“Insanely reductive framing of an entire continent”: Cycling fans react to Biniam Girmay being asked about not having money growing up; TfL bus driver claims cyclists should only use bike lanes; Tour de France pros do keepie uppies + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Bike shop staff threatened with knife and shears during "appalling ordeal", as e-bikes worth £22,200 stolen during shocking robbery
Police in Nottingham have released images of suspects wanted in connection with a shocking robbery at a branch of Rutland Cycling which saw staff threatened with shears and a knife before bikes worth £22,200 were taken.
Detectives investigating the armed robbery said that a group of masked males entered the shop on Nottingham Road, New Basford, at 4.30pm on 11 June and used shears to remove high-value bikes cable-tied to a display. When they were challenged by staff, the offenders turned violent and threatened the shop workers with the shears and a Stanley knife.
Note to drivers re: parallel crossings
Dear Drivers
RE: Parallel Crossings, introduced in the UK in 2015.
(like this new one on the border of Hackney & Islington)You must give way & slow down. No ifs, no buts as per the Highway Code. Please do not just plough on through regardless.
Thanks
Pedestrians & Cyclists pic.twitter.com/U4qXul8tnX— Bob From Accounts 🚲 (@BobFromAccounts) July 15, 2024
Who's the best Tour de France rider at doing keepie uppies?
Of course, it’s Remco Evenepoel!
The Belgian, who used to play football, even representing his country at U16 level and playing for Belgian club RSC Andrelecht, aced Tour de Titiama’s challenge of keepie uppies at the Tour de France.
Other players to take the challenge included Romain Bardet, who showed some French flair with nice skill to receive the ball (although his first touch was more Lukaku, less Henry) as well as Dylan Groenewegen who displayed some really solid technique and bagged the runners up position.
One man who could certainly do with some much needed improvement and keepie uppie training would be Team dsm-firmenich PostNL’s Frank van der Broek, who sheparded Bardet in his last Tour de France to an emotional victory in the first stage, after the 23-year-old Dutch rider managed a total of two bounces in the challenge. Guess he can make up for that by going strong in the breakaway once again!
“Every lane is a cycle lane”: Footage shows TfL bus driver claiming cyclists can only ride on cycle lanes, while other lanes are for “big vehicles”
Despite multiple instances of people incorrectly claiming that if there is a cycle lane, cyclists must have to use it (including Daily Mail too), it never really gets old does it?
This latest episode captured by the Twitter account going by the name Axolotol shows an encounter with a Transport for London bus driver. As the cyclist approaches a red light, the bus driver tries to overtake him.
He proceeds to pull to the right and the bus driver comes alongside on the same line. The driver, pointing over to the pained cycle lane on the left-hand side of the road, says: “There’s a lane, look, there’s an illustrated lane on the floor for you!”
Every lane is a cycle lane.
Full video https://t.co/rrePwaVEEe
Professional bus driver thinks cyclist cannot use the main lane. Tries to tell me that I must use the cycle lane. @TfL #EveryLaneIsACycleLane Does #Metroline teach the highway code? pic.twitter.com/dwaipjfLi8— Axolotol (@Axolotol3) July 14, 2024
The cyclist asks, pointing to the main lane: “You know what this lane is?”. The driver replies: “Yeah it’s the same lane for vehicles, for big vehicles!”, while demonstrating with his hands that the bus, was indeed a bigger vehicle than the cycle.
The cyclist tries to reason saying that he’s riding in the middle of own lane, but the driver replies: “How’s that the middle of the lane, your lane’s over there mate!”
He shared the video on his YouTube and Twitter profiles, writing: “Every lane is a cycle lane. Professional bus driver thinks cyclist cannot use the main lane. Tries to tell me that I must use the cycle lane. Does Metroline teach the Highway Code?”
As someone that holds both a bus and HGV licence I am appalled by this, he has to complete 35 hours CPC training every 5 years some of which covers bicycles and other vulnerable road users. @TfL this is disgraceful!
