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Live blog: Movistar to use SRAM in 2020?; RGT Cycling virtual training app officially launches; Driver with no licence who hit cyclist given nine month drive ban; Cyclist carrying a child provokes online fury + more

All today's news from the site and beyond.....
20 December 2019, 15:42
Lotto Jumbo annouce 2020 Tour team...in 2019.

Well, there's nothing like being prepared.

If Lotto Jumbo can get these riders to the start line fit and ready, it'll be an incredible line-up.

20 December 2019, 15:36
Crap Tech innovations...or lack of.
bb_standards_bb30a_exploded

Liam here. I'm throwing a nice general bike industry moan into the crap tech chat.

The last decade has seen so many annoying new standards, be that around the bottom bracket, at the hubs, or in the rim beds. I have a special hatred for BB30a.

It seems that the bike industry keeps making our lives more difficult. And they probably will for the next ten years so I can moan about this in 2029 too.

20 December 2019, 15:22
Suggestions please!

What's the worst bike thing of the last decade then? Answers here, on Twitter or on a postcard to help us write a round-up of 2010's rubbishness for your amusement. 

20 December 2019, 15:15
Flanders to get 22km long cycle path with smart lighting alongside motorway
Cycle path (CC licensed by C:Flickr)

The Brussels Times reports that the city of Mechelen and the municipality of Bonheiden have joined forces to install ‘smart lighting’ along a 22-kilometre bicycle path next to the N15 motorway in Flanders. It will be the first of its kind in Belgium and was born out of a survey from young people, who said the lighting would be a good idea for people travelling on the road to reach Mechelen city centre. The lights turn onto full beam automatically when they detect movement, and are dimmed when there is nobody on it. ​

The total cost of the project is said to be €242,000, most of which will be paid for by the Agency of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 

20 December 2019, 14:54
Have Movistar canned Campagnolo? Team's Canyon bikes spotted with SRAM components

After switching from Endura to Ale for their kit, it looks like Movistar might be about to end another long-standing partnership after some of their team bikes were spotted with SRAM components. The bikes in the leaked pics also have Zipp wheels, whereas Movistar previously used rims from Campagnolo's Bora lineup. 

Though we're unaware off the exact source of these pictures, there was no Campagnolo parts on display during the Movistar team presentation yesterday, and on the Instagram post below it looks like efforts have been made to stay away from showing the bike's wheels and drivetrain... 

Once the dominant component supplier to pro teams, if this is confirmed then Campagnolo will only be featuring on the bikes of two World Tour teams in 2020, Lotto Soudal and UAE Team Emirates. 

20 December 2019, 13:47
RGT Cycling virtual training app launches

"Think Zwift, but different", RGT Cycling told us when sending over details of their virtual training platform, which has now officially launched after four years in development. We checked it out over a year ago when it was still known as Road Grand Tours, and now as well as the name shortening they've tweaked it and launched a subscription model that will cost £12.99 a month for the premium version, or totally free for the... well, free version.

RGT Cycling say they've done extensive work into rider's movements to make the virtual world as realistic as possible, with drafting and braking all taken into consideration. There are eight real roads for users to explore, including the Cap de Formentor and the Stelvio Pass, and there is also a 'Magic Roads' feature that converts GPX files into a virtual course, so you can pretty much ride any road in the world. 

There are also events, which users on the free subscription can also access, and you can also organise private races with friends. Both the 'Freemium' and Premium subscriptions are available now - you need to download the mobile app (available on iPhone and Android) to connect your devices and register, and the Screen App (for Windows, Mac, iPad and Apple TV) to give you the display - you can head over to the RGT Cycling website for more info. 

20 December 2019, 14:46
Drew Christensen is men's Zwift academy winner for 2019, bagging himself a pro contract with NTT Procycling
Drew Christensen (1)

The 18-year-old from New Zealand will join up with NTT Procycling's U23 team in 2020​, fending off challenges from three other finalists to be crowned this year's champ. 60,000 male riders entered the Zwift Academy competition in 2019, which begins online before the finalists are taken on a training camp to prove themselves on the road. He said:  “I entered Zwift Academy with an eye on a semi-final place, I can’t believe I have a pro contract! It will be great to ride on the team alongside Martin Lavrič and learn from his experience through the Zwift Academy and onto a pro team.”

