Live blog: Freeman lawyer loses attempt to have case thrown out; “Quaxing”; work starts on London’s Cycleway 9; and a little bit of politics + more
SUMMARY
Morning!
Working on the principle that if you’ve found yourself on our live blog this morning, you’re most likely making a conscious effort to avoid other news, let’s start with something completely unrelated to the UK general election.
We’ll probably mention it at some point though. It’s kinda newsworthy.
Quaxing
For those who don’t know, ‘to quax’ means to shop by means of walking, cycling or public transit.
The word comes from the spectacularly-named Dick Quax, who won a silver medal for New Zealand in the 5,000m at the 1976 Olympics and who later became a politician.
In January 2015, Quax tweeted his disbelief that anyone in the Western world would go shopping by means of “walking, cycling, or public transit.”
Danes: “Hmm. Cool. Interesting technique”.
Rest of the world: “WTF?! Amazing!”
Recife, Brazil. Next level #quaxing pic.twitter.com/XdUhUKS722— Mikael Colville-Andersen (@colvilleandersn) December 12, 2019
More quaxing
No, you’re getting distracted by other things…
Mein Freund, der 5-Meter-Baum, wollte halt vom Gartenmarkt so schnell wie möglich in die Erde, und kein Auto hätte ihm helfen können. #MehrPlatzfuersRad pic.twitter.com/phLf4F2lpr
— Michael Schroeren (@MSchroeren) October 16, 2019
Yet more quaxing
We could do this all day.
Maybe we’ll do this all day.
I see your bike basket ….
and raise you a kitchen table #quaxing pic.twitter.com/guhXkqmU9Y
— Chris Kenyon (@BoxbikeLondon) July 7, 2019
Freeman lawyer loses attempt to have case thrown out
Mary O’Rourke QC, the barrister defending former British Cycling and Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman at a medical tribunal that could result in him being struck off, has failed to have the four charges he denies thrown out.
Freeman has admitted 18 of the 22 charges against him but denies that testosterone patches delivered to British Cycling headquarters in 2011 were intended to help an athlete’s performance.
After two days considering Freeman’s application to have the four outstanding charges thrown out, tribunal chair Neil Dalton ruled he has a “case to answer for all outstanding matters,” reports the BBC.
Freeman did not attend the tribunal today because he was too “unwell.”
The hearing has now been adjourned as Dr Freeman is too “unwell” to attend on Friday.
O’Rourke said: “Dr Freeman is seeing his psychiatrist today so I’m not in position to get any instructions.”
Cycling UK "alarmed" at Tories' lack of funding for cycling
Alex has covered the charity’s response to the general election result here. We’ll never know how realistic Labour’s pledge to spend £50 per person a year on active travel was … but £1.55 a head is woeful.
Win a Bespoked 2020 calendar!
It’s nearly a new decade* so celebrate by winning yourself a nice new calendar to hang on your wall, featuring lovely hand-made bikes from the Bespoked show. Lob your details in the form below. UK only, sorry!
Or you could just pony up for one at bespoked.cc
*depending on whether you’re a pedant or not
It seems the president of Kenya once forgot Boris Johnson's name ...
… so, thinking on his feet, Uhuri Kenyatta instead referred to him as the “bicycle guy.”
Which is a lot kinder than some of the other nicknames we’ve heard for him over the past few days.
Does "the alcoholic type" count as an answer?
Asking for a friend, obvs.
What type of off-seasoner are you? Funniest answer in the comments wins some socks. Go.
Work finally starts on London's Cycleway 9
And the Conservative candidate in Brentord & Isleworth who made opposing the scheme a key part of her electoral campaign was soundly beaten as Labour’s Ruth Cadbury – co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group – retained her seat.
We’ve started work to transform Kew Bridge for everyone
Our plans will add segregated cycle lanes and new pedestrian crossings, making walking and cycling much safer and easier
Please plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys in the area pic.twitter.com/Bwzrn2hbzJ
— Transport for London (@TfL) December 13, 2019
British Cycling to publish updated technical regulations
British Cycling will next month publish updated technical regulations operating across all its disciplines following consultation with stakeholders.