— The Cycling Nerd (@NerdCyclist) July 15, 2024
Another person commented: “As someone that holds both a bus and HGV licence I am appalled by this, he has to complete 35 hours CPC training every 5 years some of which covers bicycles and other vulnerable road users. TfL, this is disgraceful!”
Cycling your commute can lower risk of death by 47%, as long as you aren't hit by a driver
Research published in the British Medical Journal concluded that its findings “provide direct evidence of the health benefits of active commuting”, with those who cycle to work associated with a 47 per cent lower risk of death and 24 per cent lower risk of hospital admission for cardiovascular disease. However, with cycle commuters twice as likely as ‘inactive’ commuters to be admitted to hospital after a road traffic collision, the research suggests it “reinforces the need for safer cycling infrastructure” to enable more people to access active travel journeys and the “important” health benefits.
Read more: > Cycling your commute can lower risk of death by 47%, as long as you aren’t hit by a driver
If you've been enjoying Ned Boulting's dulcet tones on ITV4's Tour coverage between the raft of ads about funeral planning and sponsoring animals, then you'll be pleased to hear he's bringing his Marginal Mystery Tour
Two Tours Jeremy?!
No, this ain’t that kind of Tour, but it still promises to be glorious, extravagant, and always exciting. Ned Boulting, ITV’s lead Tour de France commentator, has announced that he will bring his brand-new one-man stage show, Ned Boulting’s Marginal Mystery Tour: 1923 And All That, to London this autumn, with dates confirmed for Islington Assembly Hall on 28th October and The Clapham Grand on 11th November.
It’s described as a “part detective story, part murder mystery, part costume drama and part French farce”, in which Ned weaves his own typically ridiculous story into the astonishing discoveries he makes about the hidden world of the 1923 Tour de France, its characters and tragedies, and ties it all together with the wild upheavals of Europe in-between the wars.
“Along the way, in an evening’s odyssey, he draws a connection between the heroes of yesteryear and the champions of today, from Cavendish to Pogačar and beyond! It’s a touching, hilarious, fascinating journey that bounces between the centuries, but always has Le Tour at its very heart,” the description reads.
Ned Boulting said: “This story starts off with a bang, literally, as a bike crash left me helpless and looking for interesting projects to pass the time. The film led me on an adventure around France and Belgium trying to discover the riders and stories of the 1923 Tour de France, and following the success of the book, I’m excited to get head back to the theatres to bring this fascinating piece of history to life.”
David Millar, former pro cyclist, and Ned’s Tour de France co-commentator said: “There is no one quite like Ned at recreating a fascinating story for the stage. Expect high production values and a stellar one-man performance that is brilliantly written and executed, appealing to both cycling enthusiasts and keen theatre goers.”
Islabikes launches spare parts website, as founder returns as "100%" owner "motivated by idea of keeping all Islabikes we sold over 18 years in circulation"
Islabikes may have ceased production of its well-respected children’s bikes in the autumn, but founder Isla Rowntree has returned as “100 per cent owner” and has launched a new spare parts website to help keep “all the Islabikes we sold over 18 years in circulation”.
The Islabikes website now displays a range of spare parts for purchase, with a handy selector tool to help customers filter the exact part they will need based on the model, size and age.
The capitalism fete goes on for one more day, check out some more sweet cycling deals on the road.cc Prime Day live blog
One more day, just one more day!
As long as we are forced to bow down to our capitalist overlords, might as well make some hay while we are it, and guide you to some very sweet deals that you may or may not need to improve your cycling experience on this second and final Amazon Prime Day. Psst… this is also us directing you to your local bike shop later on.
What happens when a Tour de France rider punctures? From wheel and bike swaps to neutral support, here's how pros get back on the road in rapid time
The Tour de France is one of the most gruelling and prestigious cycling races in the world, and although race organisers do their best to make the riding conditions as good as they can get for the riders, punctures are still inevitable.
