“Not interested in truth, just lining his pockets”: Cyclists react to Mr Loophole’s “no-brainer idea” of speedometers on bikes to bring “legal parity with all road users”; London’s Terracotta Army; Protected bike lanes, not wands + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“London’s Terracotta Army”: Hundreds of Lime bikes parked at music festival as cyclists joke “this is the reason why I can’t find one”
A dream festival line-up (Nas, André 3000, LCD Soundsystem, Justice, Mitski… it goes on) and then you come to the parking, and you are greeted with this lime-coloured extravaganza…
Now I know why I can never find a lime bike when I need one pic.twitter.com/cmnY4b67aT
— Cycling in London (@Cycling_In_LDN) October 21, 2024
This video comes from this summer’s the All Points East music and cultural festival in London, where the event organisers got its crowd’s transport modes spot-on and made arrangements for a wide-scale bike parking, and they were duly filled with hundreds of Lime bikes.
Police force slammed for "stoking culture war" with "Operation LYCRA" targeting cyclists
The cycling-related complaints keep on coming for Thames Valley Police, a week on from the force’s Police & Crime Commissioner admitting “very valid concerns” around how cyclists’ reports of dangerous driving have been dealt with, the force now attracting criticism for undertaking “Operation LYCRA”.
> Police force slammed for “stoking culture war” with “Operation LYCRA” targeting cyclists
Rapha losses almost double to £22.7m as UK turnover drops 20% amid "challenged" cycling sector, brand's seventh consecutive year in the red
Rapha has reported another significant loss, the figure almost doubling to £22.7m in 2023-24 as the premium cycling clothing brand posted a loss for the seventh consecutive year.
Blaming the ongoing competitiveness and turbulence of the “challenged” post-pandemic cycling industry, Rapha’s pre-tax losses deepened from £12m to £22.7m in the year to 28 January 2024.
> Rapha losses almost double to £22.7m as UK turnover drops 20% amid “challenged” cycling sector, brand’s seventh consecutive year in the red
Cyclists amongst customer groups invited to to experience life-sized wooden mock-ups of HS2 trains for ease, accessibility and comfort feedback
The design programme for High Speed 2 railway, due to run on HS2 and further north on the West Coast Main Line, is well underway now, with the “airline-style” seat designs unveiled last week. Now, it’s been announced that the public is being sought after to provide feedback on the design to the train’s future operator WCPD, with cyclists included as one of the 20 customer groups.
Other groups including those with reduced mobility and young families, were also invited to experience the life-sized wooden mock-ups of the trains at the HAH-S facility in Derby – helping engineers to understand the levels of ease, accessibility and comfort.
Life-sized mock-ups were also made of other sections of the train including, the café, and child buggy storage, with the engineers saying that the new designs will help deliver a “step-change in the passenger experience”.
Frustratingly, there’s not much info available about the provisions made for cyclists inside the trains, other than a eight-year old report which confirmed “appropriate provision” for bicycles on the HS2.
There’s some concrete good news outside the carriages though, with the West Midlands Mayor announcing in February that a 24-mile cycleway along HS2 covering Birmingham, Solihull, Warwickshire and Coventry, will be built by repurposing HS2’s construction roads and maintenance paths. But so far based on the images, what do you make of it? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!
Why cyclists need protected, segregated bike lanes...
They haven’t finished installing the wands on the Newmarket Road cycle lane and one of them has already been knocked over.
This keeps happening. We need proper kerb protected cycle lanes. pic.twitter.com/jh7EEHEoAC
— Norwich Cycling Campaign (@NorwichCycling) October 21, 2024
“A poorly kept secret now official”: Urška Žigart leaves Jayco-AlUla and joins AG Insurance-Soudal, as Slovenian says she wants to “improve on hilly terrains and time trial skills”
There are peloton transfers that sometimes catch you by surprise, and then there are transfers that everyone and their grandmum knows about — and Urška Žigart’s transfer to AG Insurance-Soudal after four years at Liv Jayco-AlUla, firmly falls into the latter camp.
