Welcome to today’s live blog with Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
James Cracknell injured while cycling after “altercation” with minicab driver; Cracking DiData TdF vid; Hundreds attend Bjorg Lambrecht’s funeral; Lord Sugar’s new cycle helmet; Police Scotland busts #CycleMyths on Twitter + much more on the live blog
All today’s news from the site and beyond
Wed, Aug 14, 2019 18:55
SUMMARY
14 August 2019, 18:55
Police Scotland bust #CycleMyths on Twitter
Police Scotland’s Roads Policing Unit has launched a campaign on Twitter using the hashtag #CycleMyths, aiming to set the record straight on many of the misconceptions that many people have about cyclists and the law.
Over the next few days we’re going to bust some #CycleMyths. We see the same comments come up again and again whenever a bicycle is mentioned, so it’s time to #SetTheRecordStraight.
Keep an eye on our feed and we’ll start with a real doozy!#OpClosePass#SafeSharedSpace
— Road Policing Scotland (@polscotrpu) August 12, 2019
#CycleMyths 1 – “No pay, no say. I pay Road Tax, so should cyclists”
Truth – Road Tax was abolished in 1937. You pay emissions based Vehicle Excise Duty, which goes straight to the Treasury Fund, with other taxes such as alcohol and fuel.
See https://t.co/jXDpNAMg1Z for more. pic.twitter.com/a344Ul7YT1
— Road Policing Scotland (@polscotrpu) August 12, 2019
#CycleMyths 2 – “Cyclists should always ride single file near the kerb”
Truth – @HighwayCodeGB Rule 66 – never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
Excellent video by @BritishCycling herehttps://t.co/MdL8ufC4fK pic.twitter.com/0m7nC9RB2d
— Road Policing Scotland (@polscotrpu) August 12, 2019
#CycleMyths 3 – “So it’s ok for cyclists to come right up beside me when I’m at traffic lights?”
True! It’s called filtering. Cycling is a great way to beat the traffic, stay fit and help the environment! Back to @BritishCycling with another great video:https://t.co/UjA1nAlZ2n pic.twitter.com/23029dbIO7
— Road Policing Scotland (@polscotrpu) August 13, 2019
#CycleMyths 4 – “Police unfairly target drivers over cyclists”
Truth – @transportgovuk data for 2017 shows that 2 car drivers were killed per billion miles compared with 31 cyclists, meaning a cyclist is 15x more likely to be killed on a road.
We target the highest risk areas. pic.twitter.com/2pBG5pqG2C
— Road Policing Scotland (@polscotrpu) August 13, 2019
#CycleMyths 5 “Cyclists should use cycle lanes and stay off the road”
Truth – There is NO legal requirement for a cyclist to use one.The only legal requirement relates to drivers. When a cycle lane has a solid white line, vehicles must stay out of it during its time of operation pic.twitter.com/gl0oBZCcge
— Road Policing Scotland (@polscotrpu) August 13, 2019
14 August 2019, 18:55
E-bike riders who caused driver to crash sought
Merseyside Police are seeking two people who were riding a black e-bike who crashed into a black Ford Focus, causing the driver to swerve off the road and sustain minor head and arm injuries.
The incident happened at 12.05am yesterday morning on Upton Road, Birkenhead close to the junction with Bidston Road.
PC Craig Williams of the Matrix Roads Policing Unit said: “We want to identify those on the bike as a matter of urgency, to ensure that they are safe and well and receive the appropriate medical treatment. If you know who was involved, please do the right thing and let us know.
“I also want to urge anyone who witnessed this incident, or has home CCTV or dashcam, and captured this collision to get in touch, so we can establish the circumstances and take the necessary action.”
14 August 2019, 18:55
Win nearly £3k of bike goodies!
We put this competition up yesterday, but a few site gremlins were chewing away at the entry form. We’ve managed to lure them into the microwave now, so you should be able to enter just fine. And you should! You can win a Focus Izalco Frameset, a Rotor Vegast Crankset and a Topeak Joe Blow Elite pump, together worth £2,893!