With riders covering around 3,500 kilometres across varied and challenging terrain, punctures happen, and often at the worst possible times. But unlike us, the pros don’t carry a full puncture repair kit in their back pocket – instead, they mostly rely on their team support to get them back riding again. So how do the teams and riders deal with punctures, then? In this article, we delve into all the tips and tricks the pro teams use for getting riders back on the road again rapidly…
The idiocy of spectators continues this Tour de France...🤦🏽♂️
Do watch where you’re waving your flags 🤦♂️#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/1woriGDfyj
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 17, 2024
Tadej Pogačar attacks on Col du Noyer, as Vingegaard tries to fight back with Laporte's assistance
Ain’t no rest for the wicked seems to be the tune on Tadej Pogačar’s mind as the yellow jersey attacks with just 5km to go!
Meanwhile, Jonas Vingeagard has tried to follow but only been able to catch teammate Christophe Laporte up the road, as the Visma-Lease a Bike pair along with Remco Evenepoel try and bridge the gap to Pogačar.
#TDF2024 – 🏁 4.7 KM
Attack Pogacar!!!!
Vingegaard is struggling as Evenepoel follows!#DomestiqueLive pic.twitter.com/sZSNyYLSp6
— Domestique (@Domestique___) July 17, 2024
Breakaway madness, a Richard Carapaz win on the table, AND a GC battle?!
Say Pi-NO to bullfighting: Thibaut Pinot launches campaign with PETA to bring an end to bullfighting
At the finish line of yesterday’s stage 16 at Nîmes, photos of former pro (and everyone’s favourite rider) Thibaut Pinot raising his arms in the air, with the caption “This Is Sport,” with that of a bull – whose horns echo the position of the cyclist’s arms – in an arena during a bullfight with the message “This Is Torture” to remind everyone that unlike the impressive Tour de France, bullfighting has nothing to do with sportsmanship or valour.
“Bullfighting is anything but sport. It’s a macabre spectacle of the torture and killing of a terrified animal,” says PETA Vice President for Europe, the UK, and Australia Mimi Bekhechi. “Thibaut Pinot’s campaign for PETA France highlights the difference between an impressive display of endurance and ritualised slaughter and reminds people around the world that bullfighting has no place in modern society.”
Pinot, a known lover of animals with a farm full of goats, donkeys and cows in Mélisey, has jumped on this campaign with PETA France to raise awareness for the charitable cause.
Meanwhile, PETA France has written to the organisers of the Tour de France asking that the tour not pass through towns or cities where bullfights still take place, so as not to turn a blind eye to these bloody practices from another age, which tarnish France’s image on the international stage. The group points out that 75 per cent of the French population wants these bloody spectacles banned.
Two very contrasting reactions to King's Speech from CyclingUK and Collaborative Mobility UK
Following the official opening of this Parliament with the King’s Speech, Cycling UK has given its response to the proposed bills and measures which will have a direct impact on cycling.
Sarah McMonagle, director of external affairs at Cycling UK, said: “In today’s King’s Speech the government has presented a promising plan for the future of transport in this country. Commitments made to get Britain building have the power to enhance economic growth, improve public health, and help us meet our climate targets. However, this progress is contingent on ensuring that investments include the development of walking and cycling infrastructure from the get-go.
“We are encouraged by the prospect of increased local decision-making and see it as an opportunity to grant local leaders in England more authority to implement transport improvements in their communities. We will push the Government to pair this with increased investment in active travel, to ensure the huge benefits of cycling, for our health, our economy and our environment, are realised.”
However, the reaction from Collaborative Mobility UK was quite contrasting, the charity saying that it was it is “disappointing” to see that the King’s Speech failed to legalise e-scooters or expand car clubs and bike share schemes.
Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “It is disappointing that after its comprehensive victory at the election earlier this month, Labour has not seized the chance to be as bold as it could have been in the King’s Speech.
“We welcome the government’s intention to improve services for bus and rail passengers, but there is a clear policy gap when it comes to shared transport, which has the potential to work alongside these other reforms in decarbonising the way we travel.
