Panorama’s ‘Road Rage: Cars v Bikes’ reaches the masses… with painfully predictable outcome (+ anti-cycling bingo tally); Quintana loses appeal against Tour DQ; View from the Netherlands; Pogačar v Vingegaard… on FIFA + more on the live blog

52 thoughts on “Panorama’s ‘Road Rage: Cars v Bikes’ reaches the masses… with painfully predictable outcome (+ anti-cycling bingo tally); Quintana loses appeal against Tour DQ; View from the Netherlands; Pogačar v Vingegaard… on FIFA + more on the live blog”

1. Is there nothing in the BBC
   Is there nothing in the BBC Charter that prohibits them peddling lies? Knowingly pursuing discredited statistical methodologies and then using the results to frame the debate, in a flagship factual programme, is criminal. I’m sick of hearing presenters trot out the line, “Obviously this isn’t a scientific survey, but our results suggest…”

   They might as well scribe a range of opinions on coloured cards, ask a five year old to pick their favourite colour, then use the result to inform the debate.

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   • Sriracha wrote:

     Is there nothing in the BBC Charter that prohibits them peddling lies? Knowingly pursuing discredited statistical methodologies and then using the results to frame the debate, in a flagship factual programme, is criminal. I’m sick of hearing presenters trot out the line, “Obviously this isn’t a scientific survey, but our results suggest…” They might as well scribe a range of opinions on coloured cards, ask a five year old to pick their favourite colour, then use the result to inform the debate.

     — Sriracha

     The BBC doesn’t seem too interested in quality investigative journalism these days and instead they just go for cheap and easy productions.

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     • There is always a connundrum

       There is always a connundrum for the BBC, go for popular or go for quality/unpopular.  If one looks at their “Top programmes trending” then it is clear to see that the public likes absolute trash and there is nothing considered too low brow to be popular.  If the BBC goes back to the ‘quality’ days then I fear they risk alienating the masses…and then get criticised for being elitist.

       People often say that they don’t watch the BBC because it isn’t as good as it was, but the BBC does have big audiences…just not for the stuff that people used to watch, because those folks are dying off (literally).

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       • bobbinogs wrote:

         There is always a connundrum for the BBC, go for popular or go for quality/unpopular.  If one looks at their “Top programmes trending” then it is clear to see that the public likes absolute trash and there is nothing considered too low brow to be popular.  If the BBC goes back to the ‘quality’ days then I fear they risk further alienating the young/old/people…and then get criticised for being elitist.

         People often say that they don’t watch the BBC because it isn’t as good as it was, but the BBC does have big audiences…just not for the stuff that people used to watch, because those folks are dying off (literally).

         — bobbinogs

         I don’t think audiences are necessarily dumbing down, but are probably more discerning nowadays with the increased choice. If you look at the really successful series on subscription services such as Netflix, you’ll see extremely high quality writing and acting and I think they’re starting to replace films as a well produced series gives the story a lot more time and space to develop. The BBC is finding it tough to compete with those kinds of series as they’re expensive to produce and they definitely benefit from being continually available, so if someone recommends “Severance” (on Apple TV), a person can then go and watch the whole series. That’s trickier to do with the BBC even despite iPlayer.

         I think the BBC is now being used as a kind of between-tv service – you switch over to it when you don’t want to focus on a deep and convoluted story and just want some relaxing nonsense.

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         • I hope you are not counting

           I hope you are not counting BBC2 and 4 in that, still some very good stuff. A shame that BBC4 will become repeat only, some of its original programming was exceptional.

         • ktache wrote:

           I hope you are not counting BBC2 and 4 in that, still some very good stuff. A shame that BBC4 will become repeat only, some of its original programming was exceptional.

           — ktache

           I can’t say that I watch much BBC at all these days. What programmes do you recommend?

         • hawkinspeter wrote:

           I hope you are not counting BBC2 and 4 in that, still some very good stuff. A shame that BBC4 will become repeat only, some of its original programming was exceptional.

           — hawkinspeter

           I can’t say that I watch much BBC at all these days. What programmes do you recommend?

