“Sad day for the humble motorist”: Cyclists rejoice as barriers finally installed on ‘car park’ bike lane; Lidl-Trek go shopping for fruit (+ swimming pools); Chris Hoy finds 31-year-old splinter in bum; Near Miss, cyclist edition + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"Morning, a bell would be good!": Near Miss of the Day, cyclist edition
This post for “a bit of fun”, courtesy of Bob Sweet from Altrincham, who was riding the “very narrow Oldfield Lane” in Greater Manchester. He writes: “The road is closed to motor traffic. Early morning and a commuter rushes past, just glad I didn’t wobble into him, but I did get a good morning greeting!”
"Those middle aisles just tempt you": Lidl-Trek team goes shopping for fruit (and a swimming pool) before the Vuelta kicks off
Came in for fruit, left with a swimming pool 🤪…#LaVuelta23 essentials 🥵🔥 pic.twitter.com/ej8T1c1vk1
— Lidl-Trek (@LidlTrek) August 24, 2023
That’s one way to show off your sponsorship! Intermarché has long held the title of the team with the best social media game, but if Lidl-Trek keeps up with these shenanigans, it might be inching closer. I just hope the team is getting paid the big bucks for doing all this crazy promo.
Having already made some good singings this summer (read: silly season), with poaching Jonathan Milan from Bahrain Victorious and Tao Geoghegan Hart from INEOS Grenadiers, as well renewing the contract for this year’s KOM jersey winner at the Tour de France Giulio Ciccone, there are talks that there’s a significantly increased budget in the team vaults than it previously had with former sponsor and umm, “authentic” Italian coffee company Segafredo.
Just whoever wants to join aboard, you’ll have to pledge never to step foot in Aldi (could never be me!), swear by Deluxe chocolates, and never forget your Plus Card. I know, it’d be difficult, but on the bright side, you do get to wear that glorious kit!
So when are we getting the peloton supermarket wars anyway?
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) August 24, 2023
Thank you @LidlGB for joining the cycling family with @LidlTrek and making all this hilarious content possible. Jerseys are also looking mint lads.
— David Sorensen (@DavidSo39623767) August 25, 2023
An iconic bike rack design and testing facility in the forests of Sweden... Take a trip to the Thule's idyllic haven
Okay a quick PSA before you click on the link: It’s not Thule like fuel, but Thule like ‘too-lee’; although in the native Swedish, both syllables are as Scandi-sharp as their incredible jawlines, making it sound more like ‘Tu-leh’.
NEW Trek Madone alert!!!
New tubes, 300g lighter, than the previous version and “54 seconds per hour faster at 45km/h [28mph]”… We are full steam ahead into the bike release season!
> Trek launches “fastest and lightest Madone SL ever” with IsoFlow tech
Ciclisimo in Spain starts tomorrow!
The final Grand Tour of the year is going to be epic 😍
The start list for La Vuelta is locked in 🔒
📸 Cor Vos
__________________
🇪🇸 #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/ZzRKnYxlDH— Velon CC (@VelonCC) August 23, 2023
"Everyone against Jumbo": Cycling fan and Bournemouth FC manager Andoni Iraola shares his Vuelta predictions
Football and cycling crossovers are my favourite crossovers! And what better crossover than a football manager coming out as a cycling fan.
Andoni Iraola, former Basque right-back who spent 12 years playing for Bilbao and who’s recently taken reins of Bournemouth FC, has told TNTSports that he’s a massive cycling fan, and has already been out on his bike as he assumes the responsibility of keeping the Cherries in England’s top-flight, and maybe even a respectable mid-table finish.
“It’s really nice. You see the weather we have here, so I’ve been lucky. The welcome has been fantastic for me and now is my moment to deliver the results,” he said.
Iraola suggested cycling is much easier in Bournemouth, and although his time spent on the roads will be limited, he looks forward to having the opportunity to partake in his hobby, adding: “It’s difficult when you are a coach, you don’t have a lot of time, but whenever I find a couple of hours, I love it.”
> Arsène Wenger expresses his love for the Tour, says footballers don’t suffer as much as cyclists
The former Rayo Vallecano manager, who replaced Gary O’Neill on a two-year deal at the southern English side, said that he will try to have the Vuelta on in the background, and stay up to date with what’s going on in the Spanish Grand Tour.
