Welcome to Monday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Live blog: Taxpayers’ Alliance think speeding fines are a tax (and 20mph makes “no difference” to road safety); Skoda unveil concept car for cyclists; Porn Pedallers hosting new kit launch event in London; £125k Paul Smith x Rapha jersey on eBay +more
All today’s news from the site and beyond as we start a new week…
Mon, Jun 10, 2019 19:03
SUMMARY
10 June 2019, 19:03
ICYMI - weekend-catch-up
Here are some of our top stories from the weekend in case you’ve been neglecting us since Friday…
ASO “don’t really seem to care much about women’s cycling” says Joanna Rowsell Shand
£400k damages for family of triathlete killed in pothole crash
10 June 2019, 19:03
Never mind the bollocks...
…here’s a load of mountain bikes in South Wales spotted flaunting their Bike Balls. They’re available from a selection of retailers with a puerile sense of humour nationwide…
10 June 2019, 19:03
Paul Smith x Rapha jersey pops up on ebay for £125,000. Again...
We can only assume the last auction wasn’t successful, because once more we’ve spotted this jersey described as “a piece of cycling history” pop up on ebay for the princely sum of £125,000. While it’s quite nice we just can’t see that it’s nice enough to cost the same as a house, which got us thinking… why is the seller asking for such an extortionate amount? Is he/she hoping someone very rich and gullible will come along, or is there more to the story? If miraculously the seller happens to be reading this, or anyone can shed any light, do let us know in the comments!
10 June 2019, 19:03
Porn Pedallers launching their new jersey on 20th June... and are inviting you to go to a strip club with them afterwards to celebrate
What goes on at a kit launch party for a cycling team made up of “a ramshackle bunch of cycling enthusiasts who happen to work in or around the UK adult entertainment industry”? Who knows, but if you’re lucky enough to be on the guest list you can find out at Look Mum No Hands! on 20th June for the Porn Pedallers’ new kit launch party. It’s been made by Le Col, and Porn Pedallers also donate £10 of each sale of their branded kit to the Terrence Higgins Trust. While the event is by invitation only, anyone can go along to the after-party at Platinum Lace strip club on Leicester Square from 10.30pm onwards – info above.
10 June 2019, 19:03
Riding Ritchey's Swiss Cross
David has just been testing Ritchey’s new Swiss Cross, check out what he has to say about it in his video review below.
10 June 2019, 19:03
Anyone else with the Monday blues?
Monday feeling
@therussellellis pic.twitter.com/C3bLTuRqmP
— Elia Viviani (@eliaviviani) June 10, 2019
10 June 2019, 19:03
DealClincher: 35% off 3T Exploro Team Rival Gravel Bike
Fancy a wider-tyre bike that is still incredibly fast on the road?
3T’s Exploro is currently down to a very tempting £2,550 with a Rival 1X groupset, Fulcrum wheels, WTB 47mm Road Plus TCS tyres and 3T finishing kit.
10 June 2019, 19:03
Nikki Brammeier announces pro cycling retirement the day after sharing news of pregnancy
Today I’m announcing my retirement from professional cycling. Not many athletes get to end their career as current National champion, fit, healthy & still loving their sport, but that’s how i’de like to end mine Please read more here https://t.co/ZO1L9g4ieb
— Nikki Brammeier (@NikkiBrammeier) June 10, 2019
The 32-year-old current national cyclocross champion said she wanted ‘to end on a high’, calling time on her career shortly after announcing she is expecting her first child with husband Matt Brammeier, himself a former pro and now a cycling coach.
10 June 2019, 19:03
Look launch Tour de France edition Carbon Ceramic Titanium pedals
The pedal of choice for riders such as Nairo Quintana and Romain Bardet for this year’s Tour, this is Look’s top-of-the-range road racing pedal given a Tour de France makeover. It has a ceramic bearings under the pedal platform for the ultimate in smoothness and a titanium axle, and weighs in at just 95g per pedal.
Only 1,700 units of the special edition coloured versions will be up for sale worldwide at €290.90, after which a standard version will be available later in the year. Head over to Look’s website for more deets.
10 June 2019, 19:03
Skoda launch a car for cyclists
Long story short, it has a roof rack and a drinks cooler.
But what else makes a car a “cyclist’s car”? Well, according to Skoda, you’ll need to fit it out with a pressure washer for cleaning off some amazingly muddy road bikes.
Then obviously, you’ll want to strip off in a car park and do your laundry before you get home to your washing machine. So you’ll be needing a washing machine in the boot. They don’t specify how you’ll dry the kit, but we’re sure it’ll be fine tied to the aerial…
Who needs seats anyway? You’ll obviously want to leave one of your children at home so that your bike can ride along in the car. Then be sure to take your other two bikes on the roof rack.