Lavrič had his contract extended, which means there will be two Zwift Academy winners representing the NTT Continental Cycling Team for the first time in 2020. ​

 

20 December 2019, 13:33
Garish new Fat Lad at the Back jerseys certainly stand out

Not quite sure what Facebook is trying to tell me, but this sponsored post featuring the loud and proud new Bobby Dazzler jersey from everyone's favourite oversized cycling apparel brand Fat Lad at the Back has just popped up on the newsfeed. If you're digging the colours, you can pick one up for £64.99 on the FLATB website here

20 December 2019, 11:12
Driver with no licence who hit cyclist and fled the scene is banned from driving
Scottish Ambulance Service (CC licensed by Michel Curi via Flickr)

A Dunfermline man with no driving licence has been punished for seriously injuring a cyclist and fleeing the scene with... a nine month driving ban and a £300 fine, reports The Courier

Unemployed Lee Renwick hit the man in Dunfermline on March 1st, admitting at Dunfermline Sheriff Court that he drove a car carelessly, failed to keep a proper lookout, entered the carriageway when it was unsafe to do so and caused his vehicle to collide with a cyclist to his severe injury. He also admitted failing to stop, saying that he "panicked" before driving away. ​

The cyclist needed surgery to have a plate inserted into a broken wrist, and also required stitches on his chin. Sheriff James MacDonald said to Renwick: “You chose to drive away from the scene of an accident when a member of the public had been injured.

“You shouldn’t have been behind the wheel in the first place because you don’t have a licence.”

Renwick is now seemingly even more banned from the roads for the next nine months, after which time presumably he will be allowed to start learning to drive with a provisional licence if he chooses to do so. 

20 December 2019, 11:27
Liverpool to get £4 million unique cycle path on central reservation
princes avenue toxteth.PNG

The boulevard on Princes Avenue in the Toxteth area of the city is set to be transformed into a 1km long cycle path, a £4 million scheme that is set to be completed in the summer of 2020, reports The Liverpool Echo. It's part of Liverpool's wider Clean Air Plan after declaring a climate emergency recently, and the ctcle path with also form part of a 'green corridor' extension to Otterspool that is set to be delivered within the next year. ​

Councillor Sharon Connor said: “The Princes Avenue/Road scheme is a fantastic example of how our Better Roads programme is breathing new life into Liverpool’s communities.

“The feedback from the local community has been fantastic which will help give this scheme will have a real wow-factor. It’s going to revive the most beautiful boulevard in the city and transform how the wider Toxteth community interact and use this reimagined space.

“The new cycle path within the central reservation will also provide a unique experience for cyclists travelling to and from south of the city and is another example of how we are actively working to reduce the city’s carbon footprint, improve our air quality and encourage healthier lifestyles.”

 

20 December 2019, 10:47
Movistar's new Alé kit for 2020
movistar 2020 kit

Ending a long-standing partnership with Scottish innovators Endura, Movistar shown off their new kit from Alé at an official team presentation in Madrid for the first time. 

The kit is an evolution of Alé's PRR line, with a race-orientated an aerodynamic fit to the jerseys in the team's familiar blue colours. Alessia Piccolo of Alé's parent company APG commented: “For the Movistar Team we have developed numerous high-performing technical garments, which represent the highest expression of textile technology available to us today. The partnership with the team will be conducive to experimentation and the exchange of feedback. We want to be able to offer all enthusiasts of our products the benefits of a garment perfected for a team of this calibre”.

Meanwhile, Movistar have been getting into the festive spirit with this nice little video where team members give thanks to the people who gave them their first bikes... that's the gist of it anyway if you're not a Spanish speaker. 

20 December 2019, 09:35
"Makes my blood boil": people are up in arms about a cyclist filmed riding a bike while carrying child

It has emerged that certain corners of Britain's mainstream media with a certain political persuasion that we don't need to detail are very annoyed about the six second clip above, showing a man carrying a child whilst riding a bike. 