The governing body’s head of legal, Jo Seed, said: “This has been an extensive process, which we are delighted to be close to finalising. We assess our technical regulations every year, but this year it was decided that a more comprehensive process was needed in order to ensure that the general regulations truly apply to all, and that the discipline-specific regulations are consistent and easily digestible.
“We have worked very closely with Scottish Cycling and Welsh Cycling to bring consistency across the technical regulations for all home nations, and to make sure that the technical regulations are in line with what our sport requires.
“This is by no means a wholesale change. Indeed, fundamentally, very few regulations have altered in their operation in practice. Further changes are in the pipeline for 2021 once invaluable input from the various commissions that have been newly appointed throughout this year has been obtained.”
The new regulations will take effect from 1 March next year, with the current 2019/20 cyclo-cross season subject to the existing ones.
Deceuninck-Quick Step unveils new jersey for 2020
It’s a bit ‘meh’ if you ask us … but we’d better get used to it, we’ll be seeing this kit crossing the line first in a lot of races next year.
Feast your eyes with the beautiful and stylish kit – designed again by @VermarcSport – that our Deceuninck – Quick-Step riders will wear next season, when they'll give it their all to keep #TheWolfpack at the top of the game: https://t.co/CYwj9Y6sfd
Video: @lapedalecc pic.twitter.com/xwXnkmgyfX— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) December 13, 2019
Haute Route launches new destination ... Brazil
This looks pretty special; one for the bucket list?
Fulcrum introduces Racing Zero Cmptzn DB wheelset
Fulcrum has introduced a new lightweight aluminium wheelset to its Racing Zero range: the Cmptzn DB, for bikes with disc brakes.
“One of the strongest and most responsive wheels on the market has been improved thanks to the use of CULT bearings and the classic 2:1 spoke pattern with oversize double-butted aluminium parts,” says Fulcrum.
The Italian brand says that the steel races of its CULT (Ceramic Ultimate Level Technology) bearings are extremely resistant to corrosion so they can be lubricated with a thin layer of oil instead of grease, and this helps to reduce friction.
The aluminium rims are 30mm deep and have a 19mm inner width. They’re 2-Way Fit, meaning that you can use standard clincher tyres or run them tubeless thanks to the absence of holes in the rim bed.
The straight-pull spokes are bladed aluminium, 21 per wheel (14 left, 7 right on the front wheel; 7 left, 14 right on the rear wheel)
There are no decals, the black-on-black reflective graphics being created with a surface treatment.
Fulcrum claims a wheelset weight of 1,570g – a saving of 20g over the existing Racing Zero DB wheelset (£899.99) with the brand’s USB bearings.
If you’ve not twigged, Cmptzn is a vowel-less version of the Italian word ‘competizione’.
The UK price is £1,299.99 (to be confirmed).
Get more info at www.fulcrumwheels.com.
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Latest Comments
What gets me is the people who, after I've been stuck behind them for a while having to ride slower than I normally would, when I eventually get to a point where I can overtake then decide they want to have a race.
"Accessible Ayr scheme" Accessible only by drivers and dinosaurs. “We sat here in January and were told no cycle lanes in Alloway Street or in the Sandgate. I reported this good news to all my community councillors. They were all beaming and smiling and saying great news." It isn't good news, the community councillors don't care about the community if they're beaming and smiling and saying great news: they are out of touch and car obsessed. Just how many schemes like this have to happen to show that they work, they make the community better, they increase trade at the shops and people like them? A thousand? A million? I've just realised that it probably doesn't matter how many times such schemes are successful the 'it won't work here' neanderthals will never accept it in their back yard. Depressing. I've only visited Ayr once, and was glad to leave. Don't think I'll be going back.