But oh gosh! A mechanical has befallen you en route. Not to worry! You’ve got a specific place for a toolbox. You could never just put that in the boot.
If you’re still thinking ‘wow! This is the car for me’, then, unfortunately, it’s just a concept car. So sad, but don’t worry, you can still have “a KAROQ Velo inspired accessory package, which includes a ŠKODA Multi-tool, ŠKODA Bicycle tyre pump and bracket and ŠKODA Bicycle Lights”. Available to order from local ŠKODA Retailers.
Have Skoda not heard of simply riding from home?
10 June 2019, 19:03
Plans to relax UK's £1,000 Cycle to Work limit to make it easier to buy e-bikes announced by Government's cycling minister
The latest changes to the Cycle to Work scheme could mean great news for e-bikers and those considering ditching the car and investing in an e-bike for the commute – as the government has outlined plans to make it easier for employers to provide bikes and equipment, including e-bikes, worth over the current £1,000 limit. Full story on eBikeTips.
10 June 2019, 19:03
Full protected cycle lane for Kew Road in Richmond?
Bit of Monday morning news for you, from this week’s “Active Travel Group” meeting at @LBRUT …
Kew Road is likely to get full protected cycling. #NotACarPark pic.twitter.com/fpKky8r9CW
— Richmond Cycling (@RichmondCycling) June 10, 2019
It was announced in a Richmond council meeting today that the busy road is set for a full protected cycle lane, which will hopefully make scenes like the one in the image above a thing of the past…
10 June 2019, 19:03
Five cool things
A luxurious bag handmade in Scotland, Hunt’s new super wide gravel wheels and a handy tool storage solution from Topeak make our kit round-up this week. Read all about them here.
10 June 2019, 19:03
A group calling themselves the 'Taxpayers' Alliance' don't appear to know the difference between tax and a fine
Another day, another tax. Nice one @SadiqKhan #NoMoreTaxes pic.twitter.com/8d1VffZNk3
— TaxPayers’ Alliance (@the_tpa) June 9, 2019
You may have heard of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which claims to be a “non-partisan grassroots campaign for lower taxes and government transparency” but in reality is a right-wing lobby group that has received hundreds of thousands of pounds in funding from the US; it is often wheeled out on BBC News to provide [checks notes] balance on stories about increased public psending – such as on cycle lanes.
Today, it has attracted criticism by describing fines for motorists breaking new 20mph limits in London as a ‘tax’ – while also suggesting there is no evidence that lower speed limits save lives (spoiler – they do, and there is a wealth of studies to back that up). Cue the rightfully cutting and sarcastic stream of replies …
I’ve literally never been hit with a speeding fine. Not once, in over twenty years. Am I a tax evader?
— Ned Boulting (@nedboulting) June 10, 2019
Perhaps you should rename yourselves FinePayers’ Alliance.
— Richard Hallett (@hallettrichard) June 9, 2019
It isn’t a tax you buffoons. Don’t want to pay it, don’t exceed the speed limit. I’m a taxpayer and you do not speak for me.
— Dan Jarvis (@worldcupdan) June 9, 2019
Looking at the TaxPayer’s Alliance website they appear to be a legitimate operation with an 18-strong team, although we’re not too sure who’s funding them. Most of their tweets and blog posts seem to read like something from a Jacob Rees-Mogg manifesto, if such a thing existed, with one praising Donald Trump’s lowering of taxes for big businesses in the US and another claiming that cutting taxes for corporations like Amazon would lead to economic growth in the UK.
10 June 2019, 19:03
Cycle Superswimway
SPLASH!
I cycled from Utrecht to Nijmegen a few years ago in much heavier rain, through rural, hilly forests and didn't see a single puddle on the smooth cycleways, never mind anything even close to this deep
— Hackney Cyclist (@Hackneycyclist) June 10, 2019
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Jack is group editor across road.cc, off.road.cc and ebiketips, overseeing all three sites in the F-At Digital group to make sure everything’s up to scratch. He’s been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of road.cc including tech, news and video, and also contributed to ebiketips before being named editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town, and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master’s degree in print journalism, and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it’s a long story).