The 27-year-old Slovenian national champion’s imminent transfer was in fact announced by team boss Patrick Lefevere as far back in July in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.
Speaking about her new team, Žigart said: “What attracted me to join AG Insurance-Soudal was that I only ever heard good things about the team, and when they reached out to me, I was immediately interested in hearing what they had to say. I was quickly drawn to their vision and how they saw me fitting into the team. It was clear that they had a strong idea of how I would fit in both as a rider and as a person.”
“Within the team, I feel like I am still learning, even though I have quite a bit of experience in the WorldTour peloton. This year, however, I realized that I’m not the youngest anymore. So, in that sense, I hope to pass on some knowledge to the younger riders while also remaining open to learning from everyone. In terms of racing, I’m quite a versatile rider, but I certainly excel in climbing. That’s where I can offer strong support, and sometimes, I might even try to play a role in the finale.”
She added: “My personal goals for the 2025 season are to continue improving in every aspect, just as I have in the past few years, and to keep this upward trajectory. I’ve shown that I can be close to the best in hard climbing races, so I really want to explore that and see how far I can go when the opportunity arises.
“Based on the conversations I’ve had, I think I can grow here in every way. I especially want to improve on hilly terrains and continue working on my time trial skills. In the team, I can’t overlook the experience of Ashleigh [Moolman-Pasio] in riding GC in big stage races. I hope to learn from her as well and lend a helping hand (or leg) whenever I can.
“It’s been four years since my last team change, and I have to admit, I’ve grown very comfortable at Greenedge, and I really felt at home there. It was hard to think about changing because change brings new people, new relationships, new equipment, and new challenges. But change can also bring growth, and from everything I’ve heard about the team, I feel calm, confident, and ready to meet everyone soon.”
"Accelerate efforts to eradicate cyclist deaths," demand campaigners from major London universities calling for action on road safety
Figures from London’s major universities have come together to demand action on road safety to protect cyclists and pedestrians, one campaigner now suggesting that road danger has become a “safeguarding issue” for universities after two staff and a student were killed while cycling in the city in less than a year.
“We need to rally all those who want to cycle”: Cyclists hold demo over “all-gaps” cycling network as council fails to progress active travel for three years
Cyclists in Huddersfield organised a protest over the lack of progress on the active travel network and urged the council to fulfil its promises to deliver adequate cycling infrastructure.
The demo was primarily organised by the campaign group Cycle Kirklees, who called on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Kirklees Council to improve the region’s cycling routes, Huddersfield Hub reports.
Chris Knight, chair of the campaign, said: “Our local cycling network in Kirklees is all gaps, with little or no joined-up network.”
He said recent work on Queensgate, part of Huddersfield Ring Road, ignored earlier consultations that would have improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. He added: “This section of road is a part of the only cycling route Kirklees Council has identified as a priority for dedicated space for walking and cycling.
“The route, from Huddersfield Railway Station to Waterloo via the A629 Wakefield Road, was agreed three years ago following lengthy consultation.
“It has the highest propensity of any route in Kirklees to increase cycling and walking and was meant to be the first step in establishing a Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) – a Government requirement.
“The highway designs included re-allocated road space and offered dedicated cycling paths and better bus priority routes. It would give people in areas served by the route the option to walk and cycle.
“We’ve been working with Kirklees Council, responding to plan after plan with still no published network plan. So far, we have about a quarter of a mile of Leeds Road (A62) as new cycling infrastructure that meets the national standards introduced in 2020.
“There’s a lot more happening to increase take up of active travel in Leeds and Bradford and more ambition in Calderdale. We need to rally all those who want to cycle to work or to the shops – or who have children who want to cycle to school – to get behind this campaign.”
“This s*** needs to stop”: Jeremy Vine suggests trying the “broken window theory” on drivers after clip shows motorist go over roundabout
Another day, another Jeremy Vine video showing a driver doing stupid things.