           — ktache

           Beeb show some excellent music documentaries on 2 & 4, two I can think of are “Five Years” earlier this year about Bowie from end of Ziggy Stardust to Ashes to Ashes via Berlin-era Heroes, and (much older) “Synth Britannia” part of a wider “% Britannia” series. Don’t think they’re on iPlayer anymore but worth a YouTube search. That said Sky Arts are doing more of similar. 

         • mark1a wrote:

           Beeb show some excellent music documentaries on 2 & 4, two I can think of are “Five Years” earlier this year about Bowie from end of Ziggy Stardust to Ashes to Ashes via Berlin-era Heroes, and (much older) “Synth Britannia” part of a wider “% Britannia” series. Don’t think they’re on iPlayer anymore but worth a YouTube search. That said Sky Arts are doing more of similar. 

           — mark1a

           I do like a bit of Bowie – I’m downloading Five Years now. I couldn’t find it on iPlayer.

   • Just about everything about

     Just about everything about the programme was wrong. Start with the journo presenting it – not a transport specialist, or a correspondent with expertise in space and movement, but a tepid generalist with a background in crime and clickbait. Yes, he’s a cyclist, but that’s not enough when there are real transport correspondents out there.

     Then there’s the choice of talking heads. Rod Liddle? The man is a washed up failure, unwelcome in the respectable or selfrespecting media because of his track record of joking about his potential penchant for child sexual abuse, misogyny, his racism and, as the icing on the cake, using piano wire against cyclists. 

     Then, as we’ll all point out, there’s the methodology, framing the debate via the prism of a survey of a self selected panel of motorists who were offered an incentive to participate. If you read this, Richard Bilton, there aren’t degrees of quality for a survey. It’s either reliable (because of methodology and analysis applied) or it’s not, and reputable journalists don’t use unreliable surveys.

     If this was on Gbeebies, or Channel 5, you’d dismiss it out of hand as just another example of lowest common denominator TV, but this was publicly funded by a channel and programme strand that are supposed to exemplars of quality.

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     • I dont think you have to be a

       I dont think you have to be a transport specialist to present it, the idea is surely you have those as your talking heads, not the likes of Rod Liddle who Ill have to listen to the podcast to hear why they picked him, its like literally oh we got him because the producer still has his mobile phone number from his R4 days.

       you just need a bit of passion for the topic and to have a clear story you are telling, not just a collection of random clips and interviews. How does Cycling Mikeys bit fit in with the guy in Ashby de la Zouche, or the two widows, whats the narrative you are telling/investigating for the audience, and the conclusion they should be taking away from it.

       It was all kind of trying to hard to be so “balanced” it never concluded anything, I dont know if thats common for Panorama these days I stopped watching it decades ago…probably because I thought it had gone too much like this.

       Also why wasnt Jeremy Vine doing this, I thought he was on the Panorama team as thats what got him into trouble as being part of the “news team” for being impartial on the Chiswick bike lane stuff.

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       • Awavey wrote:

         Also why wasnt Jeremy Vine doing this, I thought he was on the Panorama team as thats what got him into trouble as being part of the “news team” for being impartial on the Chiswick bike lane stuff.

         — Awavey

         He quit Panorama in 2015; he got a mild telling off this year for breaching impartiality when facing down a group of Facebook anti-Chiswick-LTN bullies, but that was related to his role as a Radio 2 presenter.

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   • I haven’t watched it (I doubt

     I haven’t watched it (I doubt it’ll be good for my blood pressure), but it does seem that they’ve missed a very good opportunity to dispel some long-standing cycling myths. Seeing as the “trailer” points out that 28% of motorists don’t view cyclists as equal partners on the road, that 33% don’t think cyclists should be on the road at all, and most of the replies on Twitter seem to start with some form of “iF cYclIsTS aCTuAllY PaID RoAD tAx!”, I can’t help but think that the BBC could have devoted at least some of the runtime setting the record straight on some topics.

