The sequel nobody asked for — bike lane Amazon van is back; Wrong day for white shorts… cyclist rides alligator alley; Shell, domestic racing in crisis etc. etc. — British Cycling members welcome new CEO with extensive to-do list + more on the live blog

37 thoughts on “The sequel nobody asked for — bike lane Amazon van is back; Wrong day for white shorts… cyclist rides alligator alley; Shell, domestic racing in crisis etc. etc. — British Cycling members welcome new CEO with extensive to-do list + more on the live blog”

1. This one is a news story that

   This one is a news story that completely passed me by:

   Shamed cyclist who killed woman, 79, on pavement before riding off found dead in woods

   https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/shamed-cyclist-who-killed-woman-26694753

   Cyclist Stewart McGinn, 30, was jailed for 12 months in July last year but went missing after being released from prison after serving just half his sentence.

   Police put out a missing person appeal after he was last seen near his home address in Monmouth, South Wales, on Tuesday. Today the Gwent force said: “A body of a man was discovered in woodland. Formal identification has yet to take place, however we have notified the family of Stewart McGinn.

   …

   Footage shows McGinn flee from the scene after knocking [Jane] Stone to the ground in Monmouth, South Wales. After hitting her, [her friend] screams at him to stop. She shouted: “I’m on my own, please stop, come back and help.” The cyclist handed himself in three days later.

   Prosecutor James Wilson said McGinn – who only had one working brake on his bike – came round the corner “at speed” and collided with [Stone]. He said: “She fell to the ground landing on her head and suffered a severe fractured skull. The defendant did not stop or offer any assistance but cycled away.”

    

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2. It’s always the wrong day for

   It’s always the wrong day for white shorts.

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   • Steve K wrote:

     It’s always the wrong day for white shorts.

     — Steve K

     and white shoes, saddles and bar-tape. ?

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3. Classic response from Amazon:
   Classic response from Amazon: that’s got nothing to do with us, we just pay them to do it and put our brand on it.

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   • We want you to 100% belive

     We want you to 100% belive the service is a seamless product of amazon, until we do something criminal then it is 100% not our fault. 

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   • As well as its brand, it puts

     As well as its brand, it puts other spurious labels on, too. Labels that try to make out it’s a huge HGV, instead of a panel van:

     • “Blind spot take care” (complete with image of big, butch, all-grown-up HGV). Apart from reversing (utterly the driver’s responsibility) there is only a blind spot if the driver doesn’t adjust/use the mirrors properly.
     • “Cyclists beware of passing this vehicle on the inside” on account of our some random, unaccountable driver is trained not to look what they are doing.

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   • Amazon van with Amazon

     Amazon van with Amazon colours and Amazon branding, they’re happy to take all the advertising and credit when it goes right.  So very quick to wash their hands of it and claim “not us, independent contractor” when it goes wrong.  Can’t have it both ways

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     • ajft wrote:

       …Can’t have it both ways

       — ajft

       That should be the case but I think you’ll find that like so many businesses “having it both ways” is the business model (drivers employed as “contractors” by Amazon Flex I believe).

       Same goes for tax (unclear on Amazon’s arrangements but it’s usually “we barely make a profit in your country”…)

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     • ajft wrote:

       Amazon van with Amazon colours and Amazon branding, they’re happy to take all the advertising and credit when it goes right.  So very quick to wash their hands of it and claim “not us, independent contractor” when it goes wrong.  Can’t have it both ways

       — ajft

       Unfortunately, they can (and seem to be actively encouraged to do so).

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4. “Another, Lee Haigh, said: “I

   “Another, Lee Haigh, said: “I’m a ‘working class’ cyclist, but cycling especially road cycling, in my opinion, is far too much of a ‘white middle class’ sport dominated by mamil’s (many drs, solicitors and dentists etc) who can afford tens of thousands of pounds of the best equipment available to the pros!”

   Go fornicate yourself Lee, from a fellow working class cyclist.

   Because there’s not enough bigoted nonsense thrown at us from all sides without us turning on ourselves with this utter crap.

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   • Driving is a middle class

     Driving is a middle class sport. Only the super rich can afford a mazerati or a ferrari because drivers are all rich white men. 

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   • Also, why does this person

     Also, why does this person think that anyone but a top level pro (who doesn’t pay for their bike) NEEDs a top level bike to go racing, the difference between a super cheap bike and a 10 grand superbike is less than 10% of the performance. The difference between a good medium bike and a superbike is going to be way less.

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5. RE: Amazon van – in an

   RE: Amazon van – in an unfortunate coincidence that’s just outside Leith Cycle Co here…

   (I’ve been in a couple of times though never used for maintenance – they seem to be nice folks).