This time, it’s a driver who decided they’re too good to go around the mini-roundabout, and instead go full gas over the raised surface as if it was a speed bump…
“That should not be allowed, you cannot do that… You cannot driver over the bump!” says Vine into his 360-degree camera.
We need to trial the broken window approach with bad drivers. This one can’t tell the difference between a roundabout and a speed bump. Give him six points for roundabout abuse and he’ll be a better driver. pic.twitter.com/Vxl9gXvf8I
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) October 20, 2024
And he’s right, according to the Rule 188 of the Highway Code as well as enforced by Section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002: Regulations 10(1) & 16(1): “All vehicles MUST pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. Remember, there is less space to manoeuvre and less time to signal. Avoid making U-turns at mini-roundabouts. Beware of others doing this.”
What’s Vine suggestion? “Trial of the broken window approach with bad drivers,” in his own words, referring to the theory which suggests that criminal conduct, anti-social behaviour and uncivil behaviour in an urban context tends to breed more of the same thing, thus discouraging every single person from indulging in such acts will lead to a reduction of the same.
Vine wrote: “This one can’t tell the difference between a roundabout and a speed bump. Give him six points for roundabout abuse and he’ll be a better driver.”
Latest PSPO update: Council aims to impose town centre-wide cycling ban… but only on those riding dangerously to cause “harassment, alarm or distress” to others
There’s a new update in the ever-lasting saga of councils adopting the infamous and controversial tool of Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to impose a ban on cycling in the town centres.
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, along with the police force, have announced that its proposal to adopt the PSPO might be slightly different. Instead of seeing a complete ban on cycling, skateboarding or using scooters, the council could now instead a ban on those looking to cause a nuisance.
According to CoventryLive, an authorised person could request a person to dismount “if they are cycling, skateboarding, scootering or using similar devices within the restricted area where they reasonably suspect that the person is ‘riding in a malicious and/or dangerous manner as to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person within that area.”
A council spokesperson said: “We are currently working through the consultation responses for the Town Centres PSPO. The Town Centres PSPO will go to cabinet as soon as possible.”
> Another cycle route blocked by “disappointing” barrier that “reduces accessibility and comfort”
In the past, the topic of a cycling ban has been proposed to the council by the police, most recently when the force asked the council to introduce a no cycle zone to cut out “really dangerous” cycling and “anti-social behaviour” in the shopping area, saying that “we get a lot of kids wheelie-ing through and it sets the wrong tone”.
While the town centre is already a pedestrianised zone, those on bicycles are still allowed access. However, the local police called upon Labour-led council to extend the pedestrianisation rules to also prohibit cyclists from riding through the area.
Was Tadej Pogačar’s staggeringly dominant 2024 the perfect season?
25 wins in 58 race days, a Giro-Tour double, two monuments and a world title, and much else besides – Pogačar’s 2024 campaign was one for the ages. But how does it compare to cycling’s other history-making seasons?
> We rank cycling’s greatest individual years, from Burton and Coppi to Vos and Pogačar
“Not interested in truth, just lining his pockets”: Cyclists react to Mr Loophole’s “no-brainer idea” of speedometers on bikes to bring “legal parity with all road users” after Royal Parks call for 20mph speed limits for cyclists
Yesterday’s report about The Royal Parks, the charity that runs London parks including Richmond Park and Regent’s Parks, wishing to prosecute cyclists who break the 20mph speed limit had already drawn a lot of views and reaction from many cyclists, including many from our readers too.
So it was only a matter of time that Nick Freeman, or Mr Loophole, as he’s more commonly known around parts of the internet would have something to say about it too.
Just for a quick catch-up with the news, The Telegraph reported that The Royal Parks chairman Loyd Grossman (the former presenter of MasterChef and Through the Keyhole) wrote to Sir Chris Bryant, the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, asking the government to amend laws so that cyclists failing to adhere to the parks’ 20mph speed limits can be prosecuted for speeding.
