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news
Norman Tebbit (©James Robertson Photography, Wikipedia)Fellow peer tells Tebbit "on your bike" as Tory ex-minister rants about cyclists
A Labour peer yesterday interrupted a Lord Tebbit rant about cyclists to pithily advise the former Conservative Cabinet member, "then get on your bike!"
BikeBiz reports how Lord Tebbit – who famously once said that his unemployed father had “got on his bike and looked for work” – had taken the opportunity presented by a House of Lords debate on air quality to complain about the "barricades" erected to protect cyclists.
“It sometimes takes over an hour to drive from Parliament Square to the Tower of London,” said Tebbit. And underlining the full extent of his dissatisfaction with those on two wheels, he continued: “That is being caused by the barricades which have been put up in order to assist cyclists – who also get in the way on the main road.”
That drew the heckle, which attracted much mirth – but not in the stony-faced Tebbit, who responded: “The noble Lord opposite speaks very impertinently towards me and other people of my age who would find grave difficulty in cycling on the roads these days.”
So maybe use the segregated cycle lanes instead then, Norman.
Tebbit has previous when it comes to taking his opportunities to complain about cyclists during debates. In 2013 – during what was supposed to be a discussion on the safety of cyclists – he made the claim that cyclists 'habitually' break the law by giving false details when pulled up for traffic offences. On the basis of this alternative fact, he recommended that they be compelled to carry identification.
In June last year, Tebbit also called for an annual MPs’ bike ride to be cancelled on the grounds that it was a “foolish exhibition” likely to increase congestion and pollution.
Parliamentarians ride less than three miles from the Dutch Embassy to Parliament, but Tebbit wrote to Ruth Cadbury – who had sent out the invitation – to voice his displeasure. He chose to characterise the event as a “proposal to increase peak hour traffic congestion in central London on Wednesday 8 June.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- mdavidford 2 sec ago
Especially since the similarly priced Tickr X did have that functionality.
- anke2 39 min 47 sec ago
CX is brutal in terms of forces acting on the chain. A single, technical kick at 40 RPM by Iserbyt with a small chainwheel might put more load on...
- chrisonabike 1 hour 4 min ago
Perhaps some of the difficulty here is in the language - what we're comparing with what?...
- stonojnr 1 hour 8 min ago
We're decades behind in the UK of being able to do this, Utrecht works because the Dutch prioritised safe cycling infra, which makes convenient...
- eburtthebike 1 hour 12 min ago
Motonormativity. You can't make things safe for pedestrians and cyclists if it inconveniences drivers, even by the tiniest amount: they're just...
- Andrewbanshee 1 hour 17 min ago
I experience this quite often when out running. I follow the guidelines, running towards traffic and keep hard right. I am very visible too but...
- mctrials23 1 hour 31 min ago
Not enough to warrant having the role exist at all would be my guess.
- JMcL_Ireland 2 hours 5 min ago
Regarding fit, from my experience shoes seem to follow the same nonsense in sizing as a "race" cut clothing - I generally have to upsize one or two...
- brooksby 2 hours 24 min ago
Except you'll probably find that the factory selling it on Aliexpress are managing that low price by "borrowing" the original design without credit...
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17 comments
Oh the irony 'reduce air pollution by doing away with safe cycling lanes'....perhaps making London and other cities traffic free zones would be a logical solution...
It is really comforting when someone reafirms my reasons as to why I dislike that person. Get people off bicycles and into cars, that'll reduce the congestion.
I watched the clip, it almost made me sorry for him, to see the feeble old shuffler drone on about "the noble lord opposite speak[ing] impertinantly to me". Almost.
10 miles of protected cycle routes.
How many hundred miles of parked cars?
He can't ride a bike or take the tube. He needs his car because he has he taken to carrying a scythe around with him wherever he goes. That way, when Death pays him a call, the Grim Reaper will think he is looking in a mirror, and will keep on walking. There's no other way to explain how someone that old and evil isn't dead already.
Nornam Tebbit is a truly nasty piece of work. I was at a business dinner once and was annoyed to find out that he'd been brought in as an after dinner speaker, then disgusted by the two 'jokes' he made, which on legal grounds I will not repeat here.
There are many reasons why older people take retirement. Being unable to physically handle the commute between home and work being but one of many.
Or maybe he could transfer his talents to a country where they still have reserved car lanes for the political elite.
Senility started early with Tebbit. In the womb, I'd wager.
Or he could just get on the Underground at Westminster, go 7 stops eastbound on District / Circle Line and be at Tower Hill in about 20 minutes.
It's less than 3 miles!
It wouldn't take that long. 10 mins on the tube.
What a tosspot.
What is more, a cabbie would usually take you south of the river, via Elephant and Castle.
I was factoring in the walk at both ends, getting through the ticket barriers etc for
an old farta man of advanced years like Tebbit but yes I agree, actual time on the Tube is about 10 minutes.Ah I do so love when the old white men, out of touch with reality, decide to spout nonesense about things they have very little experience or knowledge of. exactly the sort of people I would want to have deciding things in the country...
Houses of Parliament to Tower of London - 54 minute walk according to multimap.com, who on earth would drive that?!
Indeed. It only takes 20 minutes to cycle according to Google too.
An 85 year old might be tempted to take a taxi.
Ah yes, those taxis that don't cause any pollution, it's the segregation bollards that emit the pollution.
Remember, if you're sitting in the traffic, you are the traffic
Well he's a dickhead, but at least he's consistent!