Terry Nichols on Facebook said: "What an irresponsible pillock. He should be prosecuted for dangerous riding and endangering the life of a minor" according to The Metro, and the Daily Mail observed how neither are wearing helmets and that it made one man's blood boil. 

Sustrans' Jon Usher told the seething tabloids that the man was indeed in the breach of the highway code, but advised against mandatory helmet use and suggested better infrastructure as a more sensible safety measure: "The Highway Code is clear that passengers must not be carried on a cycle, unless it has been specifically built or adapted to carry one - so family cycles, cargo cycles, or any cycle fitted with a child seat fit well within the law.

"We believe the best way to increase cycling safety would be to increase the amount of cycling infrastructure that is physically separated from motor traffic, as well as reducing the levels of traffic in residential areas."

What do you think, crime of the century? Let us know your thoughts in the comments as always... 

20 December 2019, 10:09
All I want for Christmas...
unnamed (7)

...is the new cutting edge Hope/Lotus track bike, starting at £15,550 + VAT. It's just gone on sale today, read all about it here

20 December 2019, 09:49
Sorry we're a bit late...
Christmas-Party drunk

Last night was the annual road.cc Christmas bash, so we're feeling a little fragile...

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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36 comments

Avatar
mattsccm | 4 years ago
0 likes

The no licence thing is a clasic case where the offenders needs a good thrashing, on a monthly basis and then humiliating community service.  

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werics | 4 years ago
0 likes

Yeah, they've taken efforts to hide the drivetrain, if you ignore the pic (last) of the definitely-not-Campy chainset...

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OR_biker | 4 years ago
0 likes

Tried RGT last year when I started needing to do some structured indoor training to get ready for an Ironman I did this summer.  I'm cheap so when I saw it was still free (in beta) I jumped on it.  Somewhat raw but I could see a lot of potential in the desktop app.  Stopped using it when they updated it to be used with both a phone and laptop (yes, you need both).  Lots of bugs and delays in development, and it had trouble keeping my power meter and HR monitor connected when I never had that issue with the older desktop app.  They were always good at responding quickly to users' posts in their FB group, though.  Hope they got most of the problems solved because it did look nice, and it's always good to have some competitors to the top dog. 

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Cycle House | 4 years ago
0 likes

Now that Movistar will stop using Campy, will the Canyon Ultimate SLX Team Movistar model switch to SRAM?

 

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Rich_cb | 4 years ago
0 likes
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ktache | 4 years ago
4 likes

Whenever I was riding down the Bristol Road in Brum, I always thought that they should put a cycle route down the middle bit, where trams used to run.

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hawkinspeter replied to ktache | 4 years ago
8 likes

ktache wrote:

Whenever I was riding down the Bristol Road in Brum, I always thought that they should put a cycle route down the middle bit, where trams used to run.

That's even worse - you'd have to cycle with the chattering of squirrels on either side jsut waiting to pounce.

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Bmblbzzz replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

ktache wrote:

Whenever I was riding down the Bristol Road in Brum, I always thought that they should put a cycle route down the middle bit, where trams used to run.

Which, I thought, they now have done. 

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CygnusX1 replied to ktache | 4 years ago
2 likes
ktache wrote:

Whenever I was riding down the Bristol Road in Brum, I always thought that they should put a cycle route down the middle bit, where trams used to run.

Princess avenue in Liverpool is pretty similar - a wide expanse of grass and trees with a footpath, and park benches (mostly unused) hemmed in by two lanes of traffic either side.

As long as access to it is properly thought out, it seems a good idea. The squirrels are still a problem though.

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Vlad the Impailer | 4 years ago
2 likes

Brilliant - Liverpool are building a cycle path in the central reservation of a dual carriageway for cyclists to feel safer and improve air quality.

How does that work when you have vehicles on both sides.   How do the young/elderly get onto the poluted cycle path across 2 lanes of traffic ???

