Welcome to Monday’s live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
Range Rover driver fined £4.5k for spitting in teen cyclist’s face; US Presidential hopeful cycles to radio interview; Triathlete Claire Danson paralysed after tractor collision; Boonen’s lucky escape +; Storey up for award + more on live blog
All the news from the site and beyond as we start a new week
Mon, Oct 21, 2019 19:00
SUMMARY
21 October 2019, 19:00
Weekend catch-up
If you’ve been otherwise engaged with things not bike-related, here’s some of our top stories from the weekend…
Transgender debate continues as Dr Rachel McKinnon retains world title
Potatoes as effective as energy gels, finds study
La Course returns to Paris – world champion brands it “nothing more than a criterium”
21 October 2019, 19:00
Cyclist chased by bear (again)
Perils of cycling in a Forrest that Bears live in pic.twitter.com/33mUyNhOZY
— Jim (@JimLeitrim) October 20, 2019
We think we’ve seen another example of this recently, but here’s your latest example of a terrified mountain biker with an extra reason to get a shift on down the trail.
21 October 2019, 19:00
Nothing to see here...
Curious sign on the entrances to West Ham park, which is shared use with lorries, apparently! pic.twitter.com/kcIDOQQP1j
— Laura Laker (@laura_laker) October 21, 2019
road.cc writer Laura has spotted this rather curious sign in London. And you thought shared use cycle and pedestrian paths could be a pain…
21 October 2019, 19:00
Is this the new Specialized Tarmac SL7?
Check out the new bike being tested by the Bora-Hansgrohe pros and see what we think has changed over the current model.
21 October 2019, 19:00
Lol...
The remaining steps in the #Brexit processpic.twitter.com/i3TwAEF55L
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) October 21, 2019
The man with the skills is Swiss freestyle skier Andri Ragettli, but there’s a bike at the beginning so we consider it ripe for sharing with you folks…
21 October 2019, 19:00
Dame Sarah Storey nominated for Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Award
Storey has been shortlisted along with triathlete Claire Cashmore, canoeist Charlotte Henshaw (canoeing) and swimmer Alice Tai, with the winner set to be revealed on November 21.
Storey has won four world titles this year, taking her career tally up to 35.
21 October 2019, 19:00
Danny MacAskill explains the madness behind his viral stunt videos
MacAskill told The Times about his mentality when it comes to performing his hair-raising stunts amongst other things: “When I’ve got a blind drop ahead, an instinctive part of my brain goes crazy. But the rational part – the part that’s been learning how to ride a bike for decades – says it’ll be fine if I get the technique right. If I don’t have that internal battle, it means I’m being too cocky or it’s not hard enough.I’m used to flinging myself around and crashing on concrete; I often have that kind of throw-yourself-in mentality when I try other sports.”
“Going viral kicked off my career. I was working in a bike shop in Edinburgh when my friend offered to make a film of my tricks. We did it on my lunch breaks and days off, put it online in 2009, and it just took off.
“I’ve ridden everywhere: on the streets of Edinburgh, the rooftops of Las Palmas, in Gran Canaria, and on the Cuillin Ridge, on the Isle of Skye. But my favourite places to ride are those with human interest, such as old train yards or abandoned cityscapes.I’m constantly searching for the next location.”
His popular YouTube channel is here.
21 October 2019, 19:00
Lucky escape for Tom Boonen in racing car crash
Classics legend Tom Boonen, who after retiring from pro cycling has been building himself a career in motor racing, had a very lucky escape yesterday after crashing at the Belcar Endurance Championship, reports SBS.
The crash came just 24 hours after Boonen, along with team mates Thomas Piessens and Sam Dejonghe, had won the Supercar Benelux Challenge at Assen in the Netherlands
“I had just taken over the wheel of our Norma prototype,” Boonen said. “That’s why I had to try to fight back past a lot of slower cars. One of those cars was the Mercedes van Heyer. He left me some space, but when I came alongside, he came in and we collided.”
Belgian star, former cyclist Tom Boonen's weekend:
Saturday – celebrate first as driver
Sunday – escape with lifehttps://t.co/RE3XqrU98D— CyclingCentral (@CyclingCentral) October 21, 2019
21 October 2019, 19:00
Crowdfunder for triathlete left paralysed following collision with tractor nears goal in less than 24 hours
Claire Danson was crowned European age-group champion in the 30-34 category back in June, and had ambitions to gain her licence to compete as a professional triathlete; however she suffered horrific injuries in August following a collision with a tractor, and has remained in hospital ever since.
