“Paint won’t save your life”: Road cops tell cyclists to ignore dangerous door zone bike lanes; Anti-cyclist bingo: London taxi driver edition; National champs or club 10?; Cav eyes Tour; Pro rider catwalk; Hit-and-run driver + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Anti-cyclist bingo: London taxi driver edition...featuring: red light jumping, registration plates and a lack of hand signals
Remember to give cyclists room and check to see if there is anything coming before opening your car door.
— TfL Taxi & Private Hire (@TfLTPH) October 13, 2021
It’s Thursday, you’re over the hump of the week, you’ve definitely earned a treat. A quick game of anti-cyclist bingo to get your morning going? And not just any boring old local newspaper game of anti-cyclist bingo… it’s the taxi driver edition…
The prompt for this one? TfL’s Taxi & Private Hire account making the simple request that drivers, “remember to give cyclists room and check to see if there is anything coming before opening your car door.” How dare they…
If you can find a rule stating cyclists can’t “weave” (filter) I’ll donate £1k to a charity of your choice
— Take That, Cyclists! (@TakeThatCycIist) October 13, 2021
We’re off to a flyer there. The…”any chance…[insert generic rambling about cyclists breaking rules]” is a textbook starter in this game. Obey the rule of the roads, pavement riding, red light jumping and weaving between traffic (otherwise known as filtering). Yep, that’s a strong four ticked off already by the man whose bio states he’s proudly one of the world-famous London cabbies.
Next up…
How about a bit of basic training for the Highway Code for cyclists!! Easy one to start what does a red light mean?? 😡😡😡
— The hunter of the punter (@r_verlander) October 13, 2021
Highway Code and red lights. A classic duo.
Unfortunately cyclists do not maintain the room / space I give them. They ride up on the left when I’m about to turn left and they’re constantly going through RED lights. Cyclists have to earn their respect
— Salehur Rahman (@TheSalehRahman) October 13, 2021
@TfLTPH and @TfL should implement registration numbers for bicycles so many times that they can scratch cars with no consequences and they have more rights that the people that pay for the road !
— ID00 (@i0nutzd) October 13, 2021
We’re rattling through them now…but wait, what’s that? I think we have a winner…Cabbie Ray, take it away…
Can u tell cyclist 2 look b4 manouvering, have lights, breaks, not to come close to moving vehicle, stop jumping red lights, let people cross on pedestrian crossing, not to ride on pavements, avoid collisions with pedestrians, slow down upon seeing hazard, etc..etc..etc.. thank u
— Cabbie Ray (@CabbieRay) October 13, 2021
I make that nine bingo favourites in one 280-character tweet — impressive stuff. I’m particularly pleased Ray is looking out for our welfare by making sure we take regular breaks so we don’t get too tired. There were too many other replies to includes more than just the most entertaining.
Elsewhere, we had: cyclists need to use hand signals, “we’ve become a cyclist nation”, more red light comments, wear bright clothing, more red light comments, “No problem I’ll also give them ten pounds out the till”, more red light comments, cyclists ride too fast, more red light comments, they should be in their cycle lanes…but interestingly not one helmet comment. At least nobody said anything about boat tax…
I’ll leave you with this…
Each to their own ☺
— Stefan Velo (@velostefan) October 13, 2021
TT national champs or club 10? No start ramp? Anyone know where the village hall is?
The start; for those worried about a start ramp, there isn’t one 😊 #natchamps pic.twitter.com/ekeP6p4tF3
— British Cycle Sport (@VeloUK) October 14, 2021
British Cycling are keeping it real at the national champs up in Lincoln today. No fancy start ramp or big Tissot clock, just a simple gazebo at a nondescript junction…
It left a few people wondering if it’s actually just a club 10 in disguise? Come on, you wouldn’t have a gazebo at a club 10…needless to say British Cycling have been the butt of all the TT-related jokes on social media this morning. How much were entries? Do you get a cup of tea when you return your start number to the village hall?
British Cycling logistics meeting: pic.twitter.com/qyBQ2NueuO
— Dan M (@SirArthurIndeed) October 14, 2021
Don’t need a ramp: the road has a downward slope.