Hailing from Usurbil in the Basque Country, it is no surprise that Iraola has such a passion for cycling. He explained: “Cycling is something big in the Basque Country… other people used to go to the Pyrenees to see the mountain stages, and sometimes we are lucky that the Tour starts in some of our cities, like this year.”
“It looks like an individual sport, but I think it’s very tactical. Your team is very important and I really love it. I love it from the tactical side. I think it’s a very hard sport.”
His predictions for the race? “I think it will be almost everyone against Jumbo, with Primoz Roglic, with Vingegaard. I think almost everyone will race against them. They have a very strong team and I expect something like this,” he said.
He’s definitely not wrong. Teams like Soudal Quick-Step, UAE Team Emirates and INEOS Grenadiers will try to throw everything at the Dutch force of a nature team, which will be aiming to complete the Grand Tour triple for the first time in modern cycling, with Giro winner Primož Roglič and Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard both looking to do a double as well.
Jumbo-Visma sporting director Mathieu Heijboer is full of confidence for Jonas Vingegaard ahead of La Vuelta 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ivahk0htc0
— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 15, 2023
Football managers showing their affection for cycling, surprisingly happens more often than you’d imagine! Remember this video from big man Neil Warnock, who was thrusted with the immense pressure of managing the elite team of footballers who cycle, made up by road.cc…
> Footballers who cycle XI — the Premier League stars who love life on two wheels
A few years ago, ex-Man City boss (now involved in elaborate money launderings with a shell team in Abu Dhabi) Roberto Mancini, spoke about his passion for cycling that he inherited from his father, with Felice Gimondi, Francesco Moser and Marco Pantani among his heroes.
And former Swansea City manager Francesco Guidolin, who took over the struggling side in 2016, turned out to be a bit of a ‘bike nut’ himself, enjoying bike rides around Wales. And another wild piece of trivia: Guidolin was responsible for one of professional cycling’s most feared climbs, Monte Zoncolan, being included in the Giro d’Italia.
> Swansea City boss told ‘on your bike’ – and enjoy cycling the climbs of South Wales!
Just last month, former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger expressed his love for Tour de France, enjoying a trip in the race director Prudhomme’s car, and even taking a dig at footballers, claiming they “don’t suffer as much as cyclists”. If Wenger says so, I’d be inclined to believe him.
Maybe it’s time for a few new contenders for the manager role, not that I’m suggesting sacking Warnock, just a sabbatical… Erik Ten Hag, anyone?
> Erik ten bar bag: United boss bringing a touch of Dutch to the North West
.@OfficialTfGM can we get Erik Ten Hag to front our transport campaigns? Lot to love here. Active travel, those waiting for a bus behind him. pic.twitter.com/IbphNzLRaZ
— Cllr David Meller 🌹 (@cllrdavidm) February 16, 2023
Grim news... Rest in peace, Tijl De Decker
We had reported yesterday the U23 Paris-Roubaix winner Tijl De Decker, who was a development rider for UCI ProTeam Lotto Dstny, was in a coma after “hitting back of a car hard” during training.
Now the team has confirmed the Belgian 22-year-old rider passed away today. Lotto Dstny said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of our rider Tijl De Decker. Today Tijl has lost his battle to recover from the severe injuries he sustained after his crash on training last Wednesday.
“Tijl crashed hard into the backside of a car and was brought to the hospital in Lier where he immediately underwent surgery. Later that evening he was transported to the Antwerp University Hospital.
“Despite the best efforts of the staff at the hospital, Tijl couldn’t make it through and this morning he lost his battle.”
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tijl De Decker, following a training accident past Wednesday.
The team is heartbroken by this news and sends all of its love and thoughts to Tijl’s family and loved ones in this incredibly difficult time ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Sq8HnndiJF
— Lotto Dstny (@lotto_dstny) August 25, 2023
road.cc would like to extend our thoughts and condolences with De Decker’s family, who was just set to turn pro with Lotto Dstny in 2024. May he rest in peace…
> U23 Paris-Roubaix winner Tijl De Decker dies after “crashing into car” during training ride
"Of course we wouldn't let him go": Primož Roglič to Lidl-Trek a "complete bulls*** story", says Jumbo Visma
What’s better than a great cycling season? A great silly season!
I jest — cycling has been a crackerjack this year, but the transfer season has seen its fair share of oohs and aahs. Yesterday evening, Escape Collective reported rumours that 2023 Giro d’Italia winner Primož Roglič could be on his way to Lidl-Trek, a team which with the arrival of a new sponsor found itself with deeper pockets.