And as a response to that, Freeman, the lawyer famous for obtaining not guilty verdicts for celebrities charged with driving offences, wrote on social media: “No-brainer of an idea. But how do you enforce a bicycle to travel within the speed limit when there is no legal requirement for it to have a speedometer? The need for legal parity with all road users is long overdue.”
Cyclists seem to not have taken very well to this take, with many criticising the lawyer, who has previously accused by popular camera cyclist CyclingMikey for “stoking cyclist hate for publicity”, for ignoring the offences conducted by motorists while driving in the parks and instead shifting the blame on the vulnerable road users.
One person wrote: “Perhaps the government should look at putting 70mph speed limiters in cars first?”, while another commented: “Parity for all road users? So compulsory speedos for pedestrians, now? You’re ridiculous.”
A few other responses on Freeman’s tweet…
“You’re right but man has always looked at making transport quicker. Why do they make cars that do 200mph when the national speed limit is 70mph?”
“I take it tachographs in cars is not the kind of legal parity you are campaigning for? MOTs for horses?”
“So, the lawyer who makes our roads more dangerous by getting rich car drivers off the hook is going on about a tiny minority of cyclists, who ride the least dangerous vehicles of all. He’s not interested in the truth, just lining his pockets.”
The discussion around speed limits follows after a string of events over the past few years that have called into question cyclists’ conduct in the Royal Parks. Despite initially suggesting speed limits did apply to cyclists, in 2021 it was confirmed that the park’s speed limits (which range from 5mph to 20mph) do not apply to cyclists, a stance in line with the wider law.
In July, we reported that a group claiming to represent cyclists who use the park (Richmond Park Cyclists) had clashed with the charity over its speed limit advice for riders using the park.
A number of cycling events were also cancelled by The Royal Parks this year, including this summer’s Richmond Park Time Trials — praised for enabling beginners to compete on road bikes and on almost traffic-free roads due to their 6am starts — as well as last month’s London Duathlon.
The Royal Parks has received plenty of criticism over the years for its approach to improving road safety in its parks. Many, including the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), have repeatedly asked why through-traffic is still allowed to use Richmond Park as a shortcut, the campaign calling the cancellation of well-organised events “weak” while “daily rat-runs” continue.
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29 Comments
Latest Comments
Much as I agree with the thrust of Nathan Ley's comments is more than a little rich. Local MP Layla Moran, accompanied by a rotating cast of councillors including Mr Ley himself, standing around frowning at things (principally the A34 and its lack of south-facing slip roads at Lodge Hill) is a standing joke in our house. There's at least one on every leaflet through the door.
Just awful for the family, heartbreaking. Condolences to all.
Because many of the Dutch cycle at some point and where separate infra is needed it will nowadays be a separate cycle path (not lane on road) with separate pedestrian footway (except deep in countryside) ... ... this means pedestrians and cyclists know how to negotiate with each other and thus there is rarely a need for a formal crossing. If lights are needed to cross the road pedestrians will wait in a safe area separating the cycle path and road.
Hang on, you can't expect for pedestrians and cyclists to acquire Dutch levels of insight and understanding * just by putting in a few cycle lanes!
"TfL and LBHF have manipulated, buried and ignored the negative feedback, ..." Of course, they did. Officials know better what's good for the plebe, be they on two feet or two wheels. Authorities support pre-packed projects (who cares about proofs of concept and feasibility studies?), beg for public money (this means taxes and public debt, which means more taxes for the next 2 or 3 centuries) and spend it till the last dime. Return on investment sounds like an lethal insult, wastage of public ressources appears to be the common practice. The UK isn't an exception. This is happening all over Western Europe where roads are becoming increasingly dangerous for non-motorised users. Remember that a motorist who kills a cyclist may not be sentenced to prison. End of rant.
@Sredlums. thanks- have used disqus on indoor rides and it is ok, but as you say, you get the noise of breathing, fans* etc (*cooling fans- nobody is coming in to the garage to cheer me on)
Also, if the cyclist had been either paying more attention or not simply insistent on barrelling through regardless (unclear which from the video), it seems like they could have just slowed fractionally and passed behind without much drama or having to come to a stop.
