Downing Street to Sir Chris Hoy: Thanks, but no thanks

Yeah, it's not the lack of a SCH appointment I'm moaning about - to be honest I don't think he'd do a very good job other than perhaps in a public awareness way.

I was more complaining about the Government not bringing in *anyone* as a "cycling tsar" (or whatever this weeks' publicity term is...) for fear of being held accountable when they fail to meet standards.

As others have said, SCH has no knowledge of road design, planning, standards, the politics around it etc. Give him credit though, he's not half bad at riding a bike.

I'd have thought he'd have enough on his plate anyway with his bike brand and media commitments.

He shouldn't get the job as an ambassador of cycling, why should he? just because he thinks he should? The sheer arrogance. The Government in this case is right ....

Both of them are completely unsuitable. Both Sir Chris Hoy and Sir Chris Boardman:

a) do not hail from civilised parts of the world
b) do not live in civilised part of the world
c) did not go to a good school
d) embezzled their knighthoods by indecent and dishonourable methods - sport, rather than honourable methods in the boardroom setting up jobs for retiring politicians or donating money to political parties.

Honestly, did Sir Chris Hoy honestly think he could have a voice in government when all he's done is ride bicycles?

Britain has many cycling-related problems: a judicial system that's biased in favour of the motorists, generally unhealthy lifestyle of a large percentage of the population, bad infrastructure planning that has been affected decades of pro-motor lobbying, (just look at the state of rail transport for another example of how motor-centric thinking has screwed the country over). Not to mention vile, unthinking hostility towards any perceived "others", whether it's cyclists, the poor, or immigrants.

And appointing a retired sportsman with no political experience or clout, no experience in sustainable transport planning and development, and no experience in management, administration or public advocacy, is not the solution, believe you me. But of course, since the problem has no easy solution, and talking about it takes too many big words and long sentences, let's just whine about how our beloved Sir Chris is not given some made-up job with no real power.

Seriously, the last thing Britain needs at this moment is another enthusiastic amateur in the government.

They are lining up Pat McQuaid.

..eh?

So we'll continue to watch lives being taken in exchange for £80 fines whilst being patronized with rhetoric about this government taking road safety seriously. Honestly, do we all need to get in our cars and start an accidental campaign to accidentally KSI members of parliaments families?

If I didn't have better sense and moral fibre I'd consider paying a few hundred quid and being out of my car for a few weeks to accidentally get a few 'road tax' dodging pedestrians of those supposedly at the top.

Shall we let paedophiles become teaching assistants? Maybe we can give commercial pilots with alcohol problems their licence back? Madness the MP would proclaim!

But give an individual with an attitude problem 2 tonnes of metal and hope for the best? Sure. Thanks Mr. Cameron.

Why is everyone getting their bib knickers in a twist over the governments refusal to act on a hypothetical question in a newspaper interview over an imaginary job?

According to a government spokesman, Eric Pickles is a good enough candidate.

What have they got to lose?
Dicks