A Facebook rant about 'weak kneed' cyclists has landed a Gloucestershire pub landlord at the heart of a social media storm.
James Walker, 40, landlord of The Bathurst Arms in Cirencester, had no idea just how much of an online backlash he would receive when he posted the following message on his personal Facebook page:
"Cycling is for weak kneed individuals who hide their lack of athletic ability behind thousands of pounds of hi tech gear.
"Your need for a low impact form of activity will be rudely negated when I smash my four by four into your rear tyre at sixty miles an hour because you are riding three abreast on a surface paid for by me the motorist.
"The impact will be far from low I tell you. Buy some trainers and go for a run in the fields.
"Cycling is for the French, Belgians and Spanish. Leave it alone."
Two days on and the ultra-marathon running landlord has apologised profusely and says the post has been taken out of context. He said: "Two days ago I was coming back from Cheltenham on the A435 and I encountered a group of cyclists being fairly reckless. "I just drove around them and didn't berate them at all but I thought it was a bit daft. "I am an ultra marathon runner and I have friends involved in cycling. I always say that cycling is for people who can't run far enough but it's not serious at all - it's just banter." James posted his now infamous 'cycle rant' on his personal Facebook page which he says was only meant to be seen by his 30 or so friends on the page. A friend of a friend then lifted the post and shared it on another Facebook page: Spotted: Cirencester and it all went viral. "A lot of people have read it and thought that I meant I would intentionally run into cyclists if they were riding three abreast. "I didn't mean that at all - I meant that if cyclists are riding three abreast at 15 mph on a country road this may happen accidentally - not deliberately." James said since the post was 'leaked' to a wider audience the backlash has been intense - and at times intimidating.@bathurstarms did you really say this? @CycleHatred@Thisisglos@WiltsAndGlosStd@velopixie@BBCGlospic.twitter.com/ggV2uGwmv5
— David Banks (@PortsmouthDavid) July 14, 2013
"I even had an email from someone pretending to be Bradley Wiggins saying 'I hope horrible things happen to you and your family' - I mean, come on this is a knight of the realm. "It has got way out of hand. "I am not anti-cyclist at all. My best man is a cyclist and last night I even gave a cyclist a lift home because he was going to try and ride home without working lights." James said he has been shocked by how quickly the post has been shared on social media. "I stand to lose a lot," he said. "Social media has burnt my a**e like I can't believe. "I have made a big mistake and I have publically apologised on Facebook. I am also responding personally to everyone who is contacting me via email over the issue. "I am taking this extremely seriously and and very regretful and contrite. "I have nothing against cyclists, I don't find them irritating and I don't want to drive into them - I just want them to take a more serious approach to riding on the road." James said anyone who wants to get in touch with him over the issue should contact him via The Bathurst Arms Facebook page.Only 140 characters on twitter! Cyclists,I have made a formal apology and full explanation of my comments on the Facebook page.
— Bathurst Arms (@bathurstarms) July 14, 2013
