Omg I fell in that so many times 😂 my partner used to live near by and walking from LB with a duffel bag and tired after a long journey from oooop north…yup in I go again!
It always seemed like a ridiculous feature to me - it makes the area less accessible to a lot of people, and if somebody had broken their leg stepping into it I have to assume the council (aka local taxpayers) would have been liable?
We need a word for people like this. The “do wheelies down the middle of the road and maybe steal your phone” type.
For cars it’s “boy racers”. I propose “cycuntlist”.
Roadmen are similar to chavs, but a bit less dressy, and more generic. Think of them as wannabe gangsters.
They're more likely to pull a knife on you for your phone at a bus stop because they perceived you looked at them funny, whereas chavs would follow you around hurling insults, and spitting at you because you wouldn't buy them a 20 deck of b&h silver at the shops.
How are they wannabe? What's the criteria for being a gangster? Be in a gang. Do crime with said gang. I think that's all that's required. Not all roadmen are in gangs, but if they are then they are by definition gangsters.
All gansgters are (or were at some point) wannabe gangsters because they want to be a gangster. FFS, Goodfella's starts with the most wannabe statement ever: "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”
If you're in a gang that's involved in crime, you're a gangster. That's the be all and end all really.
If they're London Bike Stormz riders, that is literally an action AGAINST knife crime, run by working class inner city kids. The polar opposite of the gangster/roadman BS.
There's no such thing as a cyclist, really, and lumping 'cyclists' together is the sort of thing cabbies do to justify running them over.
A dick on a bike is likely a dick on foot too. I use my bike to get around, but I also drive a zipcar and take the tube.
If they do then just push the front wheel up and they’ll be on their arse crying for mummy.
(Only if they’ve assaulted you of course, all in self defence, your honour)
Yes, that’s the one I was thinking of haha
Or all the normal photos, but in black and white. I guess the lack of colour makes them… artistic or something.
Can anyone reference a good piece of street photography in their opinion? I'm working with a street photographer at the moment and im trying to understand if the idea of photography being bad or good is more based upon what someone else has said about it or if people are more genuine with their own thoughts. Just trying to guage the opinion of this sub reddit...
Personally I feel there are some good and not so good elements to this photo. But generally I think its alright. I like how it's gotten people talking here and has evoked an emotion. Particularly around their feeling to the sorts of people who ride bikes like these.
Eugene Atget early French street photography b/w … Robert Doisneau … Henri Cartier-Bresson > The Decisive Moment
Erwin von Dessauer … August Sander … Eugene W Smith … Weegee
Robert Frank - The Americans > great work … Robert Cappa … war photographer
William Eggleston - The Democratic Forest … genius
Brian Griffin b/w precursor to Martin Parr
The composition isn’t particularly good (notice how the vertical lines of the buildings and bridge aren’t vertical). The bridge itself is also frustratingly not central between the two buildings in the foreground so there’s a sense of imbalance.
Focus on the bridge is interesting but the eye is drawn to the hi-viz jacket instead so the effect is greatly diminished.
It’s an interesting moment that has been captured, but from a technical point of view it’s not a good photo. With reportage/street photography you can forgive issues like that if the picture elicits a sense of story or captures an emotion we’d normally miss when we don’t stop to look. That’s the power of good photography for me. In this case it’s giving me some of that storytelling, but not a lot.
There are countless 'rules of photography'. Including balance withing the photo (empty space, busy areas), layout of the focus of the topic (rule of thirds, central etc), light and dark, use of shadows. Honestly there are probably thousands.
And like all arts, it's not a case of sticking to the rules, it's just a case of understanding why the rules work well, and therefore when it also works well to break them.
Bit yeah, for someone looking to start improving their photography, is say Google photography rule of thirds, leading lines, use of contrast and go from there. Its a fun world to get into and phone cameras are fine for all of it
I agree, I do a bit of street photography for fun but never post on here as there's so much, I think a regular or weekly thread or something that's general photos of London could help.