14 August 2019, 18:55
Desperate measures
Hopefully no-one will be needing the first aid kit any time soon…
14 August 2019, 18:55
Cube launches 2020 road bikes
Cube has revamped its road bike range for 2020. Here are the quick highlights. The flagship road race bike, the Litening C:68X, has been completely updated and elsewhere in the range, there are new paint jobs and spec options.
Here’s the brand new C:68X. It’s all aerodynamic with disc brakes and integrated everything.
This is the Nuroad which looks ideal for UK winter training and commuting with G-One tyres for tackling any terrain and mudguards to keep you dry.
#crossiscoming and there’s the Cross Race ready for an hour of lactic acid hell around a school playing field.
The C62 SLT its below the C:68 and looks really good. Expect some competitive prices.
If you want an e-road bike, Cube has you sorted with the Agree Hybrid C: 62 SL.
14 August 2019, 18:55
Santini release special edition Yorkshire World Champs kits
Yorkshire 2019, in partnership with @eventmerch and the UCI’s official cycling clothing supplier @SANTINI_SMS, have revealed three special-edition jersey designs to celebrate the 2019 UCI Road World Championships.
Which is your favourite?#Yorkshire2019https://t.co/WmkeB5X0Ms pic.twitter.com/Rb63tmuRt4
— Yorkshire 2019 (@Yorkshire2019) August 14, 2019
Which is your favourite? Or are rainbow bands only for World Champions? Or if you wanna heap the pressure on your kids then there is option to kit out any future cyclists out there.
14 August 2019, 18:55
Lord Sugar's got himself a new cycle helmet
So let’s get this right. Lord Sugar opposes segregated cycle infrastructure and blames London cyclists for getting involved in road traffic incidents, but says a helmet with flashing lights will make the roads safer for him? Okay … (On the subject of indicators for cyclists, see John Stevenson’s blog here).
My new cycling helmet with left and right indication pic.twitter.com/cDu7egWzI2
— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) August 13, 2019
14 August 2019, 18:55
No. Nope. Nu uh. No thanks
This might have done the rounds before but Vittorio Brumotti doing his daredevil thing on a road bike is always worth another watch
Death wish pic.twitter.com/tgI6rcr07G
— CCTV IDIOTS (@cctv_idiots) August 14, 2019
14 August 2019, 18:55
Hundreds attend Bjorg Lambrecht's funeral
Hundreds of people yesterday attended the funeral of Bjorg Lambrecht, the Lotto-Soudal rider who died last week following a crash at the Tour de Pologne.
Family and friends of the 22-year-old were joined at the service at the church of St. Willibrordus in Knesselare, near Bruges, by Lambrecht’s team mates, as well as former Lotto-Soudal sprinter Andre Greipel.
With the church full, a big screen was erected in the town square, where many gathered to watch the service, reports The Brussels Times.
Tom Van Damm, president of Belgium’s national cycling federation, said: “We have lost a great talent in Belgian sport.
“But today, all my thoughts are with the family and relatives who have lost a son. We have lost several cyclists in Belgium recently. Fate was particularly cruel to Bjorg. If he had fallen a metre farther, he would still be with us.”
Today, the BinckBank Tour also paid its own tribute to him.
Race director Rob Discart and mayor @pieterdecrem
of @gemeenteAalter have stopped at the passage in Knesselare to hand over flowers to the members of the fan club of Bjorg Lambrecht in Knesselare, near the church where the funeral ceremony took place yesterday. #BinckBankTour pic.twitter.com/rH3gHmRcsB— BinckBank Tour (@BinckBankTour) August 14, 2019
14 August 2019, 18:55
James Cracknell injured in bike crash after “altercation” with London minicab driver
Former Olympic champion rower James Cracknell, who earlier this year was back on the water to help Cambridge beat Oxford in the Boat Race, has been injured in a bike crash following what he described as an “altercation” with a minicab driver while cycling in London.
The 47-year-old, who has been signed up to the forthcoming BBC series Strictly Come Dancing, posted a video to Twitter in which he said: “I spent a year riding round Cambridge on a bike and it wasn’t a good day for Jake the Snake, the bike that saw me through Cambridge, or me as my Strictly Come Dancing dreams nearly came to an end when I had an altercation with a minicab driver in London. It was nobody’s fault really.
“Bit of a bust finger, some road rash on my back, but OK.”
Slight wobble – literally – in my @bbcstrictly preparations. Luckily only a bit of road rash and damaged ego – but I need to get ready for the latter. #daddancing #sharetheroad pic.twitter.com/eN9KgvNsjF
— James Cracknell (@jamescracknell) August 14, 2019
Cracknell, who suffered a brain injury in 2010 when he was struck by a lorry as he cycled through Arizona for a TV documentary, and has campaigned for cyclist to wear helmets since then, continued: “Good thing was there was no street furniture around for me to fall into, I was also wearing a helmet and I wasn’t listening to music so I could concentrate and I was focused on what was ahead.
“And that’s the important thing to remember (when) cycling, or riding a motorbike or driving around town; it’s OK if you concentrate on what you are doing and are absolutely focused.
“I now have switched my focus (from) riding a bike, and in fact doing anything else, to learning how to dance and, to be honest I’ve got more chance of winning the Tour (de France) than Strictly Come Dancing, but in for a penny … ” he added.
14 August 2019, 18:55
Team Dimension Data put together cracking Tour de France video
Team Dimension Data’s fifth participation in the Tour de France last month wasn’t their happiest – there was a very public row in the opening days of the race over Mark Cavendish’s omission from the team, and the eight riders who did make the squad barely (to borrow a cricketing phrase) troubled the scorers.
Despite that, they’ve managed to put together a cracking video that stitches together one-minute segments on each of the 21 stages; it’s well worth a watch.
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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Latest Comments
mattw 3 minutes ago
This is a silly decision by Mersey Rail, allowing some batteries on folders then banning the identical batteries on pedelecs. Then allowing far larger Lithium batteries on mobility scooters and wheelchairs. It is not about fire risk. It is because: 1 - The policy was written by a bonehead, and they do not want to put the work in to build a sensible policy. 2 - They just want to reduce the number of bicycles no their trains, any way they can. 3 - They have been spooked by the Daily Mail etc, or their insurer, spouting nonsense. We already have ISO standards for what makes a safe battery including the fire prevention features, and certification. I have been involved with a case where a mobility aid certified as OK for going on aeroplanes was banned from a student's flat by the University - their storage access mechanism required a 20-30 minute process to get it out each time and their demands that it be placed in a shed damaged the £500 battery, as well as wrecking the student's social life. What we need here is a precedent setting legal action to rule: 1 - Pedelecs are legally mobility aids when used by a disabled person as such. 2 - Pedelecs made in accordance with the correct standards must be treated as a pedal cycle, which is what they are, for all purposes.
mattw 13 minutes ago
People who ride motorcycles routinely call them bikes and talk about "biking". See for example the Youtube Channel of the Motorcycle Action Group. I think "pedelec" is probably the best term rather than "EAPC", which is too complex. A normal bicycle is well known as a "pedal cycle" when we are talking about law, so to me pedelec seems appropriate.
mattw 30 minutes ago
@chrisonabike An additional note to clarify that I don't believe Ashley did buy one. As you say that was the advice from the supplier. If I recall he was sent an Engwe for review, which turned out to be capable of illegal use. So he made a video calling them out, saying that it was not acceptable and he would not deal with such vehicles, and gave it to one of his viewers to use on his farm. It was quite stylish - he did the review pushing it along explaining why he could not ride it. There is a ROADCC forum thread here: https://road.cc/forums/topic/good-video-ashley-neal-engwe-x26-e-bike-review-307075 And the video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLOXb0aKGgo
mattw 40 minutes ago
@jackcycles This is nonsensical, Jack. It is as far off as your declarations the other day about "all Li batteries" being serious fire risks yada yada yada. We have a wild west with these illegal motorcycles - more so than for example countries on the continent, for example - because our previous Government refused to regulate, refused to enforce standards and the law, refused to regulate e-marketplaces for Li batteries, and refused to regulate business models in the delivery trade. They were requested to do so by all the relevant cycling, disabled etc bodies from about 2016, and sat resolutely on the bottoms whilst a wild west of criminality developed. So much for "party of law and order". Then they made a culture war to try and save themselves from the consequences of their own policies. I don't think any of our political parties are so stupid as to try and ban EAPCs, which give a mobility and autonomy to many people they have never seen before, especially those who cannot use motor vehicles. We now have all kinds of people invested in illegal motor bikes, including sellers, youtubers, traders, users - who in true British fashion have decided they are free to break any law that is not enforced, and organised crime setups. But now we have a serious political party in Government, so I think we will get to grips with this sensibly. It is notable that Andy Burnham and Chris Boardman are the two key players nationally, just as they were in Manchester in the late 2010s.
Shades 52 minutes ago
@sheridan They've just introduced one of those for car parks and residents permits (cue more ranting). Like the pothole tax term; we have plenty of those!
Shades 56 minutes ago
I was heading E along the Bristol ring road bike bike path by UWE late yesterday; by the big junction before heading down towards the M32. The W bound traffic was stopped at the red light; an electric road bike came to the front of the queue, checked the junction was clear and went across pulling a wheelie (against the red light). No helmet (balaclava on) or registration. Just a menace. Along with illegal ebikes (incl people who chip the legal bikes) and, to an extent, badly ridden hire ebikes, it's the biggest threat to cycling in general. Free 'ammunition' to the anti-cycling brigade. Must see one every day; UK is just admiring the problem (to use that business term).
OnYerBike 60 minutes ago
@mitsky I don't know if it's generally true that "bike" usually refers to pedal bikes. Amongst readers of road.cc yes, but less obvious in the general population. "Bike Magazine" is about motorbikes (not to be confused with BIKE magazine, which is about mountain bikes...). A "biker gang" is more likely to be found riding Harleys than Cannondales. The "Think Bike!" road safety campaign was about motorbikes. Etc.
mitsky 1 hour ago
@chrisonabike If that puts off the people who would use them for criminality I won't lose any sleep.
chrisonabike 1 hour ago
"Emoter-bikes"? Sounds a bit touchy-feely, which might put some off using them?
chrisonabike 1 hour ago
Agree... but it would just seem sensible to do *something* at the supply end. After all we do with many other products (cars, other potentially dangerous goods). That doesn't *prevent* humans from doing bad things (often an argument against regulation). But that almost always hugely reduces the scale of any problems. I note that people are flogging these things - and in "respectable high street stores" last time I looked - with what appears at best to be zero concern about what happens with them after ("we just sell the knives, nothing to do with us after that"). And sometimes active encouragement to ignore rules ("just slow down and look innocent if the cops show up" - as Ashley Neal found when he bought one).
24 thoughts on “James Cracknell injured while cycling after “altercation” with minicab driver; Cracking DiData TdF vid; Hundreds attend Bjorg Lambrecht’s funeral; Lord Sugar’s new cycle helmet; Police Scotland busts #CycleMyths on Twitter + much more on the live blog”
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Seem to be some formatting issues
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Just a bit…
Argggh this is so frustrating
Argggh this is so frustrating. Rule 66 of Highway Code states that cyclists ‘should’ never ride more than two abreast…… Therefore not a legal requirement. I’m not saying it is right to ride more than 2 abreast (I distinctly agree with it) but if you are going to quote the law, then at least quote it correctly!
tulip_girl100 wrote:
Some good tweets there and to be fair to police Scotland they are mythbusting – not law quoting, ie including best practises, not just what the law says.
tulip_girl100 wrote:
Agreed, and in all honesty, a group of experienced cyclists on road bikes that ride together regularly, can safely ride 3 abreast (especially if staggered slightly) without taking any more space than 2 mates out for a tootle on their mountain bikes having a chat as they ride 2 abreast legally.
tulip_girl100 wrote:
oops
How does one overtake a group
How does one overtake a group of cyclists riding two-abreast if cyclists should not ride three-abreast??
Perhaps the same way you overtake a car with passengers sat two-abreast? Ah, suddenly travelling more than two-abreast is allowed!
The two-abreast “rule” is such nonsense.
Execute Rule 66!
Execute Rule 66!
Organon wrote:
That’s right, and if the Jedi had all worn helmets (like the clone troopers) then they wouldn’t have been wiped out!
