Is the Tube strike turning London’s cycle lanes into “mosh pits on wheels”? Cyclists claim commute is “carnage” due to red light jumpers and hire bikes – but others say increased demand proof that better, wider cycleways needed + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
While we’re on the subject of commuting by bike…
> You don’t need fancy kit to cycle to work: here’s how to commute by bike on the cheap, and when it’s best to invest
“In my book I’m a grand tour stage winner”: Nicolas Vinokurov jokingly claims Angliru stage victory – because he was leading with 8km to go
Yesterday’s Vuelta stage, it’s fair to say, was pretty chaotic, even by the standards of this year’s tumultuous race.
A huge pro-Palestine protest on the final climb to Mos. Castro de Herville rendered it unpassable, forcing the organisers into some quick thinking which saw the finish line moved to the foot of the mountain, with 8km to go.
However, unlike last week’s truncated stage in Bilbao, the Vuelta bosses decided there would still be a winner on the day, much – I imagine – to Tom Pidcock’s chagrin.
And before we knew it, Egan Bernal was outsprinting Mikel Landa to a makeshift finish line just short of the 8km banner, complete with a man holding a clipboard, in a scene more reminiscent of your local Aussie Pursuit race on a Tuesday evening than one of the sport’s grand tours.
(Adding to the chaos, Bernal also kept sprinting for 50 metres or so past the hastily constructed finish line to the big banner on the road, just to make sure.)
Now, it seems Bernal’s victory – his first since his life-threatening training crash back in 2022 (and his third, remarkably, on shortened grand tour stages) – has inspired a few others to step forward and claim a Vuelta win.
This morning, XDS-Astana rider and cycling nepo baby Nicolas Vinokurov took to Twitter to claim that he, in fact, was the rightful winner of Friday’s stage to the iconic Angliro – because he was leading the breakaway with 8km to go.
“I was also in front at 8km to go, so in my book I’m a grand tour stage winner,” Vino Jr joked.
To be fair, it’s probably more legitimate than most of his dad’s wins…
Anyway, back to the racing… If we get any, that is
Not that it really matters in the grand scheme of things, with the way this Vuelta has panned out, but today’s stage could prove pivotal in deciding the outcome of this year’s red jersey.
A classic Vuelta hockey stick profile – a mostly flat build-up to a tough summit finish – stage 17 has GC battle written all over it, with the final 8.8km, 9.7 per cent climb to the Alto del Morredero testing enough to see gaps open up between Jonas Vingegaard and João Almeida.
But which way will the GC pendulum swing?
Just 48 seconds separate the top two, and after today there’s only tomorrow’s crucial time trial and Saturday’s stage to Bola del Mundo left to shake up the standings. So, basically, there’s no time to waste if you’re Almeida and UAE (or if you’re Vingegaard and you want to put things to bed before the TT).
And can Tom Pidcock stave off another Jai Hindley assault and hold on to his podium place?
Expect fireworks. Unless, of course, the stage doesn’t make it to the end. Which, let’s face it, is the most likely outcome at the moment.
“We are not and cannot say that he drove into her. The best we can say is that they came into contact. She may have driven into him”
> Cyclist killed by distracted lorry driver on London bridge “sadly contributed to her own death”, says judge as driver avoids prison
Bernal’s Barbers: Ineos get the clippers out, celebrating second Vuelta stage victory with two buzz cuts for Michał Kwiatkowski and Brandon Rivera
So, how do you celebrate winning your first big race in four years, and your first since a horrifying, life-threatening crash? By making two of your teammates shave their heads, apparently.
Well, at least that’s how the Ineos Grenadiers celebrated Egan Bernal’s emotional, long-awaited triumph at the Vuelta yesterday, the Colombian’s first victory outside his national championships since the 2021 Giro d’Italia.
Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio Baixauli
And while Bernal may have been denied the traditional podium ceremony or finish line photo, thanks to the protests that abruptly curtailed another Vuelta stage, the team did at least get to enjoy their own unique celebration ritual.
The former Tour winner’s stage victory was the second of the Vuelta for Ineos, after Ben Turner’s win on stage four, which meant – according to an apparent deal agreed at the start of the race – that two teammates would be forced to walk around with some very severe haircuts.