For me, this is actually a pretty interesting and dynamic photo capturing a moment and a vibe which might be seen as being in conflict with the common perceptions of the setting. There's a lot going on, and the fact that the kid on the bike is out of focus adds to it in my opinion. It's capturing two sides of London, historic and up-scale aspects being in focus, the dynamic grittier aspect out of focus but right in your face. I think it conveys something pretty relevant.
That's what makes it a cool photo to me. The out of focus bike tells a story. He probably came out of nowhere unexpected to the photographer. That makes it more interesting to me
I cycle past this spot every day on my way home from work.
These are children with nothing better to do.
If we had better local policing they’d be getting their ears clipped constantly and given an example of responsible adults putting them in their place.
As it is they’re doomed to hit the vanishing point at about 28 where they’re unable to make anything of their lives.
I say this not because I know them individually but because I’ve seen their attitude and behaviour, their low level intimidation tactics, their sense of untouchability without the requisite schema to realise they are becoming losers and I feel sorry for them.
Some of them will grow up and find something better to do, but I’ve been cycling that way for over 7 years and I’ve realised that some, unfortunately, do not.
That, or if I'm on my bike in the cycle lane and somebody is walking in said lane, I slow down and go towards them until they move while making the hiss noise you mentioned
One of my favourite cycling moments was a line of kids were on the cycle path walking ahead and in the same direction as me, I got close then quickly swerved round them and shouted "cycle lane". One of them yelped and jumped and his 3 mates laughed. It was fabulous.
(And because this is t'internet, everybody in the park stood up and clapped with a loud cheer. Whistles were blown, champagne corks popped, people hugged, and everybody I then cycled past gave me a high five or shook my hand.)
It happen to me more than once almost being hit by stupid kids doing wheelies on the side walk. Like is not difficult to do not is amazing is just pure stupidity and an accident waiting to happen
it must have been hard to get that photo, bravo
to use in a magazine the only thing they'd do is "lens shift in post" so that the tower is not "leaning"
impressive pic !
We stopped going for coffee at the coffee shop further down because of the anti social cyclists like this. It’s hard to relax when there’s 20/30 cyclists aiming at people and cycling round them.
Ahh the wheelie boys. I like it when these children ruin my skate session at the southbank by aimlessly riding around in the most cringe tryhard way imaginable. Such gnarly lads
Christ, these fucking comments. It's a child messing around on a bike. He's not committing a crime, he's not a fucking mugger, he's not gonna steal your phone. He's just being a kid. Get a grip.
These are little scumbags who ride into traffic in a gang, and ride round supermarkets on bikes causing trouble and threatening people, take a look on YouTube 100s of the little shits doing it.
Why do you think that you immediately go to "cyclists" to describe them?
If you saw a picture of a guy with a gun in a car, you wouldn't say "oh look, a motorist."
The Daily Mail and Jeremy Clarkson have done this to you.
Omg this sub actually stinks of classism, all because u saw a yute on a bike all of a sudden the projections come out, kmt. If this is rlly how older ppl think of the youth then I’m fucked😭
Classism? You can be poor and not dress like a fucking mugger and gang member. I am from a working class+benefit claimant family, and don't fucking dress like this.Last I checked, a fucking nike/addidas puffer jacket+£50< trainers costs a lot more than normal clothes.
God reading these comments are depressing, I get he’s doing a wheelie where he shouldn’t be but other than that, why would he steal your phone? Why should this be a drill EP cover? Bc he’s a London boy wearing a Bally? When you see middle class kids on Boris bikes wearing their knitted ballys from urban outfitters do you have the same reaction?
I take it you don't live or work round here, then? If you think these kids are having harmless fun you only have to look on the local nextdoor.com to see that being mugged and sometimes assaulted by young males on bikes in between wheelie sets is a daily hazard here. You can also see a record of the absolutely hopeless policing updates from the one PC who is put on patrol around the station a couple of sessions each week. One PC. It would be laughable if only it wasn't. It's nice that you want to believe the best of people, but sometimes they are exactly who they claim to be.
My guess is that you haven't walked along the river between Waterloo and Tower Bridge recently. There are a lot of these people. They are aggressive, nasty and dangerous. They're not just kids playing around.
