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Adventurer Ben Fogle too scared to ride a bike in London traffic

TV presenter 'horrified' to see inexperienced riders wobbling on Boris bikes...

Cycling in London is too dangerous even for the fearless adventurer Ben Fogle, who has said that he is ‘horrified’ to see inexperienced riders on Boris bikes.

The TV presenter who first appeared on Castaway 15 years ago, told the Evening Standard: “I’m a cyclist but I don’t cycle in London.

“Boris bikes were a brilliant idea, but I get slightly horrified if I’m in a taxi in London, and you see people weaving in and out [of traffic] who are not the finest cyclists.

“The best cyclists have their own bikes. Some Boris cyclists are not brilliant with their stability, and they’re not wearing helmets.”

He added that he was in favour of segregated infrastructure, saying: “I don’t think you can combine cars and bikes – it’s almost impossible. I am looking forward to the big cycle superhighways, though – they’re going to be amazing.”

Fogle’s friend James Cracknell was seriously injured in a collision on a bike in Arizona in 2010 and suffered brain damage, adding to the adventurer’s concerns. 

He said: “The fallout of that on James’s family has been so huge. He lost so much, the family lost so much. It was a reality check, but what happened to him could have happened in London.

“It’s hideous. I try not to cycle any more in London because it’s become too dangerous.

“I have a car and I do drive in London, but I’d be quite happy if cars were banned from central London. I just don’t know why we still allow it.

“Black cab drivers will hate me but why are we not using little tuk-tuks rather than big black cabs?

“Why are we not downsizing? The rickshaws and tuk tuks and tiny little vehicles are more eco-friendly. Do taxis... need to be that size?”

Back in 2010 we reported how Fogle helped set up up a group to highlight the benefits of a £750,000 proposed cycle scheme for a path intended to link Chepstow and Tintern, after enjoying a holiday in the area.

And in 2009, Fogle and James Cracknell attempted the Ride of Britain, a 450 mile, 60 hour non-stop rickshaw journey from Edinburgh to London, to raise money for The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help.

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19 comments

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jollygoodvelo | 8 years ago
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Actually, there is a good reason taxis are 'that size'. It's for disability access: not everyone is lucky enough to be able bodied. Although obviously not all taxi passengers need a DDA-compliant one, it's easier if a large number of them are.

In general I've no issue with anything he said though.

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ydrol | 8 years ago
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Central London traffic is slower and more cycle aware than suburban traffic, and traffic in other big cities. Especially during "rush" hour.
I'd rather cycle in London than most other places in the UK, which may be quiet for miles until someone passes well above the speed limit. and with no-one else to see their behaviour, except other people speeding.

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700c replied to ydrol | 8 years ago
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ydrol wrote:

Central London traffic is slower and more cycle aware than suburban traffic, and traffic in other big cities. Especially during "rush" hour.
I'd rather cycle in London than most other places in the UK, which may be quiet for miles until someone passes well above the speed limit. and with no-one else to see their behaviour, except other people speeding.

Not convinced that central London traffic is safer than other cities. Is there any evidence of this?

Meanwhile with reports that two London cyclists tragically died in 36 hrs. You'd be forgiven if people do feel it's too dangerous to cycle. Simply dismissing Fogle as some posh snob who is out of touch is to do a disservice to genuine and understandable fears people may have about cycling in London.

I regularly walk in central London and am a keen and experienced cyclist, and I'm often taken aback by the aggressive nature of the traffic. I'd certainly think twice about commuting by bike in London if I was ever in the unfortunate position to have to consider doing this.

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farrell replied to 700c | 8 years ago
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700c wrote:

Meanwhile with reports that two London cyclists tragically died in 36 hrs. You'd be forgiven if people do feel it's too dangerous to cycle. Simply dismissing Fogle as some posh snob who is out of touch is to do a disservice to genuine and understandable fears people may have about cycling in London.

But he's not expressing fears for your common or garden cycle commuters though is he? He is sneering down at people on hire bikes. He isn't putting forth anything that is pro-cycling or pro-safety he's just denigrating people he thinks aren't wealthy enough to be riding round on expensive bikes.