Although the fractures and bone breaks are healing she has now revealed that her spine was severed at T9, meaning she is now paralysed from the waist down. The organisers of Claire’s crowdfunder say on the GoFundMe page: “We have set up this GoFundMe in response to the overwhelming number of people who have been in touch wanting to know how to help and support Claire. We hope to raise funds for Claire as well as awareness for why she is still with us today. Simply put, without her helmet, her fitness & strength, the air ambulance and Southampton’s incredible Neuro ICU, Claire wouldn’t be here today. The funds raised through this page will help Claire on her journey to achieve whatever she wishes. It will support her rehabilitation and provide her with vital equipment and services required for her to fulfil her potential… maybe even buy her first race chair!”
Over £4,000 has already been raised of the £5,000 goal – if you want to donate, the link is here.
21 October 2019, 19:00
ULEZ drops toxic gas levels by a third in London according to latest reports
The Times reports that thanks to London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone charges on high polluting vehicles, levels of toxic gas produced by diesel engines has fallen by a third in central London since the charges were introduced.
It’s also claimed that NO2 has fallen from 85 to 57 micrograms per cubic metre at roadside in central London since the charges were brought in back in October 2017.
21 October 2019, 19:00
Definitely not a joke...
I have been speaking with my local residents and they are not happy that cyclists don’t pay road tax!
Therefore I wish to announce we will be making it Kingston Independents policy to introduce Road Tax for cyclists.
* We are not anti-cyclist, I use to ride a bike myself. pic.twitter.com/KGmxbYC8Oz
— Jamie Giles (@CoombeMonthlyEd) October 20, 2019
21 October 2019, 19:00
"Why don't cyclists stick to the left of the lane?" Our latest Monday Moaning article has struck a chord
Why don’t cyclists stick to the left of the lane? This is a fantastic article from @roadcc which sets the record straight on the rules of road-positioning.
If you want to learn more, check out our short film which shows how to safely navigate junctions: https://t.co/G1QtFdu7xf https://t.co/HHFS2oTBtR pic.twitter.com/lcVmg9kloi
— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) October 21, 2019
Armchair experts, especially those on social media, will often tell you that cyclists should be positioned on the left side of the lane, never centrally, but what’s the truth? Simply read this article and share it far and wide!
21 October 2019, 19:00
"She's the most resilient, hard-working and inspiring person you will ever meet": Claire Danson's sister pays tribute on Twitter
7 weeks ago Claire’s life changed forever….please read below and follow her on Instagram @cdanson10 pic.twitter.com/BVRcjQVhbt
— Alex Danson MBE (@AlexDanson15) October 20, 2019
Alex Danson MBE is herself an international hockey player, and has spoke about her sister’s accident on social media. Alex also suffered a freak brain injury last year hitting a concrete wall while laughing at her husband’s joke in Kenya; the BBC reported earlier this month that she is now able to jog for 30 minutes at a time.
Meanwhile, Claire’s crowdfunder has a new target of £10,000 having surpassed the £5,000 target this morning: “The funds raised through this page will help Claire on her journey to achieve whatever she wishes. It will support her rehabilitation and provide her with vital equipment and services required for her to fulfil her potential… maybe even buy her first race chair!
“We will also be running events to support the charities & organisations involved with the fantastic care Claire’s already received, and will continue to receive for months / years to come.”
21 October 2019, 19:00
Rachel McKinnon debate: transgender cyclist continues to answer critics on social media
I’m just going to come out and say it:
My body doesn’t produce testosterone anymore. And it hasn’t for nearly a decade.
Draw your own conclusions.
— Dr. Rachel McKinnon (@rachelvmckinnon) October 21, 2019
McKinnon has also posted some hateful abuse she received via email on Twitter, as the debate around her participation in women’s sport as a transgender athlete rolls on.
21 October 2019, 19:00
55-year-old Range Rover driver fined for spitting in teen cyclist's face
The Mail reports that the driver, 55-year-old Christopher Nigel Jackson, was said to have assaulted a teenage cyclist in Kendal, Cumbria on March 4th of this year. Driving a Range Rover Evoque, Jackson beeped his horn at the youngster, to which the victim responded with a hand gesture. Jackson grabbed him by his collar and spat in his face twice.
Jackson was spared a custodial sentence but fined £4,500 with £150 costs.
21 October 2019, 19:00
Bargains galore over at Wiggle
Still, we can cope with the £0.00 reduction if we get the mythical free bag of Haribo… link to buy these booties that we shall soon be reviewing is here.
21 October 2019, 19:00
US Presidential candidate Andrew Yang rocks up to NYC radio interview - by bike
Andrew Yang is emerging as one of the front-runners for the Democratic nomination for the 2020 US Presidential elections in a little over a year’s time – and here he is rocking up for a radio interview in New York City by bike. If he did get the nomination and get to the White House, we suspect the Secret Service would have him rethink his transport choice, sadly …
Oh and @AndrewYang rolled up on a bike to our @NPR interview. He said it’s much faster to get around nyc by bike. Fact check: true. pic.twitter.com/9IvLkUl8w8
— Eric Marrapodi (@EricMarrapodi) October 20, 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).