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Latest Comments
Mark Thompson 2 hours ago
@DrG82 is a liar. First off, who here said they got everything right? "I wouldn’t say that the Welsh government got everything right." The article contains commentary saying they didn't get everything right. I suppose saying something obviously true sets you up to lie later... "They applied the speed limit changes uniformly, without considering exceptions" You are a liar. The Welsh Government guidance contained rules that would allow councils to exempt roads from 20mph. As an example, much of my route into town stayed at 30 and 40mph because my council bothered to apply the exemptions. I particularly enjoyed your unsupported claim of "This has been a massive waste of money". The article states "collisions involving all road users on 20mph and 30mph are down 37 per cent, with casualties dropping by 35 per cent". I'd say a one-off cost of changing road signs for a permanent 1/3rd reduction in collisions is gonna save the taxpayer a chunk of healthcare costs and owners and businesses a chunk of money not fixing car bodywork. Nothing but contempt for you. Take your lies elsewhere.
Oldblokey 7 hours ago
With so many people using and looking at mobie phones whilst driving and other distractions, may I suggest you always wear Hi viz and stay at home.
kil0ran 8 hours ago
The design of the "car" has played a role in this. SUVs and what the Americans call "trucks" are exempt from the pedestrian safety regulations which apply to passenger cars. Had the victim been hit by a car designed in the past twenty years he would have been "scooped" onto the bonnet and either over the roof or off to one side. Still a serious injury risk and potentially fatal but they have the benefit of those passive safety systems to improve their chances. With vehicles with such a high bonnet line as this Volvo has what tends to happen is the person bounces off the bonnet and falls on the road in front of the vehicle where they're then run over. This has happened time and time again and is becoming more of an issue as the numbers of vehicles exempt from the safety standards grows.
whosatthewheel 9 hours ago
@Accessibility for all Reducing the speeds wouldn't have helped in this case as the driver was reported doing 65 in a 40 zone on the approach to the junction, his driving described by the witnesses as erratic and evidently had no intention to stop to give way even though he had been warned by the passenger who apparently shouted "bike" three times just before the collision. He would have likely flown through that junction even if it was traffic light controlled with a red light for him at the time. In my own experience the entire area i.e. east of Lymm towards Warburton and along Dunham Road all the way up to Altrincham and past into Hale Barns, all those wealthy, posh settlements around Manchester Airport are best avoided by road cyclists. A disproportionally high number of psycho drivers must for some reason live in that area because every single time I went there on my road bike in the past, I either got harassed myself or witnessed proper dickhead driving - speeding, close passes, overtaking into oncoming traffic or round a blind bend, accelerating towards pedestrians already crossing the road, you name it. I gave up road cycling in that area years ago and only use the local TPT these days.
Hollis Jones 10 hours ago
In respect of the murder charge: based on him hitting Mr Mullins and making no attempt to help him (this killing him), how would the case compare to a hit and run driver who seriously injures or kills a cyclist, knowingly, and flees the scene without helping? Would this make the cut for a murder charge? Or is there something very different going on here that I’m missing? Genuinely curious because I don’t recall there being a murder charge before for this kind of thing unless it was premeditated. In fact, in my experience most cases like this seem to go the opposite way - where the driver can merely say the sun was in their eyes and get away with a slap on the hands.
jaymack 10 hours ago
@Rendel Harris...and there was me dishing out the praise!
whosatthewheel 10 hours ago
@polainm He must also be an already hardened criminal. It wasn't mentioned during the court proceedings to avoid influencing the jurors and ensuring he had a fair trial, but he had been released from prison shortly before this incident and was couch surfing at his cousin's house days before. Just look at his face, he's only 35, but looks older than his victim who was 56. Must have spent half his adult life in prison.
Rendel Harris 10 hours ago
@jaymack They did offer him manslaughter though but he declined to plead guilty. Without wanting to seem curmudgeonly, yes great that they preferred the most serious charges but hard to see how they could have done differently considering that Richardson got out of the car, saw Mr Mullins was stuck underneath and then got back in and carried on. That clearly moved it above anything that falls under death by dangerous driving.
Velophaart_95 11 hours ago
@thrawed Agree - the UK winters are utterly grim; grey, wet & windy. Not the type of weather you really want to go out and ride. Everything get covered in filth, and takes time to clean it after a ride. Oh for colder, drier & crisper days which can be enjoyable to be out in.
polainm 11 hours ago
@ymm In my view, lax sentencing of dangerous drivers, especially where cyclists are involved, makes the judge, jury and CPS complicit in UK driver culture. This driver is a sociopath.
20 thoughts on “Live blog: Taxpayers’ Alliance think speeding fines are a tax (and 20mph makes “no difference” to road safety); Skoda unveil concept car for cyclists; Porn Pedallers hosting new kit launch event in London; £125k Paul Smith x Rapha jersey on eBay +more”
Skoda previosuly offered a
Skoda previously offered a two bike internal fork clamp mount for the Yeti. Not everyone has kids. I don’t. So the internal bike rack comes in very handy and it’s safer than on the roof.