Unless they’ve tilted the shelter backwards…
— Richard Baruch 🇪🇺 💙 (@r_baruch) October 14, 2021
For tradition it should be a line on the road with instructions to find it like ’37 yards after lamp post B453′ #natchamps https://t.co/7vAkM5KhAm
— Chocolate Chainring (@ChocChainring) October 14, 2021
Today will be a throwback for those pampered pros…
Not thinking about THAT record, Cav? Tour de France route presentation from Paris
Good morning from sunny Paris, where we’ll attend the #TDF2022 presentation in a couple of minutes 😃 pic.twitter.com/BpftXTlvsp
— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) October 14, 2021
Two of the big dogs are suited and booted, ready for the Tour de France route presentation. We’ll keep you updated with all the headline stages and big climbs…there are whispers of a return to the cobbles and Alpe d’Huez…
We’ll also shortly have the route for the women’s Tour de France. And, for any of you lot keen to test yourself against one of the hardest stages of the race, L’Etape du Tour’s 2022 route will also be revealed this morning. Plenty to keep an eye out for.
Pro riders hit the catwalk in Paris
It’s Tour route announcement day, or as its otherwise know, which Pro rider has the worst fashion sense day.
— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) October 14, 2021
It’s weird seeing pro riders not wearing sponsor-heavy team kits… at least Tadej Pogačar remembered his UAE Team Emirates pin badge. Disappointingly, Nairo didn’t rock up in his chameleon costume…
Something different about Nairo this morning, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is… 🤔🦎 #TourdeFrance pic.twitter.com/vsC4Wo5RKh
— Katy M (@writebikerepeat) October 14, 2021
Even more disappointing, it seems Benoit Cosnefroy has sobered up since those legendary French team celebrations after Julian Alaphilippe defended his rainbow jersey at the World Championships…
LinkedIn profile picture vs Tinder profile picture pic.twitter.com/3mW9hoF9qN
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) October 14, 2021
2022 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift routes announced
🤩 Here is is, the 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙚 of the #TDF2022!
🤩 Voici le 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙡 du #TDF2022 ! pic.twitter.com/4eccacs9Ip
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) October 14, 2021
Here’s your first peek at the Tour route. We’ll have a full story with a more in depth look shortly. What are the headlines? 20km of cobbles on stage five. High mountain Alpine stages. A return to Alpe d’Huez and a penultimate stage TT.
🤩The 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 #𝗧𝗗𝗙𝗙 avec @𝗚𝗼𝗭𝘄𝗶𝗳𝘁!
🤩 Voici 𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗹 du #𝗧𝗗𝗙𝗙 avec 𝗭𝘄𝗶𝗳𝘁 ! pic.twitter.com/3Qms6zgoCv
— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) October 14, 2021
For the women, there’s a Paris start on the same day the men’s race finishes. Gravel roads. A return to the vineyard tracks where Julian Alaphilippe won in 2019. And a final weekend in the Vosges mountains with a final stage summit finish at La Planche des Belles Filles. We’ll have more details for you shortly…
Drum & Bass On The Bike in Cambridge
Surprise, surprise, Dom Whiting pulled another bumper crowd for his latest drum and bass biking experience, this time in Cambridge. Maybe it’ll be the start of a new trend of musicians hosting gigs by bike. I’m thinking…Oasis reunion (cycling) tour sponsored by Santander Cycles. Liam and Noel reciting the greatest hits while trying not to (or maybe trying to would be more realistic) knock eachother off their ride. Just an idea…
Police hunt hit-and-run driver who knocked eight-year-old boy off bike
Police in Edinburgh have appealed for witnesses after an eight-year-old child was knocked off his bike as he cycled home from school. The boy suffered facial injuries during the hit-and-run incident at around 3.15pm on Monday at Bowbridge Crescent.
The Scottish Sun reports the child was riding home from nearby Frogston Primary School when he was hit by the driver of a car believed to be a black Mini, or something similar.
Constable Euan McGonigal said: “The vehicle is believed to be black in colour, possibly a Mini or similar and travelled into the surrounding housing estate, away from Burdiehouse Road following the collision. We would encourage anyone with information to come forward and we would also urge the driver of the vehicle to come forward.”
Information can be passed to Police Scotland via 101 quoting reference number 1840 of October 11.