The Slovenian will be eager to do the Giro-Vuelta double this year (the last man to do it was Chris Froome in 2018), but everyone knows that Jumbo Visma also has a two-time Tour de France winner in its roster in the form of Jonas Vingegaard, who’ also doing the Vuelta which starts tomorrow.
And to make a mark and get himself a shot at Tour de France glory, there were suggestions that Roglič, who has a contract till 2024 with the Dutch team, could be inclined for a switch to Lidl-Trek.
However, Jumbo Visma has swiftly shut any such rumours down, calling it a “complete bulls*** story”.
“There has been zero discussion. So I think it’s a complete bullshit story,” Jumbo-Visma directeur sportif Merjin Zeeman told GCN on Friday.
“Of course we wouldn’t let him go. We’re building a team for the long term and that’s the strategy. We want to make sure that these guys are under long-term contracts and we don’t give that away. Plus I saw the report and I think what his manager said is that Primož is also very happy with the team. So I think that from both sides we are committed to each other.”
“Of course we wouldn’t let him go.”
Primož Roglič to Lidl-Trek is a “complete bullshit story,” says @JumboVismaRoad.
Read more as Merjin Zeeman and Richard Plugge speak to GCN ahead of #LaVuelta23 ⤵️https://t.co/XfKhNe6uYb pic.twitter.com/SJqFpHLLuq
— GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) August 25, 2023
According to Zeeman, the discussions over Grand Tour leadership are routine with the team, and a solution for 2024 and beyond would be found over the winter months as the team looks towards next year.
“It would be the same as when I’m leading the team discussions, and that’s to approach cycling as a team sport,” Zeeman said. “We include personal ambitions in there too and we always try to create a plan that reaches team goals. We just continue with that approach and we’ll continue with that over the coming years.”
Team boss Richard Plugge also had a similarly emphatic response: “Primož is our king from 2016 onwards.”
Well, well, well. Anyone wishing to be a fly inside the Jumbo Visma team bus at the Vuelta? Or maybe, I’ll just ask Netflix to make a documentary (where they will completely miss the key storyline…).
On today's episode of the road.cc live blog: Useless Cycling Stats Part 578
2023 Vuelta GC by reported birthplace altitude
1. Rubio🇨🇴 2900m
2. Caicedo🇪🇨 2869m
3. (J Alv) Cepeda🇪🇨 2850m
4. Behre🇪🇹 2650m
5= Buitrago🇨🇴 2625m
5= Bernal 🇨🇴 2625m
7. Camargo🇨🇴 2579m
8. Molano🇨🇴 2525m
9. Ghebreigzabhier🇪🇷(born 🇪🇹) 2355m
10. Kuss🇺🇸 1988m176. Bol🇳🇱 -2m
— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) August 25, 2023
Drink driver who killed charity cyclist and hid body jailed for 12 years
Alexander McKellar admitted culpable homicide related to the death of 63-year-old Tony Parsons, while his brother Robert was also sentenced to five years and three months in prison.
> Drink driver who killed charity cyclist and hid body jailed for 12 years
Condolences and grief for Tijl De Decker, as the cycling world mourns the loss of 22-year-old "exceptional talent"
A heavy day in cycling once again, laden with mourning and grief. U23 Paris-Roubaix winner and development rider for Lotto Dstny set to go pro next year Tijl De Decker passed away earlier in the day, his team confirmed.
The 22-year-old Belgian had crashed “hard” into the back of a car while training near the Belgian city of Lier on Wednesday. The police confirmed that the incident “took place on a public road, outside the centre” of the city.
Since the news of his passing was made official, several organisations and individuals have shared their condolences and messages expressing sadness at the loss of a young talent, described as “incredible” and “exceptional”.
The cycling world and beyond has today lost an incredible talent in the name of Tijl De Decker.
My deepest condolences to @Lotto_Dstny and Tijl’s family and friends on this tragic day. pic.twitter.com/7htYpa8ltY
— David Lappartient (@DLappartient) August 25, 2023
Tijl de Decker has been one of this year’s greatest discoveries for me. The Antwerp guy was unknown to me before 2023, but this year he burst into my heart and to my memory. Top 5 results, stage wins… an unforgettable Paris-Roubaix victory in the rain and a kiss for the trophy. pic.twitter.com/3yby24RcLA
— Bence Czigelmajer (@cycloben2) August 25, 2023
After winning the U23 version of the ‘Hell of the North’ earlier this year, De Decker had said: “I gave it everything, it was all worth it. It’s a fantastic race, especially with the rain and mud. It makes this race even tougher, but all the more beautiful. It’s great to be able to add this race to my palmares.”