“Giving e-scooters and other similar vehicles legal status is a common sense move that would bring the UK into line with most other European countries and give people a flexible and green way to get around.
“In the meantime, we would like England’s e-scooter trials to be expanded, with more vehicles covering wider areas in response to local demand. New schemes should also be approved in council areas that could benefit.
“Today’s announcement of plans to give more powers to local councils in England should also include the ability to expand the use of shared transport, whether that is through new bike schemes or on-demand buses following flexible routes.
“Any shake-up to the planning system should also ensure that bike share schemes, car clubs and other similar initiatives are put front and centre.
“Ministers have a huge opportunity to push ahead with the expansion of shared transport, which our research has shown carries numerous benefits, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions and improving people’s health. They need to seize the day.”
Near Miss of the Day 912: Police forward case for prosecution after driver's "ridiculously close pass" on cyclist
“An insanely reductive framing of an entire continent”: Fans react to Biniam Girmay being asked about not having money growing up, to which he replies: “Cycling is my passion, I don’t do it to get money”
In a Tour which has had everything so far, from the engrossing general classification battle of Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, Mark Cavendish winning his 35th stage, Romain Bardet in yellow in his last rodeo, Remco Evenepoel winning a time trial on his debut… I can keep going on.
But one of the best, if not the best, storyline to come out of this race has been the success of Biniam Girmay, the Intermarché-Wanty rider from Eritrea who was initially drafted in the team to support sprinter Gerben Thijssen, but has instead made the show all about him, not only becoming the first black African rider to win a Tour de France stage, but going on to win two more and grab the green jersey.
Despite his crash in the final two kilometres yesterday, Biniam still has a 32-point lead over last year’s green jersey winner Jasper Philipsen, and with all sprint stages, this battle looks set to go down to the wire.
Meanwhile, back in Asmara, Eritrea’s capital, people have taken to the streets to celebrate their home hero, with cycling going higher and higher in popularity in the country
Watch the moment the streets of Asmara in Eritrea erupt as local hero, cyclist Biniam Girmay, won his third stage of this year’s Tour de France! 🇪🇷
🚴 Tour de France | Watch on SBS or stream free SBS On Demand here: https://t.co/qNexrLIZQy pic.twitter.com/tE4faqpTFh
— SBS Australia (@SBS) July 15, 2024
However, with Biniam still the only black cyclist in the pro peloton, fans have criticised a French documentary about the 24-year-old where the interviewer asks him a strange question, but his response is even more graceful and commendable.
“Maybe it’s a strange question, but how was your childhood?” the interviewer asks in the documentary titled C’est mon tour (‘It’s my turn’). “Did you have trouble with money? Was cycling a way to get out of…”
Biniam replies: “No, this question is bad. My family is not rich, not poor. They are alright, they have everything. Cycling is my passion, I don’t do it to get money or rich.”
That sucks. I’m glad he stood up for himself
— The Cycling Dad (@JayDadCycling) July 17, 2024
Fans have criticised this question from the documentary which aired in April this year, with a Twitter account writing: “Such an insanely reductive framing of an entire continent as large as Africa, it’s unreal.”
Other people pointed out the subtle racism, saying that the same question doesn’t get asked to former pro from South Africa Daryl Impey who wore the yellow jersey in 2013, or Biniam’s teammate South African teammate Louis Meintjes, or even four-time Tour winner Chris Froome, who grew up in Kenya.
Such an insanely reductive framing of an entire continent as large as Africa, it’s unreal
— #SiempreGino (@NairoInGreen) July 17, 2024
However, some people also noted the reportedly poor economic conditions of Eritrea, most notably caused by global sanctions imposed by the west due to the country’s Marxist-Lenninist government which rose to power after the Eritrean War of Independence.
What do you think? Was the question justified or is this yet another case of deep-rooted racism?
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Latest Comments
@bensynnock Yes, but I think edjz was referring to pedal cycles with an electric motor - I don't know if there any non-EAPC-compliant examples of those with type approval.