Not a bad day for the Hayter family...Ethan and Leo crowned national TT champions
⏱️🇬🇧 ETHAN HAYTER IS THE NEW BRITISH MEN’S NATIONAL TT CHAMPION 🇬🇧⏱️
A stunning ride from @Ethan_Hayter sees him power to the #NatRoadChamps TT title! 🥇👏🙌 pic.twitter.com/FUCznIaxOB
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) October 14, 2021
Ethan Hayter crowned a memorable year by adding a national championship to his palmares. The Ineos Grenadiers rider smashed the field, putting 37 seconds into Hour Record hero Dan Bigham and 50 seconds into third placed James Shaw. The 23-year-old adds the British stripes to an Olympic silver, a stage of the Tour of Britain and the overall at the Tour of Norway. Will he double up at the road race on Sunday?
Being Ethan’s younger brother must be a tough gig…but don’t feel too sorry for Leo. He won the U23 TT this morning too. Anna Shackley won the women’s U23 event. All that’s left is to find out who’ll be the women’s elite champ.
Chris Froome not giving up on fifth yellow jersey
Chris Froome still believes he can win a fifth Tour de France and says he is as motivated as ever to return to the top. Speaking to Italian outlet La Repubblica, Froome said he has no plans to retire just yet, “This is a very nice job…
“I like the lifestyle of a professional cyclist. Even if I don’t return to my old level, it is invaluable for me to keep cycling. After my fall, I was still in the hospital of Saint-Étienne thinking about whether I should stop. I lined up what I wanted in my life, whether I wanted to keep racing or do something else. Then I discovered that I really like racing, competing, travelling, cycling in the great outdoors.”
The 36-year-old suffered another disappointing season this year, finishing ninth last of the finishers at the Tour de France after soldiering on from a heavy stage one crash. Despite the setbacks, Froome admits he can’t shift the idea of a fifth yellow jersey…
“I still dream of that fifth Tour victory. Seeing Alejandro Valverde and Vincenzo Nibali gives me a lot of motivation to keep training. They are respectively five years and a year older than me. But they also won races last month. That gives me courage.”
But the Israel Start-Up Nation rider also accepts that the next generation, led by Tadej Pogačar, have made his challenge even harder. “I am particularly impressed with his mental condition,” Froome continued. “He always has a lot of pressure on his shoulders and the way he handles it is incredible. I’ve never seen him do anything wrong in race.
“If he attacks, he wins. And if he doesn’t win, he’s in control. If nothing stops him, he can break any record. And if he wants to, he can be the first after Marco Pantani to win the Giro d’Italia and Tour in the same year.”
"It’s going to be a very hard Tour de France. There aren't as many chances for the fast men": Cav reacts to Tour route + Lefevere says contract agreement is close
Mark Cavendish has given his first thoughts on the 2022 Tour de France route. The Manx Missile was in Paris for the official presentation and said “there aren’t as many chances for the fast men” on next year’s route.
“It’s going to be a very hard Tour de France,” Cav told Cyclingnews. “Of course, starting from Copenhagen, where I became world champion, brings back a lot of great memories, but those first days after the time trial could be really hectic.”
Whether the 36-year-old will be at the race is yet to be decided. Deceuninck-Quick-Step team boss Patrick Lefevere has previously said they’ll be putting all their Lidl eggs in Fabio Jakobsen’s basket. Cav still hasn’t even confirmed who he’ll be riding for next year, but it is expected to be Quick-Step.
Lefevere told Het Nieuwsblad today that he believes Cav will sign an extension…
“I don’t know what’s wrong. He postpones it, saying ‘we will get there’, but tomorrow everything has to be in for us at the UCI. We are not far from each other. It’s actually more about things after his career.
“Will he go to the Tour again? You should never speak too early. This year Sam Bennett was undeniably our first sprinter, despite knowing he was leaving. But then everything fell apart for Mark. You never know.”
Anna Henderson crowned women's national TT champion
It’s the top step of the podium for Anna Henderson as she takes the national stripes at the Elite Women’s @HSBC_UK | National Time Trial Championships! 🇬🇧
🥇 @annahendersonxo
🥈 @JossyLowden
🥉 @Leah_Dixiee #NatRoadChamps pic.twitter.com/GhNs5Iw7pq— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) October 14, 2021
No Hayter sister on the startline, so Jumbo-Visma’s Anna Henderson took the win in the women’s event with a hugely impressive ride. The 22-year-old crossed the line 56 seconds quicker than Hour Record holder Joss Lowden, Leah Dixon took third. That concludes the day of TT action. Tomorrow night it’s time for the circuit races, before the main event on Sunday.
