PCSO accuses injured cyclist of making unnecessary journey; Cabbie admits spreading tacks around Regent’s Park; Ex-Labour MP’s inspirational cycling thread; World champs heading to Quatar?; Busy Brighton A-road gets temp bike lane + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Cycling in America
I got shot at cycling with a friend on a highway outside of Mitchell S. Dakota. When we got in town and told another friend…you know what he said?
“They were just joking cause most of these guys are crack-shots. If they wanted to shoot you, they would have.”
100% serious 😑
— Q – They don’t really care about us (@QuancyClayborne) May 6, 2020
Apparantly getting shot at was ‘just a joke’, if this story is indeed true. Only in ‘merica…
Peter Sagan double header: a change of tune about indoor cycling, and 'escaping' with the new Diverge
The Slovakian recently revealed on an Instagram live video that he didn’t care much for indoor cycling, and that he’s “a real cyclist not a virtual one”… but ever the people pleaser, Sagan has been taking one for the team and getting involved with Bora-Hansgrohe’s virtual ride outs.
When it’s time for a fast escape, I rely on the new @iamspecialized Diverge as the ultimate getaway vehicle. Escape Responsibly → https://t.co/muySflYPlA #diverge #iamspecialized pic.twitter.com/mHFuqiCdNC
— Peter Sagan (@petosagan) May 7, 2020
He’s also been taking one for the Specialized marketing team by starring in the ad for their all new Diverge, posing as an escaping crook by the looks of things and using the revamped all-roader as his getaway vehicle. We all know it’s make-believe because that rather expensive bike wasn’t locked, and in real life it would have definitely got pinched…
On yer bike, say The i newspaper
Front page of the Independent:
“Millions will be urged to cycle to work” pic.twitter.com/ySdJpvTkU1
— APPGCW (@allpartycycling) May 8, 2020
That’s what’s on the front page of this morning’s edition, as it’s reported that the public wil be urged to cycle to work to avoid the risk of further spread from a return to the mass use of public transport. Are we really heading for a ‘Golden Age of Cycling’?
More drawing pins found around Regent's Park
Drawing pins left out for cyclists again. @RPcyclists @MPSRoyal_Parks @MetCC @theroyalparks #regentspark Opposite London Business School. Thankfully there’s so much traffic they’ve mostly been squashed. pic.twitter.com/soB4Y0BfsT
— The Dynaslow 🚴♂️🐈👨👩👧 (@TheDynaslow) May 8, 2020
We first reported this on our Wednesday live blog, and it looks like either they’ve yet to be removed or new pins have been put down in their place. The MET Contact Centre replied to this tweet to say that they’re aware of the latest discovery.
Good morning, thank you for the information. Local police have been made aware.
— Met Contact Centre (@MetCC) May 8, 2020
There have been rising reports of self-styled ‘vigilantes’ laying traps – presumably aimed at cyclists and/or walkers – who are attempting to enforce their own warped version of the government’s lockdown guidance and illegally putting up signs telling people to stay away. This one from South Wales was one of the numerous examples we’ve seen since the lockdown began.
Is there less roadside litter because fast food joints are closed?
A cyclist wrote to the Northern Echo suggesting this could be the case, observing that while flytipping has inevitably gone up, there seems to be much less general litter around during lockdown. Evidently it’s not gel wrappers that appear to be the main litter problem on countryside roads then…
Notorious Brighton A road gets temporary cycle lane
Work will take place on Sunday to create a new temporary cycle lane on the A270 Old Shoreham Road, freeing up space for cyclists in response to government guidance on physical distancing and changes to how people are currently travelling around the city.https://t.co/UzqynBR95p pic.twitter.com/MCwUAtTD6X
— Brighton & Hove City Council (@BrightonHoveCC) May 7, 2020
Brighton and Hove Council have announced that a 1.7 mile long temporary cycle route is to be installed along the A270 Old Shoreham Road; described as “significant because you’d only want to use that road on a bike if you’re in a hurry” according to road.cc contributor Jo Burt.
Resident access to driveways are unaffected, and the lane will be in use from 11th May.
Heidi Alexander posts epic thread on cycling... and then gets grief for not wearing a helmet
A little thread on cycling in London. The experience of a 45 year old, overweight woman – ie me (inspiration provided by @peterwalker99 in his article this morning) … pic.twitter.com/8FkA270mSl
— Heidi Alexander (@Heidi_LDN) May 8, 2020
Heidi Alexander – an ex-Labour MP and now London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport – sums up perfectly what is so good about switching to two wheels in the thread above. She closes with: “Life is going to be pretty different for a while. We are going to need to change how we move around the city. I’d love this horrible period to lead to hundreds of thousands of women (and men!) in London taking to their bikes – being healthier and happier as a consequence.”