De Decker is, horrifically, the third aspiring pro to be killed in recent months while training on the roads.
In July, Magnus White, a promising 17-year-old multi-discipline cyclist who was due to represent the United States at the UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland, was killed after being hit from behind by a motorist as he used the hard shoulder of a highway popular with local riders.
And in May, 24-year-old Irish rider Gabriele Glodenyte, one of the country’s rising stars and the winner of the 2022 National Road Series, was killed in a collision with an oncoming motorist during a training ride with her partner and fellow racer Sean Landers in Co Dublin.
Today’s sad news also comes just over four years after De Decker’s Belgian team, then known as Lotto-Soudal, mourned the terrible loss of their 22-year-old star Bjorg Lambrecht, who died following a crash at the Tour of Poland in August 2019.
Another tragedy in our small world of pro cycling.💔 The winner of this year’s Paris Roubaix U23, the 22-year old Tijl De Decker has passed away after a training accident. Much strength to his family, friends and @lotto_dstny . Too young… RIP. https://t.co/KoH1kzzmPX
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) August 25, 2023
I’m speechless. An absolutely exceptional young talent who had a huge career ahead of him. I can’t believe it. All my thoughts go out to Tijl de Decker’s family, friends and teammates. https://t.co/ZOlEgN6DGd
— Tim Bonville-Ginn (@TimBonvilleGinn) August 25, 2023
"If you ever need your drain fixed"... Introducing the only "cargo-bike using" drainage company
I know I know, no consumption under capitalism is ethical, but I’m just providing you the option to choose if you wanted to support a business that only exclusively uses cargo bikes… and fixes blocked drains. So for that reader who’s looking for exactly these two things in life, here’s road.cc helping you out. All the more reasons why you should be on the live blog everyday.
We’re based in Kilburn and the only drainage company trying to move to 100% cargo bikes. Focusing on serving our local community rather than driving all over London or the south east to win business. pic.twitter.com/jeW1IuuVf9
— Drain Geeks (@draingeeks) August 20, 2023
"I’ll be fighting British Cycling’s decision in the courts and the streets", says Emily Bridges as she mounts legal challenge against British Cycling's transgender policy
In an interview this week with British Vogue – as part of Vogue 25, the magazine’s list of 2023’s most influential women – Bridges said that she will “fight” British Cycling’s new transgender policies “in the courts and the streets”.
Bridges’ mother, Sandy Sullivan, confirmed to road.cc today that her daughter intends to launch a legal challenge against the policies.
> Emily Bridges set to mount legal challenge against British Cycling’s transgender policy
"Sad day for the humble motorist": Cyclists rejoice as barriers finally installed on 'car park' bike lane
Rejoice, finally!
Sad day for the humble Motorist as Belfasts most loved car park is set to close after 3 years of valiant service providing the hard working motorist with free parking since the year of our lord 2020. Let’s hope our economy can survive this monumental blow & tourism isn’t affected https://t.co/jLBg9dsJpH
— Starling3232 (@Starling3232) August 24, 2023
After months and months of motorists using this piece of dedicated “separated” cycling infrastructure on Hardcastle Street in Belfast, as a playground to store their vehicles, a ray of sunshine has finally sprung from amidst the darkened skies.
Barriers, albeit only made out plastic, have finally been bolted down, to provide a safer, segregated route for cyclists to navigate. Rocket science, I know.
The irony is, that even in the picture posted above, there are cars still parked! I don’t know if I should laugh or be sad, this is truly exceptional…
I know Belfastian cyclists are rejoicing though, with Cycling UK in Northern Ireland joining in celebration and euphoria, commenting: “Great turnaround @deptinfra and thanks to @BBCMarkSimpson for supporting the campaign.”
👏👏🚴♀️ finally! How hard has this been…
— Sustrans in Northern Ireland (@SustransNI) August 24, 2023
I know right, how hard this been? This street, which has been a regular feature on our live blogs, is finally seeing the light of day as a cycling route free from the maddening levels of car parking rampant earlier.