"Paint won’t save your life - to be honest, it won’t do anything!": Surrey traffic cops tell cyclists to ignore council's dangerous door zone bike lanes
Ignore the painted line. It doesn’t keep you safe, I’d be on the right side of the white line by at least a foot.
— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) – Surrey Police – UK (@SurreyRoadCops) October 14, 2021
Surrey Police’s now-famous Twitter account for their Roads Policing Unit was back educating road users on safe practice this morning, talking about the door zone. The cops stressed the importance to stay out of the door zone, and for drivers and passengers to use the ‘Dutch Reach’ to avoid wiping out anyone behind.
Given the video of that ‘cycle lane’ in Richmond that was doing the rounds on social media and the live blog on Tuesday, some asked how cyclists should deal with cycling infrastructure that aims to put riders within striking distance of a motorist’s door. The answer was clear…
Ignore the paint.
Paint won’t save your life – to be honest, it won’t do anything!The lane is yours, use as much of it as you safely need.
— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) – Surrey Police – UK (@SurreyRoadCops) October 14, 2021
There was plenty of love for the account’s work…
What a fantastic twitter account you run!!! So impressed and as ever very grateful to your service. You’re doing so much for road safety everywhere.
— CyclingMikey tired of road crime. 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇿🇼 (@MikeyCycling) October 14, 2021
— Adam Fry (@Adski11892) October 14, 2021
It’s just the latest example of the force educating road users on social media. In August, they told one driver spouting Highway Code whataboutery to return their licence. That came just a couple weeks after they had called out a safe driving campaign spreading “dangerous advice” about riding two abreast. But our personal favourite has to be the time they slid into the DMs of one particularly angry motorist calling cyclists dickheads on Twitter.
14 October 2021, 08:02
14 October 2021, 08:02
Check out all the details, stages, climbs (and cobbles) here...
Routes of 2022 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes by Zwift unveiled in Paris (plus fly-through videos)
Copenhagen start and return of Alpe d'Huez for the men, while women’s race begins in Paris and ends with summit finish at La Planche des Belles Filles
14 October 2021, 08:02
14 October 2021, 08:02
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73 Comments
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Latest Comments
Fine by me Mickey, just remember when you're in a queue of traffic stuck behind a cyclist in the middle of the lane that this is exactly what you asked for.
He's talking about our "tiny island" so I think its fair comment ;-)
Reply t o Rendel I'm serious, it might be a combination of my head shape and the helmet I use but I definitely have more wind rush around my ears with a helmet and notice it when bunch racing compared to social riding.
All over the country it's the same , thousands of cars vrs hundreds of bikes. All this sustainable transport infrastructure for bikes is just a waste of many ,, thousands upon thousands of drivers all report very seldom underused bike lanes. Motorised vehicles are the majority & preference on the roads should be made for them & not for the minority of cyclists. Get rid of all the annoying cycle lanes everywhere.
(reply to Backladder as ability to reply to more than the fourth reply seems to have been removed) I really hope that's tongue in cheek, because if it isn't it's just ludicrous. I have never noticed the slightest discrepancy between wind noise when riding with a helmet and when riding without so it must be minimal at best. I've read quite a lot of debate about helmets, here and elsewhere, and you're the first person I've ever seen suggesting that people wearing helmets might crash because of wind noise.
You’re making a big assumption there that “anonymous person posting on the internet” is in the UK.
Its nice that they have these little things called kilometres for all the show offs to ride large numbers of, but in the UK road signs use miles and speed limits are in miles per hour so come back when you are using big boy units!
I don't know of any research into that question but from my own experience a helmet interferes with my awareness of traffic around me, the noise from the wind in the helmet is louder than the sound of modern quiet cars and other cyclists so perhaps your urban commuters are crashing because they can't hear other traffic around them?
My father undertook post mortems and attended coronors inquests until his retirement and early death. He saw the riders who died in accidents. He built up decades of observed experience. He made us wear a helmet.
I'm glad I had my trousers on. If I hadn't I might have been arrested.