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     • BalladOfStruth wrote:

       I haven’t watched it (I doubt it’ll be good for my blood pressure), but it does seem that they’ve missed a very good opportunity to dispel some long-standing cycling myths…. I can’t help but think that the BBC could have devoted at least some of the runtime setting the record straight on some topics.

       — BalladOfStruth

       Yes, but that wouldn’t be “balanced”, would it?  The BBC would be criticised for woke-left-green bias if they actually did that.

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     • I don’t necessarily see it as
       I don’t necessarily see it as the role of this programme to “improve” the public, rather I would assume it was designed to throw light on the current state of affairs and hence inform the debate. Given that, I don’t think they would be expected to challenge views such as “iF cYclIsTS aCTuAllY PaID RoAD tAx!”, only to accurately describe their prevalence.

       The issue I have with their “statistics” is that all they do is promulgate prejudiced views, feeding the perception that they hold currency and legitimacy. That then blows the whole debate off course, whilst giving succour to those who hold those views.

       The light entertainment show “Pointless” has more statistical rigour than this Panorama show, and I think it’s title is a knowing nod even to their own worthlessness.

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       • Sriracha wrote:

         I don’t necessarily see it as the role of this programme to “improve” the public, rather I would assume it was designed to throw light on the current state of affairs and hence inform the debate.

         — Sriracha

         I get where you’re coming from, but as a “factual” news program if they have (and again, I didn’t watch it, but going from the bingo card above) given airtime to a commenter who has said that cyclists don’t pay for the roads, only cars do, or that cyclists cause congestion/pollution, I do believe that it is their responsibiliy to point out that these statements are not factually accurate – like they’d fact-check a political debate.

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     • BalladOfStruth wrote:

       I haven’t watched it (I doubt it’ll be good for my blood pressure), but it does seem that they’ve missed a very good opportunity to dispel some long-standing cycling myths. Seeing as the “trailer” points out that 28% of motorists don’t view cyclists as equal partners on the road, that 33% don’t think cyclists should be on the road at all, and most of the replies on Twitter seem to start with some form of “iF cYclIsTS aCTuAllY PaID RoAD tAx!”, I can’t help but think that the BBC could have devoted at least some of the runtime setting the record straight on some topics.

       — BalladOfStruth

       I think the oppourtunity the BBC missed, was when they say “28 % (motorists) don’t think of us as equals” and ” 33% we shouldn’t be on the road”, should have said, “72% think of us as equals” and “67% think we should be on the road”. Putting the numbers that way makes it positive for cycling and  then poses the question about a minority of poor drivers. We always seem to be defending cyclings position when it’s the aggressive car drivers that should be ‘trying’ to defend theirs.

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     • I was 4mins in,even before

       I was 4mins in,even before Rod Liddle had turned up and I was ready to switch it off.

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   • Sriracha wrote:

     Is there nothing in the BBC Charter that prohibits them peddling lies? Knowingly pursuing discredited statistical methodologies and then using the results to frame the debate, in a flagship factual programme, is criminal. I’m sick of hearing presenters trot out the line, “Obviously this isn’t a scientific survey, but our results suggest…” They might as well scribe a range of opinions on coloured cards, ask a five year old to pick their favourite colour, then use the result to inform the debate.

     — Sriracha

     ‘Balance’ is prioritised over facts and evidence.

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   • Anything which is presented

     Anything which is presented as a “them vs us” football-style confrontation is going to be bad for cyclists’s safety, regardless of the actual program content, as it gets people’s blood pressure up. If you are relieved at the content, you can guarantee that someone with the opposing view is angry, as it is all subjective.

     I have never hear of Rod Liddle, but I think he has as much right to speak as anyone else on the subject. There are no experts on this, and pointing to Europe is not a good model because these are the low growth economies falling behind the rest of the world. Why copy this failure, correct?

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     • Rakia wrote:

       I have never hear of Rod Liddle, but I think he has as much right to speak as anyone else on the subject. 

       — Rakia

       If you knew anything about him you would not think that. But hey, don’t let ignorance stop you pronouncing on the world.