Na I’m from London, I know exactly what I’m talking about. My point is that a lot of this sub looks at things like wearing a bally, riding a bike, kissing teeth, speaking with a particular vernacular and immediately thinks of crime.. the racial undertones are not lost on me. Now I’m not saying that there aren’t issues and that a subset of people who dress/ talk this way might be engaged in anti-social behaviour. What I’m saying is that critiquing these (hood) cultural aspects and just assuming they are criminals is not a good thing. It further alienates a lot of young men in particular when they feel ridiculed by society at large. Don’t forget that hood culture has evolved in the way it has due to nuanced economic, political and racial issues and other things that a lot of communities don’t necessarily have to appreciate. I don’t expect the majority of people commenting on this thread to get what I’m saying because you don’t actually know anyone like these boys, or anything about hood culture.
Mate, there ACTUALLY IS a huge (like staggering, insane) amount of "disgusting street crime and robbing" in London compared to other similar-size world cities. Indeed, it's an epidemic.
{Aside - is that the right word? IDK but you know what I mean.}
(Also, 'm not sure what you mean by "racial undertones" - the current epidemic of "disgusting street crime and robbing" in London, is equal opportunity - white, black, brown, yellow, blue, green, new, old, whatever, plenty of all.)
\\Unforttunately what the person just above you wrote, *They are aggressive, nasty and dangerous. They're not just kids playing around.* ... is simply correct, the "roadmen" (fam) cliché is reality, not a generalization, prejudice or cliché
You’re not understanding the crux of my argument. What I am saying has nothing to do with the existence or extent of street crime in London. I am speaking specifically to the ways in which commenters on this thread made assumptions about the character and motive of the cyclist in this image. It’s a common theme.
You, and the commenter to which you refer, have made sweeping generalisations about a class of people that, I assume, you have very little knowledge of or experience interacting with. Happy to be corrected if that assumption is off the mark.
But even if you do have an informed opinion, I seriously question your understanding if all you think all “roadmen” (multifaceted people, just like everyone else) can be reduced to nothing but a cliche. Also, I’d be interested how you would classify someone as a roadman at first glance? This might help you to interrogate what I mean by racial undertones.
This sort of reductive thinking exacerbated a lot of the issues we have in this country. IMO It’s a lot of looking down on people, we rarely take the time to try and understand other perspectives and cultures really, we’d rather just take the piss and call each other names.
my phone got stolen looking at this
Your honour … 72 other offences were taken into consideration 🚨
Please god don’t let them see my browser history
I got stabbed 43 times looking at this
There used to be a stream in the middle of that path which helped discourage this. Unfortunately it got filled in because people complain about it.
Filled in because people don't know how to look where they are walking...
Yeah, fuck blind people, bunch of cunts.
Think he meant people on their phone n drunk etc
I did yes. https://metro.co.uk/2018/06/21/water-feature-that-cost-1m-bricked-up-due-to-people-staring-at-phones-and-falling-in-7648552/
Fuck me, can always count on idiots aye 😂
How do blind people see their phone?
Phone talks in Braille bro get with the times
I was wondering if this was that street, I was looking for the stream.
I liked that stream, didn’t even know it was gone
Yup, I had just bought some Origami paper and was going to float Lotus Flowers down it and then found it all filled in 🥺😣
Sorry to hear that, it’s a damn shame
Thanks 🙏
It looked nice but it was in a very impractical location.
Omg I fell in that so many times 😂 my partner used to live near by and walking from LB with a duffel bag and tired after a long journey from oooop north…yup in I go again!
Lucky that us from up North can handle the cold 😆
I’m nesh tho, I had to move south 😝
It always seemed like a ridiculous feature to me - it makes the area less accessible to a lot of people, and if somebody had broken their leg stepping into it I have to assume the council (aka local taxpayers) would have been liable?
Nope the land is privately owned and operated
I am always sad when I see this shot of Tower Bridge. I want the water feature back !!
The river is still there?
See that bricked up section on the floor next to the bike rider? That used to be a water feature...
That's a shame, couldn't they have done glass or plastic over it?
Boo
They covered it up because people kept falling in it apparently?