They are doing this in Birmingham on the A38 Bristol Road through Northfield as well.   Yet another brainless idea of councils to put cycle paths where you cant  actuallyget to them to use them.

 

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hawkinspeter replied to Vlad the Impailer | 4 years ago
2 likes

Vlad the Impailer wrote:

Brilliant - Liverpool are building a cycle path in the central reservation of a dual carriageway for cyclists to feel safer and improve air quality.

How does that work when you have vehicles on both sides.   How do the young/elderly get onto the poluted cycle path across 2 lanes of traffic ???

They are doing this in Birmingham on the A38 Bristol Road through Northfield as well.   Yet another brainless idea of councils to put cycle paths where you cant  actuallyget to them to use them.

Sounds nice and relaxing to be cycling along a thin path whilst tonnes of speeding metal vehicles go past you only a couple of feet away. Aaaah - just breathe in that clean air and enjoy the relaxing woosh as the cars go past.

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cougie replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

Vlad the Impailer wrote:

Brilliant - Liverpool are building a cycle path in the central reservation of a dual carriageway for cyclists to feel safer and improve air quality.

How does that work when you have vehicles on both sides.   How do the young/elderly get onto the poluted cycle path across 2 lanes of traffic ???

They are doing this in Birmingham on the A38 Bristol Road through Northfield as well.   Yet another brainless idea of councils to put cycle paths where you cant  actuallyget to them to use them.

Sounds nice and relaxing to be cycling along a thin path whilst tonnes of speeding metal vehicles go past you only a couple of feet away. Aaaah - just breathe in that clean air and enjoy the relaxing woosh as the cars go past.

 

It's not as bad as it seems  - the dividing bit is raised up and about 15 metres wide. I'd have no worries being there - much nicer than on the road. 

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burtthebike | 4 years ago
10 likes

9 month ban for someone without a licence; I'm very nearly speechless.  Talk about making the punishment fit the crime.  Or perhaps this is the new "people's government"* new policy on giving serious offenders heavier sentences?

 

 

* the one elected by only 43.6% of the people, but still got a massive majority in parliament.

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Awavey replied to burtthebike | 4 years ago
1 like
burtthebike wrote:

9 month ban for someone without a licence; I'm very nearly speechless.  Talk about making the punishment fit the crime.  Or perhaps this is the new "people's government"* new policy on giving serious offenders heavier sentences?

 

 

* the one elected by only 43.6% of the people, but still got a massive majority in parliament.

It is as it always has been, a conviction on a motoring offence results in driving licence penalties/endorsements,whether you hold that licence or not. The court cant do anything differently without a change in the law,which would have to come from parliament.

So start by lobbying your MP.

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burtthebike replied to Awavey | 4 years ago
3 likes

Awavey wrote:
burtthebike wrote:

9 month ban for someone without a licence; I'm very nearly speechless.  Talk about making the punishment fit the crime.  Or perhaps this is the new "people's government"* new policy on giving serious offenders heavier sentences?

 

 

* the one elected by only 43.6% of the people, but still got a massive majority in parliament.

It is as it always has been, a conviction on a motoring offence results in driving licence penalties/endorsements,whether you hold that licence or not. The court cant do anything differently without a change in the law,which would have to come from parliament. So start by lobbying your MP.

I'm waiting until he's responded to my demand that the report on Russian interference in our elections is published; just imagine if it showed that the referendum wasn't kosher.

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Simon E replied to burtthebike | 4 years ago
7 likes

burtthebike wrote:

9 month ban for someone without a licence; I'm very nearly speechless. 

But, but...

1. careless driving

2. failed to keep a proper lookout

3. entered the carriageway when it was unsafe to do so

4. collided with a cyclist

5. failed to stop at the scene

6. no driver's license

7. no insurance

£300 and a 9 month ban is seriously taking the piss. He has shown that he's prepared to drive without a license or insurance. Minimum 2 years ban and threat of custodial sentence if caught driving while banned or, after the ban, if he drives without either a license or insurance.