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6. Re the Amazon parking on
   Re the Amazon parking on Leith Walk. I think it’s about time we had a “just a minute” protest such as they have in Canada.
   https://www.eta.co.uk/2022/05/04/just-a-minute-protest-targets-drivers-blocking-cycle-lanes/

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   • Safety wrote:

     Re the Amazon parking on Leith Walk. I think it’s about time we had a “just a minute” protest such as they have in Canada. https://www.eta.co.uk/2022/05/04/just-a-minute-protest-targets-drivers-blocking-cycle-lanes/

     — Safety

     Inspired by the excuse ‘I’ll just be a minute‘ that’s often trotted out by drivers to traffic wardens, a group of cycle campaigners have turned the tables on motorists. When a driver parks in a cycle lane, they block the road for other cars so that bicycles can safely negotiate the obstruction.

     — The Ethical Choice

     I like that, a lot 

     But I also liked the other part of that article:

     Catclaw is the size of half a small orange and was designed to be installed in its thousands along kerbs and pavements. When a car or lorry drives over a CatClaw, its weight exposes a sharp steel tube that quickly punctures the tyre. However, it poses no threat to pedestrians – a person standing on top of the device would not be heavy enough to activate it.

     — The Ethical Choice

      

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     • Sounds like that would fit

       Sounds like that would fit right in.  Per graffiti I saw there “What is Leith?  Begbie, don’t hurt me…”

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     • Umm, what happens after the

       Umm, what happens after the catclaw is triggered ?

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       • Hirsute wrote:

         Umm, what happens after the catclaw is triggered ?

         — Hirsute

         Welcome to Edinburgh, pal (pic taken on the Hawthorne Path).

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7. Considering Jon Dutton’s

   Considering Jon Dutton’s track record in previous sports; particularly in his last job for Rugby League, and he has previously worked with BC and the UCI, I believe he is someone who understands the sporting and community aspect as well as the business side of governing bodies. Considering sporting governing bodies are effectively run by sporting administrative journeymen, and not ex-athletes with a personal interest, the clinical approach used by previous CEOs and those in other sports should be mellowed somewhat in Dutton’s approach. 

   Here’s hoping my belief is right, and his time as custodian leads to the changes and improvements that the domestic scene is desperately looking for, both from a competitive and from a social and commuting standpoint.

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   • I’d be happier if I knew what
     I’d be happier if I knew what his aims or goals were for his tenure, the classic interview questions where do you see yourself in 5 years? What’s your view on this hot topic ? How would you improve cycling as a sport ? How are you different than the last ceos Etc etc.

     At the moment he’s just another in the identikit bland guy in a suit administrators, sporting bodies in the UK excel at giving jobs to.

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     • I’m sure that those answers

       I’m sure that those answers will come in due course. The appointment was fairly sudden in the public eye, so adjustments to his role are likely to come first, along with working out what type of changes need to be made.

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     • For an ‘identikit bland guy

       For an ‘identikit bland guy in a suit’ he was a success with the Rugby League World Cup which was delayed a year after nearly being cancelled completely, rugby league has has had its share of problems administratively so it stands out more when judging this outcome as a success. Having worked in a poorly resourced sport with a huge community participation can only have added to his experience going forward for cycling to benefit from.

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8. It’s quite clear there has
   It’s quite clear there has been a steady drift into delivery vehicles parking unlawfully, and both on social media and in interactions it is also clear that these drivers believe they are entitled to do it.

   The trouble is that as it is habitual, they also do it when urgently picking up their lunchtime pastie, and other drivers are starting to copy.

   I gave a white van a hearty slap on my way home on Tuesday (checking the mirror that there was no driver to door me, but I could see there was a passenger to wake up) who was parked on zig-zags to pop into One Stop – clearly a builder, not deliverer. The car behind was parked on double yellows (and highly unlikely to be loading as allowed by the exemption for goods). Caused quite a nuisance and a genuine safety issue for the crossing.

   Locally, drivers are now incapable of parking without blocking a pavement or cycle lane, and I am sure if challenged would claim that otherwise they would block the road. Well, perhaps if they don’t think it is right to block the road, (typically causing no more nuisance than blocking the pavement and half a lane so traffic still needs to pause), then they need to reassess their parking strategy. Often locally this would involve the tedious effort of using a driveway.

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   • IanMSpencer wrote:

     It’s quite clear there has been a steady drift into delivery vehicles parking unlawfully, and both on social media and in interactions it is also clear that these drivers believe they are entitled to do it.

     — IanMSpencer

     I wonder if, like many things, this could be blamed on the pandemic.  During the lockdowns, delivery drivers became much more important because we needed stuff delivering.  So many came to believe they were providing a Very Important Service so f- off with yer rules’n’regulations.