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       • .

         .

         I love free speach, me.

         .

         But only if you agree with me. Obvs.

         .

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         • Since you believe in Free

           Since you believe in Free Speech take some time to reply this this repeated request.

           https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-21-october-2022-296747

           In that thread you replied to be with

           “Please, please, please. Do not let inconvenient facts get in the way of blind leftie ranting.”

           Are you going to explain this comment as no one in the thread even mentioned anything left wing.

            

           Oh and can you reconcile your claim above of

           “I love free speach, me.”

           with

           ” Do not let inconvenient facts get in the way of blind leftie ranting.”

         • Did you not complain the

           Did you not complain the other day that the CEO was condescending to you. Wasn’t that his Free “Speach” at play? And surely it is Millers free “speach” that you are not picking up on?

     • https://road.cc/content/news

       https://road.cc/content/news/214626-sunday-times-rod-liddle-wasnt-condoning-%E2%80%98dooring%E2%80%99-cyclists-%E2%80%93-he-was-just-using-

       https://road.cc/content/news/liddle-tempting-use-piano-wire-against-cyclists-273749

       And that’s just in the realm of cycling…

       Then we get onto 

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Liddle#Later_print_journalism

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       • They are just the latest

         They are just the latest troll to (re)join road.cc

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     • There are no experts on this,

       There are no experts on this, and pointing to Europe is not a good model because these are the low growth economies falling behind the rest of the world. Why copy this failure, correct?

       You’re Liz Truss and I claim my £5. Sorry it didn’t work out.

       (By the way most European countries have higher growth than the UK).

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     • Rakia wrote:

       Anything which is presented as a “them vs us” football-style confrontation is going to be bad for cyclists’s safety, regardless of the actual program content, as it gets people’s blood pressure up.

       — Rakia

       I don’t disagree with this. The program should have been lead by facts and statistics, and greivences and veiws (from both sides) should have been fact-checked. Allowing myths to be perpetuated does nobody any favours.

       There are no experts on this, and pointing to Europe is not a good model because these are the low growth economies falling behind the rest of the world. Why copy this failure, correct?

       — Rakia

       No, not correct. This makes no fucking sense whatsoever. What has a country’s road safety/active-travel record got to do with it’s economic growth? Are you actually suggesting that we copy (for example) India’s approach to road safety because they’re one of the fastest growing economies? Because they have the most dangerous/unsafe roads in the world and copying them would be, objectively, stupid as fuck.

       And what do you mean “there are no experts on this”? What, active-travel? Road safety? Of course there are!

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     • Brief benefit of the doubt

       Brief benefit of the doubt that you’re not just having another happy day of provoking people “because”… I also disapprove of “them vs. us” narratives.  However this is everywhere * – probably because it makes for “salient storytelling” (same as with bed-time stories for kids) and the competition for public attention now is fierce.  Unfortunately I think the “war on the roads” stereotype (it’s actually the tail-end of a massacre) is already widely circulating so although further reinforcement is unwelcome it’s not going to change much.

       “All subjective” – hmm… you don’t believe that there is really a world out there?  Are there no such thing as shared verifiable facts?  Or maybe that is irrelevant as opinion is what we run on?  “No experts” – are you Michael Gove?

       There are in fact experts in this area (here’s one – and some more!) and they broadly agree.  Differences in how we approach our public space design aren’t really due to factual disagreements.  The key is where we (our political and bureaucractic systems) place the priorities.  In the UK these are explicitly to maximise capacity for motor traffic and then look at maintaining a level of safety while doing that.  This leads to “keep the pedestrians out of the carriageway” and putting a minimal fraction of the road budget into walking, cycling (or indeed disabled access).  That’s very common in many countries.  A few have started to move in a different direction however.

