“Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this”: Cyclocross rider who stamped on rival’s bike has beer chucked on him by spectator; Bus driver calls LBC and says “cyclists don’t belong on roads”; Cav and Roglič in kimonos + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Ineos add Australian climber Lucas Hamilton to roster — taking team's total riders tally up to 30
Ineos Grenadiers has announced the signing of 28-year-old Australian climber Lucas Hamilton from Team Jayco-AlUla for the 2025 season, and with that, the team’s tally of total riders has gone up to 30.
Hamilton, who’s been riding at the pro level for the seven years, and even tasted victories at Coppi e Bartal along with stage wins at Tirreno-Adriatico and Czech Cycling Tour, as well as finishing fourth overall at Paris-Nice in 2021, said: “I’m incredibly excited to join the INEOS Grenadiers. For many years I have watched the team’s success from the outside, and I’ve always held a deep respect for their achievements.
“Being a part of such a prestigious organisation is a great opportunity for me and I look forward to contributing to the team’s ongoing success. I can’t wait to get started and work alongside my new teammates!”
Ineos’ Performance Director, Scott Drawer, said: “Lucas has shown what he can do in the past and we believe in his talent and potential as a bike rider. He will fit in well with fellow riders and we are confident he will respond to the support we put around him with our new coaching and performance set up.”
“A big part of what we’re working towards is not only strengthening our rider roster but also entrenching a new approach within the team. Lucas’ experience across a wide variety of races means that he slots into an important area for us where he will also be able to support our impressive crop of young and emerging talent.”
The British outfit struggling to return to the glory days of 2010s has been mired in controversy, with a host of its biggest riders including Tom Pidcock, Luke Rowe, Geraint Thomas and even parting rider Ethan Hayter and former Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins peeling back the layers of the troubles and tribulations rapt within the team.
The team recently announced new staff and performance structure changes after its turbulent 2024 season – but fans were quick to remark that the latest overhaul seemed more “like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic”.
Commenting on Hamilton’s signing, one person on social media said: “Not great work in the transfer market is it,” while another replied: “Pretty poor, Ratcliffe definitely winding it down.”
One can only hope that Ratcliffe’s miseries aren’t compounded with his other team, you know, the one about to hire a young, tactical mastermind from Sporting CP and lead the team back to the top…
Cyclists caught looking at phones in Japan could face up to six months in jail, as new stricter cycling laws take effect
According to the new law, cyclists could also be sentenced to three years in prison and fined £2,500 for riding under the influence of alcohol…
🎩 Brand new, erm, cycling helmets alert...
After the whole Visma-Giro time trial helmet debacle from earlier this year, I don’t think I can handle one more pro cycling helmet situation… unless the new helmets are these?
The image is from the pre-race conference at the Saitama Criterium in Japan, supposed to take place tomorrow, with names like Romain Bardet, Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome, Biniam Girmay and Primož Roglič taking part. If you didn’t remember, this was the race in which Tadej Pogačar won his most coveted trophy last year — a white raddish wrapped in plastic…
"Who needs a Haribo anyway?": Halloween treats for the young'uns
I’ll tell you what’s really spooky, replacing a worn cassette WITHOUT replacing the chain too
— David O’Doherty (@phlaimeaux) November 1, 2024
“We need to scrap cycling… you’re putting your life at risk!”: Bus driver who believes bikes “don’t belong on the road” squares off with cyclist on LBC
LBC oft-times gets a handful of wild callers, but this time there’s one which has truly confounded us…
While on the topic of cycle lanes in London with reporter Henry Riley, cyclist Stuart had the (mis?)fortune of squaring off with Abraham, a bus driver who believed that “bikes don’t belong on the road”.
“We need to scrap cycling,” begins the caller. “We shouldn’t have cyclists on the road. They should be track-only. Honestly, look, I’m a bus driver, that’s my background. This 20mph stuff is ridiculous. Cyclists have been crossing 20mph, right?”
‘We need to scrap cycling…you’re putting your life at risk!’
‘I’m not – I’ve never been involved in one accident in 35 years.’Keen cyclist Stuart debates with caller Abraham, a bus driver, who says bikes don’t belong ‘on the road’.
@HenryRiley1 pic.twitter.com/CPbjnaI1Or— LBC (@LBC) November 1, 2024
Riles says: “Well a lot of drivers are also crossing 20mph… but you don’t seriously think we should rip up cycle lanes?”