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     • Could be.  What has happened

       Could be.  What has happened over the last decade or so is a massive expansion in this market.  Ultimately simple “selection pressures” will cause any and all rules to be tested.  Value of delivery is in large part judged on speed.  If one company can do it quicker / the same volume more cheaply it will get the business.

       Without strong negative feedback no change will occur.  That is: swift consequences in a sufficient number of cases.  Consequences which need to also reach the higher ups not just the grunts – and ultimately the shareholders.  Especially when society in general doesn’t really see this as an issue.  With some local exceptions there is approximately zero feedback for illegal parking in general, never mind the merely dangerous / antisocial type.

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       • chrisonatrike wrote:

         What has happened over the last decade or so is a massive expansion in this market.

         — chrisonatrike

         Hey: remember when Amazon was an online bookshop? 

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         • Remeber Borders…?  Lots of

           Remember Borders…?  Lots of reasons for “change” but – shock! – it turns out that people really like “cheap” and “don’t have to go anywhere to get one”…

         • chrisonatrike wrote:

           Remember Borders…?  Lots of reasons for “change” but – shock! – it turns out that people really like “cheap” and “don’t have to go anywhere to get one”…

           — chrisonatrike

           I liked Borders.  I liked a big f-ing huge bookshop that had actual physical copies so you could browse and go, “Wow – never heard of that, it looks interesting, think I’ll get that”.

           Even Waterstones (the last big bricks-and-mortar bookshop) doesn’t do that any more 

         •  

            

           [/quote]

           Hey: remember when Amazon was an online bookshop? 

           [/quote]

           Jesus, I can remember when Amazon was a river.

         • mike the bike wrote:

            

           — mike the bike

           Hey: remember when Amazon was an online bookshop? 

           [/quote]

           Jesus, I can remember when Amazon was a river.

           [/quote]

           I don’t believe Jesus had even heard of the Amazon…

         • brooksby]

           [quote

           Hey: remember when Amazon was an online bookshop?

           — brooksby

           Nope, Amazon is a hyper-scaler, public cloud platform to rival Azure, Google etc..

   • IanMSpencer wrote:

     It’s quite clear there has been a steady drift into delivery vehicles parking unlawfully, and both on social media and in interactions it is also clear that these drivers believe they are entitled to do it.

     The trouble is that as it is habitual, they also do it when urgently picking up their lunchtime pastie, and other drivers are starting to copy.

     I gave a white van a hearty slap on my way home on Tuesday (checking the mirror that there was no driver to door me, but I could see there was a passenger to wake up) who was parked on zig-zags to pop into One Stop – clearly a builder, not deliverer. The car behind was parked on double yellows (and highly unlikely to be loading as allowed by the exemption for goods). Caused quite a nuisance and a genuine safety issue for the crossing.

     Locally, drivers are now incapable of parking without blocking a pavement or cycle lane, and I am sure if challenged would claim that otherwise they would block the road. Well, perhaps if they don’t think it is right to block the road, (typically causing no more nuisance than blocking the pavement and half a lane so traffic still needs to pause), then they need to reassess their parking strategy. Often locally this would involve the tedious effort of using a driveway.

     — IanMSpencer

     But – they pay pavement tax…

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9. “Who’d have thought it? GB

   “Who’d have thought it? GB News deputy political editor makes the case for “connected, protected cycleways” and less hi-vis talk”

   I’m sorry, did the tunnel I cycle through this morning contain a portal to an alternative universe?

   I think I need a lie down too, Dan.

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10. That’s one way to create a
    That’s one way to create a new LTN https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/23456094.tut-hill-bury-st-edmunds-permanently-closed-traffic/

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    • This is what Right Said Fred

      This is what Right Said Fred tried to warn us about! 😉

      Looks good (obvs. I don’t know the local details).

      Wonder if it will go like a local no-through-road intervention close to my place?  You need monitoring and quick response to people “granting access”.  The one near here – folks first drove over the verge / through vegetation to get round.  After a bit they moved some of the barriers.  When these were reinstated, very quickly a large planter was trashed and a couple of substantial concrete barriers were shifted.  Not sure if it’s part of council plan to remove this now (it was Covid-era) but the road is back to being a through-road.

      Sometimes where there’s a “won’t” there’s a “will!” and a way.

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    • “Only cyclists may now pass
      “Only cyclists may now pass through the gate.”

      Pedestrians: “You shall not pass “

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11. Not sure many can fit a two

    Not sure many can fit a two seater sofa in their car…

    But you can't move a two seater sofa on a bike…. #tern #gsd #terngsd #betterbybike #leavethecarathome #bikelife #ebike #cargobike #cargobikesofinstagram #bosch #cargoline #deepcar #sheffield pic.twitter.com/myjjKXFZ3a

    — Wanton and furious cycling (@Twisted_Fish90) April 14, 2023

    

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