"Cycle lanes aren't empty — they're just efficient": Addressing a bike lane misconception; Castelli hides Remco Evenepoel's bike for Instagram post, sparking new Specialized speculation; Tour de France stage 11 updates + more on the live blog

Hirsute wrote:

"The school run …"

Where are the Tyre Extinguishers when you most need them?

Or perhaps fit that sign to a piece of timber with a row of 6 inch nails protruding from it.

We haven't heard "leave me alone I know what I'm doing" yet... (c) 2012 Kimi Räikkönen. I'm hoping for similar from WvA or Tom Pidcock. 

Hirsute wrote:

Just wondering if a certain poster has been given the heave ho again.

No, I'm still here

Hirsute wrote:

Just wondering if a certain poster has been given the heave ho again.

He does seem very quiet although his old posts are still up – suspension, perhaps?

If you've interacted with them. Check your post count. That should confirm things. 

I rarely look at my post count, so that's not going to help !

Hirsute wrote:

I rarely look at my post count, so that's not going to help !

Me neither, I just went back to an article I remembered him commenting on and saw that his post was still up.

Hirsute wrote:

I rarely look at my post count, so that's not going to help !

7758.

I hope that helps.

Under used car parks, love it!

I actually grew up in Sutton (Coldfield).  There's loads of parking, at least there always used to be & the cost has never exactly been prohbitive if you insist on driving in to the town centre.  Comparing it to where I live now (nearer the other Sutton) parking is still cheap.

You have to wonder with "angry residents in town meetings" like that whether they won't actually be happy until driving is 100% subsidised, fuel is free, you get paid to park wherever you want, and all shops are drive throughs & get moved to the end of their own driveways.

Clem Fandango wrote:

I actually grew up in Sutton (Coldfield).  There's loads of parking, at least there always used to be & the cost has never exactly been prohbitive if you insist on driving in to the town centre.  Comparing it to where I live now (nearer the other Sutton) parking is still cheap.

You have to wonder with "angry residents in town meetings" like that whether they won't actually be happy until driving is 100% subsidised, fuel is free, you get paid to park wherever you want, and all shops are drive throughs & get moved to the end of their own driveways.

When you say "the other Sutton", which one do you mean? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton 

It doesn't matter really, they're not the other one.

But, the one with the pie eating goalkeeper

Clem Fandango wrote:

It doesn't matter really, they're not the other one.

But, the one with the pie eating goalkeeper

Which is, co-incidentally, where I live - less than a mile from the site of the pie eating.  Do say hello if you see a middle aged man riding either a Titanium Ribble bike or a Tern GSD (because it'll probably be me, if you didn't work that out).

About 20 years ago I lived in Sutton (the Surrey one) just the other side of the railway from Gander Green Lane. I'm nearer Epsom now. 

Will keep an eye open for you when in the vicinity though.  I'll be the 50 27 year old on a Vitus muttering about how it all used to be fields / yelling at clouds etc etc 

Sutton Coldfield Town Centre is a fraction as busy as it used to be. I don't think people are being driven away by car parking fees but lack of stores, the rise of online and no other draw to go there. It is a dingy concrete affair which isn't even indoors, so open to the elements. As for the car park, it is no surprise the one right next to the town hall / train station is the full one. 

However the town edges are full of very rich people, so no surprise they want to be able to drive rather then use public transport.

M1 in the 1970s - hardly used - what a waste of money.

mitsky wrote:

For any motorists who complain about empty cycle lanes... do they also complain about empty bus lanes and pavements?

They can both be empty for a massive % of time... 

No?

Just us cyclists they are envious of then.

To be fair, they do complain about bus lanes too.

Really?

I've never heard of that.
Presumably it is no where near the same level in the media/online as it is with us (cyclists/cycling).
Maybe I'm just not in that bubble.

mitsky wrote:

Really?

I've never heard of that.
Presumably it is no where near the same level in the media/online as it is with us (cyclists/cycling).
Maybe I'm just not in that bubble.

Some people in my local Facebook group lost their shit when they extended bus lane hours beyond just rush hour, saying it made congestion at peak times worse. Nonsensical to me, but people love a good moan.

Just from this week
https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/23647652.residents-anger-new-experime...

The comments section gives plenty examples of people venting about empty bus lanes

I think the reason for this is that many recent cycle lanes have been created by taking space away from cars, while pavements and bus lanes may have been in situ for longer. So there's a perception that making cycling provision is at the expense of drivers.

quiff wrote:

I think the reason for this is that many recent cycle lanes have been created by taking space away from cars, while pavements and bus lanes may have been in situ for longer. So there's a perception that making cycling provision is at the expense of drivers.

I think this is right.  There was quite a lot of fuss when London made bus lanes 24 hours rather than just rush hours.

Just how horse riders, equestrians and cyclists feel - they all predate car users.