@Nigel Garage Funny that, because I have worked with many disabled people both professionally and as a volunteer, mainly helping them to navigate the complexities of the grant system. Oddly enough, not one of them has ever said to me. “I don’t want to be treated like this, I want to stand on my own two feet“ and not applied for the assistance to which they were entitled. If you end up disabled through accident or illness and need very expensive special equipment to help you live as normal a life as possible, and indeed to make a contribution to society, are you going to refuse the assistance on offer? I suggest when you clearly have no experience and no knowledge in an area it’s best for you just to shut up rather than assume that you can speak on behalf of disabled people.
@belugabob I think the (conservative!) Baron John Bird @ Big Issue puts it well: a hand up, not a handout. I think a fairly narrowly focused tax break on specific assistance vehicles should fit that ideal very well! Of course "but rich people can abuse tax breaks". But ain't it the case that the rich are not infrequently rich (or richer) by sharp practice, and that has been true since at least the start of history?
@belugabob following Chris Boardman's rule of "those most affected get to make the decisions but also own the consequences" ... ... I hope they leave a couple of quid from the grant to buy them a card which says "you chose 'do nothing' - your right. But therefore no right to extra cash to try to sort out any congestion, the crumbling road infra which we just can't keep up with, and the health and economic consequences of declining activity in the population".
I feel sorry for the staff whose jobs are at risk.
@sclarke3@talktalk.net there's a bit of a vanity thing going on with a great deal of Walmart money. They are very into their cycling, bikesnobnyc has written a bit about the very cycling company town. My better half got me some leg and arm warmers for my birthday. I look forward to wearing them when the going gets much colder. I did manage to punch myself in the face, twice, when trying to get the right arm one on, a lesson learned and I will try not to do it again.
Drives me mad at the Westminster end of the Embankment cycle lane, where there will often be enough cyclists queuing that you might, shock horror, have to wait for two traffic light cycles before you get through. So many cyclists just jump to the front and expect you to make space for them. Worst example I saw was a pedicab driver who overtook the 50 odd queuing cyclists and then sat blocking the cycle traffic in the opposite direction.
Re: the snarky Geraint Thomas caption "sunglasses that peaked probably a decade prior" - to be fair, that became a bit of a personal brand.
@jackcycles so...disabled people don't want any help....? if you dig any deeper, you'll hit the bedrock
24 thoughts on “Live blog: Freeman lawyer loses attempt to have case thrown out; “Quaxing”; work starts on London’s Cycleway 9; and a little bit of politics + more”
I am making a conscious
I am making a conscious effort to avoid other news.
Dick Wax. Some parents just
Dick Wax. Some parents just don’t think names through…
There was a general election?
There was a general election?
(In denial? Who, me?)
Other news:
Other news:
56.4% of the voters vote to not elect a xenophobic, racist extreme right wing political party.
Britain elects said party with an overwhelming majority.
Something smells rotten at the core of a once great country.
Time to get on our bikes?
Legin wrote:
No, no, no, no, no. Boris tweeted this morning that this is the greatest democracy on earth. He seemed to have missed off the bit about all the rest.
Legin wrote:
If you can devise a system of voting that reflects exactly the wishes of a diverse electorate, disadvantages nobody and is simple to organise, congratulations Sir, you will probably be in the running for a Nobel prize.
mike the bike wrote:
On the other hand if you want to devise a political party that wasn’t hell bent on road building itself out of a climate crisis, make sure you don’t call it the Conservative party.
Legin wrote:
In case you forgot, we had a chace to fix this issue but most people chose to stay in bed:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_United_Kingdom_Alternative_Vote_referendum
You can’t say we didn’t chose the current situation or government, even if you personally don’t like the outcome. You can call us collectively a bunch of blithering idiots though.
Organon]
In case you forgot, we had a chace to fix this issue but most people chose to stay in bed:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_United_Kingdom_Alternative_Vote_referendum
You can’t say we didn’t chose the current situation or government, even if you personally don’t like the outcome. You can call us collectively a bunch of blithering idiots though.
[/quote
I voted yes!
Legin wrote:
As the turnout was only 67%, 33% couldn’t be arsed to go and deliver their vote. But that is democracy for you. The vote didn’t go your way, get over it. The ‘xenophobic, racist extreme right wing political party’ you mention, is a far better proposition than the Marxist party who would have bankrupted the country, much worse than last time. Or the silly little woman who doesn’t understand what the ‘democracy’ in her party name means.