“No I think we should… we don’t need them on the road,” Abraham replies, before responding directly to Stuart, who cycles to work every day. “Look Stuart, you’re putting your life at risk every day by cycling. You are, believe me!”
Stuart then says: “I’m not. I’ve never been involved in one accident in 35 years, so I’m not putting my life at risk… and what I wouldn’t do is put somebody else’s life at risk, which some cyclists do — the people who’re on their mobile phones — completely agree, we’re not a perfect race right? However, I’ve also seen bus drivers, taxi drivers, white van drivers who drift into cycle lanes.
“I’ve also seen some of the cycle lanes in London that how they’ve been designed [is] completely wrong. You have tourists who have to cross the cycle lanes to get to their coaches. In the last two years, I’ve probably seen six accidents where cyclists have careered into people who have to cross cycle lanes to get to their coach. So that’s a thing of planning that’s not to do with cyclists, but ill-conceived planning of cycle lanes.”
The duck's out of the bag!
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s duck-watching season. And no, I don’t mean to say those ducks
📍 Goeiemorgen Koppenberg! pic.twitter.com/NZgk9EdBUB
— X²O Badkamers Trofee (@X2OTrofee) November 1, 2024
“Is poor behaviour by some people cycling a reason to make children ride round buses unprotected on main roads?”: Leader of Green Party in London Assembly backs Sadiq Khan after mayor goes against Labour's request of halting floating bus stops rollout
Earlier this week, floating bus stops — the controversial schemes which makes the bike lanes go around a bus stop, segregating cyclists from motor traffic — made headlines as London Mayor Sadiq Khan decided to go against his own party member’s request to order a halt to the ‘bus stop bypasses’.
The request was made amidst continued pleas from many disabled charities and activities, as well as pointing out the issues this design can cause to the older populace, as pedestrians are required to make their way through a mini-crossing to go over from the pavement to the footpath.
However, Sadiq Khan has now found himself an ally in Green Party’s leader in the London Assembly, Caroline Russell, who praised the incumbent mayor for his decision to not buckle under pressure from party members, but at the same time called for more thorough research, thought and discussion — and ultimately, implementation of improved infrastructure that serves the needs for both cyclists as well as the elderly and the disabled.
Russell wrote that she had meeting with Londoners to talk about street designs in particular bus stop bypasses, including a number of organisations such as Inclusion London, Wheels for Wellbeing, Action Vision Zero, Transport for All and Guide Dog Campaigners.
“Bus stop bypasses are relatively new to London’s streets. They are being installed to protect children and less confident people on bikes from traffic danger. Some have been squeezed in without enough space and designs vary from place to place,” the Islington Borough councillor said.
“I’ve heard that unfamiliar and inconsistent street designs are confusing and can lead to disabled people fearing making everyday journeys and that’s not okay.
“Some people riding bikes are inconsiderate and that needs tackling. And so are some drivers. Is poor behaviour, by some people cycling, a reason to make children ride round buses unprotected on main roads?
“TfL were right to collect evidence about the good safety record and low risk posed by bus stop bypasses. But that’s not the whole picture. If new street layouts cause anxiety to disabled, blind and vision-impaired people that needs urgent action too.
“TfL should be able to create inclusive streets where everyone can feel confident getting on and off buses independently at bus stop bypasses AND children and unconfident Londoners on bikes are protected from traffic”
“This needs:
- early engagement and co-design with disabled and vision-impaired Londoners
- consistent designs
- clear expectations about who gives way to whom
- clarity for people on bikes about the need to pause at a bus stop bypass to let people cross the bike lane
“It also means:
- agreeing the safety purpose of vision zero projects and
- extensive communication with all Londoners so everyone is clear about how bus stop bypasses work and the need to keep each other safe as we make our daily journeys.
She concluded her Twitter thread saying: “I’m glad to see the Mayor has not given up on bus stop bypasses. I hope TfL will work to keep all Londoners safe and show that it understands the impact of unfamiliar street designs on the journeys of older, disabled, blind and vision-impaired people.”
The thread from Russell seems to have been well-received by many cyclists and cycling campaigners. London Cycling Campaign’s Head of Communications, Simon Munk, perhaps put it best: “Thoughtful, nuanced thread from an ace politician! We need more of this and not just on ‘floating’ bus stops.