2014 world champion Michał Kwiatkowski and Bernal’s long-time friend Brandon Rivera duly stepped forward, with Filippo Ganna (and his mass of curly hair) seemingly wielding the clippers. And the results are, well, I’ll let you see for yourself:
Suits you, sirs.
“We made a deal. Stage win = shaved head,” the newly slap-headed Kwiatkowski tweeted this morning. “Egan Bernal delivered, Brandon got picked on Monday, I volunteered somehow.
“Bob Jungels, get your trimmer ready for today.”
They’re confident, anyway.
Beyond the post-stage frivolities, Bernal told reporters that yesterday’s win was the result of three years of struggle, which he hopes will act as an inspiration for others.
Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio Baixauli
“When I decided to continue racing, it was because I wanted to inspire people, it wasn’t because of anything else,” the 28-year-old said.
“I just wanted to tell the people that if you really want something, you can do it, and that you have to keep going and try to find motivation.
“Sometimes it’s not easy, sometimes the easier way is to just give up, but when things are super bad, that’s where you really have to find some strength to keep going.”
Chapeau, Egan.
Is this a hack, a bodge, or a visit to A&E?
Errr… Has the tube strike made Endura lose the plot? How about this for a ‘tip’ for any newbie cyclists seeking a new mode of transport during this week’s industrial action in London?
“Hey London strikelisters! Folks baggsying those precious Lime bikes and need a pedal in a hurry? 8mm coachbolt, few washers, two nuts and a nyloc nut – good to go!” the brand wrote on Instagram.
And you thought there was already carnage on the capital’s cycle lanes…
“Leaked footage of radical anti-car cyclists at a training camp”
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked footage of radical anti-car cyclists at a training camp.
— Tom Flood (@tomflood.bsky.social) September 7, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Oh, UK Cycling Expert, how we’ve missed you
BREAKING NEWS: Relief for organisers as absolutely no one turns out on the roadside to watch the La Vuelta of Spain.
— UK Cycling Expert (@ukcyclingexpert) September 10, 2025
It’s funny because it’s true. You can’t have a race-ending protest if there’s nobody at the race…
“Racing to an undefined finish line is not really fair sport”
More from a truly chaotic Vuelta, where the riders are voting with their feet and threatening to stop the race if more anti-Israel protests disrupt the Spanish grand tour:
> “We’re just pawns in a very large chess game”: Riders threaten to neutralise Vuelta if pro-Palestine protests disrupt race
I told you we’d be lucky to see the end of today’s stage.
Visma-Lease a Bike CEO Richard Plugge calls on Vuelta organisers to “do everything possible” to keep race “secure”, while urging protesters “not to interfere with our riders”
It’s fair to say that Vuelta leader Jonas Vingegaard has struck something of a conciliatory tone when it comes to the pro-Palestine protests that have dominated this year’s race.
On Monday, we reported that the Dane insisted that the ongoing protests – which curtailed yesterday’s stage and indirectly lead to Javier Romo’s ultimately race-ending crash at the weekend – are being carried out “for a reason”.
“But in relation to the discussion about the protests, you know, people do it for a reason, it’s horrible what’s happening currently and I think those protesting do so here because they need a forum to be heard,” the red jersey said.
“They need the media to allow them that possibility to be heard, so they do it here. Of course in a way it’s a shame it happens exactly here, I think a lot of us rider think so, but again, I think they’re just desperate to be heard.”
Zac Williams/SWpix.com
However, while Vingegaard has shown some sympathy with the protesters, his Visma-Lease a Bike boss Richard Plugge was less forgiving after yesterday’s stage – which had the potential to decide this year’s race – was stopped early after protests engulfed the final climb.
“It is really unfortunate that this decision once again had to be taken to guarantee the riders’ safety,” Visma CEO Plugge said in a statement last night.
“As long as the race organisers and the UCI allow the Vuelta to continue, I assume they can also ensure it is done in complete safety.
Zac Williams/SWpix.com
“But this is already the second time they have had to reconsider that during the race, and that has an impact on the outcome of the race.
“I would like to once again call on the public not to interfere with our riders and the race. At the same time I urge the organisers to do everything possible to secure the event so that we can all enjoy an exciting battle in the final week of the Vuelta.”
The Vuelta doing Vuelta things
It may be all quiet on the protest front so far today (I said so far), but that doesn’t mean stage 17 doesn’t have its fair share of chaos.
As the favourites hit the foot of the final climb, they were forced to avoid a motorbike rider who crashes on a narrow road just before a bend.
Following that near miss, things have exploded on the Alto del Morredero and its barren, fire-devastated landscape, thanks to a searing attack by the flying Jai Hindley. Pidcock and Vingegaard were able to follow the Australian, but Almeida was put in the difficulty.
The Portuguese diesel engine has winched his way back on, as the toughest gradients start to ease, with everything all square in the lead group of six as they enter the final 5km.
Red Bull’s Giulio Pellizzari soars to first pro victory at the Vuelta on windy Alto del Morredero as GC battle ends in stalemate
It’s been coming for quite a while now, but on the windy, desolate landscape of the Alto del Morredero, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Giulio Pellizzari finally got his wings.
The 21-year-old Italian has long been touted as a future grand tour star, placing second in a stage (to Tadej Pogačar no less) at his debut grand tour, the 2024 Giro d’Italia, before finishing sixth overall at this year’s Giro.
And with a Vuelta top five within reach, Pellizzari upped it a notch this afternoon at the Alto del Morredero’s fire-devastated summit, timing his attack to perfection to ride away from the favourites and secure his maiden professional victory.
The Italian’s stage-winning move came after his teammate Jai Hindley had softened up the GC group considerably with a series of bruising attacks, including a few that put João Almeida, Jonas Vingegaard’s biggest contender for red, in danger.
Those Hindley attacks, most notably, served to weaken Matthew Riccitello, Pellizzari’s only challenger for the white young rider’s jersey. By the time Pellizzari launched, the American had nothing left to give, and was distanced by the rest in the sprint to the windswept finish.
When it comes to the battle for the podium, however, the windy conditions – often a catalyst for conservative tactics on climbs – resulted in a stalemate. Almeida recovered from his early wobbles to concede just 22 seconds to Vingegaard, keeping him within 50 of the race leader.
And that conservatism even rubbed off on the usually effervescent Tom Pidcock, who admitted after the stage that he had prioritised his GC position over stage hunting.
The Brit, however, showed he still has plenty of zip in his legs heading into the uncharted waters of a grand tour third week, outsprinting his podium rival Hindley to take second behind Pellizzari.
“I think that’s the sacrifice when riding for the podium – I sacrificed the stage,” Pidcock admitted after the stage.
“It could have been really nice, it’s a bit of a shame. But we’re racing for the podium and you have to make some sacrifices. We were all alone in the final apart from the Bora boys, who showed it.”
All square, then, after round one in the Vuelta’s last week. Only two more GC rounds left before Madrid. Will the knock out blow come during tomorrow’s time trial?
Random cyclist of the day: Former Manchester United boss (and current Austria manager) Ralf Rangnick uses e-bike to get around stadium during World Cup Qualifier
Now, here’s something I didn’t expect to see over the international break.
Yes, that’s Ralf Rangnick, the German football coach who served as Manchester United’s beleaguered interim manager back in 2021 and 2022, famously asserting that the Old Trafford club was in need of “open heart surgery”.
He’s now in charge of the Austrian national team, and is currently recovering from his own recent surgery – to his ankle, not his heart, however.
And, faced with the prospect of hobbling about on his bad ankle during Austria’s World Cup qualifier with Bosnia- Herzegovina last night, Rangnick instead opted for an e-bike, so he could make his way around the stadium more easily:
Überragend: Verletzter #Rangnick düst mit dem eBike zum Pausentee. #BIHAUT #ÖFB pic.twitter.com/7Twq6VfrVs
— Jochen Tittmar (@teiteteemaer) September 9, 2025
Genius. I’d love for this to catch on. Imagine Ruben Amorim and Pep Guardiola racing each other around the Etihad Stadium before kick-off at the weekend, that would be fantastic.
Let’s just hope Ralf doesn’t emulate his fellow manager Luis Enrique’s recent cycling spill, though…
Under-fire police force missed 14-day window to take action in two-thirds of reports by cyclists, data reveals
> Under-fire police force missed 14-day window to take action in two-thirds of reports by cyclists, data reveals
“Outrageous! Look at all these London cyclists WAITING at a red light (and on a Tube strike day too)”
Outrageous! Look at all these London cyclists WAITING at a red light (and on a Tube strike day too) pic.twitter.com/VDQ7V93lCM
— Ross Lydall (@RossLydall) September 10, 2025
Chaos, utter chaos.
“It’s a free for all”: Look who’s got involved in all the ‘Strikelists’ chat…
As we’ve seen today on the live blog, thanks to this week’s tube strike in London, there’s been lots of chat about cyclists causing “carnage” on London’s overcrowded cycle lanes.
So, it was only a matter of time, then, before everyone’s favourite lawyer and cycling (should that be anti-cycling) pundit weighed in on the ‘Strikelists’.
Step forward ‘Mr Loophole’ Nick Freeman…
“The problem is, you need a skillset to do it, you need coordination and spatial awareness, and you need to be aware of what the law actually requires you to do,” the lawyer, famed for getting celebrities off phone driving charges, told the Metro today.
“When you throw people on roads like London that are quite potholed, are not particularly clean and are completely congested, it is a very dangerous place for all – it is a bit of a free-for-all.
“The segregated lanes are not that safe for cyclists, there are a lot of ‘live cycle lanes,’ which merge onto roads and there isn’t an adequate protective barriers, plus people just have coordination issues.”
Cheers for that, Nick.
Overcrowded cycle lanes packed with ‘Strikelists’ “expose lack of capacity for cycling in London”, says campaigners
Images of cycle lanes filled to the brim with cycling commuters – and the bike newbies the tabloids have colourfully dubbed ‘Strikelists’ – during this week’s Underground industrial action in London exposes the “lack of capacity” for cycling in the capital, a campaigner has said.
“It’s great that lots of people are cycling, and as a charity our remit is to get more people to cycle, but it exposes the lack of capacity for cycling in London,” the London Cycling Campaign’s Simon Munk told the Metro.
Londoners love their bike lanes.
In the five years I have been commuting to work by bike, I have never seen it so busy.
Thank you @willnorman for making this possible!
🚲🚴♀️🚴🚲@London_Cycling pic.twitter.com/KKDcH96nru— Laura Parsons (@lawkas) September 10, 2025
“We have got some really good cycling routes in London, but they are still way too many gaps. The routes that we do have were over capacity even before the strikes.
“If you cycle on the Embankment on an average day there are queues and cyclists overtaking each other because it is too overcrowded.
“London has a long way to go for the level of cycle infrastructure it needs.”
Is the Tube strike turning London’s cycle lanes into a New Amsterdam or a “mosh pits on wheels”? Cyclists claim commute is “carnage” due to red light jumpers and hire bikes – but others say increased demand proof that better, wider cycleways needed
We’re now into the fourth day of strike action on the London Underground, as industrial action by the RMT union over pay and conditions continues to impact commuters in the capital.
And, as we noted on yesterday’s live blog, one unintended consequence of the Tube strikes has been a surge in people using bikes to get around London – with hire bike numbers, in particular, shooting through the roof in recent days.
While on Tuesday morning, Transport for London registered a 33 per cent increase in Elizabeth Line passengers, and a nine per cent rise in bus usage, it’s the city’s cycle hire schemes which have witnessed a much greater strike-related jump.
There were 22,805 hires of TfL bikes as of Tuesday afternoon, up 73 per cent on the previous week. Meanwhile, Lime saw a 50 per cent jump on Tuesday morning compared to the same day last week (and a 28 per cent increase in distance travelled), and Forest recorded 20,000 downloads of its app in a single day, 10 times higher than normal, with the number of rides increasing by 400 per cent.
“This has been the first major strike since dockless bikes came in,” the London Cycling Campaign’s Simon Munk told the Financial Times yesterday.
“Lots of people were discussing whether they could hire bikes once they arrived in Liverpool Street on the Overground, as part of the mix to replace the tube.”
According to Munk, the “availability of being able to pick up and drop a bike”, combined with the “sheer weight of infrastructure”, meant that the capital had hit a “tipping point” in adoption.
However, some regular London cycle commuters reckon there has also been a tipping point when it comes to safety on the capital’s cycle lanes, with this week’s surge in users, often inexperienced when it comes to cycling through the city, leading to “absolute carnage” along its protected infrastructure.
“Westminster Bridge was carnage this morning,” one member of the London Cycling Reddit thread posted, while another described Kensington High Street as a “war zone”.
“I mean some sections are bad enough even without a tube strike, so today was basically a mosh pit on wheels,” said one user.
One cyclist also claimed the increase in numbers had led to more instances of red light jumping, writing: “I counted the red light jumpers/runners on my commute. 15 private bikes, 13 Lime/Forest/Santander bikes. The hire bikes picked up speed right at the end in central. I think it was 14-6 until around Trafalgar Square.”
“I am almost not wanting to cycle into work. Absolute hell on earth!” one added.
[Credit: Joshua Garfield]
“It took me half the commute yesterday to realise why there were so many more cyclists than normal, mostly all over the fucking shop like they’d never ridden a bike in central London before. Then it clicked,” said Terry.
“Nice to see so many cyclists out, but it was nuts. Is it a requirement if you ride a fixie to chop about like an absolute bellend as well?” asked a frustrated commuter.
Another user, describing their commute as “mayhem on cycle lanes”, wrote: “It is nice to see more cyclists out. The only issue is the loons are motorised (Lime bikers) and they’re so unpredictable! I actively try to avoid cycling behind or next to a Lime biker.”
“The tail end of my commute was like cycling through a tornado of Lime bikes all over the shop,” came another reply.
“Got forced onto the road multiple times yesterday cycling west on CS3 on Cable St,” another commute account read. “So many dickheads on Lime bikes and not Lime bikes going the opposite way trying to overtake, realising they haven’t got the speed and instead just cycling towards me in the oncoming cycle lane. Not even an apology!
“I remember when I first started cycling in London I was very slow, and certainly didn’t try to overtake constantly…”
🤔 Tube strike forcing you to rethink the commute? 🚴 Don’t put yourself through the painfully slow bus or the painfully overpacked train – make the most of the September sun and ride into work! You never know, you might actually enjoy it… 👀
— London Cycling Campaign (@londoncycling.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 12:38 PM
However, others were more willing to forgive those commuters swapping the Tube for a bike for the week, arguing that this could be the incentive to encourage more people to regularly cycle to work in London.
“It’s New Amsterdam for this week only, on the streets of London,” said one cyclist. “Amazing, amazing, amazing to see. If you’ve been a cycle user for more than five years, have a look around on your commute today, just soak it in.
“Yes, yes, there are more inexperienced loons. You were one once, on your Halfords hybrid. Be gracious, be grateful maybe? I am.”
Some, meanwhile, also pointed to the current cycle lane congestion as proof that London’s cycling infrastructure remains in need of improvement.
The Embankment cycleway (CS3) in London was purposefully built to be wider than was usual in order to future proof it. Some said it would hardly be used. Now there’s a decent case for widening it further. Induced demand is real.
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter.bsky.social) September 8, 2025 at 10:11 PM
“If would be great if we had the infrastructure to support it,” said Tim. “Embankment was carnage. Or should I say bikenage?!?! (See what I did there?) And I couldn’t even do my usual of ‘go in the road’ because of all the extra death boxes cars.
“Once I realised what was going on, I chilled out, and accepted that it would take a bit longer to get in. The number of people on bikes this week will surely add momentum to London’s push to get more cycle lanes, so that’s a good thing.”
“I’ve found it really highlights how a lot of the cycle lanes aren’t fit for increased cycle traffic,” noted Zing. “Many are barely wide enough for two bikes side-by-side, making it extremely difficult to pass and almost safer to cycle back out in the road.”
“The main problem with the bike lanes is that there aren’t enough of them, so everyone has to go on the same ones,” Tim replied.
Amazing to see the Embankment cycleway in Central London hitting capacity on roughly a quarter of the width of wheeled traffic space. Here’s what it looked like before. Cities can change and cycling is a *key* part of the transport mix.
— The Ranty Highwayman (@rantyhighwayman.bsky.social) September 9, 2025 at 6:24 PM
“Amazing to see the Embankment cycleway in Central London hitting capacity on roughly a quarter of the width of wheeled traffic space,” said The Ranty Highwayman on BlueSky.
“Cities can change and cycling is a *key* part of the transport mix.”
“The Embankment cycleway in London was purposefully built to be wider than was usual in order to future proof it,” added Adam Tranter, the former cycling and walking commissioner for the West Midlands.
“Some said it would hardly be used. Now there’s a decent case for widening it further. Induced demand is real.”
“Also a decent case for more/other protected routes. A network rather than a single motorway,” argued Andrew.
“Londoners’ most popular alternative to the tube… the bike!” wrote Labour councillor Joshua Garfield on Twitter.
“I’ve been properly cycling across London since 2010; never have I seen it so busy – I even shared a lane with Ed Miliband. Build it and they will come.”
Sounds great – well, apart from the cycling with Ed Miliband bit…
One cyclist even took all that ‘make more and better cycle lanes’ attitude a step further, by claiming that this week’s strike action is proof that cars should be banned from London’s streets.
“As always, many Londoners don’t seem to be able to envision a way of getting around that doesn’t involve some form of motorised transport, with many opting for the bus, and some driving instead,” they said.
“And as always, it’s on days like this that bikes often shine as an example of how to get around a modern city.
“Really, what they show – especially on roads like Camden Road – is that they (and mobility cars like the Canta) should be the only form of private transport that is allowed in our cities.”
Now there’s an idea…
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 £1.99. 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.
17 Comments
Read more...
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
Yes let's focus on the negatives shall we rather then celebrate what a magnificent career he had and became a great ambassador for the sport.
You forgot to include giving yourself a dose of heatstroke by riding all day in mid-40s temperatures.
@eburtthebike Sorry to hear that. I had a very worried wife who saw me being a goldfish. I kept going round the same loop of 4 statements. My shoulder really hurts, what happened? My watch is broken, I suppose the bike is fu***d? Apparently I did that for about 2 hours. I eventually came back to near normality about 5-6 hours later. I was on the phone to my wife and I suddenly realised I had cold feet. I looked at them and they were bare as were my legs, I said Bear this is a bit embarrassing I haven't got any trousers on, er nor a shirt what the hell is going on? She said you have been in an accident and you are at hospital. The bike had fingernail marks in the bar tape, a scuff to the back of the front mudguard, and a broken quill pedal. now all repaired. Somehow I managed to stop the bike but not me. The Helmet was cracked right through. I had a broken tooth a bust rib and a lot of bruising. Someone came out of a house and put me in the recovery position in the road until I came round. For me not remembering what happened is really quite frustrating. I have bought a go-pro clone to go on the bike but I haven't actually fitted it yet. It would be sensible to just to have a bit of evidence if the same should ever happen again. After all there aren't always Londis shops with CCTV in just the right position are there?
@timscottellis given the "anarchic by design" organising principle what Critical mass is "for" will vary (even between participants). I believe part of the original idea was to be "critical" - direct activism against motorists by reclaiming space. Whether it's a good idea to annoy people who mostly will have no clue why you're doing that is a question of course. It certainly serves a community building and awareness raising function. And for some (perhaps like yourself?) showing them that they *can* ride on the streets. Albeit some would never do so outside of such an event.
Money's *always* tight - or rather it's always tight for active travel because in the UK that is very low on the priority list *. The vast majority of money goes on apparently unrelated stuff - health and adult social care. But I think active travel could make a minor but positive contribution here. And a large amount of that money compared to active travel spend goes on things that overall have a negative impact there (indeed are a net cost) - providing for the level of motoring we have. Including repeatedly pouring money into (pot-) holes in the ground. Could we reallocate some of that? * For some parties - maybe even governments - it's actually something they're against. If only because they're more keen on motoring which will effectively work against it.