Back in February, Sustrans described the situation on Hardcastle Street as “disgraceful – every single day, no action”.
“This is one of Belfast’s ONLY ‘separated’ cycle lanes,” the North Belfast Cycle Campaign also noted. “This is the ONLY safe route across town. How is this acceptable?”
It featured on our yesterday’s blog as well, when the news broke that Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure at last stumbled upon a fantastical, earth-shattering solution to the longstanding issue of one of Belfast’s few ‘protected’ cycle lanes being almost constantly blocked by parked cars.
A DfI spokesperson told Belfast Live: “The Department recognises the frustration caused by inconsiderate parking on cycle lanes across the city. While the legislative process to make the pop-up cycle permanent is ongoing, in the interim the Department now intends to trial new bolt down barriers which will make the cycle lanes inaccessible to cars.
“These will be installed as soon as possible. We would encourage road users to respect everyone’s journey and think before you park.”
Bolted down pic.twitter.com/aRMLSbLGFu
— David McSwiggan Artist (@maxwiggan) August 24, 2023
The admittedly belated decision follows a meeting of Northern Ireland’s All Party Cycling Group, held to outline the group’s vision for a “better cycling future”. The meeting came just days after councillors in Belfast launched a scathing attack on Northern Ireland’s Stormont government and what they describe as its “joke” approach to cycling infrastructure.
At the All Party Cycling Group meeting, call were made for the DfI “to step up and build infrastructure and maintain the paltry infrastructure that does exist” to make active travel safer and more accessible, while Cycling UK emphasised the business case for installing more cycle lanes.
Cycling UK’s Andrew McClean also proposed painting double yellow lines on cycle lanes in a bid to stop motorists from parking in them.
“The DfI said that’s not a bad idea… it’s such an obvious solution but now they are only considering it,” he said, before adding that the group agreed that “one of the most important things we can do is enforce existing laws”.
Well, everyone involved in campaigning for this seemingly impossible act does deserve a pat on their backs!
Great work Andrew and team! First class campaigning
— Cycling UK Cymru (@CyclingUK_Wales) August 24, 2023
And after that lengthy blog post, it’s time for some social media posts known as Tweets (do I still capitalise the T?)…
This is phenominal, and they’re being BOLTED IN PLACE 😍
Obviously, this isn’t as secure as a concrete barrier or steel bollards, but it is a sign that we are seing some form of positive direction.
Keep it going!#Belfast #Cycling https://t.co/E9safoHwqO
— Fund The NINE | Expand Northern Ireland’s Railways (@FundTheNINE) August 24, 2023
Is that a parking meter where that silver car is parked?
— Belfast Cyclist (@BelfastCyclist1) August 24, 2023
If this works it could become a shrine for what the space once was…
— Belfast Cycle Campaign (@Bel_Cycle_Camp) August 24, 2023
They are! going to be some serious manoeuvers come 5pm – may have to go watch
— Belfast Cycle Campaign (@Bel_Cycle_Camp) August 24, 2023
Cheers everyone, until next time!
Sir Chris Hoy finds a wood splinter stuck in his bum cheek... from a crash 31 years ago
Scottish former track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, has a story to tell. In 1992, the six-time Olympic gold winner had an unfortunate crash at the Meadowbank velodrome in Edinburgh.
But unbeknownst to him, Sir Hoy has been keeping part of the now-closed velodrome alive… in his own body. He said that he saw a red spot appear on the skin of his, ahem, bum cheek, which must have been stuck there since he fell off his bike during a race at Meadowbank in 1992.
“Big parts of the track, pieces of wood, can splinter off as the riders are sliding across it and they can pick it up into their bodies,” he said. “I have had splinters and I found one in my bum cheek about six months ago. I had this red spot on my bum cheek and I was scratching it and scratching it and then… I looked down and there was a little piece of black wood.
“I reckon it has been there since 1992. I crashed at Meadowbank and I had a few splinters in my hip. So that’s 31 years ago and this bit of wood eventually found its way out. My body rejected it and it took all that time to get it out. I should have kept it but I don’t think my wife would have been very happy.”
Speaking on his Sporting Misadventures podcast, the track cyclist legend and also professional motorcar racer, said: “These are really rare things — it doesn’t happen very often but you do get these freak ones. The velodrome is a relatively safe environment. The roads tend to have more frequent crashes.”