“So, can floating bus stops be improved? Absolutely. Is it vital we listen to concerns/act? Yes. Does that mean ban/ moratorium/ veto/ end to inclusive cycling routes? No.”
Feel free to share your experiences with floating bus stops and what do you think about them in the comments…
Mark Cavendish and Primož Roglič swap bike bibs for kimonos, pedalling for martial arts, and chapeaus for ojigis at Saitama Criterium
Has anyone looked more uncomfortable than Primož Roglič for being asked to put on a kimono and do some rudimentary martial arts moves for, let’s say a decent sum of money?
Cav on the other hand, couldn’t look happier! It really feels that the Manx Missile has rediscovered his love for the sport and truly wants to stay in it now that the chip of that 35th win is off his shoulder…
🚨 road.cc Podcast: We chat with Ned Boulting, who laments the loss of Tour de France, “the only race that matters”, from ITV’s free-to-air broadcast
From 2026, the familiar sights of the Tour de France – the epic mountain ranges, fields of sunflowers, Tadej Pogačar riding off into the distance – will remain the same. But for many cycling fans in the UK, the sounds will be very different.
Next year’s Tour, the 25th edition of the race to be shown live on ITV, will be the final one to be broadcast on free-to-air television in the UK (for the foreseeable future at least), after it was announced last week that Warner Bros. Discovery and Eurosport have agreed a new exclusive TV rights deal for cycling’s biggest race from 2026 onwards.
“The Tour is going to go into a place where, in the UK media landscape, you normally find biathlon and hockey,” ITV’s lead cycling commentator Ned Boulting tells the road.cc Podcast…
What is an all-road bike? A guide to this emerging road bike category plus a selection of the best
> What is an all-road bike? A guide to this emerging road bike category plus a selection of the best
“This is not going to be his best day”: Spectator who threw beer at Eli Iserbyt at Belgian cyclocross race gets arrested and charged with assault and battery
After the bizarre moment where Belgian cyclocross champion Eli Iserbyt was thrown beer at by a spectator at the Koppenbergcross earlier, it’s now reported that the person was swiftly escorted away from the course by security and has now been arrested, with police drawing up a report for assault and battery.
Cheerio……. https://t.co/qJVe3k6doG pic.twitter.com/SF9ZxLZK8I
— MarkSuperprestige (@MontVentoux23) November 1, 2024
Jurgen Mettepenningen, team manager for Iserbyt’s team Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal, did not mince his words for the spectator, saying: “It’s very simple. This is crappy and marginal. People like that should stay at home. This has no place in cyclocross… cyclocross is a beautiful sport. I also think the people who react at home behind their keyboards are stupid. Support someone, but not against someone.”
Belgian news website Het Nieuwsblad also reported that Bingoal and Golazo are planning to file a joint complaint with the police. Christoph Impens from Golazo said: “This is not going to be his best day. We immediately rewound the images in the control room and sent them to our event manager downstairs. He immediately walked outside and identified the beer thrower and led him to the police. This does not belong at a cross.”
“Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this”: Cyclocross rider who stamped on rival’s bike has beer chucked on him by furious spectator
The X²O Badkamers Trophy kicked off today with the Koppenbergcross today, and the sparks are already flying — with none other than Eli Iserbyt in the midst of it all.
Last month, the 27-year-old Belgian CX champion had grabbed all the headlines after he rather aggressively and animatedly stamped on Fenix rider and former teammate Ryan Kamp’s rear mech as the two came together at a corner on a muddy downhill section.
And now at the Koppenbergcross, which marks the first race for the Belgian cyclocross racing series, he’s once again become the attention magnet — although this time, due to no act of his own.
As Iserbyt was making his way around the course on the second lap and looking to chase down the front of the pack with Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal teammate Michael Vanthourenhout, a spectator chucked a can of beer at him from over the barriers.
Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this … #koppenbeegcross @IserbytEli pic.twitter.com/TOjmc6ZlGz
— Philippa York (@pippa_york) November 1, 2024
The incident follows a bizarre phenomenon of racegoers throwing their drinkables — and sometimes, edibles too — at the riders, making one question, “Why even attend the race?” (and perhaps also, “Why waste beer?”).
That’s the question that mountains jersey winner at the 1984 Tour de France Pippa York also seemed to ask, sharing a clip of the incident on Twitter with the caption: “Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this…”
Thankfully, the TV cameras soon cut to security personnel taking away the person responsible for throwing the beer.
