This is a story which has most intrigued me this week. It is a story, in principle, about cyclists. Which is not essentially that interesting, unless you happen to like cycling. More broadly, however, it is about the viral nature of the Web 2.0 world, the collective voice of the otherwise unheard masses and one man who gravely misjudged his own talents.
That man is TV chef and have-a-go motoring journalist, James Martin. Martin wrote an article in the Daily Heil, ostensibly reviewing the Tesla electric sports car, but in which he offered his less than favourable opinion on cyclists. He then closed the article by claiming (whether truthfully or not) that he used the silent electric vehicle to cruise up behind a group of cyclists, pip his horn at them and canter off into the distance, all the while enjoying the sight of seeing the riders pick themsleves out of the nearest hedge.
Up until a couple of years ago, that would have been that. This piece of sub-Clarkson budget journalism might have attracted a couple of letters to the paper, some of which may even have been printed. In the age of social networking, nothing could be more different. It probably started for most people (certainly for me) when reading pro cyclist Bradley Wiggins' Twitter feed, and noticing the number of rude messages relating to the chef-cum-writer. Thankfully he also linked the article, which alerted thousands of amateur riders, Wiggo supporters (and about three old Corrie fans looking for Bradley Walsh) to the attitude of Mr Martin.
This is where the fun began.
The article's comments box on the Daily Heil website was bombarded with angry messages from irate fans and bike riders. The Heil responded by removing the comments and the ability to comment on the article. Not the smartest move by a long stretch. (Only in the days to come, when the anti-Martin campaign was in full swing, did the Heil eventually reinstate the comments and edit the offending paragraph out of the article). A Facebook page was set up, allowing unmoderated wall posts to build up in a matter of hours.
Largely thanks to Twitter, the incident then became a school playground in cyberspace. Robbie McEwen told Lance Armstrong. (Lance didn't reply). McEwen suggested punters might like to 'punch him in the face' if they see him. Wiggo's wife, Cath, also waxed lyrical about the chef. McEwen posted a screengrab of Martin's vastly edited Wikipedia entry; childish, clearly, but another example of the anger suddenly felt towards him.
The story also brings up a wider issue; before the rise of the Internet, was the everyday man on the street bothered about the lack of a way to make an impact, to have his viewed aired so easily? Or have sites like Facebook and Twitter meant that people are more likely to respond, just because they can? Either way, it is fascinating to see how stories can gather momentum unexpectedly, and how the previously untouchable can be held to account more readily and much more spectacularly.
Martin has since been forced to issue an apology. I say 'forced'; it is exactly the kind of platitude one expects to read in such circumstances. I'd wager quite handsomely that I could have written something to exactly the same effect if told the circumstances of the story from afar. But that hasn't stopped the incensed messages, the suggestions of writing to the Heil, his management, the Press Complaints and just about everyone short of Gordon Brown. It hasn't stopped cyclists threatening to gather in mass participation rides either round his house or to/from his workplace. Nor has it stopped people threatening to phone in to his Saturday Kitchen show (under the pretense of asking a cooking question) before unleashing a torrent of abuse live on air. Now I've never watched Saturday Kitchen in my life before. I wouldn't ordinarily wish to give the man the boost in ratings, but I suggest you tune in as I will be; BBC One, 10:00am, Saturday (obviously), just in case...
As a postscript, I would like to offer some of the more choice Tweets on the matter this week:
Bradley Wiggins: (@bradwiggins)
James Martin TV chef, The word cock springs to mind, stick to Ready Steady Twat mate
Give me Something For The Weekend anyday, Chef Simon top fella!
Meal suggestion for this Saturday Kitchen for James Martin, Spotted DICK!
Cath Wiggins: (@cathwiggins)
@bradwiggins or Toad in the (arse)Hole?
heard Ceebeebies had commissioned James Martin for a new post watershed series of the children's favourite: Big Cook Little Cock
one last word..James Martin you peanut dicked knob jockey of a turd pate making shit eating arse wipe I hope you fall in your blender
Robbie McEwen: (@mcewenrobbie)
website of cyclist hater James Martin. Anyone with computer skills feel free to fuck it up! otherwise, leave him nasty messages in geust (sic)
@lancearmstrong maybe you can tweet out for a group ride around where this idiot lives. http://tinyurl.com/mp62jd
As a post-postscript, the offending paragraph has been removed from the article, but quoted in many places, including his Wikipedia entry. For posterity, I reproduce it here:
"...spotted those damned Spider-Man cyclists. Knowing they wouldn't hear me coming, I stepped on the gas, waited until the split second before I overtook them, then gave them an almighty blast on the horn at the exact same time I passed them at speed. The look of sheer terror as they tottered into the hedge was the best thing I've ever seen in my rear-view mirror."
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