Driver moans about cyclists on the road...doesn't get the reply she wanted; Biggins or Wiggins?; Rod Ellingworth: We're against one of greatest Grand Tour riders ever; Jeremy Vine has a chuckle; Bicycle mayor; A very Belgian vid + more on the live blog

hirsute wrote:

I don't think Twitter is aimed at rational discussion burt

Just as well I'm still banned from it until they decide my appeal for calling Cristo a cretin; ten months and counting.

eburtthebike wrote:

hirsute wrote:

I don't think Twitter is aimed at rational discussion burt

Just as well I'm still banned from it until they decide my appeal for calling Cristo a cretin; ten months and counting.

I think you need to move on from Twitter (or create a different account). Use of the word "cretin" is offensive to people with congenital iodine deficiency and also to people from Crete (Cretans).

Factually you are correct, so why the ban?

rct wrote:

Factually you are correct, so why the ban?

I don't know.  I appealed immediately, but have never had a response to the couple of times I tried to contact them.

eburtthebike wrote:

hirsute wrote:

I don't think Twitter is aimed at rational discussion burt

Just as well I'm still banned from it until they decide my appeal for calling Cristo a cretin; ten months and counting.

I'm with HP. Cristo may be an utter shit, but use of the word cretin as a pejorative is not dissimilar to using, say, spastic in the same context. 

I know your meaning, and echo those sentiments, but it may not  be the offence to Cristo as such that lead to twatter's verdict (if it was, shame on Twatter for casting him as a victim)

Captain Badger wrote:

it may not be offence to Cristo as such that lead twatter's verdict (if it was, shame on Twatter for casting him as a victim)

I suspect you may be giving them too much credit in thinking that they gave much thought to it either way. More likely, "Complaint #736,235... ...234,345 *flips coin* - heads - hit them with the ban stick. Complaint #736,235.... "

mdavidford wrote:

Captain Badger wrote:

it may not be offence to Cristo as such that lead twatter's verdict (if it was, shame on Twatter for casting him as a victim)

I suspect you may be giving them too much credit in thinking that they gave much thought to it either way. More likely, "Complaint #736,235... ...234,345 *flips coin* - heads - hit them with the ban stick. Complaint #736,235.... "

I fear you may be correct

Captain Badger wrote:

I'm with HP. Cristo may be an utter shit, but use of the word cretin as a pejorative is not dissimilar to using, say, spastic in the same context.

Cretin is nothing like spastic, and it is defined by the Cambridge dictionary as "a very stupid person".  There may be medical conditions associated with it, but these do not define it, unlike spastic.

But nothing explains the 10 month wait for an appeal which they claim will be done "as soon as possible."

Taken it mentioned Dated term which is why Cambridge didn't mention it but this is from simply doing a Google Search and taking the top suggestions offered direcly.

Quote:

1.
OFFENSIVE
a stupid person (used as a general term of abuse).
2.
DATED•MEDICINE
a person who is physically deformed and has learning difficulties because of congenital thyroid deficiency.

eburtthebike wrote:

Cretin is nothing like spastic, and it is defined by the Cambridge dictionary as "a very stupid person".  There may be medical conditions associated with it, but these do not define it, unlike spastic.

...

Sorry Eburt, I think you're wrong. Cretinism is actually a medical term, that's where the slur comes from. It still exists today, is an avoidable yet devastating condition if not caught and treated. MW defines as such

Merriam Webster wrote:

Definition of cretinism

: a usually congenital condition marked by physical stunting and intellectual disability and caused by severe hypothyroidism

I don't believe it is acceptable to use medical conditions as a slur - they effect real people, and their carers. In exactly the same way that it is not acceptable to use medical terms such as spastic, or mongol, retard, or any other for that matter whether or not the terminology is obsolete.

Eburt, I'm on your side regarding Cristo. Just not on the use of the word cretin

eburtthebike wrote:

Cretin is nothing like spastic, and it is defined by the Cambridge dictionary as "a very stupid person".  There may be medical conditions associated with it, but these do not define it, unlike spastic.

Well...actually "cretin" does have its origins (from the French) in a specific condition, the dwarfism and physical and mental impairments associated with genetic deficiencies in Alpine families. Ironically it wasn't actually an insult, it derives from "Christianus" and was meant to act as a reminder that the disabled were Christians, i.e. humans, not animals. 

Rendel Harris wrote:

 

Well...actually "cretin" does have its origins (from the French) in a specific condition, the dwarfism and physical and mental impairments associated with genetic deficiencies in Alpine families. Ironically it wasn't actually an insult, it derives from "Christianus" and was meant to act as a reminder that the disabled were Christians, i.e. humans, not animals. 

Quite an interesting article  here (yes, should b working). The word fell out of favour in a clinical sense due to perjoritisation in the 20th century. 

https://bigthink.com/health/history-of-cretinism/

Might have been a run flat. Might have been an arsehole. 

Question - is it an offence to drive an SUV?

No but it should be!

I'd say that could be classified as driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition and therefore potentially a upto a £2500 fine and 3 points.

DrG82 wrote:

I'd say that could be classified as driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition and therefore potentially a upto a £2500 fine and 3 points.

Well, he was in the queue to go over the Clifton Suspension Bridge and I noticed that there was a police car parked up on the other side of the bridge (I went over before he did).  I wonder whether they had a quiet word with him...

brooksby wrote:

I would have thought that driving along with a shredded tyre in a child-killing-planet-wrecking-road-hogging-greedy-arsed-wank-panzer-penis-substitute might be a teensy bit dangerous...?

TFTFY

So not only is he damaging the long term future of the teenage passenger by driving a planet-wrecking Chelsea tractor, but putting his immediate future at risk by driving him around in a defective vehicle. 

Moron isn't a strong enough word.

Had the same a few years back with a guy in a Golf. Caught up with him, and he just kind of chuckled, said he knew about it and sped off. Hope he didn't need to make an emergency stop any time after that.

About ten years ago now a car drove past our then flat on a main road in the early hours of the morning with the rear nearside wheel completely missing, dragging the axle along the ground, leaving an impressive trail of sparks and a massive gouge in the road. I ran out and shouted helpfully, "Mate, your wheel's missing!" to which he replied, "You think I don't fucking know?" and continued on his merry way. Shortly afterwards a Blues-Brothers-style convoy of patrol cars shot up the road in the same direction, so hopefully he was brought to a safe stop...

Rendel Harris wrote:

....Shortly afterwards a Blues-Brothers-style convoy of patrol cars shot up the road in the same direction, so hopefully he was brought to a safe stop...

Surely a huge smash up?

brooksby wrote:

 "I think you've got a flat tyre!" "Yeah, I know" he replies, and just carries on...

Maybe punctured it on a few spokes?