Need some cheering up?
We have just the thing - some heart-warming images of families with children as young as five enjoying Central London’s new protected bike lanes – showing anyone can cycle when it's safe.
The photos were taken by cycle campaigner, doctor and parent, Ruth-Anna Macqueen, at yesterday’s Kidical Mass, a family-focused mass ride to promote safe cycling for families.
Yesterday, around 50 people took part in the ride, half of whom were kids, riding right through the heart of Central London, separated from lorries and buses.
Kidical Massive: global bike ride for...you guessed it
Macqueen told road.cc: “This was totally different to any other led ride I've organised – it was so relaxed and enjoyable!
"The children absolutely loved the freedom of the cycle tracks and not having to be shouted instructions at every few minutes - in contrast to the un-protected routes we took to get there. Kids as young as five were able to ride the whole length from Shadwell to St James's Park. One five year old managed to ride all the way from Walthamstow and back again!"
Kids cycled across Parliament Square, something that few parents would have braved even a few months ago.
This toddler led the family, despite tired legs…
Kids on bikes cycled safely separately from lorries
Macqueen says there are people from Belgium, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Romania in this image alone.
She said: “It was also brilliant to have families who originate from countries all over the world coming together - including many from countries in mainland Europe where protected lanes are commonplace."
This one is our favourite – the father and daughter riding hand in hand.
A close second is this guy roller skiing…
There's something you don't see every day.
We think you’d struggle to find a better argument for physically separated, protected bike infrastructure than these images.
Indeed, I have noticed that as my hands are not frozen I am able to use the brakes properly....
Plenty drinkable single malts for that price
The problem with this sort of driving is that half the drivers will be pissed off, the other half will be thinking "Why didn't I think of that?"...
Luxury! You can almost fit a 3" tyre past your toes there! In Edinburgh I'd want steelies doing that.
Since we're on 1678 comments, I assumed it was a case of "Cap'n, she cannae take any more", but Lo! here we are without having to select newest...
Never used electrical tape, but thorns were a right pain growing up in Oz and we used to make little loose wire straddles to sit next to the brake...
They don't seem to have learned from the failings of the review of the Halfords Intercity - they don't tell you the actual tyre size: 20x1.75 is...
Most things in cycling go in cycles. I've got a poster of bikes from over 100 years ago - custom frame bags, dropped stays, passive suspension all...
Now I wish I had Shimano disks just so I could upgrade to them. Well found. Unfortunately my Hope's don't have this design error.
a phenomenON.