22 Comments
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Latest Comments
Doctor Darabuka 20 minutes ago
Are bike light buttons in short supply? Must we be restricted to just one which requires the skills of a morse code operator to be able to switch between steady and flashing; high, medium and low? Whilst many technological gadgets have evolved to become so intuative they no longer require a manual, the bloody bike light comes with a cartoon comic of disembodied hands describing a rhythm only available to the practiced percussionist.
wtjs 49 minutes ago
I almost never fail to wear a helmet when cycling, and I've been wearing them since I saw the first Americans over here wearing the early Bell helmets. I recall being jeered at for wearing one on the Maryhill Road in Glasgow in 1976, and the Bell Biker helmet shown here: ttps://helmets.org/bicycle-helmet-history/ is still hanging on a hook at home. My only objection to the anti-helmet propaganda involves the notion that wearing a helmet makes the wearer more likely to suffer a collision and consequent head injury. I resort to common sense to dispute this. A helmet is a good place to put a headcam, and a waterproof helmet cover, and doesn't cause me any discomfort.
Rendel Harris 1 hour ago
Video of crash mentioned above: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NfCdbwPdK9M
Rendel Harris 1 hour ago
I do try not to enter into discussion with you on this Bert, because I know you will never change your stance one iota, but I've crashed a motorcycle at around 35 mph and hit my head on the kerb hard enough to compress discs in my spine and tear neck ligaments but above the neck I came away with nothing worse than a mild concussion. If you're going to tell me that I could've done the same thing without a helmet on and walked away with the same injuries I'm going to have to say that's nonsense. Anyone who's ever watched MotoGP will have seen riders coming off at high speed and smashing their heads and getting up to walk away. Just as an example, check out this crash from Marquez this season: up in the air at high speed, down straight on his head, got up and walked away. Screenshot below, I'll post a link to the video as a reply so I don't get stuck in link quarantine. Again, it's clearly nonsense to say the helmet hasn't worked when someone's walked away from coming down headfirst on the tarmac from a height at high speed.
jackcycles 2 hours ago
@belugabob I'm afraid you're ignorant of the true data, buying into the misconception that the Netherlands should be emulated. In fact the Netherlands and the EU (per usual) is falling behind in terms of cycling safety. Please see https://etsc.eu/europes-cyclists-left-behind-as-safety-gap-widens-new-etsc-report-finds/ And attached demonstrates the mismatch between your preconceived opinion and hard cold facts
bathcycleguy 2 hours ago
To understand any active travel scheme, you only really need to ask one question: “How does this impact on free/cheap parking?” In this case, it explains the majority of the ‘controversy’ It is not long since someone sat on a bench in RVP was hit by a driver and hospitalised. But do let’s worry about those “speeding cyclists”. https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/teenager-hit-car-sat-bench-11070561.amp
eburtthebike 2 hours ago
@kingleo I've still got a label from a helmet, and it says something like 'this helmet may not protect you in all foreseeable accidents' which just gives them an out when someone claims that it didn't work. Not sure the professionals should wear motorcycle helmets, as they are heavy, very well insulated and only work up to about 16mph: not sure you'd win too many TdF's at that speed, and anyway, your brain would fry.
OnYerBike 4 hours ago
@EM69 To be clear, my comment relates specifically to the new Sirius that came out a few months ago. As far as I can tell, the new Strada retains H/M/L steady levels in program 1.
Rendel Harris 5 hours ago
@mitsky If I were a police officer involved in implementing the scheme I think I would find it very hard to hear the details given by those self-important/rich/arrogant (in the City these terms may be synonymous) enough to accept the fine, meaning they had to be repeated multiple times. I might also experience frequent pencil lead breakage and a difficulty in finding the right form to fill in, perhaps also frequently breaking off to use my radio ("Excuse me sir, it's an important message from my superintendent. What's that sir? Soya latte, a pain chocolat and a blueberry muffin, right you are sir"), so that by the time the paperwork was completed and they had been sent on their way with a fine those who chose to stop and watch the video had already departed.
chrisonabike 5 hours ago
@Mr Blackbird always heartwarming! ❤️ Do you remember Nick Clegg declaring his love for David Cameron in a rose garden? No, wait, was it his love of a better seat in parliament and more solicitous lobbyists? Or more recently Nigel Farage declaring his love for strong, manly figures like D. Trump, V. Urban and V. Putin, before declaring his love for money and his lack of snobbishness about its origins? (Would that some of the others were so candid - although eg. Lord Mandleson didn't need to declare his love for wealthy, dodgy businessmen).