Although it did attract a comment from someone who didn’t believe Ms Alexander’s post was a ‘great advert for safe cycling’…
Great advert for safe cycling. No helmet, no gloves, no idea…
— TDF TT (@TDF_TT) May 8, 2020
Though we can’t help noticing that this account’s profile picture is Jan Ulrich, and despite his slick aero helmet this happened to him in the final time trial of the 2003 Tour de France…
Tweet surfaces from London cab driver who admits to spreading drawing pins around Regent's Park
Then you have idiots like this guy. pic.twitter.com/03BJEzhMEa
— Elisabeth Anderson (@velobetty) May 8, 2020
There’s stupid as in endangering the lives of others by putting drawing pins in the road to puncture bike tyres… and then there’s stupid as in admitting it publicly on social media. That’s what ‘Welsh Cabbie Tony’ has done if his tweet from 21st March – which has resurfaced today – is to be believed. Incredibly, the Twitter account is still active.
Remember these? Remember the 13 year old child that nearly got injured in all of this? Remember how we are supposed to help the NHS, which is why many ppl are cycling where they feel safe, places like parks?? Yeahh… @MetCC @MetCycleCops @metpoliceuk @theroyalparks https://t.co/Hb7fyHLhZs pic.twitter.com/vcNTsAs4gu
— Ramos (@SezRamos) May 8, 2020
We understand the tweet has been reporting to the police and they are still investigating.
It’s been brought to our attention that some international readers may be unaware that ‘black cab’ is an informal term for a specific type of licensed taxi in the UK. We’ve changed the headline to reflect this, apologies for any confusion.
Reports that the UCI Road World Champs could be held in the UAE, Qatar or Oman if Switzerland is unable to host
Mundiales, tres opciones en Oriente Medio en noviembre si el evento en Suiza se salta como alternativa a Aigle-Martigny 2020. Según MARCA las opciones son Emiratos Árabes , Qatar u Omán (foto Sirotti) pic.twitter.com/0TrcSMGEug
— Nieves Moya (@NievesMoya) May 8, 2020
According to the Spanish publication Marca, one of the Arab nations could step in if Aigle-Martigny 2020 is unable to take place in Switzerland between 20th-27th September because of the pandemic.
The Swiss organisers of the championships are reportedly not convinced that the event will be able to go ahead, and co-chairman of the organising committee Grégory Devaud says that they “must be humble” about the situation, out of respect for those who are fighting the virus each day.”
He added that a final decision whether Switzerland could host would be made by the end of June, while Marca claim to have learned from insiders that the UCI is considering the UAE, Qatar or Oman as alternative host nations. As Switzerland is mountainous and a road race in any of these three countries would most likely be very flat, it means any shortlist of favourites to win world titles in 2020 would be turned on its head. With organisers most likely looking to avoid big crowds gathering, there would be an advantage to hosting in one of these three countries according to some…
The climbers won’t be happy, but at least they can guarantee there won’t be big crowds
— Peter Cossins (@petercossins) May 8, 2020
Geraint Thomas will return to France to train for rescheduled Tour de France
The 2018 winner of Le Tour revealed in a Facebook Live chat with Wiggle (above) that he will be heading to France on Monday to up his training for the race, which is set to begin on the 29th August – Thomas is a resident of Monaco.
He said: “We’ll be back out there, we can train on the roads there. At the moment anyway that’s what the French Government are saying, so looking forward to it.”
Thomas also said that while it “obviously isn’t ideal that he is ‘excited’ about the new UCI calendar, which has been squeezed betwen September and November with many events overlapping: “if we can get it all in that will just be phenomenal”, he added.
PCSO faces backlash for asking if injured cyclist's planned 26 mile ride was necessary
Who the hell can tell us whether a bike ride we choose to go on is necessary? How dare these people?https://t.co/mR9vVEuRfq
— Alistair Haimes (@AlistairHaimes) May 7, 2020
The Somerset County Gazette reports PCSO Steve Hill wrote on his Police Facebook account that a cyclist was injured while out on a bike ride with friends, which would have reportedly been 26 miles in length. PCSO Hill said the cyclist crashed on Ford Street in Wellington, Somerset, and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
He then said: “It transpired the cyclist was with two friends from Taunton who decided to go for a cycle ride as their daily exercise. They were avid cyclists and thought this was ok.
