Aussie rider spotted hitching a lift on busy highway; Women’s Hour Record attempt; Nicolas Cage as…bottle cages; MP responds to “misinformation” accusation over LTN row; Bernal confirms Vuelta target; Bike Week; Sunshine at last + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
MP responds to "misinformation" accusation following row over LTNs and Clean Air Zone
1/2 @WaseemZaffar response to your letter below , Further I challenge Cllr Zaffar to a open public debate on the merits of the Clean Air Charging Zone for Birmingham . pic.twitter.com/l3i7Hdu9Wo
— Khalid Mahmood (@khalid4PB) May 27, 2021
MP Khalid Mahmood has hit back at criticism of his outspoken views on Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone. Last week, a city transport chief wrote to Mahmood asking him to “stop publishing misinformation to undermine vital efforts to improve air quality across the city.”
The MP for Perry Barr has also been vocal about LTNs and got in a bizarre social media argument recently after commenting on a video of gridlocked traffic blaming the schemes for congestion. Mahmood suggested greener buses and “stopping fining poor people to make money” was a better way of tackling pollution before calling a proponent of the low-traffic schemes woke and “bourgeoise”.
Now, the Labour politician has clashed with a councillor and cabinet member for transport over the city’s new Clean Air Zone which comes into effect today and will see motorists charged for driving non-compliant vehicles in certain parts of the city. Waseem Zaffar expressed “frustration and disappointment” at Mahmood’s criticism of the scheme and accused the MP of spreading misinformation.
In the letter, Zaffar corrected Mahmood’s social media post that suggested the council had withheld information on pollution levels. The Labour councillor also corrected the MP’s claim that the Clean Air Zone will cost £130 million, instead saying it will cost an initial £14 million with a further £38 million from the Clean Air Fund to help businesses and individuals prepare for its implementation.
Mahmood responded in his own letter to the transport chief: “I believe strongly that we should have the cleanest possible air for our children and our citizens. This model places a burden on those least able to afford this tax.”
As in the LTN argument a week before, Mahmood suggested improved bus services as a better solution. He also disputed that the level of Nitrogen Dioxide warrants a Clean Air Zone.
I have written to Khalid Mahmood MP asking him to stop publishing misinformation to undermine vital efforts to improve air quality across the city. pic.twitter.com/e9pS2vAR2e
— Waseem Zaffar MBE (@WaseemZaffar) May 24, 2021
The right tool for the job...Bike Is Best
Nearly 60% of car journeys are under 5 miles. There’s a better tool for the job. For short journeys #BikeIsBest pic.twitter.com/KI2NZtOy65
— Bike Is Best (@BikeIsBestHQ) May 28, 2021
Aussie rider spotted hitching a lift on busy highway
Watch this video in full screen mode…it came out of Queensland over the weekend after being shared on the ‘Cairns & Surrounding Area Bad Drivers Exposed’ Facebook group. Ange Scott-Mitchell called the cyclist “crazy dude” after spotting him hanging on to the back of the trailer on the fast-moving highway. As you might expect, the police condemned the man’s behaviour telling a local news report that it “put other motorists at risk”.
In the comments, Ai-Yeng Chang made us laugh by asking “how’s that car pulling the weight of this man’s balls?”…while a few others were more concerned that he is not wearing a helmet…
Back in March an outraged Welsh dairy farmer shared a similar clip of a cyclist hitching a lift on the A40 near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire. The exasperated farmer said: “’I’ve seen some things in my time but this is up there with the best of the stupid ones!”
Giro d'Italia winner Egan Bernal targets Grand Tour sweep at Vuelta a España
Egan Bernal has confirmed he will target the Vuelta a España having secured the Giro d’Italia on Sunday. Bernal does not turn 25 until January, but by that time may have won all three of cycling’s Grand Tours…not bad. The Colombian told Semana TV he will be keen to take on the Spanish race after some rest and “can’t just sit at home and do nothing.”
“Yes, the Vuelta. Right now, I don’t want to think about one month training and being away from home, but I like to race, and I like to prepare, to do things well, so I know I will have the motivation to go to the Vuelta and do it well,” Bernal explained. “We’re looking at the Vuelta. I can’t just sit at home and do nothing.”
Just seven riders have managed to win all three Grand Tours…Bernal’s former teammate Chris Froome being the most recent, winning his third at the Giro in 2018. Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali represent the only other riders from recent times in the exclusive club alongside greats of the sport such as Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil and Felice Gimondi.
“The Giro was completely different than we expected,” Bernal continued. “We thought that the first part of the race would be about limiting the losses, and then taking the time back in the end on favourable terrain in the mountains. And it turned out completely opposite; I took time early, and then when the mountains came, there were others stronger and I had to really count on my teammates.”
Wedding bells
My friends Isa and Terry got married yesterday. Bride, groom and all the guests travelled to the ceremony in style… 🚲🙂🕺#yesterdaysbestwedding @BikeWorcester @ActiveWorcs @BikeIsBestHQ @nedboulting pic.twitter.com/f8lCoSJ2Ax
— SHIFT (@goSHIFTscheme) May 30, 2021
This cycling wedding got us digging into the road.cc archives to see if we have covered anything like this before…the answer? No, not really. Isa and Terry’s brilliant big day featured all the guests travelling to the ceremony by bike and the couple emerging from the service on two wheels…perhaps the first dance was a quick 20 minute HIIT?
— SHIFT (@goSHIFTscheme) May 30, 2021
Former Utah Jazz NBA Defensive Player of the Year killed in cycling crash
Remembering Mark ❤️ pic.twitter.com/nUiyx0YvUt
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) May 30, 2021
Former Utah Jazz basketballer and twice NBA Defensive Player of the Year Mark Eaton has been killed in a cycling crash, the team announced. UPI reports the 64-year-old was found unconscious in the road on Friday evening in Summit County, Utah and according to the authorities there is no reason to believe anyone else was involved.
The Jazz shared the news on Friday:
The Utah Jazz are profoundly saddened at the unexpected passing of Mark Eaton, who was an enduring figure in our franchise history and had a significant impact in the community after his basketball career.
His presence continued around the organisation as a friend and ambassador while giving back as a businessman and volunteer to his adopted hometown in Utah. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Teri and their extended family. Mark will be greatly missed by all of us with the Jazz.
Eaton was twice awarded the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year accolade and his No.53 jersey was retired by the Jazz following his retirement. The shocking news comes two months after the Dallas Mavericks confirmed their former player Shawn Bradley had been paralysed after being hit by a driver while cycling in Utah.
Celebrate Bike Week with Cycling UK
This week is Cycling UK’s annual celebration of cycling and runs up until this Saturday. The charity is asking people to get out and enjoy a bike ride as well as sharing photos and logging their miles online. Over the bank holiday, it hosted the World’s Biggest Bike Ride and with the week coinciding with half-term, Cycling UK has created a list of 21 family-friendly bike rides across the UK.
Sarah Mitchell, chief executive of Cycling UK, commented: “Over the past year we have really seen the importance of staying active and getting outside on our wellbeing, both physical and mental. We estimate that one in three people in the UK either owns or has access to a bike – that’s about 25 million people. This Bike Week we want to see as many of them as possible sharing the benefits and joy of cycling and showing the possibilities of a better world by bike.”
Simon Yates off to the Tour de France after Giro d'Italia podium
Despite his best efforts Simon Yates could not overhaul Egan Bernal or Damiano Caruso during the final weekend of the Giro d’Italia and had to settle for third place in Milan. After the TT, Yates said he had no regrets and that the two riders above him on GC were simply the strongest two in the race.
Yates’ directeur sportif at Team BikeExchange told Cyclingnews it is likely the team’s star rider will be heading to the Tour de France. “First is a holiday,” White explained. “I can guarantee that one, he’ll be packing his bags and starting a nice break on Monday. Then we’ll sit down, see how he’s come out of the Giro. But obviously for Simon a big goal for him is to win the Olympic Games. And it’s highly likely you’ll be seeing him at the Tour.”
In 2019, Yates won two stages of the Tour having raced to eighth a month earlier at the Giro. White did not mention if the 28-year-old’s primary goal will be stage wins or GC, however BikeExchange’s provisional team selection for the race suggests the former is more likely.
Sonny Colbrelli wins Critérium du Dauphiné stage three
Colbrelli wins stage 3#Dauphiné pic.twitter.com/l2l4QgCNHL
— Jan Willems (@CyclingWiz) June 1, 2021
After twice winning the sprint for second behind the solo winner in the first two stages of Critérium du Dauphiné, Sonny Colbrelli finally got his win on stage three. On stage one the Italian was foiled by Brent Van Moer before Lukas Pöstlberger outfoxed the bunch yesterday. Bahrain Victorious were never going to let it happen a third time and kept the two-man break on a very short leash.
In the sprint Alex Arranburu kicked first but Colbrelli managed to follow before overpowering the Astana rider in the final 100 metres of a tough uphill finish in Saint-Haon-Le-Vieux. Tomorrow’s 16km lumpy individual time trial could have a big say on who takes the yellow jersey ahead of a big weekend of Alpine climbing.
The Dauphiné is the traditional warm up race ahead of the Tour…one man unlikely to get the nod for the big one is Mark Cavendish. Deceuninck-Quick-Step team boss Patrick Lefevere told Italian website Bici.Pro that the Tour “is probably too hard for him now”.
“Mark has done a few races. He’s also been unlucky because some of the race he was supposed to do were cancelled. He retired on stage 3 of the Vuelta a Andalucía saying it wasn’t a race for sprinters and then André Greipel won the next day.” Trouble in paradise?
Nicolas Cage as...bottle cages: the Twitter thread you never knew you needed in your life
🧵 Nic Cage as water bottle cages. pic.twitter.com/iGlIgaIUp9
— Tara Seplavy (@t_seplavy) May 30, 2021
Where to start with this? All round great cage content…What a strange place the internet can be…
— Tara Seplavy (@t_seplavy) May 30, 2021
Joss Lowden announces women's Hour Record attempt this September
British pro rider Joss Lowden will take on the women’s Hour Record in Switzerland in September. The DROPS Le Col s/b Tempur rider is aiming to beat the current record of 48.007km which has stood since Victoria Bussi broke the old record in 2018. Since the record was unified in line with other UCI rules and regulations only seven attempts have been made. Lowden’s attempt will be held at the BMC Track velodrome in Grenchen in Switzerland at the end of September.
Last November, Alex Dowsett was forced to cancel his Hour Record attempt due to a positive coronavirus test. Dowsett had been hoping to reclaim his record which was broken by Bradley Wiggins back in 2015 before Victor Campanaerts then bested Wiggo.
Former England footballer Geoff Thomas fears Tour 21 ride at risk of being cancelled due to French quarantine restrictions
The Tour 21, an event led by former England footballer Geoff Thomas which involves amateur riders take on the full route of the Tour de France to raise money for Cure Leukaemia, risks being cancelled for a second year, this time due to French quarantine restrictions. The French government last week announced restrictions for UK citizens travelling to France which means visitors must quarantine for 14 days.
Thomas and the man who saved his life Professor Charlie Craddock CBE have appealed to both the UK and French governments to provide special dispensation to allow it to take place in three weeks’ time. The event has a fundraising target of £1,000,000 and all funds will be invested in the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) which connects blood cancer patients from the UK catchment area of over 20 million people with potentially life-saving clinical trials.
Tour de France organiser Christian Prudhomme has also got involved, saying he hopes the event can go ahead. “I want to ask you to help Cure Leukaemia,” Prudhomme said in a recorded message. “There are many children with blood cancer who need help, and you can help them by supporting the 25 who will be doing the Tour.”
Fun in the sun
Another perfect day for a ride 👌 Because you never know how long it will last you gotta make the most of it. #7DaysOfCycling pic.twitter.com/40Osgi7xdB
— 𝙼𝚒𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎 ~One Less Car~ (@cycling_woman) May 31, 2021
Well, summer has finally turned up…that bank holiday weather was glorious. Hopefully you all managed to make the most of it with some nice hot miles and didn’t get too sunburnt…
Call me sentimental but I almost cried at the incredible, quiet, safe routes in London inviting all ages out.
I get kind of emotional when I ride on really good new wheeling infrastructure. I think it’s the daily micro-traumas of cycling on the rest of Britain’s roads. pic.twitter.com/bLnCWMWXyC
— Mike Elm (@elmers87) May 31, 2021
1 June 2021, 07:59
1 June 2021, 07:59
1 June 2021, 07:59
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Latest Comments
@Astralstroll The Hierarchy of Road Users, announced with great fanfares in 2022, has been rendered into complete fiction by the attitude of the police: there is this hierarchy/ priority list but we don't take it seriously and if drivers ignore it we don't care! The same applies to the ludicrous notice of close-passing - No KSI'd cyclist = No Offence ttps://upride.cc/incident/lwa190_minicooper_hierarchy/
Hope Barcelona keep the transport improvements (they've been making for a while) coming! Better streets, more infra to help active travel where necessary. And while it's a major investment (though can be lower operating cost than busses) maybe more trams where they can. That may be more effective in making places active travel friendly and replacing taxis than mass public bike hire. They've a good start with 6 lines already.
I think this is a positive story. They're not getting rid of public hire bikes - they're expanding their in-house one. They're merely kicking out cowboys who've shown they've a lack of interest in the game they claim to be playing. It seems logical that companies whose business model is to extract (venture capital) money by invading public space are even less likely to make the efforts to keep things in order than a local "in house" scheme. (After all the "bikes and riding" part of these schemes always *costs* money, they don't generate it.) So not surprising their experience shows those firms are not particularly motivated to follow the rules - especially when scrapping for "market share". It's nice the European Cyclists’ Federation is thinking about tourists also (i hesitate to say "follow the money...") - as they note, where it's safe to cycle locals will largely get their own bikes. Tourists aren't going to stop coming because lack of public bike share - I think this is mostly a "nice to have" ("hey - why don't we go on one of those bikes there? ").
Harm minimization - at least they're not driving...
I'll counter that by saying the Bryton 750se I have drives me nuts at times. Inconsistantly picks up on routes created on Komoot and the app re-syncs every few seconds when trying to set up the device and sends me back to the home screen. The most infuriating one is that I turned live track on. Once. It now won't turn off and repeatedly flags up the live track is starting, and then disconnecting every few seconds whilst riding. I haven't timed it but it wouldn't suprise me if 10-20% of the time the the screen is covered with an error message. That's been about 6 weeks now. Other than that it's great :/
RE: Police launch road safety operation... by clamping down on cyclists using footbridge Meanwhile in Glasgow, Police Scotland are riding their motorbikes over the pedestrian and cyclists only bridge. https://x.com/FietserGlasgow/status/2065106152917012523?s=20
@Paul J Van Schip certainly seems a bit of a dick, but he's a European and multiple World Champion on the track, pretty sure you don't get there without having some talent in your legs.
Poor Vincent cannot get over the simple fact that given the choice people prefer dedicated cycling spaces, rather than pretending to be cars like vehicular cyclists.
What is the point of the fancy air sensor if it can't account for changing weather conditions?? If all you care about is a delayed approximation of aerodynamic watts in steady conditions, you don't need any special sensors for that. Just your speed on a decently flat course is enough to approximate rolling resistance and drivetrain losses. And the rest must be aero. If you assume a less aero body position at the same watts, your speed will drop while rolling resistance also drops, which means approximated aero watts goes up. And that's enough to demonstrate what you've shown in your testing protocol ("I sat upright and the number went up a little while later").
Your correction is accurate - it's almost always been "the (lack of) thought that (doesn't) count". "Massive" - less than a billion a year spent on active travel (trying to catch up / building a network across the entire country) Not massive - 6 billion every year (2026-2030) spent on road *maintenance* of existing "already built, goes everywhere, very convenient" road network for inactive travel Ultimately the reason "cycle infra" is *needed* is those unbelievably colossal amounts spent every year (and for more than a century now) on making mass motoring not just viable but apparently the "best choice" for most journeys. As the Dutch and others have shown, the majority of people *are* prepared to cycle and even mix with very light, slow local motor traffic *if* cycling is also made safe and convenient for the whole of their journey (including secure parking at both ends). (The history of the financial drivers of the current situation are a complex topic but note that while people complain about "crumbling roads" and underfunded motor infra - with some reason - by us continuing the fuel duty escalator freeze (for example) we're actually helping motorists pay *even less* for that activity / subsidising more of the cost of driving than ever.)
30 thoughts on “Aussie rider spotted hitching a lift on busy highway; Women’s Hour Record attempt; Nicolas Cage as…bottle cages; MP responds to “misinformation” accusation over LTN row; Bernal confirms Vuelta target; Bike Week; Sunshine at last + more on the live blog”
Re: Mahmood. “we need to
Re: Mahmood. “we need to increase bus routes to make cleaner air”
Also, Mahmood “I’m against the Sprint Bus service being created and running through my constituency”
by the way, from experience
by the way, from experience of looking at these things, the overwhelming cost of clean air zones is the cost of throwing subsidies/bribes at taxi drivers to get them to switch to hybrid engine mini cabs. It’s a farce.
In unrelated Ogmios news:-
In unrelated Ogmios news:-
BBC orders an ASMR comedy : News 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide
That’s terrific news – those
That’s terrific news – those videos (or electronic audio-visual presentations, for the Captain) are quietly special and deserve a wide audience.
I’m a bit conflicted about
I’m a bit conflicted about LTNs. Who in their right mind wouldn’t love less traffic in their neighbourhood? However, there’s one a couple of miles from me. The LTN is great – nice, quiet roads. Doesn’t seem to have fostered an increase in active transport though, nor kids playing out. The surrounding roads, however, are now subject to much heavier traffic. Air quality is noticeably worse for people living on them. And, of course, local mouth-breathers blame it all on the “cycling lobby”, and people riding bikes get more abuse and more instruction to “use the fackin’ LTN” rather than the main roads.
srchar wrote:
What do they expect you to do? Pick the LTN up and take it with you??
brooksby wrote:
Run that by me again – nice and slow. D’you know I think you might be on to something there…..
Captain Badger wrote:
It’d be like a Portable Hole.
srchar wrote:
There’s some truth in that observation. I live in a LTN (although it wasn’t called that when it was built just after the war) and until a few years ago my bike was the only one you ever saw in the neighbourhood, even children did not cycle or play outside. People still drove to the local shop even though it’s just a five minutes’ walk away. School run was terrible traffic chaos even though kids can walk through a park to the school instead of being driven around that park.
This has changed very much in recent years and the streets are much more lively than when I moved in.
There are certainly several interacting factors why people chose active travel. Building infrastructure (low traffic neighbourhoods, good cycle paths etc.) so one doesn’t have to fight with motor traffic is just an important basis, but on its own not always sufficient.
I think the “build it and they will come” attitude is a bit short-sighted and it has to be accompanied by a lot of other changes that encourage people to go for active travel.
srchar wrote:
Only anecdotal but yesterday rode through an LTN in East Dulwich, Melbourne Grove for those who know the area. There were kids playing football in the street, a few girls having an impromptu dance party, the cafe was packed with tables out in the road and a jazz band playing, and there were more cyclists than I’ve ever seen in thirty years living in and around the district – and the main roads on the periphery were quieter. Bank Holiday of course, but still…
Melbourne Grove is a great
Melbourne Grove is a great success, I pass there occasionally too. I’m glad to hear the cafe was packed – the tables would not have been feasible or pleasant before the traffic calming so this increased capacity during covid restrictions will have saved it. Many of the comments on the ongoing live consultation claim the LTN will kill such local businesses by not allowing easy motor access but as is usually the case, people who arrive by foot (or bike) visit more often, stay longer so over the course of a month spend more.
The ultimate aim has to be
The ultimate aim has to be for all non-main roads, both urban and rural, to be part of LTNs, with through traffic restricted to A and B roads.
Bmblbzzz wrote:
If you could keep them off the B roads whilst you’re at it. ……
Captain Badger wrote:
Office Space. One of my favourite films, m’kay?
Does anyone remember the
Does anyone remember the ‘lead in petrol’ debate? A lot of that revolved around Birmingham and Spaghetti Junction in particular. Perhaps drivers need reminding of the damage that was causing.
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1974/apr/05/motorways-lead-pollution
It is funny that one man was
It is funny that one man was involved with the production for two items which had such massive impacts on health and the enviroment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley_Jr.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
And topped off his talent for catastrophe, IIRC, by being strangled to death by the machine he invented for helping to get himself out of bed after he became disabled.
efail wrote:
One of the symptoms of lead poisoning is concentration and memory disorders, I dare say it wouldn’t help. Irritability and mood disorders are also associated problems
There is / was a theory that
There is / was a theory that Lead free petrol efforts coincided with less crime in society. Obviously too many other factors to prove whether this was a major reason or just coincidental though.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
I remember that the evidence was circumstantial but the trend that violent crime fell a significant amount over a medium term was followed in most major conurbations where lead was banned.
Work has been ongoing to try
Work has been ongoing to try to prove it. There is a very strong correlation pattern but its very difficult to prove causation. ie both went down at a 20 year time lag to each other – across multiple states and countries.
Secret_squirrel wrote:
“There is a substantial causal relationship,”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27067615
But as always, your mileage may vary!
Sriracha wrote:
I tend to believe its the cause, but was playing devils advocate as it seems unlikely to ever be proven to anyones satisfaction. Especially those groups who have a vested interest in retaining some ambiguity.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
weird! I was telling someone about this the other day but as I read about it many years ago I couldn’t remember too many details
One for hawkinspeter
One for hawkinspeter 😉
Cyclist’s face fractured by squirrel he hit while riding down hill at 35mph
and
Ouch!
Ouch!
brooksby wrote:
That’s one speedy squirrel.
Was !
Was !
Re: the Tour 21. It is wrong
Re: the Tour 21. It is wrong to say that UK arrivals in France have to quarantine for 14 days. The period is 7 days.
I’m just going to leave this
I’m just going to leave this here.