@Geoff H And how often does this work is this purely scaremongering and often repeated rubbish. People don't sue the car manufacturer when they crash their car and the brakes didn't prevent the accident, the tyres didn't grip well enough, the windscreen wasn't tinted enough, someone put a speed bump in the road etc. This just sounds like rubbish that people use to justify stopping kids doing something fun that has some risk to it.
...(so assuming they're "type-approved" if MOT exists) ... and have the appropriate category on your driving licence (or presumably have done your CBT and have an L-plate), have got that insurance, wear an appropriate helmet and only ride on the road in accordance with the conditions for that kind of vehicle... but other than that, it's basically order on the Internet and go...
You can buy legal electric motorbikes and mopeds. https://www.flexelectric.co.uk/category/e-mopeds You'd think some of these were illegal if you saw them, but they have an MOT from new and can be insured. You'd want to carry your documents with you.
Has anyone ridden any of the Forestry England dirt courses? Some of them are pretty hairy and could definitely be deemed dangerous. Dalby forest has seen a fair few of my friends injured on some of the more gnarly downhills. These are the routes they are saying the youngsters are allowed on, rather than a well designed pump track with ramps, which would be an excellent introduction to the more challenging routes throughout the forest. Their proposal of a redesign will no doubt turn out to be a sanitised version of what they are removing. As an oldster, child of the 70's I don't remember any serious injuries from all the 'dangerous' stuff we did.
@ErgoKnees the riders family asked for it to continue and as Rendel mentioned, neutralised stages are generally a nightmare (one to manage and two for the riders). Granted, blame has to be with the race organiser but road closures simply come down to a matter of cost. The TdF can afford this, smaller races can't. Instead of the UCI taking a fee they should be treating these races like a loss leader and supporting them to improve safety measures like using police rather than volunteers and using the proper barriers.
Even your correction of the correction isn't quite right. It's perfectly legal for an EAPC (not EPAC) to be able to go more than 15.5 mph - its just that the motor has to cut out above that speed. Also, it isn't necessarily illegal to use a bike that doesn't meet the EAPC requirements, provided you first get a vehicle approval and find someone willing to insure it (though, in practice, next to nobody's going to bother with all that when they can mostly just go out and ride them without and no-one will do anything about it).
edjz: It's not EPAC, it is an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle; EAPC. Also. you keep stating that non compliant bikes are only illegal on the road. This will confuse some, as they are illegal on all public land, which includes cycleways and other tracks.
@edjz We've added a clarification to that paragraph, thanks.
44 thoughts on ““Insanely reductive framing of an entire continent”: Cycling fans react to Biniam Girmay being asked about not having money growing up; TfL bus driver claims cyclists should only use bike lanes; Tour de France pros do keepie uppies + more on the live blog”
Don’t know if it’s been
Don’t know if it’s been mentioned elsewhere, but St Chris is taking part along with the BBC in a cycle to Paris to highlight sustainability and climate change:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/videos/cek9dy0v982o
https://www.indy100.com/sport/former-olympic-champion-cycling-to-paris-for-climate-change-awareness
If the interviewer of Girmay
If the interviewer of Girmay knew he came from a country that is well documented on having problems with poverty, why is asking a question about his upbringing so out of order. Most documentaries about someone have a part about the person’s upbringing to give context and to tell the story about that persons life and how they got to where they are. If the interviewer had have asked the same question to a top english cyclist that had being brought up on an estate well known for it’s poverty would anyone have batted an eyelid?
If the interviewer had done
If the interviewer had done their research and discovered that the subject had grown up with a background of poverty, it might be reasonable to ask about it*. In this case, though, they just seem to have assumed, incorrectly, that it was the case, based on a massive over-generalisation. It would be more like asking a Welsh cyclist the question because there’s a lot of poverty in Wales – it’s just lazy.
[*Even then, the way the question was asked would be clumsy – implying that if you’ve been affected by poverty then your most likely motivation for anything is money.]
