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Joey Barton's latest unhinged cycling-related social media rant tackles "road tax, insurance and MOT" for cyclists

The former footballer has ramped up his activity on social media since being sacked as manager of Bristol Rovers, regularly attacking broadcaster and pro-cycling voice Jeremy Vine

Telling us a couple of years ago that in 2024 we would be reporting on retired footballer Joey Barton's career change from League One football manager to social media ranter, after several high-profile posts about Jeremy Vine and cycling, we would probably be fairly surprised to say the least. And yet, here we are...

Barton — whose playing career with Manchester City, Newcastle, Queens Park Rangers, Marseille, Burnley and Rangers was overshadowed with convictions and jail time for assault — has reinvented himself in recent months, having been made redundant by Bristol Rovers in October, ranting on social media about female pundits getting TV roles and Jeremy Vine and cyclists, among other things.

In fact, such is the spotlight around Barton at the minute, sports minister Stuart Andrew this week commented on his remarks about women working in football in TV roles, describing the outbursts as "dangerous" and "not acceptable". Cycling has also been on Barton's radar.

Yesterday, the retired footballer whose international career famously lasted 15 minutes, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to "ask for a friend [...] how we would go about" getting "a petition to charge ‘Pedalphiles’ Road tax, need to have insurance and an MOT.....to ride in London".

Some tried to point out the idea had been rejected recently by the government, lawyer Nick Freeman's similar 2021 petition scraping across the 10,000-signature threshold for an official reply, only for the government to state it has "no plans" for such proposals as cyclist identification numbers, licences and penalty points.

And while the social media activity has been dismissed by many as the rantings of an outspoken former footballer out of work and seeking the spotlight, they have concerningly attracted a large audience, Barton's following growing to nearly three million and the most recent cycling-related post being viewed more than 350,000 times since yesterday lunchtime.

Some at least tried meeting the road tax ranting with some facts. 

"Road tax doesn't exist," one reply said. "But I'm guessing you're asking for a fair charge to each road user for the proportionate damage they do to the road that needs maintaining?"

The same user, responding to someone saying road tax was "rebranded as an emissions tax", said: "Correct, an environmental levy with sliding scale cost against CO2 produced. Band A vehicles pay £0. Bicycles would be in that banding. So if you insist on 'road taxing' them, no cyclist would pay anything, but all motorists in higher bands would pay more for the extra admin."

Another reply said: "Shouldn't you start by charging motorists road tax first? Road tax hasn't existed since 1937. And if you were to charge cyclists in the same way as vehicles (based on engine size and emissions) then the fee would amount to £0 anyway."

Above is another reply, so far unacknowledged by Barton whose social media crusade has moved on to the Post Office scandal, trans athletes,  Israel and Gaza, the monarchy, performance-enhancing drugs in sport, Sports Personality of the Year, and female pundits in football.

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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43 comments

Avatar
rdaddict | 9 months ago
0 likes

Typical Gobsh*te Cyclist hater who thinks we shouldn't be on the road, do us a favour Joey shut your arse and give your mouth a chance.

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Dr Madvibe | 11 months ago
1 like

Unnecessary clickbait. Please don't give this moron any further time.

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bikeman01 | 11 months ago
5 likes

Re VED/Road Tax, It is no longer a tax based on Co2 emissions and hasn't been on vehicles registered since 2017.

Yes there is a 1st year rate based on emissions but 2nd year and onwards rates are the same flat rate for all vehicles with a current exception for EVs which is soon to be removed.

There is thus no  benefit to drive a low emissions vehicle, except during first year ownership.

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marmotte27 | 11 months ago
4 likes

Too many headers, probably.

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SecretSam | 11 months ago
0 likes

Used to manage the Sags. Explains a lot.

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Muddy Ford | 11 months ago
7 likes

Road.cc don't give this vile thug any coverage. He will end up in jail eventually, and later (though hopefully sooner), become forgotten. 

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mark1a replied to Muddy Ford | 11 months ago
1 like
Muddy Ford wrote:

Road.cc don't give this vile thug any coverage. He will end up in jail eventually, and later (though hopefully sooner), become forgotten. 

Eventually? Already has done time.

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eburtthebike | 11 months ago
4 likes

One question is why are such irrelevant, uninformed, plainly ignorant people given any space whatsoever to spread their bile?  In any civilised society, he'd be doing something useful, like sweeping the streets or cleaning sewers.