“Although cycling can be part of your daily exercise is going for a 26-mile bike ride with friends necessary?
“This cycle ride ended in tragedy, luckily the cyclist only suffered minor injuries but was taken the (sic) Musgrove Park Hospital.
“This incident took up valuable emergency service time and could have been prevented by the cyclists staying at home as per government regulations.
“Please think before going out, is the journey necessary?”
The comments reportedly attracted anger in comments underneath PCSO Hill’s post, and others have criticised him for imposing ‘rules’ that don’t exist; under the government’s lockdown guidance daily exercise is permitted, but the length or duration isn’t specified.
Authorities are on a power trip worldwide. They need to be checked by the people.
— Cynic-19 (@beacon_freedom) May 7, 2020
1/2 PCSO Hill’s officious & peremptory remarks, if quoted accurately, betray a troubling misapprehension of the operative provisions of the Health Protection Regs. 6(2)(b) provides that a reasonable excuse *includes* the need to take exercise. No onus to show a ‘necessity’.
— Christopher Larcombe (@drimpolitic) May 7, 2020
26miles on a bike isn’t even that far tbh
— Cheryl 🛶🌌🦋 (@CherylBoruszko) May 7, 2020
Welsh lockdown restrictions will allow exercise more than once per day from Monday
The Welsh First Minister has said some “modest adjustments” will be made to #coronavirus restrictions in Wales from Monday – including allowing more than one outdoor exercise session a day, and reopening garden centres.
Read more about #COVID19: https://t.co/rebEszzpRw pic.twitter.com/Y5RACtblBw
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) May 8, 2020
The ‘modest’ changes will mean that Welsh residents will be permitted outside to exercise more than once per day; while no such rule specifically exists in England, it’s been reported that a change to the current guidance – that says ‘one form of exercise a day’ is allowed with a number of exceptions – may be announced by Boris Johnson over the weekend when he addresses the nation.
8 May 2020, 08:20
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Latest Comments
Oh dear! With my sense of humour, I should have been sacked a dozen times: every year. The Kiwis I've met all seemed to have a reasonable sense of humour, and one was excellent, but perhaps they weren't working for a school.
"neither student laughed..." Well, it elicited a wry smile from me...
@60somethingcyclist Unfortunately there are a couple of problems with that: firstly in order to try to manage some of the chaos in the Italian political system, for several decades when a mayor wins an election in large towns they are automatically given a guaranteed majority of 60% of the council seats, and also if a decree of the mayor's is overruled by the council that automatically triggers a no-confidence vote which then dissolves the council and forces a new election. So in order to vote down this decree not only would opponents need to persuade a considerable number of the mayor's own party to vote against him but also effectively to vote themselves out of office with no guarantee of return.
My first road bike was a Raleigh, too. A 1976 Raleigh Record. I dragged it out of the shed a few years ago and got it working again. 14kg it weighed! A 52/42 crank and a 14-28 five speed 'cluster' at the back made hills pretty hard work...
@Destroyer666 Campag cranks use replaceable standard cartridge bearings, pressed onto the axles. They're a slightly unusual size but you can find them easily enough on bearing specialist sites or elsewhere.
More use of compulsory purchase is needed. Active travel route providers need the same kind of financial and legal power that Highways England and analogous bodies have. On the other side to the jam factory, by the junction in Histon, the busway path narrows as it goes past the bus stop and housing. It is the kind of pinch point where enforcement of the limit is most likely.
Yes. Local users of the maintenance track have said such things. Continuing to say them to decision makers is likely to encourage better decisions.
A bit late to this article but I can sadly confirm what they found, since my daughter started riding out more on her own in the last year. The amount of comments shouted at her on most solo rides is thoroughly depressing. And it is all men/boys. I am glad it doesn't stop her going out, but what goes through their brains to think it is OK to harass her? It's beyond me, but I guess some of us seem revel in our ignorance.
@Mr Blackbird I read "Netherlands" first. But then I realized a hole in the road eliminated that possibility. The bastards seem to repair them before they appear!
@Bungle_52 And obviously the cyclist was obstructing the lorry's movement. Do you realize how much CO2 it takes to re-accelerate that lorry?!