73 thoughts on ““Paint won’t save your life”: Road cops tell cyclists to ignore dangerous door zone bike lanes; Anti-cyclist bingo: London taxi driver edition; National champs or club 10?; Cav eyes Tour; Pro rider catwalk; Hit-and-run driver + more on the live blog”
Love the moralising from
Love the moralising from cabbies, below are the examples I’ve seen myself over about the last 2 years
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuWFmOGwqLzfe9hWoqHcNk99DkHvmT_g-
i just hope we dont do to
i just hope we dont do to cabbies what we dont like being done to us – lets not tar everyone with the same brush….there are good and bad drivers and riders of all types….doesnt make headlines or generate tweets but after 40 years riding (and 30 years driving) in London its the truth….oh and lets not forget the pedestrains too…
Cabbies’ rhetoric on social
Cabbies’ rhetoric on social meedja is 90% anti-cycling.
In my personal subjective experience, taxi drivers are worse than the average driver. From long hours spent on the road they learn what they can get away with (almost anything).
Trying to be reasonable / see
Trying to be reasonable / strike a balance / see alternative points of view? On Road.cc?
How DARE you, Sir?!!
Thought about seeing
Thought about seeing Flintshire Boy posting anything BUT criticism of the site and other posters.
HOW dare you sir?!!??{{%
Your sarcasm might have more
Your sarcasm might have more bite were it not for the fact that the comment you’re responding to is the equal most ‘liked’ on the page.
50kms virtually every working
50kms virtually every working day in London and riding here, like you, for over forty years, and I’m afraid it is my experience that London’s black cab drivers are significantly more aggressive towards and careless of cyclists than virtually any other motorised groups in the city. One particular bugbear at the moment is that the majority seem to regard ASLs as advisory only.
That’s not to say that if I drove all day around town I wouldn’t get pretty annoyed with the behaviours of a minority of cyclists too.
Yup, the problem with cabbies
Yup, the problem with cabbies is that they are maliciously dangerous, unlike most normal drivers who are just incompetent.
I would say 50% of the time they drift into bike boxes as well, which is just ridiculous. Lucky for them the Met don’t care
lukei1 wrote:
Some aren’t. When I used to waste my time on twatter (rather than here), there was a cabbie account that I followed. They were pretty cool I remember, and gave a much needed breath of sanity to some conversations with their loony colleagues.
You also see some pretty cool friendly interactions come on JVs thread too (as well as the idiots , natch).
Of course come to think of it I’m at risk of providing the exception that proves the rule….
Most of it is just the usual
Most of it is just the usual ignorant nonsense but “Cyclists have to earn their respect” is particularly disappointing. Replace the C-word with any other description of a disparate out-group and see how it sounds.
IanMK wrote:
Exactly. If I ride to the letter of the law for a month, or a year, have I earned enough respect? How will the taxi drivers know I’m one of the respectable ones and they shouldn’t left hook me? Or do all cyclists need to conform before I get any respect?
andystow wrote:
Answers: a) No c) Yes and b) because you’re driving (“I’m a cyclist myself…”)
andystow wrote:
Yes, because no driver ever breaks the law ever.
eburtthebike wrote:
You are top lawyer Nick Freeman and I claim my five pounds.
no start ramp – any future
no start ramp – any future froomes will be pleased…
I do enjoy the shared moment
I do enjoy the shared moment with pedestrians when I’ve stopped at a zebra crossing to let them cross and a motor car goes sailing past me and over the crossing in front of them… (so – not all cyclists, Cabbie Ray!)
And, I was under the impression that everything except green means ‘stop’ (except that amber allows you to continue if its completely unavoidable/dangerous to stop, or something).
I’m pretty sure that amber
I’m pretty sure that amber means floor it.
hawkinspeter wrote:
Amber is A for accelerate
Steve K wrote:
I’m pretty sure that amber means floor it.
— Steve K Amber is A for accelerate— hawkinspeter
So, green is G for go and red is R for read Facebook?
hawkinspeter wrote:
R for really accelerate, no?
Suit jacket, sleeves rolled
Suit jacket, sleeves rolled up, over plain t-shirt. Cav really rocking the Sonny Crockett look. (That’s a reference the kids’ll get…)
Steve K wrote:
..but it’s a ‘green jacket’.. so we should let him off as they only made those in the 1980’s.
Fun one on the Metro website
Fun one on the Metro website today:
https://metro.co.uk/2021/10/14/cheshire-farmer-attacked-cyclist-in-row-over-not-riding-in-bike-lane-15419132/
Makes me wonder what is wrong with that ‘expensively built tarmacked bicycle lane’, if nobody is using it.
brooksby wrote:
Good to see their laser scrutiny cut through to the key relevant points of the case;
‘The cyclist had chosen to ride his £2,950 bike on the road‘ bloody cyclists choosing to do things and buy things….