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Welsh boy replied to burtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes

burtthebike wrote:

* the one elected by only 43.6% of the people, but still got a massive majority in parliament.

You mean the party which secured roughly 30% more votes than the next closest party and slightly less than all the other parties put together?

Please, lets not turn a cycling forum into a political soapbox. 

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burtthebike replied to Welsh boy | 4 years ago
3 likes

Welsh boy wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

* the one elected by only 43.6% of the people, but still got a massive majority in parliament.

You mean the party which secured roughly 30% more votes than the next closest party and slightly less than all the other parties put together?

Please, lets not turn a cycling forum into a political soapbox. 

What I meant was that a party which got less than 50% of the popular vote, isn't a "people's party".  It's the party of the 43.6%, not the 56.4% who voted against them.  Like Trump in America, they didn't win the popular vote, it's just that our absurd, illogical, some might even say insane, voting system gave them a massive, undeserved majority in parliament.  Now I'm not sure what your definition of democracy is, but last time I checked it was the will of the majority of the citizens, which the tories clearly don't have, they just have a majority of seats in parliament, so they clearly aren't democratic or the "people's party".

Please feel free to disagree, and to explain why a political subject like how cycling is treated in our society isn't a suitable subject for discussion on a cycling forum.

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Rich_cb replied to burtthebike | 4 years ago
0 likes
burtthebike wrote:

What I meant was that a party which got less than 50% of the popular vote, isn't a "people's party".  It's the party of the 43.6%, not the 56.4% who voted against them.  Like Trump in America, they didn't win the popular vote, it's just that our absurd, illogical, some might even say insane, voting system gave them a massive, undeserved majority in parliament.  Now I'm not sure what your definition of democracy is, but last time I checked it was the will of the majority of the citizens, which the tories clearly don't have, they just have a majority of seats in parliament, so they clearly aren't democratic or the "people's party".

Please feel free to disagree, and to explain why a political subject like how cycling is treated in our society isn't a suitable subject for discussion on a cycling forum.

How many governments in the post war period got more than 50% of the vote?

Did you complain in 1997?

Labour got an enormous majority then on a similar vote share to the Conservatives in 2019.

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Luca Patrono replied to Welsh boy | 4 years ago
4 likes
Welsh boy wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

* the one elected by only 43.6% of the people, but still got a massive majority in parliament.

You mean the party which secured roughly 30% more votes than the next closest party and slightly less than all the other parties put together?

And? Get 43 percent of the vote, get 43 percent of the seats. That's democracy. Not "get 30 percent more votes than the next closest party, get a majority of the seats and dominate the country for 5 years."

(sorry, had to respond to this. First past the post is undemocratic and indefensible.)

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to Luca Patrono | 4 years ago
3 likes
Luca Patrono wrote:

And? Get 43 percent of the vote, get 43 percent of the seats. That's democracy. Not "get 30 percent more votes than the next closest party, get a majority of the seats and dominate the country for 5 years."

(sorry, had to respond to this. First past the post is undemocratic and indefensible.)

FPTP is not an ideal system by any means. A few years ago the British public were given the option of a far more representative system and they rejected it outright.

So FPTP is what we're stuck with.

Avatar
Luca Patrono replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
2 likes
Rich_cb wrote:
Luca Patrono wrote:

And? Get 43 percent of the vote, get 43 percent of the seats. That's democracy. Not "get 30 percent more votes than the next closest party, get a majority of the seats and dominate the country for 5 years."

(sorry, had to respond to this. First past the post is undemocratic and indefensible.)

FPTP is not an ideal system by any means. A few years ago the British public were given the option of a far more representative system and they rejected it outright.

So FPTP is what we're stuck with.

AV was not an improvement. Analysis showed it would not have changed either any of or the overwhelming majority of election results. The Tories and Labour killed it by mandating that it be put to a referendum and then throwing the kitchen sink at the campaign against it.

Now they gaslight by saying that referendum was the electorate voting to stick with FPTP forever. Constitutional reform should not be linked to what the electorate think or can be persuaded to think, it should be linked to what is objectively most democratic and representative of the people.