The race was eventually won by Lars van der Haar, who marked another victory this season after his win at the Exact Cross in Beringen (the same race where Iserbyt was disqualified), with Iserbyt himself finishing second.
Help us to bring you the best cycling content
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £2.49. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.
25 Comments
Read more...
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
I have given my thoughts on this in the forum thread "Derbyshire: action on close pass reports only in “exceptional circumstances”". My first attempt with links was submitted on 30/10/26 and is STILL AWAITING MODERATION so I resubmitted replacing the links with descriptions. It is copied below : Gloucestershire Constabulary is way ahead. They never took any action on close passes but in September 2024 they started sending out advisory letters to close passers. Note that in Gloucestershire an advisory letter merely asks the driver to refresh their knowledge of the highway code and is not a warning letter. search : close-pass-isnt-offence-says-police-officer on roadcc for the article I have had action taken for a close pass since. In one I am convinced that action was taken because an oncoming driver was inconvenienced. near-miss-day-of the day 946 In the other I suspect someone on the team slipped up and the driver was sent a NIP. I was told afterwards that the driver was going to go to court to challenge the decision but changed their mind when shown the footage. near-miss-day-931 The link also shows that a very similar close pass a year later was back to advisory letters and I have had many similar outcomes since. Some on here think advisory letters are a waste of time and I agree that for some drivers it will be as water off a ducks back, but I have noticed a distinct improvement in driving around me since the policy started. I think most drivers genuinely think they have done nothing wrong but a letter from the police is a real wake up call. In answer to your question then in Gloucestershire someone has to be inconvenienced for action to be taken. Inconveniencing an oncoming driver is one possibility but having to swerve or brake to avoid being hit is another. Obviously this rarely happens with a close pass, especially those at speed which are the most dangerous, you simply don’t have time to do anything. As far as I can make out being frightened out of your skin doesn’t count as inconvenience either. They now seem to have stopped sending even advisory letters for close passes as they are short staffed.
If the police are overwhelmed with evidence showing dangerous driving, then that shows that the dangerous driving is endemic: the graveyards and hospitals are full of the victims. If it is endemic, then one of two things must be true, or both: the detection rate is not high enough, and/or the punishment is not sufficient to deter. So in this case, we have the victims providing the evidence, in most cases all the officers need to do is view that evidence. If the officers don't have time, then the process should be automated, possibly by AI. If the driver disputes it, then a real person could view it, but if they consider the driving to be dangerous, the driver should pay for the officer's time. Then we have the lack of punishment, or punishment which doesn't fit the crime, because it does not deter people from offending. The current system of points and fines is clearly not working, and something rather more effective has to be done, like confiscating the car for instance. ".......the Chief Inspector recommended that road users use a rear-facing camera and evidence their own speed at the time of the overtake." I fail to see what the speed of the vehicle being overtaken has to do with the overtaking vehicle passing too closely. Would it be ok if you were doing 5mph, or 25mph? Baffling.
In principal, driverless cars have the potential to be much safer than human drivers, by virtue of the fact that they should be intent on following the rules of the road, nor driving whilst drunk/drugged, never be tired, frustrated, irrational etc, etc. Another advantage is that mistakes can be corrected and rolled out across the entire fleet (try that with humans. Add to that the resulting reduction in car ownership, increased car sharing, and the sheer amount of street space given over to parked cars will plummet. The key factor, however, is how much of those principles the owning companies are prepared to commit to. (Altruism isn't their strong point)
I'm going to take a close look at some of the lights mentioned. For reference: I extensively used the following: - Nightrider lumina (don't recall the exact model): horrible temperature control and after 18 months it bricked up on me and they refused to honour the warranty, will never buy anything from them ever again; - Lezyne 1600 XXL, two issues, firstly the strap that attached it to the handlebar never kept in place really well over rough terrain. Secondly: a cop stopped me and although -to me riding the bike- it appeared well adjusted, he claimed I was blinding oncoming traffic. He actually held the bike so I could check for myself from inside his car and he was simply right: the light level on the ground was ok but indeed, I was blinding oncoming traffic. That's a hard no, it had to go even though he didn't fine me. I don't want to annoy/be a risk to other road users; - Then the Lupine: solid as a rock, mounted on a GoPro mount, USB-C charging, StVZO compliant...but alas not enough oomph considering terrain and desired speed; Thinking back, it somehow seems like a light I had on my bike back when I was riding long distance events (Audax, crazy distances but lower average speeds) might have been ideal, that was a Son Edelux and it ran on a Son hub dynamo. But I don't want to install a dynamo and again, lower speeds.