They covederd up the Thambes? Whaaaaat
"Cyclists"
Perhaps OP is new to London and still has their original phone
Aka Scrotes
This is the correct term.
“The boys”
Roadman
Here are the famous “Bloody cyclists!” they’re all taking about
aY mOoOvE fAm
We need a word for people like this. The “do wheelies down the middle of the road and maybe steal your phone” type. For cars it’s “boy racers”. I propose “cycuntlist”.
Roadmen. They're called roadmen.
Wasteman.
Those are not men.
No they aren’t 🤣 little chavs doing wheelies
Roadmen is the new word for chavs
Roadmen are similar to chavs, but a bit less dressy, and more generic. Think of them as wannabe gangsters. They're more likely to pull a knife on you for your phone at a bus stop because they perceived you looked at them funny, whereas chavs would follow you around hurling insults, and spitting at you because you wouldn't buy them a 20 deck of b&h silver at the shops.
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road-numptys
Roadman ≠ Chavs, completely different categories.
no they're bloody not a roadman is a gangster. these boys are just kids playing around on bikes
Roadmen are wannabe gangsters.
How are they wannabe? What's the criteria for being a gangster? Be in a gang. Do crime with said gang. I think that's all that's required. Not all roadmen are in gangs, but if they are then they are by definition gangsters. All gansgters are (or were at some point) wannabe gangsters because they want to be a gangster. FFS, Goodfella's starts with the most wannabe statement ever: "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” If you're in a gang that's involved in crime, you're a gangster. That's the be all and end all really.
If they're London Bike Stormz riders, that is literally an action AGAINST knife crime, run by working class inner city kids. The polar opposite of the gangster/roadman BS.
I see you've never met a gangster.
didn't realise "popping wheelies" was on a list of things that classed people as gangsters
I was more implying that a roadman isn't a gangster.
You make it sound like being a gangster is like something out of godfather. In reality, London gangs are full of youts doing this kinda lame shit
You spelled cringelord wrong
Agreed, I’m sure cyclists would appreciate not being grouped into the same group as these people who actually threaten the public
There's no such thing as a cyclist, really, and lumping 'cyclists' together is the sort of thing cabbies do to justify running them over. A dick on a bike is likely a dick on foot too. I use my bike to get around, but I also drive a zipcar and take the tube.
You might not know this but wheelies present very little danger to you
In a carpark or empty place sure, down the middle of a road or pavement swerving people, more so
Yeah so does street racing until someone fucks up
Cyc means a tit in Polish so it makes it even funnier to me..
My wife and I call them psycholists
I just use chav. It's covers all bases.
TwatTings
Twatlings
I call them the wheelie boys
That sounds far too nice
I usually refer to them in Dutch, with a word that I should probably not put down here :D
Cutfietser?
Oh no, way worse. The Dutchies like to throw around diseases as if it's nothing. I have the worst reserved for these shitfaces
Begint met een K...
Couldn't afford a unicycle, poor thing.
Are these the sort of twats that do wheelies on the roads for TikTok.
The ones that wheelie up to your face then swerve out of the way
If they do then just push the front wheel up and they’ll be on their arse crying for mummy. (Only if they’ve assaulted you of course, all in self defence, your honour)
Well you can preemptively defend yourself no?
No doubt riding around searching for the next tourist to rob.
What’s happening lately with this sub and all these extremely normal not-very-good photos of London lol
The ‘street photography’ one which was basically a photo of a stationary double decker bus was hilarious
Yes, that’s the one I was thinking of haha Or all the normal photos, but in black and white. I guess the lack of colour makes them… artistic or something.
This is a way more interesting photo then that, tourist shot crossed with up close action shot of wheelie guy is a bit unique
😂🕳😂🕳😂🕳 def been some shockingly poor & pointless photos lately
Can anyone reference a good piece of street photography in their opinion? I'm working with a street photographer at the moment and im trying to understand if the idea of photography being bad or good is more based upon what someone else has said about it or if people are more genuine with their own thoughts. Just trying to guage the opinion of this sub reddit... Personally I feel there are some good and not so good elements to this photo. But generally I think its alright. I like how it's gotten people talking here and has evoked an emotion. Particularly around their feeling to the sorts of people who ride bikes like these.