I saw the Skoda story via
I saw the Skoda story via ‘influencers’ on social media who took it for a test spin. Zzzzzzz.
Nothing more nausiating than people fawning over brands because they got a few bits of free kit etc. I’ve unfollowed most of the people that are now doing this sort of gig.
There was a previous LiveBlog
There was a previous LiveBlog that featured a bit of victim blaming from skoda
https://road.cc/content/news/259906-live-blog-mp-calls-minister-cycling-cabinet-hygiene-sainsburys-kicks-out-cyclist
and the specific website
A car with a washing machine,
A car with a washing machine, well that’s a new one on me.
Good news for Kew Road, and
Good news for Kew Road, and looking at the tweets a lot of great stuff about to happen in Richmond.
I’d quite like a cycling
I’d quite like a cycling specific car, preferably one that comes with a driver willing to hand fresh cool bottles and food out of the window, give me a new wheel when I puncture, carry the endless supply of wet weather gear I seem to carry in Scotland, oh and drive at a 25mph in front of me for all of those long drags home into a block headwind…
I’ve got VW. It’s on its
I’ve got VW. It’s on its third turbo. It’s needed two new brake calipers, the central locking keeps going faulty, an electric window packed up, it’s required work to the ABS, a new fuel filter housing. The alloy wheels corrode and the bodywork is rusting.
So much for German engineering. Somehow, if it were a Citroën, I would not be so piqued by the rubbish quality.
So for ferrying bikes, maybe a Citroën Berlingo next time. Can’t be worse than a VW!
Sriracha wrote:
Though I no longer drive it (parked in the garage for the last 20 months) my Passat estate has been brilliant, 2001 B5.5 model, the only issue was the clogging up of the stupidly placed drain plug under the battery (which is a bstd to get out) that causes the passenger footwell to get wet if you don’t periodically unblock it.
Other than that I found it to be a bloody brilliant car, same turbo after 130k, no clutch problems, replaced an electric window internals for £50 by buying the whole thing and 30 mins work by a local garage but that was when it was 120k/14yrs old. Some say those PD engines are just getting run in at 100k and I tend to agree, I had an Isuzu engined Astra before that with a garret turbo, that was bombproof as well, maybe I’ve just been lucky.
As a bike carrier it’s superb, always inside, 2up you can carry two bikes and absolutely loads of kit with room to spare, far more than the vast majority of SUVs, IF I ever replaced it/decided to drive again, I would want a large estate and I would very likely consider another Passat.
The only good car is a
The only good car is a crushed car.
Gizzard wrote:
I disagree…
hawkinspeter wrote:
I disagree…
— Gizzard
In a nutshell, that is rather a tasty car interior!
The only good car is a
The only good car is a crushed car.
The only good car is a
The only good car is a crushed car.
What’s a protected cycle lane
What’s a protected cycle lane?
Presumably a bit more than a bit of signage.
Tax Payers’ Alliance? Given
Tax Payers’ Alliance? Given who funds them, shouldn’t that be the Tax Avoiders’ Alliance?
Are these ‘tax’ dodgers
Are these ‘tax’ dodgers supported by the US Embassy? I really don’t understand the thinking of the far right; they really just want to sit in their castles whilst the world dissolves around them.
Organon wrote:
Not funded by the US state, but by US ‘special interest groups’.
Make the world Merica, and all that.
Small state politics – lower taxes, the state has no income so cannot pay for any social type stuff. Health and social care and law enforcement all paid for by private subscription or insurance, the rich can afford it so they don’t care. Any taxes are an imposition on the freedom of the rich to become richer, so should be done away with.
(Yes, the poor will get poorer, and can’t afford the insurance, and the state isn’t there as a safety net or to pay police or empty the bins, but that’s just the law of the jungle or something isn’t it? What are you: some sort of communist?)
brooksby wrote:
Comrade!
(No subject)
I believe it is time to trial
I believe it is time to test speed safety once and for all. Let’s experiment by picking one street in London, completely at random, and switching between enforcing a return to the days of cars having to drive behind a man waving a flag, and on alternate days setting a minimum speed limit of 50mph. Then, after say ten years of recording how many people are knocked down under each condition, we’ll have plenty of data to draw some conclusions. I’ve got a map with me now, and I’m closing my eyes and pointing… Oh, look at that, my finger has landed on Tufton Street, what a coincidence.