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wycombewheeler replied to eburtthebike | 11 months ago
4 likes
eburtthebike wrote:

One question is why are such irrelevant, uninformed, plainly ignorant people given any space whatsoever to spread their bile?  In any civilised society, he'd be doing something useful, like sweeping the streets or cleaning sewers.

as long as it isn't draining swamps

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neilmck | 11 months ago
8 likes

Sounds like someone who is desperately trying to stop becoming a total nobody.

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Geordiepeddeler replied to neilmck | 11 months ago
2 likes

It's too late for that.

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Rik Mayals unde... | 11 months ago
0 likes

Is Joey Barton the new Gary Lineker? 

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Eton Rifle replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 11 months ago
14 likes
Rik Mayals underpants wrote:

Is Joey Barton the new Gary Lineker? 

Nah, just another thick grifter following the well-work path, attracting thick right-whingers.
Expect future topics to include "WEF", climate change denial, ULEZ and the same drearily predictable conspiracy theories that the hard of thinking adore.

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grOg replied to Eton Rifle | 11 months ago
1 like

Anybody that isn't hard left is right wing, right? it would be great if a cycling comment section wasn't full of political point scoring.

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Eton Rifle replied to grOg | 10 months ago
4 likes
grOg wrote:

Anybody that isn't hard left is right wing, right? it would be great if a cycling comment section wasn't full of political point scoring.

Oh come on. We've seen this right-wing arseholery from so many of these grifters in recent years. From Farage to Fox to the associated G-Beebies nutters. Are you seriously trying to argue that the views of these people are NOT right-wing?

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Hirsute replied to grOg | 10 months ago
4 likes

Of course, you only come here to talk about cycling, you'd never try and make racist comments or make stuff up about English and UK law.

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Hirsute replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 11 months ago
5 likes

Over to Colin from Portsmouth for that ...

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Jogle replied to Hirsute | 11 months ago
3 likes
Hirsute wrote:

Over to Colin from Portsmouth for that ...

Love to the family

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Clem Fandango | 11 months ago
3 likes

Who?

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OldRidgeback | 11 months ago
2 likes

He was a divisive character when he was still a football player. Undoubtedly he had skills, but was a notorious thug on and off the pitch too. Since he stopped playing it's as if he's decided to let his anger out on everyone else with irrational and deeply unpleasant outbursts. I think he's got issues and needs help. 

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eburtthebike replied to OldRidgeback | 11 months ago
5 likes
OldRidgeback wrote:

I think he's got issues and needs help. 

Maybe we could have whip round and buy him a bike?

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tootsie323 replied to eburtthebike | 11 months ago
2 likes
eburtthebike wrote:
OldRidgeback wrote:

I think he's got issues and needs help. 

Maybe we could have whip round and buy him a bike?

Maybe we could have a whip round and buy him a whip...

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ravennexus | 11 months ago
11 likes

the use of the word pedalphiles as insult shows a lack of understanding of the english language. 

being that words ending phile generally mean something that has an affinity for something i'm quite happy to be pedalphile. same as i'm also a bibliophile and technophile. i'm also a little bit of a xenophile too. 

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cmedred replied to ravennexus | 11 months ago
3 likes

Personally, I'm a cyclephile. Can't see much fun in just being a pedalphile. I mean what do you do with pedals if they're not attached to the bike? Can you collect them like so many enophiles do with wine? 

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Eton Rifle replied to ravennexus | 11 months ago
6 likes

I find it bizarre that the default insult of right-wing twats like Barton is to accuse somebody of being a paedophile.

Either they don't think child abuse is a serious issue or they're projecting. Either is not a good look.

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mark1a replied to Eton Rifle | 11 months ago
5 likes
Eton Rifle wrote:

I find it bizarre that the default insult of right-wing twats like Barton is to accuse somebody of being a paedophile. Either they don't think child abuse is a serious issue or they're projecting. Either is not a good look.

Ironic really as he was dressed as Jimmy Savile at a Christmas party in 2004, the one where he stubbed out a lit cigar in a youth player's eye. 

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grOg replied to ravennexus | 11 months ago
3 likes

The trouble with someone that clearly lacks education and a triple digit IQ, is that they make up words they think are clever, but only serve to accentuate their dimness..

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P9uma | 11 months ago
11 likes

Why does Road CC give these idiots a voice. Best ignored. 

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Left_is_for_Losers replied to P9uma | 11 months ago
0 likes
P9uma wrote:

Why does Road CC give these idiots a voice. Best ignored. 

Clickbait

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ubercurmudgeon | 11 months ago
3 likes

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