       I’m not at all clear about what “pointing to Europe is not a good model because these are the low growth economies falling behind the rest of the world” means.  Anyway, let’s watch some of them doing so – it looks good to me:

       What defines Dutch cycling? (2)

       Copenhagen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyrTx9SXkVI

       Seville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz20rAJ7oIg

       * Programs looking at the facts of the matter are rather niche and normally limited to special interest channels e.g. history and education.  Even then to spice those up we increasingly like to frame the narrative around personal conflict.  Even worse there are few examples where the reasons for genuine disagreement are properly examined.  Possibly due to the notion that “it’s all relative”.  It seems our broadcasters feel that there’s a general lack of trust so we’ve lost the ability to ignore some red-faced man (it very often is) shouting in the internet market square saying e.g. that gravity is just a lie made up by the deep state.

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     • Rakia wrote:

       I have never hear of Rod Liddle, but I think he has as much right to speak as anyone else on the subject. There are no experts on this, and pointing to Europe is not a good model because these are the low growth economies falling behind the rest of the world.

       — Rakia

       Has this spread from the US to wherever Rakia lives?

       “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”

       – Isaac Asimov

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   • Sriracha wrote:

     Is there nothing in the BBC Charter that prohibits them peddling lies?

     — Sriracha

     Yes, and in their Editorial Guidelines too, but such trifling rules are ignored.  For instance, they have been running a long term propaganda campaign about helmets for something like 40 years, and endless complaints change nothing.

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2. I wonder what the BBC would

   I wonder what the BBC would make of this:

   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/02/girl-seven-died-after-cycling-into-hgv-outside-wiltshire-home-inquest-hears

   Why on Earth do we let lorries of that size on country roads?

    

   Poor child, poor family. 

    

    

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   • essexian wrote:

     I wonder what the BBC would make of this:

     https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/02/girl-seven-died-after-cycling-into-hgv-outside-wiltshire-home-inquest-hears

     Why on Earth do we let lorries of that size on country roads?

      

     Poor child, poor family. 

     — essexian

     Its a tragic death but not necessarily one that should cause any major changes.   The fact of the matter is the poor kid lost control and ended up on a major road.  The article is clear on the point that the driver was not at fault and doing approx 12mph at the time.

     Accidents are sometimes genuinely that.

     And to be clear – this is a country A road – not a country lane.

     One solution to this problem might be to build a bypass – is that what would be best though?

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3. From the article :

   From the article :

   “Watching from the Netherlands, the UK looks like a different universe. What causes this aggression? Here in NL drivers are all cyclists too, tomorrow it could be you in the saddle – but surely it’s more complex than that?”

   I don’t think it is, it really is that simple.

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   • Bungle_52 wrote:

     From the article :

     “Watching from the Netherlands, the UK looks like a different universe. What causes this aggression? Here in NL drivers are all cyclists too, tomorrow it could be you in the saddle – but surely it’s more complex than that?”

     I don’t think it is, it really is that simple.

     — Bungle_52

     I suspect there’s more to it that. Perhaps compare the mainstream media in NL with UK.

     Daily Mail, Telegraph and others regularly publish what we might call ‘anti-cyclist bingo’, both opinion and editorial. The BBC has done its share of harm, and not just via news and current affairs programmes.

     Are their popular media outlets the same? I doubt it.

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4. Watched it last night and my

   Watched it last night and my resounding thoughts are that it felt like a missed opportunity’ and ‘it could have been worse’..

   I was miffed that there wasn’t any mention of the economic benefits to cycling mentioned (less pressure on the NHS being a headline) and no focus on pollution as I could determine either. 

   It was a bit fluffy for what ‘should’ have been a more hard hitting programme.

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5. I had was involved in an RTA

   I had was involved in an RTA/C 3 years ago and I am still not right. I have 1 or 2 good days in a month and the rest I am sore. My story, the driver hit me from behind, on the drivers side, i came off of my bike – ass first into her windshield, hit her bonnet with left shoulder and rolled onto the road (possibly head first, due to injuries sustained). I wasn’t on the road the whole journey, i used the road to move to the other path/s. I musst note that the driver hit me at 50+ mph

   My injuries… damaged spine, knee, head injuries and damaged shoulder. Required 26 stitches and super glue for my head (wasn’t wearing a helmet as was on the paths). I am still hurting and will probably still bee this bad in another 3 years.