I like this Quaxing thing.
I like this Quaxing thing.
Of course never having driven
Of course never having driven a motor vehicle (therefore a golden cyclist) I had not ralised I must be a Quaxer.
If I did drive, I’d have to drive for about 3 times the distance to get to the supermarket (Waitrose and Iceland) car parks than walking, if they were busy I might have to walk more from the car to the store than my front door is, and then the return drive could be 8 or mor times the distance. Weird layouts of car parks.
To get to the big Tesco, I ride through a park, across the new bridge, and along the Thames, could be as quick as the drive would be.
To get to Sainsburys, which I have to occasionally go to for Yorkshire Gold loose leaf tea and Skippy crunch peanut butter, important things for me, I do have to ride along the wokingham road to winnersh or the bath road to calshot, both using some iffy cycle provision, but it is there.
And there is locking my bike right next to the entrance/exit of the supermarket.
I will have to move at some point, the Surly Ted trailer is tempting. Overkill.
I shall always be a Quaxer.
ktache wrote:
Me too, but I do get funny looks pushing the bike and Burley trailer around B&Q for paint etc.
ktache wrote:
Try the big Waitrose for the Tea, probably not the Skippy though, decent cycle route there too.
ktache wrote:
Sitting in meeting for (silent) worship on Sunday morning, dressing in grey, being a conscientious pacifist and knowing why there are no pubs in Bournville…
But even without being a Quaxer, we can all be part of the Society of Friends of Cycling. 🙂
If you can devise a system of
If you can devise a system of voting that reflects exactly the wishes of a diverse electorate
Well, nobody will mention it on the BBC or anywhere else, but the facts are quite shocking.
Tories: 14,000,000 votes = 365 MPs, or 38,000 votes per MP
Scottish Nats: 1,240,000 votes = 48 MPs, or 25,800 votes per MP
Lib Dems: 3,700,000 votes = 11 MPs, or 336,000 votes per MP
Can we possibly justify this system (no) and do we need electoral reform (yes urgently).
Thanks, I didn’t even knnow
Thanks, I didn’t even knnow that there was a Waitrose on the Oxford road, will try, there are some very good indian supermarkets down there, I go and stock up on big spices and fresh curry leaves. I get to ride down the Thames path, avoiding town. Mine does the Gold, every few years. THey used to do Skippy too, Tescos occasionally do it.
Those Brazilians know how to
Those Brazilians know how to confuse motorists, ride in the middle of the road and in the gutter at the same time!
Puts my quaxing to shame… at least I have the post-ride beers!
I like the aluminium AirZound
I like the aluminium AirZound on the front racke.
ktache wrote:
they don’t fit in a bidon cage as well as the old PET bottle ones, so I had to put it in a beer cooler to stop it rattling. But it’s Australia and it’s summer, you shouldn’t go anywhere without a beer cooler. Shouldn’t ride a bike on the roads here without an AirZound either… they may not see the fat old bloke on his bright orange bike, but they will hear me!
Just found out I’ve been
Just found out I’ve been quaxing for years but never knew. Had to fight predictive text to get that word down, though!
alchemilla wrote:
What did your predictive text think you were doing? Mine gives ajax, quad, or squad as alternatives.
The all-year-round type
The all-year-round type
Got it Phil. 3rd sentence has
Got it Phil. 3rd sentence has it all. This election, leaving Europe, Scotland. Petty children. There was none of thi when labour last came to power. The loosing suporters politely kept their traps shut and took their turn in the sidelines.
What puzzles me is that on the whole, many all those who have any tints of racism in them, from just the tiniest amount to The NF at its best are all raving lefties. The average so called middle class is invariably easy going and tolerant, having contempt only for the lazy. The so called working (Me ) class, are ( AND I MEAN THE VERY FEW) the ones that spout the nastiness. People rant at the so called right wing papers such as the Mail. Typical working class rag. Ditto the Sun.