Aren’t a lot of people
Aren’t a lot of people assuming that the interviewer is assuming? I haven’t seen the documentary so can’t really comment on the delivery of the questions but from what road cc has published above, that’s what they are – questions – to give the viewer context and an insight in to Girmay’s upbringing. If he’d have asked him “so your from Eritrea, I guess you had a tough upbringing and you used cycling as a way of staying out of trouble, right” then I could get the beef. Fair point Girmay not wanting to discuss it as money shouldn’t be a factor of anything but for people to try and tie in that the interviewer is being racist and discriminating against ‘a whole continent’ probably says more about them than the interviewer.
NotNigel wrote:
But the nature of the questions assumes that Girmay must’ve grown up in poverty. Even if you feel it’s not racist, the interviewer is at best incredibly lazy and frankly disrespectful: if they are going to interview one of the most famous cyclists in the world one would have thought they might read one or two articles about him and find out about his background beforehand and use that information when planning their questioning.
It’s not just a question – it
It’s not just a question – it’s a question that attempts to provide its own answer. They could have just asked something more open-ended, like ‘So, what inspired you to take up cycling?’. Instead they chose to focus solely on the possibility that it was a response to poverty. Why do that, if not because you’re assuming (on the basis of nothing in particular) that that’s the answer?
NotNigel wrote:
You know how it is – easier to pigeonhole a person. Black Africans are poor, white Africans are racists, Irish are a wee bit daft and the Scots have long pockets and short arms. Unfortunately how much of the world works and it’s very sad to see.
Except on this occasion it’s
Except on this occasion it’s been taken out of context then amplified on Twitter then amplified some more on here.
Parallel crossings: I had an
Parallel crossings: I had an extended debate with a driver after he failed to give way to another cyclist. At the start it was quite heated, but amazingly he actually accepted that he was in the wrong and had learned something new. However, I could see his point – the priority is not clear. For example, in the picture in the article above, why is there a given way line for the cyclist if they have priority?
Exactly. Most confusing.
Exactly. Most confusing.
Yep – and the markings that
Yep – and the markings that the drivers get to indicate they need to give way don’t look like ones they would encounter most other places (they almost look like a crossing in their own right).
And just for the fun of it, there’s an extraneous bollard whacked in the middle of the cycle track for no good reason.
The whole thing’s a bit of a mess really.
mdavidford wrote:
A cunningly disguised solid black one, no less
the give ways shoudn’t be
the give ways shoudn’t be there – design mistake.
the bollard though, I suspect theres a bit of continuation of what was there before – to stop drivers using that link as a cut through, there may actually be a cycle symbol on the front face, agree its not visible from the rear though…
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5417137,-0.084552,3a,41.4y,288.39h,81.1t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbNm5OHGeYACYBKcihtfq6w!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DbNm5OHGeYACYBKcihtfq6w%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.share%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26yaw%3D288.39150579650607%26pitch%3D8.900361303774787%26thumbfov%3D90!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205410&entry=ttu
Trying to fix current UK
Trying to fix current UK infra is like trying to graft legs onto a veggieburger … but (albeit it’d need legislation) the Dutch system of triangles painted on the road (“shark’s teeth” – like a painted give way sign, but smaller and multiple) might be exactly the kind of “quick fix” we like in the UK? (In that it wouldn’t be quick, or fix anything, but it would cost less than doing something properly).
You would not believe the
You would not believe the amount of grief it takes to get stuff like that painted on UK roads, even when councils have a statutory duty to upkeep road markings.
I like the idea of
I like the idea of illustrated cycle lanes – maybe something from this or this to start us off?
This one’s colourful:
This one’s colourful:
If we’re happy to expand it to tunnels then there’s a wider field:
I think this is the same
I think this is the same documentary- same credits etc..
hopefully will give it a bit more context than a couple of screen grabs on Twitter.
https://www.timescapes.be/films/this-is-my-moment
Synopsis
Biniam Girmay, a 17 year old promising cyclist from the African country Eritrea, dreams of one day riding the Tour de France, the most prestigious Grand Tour in the world.
