BBC Says Fantasizing About Punching Cyclists is a ‘Comedic Twist’

Fantasizing about punching cyclists on BBC radio amounts to “a comedic twist”, according to the BBC Scotland Complaints Team.

Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps recently told the Daily Mail that he was interested in registration plates and compulsory insurance for people on bikes, as well as extending speed limits to cycling.

Predictably, Shapps’ grandstanding generated a wave of anti-cycling bile in the gutter press.

The topic was then discussed on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breaking the News.

Comedian Celya AB was asked about the story and said:

‘Yes it’s about the new [something] about cyclists. They are thinking of giving them number plates and a bit more responsibility on the roads. I think we should [treat cyclists like drivers]. It’s still insane to me that people cycle on the roads. It’s like acoustic driving. It’s like a deconstructed car – just get a car. I find it so dangerous. And also I think cyclists, we’ve made them too confident. Where I live in London, cyclists will just go on the road and will not stop at red lights, they will just keep going. It’s too confident. They’re exposed, they could be hurt by me punching them.’

celya ab

Anyone who rides a bike around the UK’s towns and cities already experiences hostility and danger to their physical safety on a daily basis. They won’t find AB’s “comedic twist” very funny, and will not thank BBC Radio Scotland for giving a platform to fantasizing about or imagining assaulting people because they are cycling.

In response to a complaint, the BBC said:

‘…there is no malice in any of the humour and views expressed by the contributors. All views expressed in the programme are also compliant with the BBC’s Editorial guidelines. As a topical piece, the proposals around cycling was appropriate to feature in a satirical news show that covers the stories of the week. And having listened back to the programme, it’s clear that Celya AB’s reference to punching a cyclist was simply a comedic twist to her expression of concern for their welfare. Her point being she has real concerns for their safety but, like many motorists, is annoyed when some cyclists ignore red lights putting themselves, pedestrians and motorists at risk’.

BBC radio scotland complaints team

This is defending the indefensible because:

• there is a certain amount of malice in the comments
• whether there is malice or not, they add to the public idea that hatred of or violence against people riding bikes is acceptable
• this was a nonsense story brought about by Shapps’ desire to make cheap political capital at the expense of vulnerable road users; it did not need to be discussed on Scottish radio
• the comedian was expressing a ‘concern for [cyclists’] welfare’ – no she wasn’t
• cyclists put motorists at risk – no they don’t
• can we stop resorting to RLJ as an excuse for stirring up hatred against people on bikes?
• people break more laws when driving than cycling. For example 86% of drivers speed in 20mph zones. This does not result in drivers being “othered” or in comedians doing skits where they imagine punching drivers

A message to BBC Radio Scotland: maybe stirring up ill-will to people on bikes does fall within your editorial guidelines, but it will result in more hostility and physical danger to us. Just because you can do something within your rules doesn’t mean that you should.

A message to the BBC in general: please don’t do “I’m sorry you feel that we did something wrong” non-apologies, they just wind people up for no reason. There may be occasions when you don’t break your own rules, but what you did was crass; why not just say sorry?

A message to the comedian: maybe think about punching up not down in future.