   No compensation, bike was lost by police (evidence to prove fault), no follow up by the police either. LIVID! 

   But I am a cyclist, why should they care!

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   • Were you a member of CUK or

     Were you a member of CUK or BC?  I’m sure they would have helped; CUK were brilliant when I’ve been knocked off.

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6. ‘paid their €50 entry fee to

   ‘paid their €50 entry fee to the gaming showdown. The winner will take home a cool £1,000…’

   If Liz Truss were still PM, the prize could be worth less than the entry fee.

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7. Not much analysis in the

   Not much analysis in the programme of what to do next. It’s unsustainable for us as a country to continue with everyone driving around in climate-change-contributing metal boxes. Some way needs to be found to increase the proportion of journeys made by bicycle, and for this to be an attractive option for people.

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8. With the cost of fuel being
   With the cost of fuel being exacerbated by even higher interest rates. No doubt, cycling is the future of short term travel.

   We’ll look at this Panorama film in 10 years time and most of the population will ridicule the ignorance of the motor vehicle user.

   Do you need a car to get around?

   That wave of European sentiment will wash over these islands. It’s inevitable.

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9. So, this morning; it’s

   So, this morning; it’s tipping down. I’ve fixed the camera, but I can’t remember how long the battery lasts, so it’s on test.  I’m on the third hill of the morning’s ‘ride to work at home’.  It’s a narrow lane, slightly wider than single track, but cars have to stop to squeeze past each other and a passing car is always a close pass in either direction.  There’s a car behind me.  There’s no sight line for the car to pass, so I’m not squeezing up to the hedge.  No matter, the driver can’t wait and forces their way past.  Then two cars come the other way.  The driver has three choices.  1) Stop and have an awkward eyeballing moment with the other driver and still be behind me.  2) Drive into the car coming the other way and take the insurance claim.  3) Punt me into the hedge and drive off.  No prizes for guessing which. 

   The first driver coming the other way just drives off too.  The second has stopped and asks if I’m OK and calls the other driver a lunatic.  The final pisser?  The camera stopped 10 minutes earlier.  Battery life = 2 hours 35 minutes.  

   I did not break a speed limit or jump a red light.  I have bright lights and reflectives.  I’m insured.  There are no cycle lanes here.  I pay ‘road tax’ for a car that I mostly use less than my bike.  I possess a licence to drive cars, and various other motorised vehicles.  

   No, I’m not going to tell my wife – I’m already on sufferance after being totally demolished in London last year and spending 9 hours strapped to a board in A&E.  Tell me again about public rights of way, due care and attention, dangerous driving and conscious action to assault a third party.  I’m all ears.

   P.S. no harm done to me or the bike, but happy I am not.

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   • They never go for the head on

     They never go for the head on collision, but always involve you in their “accident”.

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     • I’ve just been depressing

       I’ve just been depressing myself by totting up the tally of getting up close and personal with the tarmac.

       It now stands at:

       2 Hit and Run.  One failed prosecution (driver had an alias); bike beaten up and insurance paid.  The other – no harm.

       1 left hook.  Driver no licence.  Car insured.  Drove over front wheel of bike, cut fingers.  No police action.  Insurance paid for bike. Didn’t bother with the fingers.  The passenger in the car tried to claim for whiplash.  Video showed otherwise.

       1 due care, T-bone from the right.  On a cycle superhighway.  No police action. Insured.  Bike written off, 9 hours in A&E.  Bike paid for, still waiting for injuries.

       1 pothole on a roundabout.  Scrapes and bruises.  Pothole filled two days later

       1 operator error – all my own work on a tightening, descending bend.  Road rash. 

       That excludes the years of London commuting and recreational close passes.

       I think that sort of thing came across well in Panorama…

       My wife has got a point……3 trips to A&E. 