35 thoughts on “PCSO accuses injured cyclist of making unnecessary journey; Cabbie admits spreading tacks around Regent’s Park; Ex-Labour MP’s inspirational cycling thread; World champs heading to Quatar?; Busy Brighton A-road gets temp bike lane + more on the live blog”
I don’t see why the illegal
I don’t see why the illegal and incredibly antisocial activity of fly tipping has inevitably gone up. People (and by that I mean motorists) choose to do it, no one forces them.
It’s a British malady, when
It’s a British malady, when all the recycling centres are closed down, fly tipping will inevitably go up. I know it’s illegal and antisocial but hey this is Britain where illegal and antisocial are the citizen’s divine right.
Spent 10 years living in Germany where the instances of litter were very rare and I never saw fly tipping once.
This is Britain where people
This is Britain where people behave in a thoughtful and social minded way only until it becomes inconvenient to do so.
Recycling centres are all
Recycling centres are all closed, refuse collections reduced. Less traffic means less likely to be witnessed dumping crap.
My wife is on some running
My wife is on some running challenge this week. Max 1 hour. Some bloke racked up 17km in the hour challenge – she managed just over 11.
So when you read a cyclist rode 26 miles, it not very far if you are fit and used to it.
Seems Joe public has no concept of what someone who is fit and takes an interest in a sport is easily capable of.
Cyclist could have come a cropper courtesy of a Hermes van 100m from home.
The positive side is that the
The positive side is that the comments in the County Gazette are largely critical of the PCSO
Not defending him if the
Not defending him if the copper really did mean a 26 mile ride isn’t appropriate but it looks to me from his wording he’s saying is, ‘going for a 26 mile bike ride WITH FRIENDS necessary.’ Which seems fair enough, we have been told to not exercise with people from outside our household.
If he did mean that then his
If he did mean that then his comments are even more nonsensical – how does riding with friends make having an off any more likely?
Pulling a wheelie to impress
Pulling a wheelie to impress – look at me I’m Peter Sagan !!
Again not defending him but I
Again not defending him but I don’t think he’s suggesting you are more likely to have an off but that his point is that a ride with friends isn’t necessary at the moment. Not sure this is the situation to make his point but I don’t think we need to get as triggered at the authorities trying to limit our time on the bike.
How is exercise without
How is exercise without friends more necessary than exercise with friends? Would PCSO have been more sympathetic if the rider had been alone? Would it have meant less stress on the emergency services?
It might be prudent during a
It might be prudent during a pandemic. Given they probably hang around together anyway, it might be somewhat moot but the point is not unreasonable.
Having no concept of what a
Having no concept of what a fit person is capable of reminds me of years ago when I was a reasonable club runner a did a 10 mile run for a charity.
It was done as a sort of sweepstake in which people were invited to guess how long it would take. Most guesses were over 2 hours!
I had an off on Wednesday
I had an off on Wednesday when my pedal snapped clean off. Some serious road rash and bruising but a nearby Halfords was open so bought some pedals and cycled home to get patched up.
That was six miles into my ride- I was only warming up at that stage and would have done around 30 as a quick ride around. An off can happen anywhere.
simontm wrote:
And what is the point of that truism? Most things are possible, the question is what is the probability.
Not only is it not feasible to avoid all risk, it is not even desireable. What is required is to manage things to extract maximum benefit at an acceptable level of risk.
“Acceptable” is when the R0 reduces below 1. I hardly think the numbers of cyclists having mechanicals requiring 3rd party help that also lead to an instance of covid transmission is even going to move the needle. Set that against the manifest good to the NHS of regular daily exercise widespread amongst the population.
Sriracha wrote:
I had an off on Wednesday when my pedal snapped clean off. Some serious road rash and bruising but a nearby Halfords was open so bought some pedals and cycled home to get patched up.
That was six miles into my ride- I was only warming up at that stage and would have done around 30 as a quick ride around.[b] An off can happen anywhere[/b]. — Sriracha
And what is the point of that truism? Most things are possible, the question is what is the probability. Not only is it not feasible to avoid all risk, it is not even desireable. What is required is to manage things to extract maximum benefit at an acceptable level of risk. “Acceptable” is when the R0 reduces below 1. I hardly think the numbers of cyclists having mechanicals requiring 3rd party help that also lead to an instance of covid transmission is even going to move the needle. Set that against the manifest good to the NHS of regular daily exercise widespread amongst the population.— simontm
Um, I think the point was that the PCSO’s reference to the length of their ride was irrelevant, since they should just as easily have come off even if they’d restricted themselves to a 6 mile ride. Not sure why you’re taking issue with it – you both seem to agree with each other.