For years he thought the Tour was only for European or white cyclists, as over its more than 100 editions, only a handful of the participants were black.
Biniam’s evolving performances give a rare insight into cycling in Africa.
But to make it into an international Pro Team, Europe’s visa procedures are a constant hassle. And once he marries in Eritrea and becomes a father, the distance of 6.000kms takes its toll. Against all odds, Biniam climbs up the international rankings. When at age 21, he wins his first ‘Classic’, he proves African riders can win big races. He becomes a cycling hero overnight, but can he change cycling forever?
‘This is my moment’ gives a unique insight into Biniam Girmay’s climb to success and to adulthood. For more than six years, Lieven Corthouts was the only friend and filmmaker allowed to film Biniam’s life in Eritrea as well as in Europe. Having Biniam also filming with a vlogging camera, they have made this film together in a co-creation process.
King’s Speech – Full List of
King’s Speech – Full List of Bills
Not sure if Death by Dangerous Cycling will be in the Crime and Policing Bill, there’s no explicit mention of it.
Labour were supportive of
Labour were supportive of crating the offence provided it came as part of an overall reform to improve road safety. Whether that means better resources for road policing, tougher penalties or even just higher conviction rates is unclear but until they lay out any detailed plans we cannot know.
There are many other problems facing the Government at the moment, and this may not be as high a priority as others.
Horsist video of dangerous
Horsist video of dangerous driving
Only got an twitter link
https://x.com/ES_News_/status/1812803478600761647
Comes off a bend at high speed, onto the verge and almost loses control on the verge and after when rejoining the road.
I’m sure that idiot’s car
I’m sure that idiot’s car insurance company would love to know about it.
All car tax and MOT statuses
All car tax and MOT statuses are publically available on gov.uk website. Imagine a database with their insurance status and policy insurer. The amount of clips circling round half of all policies would be revoked very quickly. But with an estimated 1 million uninsured drivers (and probably more considering the cost of living crisis) out there, I am not sure how effective it would be. Also, some people change insurers regularly because there are always cheaper quotes. I’ve had 4 different insurers in just over 10 years of driving. The first was an under-25 specialist (black box fitted). After 5 years I sold my little hatchback and had an estate, and my existing provider was no longer the cheapest. Since then I haven’t been with the same insurer for longer than 3 years.
Given the piss poor driving I
Given the piss poor driving I suspect that the person driving the car didn’t have the owner’s consent.
To the bus driver who thinks
To the bus driver who thinks cyclists should only use cycle lanes…
What about when the “cycle lane” randomly stops/disappears like at the end of the clip?
Where do we go then?
And lets not forget the bus driver who told me I have to stop when I reach a bus stop and look around before proceeding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF4u42-lx84
https://road.cc/content/news/near-miss-day-881-304795
I’d love to know how the conversation with her manager went.
So, surely motorists should
So, surely motorists should only use motorways?
Motorways without cyclists & therefore only used by ‘highly trained & licenced drivers’, so never any speeding or collisions
“Cycling your commute can
“Cycling your commute can lower risk of death by 47%…”
Does this mean being a cycling commuter that we have a 47% chance of IMMORTALITY…?
Surely that would be headline news around the world if it was true.
mitsky wrote:
So far, only about 93% of humans who have ever lived, have died. So there’s a chance.
andystow wrote:
We might be getting there
[…in mice]
andystow wrote:
I am planning on living for ever. So far, so good.
There’s a parallel crossing
There’s a parallel crossing like the one illustrated above near me in Peckham on a route I use regularly, twice since it was installed have cars actually stopped for me out of probably 150 times I’ve used it. However, just this once I don’t completely blame drivers as it’s not infrastructure with which most people in this country are familiar (I believe), they see the zebra crossing and roll up to that as their stop marker as they are accustomed to do. Better signage on the approach warning that there is a cycle and pedestrian crossing coming up would help a lot; additionally, instead of adding confusing extra lines, why not just have a double width zebra crossing with appropriate markings to show which side is for cyclists and which for pedestrians?