        

       PS – this is over 45,000 miles ps (post strava).  Noting much that I recall bs (before strava)

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       • Not something I like talking

         Not something I like talking about as like the P-word, they happen if you think it has been awhile since one happened. However in the 5 years and 22k milles of my cycling, 

         One hit and run on an island. Have posted the video before. 
         One dooring. Buckled the front wheel.
         One operator error. Decided to try the slightly off-road route instead of walking down the steps to get back on the canal after swapping sides and it was slightly muddy.
         Several clipout failures.
         One icy right turn at some lights when the council decided -5 overnight was not gritting weather. 
         And the recent – One slippy tow path side of canal in Brindley Place. I was only doing 8mph approaching a bridge when a woman appeared with her dog. I touched my brakes and the back wheel locked and slid out. I didn’t move forward any further but the bike was facing back the way I had come. Those paths are really slippy.

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         • Hmm, seven years and 45000

           Hmm, seven years and 45000 miles, I’ve got:

           One hit and run from a pickup truck driver who ran a stop sign, no injury or damage, basically shoulder-checked the bed of the truck.

           About five falls caused by me that injured me enough to require more than a plaster, usually being silly going too fast on gravel, snow or ice. One from turning onto a gravel road from a paved road at about 30 MPH nearly required stitches, but the doctor ended up just taping it shut. One destroyed a helmet when something went between my front wheel and mudguard and stopped the wheel instantly. The steerer actually pivoted more than 360° and ripped out some of the derailleur and brake cables.

           Maybe ten minor falls, again usually me being silly, no injury or bike damage worth mentioning. I suspect 25 years of judo is both causing and helping make up for a lack of fear while I’m riding.

           Edit: one water balloon thrown at me and two others cycling together at night, missed.

   • You have the Right to use the

     You have the Right to use the public highway on foot, horse or bicycle. A driver needs a licence to operate their machine on the public highway, but only if they adhere to the Highway Code. So why is it then, that the police/CPS/judge fail so regularly to remove sociopath drivers from the highway? Is it a special club?

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10. Please don’t feed the trolls,

    Please don’t feed the trolls, it is making the site worse again.

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11. Catching up with the Panorama

    Catching up with the Panorama.

    I think it told a reasonable version of the story and communicated it clearly, which is unusual for Panorama recently.

    Clearly rather cherry picked for sensation eg in the selection of CycleMikey clips, but that’s our media.

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12. Two black ice fails, one
    Two black ice fails, one definitely my fault for going too tight on a corner.
    One autumn sludge slip on a badly maintained bike path.
    One river side gravel tumble. A nasty deep wound to my knee with that one. Amazingly, as I slowly made my way back home, a car left hooked me as we both set off as the lights went green… on a lane that you can’t legally turn left at.
    Once hit by a Uber that pulled out of a car park without looking. Amazingly not injured, I pulled a truly fantastic slide so I hit him side on. It was actually worth it to see the look on his face. I wish someone had filmed it.
    Bus pulled out as I was alongside it. In fairness to the driver he was horrified, and I think he will be a better driver in future.

    Just two weeks ago a car overtook a car at a give way to move into the main road, 10cm from my wheel.
    Once during a close pass the passenger reached out to hit my arse. I don’t know how I stayed upright.

    Other close passes are to many to mention, I think my lack of serious injury is that I mainly cycle urban and traffic is too congested.

    Let’s not list the verbal abuse.

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13. Take a look at the definition

    Take a look at the definition of ‘sociopath’ and you’ll be reading the description of at least a third of UK drivers. Instead of the same old media garbage doing the cycle haters bingo, why not research ‘why’ so many drivers become sociopaths behind the wheel of a potential killing machine? If I needed to employ someone I’d just ask them to drive me across town. I’d learn what their true traits are. But ‘why’?

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14. that’s a nice silver HSD MrsA

    that’s a nice silver HSD MrsA has. I’ve not seen a silver one before. 

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15. This country has long since

    This country has long since gone to seed and is now full of people who have the attitude that everything revolves around them and them only. It started years ago with things like “I must reserve a sun bed” on holiday and has evolved into “its my road get the fuck off it” The UK and the evolution of man have produced tossers,  all of them tossers

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