15/10/2019, 20:35
Cyclist films driver ignoring red light - police not interested
Our lead story on the live blog this morning (scroll down) was about a TalkShow radio host who claimed, with nothing to back it up, that 95 per cent of cyclists ride through red lights.
Which among other things would mean that in a single phase, around 200 would have gone through the ones in the picture above, which shows nine cyclists (and probably more out of shot) waiting patiently for a green light.
Back in the garage, our road.cc bullshit detector has been crackling like a Geiger counter at Chernobyl on that one.
By pure coincidence, we also got an email from road.cc reader Phil about the reaction he got from Humberside Police when he told them he had video of a driver "going through a blatant red light" and offered to send them the footage.
In reply, they said:
Unfortunately due to evidential reasons our force policy is that we don't accept video footage from members of the public, however, thank you for bringing it to our attention and it is useful for intelligence purposes so I will pass it onto that team to be aware of.
Phil added: "In the past they have even asked me to email them video and photos but then changed their mind.
15/10/2019, 17:08
Good samaritan finds wallet of fellow cyclist... and tracks him down by sending him 1p bank transfers
I just lost my wallet on the way home from work. I didn't have much identifying info in there so a good Samaritan got in touch with my via my... bank account
4x transfers of £0.01 each with a reference up to 18 chars pic.twitter.com/RVK8I1ZctQ
— Tim Cameron (@Timcammm) October 14, 2019
Tim Cameron dropped his wallet when he was riding home on Monday evening in Islington; and after retracing his route and just about to give up on finding it again, he stared to receive mysterious 1p transactions appearing in his account.
Very proud to say the 'good samaritan' going viral here in @standardnews is @korukids ' very own Simon Byford! Here's to having the best people in the Koru Kids family https://t.co/zf1lXTbj88
— Koru Kids (@korukids) October 15, 2019
The payments were from Mr.Cameron's saviour Simon Byford, who had to send four messages to explain with the 18 character limit that he had the wallet, and a number to call to arrange collection.
Mr. Cameron told the Evening Standard: “I cycled round, got my wallet back and gave him a bottle of red wine. It had all my bank cards and ID cards in it so it would have been an absolute disaster.
“He was a nice bloke. He was going to hand it in to the police and he had tried to find me on Facebook. I was going to go to the police after I had retraced my steps but this happened first. It all happened within 90 minutes of getting home, it was crazy how quick it was. It was very clever.”
15/10/2019, 14:38
2020 Tour de France route "very much to my liking", says Julian Alaphilippe
Following his two-week streak in yellow this year, the 27-year-old Frenchman thinks that although there are plenty of tough stages in the 2020 route announced this morning, there are some parts that will play to his strengths. He said at the route unveiling: “I will study the parcours in detail together with the team, but what I can already say is that it’s one of the toughest editions in recent years, with a demanding opening weekend in the south that will create some gaps and several gruelling climbs. On paper, there are a couple of stages that suit me, but I will know more once I do the recon.
"What I can tell you for now is that I won’t go for the general classification, as next season I will have other goals. Overall, is a parcours that I like, with many new climbs, which will make the race more interesting and spectacular, but at the same time, harder, and I can’t wait to be at the start in Nice.”
15/10/2019, 13:45
‘Monsieur Paris-Roubaix’ Roger De Vlaeminck the latest cycling legend to be hospitalised
‘Monsieur Paris-Roubaix’ Roger De Vlaeminck is the third cycling great of the 60s and 70s to have been hospitalised in the space of a week.
Sporza reports that the 72-year-old, who won the Hell of the North four times and along with Rik Rik van Looy and Eddy Merckx is one of only three men to have won all five Monuments, was admitted to hospital in Eeklo on Saturday with a fever and chills. As yet, doctors have not made a diagnosis.
Merckx himself was hospitalised at the weekend with a head injury after falling from his bike during a ride, and Raymond Poulidor, three-time a runner-up at the Tour de France and the grandfather of Mathieu van der Poel, has been in hospital for the past three weeks, although his condition is said to have improved in recent days.
15/10/2019, 12:58
Eddy Merckx to remain in hospital for further checks after fall
After news of the the Belgian legend's fall during a group ride on Sunday which resulted in haemorrhaging, Sudpresse report that the 74-year-old will now undergo more examinations in hospital and remain there 'for a few days', although he is out of intensive care.
It's thought that Merckx rides every Sunday morning without fail accompanied by his friends - some former teammates - before returning home for a drink and to discuss the good old days. Sudpresse claim the heavy fall could have been the result of a 'malaise', although the exact details haven't been confirmed. The precautions are mostly because Merckx wears a pacemaker, although it's reported he is now feeling better.
15/10/2019, 12:41
Glasgow awarded Bike City status by the UCI
Glasgow has been awarded Bike City status by the UCI, the first place in Scotland to achieve this after Yorkshire in England bagged the title in 2018. It comes after the city was chosen to host the first UCI World Championships earlier this year, which will bring together 13 separate disciplines in a single event for the first time in 2023.