Yes, I take your point. I
Yes, I take your point. I read it the other way, that he was cautioning that you never know when you might have an incident so in these times you better be safe than sorry so stay home. But it could equally be as you say.
Sriracha wrote:
sorry, what Siracha said was exactly my point. The pedal could have come off anywhere, the distance was irrelevant in my case as well as the reported one.
“ended in tragedy”.
“ended in tragedy”.
Yes, “tragedy” – death?
Yes, “tragedy” – death? Broken bones? No – cuts
and bruises.
Some people, including some
Some people, including some plods and pseudo-plods like this PCSO, have very one-dimensional minds. If someone tells them “journeys must be essential” they’ll trot that line out in response to every situation, regardless of the fact that exercise has been officially and specifically sanctioned. Similar to the “road tax” talking point: you can tell people it doesn’t exist, and vehicle excise duty would be zero for cyclists anyway, but in their minds it is a watertight argument.
“This incident took up
“This incident took up valuable emergency service time and [b]could have been prevented by the cyclists staying at home [/b]as per government regulations.”
1) Staying home is worse:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/12/home-accident-risk-nhs-doctor
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/may/08/brian-may-hospitalised-gardening-injury-tears-buttock-muscles
2) Government Regulations envision taking exercise
3) Cycling “saves the NHS”:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2017/sep/17/the-miracle-pill-how-cycling-could-save-the-nhs
The PCSO needs to understand (be re-educated?) that if everybody took his advice and stayed home not only would A&E admissions not reduce, but the cost long term to physical and mental health would be a drain on the NHS.
Of course it would be great if every cyclist who met with misfortune had instead stayed at home. Such is the perception of those whose job takes them to every such incident.
A doctor relative of mine had
This gardening lark is dangerous. A doctor relative of mine had a patient in A&E shortly after lockdown started with some fairly horrific cuts – he had decided to use his Flymo to trim the hedge. Then a short while later another patient came in with similar injuries – he had seen someone using a Flymo to trim the hedge and thought it looked like a brilliant idea…
I moved a lounger with a
I moved a lounger with a cover on it in the garden earlier. Trod on the cover, the lounger came to a halt and I have 2 cut shins – could have broken a bone if I’d also fallen over.
Stay in doors ( but not upstairs – you might fall down them).
One of the major triggers for
One of the major triggers for heart attacks is waking up/getting out of bed.
Though mostly in the morning, lessons to learn maybe?
I would like to know what Brian May was doing while gardening to inflict such an injury?
Sriracha wrote:
A classic case of observation bias. Because of a single incident, he thinks that every cyclist is an accident waiting to happen and they should all stay home.
“It transpired the cyclist
“It transpired the cyclist was with two friends from Taunton who decided to go for a cycle ride as their daily exercise.”
Going out with friends is not okay though, so perhaps he took exception to this?
Welsh_cabbie Tony will no
Welsh_cabbie Tony will no doubt be getting lots of no show call outs very soon
Is that the Heidi Alexander
Is that the Heidi Alexander who’s appeared in these pages before, iirc opposing cycle lanes?
Why does she have a red light on her handlebars?
That clutter of signs outside
That clutter of signs outside that ‘village’? Jeez, who would want to go there anyway? It looks hideous (and inbred)
Oh, and fast food litter has definitely decreased since the ‘lockdown’.
PCSO’s comments re necessity
PCSO’s comments re necessity of cycling were definitely out of order, but I’m surprised they didn’t make more of the fact this guy was out with friends. Surely we all know by now this is not allowed? The distance is irrelevant, but the fact he wasn’t solo is the main issue.
How do you know they weren’t
How do you know they weren’t all housemates? How do you know they weren’t riding 20m apart? Marvellous how this virus has brought out the assumption-jumping holier-than-thou little Britons like this copper and, it seems, you.
The villagers are not taking
The villagers are not taking any chances.
In case the signs don’t work, they have taken the precaution of making the village look like a collection of ugly shacks, inhabited by inbred imbeciles.
(No subject)
PCSO=reject bin police office
PCSO=reject bin police office=chip on shoulder, probably posts on twitter too much type.
Sadly these sort of jobs seem to attract exactly the sort of people that shouldn’t be doing them. They seem to be either too thick to use discretion and operate on a restricted boolean basis or of the literal rule to the letter types.
This lockdown seems to have brought out the very worst in them as it’s added an element of moral high ground they seem to think there are already on, the ‘if it saves just one life’ type.