Any track racers reading this, I hope you don’t crash but in case you do, please make sure to have some scans to make sure you’re not mistakenly carrying around random track splinters in your body, because, hey I’m no doctor, but that doesn’t sound safe — and maybe I don’t need to be a doctor to say this — comfortable.
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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.)
yes, but people will still object - which was my point.
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
54 thoughts on ““Sad day for the humble motorist”: Cyclists rejoice as barriers finally installed on ‘car park’ bike lane; Lidl-Trek go shopping for fruit (+ swimming pools); Chris Hoy finds 31-year-old splinter in bum; Near Miss, cyclist edition + more on the live blog”
I know I should try and be
I know I should try and be more Zen about it but stealth overtakers like that really piss me off!
Gimpl wrote:
Unfortunately not all t***ers are on four wheels.
Hard to tell, but was there
Hard to tell, but was there not in fact a bell at 3-4 seconds?
Short round! Yeah, I thought
Short round! Yeah, I thought I heard one too.
quiff wrote:
Sounds more like a bird tweet to me, but if it was a bell it just proves that a polite call/shout is better!
Asking for cyclists to be
Asking for cyclists to be polite??? Has your account been hacked by a PBU? I seem to remember that was one of Nige’s favourites.
I do agree though, on my morning commute I pass lots of dog walkers and joggers on quiet lanes where they are used to no traffic, and by far the best way to ensure they are aware of my presence is to shout a cheery good morning.
A few weeks ago I was doing
A few weeks ago I was doing Tamsin Trail (=off-road) circuits of Richmond Park and coming off one of the descents there was a group of women in their 60s or 70s walking, so I slowed right down and called out “Excuse me!” which is my usual bell alternative, and then said “thank you” as I passed. One of them returned with “Excuse me please” and then said “and where’s your bell?” I didn’t think a simple “excuse me” was at all rude and I’m still convinced it’s actually less surprising than a bell ringing in your ear.
I tried “Good morning, passing on your right!” on a bikepacking trip last week, and that seemed to work.
It seems a no win situation –
It seems a no win situation – there will always be someone who wanted bell instead of voice or vice versa. Maybe just saying “ding!”
I know I’ve gushed about this before, so apologies, but I splashed out on a Spurcycle bell which I *love* . The tone carries so well that I am sure I have seen pedestrians turn to remonstrate with me, then realise that I was giving them advance warning from about 100 yards away (on quiet lanes). Can then follow up with a good morning when I get closer.
quiff wrote:
That’s more or less what I do now, either a “beep beep” or a “ding ding”. If someone wanders into the road whilst staring at their phone, then I’m more likely to go with a loud “Oi” to get their attention which usually makes them jump a bit.
Yep, when commuting in
Yep, when commuting in Central London, “look up!” and “wait!” are a key part of my repertoire.
Richmond Park walkers are a
Richmond Park walkers are a very special breed, I’ve given up riding on the permitted off-road trails around there because I’m sick of having to stop and argue about whether cyclists are allowed or not and why whilst cyclists have a duty to slow and give pedestrians priority they don’t actually have to stop and wait every time a pedestrian is coming the other way. Yes, plenty of if you use a bell you should have called and if you call you should have used a bell types there. Very early on Christmas morning a few years ago we went for a couple of laps to burn off the day’s excesses in advance, as it were: an old colonel Bufton Tufton type who wasn’t on the path was yelling at us from a distance, so I rode back thinking he might be asking for help. “You shouldn’t be riding so fast, small children and elderly people need to use this path!” “Well if there were any here I’d slow down but there aren’t any, are there?” (He was literally the only person in sight) “Well yes but there will be later on.”
Yes, plenty of if you use a
Yes, plenty of if you use a bell you should have called and if you call you should have used a bell types there
They’re everywhere! I don’t speak to, or discuss it with them. I just say ‘hello’ and get past somehow. For some reason, people seem to think they have a right to tell cyclists what to do.
Definitely a bell. Puts the
Definitely a bell. Puts the “bit of fun” even more into question.
road.cc wrote:
They could always tarmac around them.
Or over them.
Those bolted-down wands are fine, but they won’t hold up if someone just decides that they will drive over them…
RE: Cyclists rejoice as
RE: Cyclists rejoice as barriers finally installed on ‘car park’ bike lane
One for Brooksby to help keep an eye on the plastic barriers (along with the Bristol wand patrol…)
I’ve seen far heftier things that have been moved – but hope it works for them anyway!