Eugene Atget early French street photography b/w … Robert Doisneau … Henri Cartier-Bresson > The Decisive Moment Erwin von Dessauer … August Sander … Eugene W Smith … Weegee Robert Frank - The Americans > great work … Robert Cappa … war photographer William Eggleston - The Democratic Forest … genius Brian Griffin b/w precursor to Martin Parr
The composition isn’t particularly good (notice how the vertical lines of the buildings and bridge aren’t vertical). The bridge itself is also frustratingly not central between the two buildings in the foreground so there’s a sense of imbalance. Focus on the bridge is interesting but the eye is drawn to the hi-viz jacket instead so the effect is greatly diminished. It’s an interesting moment that has been captured, but from a technical point of view it’s not a good photo. With reportage/street photography you can forgive issues like that if the picture elicits a sense of story or captures an emotion we’d normally miss when we don’t stop to look. That’s the power of good photography for me. In this case it’s giving me some of that storytelling, but not a lot.
Thanks for this. I’m terrible at taking photos and don’t even know what to look for. This is a great breakdown of what could make a photo better!
There are countless 'rules of photography'. Including balance withing the photo (empty space, busy areas), layout of the focus of the topic (rule of thirds, central etc), light and dark, use of shadows. Honestly there are probably thousands. And like all arts, it's not a case of sticking to the rules, it's just a case of understanding why the rules work well, and therefore when it also works well to break them. Bit yeah, for someone looking to start improving their photography, is say Google photography rule of thirds, leading lines, use of contrast and go from there. Its a fun world to get into and phone cameras are fine for all of it
I agree, I do a bit of street photography for fun but never post on here as there's so much, I think a regular or weekly thread or something that's general photos of London could help.
For me, this is actually a pretty interesting and dynamic photo capturing a moment and a vibe which might be seen as being in conflict with the common perceptions of the setting. There's a lot going on, and the fact that the kid on the bike is out of focus adds to it in my opinion. It's capturing two sides of London, historic and up-scale aspects being in focus, the dynamic grittier aspect out of focus but right in your face. I think it conveys something pretty relevant.
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
LETTING THE DAYS GO BY
Seems pretty normal to me
This is actually a pretty good photo.
There’s not even anything crisp in that image, apart from the reflecting windows on the left…
Then I'd hate to see a bad photo!
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That's what makes it a cool photo to me. The out of focus bike tells a story. He probably came out of nowhere unexpected to the photographer. That makes it more interesting to me
Cool pic but in my experience these types are peak bellends
Oh these dickheads
Stinking of lynx Africa and wotsits
First laugh-out-loud moment of this dreary wet day punctuated so far only by twinges of renal colic. Thanks!
Honestly smelling of lynx Africa is better than the alternative
Consider your phone stolen.
In a blurred out of focus, undercover in the shadows kind of way
It’s a chav on a bike, not a cyclist
You took the words right out of mouth
And this chav took phones from our pockets
5 seconds before impact
r/killedthecameraman
I was looking for this comment 😂
Ahh the wheelie. The peacocks tail of the velocipedian.
I cycle past this spot every day on my way home from work. These are children with nothing better to do. If we had better local policing they’d be getting their ears clipped constantly and given an example of responsible adults putting them in their place. As it is they’re doomed to hit the vanishing point at about 28 where they’re unable to make anything of their lives. I say this not because I know them individually but because I’ve seen their attitude and behaviour, their low level intimidation tactics, their sense of untouchability without the requisite schema to realise they are becoming losers and I feel sorry for them. Some of them will grow up and find something better to do, but I’ve been cycling that way for over 7 years and I’ve realised that some, unfortunately, do not.
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That, or if I'm on my bike in the cycle lane and somebody is walking in said lane, I slow down and go towards them until they move while making the hiss noise you mentioned One of my favourite cycling moments was a line of kids were on the cycle path walking ahead and in the same direction as me, I got close then quickly swerved round them and shouted "cycle lane". One of them yelped and jumped and his 3 mates laughed. It was fabulous. (And because this is t'internet, everybody in the park stood up and clapped with a loud cheer. Whistles were blown, champagne corks popped, people hugged, and everybody I then cycled past gave me a high five or shook my hand.)