I shall miss Orla's pronunciations.
Gove's level of awareness didn't seem to be that of an experienced cyclist...
as I say, I rarely watched live, and those sorts of things usually didn't make the cut for the highlights package so didn't bother me!
29 thoughts on ““Not interested in truth, just lining his pockets”: Cyclists react to Mr Loophole’s “no-brainer idea” of speedometers on bikes to bring “legal parity with all road users”; London’s Terracotta Army; Protected bike lanes, not wands + more on the live blog”
Do these people who call for
Do these people who call for “legal parity with all road users” apply this thinking to pedestrians too? I’m guessing not.
Presumably they don’t call for legal parity between butter knife ownership and zombie knife ownership, but the nonsense they spit out appears similar to me.
Boopop wrote:
I quite often see cats and dogs crossing roads, so it’s only fair to fit them all with speedos too.
Not sure I want to see
Not sure I want to see animals in speedos.
Never mind them – what about the cows that are fatally running over numbers of people every year?
They should
have numberplateshave hornswear hi-visbe regularly inspectedbe confined to special cow infra (drove roads)be speed-limited!chrisonabike wrote:
What!? You want to see naked animals?
With the significant danger of cows, it’s about time that they’re subject to an annual MooOT to check that their horns work
chrisonabike wrote:
Cows do have horns, but they don’t work. That’s why they have bells around their necks.
It’s not Christmas yet so
It’s not Christmas yet so leave those crackers alone ?
Coming next from the ever
Coming next from the ever-fertile brain of Mr Poophole, all cyclists to carry a full set of front and rear indicators, brake lights, windscreen wipers on their glasses, seatbelts, have a minimum 1.6 mm tread depth on their tyres and of course the beloved front and rear numberplates. Cupholders, crumple zones and surround sound stereo systems optional but highly recommended.
It’s interesting that there is now a lobby for cyclists to carry speedometers in order to make them adhere to 20 mph zones when the very same people doing the lobbying are the ones who complained about 20 mph zones, with one of their major arguments being that it would make cars more dangerous because the drivers would be constantly monitoring their speedometers. Given the relative size and less accessible positioning of cycle speedometers, surely the same applies only more so?
You’d think he’d want these
You’d think he’d want these requirements extended to pedestrians too.
OldRidgeback wrote:
For sure: my commute (until the clocks go back next week) takes me through Brompton Cemetery where the speed limit for motorised vehicles is 5 mph, and yet there are countless joggers who come roaring through at speeds sometimes close to twice that. It’s about time they had some perfectly reasonable restrictions imposed upon them before somebody is killed. “It’s only a matter of time.”
Rendel Harris wrote:
They should be required to emply someone to walk in front of them with a red flag. That would do it.
Quote:
Never really understood that. But Loophole would spit out his morning marguerita if someone suggested legislation to restrict motor vehicle max power or max speed.
Cos they’re always in a hurry
Cos they’re always in a hurry ? 129mph in 60mph limit
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24669939.a12-driver-caught-speeding-suffolk-police-129mph/?ref=rss
brooksby wrote:
I wouldn’t restrict max power or max speed but I would restrict average fuel (of any type) consumption based on a balance of vehicle ecological footprint (including embodied) and use.
If we want to get serious
If we want to get serious about safety and emissions, the only way to do it is to have a maximum power level. 10hp is enough. With the restricted speeds this forces, you can reduce crash test requirements and save weight which further benefits economy and emissions. Nobody will want to travel distances, so we won’t need all the creature comforts which again saves weight etc. With less stuff in the car or doesn’t need to be as big. Another benefit in weight saving. A smaller structure is inherently stronger. Wow! We’re getting into a seriously brilliant virtuous cycle.
I reckon that you could make rubber bands that could give 10hp with a reasonable range. No engine. No batteries. No CO2. No rare earth metal controversies. Just wind up and go. You saw it here first.
