Finding Mr X - Cycling Tips Investigates the "Drivers for Registration of Cyclists" Hate Page

[trailgumby]

He has been named in a few sources. Shouldn't be hard to find if your Google-Fu is working. I can understand why they didn't use his name in the article.

HIs nom-de-doofus can be traced readily enough by finding on FB one or more of the photos credited to him that have his name redacted in the article.

[bychosis]

then add in the almost certainly unauthorised use and modification of those photos, the fake current affais show "screen shots", which would also fall under copyright regs

That is probably the easiest way to get faceache to shut down his page. Get the copyright owners to get faceache to take them down. Might try to claim ‘fair use’, but given the image manipulation, that would seem unlikely.

[trailgumby]

Facebook should be caring because it’s exactly the fake news that is trashing their business model

^^^ This.

[trailgumby]

For what it's worth, it is my view that Cycling Tips have done an excellent job with this article.

Bear in mind they are writing for a sceptical audience. We have been living this drama for the last 12 or so months, but the mainstream media and general population have not, so they need to be brought along the journey from the start.

By detailing how they have joined the dots they have made a pretty compelling case that they know exactly who the guy is. But by stopping short of naming him, they have given no ammunition for a legal reprisal.

If mainstream media goes anywhere near the petition again, with a view to giving it oxygen, they are going to get laughed at, ripped to shreds by their competitors, and likely hauled before the media watchdog. There is also the implicit threat that CT will share their information with those with more resources if required.

The guy has single-handedly done a lot of damage to cycling in Australia. There is no doubt in my mind that a number of deaths and life-changing injuries suffered by cyclists in this country can be attributed to the atmosphere he has generated and the echo chamber he has created for hatred and prejudice against people on bicycles. Is it entirely coincidence that the fatality rate has suddenly jumped by 80%? I'll leave that for you to decide.

Absent any visible signs of repentance on his part, I find it difficult to have any sympathy for him. GIven his history of psychopath-like behaviour, it would take consistent long term behaviour change for me to be convinced any such repentance was genuine. So care for the fragility of his mental state and any likelihood of self-harm are not high on my list of priorities compared to his victims.

My main reason for agreeing with the stance of not naming him is to prevent handing an enemy agent more ammunition with which to do harm.

[foo on patrol]

His name is known up here in SEQ and has been know for quite some time.

Foo

[Jmuzz]

Bear in mind they are writing for a sceptical audience.

Yes true, a lot of it is aimed at his groupies, so that whenever the petition or the page are mentioned the link to the article can be dropped as a reply.

It leaves the foaming mouthed Lycra cyclist hater in a confused and violated state when they discover their leader is a sheep in wolves clothing.
It won't change their attitude, but does weaken the pack mentality.

[Duck!]

Bear in mind they are writing for a sceptical audience.

Yes true, a lot of it is aimed at his groupies, so that whenever the petition or the page are mentioned the link to the article can be dropped as a reply.

It leaves the foaming mouthed Lycra cyclist hater in a confused and violated state when they discover their leader is a sheep in wolves clothing.
It won't change their attitude, but does weaken the pack mentality.

I dunno, it might actually make them believe their stance is more validated if the chief protagonist is apparently a cyclist turning against his own kind.

DFROC may have had that effect of confusion when it was a spoof outfit and if it stayed that way, but when it turned nasty and started taking itself seriously, he became one of Them and no longer one of Us.

[g-boaf]

Bear in mind they are writing for a sceptical audience.

Yes true, a lot of it is aimed at his groupies, so that whenever the petition or the page are mentioned the link to the article can be dropped as a reply.

It leaves the foaming mouthed Lycra cyclist hater in a confused and violated state when they discover their leader is a sheep in wolves clothing.
It won't change their attitude, but does weaken the pack mentality.

Confused and violated? They won't care at all, whatever better achieves their aims, that's all they care about.

[trailgumby]

Just so we're clear, the sceptical audience I'm alluding to is the mainstream media and the general public.

There is no turning MrX's disciples, only drowning them out.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Is it entirely coincidence that the fatality rate has suddenly jumped by 80%? I'll leave that for you to decide.