‘ignoring an expensively-built tarmacked bicycle lane‘ bloody cyclists should know where they belong…
‘The cyclist ignored a ‘Keep Out’ sign‘ bloody cyclists ignoring road signs…..
‘confronted the elderly farmer in his yard‘ poor elderly aggressive driver….
‘before grabbing a billhook, used to trim tree saplings‘ It’s not a weapon, it’s an honest agricultural tool….
‘throwing it in his direction‘ not at him, in his direction. How was the humble farmer to know that an honest agricultural tool may cause injury or damage….
Load of billhooks if you ask me….
The final point in the story
The final point in the story is that the courts decided the cyclist wasn’t due any compensation for the damage to his bike as he was technically trespassing on private property at the time the farmer threw a billhook at him…
brooksby wrote:
I missed that bit, and wish I hadn’t seen it. That had to be spite from the courts. The damage was caused by a malicious and unlawful action from the defendant that could have resulted in injury just as easily. Note the “journalist” labouring the cost of the bike
‘claimed £2,195 worth of damage was caused to his expensive bike ‘ (my emphasis)
All coming as a result of the
All coming as a result of the driver being forced to overtake the cyclist in the first place. I really feel for the farmer, the prosecution clearly know who the victim was in all this.
IanMK wrote:
Indeed. Clearly the guilty verdict is a travesty of justice, especially as “The court heard how Fell had had difficulties with cyclists not using the lane near his home since it was built in 2017 as part of a £200m scheme.”
brooksby wrote:
Streetview here
Can’t see from the pictures, but is that a shared horse, pedestrian and cycle lane? Never seen one of those before, if so!
Doesn’t look too bad from the
Doesn’t look too bad from the Streetview, although technically it is a shared use lane so 12-15mph tops from me if I used it. If I wanted to go faster, I would use the road which I assume the cyclist did. The lane does appear to just stop though not far past the junction the farmer / cyclist took. Although I do love the comments of Expensively built cycle lane. The reason the road was narrowed was because the £200million A556 was built in its stead and the Chester Road was no longer needed for the traffic using it, cyclists could have continued as it had it had no pedestrian access along it.
Stupid of the cyclist to go and confront the farmer on his land though after the incident.
brooksby wrote:
For one thing, judging by the pictures on the story, it’s covered in leaf litter. And for another, it has to give way at side roads. Oh, and it’s not a ‘bicycle lane’ – it’s a path shared with pedestrians (and horse riders).
What it makes me wonder, though, is who exactly was forcing Mr Fell to overtake, and why haven’t they been brought to justice for their threats and intimidation.
brooksby wrote:
[/quote]
Makes me wonder what is wrong with that ‘expensively built tarmacked bicycle lane’, if nobody is using it.
[/quote]
Apart from the fact that it’s covered in slippy leaves and they want you to give way every time you come to a side road.
IanMK wrote:
Isn’t that the default for most shared use paths away from city centres, though?
brooksby wrote:
yes
A lot of lazy reporting there
A lot of lazy reporting there.
The road has not been narrowed at all. The carriageway has been narrowed.
Why was he forced to overtake
Why was he forced to overtake?
Troon wrote:
Must have been some kind of explosive device fitted to his vehicle that explodes when his average speed goes below some value
brooksby wrote:
has the metro added the comment aboutt he va;lue of the bike and the cycle lane, or was tht stated by the prosecution?
Also very dissapointing that the prosecutor stated the driver was ‘forced’ to overtake the cyclist, especially as it seems they arrived at the drivers destination at roughly the same time.
wycombewheeler wrote:
It would be interesting to know if they actually did – it isn’t a direct quote, and judging by the implicit bias through the rest of the piece I suspect is an embellishment by teh “journalist”. The Prosecutors appear to have done well to get this to court – I’m surprised that they achieved it – and were clearly fully behind it, so suspect that they would have chosen their words carefully
Quote:
Is that how the law works? I’m pretty sure that’s not how the law works. I was under the impression that land owners could be liable even for accidental injury to tresspassers, let alone causing damage through criminal behaviour.
