo far up her own arse she doesn’t know whether to speak or fart, should be taken off of a prime time spot on an otherwise decent radio station. She doesn’t live in the real world. Never mind the cyclist stuff its pretty much all her views that make me throw stuff at the radio!
I’m so glad, I thought I was the only one who couldn’t stand her. She is an absolute areshole with her arrogant one sided views….