Magda Szubanski encourages violence against cyclists - not funny Magda...

Come on Hans it was on GNW and a bit of fun.

I think this sums up the bit of fun attitude pretty well.

"My name is Michael Forbes. 15 months ago I was hit by a truck and ricocheted into a parked car whilst riding my bicycle on Beach Road. The accident was absolutely no fault of my own and I am now a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. GNW has always been my favourite hour of television and nothing has made me more angry than last night's episode. For someone who is getting paid to lose weight to carry on like that last night showed no understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle and keep that weight off. Beach Road gets more cycle traffic than car traffic on the weekend and it is best that they do not use the bike path as it would not take long for a child to be struck by a cyclist at speed. So excuse me if I have taken this comedy show a little bit seriously in this segment but could you imagine my anger as somebody goes on a rant about knocking cyclist off their bikes on the exact road that life as I knew it ended? Especially someone who is respected in this community. I can honestly say I have not been more angry than right now in my entire life. When my wife makes her way into a cafe wearing her cycling outfit by losing weight through exercise to meet me in my wheelchair, if you are there Magda be sure to expect me to introduce myself. This rant from my perspective is infinitely worse than Kyle's effort on the radio."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=163306051741

"I am a bicycle retailer and have a customer who has recently ordered a replacement frameset from an accident on Beach road. He was riding with his brother a doctor over from Western Australia, both enjoying a morning ride together. They were run into the back of at 80kmh+ by a driver that didn't stop to give assistance.

This was over 12 months ago now and he still unable to do most basic things for himself, his speech is still very slurred and he is unsure when he will be able to get back in the saddle if at all. The tragic part is his brother was killed. Just out enjoying some time with his a member of his family, never to return home.

It may seem like an innocent rant to some but does nothing than encourage those who are just plain ignorant and arrogant in their attitude to cyclists in general. I am happy to put my car rego number on the back of my bike for her and cop any fines dished out. I pay the same amount of rego and insurance and last year only did 1172 km in my car so I have paid my way thanks very much and chose to use a bike instead.

She may well show her head and apologize but the damage is done I'm sorry. Yep Kyle is a moron but now he has someone to share the title with."

... but *not* because it was an incitement to vehicular homicide.

It just seemed ... well, lame. Forced. Like they were trying too hard.

However, it does explain the aggro I've been receiving this week. Each time this sort of crap appears in the media the risk of abuse and road rage seems to jump.

Gawd, where do all these scary incedents happen? I ride from Northen Beaches to Newtown. and only once or twice a week but haven't ever had any agro... perhaps I'm just lucky.

I do agree that the video clip makes them appear brainless morons desperate for a laugh. Trying to compensate for something Mada? Get yourself on a bike!

It wasn't even funny
I like how the show pony whatever his name is in the background was laughing hysterically

Frankly, I find this behaviour disgusting and out of order.

I have twittered my network with my outrage and included the following people:
Magda
Kate Ellis - Minister for Sport
Channel Ten
Cycling Australia

Hopefully it may gain some traction within the social media network. If you'd like to retweet http://www.twitter.com/phil_beresford

I've also emailed Media Watch.

Magda feedback forum on channel 10 website:

(This is read by the masses of non-cyclists...it helps to offer our perspective...)

http://forums.ten.com.au/forums/thread.jspa?thre...

That last bit was totally unacceptable, yes that was a comedy and some of that was funny. After all we poke fun at each other don't we??

I have a work colleague who was hit at a roundabout by a OAP in a car who didn't see him. He now has a broken wrist, broken pelvis and has not been back to work in 6 weeks he'll be off for another 3. He's been in a wheel chair for the whole time and constrained to the upstairs of his apartment.

Whats even more poor is that she is going to get free publicity for HERSELF and her weight loss by riding to work (great cause)

I think she should tag along with one of us (commuters) for a week and ssee how she goes?

I do 150kms on the singlespeed from Lane Cove to Newtown (5 x 2 15kms)and am more than willing to encourage her to come along as well. I do cycle the bike lane in but come home on the pacific highway.

Scrap the positive PR to make amends for her "comedy" just get out and do it! No cameras, just come out and see the stuff we deal with on a daily basis just so we can ride the bike and be good to the environment.

Andrew

PS Dylan you up for Thai La ong?? Craig is and we can get Supagav as well

I did see some of GNW but turned it off as there didn't seem to be anyone funny on this week (sometimes one of the guets is funny enough to carry the lame regulars) so I missed the rant against cyclists. What I don't understand is if Magda Szubanski is meant to be a representative for a weight loss company why doesn't she lose some weight? I wouldn't be going out in public looking like that, never mind have the nerve to take money for being the (fat) face of a weight loss product. The sooner she gets on her bike the better.

Dylan/Craig/Lorrie...

OT: คนที่อ้วนเร็วมากๆ !

So she's participating in Ride to Work day as "a gesture of solidarity".

Yup, that makes sense. She's solid, alright.

Maybe someone can get a car door from a wrecker? "Magda, as a gesture of our appreciation of your skit we'd like to present you with our own token of solidarity :D"

To have her ride to work with me it's only 20km - not a good days ride if I don't get told to "get the Fk" of the road" at least once

You note Szubanski only says she's sorry for causing offence and being insensitive, and actually has the nerve to try and put a positive spin on it - not good enough.

I think she really needed to include something pointing out cyclists have just as much right to use the road as anyone else, and that she of course would never intend to injure or scare a rider, and anyone who does that intentionally is not only acting stupidly but braking the law.

It should also be said that many an injury has been caused when a car driver intended just to scare a rider but their little 'buzz' of said rider went wrong and a collision was the outcome.

There's no joking about road safety Magda... get a grip!

And yes - for the record I can take a joke and the bit about spinning out and tip-tapping in cafes actually made me smile. Sad thing is though, you can't joke about these things because some imbeciles do not understand it's a joke and actually go out and get stuck into some of the proposed stupidity!

That thick bint in pink (Julia Morris?) is the one who wants to take cyclists out by driving into them - Magda just went with the flow and suggested a door fling but she didn't tell anyone to kill us (easily, anyway).

Ed (the guy in the background) laughed at the cafe entrance in cleats joke and nothing else. He is a cyclist. I thought that was pretty bloody funny meself.

Nobody's had a go at pink dress dumbo. She's the one who needs a slap with a track pump.

Anyone hear or better yet see any evidence of Magda getting out there today as promised?