I think that’s right: drivers
I think that’s right: drivers don’t particularly know that these are to be treated as zebra crossings, and the visuals of them next to zebra crossings give the impression that they are something that isn’t a zebra crossing. Signage on the approaches would certainly help.
They also seem to suffer from being dropped in to existing pedestrian crossing locations without any consideration for how actual cyclists would approach them. The ones I use most often (off Walworth Road and on the way to Crystal Palace) are located on sharp bends with poor sightlines as you ride towards them. Even knowing that I have priority, it’s pretty rare that I don’t have to slow to a near-stop just to be able to get a view of the traffic in all directions. Which is fine, I’m crossing a road, but the lines make it feel like I’m also on a road and should proceed at normal road speed. I might as well (and occasionally do) just use the actual zebra crossing which was already there and which drivers in general can be relied on to stop for.
Quote:
100% of people swimming across crocodile-infested rivers survive, as long as they aren’t eaten by a crocodile.
Rendel Harris wrote:
100% of people swimming across crocodile-infested rivers survive, as long as they aren’t eaten by a crocodile.
Not true: 10% of them drown naturally. Apparently caused by eating ice cream.
It’s shark attackes that are
It’s shark attackes that are caused by eating ice cream
If you do the same jouney
If you do the same jouney (Commute) on a bicycle and in a car you are 49 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the bike.
If there is a high incidecnce of heart attacks in the population as a whole cycling could still be statistically beneficial.
I hate Statistics!
Got a link to the study that
Got a link to the study that shows that please?
Quote:
Well, kind of. It might be Hautes-Alpes, but it’s not particularly, er, haute – have to wait until Friday for that.
I’m surprised at the reaction
I’m surprised at the reaction to the King’s Speech: I thought it was an excellent movie.
Road cc, how come you or your
Road cc, how come you or your affiliates don’t appear to be on the list of publications regulated by IPSO?
As ‘the go-to publisher for UK cyclists, with an audience of 10 million cyclists (and growing)’ surely you must be open to the same publishing regulations that other cycling publications are?
NotNigel wrote:
Pffft! More than 1 in 7 of the UK population?
This ‘monthly community reach’ appears to mean ‘anyone who was exposed to anything related to road.cc, anywhere, whether they paid any attention to it or not’. It’s a bit of a stretch to imply that all of them are ‘going to’ road.cc.
NotNigel wrote:
Membership of IPSO is voluntary and a number of media organisations, including the Financial Times, The Guardian and The Independent choose not to participate, instead running their own complaints system. IPSO’s lack of independence has been described as “a sham” by Hacked Off and it is not supported by the NUJ. Road.cc has every right not to participate in IPSO if it so chooses.
Ta for that, it got me
Ta for that, it got me looking at some interesting articles. Everyday’s a learning day.
Road.cc seems to a gift for
Road.cc seems to a gift for digging up comments from slightly obscure groups. (Of course it could be me but) I’ve never heard of “Cooperative mobility UK”. From their website : “1999 – CoMoUK created as Community Car Share Network (CCSN)”
Not quite sure what they’ve to do with cycling? They list an interest in “shared bikes and ebikes” but they mainly seem to be about motorised stuff – in particular the e-motorised or “tech-enhanced”.
Not saying they’re suspect (though perhaps a quick perusal of funding in order) or this isn’t a good idea; only that:
a) without places to cycle (or ride your e-scooter, another thing they’re keen on) most people won’t cycle / ride. I am not keen on creating more conflict / hazards by chucking them onto UK “shared use” facilities (or even footways, with escooters).
b) Sharing (outside existing public transport) sounds a good idea, it’s a “we can do right now” … only people have either already done it or they don’t. I suggest what people have shown they want is private, personal transport. They’re also OK with public transport if it’s extremely reliable and frequent. And strangely the two (eg. cycling and trains) combine very well also. I wonder … any examples of where that utopia exists…?
Oh – and they needn’t campaign about escooters; AFAIKS there’s zero interest in regulating / policing their use…