Wouldn’t towing a few of the
Wouldn’t towing a few of the offending vehicles have worked.
Pretty much self financing, and only the very stupid fail to learn from it…
ktache wrote:
According to the DfI:
“As previously advised The Traffic Management (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 only gives the Department the power to issue Penalty Charge Notices when a vehicle is detected parked on a legislated Mandatory Cycle Lane.
“Advisory Cycle Lanes, which are identified by a broken white line, cycle tracks on footways or those separate from the carriageway, are not generally enforceable by a Traffic Attendant unless there are parking restrictions marked on the carriageway.
So basically they’ve put in a cycle lane but three years later have yet to implement the (one would assume fairly basic) instrument that allows them to sanction people parking in it. The DfI’s souvenir range of chocolate fireguards and waterproof teabags is proving popular.
Gone are the days when
Gone are the days when parking up on a street without sanctioned parking resulted in Felix blowing your windows out or boot open to view contents before towing.
Terrible news about Tijl De
Terrible news about Tijl De Decker
Condolences and thoughts to his family, friends and team.
Adwitiya wrote:
I believe this was decided by another road.cc user – they were to be called Xcretions, rather than Tweets.
HoldingOn wrote:
That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.
12 years in jail ?
12 years in jail ?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66614488
What an effing disgrace.
“He added: “He is not an evil man. He acknowledges that he has done a terrible thing”
By their fruits you shall know them.
“He would do anything he
“He would do anything he could to alter the decision he took in September 2017, but he cannot rewind the clock.”
They took multiple decisions over years to not do anything about it. What an absolute disgusting disgrace.
Dangerous behaviour.
Dangerous behaviour.
I mean flipflops – who wears those ?!
I’m more interested to know
I’m more interested to know if this bike-carrying bike was delivered by a bike-carrying-bike-carrying bike
I learned yesterday a) that
I learned yesterday a) that the front “basket” on a Boris bike (Sadiq cycle?) can hold a largish child’s bike surprisingly well and b) you don’t get as many close passes when there’s a largish child’s bike protruding horizontally from your bike.
HoldingOn wrote:
Well, yeah, but how would they get that there?
brooksby wrote:
a bike-carrying-bike-carrying-bike-carrying bike
HoldingOn wrote:
But… 😉
It’s bikes all the way down..
It’s bikes all the way down…
momove wrote:
You can’t go wrong with a Bertrand Russell quote 😀
HoldingOn wrote:
One day the delivery of these bicycles will also be via a Very Large Pedallo powered all the way from Taiwan by teams of ex-professional racing persons, in their very first real job!
Ex cycling team directors, sacked for employing naughty doctors and the like, will be the hortator encouraging the pedallo pedallers with a large drum which they beat with an old Dura-Ace crank arm.
Barriers on the cycle lane ..
Barriers on the cycle lane …
Yeah they *look* bolted down … but those bolt heads look tiny.
Hopefully, the bolts themselves are minimum of 250mm long so any car gives in before they do
It won’t be long before
It won’t be long before someone comes along with an impact wrench and just undoes all those bolts. Why didn’t they use security bolts? The apathy, ineptitude, and downright sabotage around this “segregated” cycle lane suggests those responsible are not exactly committed to the idea.
Re: Belfast cycle lane: I
Re: Belfast cycle lane: I haven’t really been following this one, but have just looked it up on Streetview. (1) looking back through streetview images over the years, it seems the street is fuller of parked cars now than when it was designated parking. I wonder if that’s because previously there was signage saying 4 hours, no return – so people knew they couldn’t park up for a whole day at the office etc. That signage has now been removed (for obvious reasons – it’s not parking space any more) but I wonder if that has a psychological effect and people feel safer doing this. (2) It’s noticeable that, on the adjacent Marcus Ward St, although people are parking in the cycle lane and pavement, they have studiously avoided parking on double yellows. While it makes no legal difference as far as I’m aware, painting double yellows throughout the cycle lane may well therefore have a useful deterrent effect. (3) why no enforcement? Is it legally difficult for some reason while this is a temporary setup? Seems to me you’d have an effect pretty quickly if you ticketed the whole street regularly. Obviously underlying all of this is a general sense of entitlement to park in a cycle lane, but it seems there are quicker and more effective solutions than bolting in barriers.