(sorry guys, I imagine most of you hate the political discussion. hope you can forgive the strength of feeling given the situation atm)

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Rich_cb replied to Luca Patrono | 4 years ago
0 likes
Luca Patrono wrote:

AV was not an improvement. Analysis showed it would not have changed either any of or the overwhelming majority of election results. The Tories and Labour killed it by mandating that it be put to a referendum and then throwing the kitchen sink at the campaign against it.

Now they gaslight by saying that referendum was the electorate voting to stick with FPTP forever. Constitutional reform should not be linked to what the electorate think or can be persuaded to think, it should be linked to what is objectively most democratic and representative of the people.

(sorry guys, I imagine most of you hate the political discussion. hope you can forgive the strength of feeling given the situation atm)

Of course it is an improvement.

It would guarantee that the winning party in any seat has more support than the second place party.

If it wouldn't change the results of elections dramatically that just shows that FPTP, for all its flaws, isn't as unrepresentative as some make out.

I do enjoy the idea of making a country more democratic by ignoring the opinion of the electorate.

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burtthebike replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
0 likes

Rich_cb wrote:
Luca Patrono wrote:

AV was not an improvement. Analysis showed it would not have changed either any of or the overwhelming majority of election results. The Tories and Labour killed it by mandating that it be put to a referendum and then throwing the kitchen sink at the campaign against it. Now they gaslight by saying that referendum was the electorate voting to stick with FPTP forever. Constitutional reform should not be linked to what the electorate think or can be persuaded to think, it should be linked to what is objectively most democratic and representative of the people. (sorry guys, I imagine most of you hate the political discussion. hope you can forgive the strength of feeling given the situation atm)

Of course it is an improvement. It would guarantee that the winning party in any seat has more support than the second place party. If it wouldn't change the results of elections dramatically that just shows that FPTP, for all its flaws, isn't as unrepresentative as some make out. I do enjoy the idea of making a country more democratic by ignoring the opinion of the electorate.

The proposal on offer wasn't an improvement, and it was, as you point out, very little different to the existing situation, so why would anyone vote for it?  If we had been offered proportional representation, then the result might have been different, but the result is used to discredit PR, which we weren't offered.

FPTP is not democratic, and very few people claim that it is, they just keep repeating the mindless mantra that "it's our system" and therefore, in the good old British tradition, right.

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to burtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes
burtthebike wrote:

The proposal on offer wasn't an improvement, and it was, as you point out, very little different to the existing situation, so why would anyone vote for it?  If we had been offered proportional representation, then the result might have been different, but the result is used to discredit PR, which we weren't offered.

FPTP is not democratic, and very few people claim that it is, they just keep repeating the mindless mantra that "it's our system" and therefore, in the good old British tradition, right.

It was an improvement and ironically the last few elections have shown exactly why.

Tactical voting? Remain Alliance? Brexit party standing down to manipulate the results?

None of those things would happen under AV.

How is that 'not an improvement'?

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Hirsute | 4 years ago
8 likes

9 month ban; must be shitting himself

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quiff | 4 years ago
1 like

Seems the person filming was so angry they lost the ability to use actual words.

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hawkinspeter replied to quiff | 4 years ago
6 likes

quiff wrote:

Seems the person filming was so angry they lost the ability to use actual words.

It's Bristolian.

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Dingaling | 4 years ago
1 like

Probably won't be long before the behaviour police will be insisting that track athletes wear helmets. Let's face it, the 100m sprinters are doing nearly 40km/h and I can't do that on the flat on my bike.

I don't think anybody has got any business intervening, though it I'm sure they will, even going as far as knocking on your door to tell you your child should not be playing outside on their pedal car  or even running without a helmet.

Avatar
billymansell | 4 years ago
7 likes

What makes my blood boil is people who video in portrait. WTF is wrong with these people? Do they turn their telly on it's side?

Also, if they were so upset why not intervene? Is getting likes on Facebook more important than their supposed concern for the child?

"I'm soooo concerned for the welfare of a child I'm going to do nothing to help them but will film it for my Facebook friends"

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