22 thoughts on “Range Rover driver fined £4.5k for spitting in teen cyclist’s face; US Presidential hopeful cycles to radio interview; Triathlete Claire Danson paralysed after tractor collision; Boonen’s lucky escape +; Storey up for award + more on live blog”
Hmmm, is it just me who
Hmmm, is it just me who thinks the Bear video is faked?
Yeah that ‘bear’ video has
Yeah that ‘bear’ video has been floating around since at least 2014 and is usually regarded as being fake. Don’t think it was ever proven either way, but it certainly doesn’t stand up well to scrutiny.
Dicklexic wrote:
No, exactly, but fun to watch though!
The idea that you would hide behind a tree from an animal with one of the best developed senses of smell gives it away somewhat. Plus I really don’t think the bear would be that bothered to chase you so far (if at all).
Kendalred wrote:
As I understand it the bear chases prey. So if it acts like prey then it must be prey and so Bear chases it. Dogs do very much the same. If it stops running then it losses interest.
So if you spot a bear, the advise is;
1. don’t turn your back on it (like the rider did)
2. don’t run away (like the rider effectivly did). Make yourslf look big make calming noises and walk bbackwards.
3. If that doesn’t work and the bear is still chasing you and being aggresive then crack out the bear spray.
What! you’re in bear country and you don’t have bear spray!
Not seen the bear video
Not seen the bear video before (does look fake), but it’s ancient, apart from the low res, the bike (from the second or so you see of it) has very narrow bars and & DCL’s (probably ST-M585) which put it around the 2010 age (not seen anyone using them in the last 10 years or so, and they were niche at the time)
jimc101 wrote:
I’ve gone full Poirot and asked bear guy on Twitter about the prevalence of his footage…
I too noticed the narrowness
I too noticed the narrowness of the bars, but then I ride off road on my getting to work bike with X lite Ti straights at 55cm and my good bike with X-lite Xcountry bars at 61cm, retro rides.
Sometimes the very wide bars these days look uncomfortable with their width.
I dont care if the bear video
I dont care if the bear video is fake or not, it cheered me up watching it 🙂
Does that West Ham park sign
Does that West Ham park sign mean that there might be lorries driving along the park roads? If so, does that mean that the lorries have to give way to pedestrians (so a pedestrian could do a Tank Man on a Sainsburys delivery truck, for example…?).
Why is road.cc giv8ng ANY
Why is road.cc giving ANY exposure to Jamie Giles? He is not a Kingston town councillor. Here is the list of current Kingston Upon Thames Town councillors
https://moderngov.kingston.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx
As you can see his name does not appear there and there aren’t even any Independents. So this muppet is a troll and it would appear that road.cc is giving exposure to this twat and almost making out that the man is serious and has a manifesto! Please, do us all a favour and remove his vile, bigoted hatred from here. (He even says he ‘hates cyclists’, so that’s not debatable). Just keep screen shots of his vile in case they are needed in court one day when he ploughs into a cyclist…
PP
Pilot Pete wrote:
Like I said: given the state of modern British politics and society, my sarcasm detector is on the blink and I honestly cannot tell if his posts are supposed to be jokey hyperbole to mock the usual suspects or if he is a genuine gammony troll.
Pilot Pete wrote:
Got him – and he is (probably) a gammony troll. Googling “coombe monthly ed” gives you
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coombe_Monthly
Pilot Pete wrote:
It’s a parody account, and clearly say that if you go to the Twitter page, guessing Road.cc didn’t check that before they posted?
jimc101 wrote:
Ermm, I though the title from the Road.cc article was being sarcastic as well and I suspect they knew full well it was a parody.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
The screenshot does now say “Jamie Giles – parody”. Pretty sure it didn’t, before. Hey-ho.
Some more Jamie Giles gems:
(edited)
That’s terrible news about
That’s terrible news about Claire Danson. Alex and Claire were on a ride I was leading, for Ford a while back. They were both really nice and un assuming. Poor lass, I hope things pan out as well as they can for her, going forward.
£4,500 for spitting in
£4,500 for spitting in someone’s face? If he’d run him over he wouldn’t have been fined a couple of hundred. The law is an ass.
burtthebike wrote:
I agree, but I like it though. Someone uses an off road vehicle to bully a teenager, then when they don’t comply, they assault them.
Well done the judicial system on this occasion.
grumpyoldcyclist wrote:
If they’d done that to my son then they’d be hoping for some time inside!
Snopes says the bear video is
Snopes says the bear video is fake – https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bear-vs-bike/
I’ll leave this here in case
I’ll leave this here in case of bear attacks: