Jeremy Vine denies graffitiing ‘F*@! Off’ on ‘Cyclists Dismount’ sign; Police catch cyclist riding down M55 hard shoulder; talkRADIO presenter must drive everywhere; Cycling out in the spring weather; Strade Bianche should go ahead + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Poldark's Richard Harrington worked for Deliveroo during lockdown
Poldark actor Richard Harrington is “grateful” for having been able to ride his bike every day after taking a job as a Deliveroo rider during lockdown last year. With no acting jobs available, Harrington turned to delivering people’s takeaways in London between March and September as a way of keeping himself occupied.
“I got a job with Deliveroo, going around on my bike and delivering takeaways to people,” he said. “I’m normally quite a fit person, but the lockdown had turned me into a lock-in, so I was thankful I was able to go on my bike every day because of the job.”
The actor has recently featured in The Crown and Gangs of London and is currently filming Fflam, a new drama on Welsh language channel S4C.
"Feels like a permanent switch": Thousands of cyclists make the most of the spring weather
Went out for a few hours this morning on the old bicycle. Genuinely insane amounts of folk enjoying a ride on what was a pretty chilly February day in London, and a more diverse, younger crowd too. Feels like a permanent switch for many. 👍
— Ned Boulting (@nedboulting) February 28, 2021
Another weekend of glorious weather brought out thousands of cyclists onto the roads, bike lanes and trails around the country. There are plenty of videos from London doing the rounds on social media…
#CS3 in London ☀️
This is people centred infrastructure.
So many people out walking 🚶♀️ and cycling 🚲
Safe infrastructure with dedicated space for active travel means that when conditions are right all ages all ability active movements are enabled.
More of the same please! pic.twitter.com/KHqwwymMGv
— Dermot Hanney (@HanneyDP) February 27, 2021
And it wasn’t just in London, there were similar scenes up and down the UK, like this video from Manchester…
A really lovely part of today was cycling along the Manchester Road share path.
I counted more people cycling and walking towards Manchester than in cars.
I have even provided a soundtrack.
🐕❤️🚲 pic.twitter.com/CoF4s6EXSL
— Harrie Larrington-Spencer (@tricyclemayor) February 28, 2021
Weekend racing round up: Pup in the peloton, insane bike handling and behind the scenes footage
Opening Weekend of the Belgian Classics lived up to its billing with racing across an uncharacteristically mild final weekend in February. On Saturday, Deceuninck-Quick-Step and Anna van der Breggen did what they do best, winning the men’s and women’s races respectively. It was Davide Ballerini who benefited from his super strong team, including the help of World Champion Julian Alaphilippe. On Sunday, Mathieu van der Poel came to the party, attacking from 83km to go, only being reeled in during the closing stages. The Dutch champion’s attack showed off some of his bike handling skills…
And thankfully nobody was hurt and this pet pup was back on the side of the road before causing any crashes…
Strade Bianche situation monitored as Siena infections are on the rise
Race organisers are closely monitoring the situation in the Italian province of Siena where next Saturday’s men’s and women’s editions of Strade Bianche are due to be held after tighter restrictions were implemented in the area following a rise in infections. The code red measures mean that residents can’t travel, unless for work or medical reasons and all non-essential shops have also closed until Sunday at the earliest. Dutch outlet Wielerflits reports that for the time being the races will continue as planned, although this will be decided in the next few days. Strade Bianche was the first WorldTour event held following the four month shutdown of pro racing last year when Wout van Aert took an impressive victory.
talkRADIO presenter must drive everywhere
Some campaigners say they want LTNs to be removed as a matter of social justice.
Occasionally the mask slips and they reveal their real motives; LTNs affect their perceived right to drive everywhere for short journeys, polluting other people’s neighbourhoods in the process. pic.twitter.com/JkkQSo5iGN
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) February 28, 2021
talkRADIO presenter Cristo Foufas is no stranger to slating LTNs and defending the need to drive in London…Yesterday he shared his journey running errands across South London, travelling exclusively by car…One Twitter user described Foufas’ inability to understand the geography of his own neighbourhood as “hilariously brilliant”, while others questioned why parts of his journey couldn’t be done by public transport, bike or on foot? Anyway, here it is in all its glory…
This diagram is hilariously brilliant. How can a single person not understand the geography of their own neighbourhood? This journey planning is absolute madness. Would love to see how he finds things in a grocery store, does go 6 times to each aisle before finishing?
— Justin Gist Preuninger (@elegancehq) February 28, 2021
Another cycle lane targeted by vandals spreading nails
Some twisted nut has covered Vernon Rd/Beverley Dr cycle access in rusty nails now. @NTCouncilTeam I’ll go back down with a brush & try to clean it up but it looks like we’re got a serial saddo on the loose. @JoeKirwin could u flag this to the appropriate bod pls?@northumbriapol https://t.co/FYpkiTZmJW pic.twitter.com/JbE28zyYTd
— Steve 😷 🚴🏻♂️ 🏴 (@boylemeister) February 27, 2021
Police catch cyclist riding down M55 hard shoulder
Although MN31 agreed that it was a lovely day for you to be out & about doing your daily exercise. They didn’t think the hard shoulder of the M55 was the best choice for a cycle. #T1TacOps @LancsTacOps pic.twitter.com/mb8LTwUG6F
— Lancs Road Police (@LancsRoadPolice) February 28, 2021
Lancashire Police caught this cyclist taking a Sunday spin on the M55 hard shoulder. No word about if the man was fined or just given a talking to but DCC Terry Woods said his actions were “silly”. DCC Woods said: “Lancashire Police cover well over 150 miles of motorway including M6, M61, M55, M65 and M58. Thankfully not many people are silly enough to risk cycling along them!”
This isn’t the first time the police force has had to deal with people riding on motorways. In May last year a cyclist was fined after a van driver crashed trying to avoid him on the M58. Later that month, police in Cheshire escorted four cyclists from the M53 after receiving numerous calls reporting the group.
Dr Richard Freeman verdict delayed again
Shock news: the fitness-to-practice medical tribunal of former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman – who is accusing of doping a rider – will not be handing down its decision tomorrow as ‘further time is required’. Verdict now expected on March 12.
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) March 1, 2021
One day possibly in the near future the Dr Richard Freeman case will reach a verdict…That day will not be tomorrow however. The case has been rumbling on for two years and a verdict was expected to be heard on Tuesday, but this has now been pushed back until March 12 at the earliest…In February, Freeman was charged with violating anti-doping rules.
New Coefficient Cycling Road Race carbon handlebars
Coefficient Cycling has revealed its new Road Race carbon handlebars, suitable for both the smooth tarmac and rougher gravel. The patent-pending integrated computer bridge claims to offer “hand placement options to powerfully and comfortably lift you over a steep climb and/or stretch-out and narrow-up to bridge a gap or breakaway from the pack”. While the patented Coefficient Swope design, with sloping, sweeping bar tops, promises to relax your upper body, improving both respiratory and neuromuscular functionality.
The bars, designed within UCI and ITU rules, have a 7 degree flare, measure 87mm from stem to computer, and are available from 38cm to 44cm, with smallest size weighing in at a claimed 310 grams.
Strade Bianche update from race organisers RCS Sport
RCS Sport has today told Cyclingnews that Strade Bianche should be unaffected by the province of Siena being put under new restrictions. “For now, the race is confirmed,” RCS explained. “Even though Siena is now classified as ‘code red’, that has no impact on the race, only on the public. Of course, anything can happen with the virus, but at the moment we have not yet received any notice that the race cannot take place.”
Earlier today we shared a report from the Netherlands which claimed a decision about the men’s and women’s races would be made this week.
Jeremy Vine denies graffitiing 'F*@! Off' on 'Cyclists Dismount' sign
I approve of this message 🤣 pic.twitter.com/TYjSUrvEoS
— Simon MacMichael (@simonmacmichael) February 28, 2021
road.cc news editor Simon MacMichael found this amusing piece of graffiti on a cyclists dismount sign in West London over the weekend and suggested it might have been the work of another local cycling advocate — Mr Jeremy Vine. Simon put the question to the broadcaster on Twitter and unfortunately for all who hoped Vine is secretly an anti-cyclists dismount sign vigilante, he denied it…Although that’s what he would say, isn’t it?
It wasn’t me.
(via @simonmacmichael) pic.twitter.com/gEk9IxbE4k— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) February 28, 2021
For a bit of context to the sign, the usual route for pedestrians, cyclists and joggers along the Thames Path is closed, meaning everyone has to use the narrow stretch of footway seen in the photos. Despite sometimes getting busy, the cyclists dismount sign is generally unnecessary considering how easy it is to roll through at walking pace…
Record numbers of children set to cycle to school from March 8
New research from Halfords has found that more children than ever before are set to cycle to school once they re-open next week. Over a third of adults in the UK have bought a bike since the start of the pandemic, with 28 per cent of those being kid’s bikes. Last Christmas saw the biggest ever sales of kid’s bikes at Halfords and 37 per cent of respondents said they were planning to buy themselves or a family member a bike in the next six months.
The number one reason for buying a bike was to keep fit with 58 per cent of 2,000 adults polled saying they wanted to cycle for exercise. Almost half said it was to spend time outdoors with their families, while 30 per cent wanted to avoid public transport.
The high street chain also announced today that their profits approach £100 million due to the cycling boom.
Another sign alteration...
Two sign vandals in one day, this time a subtle change to a no jogging instruction in Clifton in Bristol. At least they’ve opened up the evenings for anyone who’s that way inclined and wants some exercise before bed…Jeremy, was this one you?
More meddling from Mr Vine: should cyclists be able to get off their bikes and walk across at red lights?
Wow, this question certainly flushed out some prejudice. https://t.co/lCFqJF9TMK
— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) March 1, 2021
Most of us will already know that legally the answer is yes… but this is Twitter, where anyone can create their very own permanently incensed moral code.
Maybe I’ll just get out of my car and push it through the red light…?!?
Cyclists can’t just pick and choose which laws they want to obey.
— Slater 💙 (@Grossberger101) March 1, 2021
I’ll get out my car and push it across in that case
— Jamie Scott (@Jamie2090) March 1, 2021
Even if we know that those who think a pedestrian pushing a bike through a red light should be hung, drawn and quartered are actually talking cobblers, it’s a great opportunity to share this classic Mr Bean clip…
1 March 2021, 09:01
1 March 2021, 09:01
1 March 2021, 09:01
1 March 2021, 09:01
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Latest Comments
@chrisonabike True, things went back to normal once the pandemic was over. In this case, however the problems are still ongoing, and aren't likely to be resolved in the near future. If anything, they're going to get worse. Food shortages are predicted because of the effect that the heatwave has had on crops. This is bound to push prices up. The Straits of Hormuz aren't likely to reopen anytime soon and the strategic oil reserves are running low. Russia is having to import petrol because its own refineries have been badly hit, so that's even more competition for an even more scarce resource. I think that more and more people are going to see cycling as a way of cutting household bills.
I think if "grown up" cyclists * are quibbling about ASLs we've very much missed the road safety point anyway. (Not to mention the wider "better transport choices" picture). ASLs are poor-to-useless "cycling infra", even for their design intent. If the idea is "for less confident cyclists" then a design that requires that you re-position in front of the motor traffic - waiting to accelerate - seems unhelpful. Of course they're only designed to help when traffic is stopped, and you can reach the front in time and if vehicles aren't already occupying them. As we're noting here drivers frequently ignore them - whether that be deliberate, a lack of road craft, because they were concentrating on following the vehicle in front, or because the paint has rubbed off. * Aside: shouldn't cycling also be safe and accessible for kids? Or should they only be allowed to do this when accompanied by sufficient qualified adults? Or be limited to parks and otherwise being driven around by their carers? Perhaps there is another way...?
Hi Bungle, I saw you follow-up comment. I can't imaging there's a tolerance of 4 seconds on camera enforced lights, seems an odd decision - an offence is committed if a vehicle starts crossing on a red, any tolerance is discretionary. There does seem to be some odd thinking about 'advanced stop lines' where the rules relating to them are identical to a regular stop line, as explained correctly elsewhere in the Highway Code. It does seem a regular offence. Where I live it doesn't help that some of them are very faint and disappear in rain.
@ktache Not sure he's totally ruled out of the worlds yet (though I think it would be best if he doesn't), normal recovery time is about eight weeks but surgery can halve that...depending on the nature of the break he could be just about fit to ride by the time of the elite men's race, but he'll have missed a lot of training. Hopefully his managers and team will persuade him to wait until Lombardia, if not just to knock it off for the rest of the year.
@Bungle_52 The Met told me a couple of years ago when rejecting a submission that they needed a clear three seconds of red visible before they would consider it for an RLJ prosecution. I pointed out to them that this meant that at 30 mph a driver could see a light change to red from 40 metres away and still get through without sanction, or 55 m if they accelerated to 40 as most do. They just replied "them's our rules..."
@Ben Graham I have just checked the footage from my report. The driver crosses the 1st stop line 4 seconds after the light turns red. All on camera from behind the vehicle. No further action. So I assume the margin is at least 4 seconds.
Oh, and active travel funding per head (in England at least) is laughable compared to other places. Plus it is delivered intermittently. It's more like a Blue Peter contest...
Yup, I see those opportunities being missed all the time in Edinburgh. When it gets really bad, dig it all up and put it back down again how it was. Contrast with what seems to happen in NL - when things are dug up the whole thing seems to get a "let's redo this according to the current standards" treatment. They even coordinate with the utilities, so that after a refurb the street isn't immediately dug up again because of leaking pipes / we suddenly realised the new estate being planned for round the corner will want broadband etc. Pros and cons of course - you may wait longer there for changes as smaller changes may be deferred until a major redo is due. (Though in the UK case you likely wouldn't get them at all...) It seems we "can't have nice things" in the UK in part because a) we have greater motor traffic speeds/volumes spead across "streets" / within urban areas b) the funding and organisational responsibility differs. Are we in the "Sam Vimes boots" territory (being too poor to afford better products which not only save money over time but actually work)? There is long term money pressure on LAs and it seems that due to poor construction and maintenance we have to regularly pour money into (pot-)holes in the road. And it seems there's no budget to check up on or enforce adequate standards from utilities work or even private building.
Shame about the world champs defence. Speedy recovery. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/aug/30/tadej-pogacar-vuelta-a-espana-cycling-crash-hospital-stage-nine
I believe the accepted form for this kind of argument is "I know you are, you said you were, but what am I?".
39 thoughts on “Jeremy Vine denies graffitiing ‘F*@! Off’ on ‘Cyclists Dismount’ sign; Police catch cyclist riding down M55 hard shoulder; talkRADIO presenter must drive everywhere; Cycling out in the spring weather; Strade Bianche should go ahead + more on the live blog”
“Feels like a permanent
“Feels like a permanent switch”: Thousands of cyclists make the most of the spring weather”
Waste of money building all those car paths and then drivers don’t use the bloody things.
“Despite sometimes getting
“Despite sometimes getting busy, the cyclists dismount sign is generally unnecessary considering how easy it is to roll through at walking pace”
If done slowly and considerately it also takes up half the space of someone walking beside a bicycle too. Of course the anti cycling lobby doesn’t see it this way.
As usual rules(are they rules
As usual rules(are they rules??) are being made for everyone because a few idiots will try to ride along these paths at full speed – because they are ‘entitled to do so’
miekwidnes wrote:
So why isn’t the same attitude used for roads where there are persistent speeding drivers?
Re: F-off.
Re: F-off.
Parts of the NCR 4 alongside the Union Canal have been perma-closed with these or diversion signs ever since CrossRail works started. It must be at least for 4 years now, if not a lot more. F-Off indeed.
Once you hit London outskirts there is usually some random closure on NCR 4, its about time fines were introduced just like when Virgin dig up the street.
Is that the narrow piece of
Is that the narrow piece of footway with a dashed line (presumably) separating it into a cycle side and a pedestrian side?
(I’m still waiting for a “Roadworks – please turn off your engine, get out, and push” sign…)
Even better !
Not quite get out and push
https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/19121975.new-colchester-road-signs-encourage-drivers-switch-off-engines-pollution-hotspots/
The so-called “psychological messages”, installed in two of the town’s most polluted areas, provide drivers with a timely reminder to switch off their engines.
There are “No Idleing, please
There are “No Idleing, please turn engines off” signs at the taxi ranks and queues to them at Readiing station, meant for the very polluting black cabs, widely ignored and year round at that.
Is that the narrow piece of
Is that the narrow piece of footway with a dashed line (presumably) separating it into a cycle side and a pedestrian side?
I’ve run along here rather than cycled – I think it’s part of Hammersmith & Fulham’s ‘keep left’ campaign. They’ve painted dividing lines along much of the Thames Path under their jurisdiction and there are signs and sometimes even barriers to encourage pedestrians/cyclists/runners to stay on the left, as part of Covid-19 social distancing efforts. These also include banning cyclists and runners/joggers from using the path between 10am-3pm every day, a restriction that’s been in place since pretty early in last year’s lockdown. I’ve no idea how necessary a restriction that is, as I only head onto the Hammersmith bank of the river to go for a run or cycle and can’t be bothered arguing with the Covid marshals about my right to do so after 10am, so don’t know how much busier it is during those hours!
Smart motorways have been
Smart motorways have been getting a lot of bad press recently. So rather than converting the hard shoulder to a running lane of traffic, maybe we should keep the hard shoulder, but re-purpose it as a cycle lane?!
Does seem sad that the only
Does seem sad that the only roads with the appearance of a half decent cycle lane alongside, and we are not allowed to use them!
Remember a national speed
Remember a national speed limit dual carriageway with no hard shoulder is OK for cycling.
But using a road with the same limits and traffic density but a 3m wide hard shoulder to stay away from motor vehicles is reckless insanity.
wycombewheeler wrote:
It’s even good for a horse drawn vehicle – as long as it’s not racing…
https://goo.gl/maps/Cknky7rTvL14qsA67
Good job they haven’t
Good job they haven’t reviewed Eburt yet otherwise he would be facing another ban after that Christo tweet.
Someone put “TBF, buying
Someone put “TBF, buying petrol without a car isn’t easy.”
I have filled up with 5L in a can and strapped the can to my rack and cycled home several times (petrol for a mower).
Although was it also in the
Although was it also in the point that the Petrol wouldn’t be needed if he didn’t have the car? At least two of those journeys were only needed because he had a car, no car, no need. Also are these car washes just a laziness?
hirsute wrote:
I had to do that last week.
My car is in the garage having some serious welding done, and my wife announced when I got home that her car was saying it was completely empty.
I had to take a can down to the local garage and fill it. It fitted quite nicely in a messenger bag once I’d taken everything else out.
(I’ll tell you what, though, motorway service areas are NOT designed for the convenience of anyone not in a car. Even ones accessible from normal non-motorway roads…)
One up on me. Mine just fails
One up on me. Mine just fails to notice any warning lights or just hopes they will go away !