I don't understand why the police can't crack down on those bloody idiots forcing the riders to inhale the smoke from powder flares, not as if it's a sort of guerrilla action, interfering with the riders then disappearing back into the crowd, they couldn't be any easier to spot as they stand there holding them but I don't think I've ever seen police, authorities or other fans intervening to stop them in a road race. Seen the police doing a good job stopping them at cyclocross, obviously on a long road stage it's not as easy to have an officer on the spot at the right time but yesterday's flareup (sorry) was on the finishing circuit, there must have been a few coppers in the vicinity who could have dealt with it.
Bit confused now Tom, you said that "AFAIK nobody said he’s going to ride to win the GC", I gave you an example of Seixas himself talking about going for GC, now you're saying there you are, there is evidence that he's talking about the GC? I know that, it was me who shared the quote.
Couldn't have a much more perfect example for a certain poster of how cycling continues to feel the full force of climate change...
@Rendel Harris Oh, and by the way. "But I will not take risks for something other than the GC." - this could just as well be read as "I won't take any risks unless it's really, really worth it." They're not even talking about snatching the maillot jaune for a day, but about the GC. Who wouldn't, if they had a opportune shot at that?
Here's a photo I took on Alpe d'Huez at TdF 1991. L to R: Gianni Bugno, Miguel Indurain, Luc Leblanc. They would finish the stage in that order, Bugno winning. Yes, colour film was available in 1991 but that day I chose to use black and white knowing that many years hence it would look epic.
17 thoughts on “Is the Tube strike turning London’s cycle lanes into “mosh pits on wheels”? Cyclists claim commute is “carnage” due to red light jumpers and hire bikes – but others say increased demand proof that better, wider cycleways needed + more on the live blog”
Lime bike riders* are a
Lime bike riders* are a challenge at the best of times on my comute. Given my comute from Paddington to Trafalgar Sq isnearly all cyclepaths, I am generally far more concerned over the the Lime bike riders than cars. Regularly on the phone, weaving about all over the place, stopping and starting abruptly, and generally getting in the way of regular cyclists.
Now with 3 to 4 times as many cyclists, it really is challenge.
However yes it is good to see more cyclists, and yes would be good to get even more cycling infra to handle the numbers.
* by Lime bike riders I’m referring to any rider of a dockless ebike, Lime is just most common type. Santander riders seem to be fine, just a bit slow.
“I am generally far more
“I am generally far more concerned over the the Lime bike riders than cars.”
Or “I am generally far more concerned over the the Lime bike riders than drivers.”?
Either mode of transport is only dangerous depending on the human user.
mitsky wrote:
… but in fact the stats * say while you’re unlikely to be killed on the roads at all, if you are it’ll be by a car (just on numbers). Vans are the most dangerous by distance covered (size plus time pressures plus lots of manoeuvring where vulnerable road users are). Following that it’s basically mass (trucks and buses).
Don’t have stats for injuries in the UK to hand but I would expect similar – albeit with a fair amount of “I just crashed on my own”.
So while it’s reasonable to be concerned by other cyclists (where conditions are right for cycling eg. separate infra, you’ll be interacting with them lots) in fact it really does make a difference what the “other vehicle” is – not just the idiot supposedly in control of it…
* https://www.pacts.org.uk/pacts-report-what-kills-most-on-the-roads-2/
been commuting by bike for
been commuting by bike for many years – its all good -but came a cropper on monday evening at London Bridge when a electric bike rider (dont know if was lime or other) went through on red and took me out as I was coming through on green. She didn’t stop apart from shout at me that I’d ridden into her ………but thanks to the other cyclists and black cabbie who stopped to assist me.
Unfortunately I’ve found throughout my many years that it is not the ”car driver” / ”lorry driver” / ”bike rider” – it is the human being in control of these things – vast majority are good, patient people but a small minority are selfish, self centre, arrogant wombats who should be sent to some isolated island in the atlantic and just left to get on with their lives and save the rest of us from their stupidity.