And everytime that Lord Sugar
And everytime that Lord Sugar is mentioned I can post the excellent, and sadly missed, Atwarwiththemotorists blog about situational awareness.
Good on police Scotland for
Good on police Scotland for actually doing something, unfortunately I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of “whataboutery” from car drivers who can’t bare to be slowed down for all of 10 seconds on their highly important journey.
Perhaps if James Cracknell
Perhaps if James Cracknell had spent all that time, effort and money promoting road safety instead of helmets, the roads would be safer.
Burt, it’s very easy to say
Burt, it’s very easy to say “helmets” or “lights” or “reflectives” or even “bikeability” because that doesn’t in any way affect the drivers who say it. I’m guessing Cracknell drives, and personally has proper knowledge of the need to drive safely at all times, and doesn’t sometimes, he breaks the speed limit, drives while tired, a bit distracted, other things on his mind, maybe a drink (perhaps not drunk, but you know one doesn’t hurt). Now I have decided not to do any of these things, because of my personal experience that mistakes while in charge of a motor vehicle is terribly painful and destructive to those on the outside (and sometimes inside) by never driving. Getting drivers to change the way they drive is almost impossible.
And he does get paid to say Helmets.
ktache wrote:
Cracknell was hit by the wing mirror of a truck travelling at 70 mph and suffered a brain injury which caused severe personality changes, memory loss, the whole shebang. I’m still personally not entirely convinced that his helmet really helped, I think he was just very very VERY lucky (relatively speaking)… But, as you say, he is paid to say “Helmets” a lot.
brooksby wrote:
Is he still paid to promote helmets? I know he was sponsored by the helmet manufacturer when hit by the truck, but is that still true?
burtthebike wrote:
You may be right, actually.
He was a “brand ambassador” for Alpina Helmets (“the helmets that save your life when you’re hit by a truck at 70mph”, or something) but I can’t find that he’s now paid.
He is still however the vice president of Headway, so he’s not exactly an unbiased commenter.
brooksby wrote:
I thought it was the quick arrival of the trauma team and their skills which saved him.
Just got stabbed. Good job I
Just got stabbed. Good job I had a first aid kit. Need to promote the use of first aid kits as stabbings are inevitable and nothing can be done about them.
Nah Rick, Stab resistant
Nah Rick, Stab resistant vests for all pedestrians, perhaps mandatory, only way.
I don’t even want to wear a
I don’t even want to wear a helmet, never mind a stab proof vest. Don’t like impose your restrictions on me man!
Still, a bit more free
Still, a bit more free publicity for Mr Cracknell…I’d almost forgotten about him. Whatever next?
Chris Hayes wrote:
+1. An altercation that is “nobody’s fault”?!? Gimme a break, we’re not that stupid.
Alan Sugar (another hypocrite with a massive ego) can go f..k off too. Worra knob. And I agree 100% with John Stevenson regarding those pointless gadgets. As the old saying goes, a fool and his money are easily parted.
Simon E wrote:
I have a first edition of that helmet, it’s a Lumos – though I run mine in solid lights only, since I believe that blinking lights are actually more dangerous due to the inability to track the cycle they’re on.
It’s very useful since, as a handcyclist, if I’ve stopped at the lights I cannot signal and start off at the same time – I need my hands to crank with.
The inbuilt lights are also useful – the front ones show where your head is pointing and therefore roughly where you’re looking, and I’ve found that staring directly at people with the lights on works better at preventing people stepping or pulling out on you, than without.
From behind, the triangular red lights and their height are quite visible – certainly more visible than most other options available to me as a handcyclist.
Also, I’d struggle to have them nicked (all my lights being fitted to the wheelchair section of my h’cycle notwithstanding); they’re combined lights that come in with you without your having to remember to take them off the bike, and it’s a single item to charge – though since they’re not technically “affixed” to the bike, you’re not technically in compliance…
The brakelights are a waste of time, though, and Sugar is still a tit – but please remember that not everybody has the exact same usecase, and whilst indicators on bikes are kinda daft, putting them on a lid that already had lights on is less so.
Oh, and turning on the helmet starts Strava, so that’s nice.
Simon E wrote:
These things just happen… like car “accidents”.