See my reply to Hirsute below
See my reply to Hirsute below a moment ago: according to the DfI until the cycle lane has been made permanent and mandatory through legislation they don’t the power to sanction anyone for parking in it.
Rendel Harris wrote:
and when the cycle lane is made permanent, has a solid white line to demark it AND double yellow lines – they still won’t do anything about it. (in my experience)
I’ve seen drivers pull up and park half on the footpath, half on a solid white line cycle lane, over double yellows and nobody (except cyclists) bats an eyelid!
HoldingOn wrote:
I’ve seen cars being driven half on/half off the (narrow) footpath at the open end of a ‘protected’ cycle lane, then driven along to the storefront they want to go to.
Lots of people seem to
Lots of people seem to honestly believe that if you can physically drive there then you’re meant to.
I went out for a coffee earlier and discovered an obstacle on a cycle track. No problems though – this pedant has been careful not to park on the bike symbol!
(And like a mensch they’ve left a gap to go through…)
I get disproportionately
I get disproportionately irritated by people who think that straddling double yellows with two wheels on the pavement somehow doesn’t break the rules. (If they’re actually right, please nobody correct me, I don’t think I could take it)
quiff wrote:
Your blood pressure is safe, yellow lines (double or single) apply to the whole of the highway including the footway or verge, so even if someone’s parked completely on the footway the lines still apply unless there’s a designated parking bay marked on the pavement. Parking partly on the roadway and partly on the pavement is definitely still parking on yellow lines and should be ticketed or towed.
No need to correct you. You
No need to correct you. You are right. Moreover, they can be completely off the carriageway and still subject to the double yellows. It even applies to private property, if it is considered part of the highway.
GMBasix wrote:
Really? land is either one thing or the other I’d have thought.
If there are yellow lines at the kerbside making parking on them illegal to park on, it makes total sense that parking over them or inside of them is even less legal. Yet outside London, police pass you on to the council who pass you back to the police when you complain about pavement parking. I don’t understand what isn’t clear here/ needs a revision.
We seemed to have a string of post lock-down epic domestic building projects and I moaned on local Facebook about builders vans, etc pavement parking. Got the predictable backlash from thr local loudmouth, but (coincidentally?) situation is better than it was.
Ahem
Ahem
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23746353.glasgow-residents-police-work-together-educate-cyclists/
dubwise wrote:
Once asked the revered K division when they would be educating motorists on their responsibilities on various Renfrewshire roads. Received a shrug for my efforts followed by a lecture for the lack of helmet. I commented that they would still be investigating a fatality if somebody hit me while doing 50+ regardless of what PPI I was wearing and the media wouldn’t highlight that I was wearing all the desired kit as that would be evidence that it failed. Mr Polisman just murmured even so. Better safe than sorry. I gave up. Thanked them for their time and went on my way.
dubwise wrote:
Bloody hell that’s depressing. The comments are worse.
I’ve just read the comments.
I’ve just read the comments. There are some strange people out there.
“I have never seen a car
“I have never seen a car ,lorry, bus or van in a bike lane if you have report them immediately”
Must walk around with their eyes shut.
All those vehicles mentioned are not ebikes but illegal scooters.
My favourite was ” tell them
My favourite was ” tell them to grow up and buy a car like a proper adult… bikes are made of metal and plastics all this green stuff is crap”.
The headline was depressing
The headline was depressing enough for me, I stopped there!
“and due to the fact the size
“and due to the fact the size of the wheels are really thick…”
Like most of the commenters on that site, unfortunately.
What I don’t get, is why the “educating cyclists about responsibility to pedestrians” isn’t simply “educating everybody about the Highway code hierarchy of responsibility changes that happened 18 months ago, but hardly anybody seems to know about”
Then they can start educating people about the difference between e-bikes and illegal electric motor Ike’s, followed swiftly by confiscation of all such illegal vehicles.
I won’t hold my breath.
“educating everybody about
“educating everybody about the Highway code hierarchy of responsibility changes that happened 18 months ago, but hardly anybody
seems to know about” pays any attention to, just like the rest of the Highway Code (and associated legislation)Yes, T99 FFE did drive swiftly onto the roundabout right in front of me
“humble motorist”
“humble motorist”
How to overtake a cyclist
How to overtake a cyclist with how not to in the middle of the clip
Non cycling bonus footage at the end – no idea what the hell was going on though !