Maybe they could do a “battle
Maybe they could do a “battle royale” between themselves?
ceebee247 wrote:
Wombats would be OK, they just take to their holes. The problem with humans and motor vehicles is the damage they can do is *massively* increased compared to even EAPCs and (because usually higher speed and reduced vision) their control is reduced. Then there’s the billions on motor vehicle development, advertising and shifting the culture so that being in a motor vehicle is held to confer status, and drivers are cocooned: protected from harm and indeed mentally insulated from their actions. And of course the reduction in consequence extends to the legal system also…
So while it’s always “humans” I’m very keen on harm minimisation – limit my interaction with motorised ones!
Wombats, cubular poop, don’t
Wombats, cubular poop, don’t you know…
Getting huge FOMO (F=Feeling)
Getting huge FOMO (F=Feeling). Thinking of taking a day off later this week and popping into London to be part of this exciting experience. My daughter who commutes by cycle in the capital is raving about it. The more they ride the better aquainted with good practice they will become. Hopefully, the experienced commuters will share their experience, knowledge and welcome.
Very much a solo cyclist me,
Very much a solo cyclist me, this could give me experience of riding in a group, maybe a chain gang. But looking at the clips it could be the closest I could get of being in the washing machine as the peleton approaches the 3k to go banner…
I forgot to say, with the
I forgot to say, with the surge in bike hires due to the tube strikes…
The likes of Lime etc will probably end up with a big £ bump due to the journies being much slower from the volume of commuter cyclists.
Bloomin’ drivers and tube
Bloomin’ drivers and tube-users and walkers getting on bikes and using our nice cycle infra when it suits them but moaning about cyclists the rest of the time “oi mate! Paid your cycle tax?” didn’t think so…
You’ve just got to accept
You’ve just got to accept people are human. The vast, vast majority of people are not out to hurt / inconvenience / p*ss you off, they don’t know any better for the most part.
JUST CHILL THE HELL OUT, slow down – accept you’re going to have to slow down, and enjoy the ride in as best as you can.
No amount of anger will stop the minority riding like muppets, just remember the majority are just trying to get to work as safe and as quietly as possible.
For me, I saw a few questionable things and an actual (minor) cyclist on cyclist crash on Cable St CS3 (the literal worst, narrowist bit of the CS3)…but mostly it was busy but ok
Change just a few words and
Change just a few words and everything NF says would apply entirely to dangerous drivers…
(I didn’t even need to touch the first two lines at all.)
—
“The problem is, you need a skillset to do it, you need coordination and spatial awareness, and you need to be aware of what the law actually requires you to do,”
“When you throw people on roads like London that are quite potholed, are not particularly clean and are completely congested, it is a very dangerous place for all – it is a bit of a free-for-all.
“The roads are not that safe for vulnerable users… plus people just have coordination issues.”
—
“Londoners’ most popular
“Londoners’ most popular alternative to the tube… the bike!” Is this statement going to be buried early next week, or will it be the start of a proper, planned and financed multi-year cycling policy in the capital city? To facilitate cycling in Central London simply remove private cars from the roads.
That would help. But … I
That would help. But … I believe the numbers of private cars in the centre have been reduced over the years. Aren’t a large proportion of vehicles now taxis, delivery vans, buses and trucks? The last few pose high risk (eg. per measure of passenger- distance) and many people simply don’t want to cycle among them.
I think they should keep improving the mobility infra (especially at junctions), look at more secure cycle parking / integrating cycling with public transport (especially the train / tube when running). And keep taking space back from motoring to serve active travel.
This sudden uptick in cycling
This sudden uptick in cycling will probably be like WFH.
Forced upon the masses,due to extreme circumstances, acknowledged as an enlightening experience that we should have been doing years ago, but which we’ll be turning our backs on as possible
Let’s not get too pessimistic
Let’s not get too pessimistic. Obviously not everyone who’s jumped into the saddle will stay there when this is over, especially now we’re into autumn winter. However, there may be enough who do stay cycling to make a significant difference to the numbers using London’s roads. If that happens it will strengthen Sadiq Khan’s argument for keeping and expanding the cycle paths network.