A point of order. This is not the case.

The number of fatalities is higher than the year before, but those were a lot lower than the year before that.

The fatalities this past (financial) year were within one standard deviation of the number of annual fatalities over the past 20 years, and there is no discernible trend up or down in the annual number of fatalities over that period.

That's not to say there is or is not a relationship between the incitement of increasing tensions by DFROC and cycling fatalities and injuries but the fatality stats cannot tell you that one way or another.

[andrewjcw]

then add in the almost certainly unauthorised use and modification of those photos, the fake current affais show "screen shots", which would also fall under copyright regs

That is probably the easiest way to get faceache to shut down his page. Get the copyright owners to get faceache to take them down. Might try to claim ‘fair use’, but given the image manipulation, that would seem unlikely.

I think you'd be doing well to get the page shut down but I guess it's possible. He's basically making memes. It's personal and not for profit so someone might send a cease and desist but there's no way you'd get in real trouble for doing it. I think the inciting/hate speech is a pretty long draw as well, but coupled with the identity theft it could end up in some real charges if it could be proven.

[trailgumby]

Is it entirely coincidence that the fatality rate has suddenly jumped by 80%? I'll leave that for you to decide.

A point of order. This is not the case.

Thanks for clarifying. The usual pitfall from going off headlines.

[mikesbytes]

As much as the page needs to be shut down, the problem won't go away, it will just reappear elsewhere

[gdt]

This could well end in tears for Mr X.

Take that image of showing two cyclists heading downhill from a crest, photoshopped to add an ascending cyclist in the other lane. There's no doubt the photo was altered to increase the Facebook groups comments against the cyclists including the two headed downhill. Or to put it legally, Mr X was using a telecommunications carriage service to harass those two cyclists. The sheer response to the petition shows that this is no minor harassment.

It's just going to take one person in one of those altered images to have half a mind to pursue criminal charges. The AFP will want his computer as evidence that he created the images (rather than unknowingly posted already-altered images). Doubtless there would then be further charges arising from that.

It's all very sad.

[warthog1]

Read the article after seeing this thread. I agree the article is well done. Not naming him probably increases the interest in it to an extent and it gives the article a less revengeful and more objective feel.
That said I also agree with those who advocate naming him.
I have no sympathy for him.
As an experienced road cyclist, he was well aware of the effect and potential consequence of fanning anti-cyclist hate amongst drivers.
He has contributed to, at the very least, life-threatening behaviour from motorists toward cyclists and it is a very real possibility the hate fanned by his page has resulted in serious injury and/or death.
He knew that would be the result and did it anyway.
Mental illness? Is anyone here able to diagnose that based on his actions, without talking to him?
Obsessed yes, hatred yes.
I don't see that as a valid excuse or mitigating factor.

[RetroPilot]

if it is the one claiming to be a cyclist, I did not realise he was incognito behind one of those Elizabethan vengeance masks, or something...guy I'm thinking of was a guest one afternoon on tom Elliott's 'Drive" radio show..I thought he gave his name on that occasion...

[uart]

I thought he gave his name on that occasion...

Hi Retro. Was it the same guy mentioned earlier. SE Queensland cyclist "Mr V"?

[foo on patrol]

First name starts with I.

Foo

[mikesbytes]

First name starts with I.

Foo

Thanks Foo, now I can out group all the Ian's out there

[foo on patrol]

Foo

[DrShifty]

Apart from being repetitive and longer than necessary I was glad to have the article give me the background to the FB page. I'd seen the page and was troubled by the hate that flowed from it.

One thing I wonder about it what the Sunrise program feels about being used in this manner. To see the fake pics with their logo and presenters etc recruited like this must cross some line for the TV company. This seems to me to be a sound reason for legal action against either FB or the page owner.

[AUbicycles]

I don’t feel many media outlets would be particularly concerned as they deal with use and spread of their content on a daily basis... traditionally cycling safety haa not been a topic they are not interested in unless it served their own agenda of consumer interest or outrage.