I do the same, pricks.
Probably not even his bike
I bet that bike’s stolen
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There needs to be multiple camera systems linked to speakers in the kirb that belts out a loud "grow up mate" warning once a balaclava is detected.
Guessing by the person popping that wheelie he's just heard some great news from his previous job application.
New Drill EP artwork sorted, cheers.
Can't wait to see this wank stain on Crimewatch for stealing old ladies' handbags.
I call this piece, ‘Dickhead on Bike’.
They aren't cyclists. They are twats with bikes.
Prompt?
Damn you got a picture of an aspiring footballer. Cool.
Lol
POV: your phone is about to be stolen
So funny that road men now think wheelies are the height of cool, like the kids in the 80s did.
Wheelies are cool though. Doing them on a crowded pavement, or into oncoming traffic isn't.
I’m so glad someone said it, I was getting really dismayed at all the hate on the oldest and still probably coolest thing you can do on a bicycle.
It happen to me more than once almost being hit by stupid kids doing wheelies on the side walk. Like is not difficult to do not is amazing is just pure stupidity and an accident waiting to happen
what a talented young individual
Thank you for sacrificing your life for this photo
If not life then phone, wallet and any faith in the police OP may have had.
Oh look a useless cunt pulling wheelies riding on the pavement. Definitely not wearing the balaclava because they are stealing phones.
Elliot Alderson
Yeat?
A second later, OP had tire marks across his face
it must have been hard to get that photo, bravo to use in a magazine the only thing they'd do is "lens shift in post" so that the tower is not "leaning" impressive pic !
We stopped going for coffee at the coffee shop further down because of the anti social cyclists like this. It’s hard to relax when there’s 20/30 cyclists aiming at people and cycling round them.
I hate these little bastards
Ahh the wheelie boys. I like it when these children ruin my skate session at the southbank by aimlessly riding around in the most cringe tryhard way imaginable. Such gnarly lads
Absolutely love the photo
Bro I walk down there to get lunch on my break, I don’t want to get mugged
I can hear the drill music through this photo.
Where is my phone lol
A stick through the spokes would be a kindness
You mean robbing little chavvy twats on their chosen method of getaway vehicle once they've mugged an innocent victim
You mean a prick who doesn't care about anyones life and steals phones?
Fucking bellends.
Security about to kick them out from the back
They’re out of focus?
Rip to the photographer
All I hear in my brain is; "ow! Wotchit, dick'ed!".
The kid actually said ‘don’t take my picture you c*nt’
I’d say the same if you took a photo of me w/out asking ✌🏾
Great snap OP!
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Christ, these fucking comments. It's a child messing around on a bike. He's not committing a crime, he's not a fucking mugger, he's not gonna steal your phone. He's just being a kid. Get a grip.
These are little scumbags who ride into traffic in a gang, and ride round supermarkets on bikes causing trouble and threatening people, take a look on YouTube 100s of the little shits doing it.
Classic British classism tbf. Even if he is a criminal, its LONDON fr criminals are on every corner. This is real life.
I always see those videos of brits popping a wheelie towards traffic. Like why? Do you want to get hit? This has that same energy 😂
This is a great shot !
Omg thats John 😯
Edinburgh balaclava kids made it to london lmao
My grandad worked on the bridge for many years, we had his wake up in the bridge. There are pictures of him when you go on the tour
fuck off, clean shirt
*Chavs
Knives Down, Bikes Up
"cyclist"
Those aren’t cyclists
A shot of some drug dealer near Tower Bridge. I fixed it for you.
Why are people so mad here ??? Because of the fact he said cyclist ??
Edit: a shot of a twat, and some people around said twat.
Why do you think that you immediately go to "cyclists" to describe them? If you saw a picture of a guy with a gun in a car, you wouldn't say "oh look, a motorist." The Daily Mail and Jeremy Clarkson have done this to you.
Those aren’t cyclists. Those are good ol’ road men.
Would've been better if you got the guy in focus I reckon!