Glasgow City Council claims to have increased cycling by 200% since launching their cycling strategy in 2010, buoyed by the 2014 Commonwealth Games and an increase in 20mph zones. Investment has continued into improving the city's bike infrastructure and promoting cycling since the Commonwealths, with a £4.8m partnership between Glasgow Sport, HSBC, British and Scottish Cycling set to run until 2025 to support cycling amongst young people from under-represented groups. There is continued criticism of Glasgow's various painted white lines acting as cycle lanes (above)
The timing is a little unfortunate as Scottish Parliament last week announced it wouldn't be closing up a loophole that allows cars to park on some cycle lanes built after 2016, a decision that Cycling UK says ignores the safety of cyclists. On the other hand, Scotland did bring in a nationwide ban on pavement parking last week.
15/10/2019, 12:35
Le Col de la Loze makes Le Tour debut
Le Col de la Loze, a newbie on the Tour's route.
Le Col de la Loze, un nouveau-venu sur la route du Tour.#TDF2020 pic.twitter.com/ZLwCjpyHH4— Tour de France (@LeTour) October 15, 2019
It looks pretty fearsome and is 2,304m high at the top according to this footage. Meanwhile, stage 18 looks like a piece of cake...
Stage 18 holy cow! #letour2020 @LeTour pic.twitter.com/adHZCmXUTk
— James Smith (@RUTrainingToday) October 15, 2019
15/10/2019, 11:36
Here's the 2020 Tour de France route
Here’s the route of next year’s Tour de France – one that, the past two days apart, will be played out entirely in the southern half of the country, with a heavy emphasis on the Alps, visited in the days following the Grand Depart in Nice and again in the closing week.
The race may well be decided further north on the penultimate day, however, with an individual time trial that has a summit finish on La Planche des Belles Filles ahead of the traditional finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
More about the route on road.cc shortly.
15/10/2019, 10:50
Livestream: Tour de France 2020 route presentation
The route of next year's Tour de France is being presented in Paris this morning - follow the livestream below to find out where the race is heading.
15/10/2019, 09:07
Talksport presenter plays anti-cyclist bingo (and is still arguing about it days later)
"Cyclists, particularly in London, are the biggest pain in the backside!"
"Don't get me started on bike lanes, what a waste of time that is!"
"I tell you what else they do..."
Today's Grind My Gears was extended after @AndyGoldstein05 had endless reasons he hated bikes. pic.twitter.com/IrOcTJzDIu
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) October 11, 2019
It all started on October 11th when Talksport presenter Andy Goldstein went on air to state that 95% of cyclists jump red lights, and that they don't have 'road tax' that he claims to pay. Goldstein also complains about a cycle lane being installed on Upper Thames Street, one of the most congested roads in London, saying: "why do you need a car lane for a bike."
This bloke. Telling me my findings of seeing cyclists going through red lights are “falsehoods”.. Weird that so many of you have also found these “falsehoods” suppose we’re all making it up now .... https://t.co/KUXDROV4oV
— Andy Goldstein MBE (@andygoldstein05) October 14, 2019
For the people in the cheap seats:
Cyclists go through red lights (as do motorists).
Some cyclists don’t have insurance.
Those are dislikes of mine.
(Obviously forget about the road tax thing).
— Andy Goldstein MBE (@andygoldstein05) October 14, 2019
Goldstein, whose colleagues Alan Brazil and Dean Saunders both have drink-driving convictions, continued to berate anyone who questioned his 'logic' on Twitter, although eventually realised that he doesn't actually pay 'road tax', and conceded that people using other modes of transport also break the rules of the road.
One of those people was journalist Pete Walker, and Goldstein is waiting for his reply to the supposed trump card that some cyclists jump red lights. We can't wait for the retort...
15/10/2019, 09:05
How a world champ's bike is made
The World Champion Trek Madone SLR's bike build journey through Project One:
Painted in 7 hours.
Built in 45 minutes.
Ready for @Mads__Pedersen in 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/b2CRrhhxSX— Trek Bicycle (@TrekBikes) October 14, 2019
Watch the folks at Trek put together a rainbow-coloured Madone for new world champs Mads Pederson.
15/10/2019, 08:52
Is this the world's worst cycle path?
‘Shameful’ Limassol cycle path will be corrected says municipality https://t.co/0FqOBXYQfP
— Cyprus Mail (@cyprusmail) October 14, 2019
The 'path' in Limossol, Cyprus consists of wobbly paint and is largely blocked by parked cars, with the head of Limassol's European affairs projects Charis Trikkis telling Active Radio that the sight of it was "shocking" and it would be corrected: “The contractor started without looking at plans, without researching the area, and without guidance, to paint the sidewalks in this unappealing manner.”
In the meantime the road will be returned to its original state while the actual specifications for the path are investigated.