Did you use one of them? They
Did you use one of them? They charge about 15p a litre more then non motorway ones.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
Had to. The garage in the village had closed for the evening, and my wife refuses to use it for anything anyway (for reasons I’ve never got to the bottom of). So a quick ride down to Gordano Services for 4.5 litres of unleaded at 141p per litre…
Unleaded? I thought you ran
Unleaded? I thought you ran
old bangersclassic cars?Yes I do. But they both run
Yes I do. But they both run happily on unleaded (hardened cylinder heads fitted years ago, IIRC) (my car is currently in the garage having some welding done on the floorpan and heater channels to bring it back up to MOT standards (despite it not actually having to be MOTd I put it through an MOT-equivalent anyway, for safety’s sake)).
I wondered how it worked. Do
I wondered how it worked. Do you have to put in any additives as well?
No
No 😀
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
If anyone fancies an indefinite ban from twitter via an endless appeal, all they have to do is call him a cretin.
Christo reacted the same way
Christo reacted the same way to Ranty Highwayman as a mobile phone driver reacts when called out – it becomes about justifying it (“I have my reasons”) – which is a tacit admission that Ranty’s “why drive?” is a legitimate question. He could have ignored it – he hasn’t broken any rules in terms of travel choice, after all.
BtW, an LTN is just an update of older areas originally built with through roads for the car era, to be like every big housing area built in the past 50 years.
A bit unfair on whoever put
A bit unfair on whoever put that sign there. Clearly they were only trying to prevent cyclists from injuring themselves by inadvertently trying to cycle down the steps to the underpass.
re.14:03 Cycle lane vandalism
re.14:03 Cycle lane vandalism
Thats my neck of the woods! This is also getting reported from earlier today.
That idiot Cristo should use
That idiot Cristo should use a mapping tool and start riding a bike. He’d cut his journey times in half at least and wouldn’t have to worry about parking. I live in the area and know how frustrating it is to drive around, which is why I leave the car and opt for two wheels for local trips like that. It’s just so much easier by bicycle. It’d save him money on fuel and he’d get some exercise. And the weather was great at the weekend too.
OldRidgeback wrote:
Don’t be silly, it wouldn’t suit his anti cycling and LTN agenda. The guy is a serial Twitter twat, and worse he’s allowed to broadcast his views.
I’m disappointed that we don
I’m disappointed that we don’t know what circuitous route he took to return to Balham from Brixton. Why doesn’t the map show that? I could have used the bonus laugh ?
Probably went via Hampton
Probably went via Hampton Court or some such…
Re pushing a bike past a red
Re pushing a bike past a red traffic light, I was once pushing my bike the ‘wrong way’ on a one way street when a policeman stopped me and told me to go back to the start of the one way section and find an alternative route as ‘a bicycle is a vehicle and vehicles can’t proceed in a contrary direction to the traffic on a one way road”.
Almost 60 years later I still feel bitter about it!
And the policeman was
And the policeman was entirely in the wrong.
(and with all due respect to the Plod, not the last time a police officer was completely in the wrong about how the rules of the road apply to cyclists)
the little onion wrote:
Erm, I think that phrase may be a little self-contradictory.
mdavidford wrote:
Even oxymoronic.
I’ve never thought of pushing
I’ve never thought of pushing my bike across a junction, seems like more of a hassle than just waiting for the light to change.
Personally, I prefer to
Personally, I prefer to remember Richard Harrington from his role in ‘Hinterland/Y Gwyll’ than for having been in ‘Poldark’…
Low-traffic schemes benefit
Low-traffic schemes benefit most-deprived Londoners, study finds
Data dispels myth that low-traffic neighbourhoods are disproportionately found in privileged areas
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2021/mar/02/low-traffic-schemes-benefit-most-deprived-londoners-study-finds