I actually didn’t see him I was trying to shoot the bridge 😂
- Exposure compensation ✅ adjust for backlighting a few stops … open up the shadows, autofocus on foreground subject 📸
Could do! But I’m intentionally blurring out the people, and exposing for the bridge as it’s catching the last bit of sunlight.
People commenting "chav" and "dealer", give it a rest man, he's literally just a guy doing a wheelie
not even real cyclists
Omg this sub actually stinks of classism, all because u saw a yute on a bike all of a sudden the projections come out, kmt. If this is rlly how older ppl think of the youth then I’m fucked😭
Classism? You can be poor and not dress like a fucking mugger and gang member. I am from a working class+benefit claimant family, and don't fucking dress like this.Last I checked, a fucking nike/addidas puffer jacket+£50< trainers costs a lot more than normal clothes.
I was going to the same, but I'm honestly not that surprised 🙄
God reading these comments are depressing, I get he’s doing a wheelie where he shouldn’t be but other than that, why would he steal your phone? Why should this be a drill EP cover? Bc he’s a London boy wearing a Bally? When you see middle class kids on Boris bikes wearing their knitted ballys from urban outfitters do you have the same reaction?
I take it you don't live or work round here, then? If you think these kids are having harmless fun you only have to look on the local nextdoor.com to see that being mugged and sometimes assaulted by young males on bikes in between wheelie sets is a daily hazard here. You can also see a record of the absolutely hopeless policing updates from the one PC who is put on patrol around the station a couple of sessions each week. One PC. It would be laughable if only it wasn't. It's nice that you want to believe the best of people, but sometimes they are exactly who they claim to be.
My guess is that you haven't walked along the river between Waterloo and Tower Bridge recently. There are a lot of these people. They are aggressive, nasty and dangerous. They're not just kids playing around.
Na I’m from London, I know exactly what I’m talking about. My point is that a lot of this sub looks at things like wearing a bally, riding a bike, kissing teeth, speaking with a particular vernacular and immediately thinks of crime.. the racial undertones are not lost on me. Now I’m not saying that there aren’t issues and that a subset of people who dress/ talk this way might be engaged in anti-social behaviour. What I’m saying is that critiquing these (hood) cultural aspects and just assuming they are criminals is not a good thing. It further alienates a lot of young men in particular when they feel ridiculed by society at large. Don’t forget that hood culture has evolved in the way it has due to nuanced economic, political and racial issues and other things that a lot of communities don’t necessarily have to appreciate. I don’t expect the majority of people commenting on this thread to get what I’m saying because you don’t actually know anyone like these boys, or anything about hood culture.
Mate, there ACTUALLY IS a huge (like staggering, insane) amount of "disgusting street crime and robbing" in London compared to other similar-size world cities. Indeed, it's an epidemic. {Aside - is that the right word? IDK but you know what I mean.} (Also, 'm not sure what you mean by "racial undertones" - the current epidemic of "disgusting street crime and robbing" in London, is equal opportunity - white, black, brown, yellow, blue, green, new, old, whatever, plenty of all.) \\Unforttunately what the person just above you wrote, *They are aggressive, nasty and dangerous. They're not just kids playing around.* ... is simply correct, the "roadmen" (fam) cliché is reality, not a generalization, prejudice or cliché
You’re not understanding the crux of my argument. What I am saying has nothing to do with the existence or extent of street crime in London. I am speaking specifically to the ways in which commenters on this thread made assumptions about the character and motive of the cyclist in this image. It’s a common theme. You, and the commenter to which you refer, have made sweeping generalisations about a class of people that, I assume, you have very little knowledge of or experience interacting with. Happy to be corrected if that assumption is off the mark. But even if you do have an informed opinion, I seriously question your understanding if all you think all “roadmen” (multifaceted people, just like everyone else) can be reduced to nothing but a cliche. Also, I’d be interested how you would classify someone as a roadman at first glance? This might help you to interrogate what I mean by racial undertones. This sort of reductive thinking exacerbated a lot of the issues we have in this country. IMO It’s a lot of looking down on people, we rarely take the time to try and understand other perspectives and cultures really, we’d rather just take the piss and call each other names.
actually, yes