Well that all blew up quickly! A pause to savour: "cyclists have a dislike for linguistic accuracy and authentic meaning." Apparently it's something to do with the cyclic muscle movements - ah, no, that would affect runners and rowers also. Circular motion of the limbs?
@mattw Yeah, and Oxford Street will be full of unicorns and rainbows by then as well. 🤣
@stulemanski Actually I think they do, as long as there is good behaviour. Complete cycle bans are vanishingly rare in the Netherlands, which is the best comparison. In 10-20 years time there will be a mobility track, and there will be no real problems.
@Rendel Harris That assumes training, expertise, and the time to do a proper job including full consultation. This does not happen, and then rapid assumptions are made based on "me". That also happens with cycling groups who campaign for something and completely ignore eg tricycles or other varieties of vehicle, in favour of standard cycles. Both lived experience and professional experience are essential. This week I have been looking at a brand new £50k 3m-wide path upgrade in my local Green Flag Park, where the Council have spent perhaps £3k installing a 3 ply chicane with 1.5m gaps and 1.5m spacing between barriers at one end of it. The path also includes a 1-in-9 30m long hill. I have since been talking to a lady who is a wheelchair user and has a fully-trained assistance dog which walks alongside, who is thereby prevented from entering the park she pays for with her Council Tax. Those dimensions are unusable for most small mobility scooters, never mind other mobility aid users, and are flat out unlawful, and not in accordance with several sets of Government Guidelines. Yet when I complain I expect to be stonewalled to the door of the Court in the hope that I will get exhausted and go away. At the door of the Court they usually capitulate, and will have spent 7-10k on legal letters and compensation and doing what they should have done at the start. That £3k could have been spent sorting out perhaps 10 other anti-disabled barriers around our Green Flag Parks. Every complaint so far I have made has been met with "Does Not Meet Threshold for Action".
@flowboy I'm not sure what your point is, FB. Unforfunately, in a world of insufficient resources and gutted Councils with no expertise (for example the near-vanishing of Accessibility Officers) due mainly to available resources being halved since 2010, the only things that will get a response are likely to be details supported by a credible threat of legal action. That's how it is. Even then they often rely on obfuscation via complaints procedures that can take 12 months and have no teeth.
@flowboy I'm not sure what your point is, FB. Unforfunately, in a world of insufficient resources and gutted Councils with no expertise (for example the near-vanishing of Accessibility Officers) due mainly to available resources being halved since 2010, the only things that will get a response are likely to be details supported by a credible threat of legal action. That's how it is. Even then they often rely on obfuscation via complaints procedures that can take 12 months and have no teeth.
25 thoughts on ““Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this”: Cyclocross rider who stamped on rival’s bike has beer chucked on him by spectator; Bus driver calls LBC and says “cyclists don’t belong on roads”; Cav and Roglič in kimonos + more on the live blog”
I’m glad to see some push
I’m glad to see some push back against the idea that floating bus stops are inherently bad, or that scrapping them would be without consequence.
But also pleased that there is to be an effort to consider the design, and to differentiate between the ones that have been badly installed and the better ones, and hopefully political will not just to ensure future ones are good, but existing ones are improved where required..
Indeed.
Indeed.
I think it’s yet another case where knowledge is not the problem *, space is not the problem, money is not even the problem. Because this is “change” it’s all about feelings. So “politics” and “messaging” and “feeling listened to” are vastly more important than any stats or facts.
* Although I’m sure there are plenty folks who could usefully view e.g. this article and video on the best floating bus stop infra (or this informed UK perspective) or even spend some time using this infra in NL…
I think this rhetorical
I think this rhetorical
What do you say wtjs ?!
Are they loading on the zig
Are they loading on the zig-zags, or driving with the tail-lift down?!
What do you say wtjs ?!
What do you say wtjs ?!
Of course it’s rhetorical! OpSnap Lancs is the most efficient way yet devised of getting videos of driving offences into the bin, although they try it on with the gullible when they think the complainant isn’t the type to follow it up- they claim to be taking action where their devious form of words includes ‘doing nothing’ under ‘taking action’. No photo or video tonight – I’m cycle camping in the Lakes
Hope it’s at least a 3 season
Hope it’s at least a 3 season bag.
