Panic at the Disco

Yet another reason to ban time trial bikes from UCI competition. In addition to them adding a significant expense for young and poor riders (esp significant for aspiring riders from poorer nations - see the senior TT where a number of riders raced on road bikes, so they have no chance of being competitive), they are a safety hazard. It is ridiculous to have a UCI road category, where the bikes used are _far_ more dangerous than normal road bikes - particularly for training on open roads. Ban TT bikes. Make the playing field cheaper and more level. Remove the significant risk of having riders on bikes where their hands are far from the brake levers!

I find that the two main two weaknesses of the original Bickerton are the main hinge and the plastic headset which means when riding it your body has to function as the top tube. Best for emergencies and entertainment only, although it is pretty good for the latter.

@Terry Hutt I have a LOT of experience using several ShockStop stems and seatposts on various bikes, with zero problems. I also had a moderate amount of use with their quick release aerobars a while ago. I've never had any problems with any of their stuff. For me, the fact that they're made by RedShift is a positive factor.

It wasn't an exhaustive test, for sure. But I think the test was a quick glance to see if suspicions were further raised; and possibly to show intent - a deterrent effect broader than the actual stop itself. What the police officer did reassured him that the bike was not obviously twist/press and go. Did the motor power with pedalling? If so, all good. That's all. We could spend a lot of time criticising the minutiae of a roadside test when nobody was unduly inconvenienced (a routine stop is a random chance delay that we should all take into account). But is it worth it?

Not familiar with the operation of 'illegal e-bikes' - would that gentle half-pedal have immediately launched one at its top speed so the police can just say 'gotcha'? Or did the cop just see / hear 'Bosch, ' and know this wasn't the droid he was looking for?

I'm currently at the Liberal Democrat conference. There's a really good motion and debate on illegal electric bikes. Would be good to see some coverage of it here.

Another attempt to claim "exceptional hardship" that will hopefully be thrown out? "Spurs star Kulusevski's speeding case adjourned ... The Sweden international, 26, who already has 18 points on his licence... The star - who has a reported weekly wage of £110,000 - added that his young family relied on him to drive them." With 18 points, why has he not already been banned? Clearly doesn't think anything of repeated offences. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmx2z1491l0ro

@mitsky I actually have some experience of this. In short, no. I once found myself on a mental health commission and one of our proposals was a parallel of what you describe - if you give some budget to this initiative now then the clear evidence is that the police, prison service, primary and secondary healthcare services, social care etc will collectively save a large integer multiple of that money in the future. But none of those departments will give up any budget for the next period because they know they’ll be even more underfunded now and they’ll be re-baselined for the future so won’t see any benefit then. So nothing happened, but everyone is happy. What you really need is a dictatorship, benign or otherwise!

@Smoggysteve Financial planning, and I speak from bitter, bitter experience is an incredibly inexact science. The bean counters insist on a number against every variable, which are often just plucked out of the air (last year’s number plus or minus a bit, but never an obviously rounded percentage usually placates them). Then, at end of the year they send reports to the Board saying you missed your made-up target (overlooking the fact that you had no control over the outcome) and you are summoned to explain yourself.

"Not the hardest test in the world..." Crap test. Not sure I'd even have stopped, given that the policeman wasn't holding up his hand in the universal sign language that means 'stop'.