Does anyone have the stats handy for the following:

How many people have been killed on the rental bikes in London?

How many of those deaths have the fault of the rider

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fukawitribe replied to farrell | 8 years ago
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farrell wrote:

He is sneering down at people on hire bikes. He isn't putting forth anything that is pro-cycling or pro-safety he's just denigrating people he thinks aren't wealthy enough to be riding round on expensive bikes.

He comes up with some nonsense, that's for sure, but i'm not sure he says that (at least in second-hand report in the Independent). There's this bit..

“The best cyclists have their own bikes. Some Boris cyclists are not brilliant with their stability”

...which seems like a simple statement of fact to me. Whether the ability of some of the cyclists on hire bikes translates to an increase accidents is another point, but there's nothing there denigrating people because they're not "wealthy enough".

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a.jumper replied to fukawitribe | 8 years ago
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fukawitribe wrote:

He comes up with some nonsense, that's for sure, but i'm not sure he says that (at least in second-hand report in the Independent). There's this bit..

“The best cyclists have their own bikes. Some Boris cyclists are not brilliant with their stability”

...which seems like a simple statement of fact to me. Whether the ability of some of the cyclists on hire bikes translates to an increase accidents is another point, but there's nothing there denigrating people because they're not "wealthy enough".

What? So whether I'm one of the best cyclists depends whether I take my own bike to London or not? Actually, it depends on the time of day and the bike bans on whatever train company I'm using that day. Ben's comment is bobbins.

If he wants to say he's too scared, then fair enough on that, and the new off-carriageway spaces are being built for the likes of him because there seem to be a lot of them, but why insult the people who do ride in London just because they don't look like he wants them to? I think he should be far more worried about his friend Cracked-hat, not join in trying to scare the proles away from having fun cycling in London.

I ride in London tons. Since the congestion charge and cycle hire, it's been transformed. The LCN+ and the first wave of Cycle Superhighways were mostly crap. It'll be interesting to see if it's third time lucky!

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farrell | 8 years ago
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I'd find the streets of London on a bike a lot safer than I would a school playground if my parents had named me Ludo, for fucks sake.

"I don't like these horrible people on cheap bikes clogging up our wonderful zil lanes..."

Toff gobshite.

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a.jumper | 8 years ago
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"Cycling snob doesn't like mass cycling" shock!

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Airzound | 8 years ago
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Ben who?

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Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
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This

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Pifko replied to Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
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Judge dreadful wrote:

This

What the f*** is this!?

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Ush | 8 years ago
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Another non-expert opens their mouth... and he isn't even driving the taxi!

* I have a mate who.... (in this case demonstrated again that helmets are unlikely to prevent severe brain damage)

* I am a cyclist too ...

* I fear for you ...

* Two-stroke engines would improve our city ...

Pfft. No thanks. Get out of the taxi, shut your mouth, wear a helmet if you want to fool yourself that you're protected, and just do something about it in the simplest, most effective and immediate way: RIDE YOUR BIKE.

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s_smith | 8 years ago
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Let's take the positives from his remarks here.

I have to say I like the idea of black cabs being replaced with Tuk-tuks, I don't think cabbies would drive as badly or be as bolshy if a cyclist is capable of pushing his vehicle over or reaching in and punching the bastard.  4

Also banning motor vehicles from a lot more London streets would also be great.  105

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Joeinpoole | 8 years ago
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"... and they’re not wearing helmets.”

Horrific. Almost as bad as Amsterdam.

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tourdelound | 8 years ago
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"I'm a cyclist but......"
Says it all  36

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don simon fbpe replied to tourdelound | 8 years ago
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tourdelound wrote:

"I'm a cyclist but......"
Says it all  36

Hey! Some of my best friends are cyclists...  16

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daddyELVIS | 8 years ago
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Why was headline not 'Fogle says cars should be banned from Central London'?

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Rouboy | 8 years ago
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Thanks for the well documented and evidenced article??????

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felixcat | 8 years ago
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Ben Fogle a fearless adventurer? Hardly. As the article goes on to say, he is a TV presenter.

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