Nick Freeman should be better
Nick Freeman should be better known as “MR CLICKBAIT”. He makes these pronouncemounts just to get publicity.
He knows that the ideas for registration numbers for cyclists, or speedometers are a complete non starter, but he publishes these ideas knowing it will get him publicity.
Mr Anderson wrote:
Mr Poophole.
Nick Freeman has opined for
Nick Freeman has opined for sometime for cyclists to display a registration number. It is long overdue for Mr Freeman to put the ‘flesh on the bones’ of his proposal.
What/who should be registered?
A) Is he proposing the cycle should be registered with the DVLA?
B) Or is he proposing the cyclist should be registered with the DVLA and display a personal ID number?
If it is A), what details will the DVLA hold for the cycle? Frame colour, size, material. What about components (gears/wheels)? What happens when the bicycle is sold, will a new V5 be issued? What happens when the bicycle is scrapped? What happens when the cycle is repainted? What size will the registration plate be? Where will it be fitted? What material will the plate be?
If it is B), citizens riding a bicycle must display a personal ID number, and Nick Freeman has suggested in the past this should be printed on a tabard. Firstly, how does this conflict with human rights legislation? The registration on a car does not indicate the identity of the driver, so is Nick Freeman now advocating drivers of motor vehicles should also wear a personal ID tabard too? That would bring equity with cyclists then!
WILL SOMEONE PLAESE ASK MR LOOPHOLE/CLICKBAIT these detailed questions. Perhaps it will shut him up when he is forced to admit his ideas are just f*rts in the wind!
Scottish judge calls for
Scottish judge calls for compulsory tests for over-80 drivers after fatal crash
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/oct/22/scottish-judge-calls-for-compulsory-tests-for-over-80-drivers-after-fatal-crash
Plenty of drivers much
Plenty of drivers much younger than 80 show signs of cognitive impairment (or are deeply ignorant, which is not so different).
And lots driving with poor eyesight, poor hazard perception (just ask your local railings), devices obscuring the windscreen, incapable of sticking to or even remotely near the speed limit…
The obvious time to do a
The obvious time to do a comprehensive health evaluation and re-test is at 70, when you have to re-apply for your licence. This is currently a farce because you simply self-certify.
I was in Greece last month and my host told me that, at this point in Greece, you have to undergo various tests of eyesight, reactions, cognition etc plus a driving test before you get your licence renewed.
Freeman is such a c**t.
Freeman is such a c**t.
Yes. We should stop giving
Yes. We should stop giving him any publicity or featuring him on the blog. He has nothing interesting to say.
I’m surprised this hasn’t
I’m surprised this hasn’t been covered in more detail here:
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/cornwall-champion-cycling-team-investigated-9642416
Maybe he wants cyclists to be
Maybe he wants cyclists to be caught, purely so that he can make money getting them off the charge…?
Speedometers in cars do not
Speedometers in cars do not stop car drivers from driving over the speed limit.
I think the one point I would
I think the one point I would make about the HS2 train is how will luggage, pushchairs and cycles dumped in the wheelchair spaces be dealt with on the spot?
The problems, and the excuses (“I need to”, “I have to”, “Can’t you go somewhere else?”) are exactly the same as for pavement parking.
I would guess that HS2 trains
I would guess that HS2 trains will, like most long-distance trains and unlike most commuter trains where the problems you describe are all too prevalent, have roaming stewards/guards who hopefully would address such issues.
But when we boarded a train
But when we boarded a train with our pre-booked bikes, only to find the bike space full of suitcases, the roaming guard told us WE would have to get off. Unless adequate storage space is designed in then I wouldn’t trust an employee to deal with it on the spot.
This would have been an ideal opportunity for HS2 to ask what cyclists actually need, including accommodation for non-standard bikes, but I fear we’ll just get what we’re given once again, and it will be as inadequate as on all other British trains.
Clearly those cyclists are
Clearly those cyclists are all going way too fast – so fast it’s made all their heads go blurry.