It’s warmer up here than it
It’s warmer up here than it was on the Whitehaven to Sunderland C2C a month ago!
Bus driver : “I am
Bus driver : “I am professional motorist but I don’t understand how to properly drive where there are cyclists. So I think we should ban the cyclists”.
From my observations, the
From my observations, the standard of driving by bus drivers in London is getting worse and worse.
100% agree.
100% agree.
Indeed.
Indeed.
As seen here:
https://youtu.be/SF4u42-lx84
Steve K wrote:
The operators may have found it harder to recruit and retain drivers in recent years though but – in the interests of balance, and in support of people who do a hard job for little money – I can’t say I noticed the standard of bus driving in London deteriorating throughout the 2010s.
Apparently speeding cyclists
Apparently speeding cyclists are the major problem in the Royal Parks, in London!
https://x.com/baoigheallain/status/1852267677948997717?s=46&t=qoU8Nofl6kk5Dw2vuiFWKw
rct wrote:
Definitely the cyclist’s fault – they fled the scene but left their bike there.
Bloody hell.
Bloody hell.
Always amazes me how hard some people must be trying to have “accidents”.
Those aren’t kimonos. They’re
Those aren’t kimonos. They’re wearing hakama pants and keikogi tops.
Beer? Did he taste it? It
Beer? Did he taste it? It might look like beer…
Lets not forget the bus
Lets not forget the bus driver who said cyclists have to stop just before a bus stop and look around…
“…we’re not a perfect race.
“…we’re not a perfect race…”
In fact, we’re not a separate ‘race’ at all. We’re not even a separate people. We ride bikes, we walk and, by and large, we drive motor vehicles too. Just like you, Abraham.
But statistically better.
And even if we do get it wrong on a bike, we don’t weigh 10t with all the risking of others’ lives that that entails.
Meanwhile, Abraham manages in one puff of steam from his ears to complain simultaneously that cyclists are going faster than 20mph and that 20mph limits are medieval.
To be fair, it was the
To be fair, it was the cyclist who said “we’re not a perfect race”, not the bus driver othering us.
Cyclists have the right to
Cyclists have the right to use the roads— they are public roads, not bus, car, or HGV roads.
“Cyclists should not be
“Cyclists should not be allowed on the roads”
If cars (Motor vehicles) were invented tomorrow and it was known that they would cause about 30,000 KSIs per year they would definitely not be allowed on the roads. Fortunately we invented motornormativity shortly after the motor vehicle.
Cycloid wrote:
I think we’ve moved on a bit now and we should be saying that drivers cause 30,000 KSI’s a year. Also I suspect an additional number of deaths can be attributed to pollution caused by cars being driven.
Having said that the fact that cars are potentially dangerous has been known since they were invented but the motoring lobby has persuaded successive governements that casualties are an acceptable price for the economic benefits of manufacturing and selling automobiles. Not to mention the perceived feeling of “freedom” they give to the driver. I doubt that if cars were invented tomorrow that anything would be different.
A link to an interesting read below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsafe_at_Any_Speed:_The_Designed-In_Dangers_of_the_American_Automobile
“I think we’ve moved on a bit now and we should be saying that drivers cause 30,000 KSI’s a year. Also I suspect an additional number of deaths can be attributed to pollution caused by cars being driven.
Having said that the fact that cars are potentially dangerous has been known since they were invented but the motoring lobby has persuaded successive governements that casualties are an acceptable price for the economic benefits of manufacturing and selling automobiles. Not to mention the perceived feeling of “freedom” they give to the driver. I doubt that if cars were invented tomorrow that anything would be different.”
You’ve pinched those arguments from the American Gun Lobby
That would be trying to push
That would be trying to push back against the depersonalising language of motornormativity I think (“car crashes into building”…).
Times have changed perhaps but I’m pretty sure that the presence of – or potential of – large sums of money is still warping reality, attracting people and bending – if not breaking – rules and laws. We’re still all about “growth” apparently?
However the “PR” of the development of motoring is a sobering study. (Still ongoing – witness the VW emissions scandal, “plan for drivers”…). It shows more than the usual lies, distortions, political corruption or “state capture”, disregard for environmental or human consequences etc.
Too many examples to list but the invention of jaywalking and the leaded petrol saga stand out.