Is Roadman culture spreading in the UK?

[dahle]

So I live in a town in Scotland, on my way home I spotted a group of guys dressed in the typical London "Roadman" outfit of black trainers, black tracksuits, bodywarmers and balaclava's then further up the street a few more came down the pavement on electric bikes shouting at me to get out of their way. I'm used to seeing neds hanging about and these are likely the same lads but it looks like they are trying to emulate look and vibe of London's "roadmen". I will admit the balaclava's are a bit intimidating.

Is this a think now, is the influence of the "roadman" and I guess Drill Music spreading in the UK?

Maybe they're cold. Except more of it in winter.

@didntlikeanyofthesuggestions No it's not cold here today, it's a definite aesthetic they are going for.

I wouldn’t say the ‘roadman’ look is specific to London tbh or the culture of it, its been like that for years and years, especially in bigger cities in the UK, I am surprised you haven’t seen it in Scotland before.

No idea. But regarding the perhaps they're cold comment - I see them in black puffa jackets, hoods up, in the blazing sun in 35 degree heat. I honestly don't know how they cope.

People who live near arctic circle don’t need balaclavas, so I don’t think they are necessary to protect against cold weather in the UK.

I don't know why you think that look is exclusive to London? I thought it was just how teens dressed everywhere?

I couldn't care less what people wear as long as they're not hurting anyone or spreading hatred.

We had neds which is common but the new uniform and face coverings and use of electric bikes and scooters is new.

Had them here in East Anglia for a few years. The middle-class kids think they're hilarious.

Little fuckwits playing at being gangster's.
Aberdeen has this problem.more of the wee fuckers that get mashed whilst playing the cunt on their e bikes the better.

😀

"Little fuckwits playing at being gangster's."

Yes I think that is exactly what it is!

I mean, Scotland has had a knife crime problem for a long time, much like other big cities, and therefore had 'roadmen'

The style of dress may be different now, but some working class boys have always played at being gangsters, all over the UK and while the style of dress may have changed, nothing else has 😪

Let's stop dressing it up. Road man = aspiring villains/lawless teenagers thinking they can do as they wish with their disguise and ebikes. These scores have always been there just the clothes have changed and SM encourages them

True but in my area there was a lot of success in reducing it in recent years. I suppose I'm concerned that if this is a new trend that is reinvigorating old bad ways, especially with the influence of drill music that a lot of that work could be undone and we see an increase of knife crime here.

Sorry, should read scrotes and yes wannabe gangstas!

Roadman is not a London thing at all, it is a youth culture everywhere in the UK

My dc tell me there are roadmen here in sleepy West Country. I’ve still not really understood what it means but I think maybe they are what we called Billyboys or chavs in Kent in the 1990s racing their cars. I didn’t think it was a London thing particularly.

They model themselves on county lines drug dealer looks.
Which puzzles me if you're drug dealing you want to go unnoticed not like a beacon..bust me ,bust me.

@TeenLifeMum I think there is a "style" and culture and lingo that is associated with London and those called roadman, I can't say I am too up on that to be honest. Currently they are associated with a lot of crime like watch and phone theft, as well as drug dealing. There is also some association with drill music, which is very popular with young people which tends to be very nihilistic

Does drill music cause crime, or offer an escape from it? - BBC News

Yep, but my dc don’t see it as a “London” thing, just the type of boys they’d never date. (My dc are teens).

I have one of them and we live in Ireland. We call them yup bro's in Dublin but it is the same aesthetic.

We had it before 2020, but the face coverings really escalated and stayed after that.

Electic scooters have grown in popularity since then, although calmed with recent changes to the police being able to confiscate them more easily.

Yeah im in Scotland and it is rife here i heard a group of guys say "you get me" 🙄

I suppose that with the internet and social media it's inevitable that culture becomes homogenized! Sounds like I'm harking back to the good old days of neds 😂

Just found this Street gangs in Scotland 'increasingly influenced by London’s drill music culture' - Daily Record

Shame I missed that series by about 3 years!