OnYerBike wrote:
certainly you are not allowed to set traps on your own property, and I would think that deliberately throwing something at someone would be worse than that. Seems like there should be grounds for an appeal.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Maybe a private claim for the damage would be easier.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Can I set traps on other people’s property? Oh please do say yes Wyc…
Captain Badger wrote:
Who are you? Rod Liddle?
hawkinspeter]
No, I’m the Emperor
OnYerBike wrote:
It may be as he was allowed a Not Guilty for criminal damage in exchange for a guilty plea for Harassment. I would doubt that Mr Smith would be prevented for chasing compo in the civil courts (not that I agree with him having to…)
From the article:
From the article:
“Metro”? You got that from a
“Metro”? You got that from a Viz Farmer Palmer strip, admit it.
chrisonatrike wrote:
Is there a difference?
Captain Badger wrote:
I’ll have you know I was quoted in the Metro this weekend; I’ve never been quoted in Viz (to my knowledge).
Steve K wrote:
And is that to Metro’s credit, it Viz?
Only joking, what was the quote?
Captain Badger wrote:
Probably Viz’s, to be fair. It was a ‘spokesperson’ quote on an article about gas price rises.
Steve K wrote:
Metro pic or it didn’t happen. And unless you’re practicing Our Nige’s advanced politeness I’d warrant we could pin a phrase or two from the profanisaurus on you.
brooksby wrote:
Isn’t it odd that cycle facilities are always expensive but roads aren’t.
eburtthebike wrote:
Because in common thought they’re in the “for kids” or “toy” category like bikes themselves. Or to be more generous – a “nice extra”. As contrasted with “roads” which are the serious necessities of responsible adults. So if you pay more than a couple of hundred quid for bike stuff it’s “expensive”. This is like how words like “strategic” clearly don’t have any connection with “cycling” and mostly “walking” either.
Just like some drivers, society can’t see the bikes!
chrisonatrike wrote:
Nail. Head.
Remember – bicycles are just toys and those who choose to ride them around as adults are clearly just either impoverished losers or manchild (womanchild?) idiots who never got the memo about being grown up and responsible by buying a car.
I’m familiar with that
I’m familiar with that stretch of road, the first observation I’d make is that the farmer must have intended to intimidate the cyclist because the road is wide and lightly trafficed. It’s very unlikely that a bike would delay even the most impatient driver because there’s always lots of room to pass safely.
It’s a straight and quiet road and a favourinte of the local Porche and Ferrari owners who like to show off their 100mph + capability, I wonder if Mr Palmer tries to obstruct them? (the road has a 40mph speed limit).
The cycle path, not shared there’s a seperate footway, is good in theory but it’s never swept and is covered with grit and debris from adjoining hedges and trees. I gave up using it after multiple punctures during hedge cutting season.
Surrey RPU, spot on
Can they now tell all the
Can they now tell all the drivers that cyclists don’t have to ride in those painted lanes, so they don’t get all angry that we’re not using the lanes they think they paid for?
brooksby wrote:
I think they have gone some way to do just that. were I still on twatter I’d be book marking that for future use
I will join in the thanks to
I will join in the thanks to Surrey Roads Policing Unit, even though they are no doubt regarded as traitors by the traditional traffic police in Constabularies like Lancashire. Surrey’s Twitter account is a goldmine for ammunition to send to Lancashire PCC in my continuing complaint
Can I ask for an opinion from
Can I ask for an opinion from the room?
Riding home last night, Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol (between the Pret and the Wills Building, heading west).
https://goo.gl/maps/p3acWaSimR1w9TXY8
I’m in the right hand lane because beyond the traffic lights I want to stay right so as to go around the Triangle and up to Clifton. So, doing what motorists do (“Getting in the correct lane”, I think it’s called).
I’m aware of a large van behind me but there’s nothing I can do about that – there’s no space for it to overtake me, and there’s traffic to my left. It gets closer, clooser, then I think I moved slightly left for a pothole and the driver took the opportunity to push his van’s nose up level with me, then further, then further, until I was actually forced off into the left lane.
He drove past me, followed exactly the route I was taking, and turned off straight after the little Waitrose (Bristolians know where I’m talking about).
So, my question: as he tried to basically force me out of the way, should I have girded my loins (so to speak) and taken the lane? Or should I have bailed out earlier?
should I have girded my loins
should I have girded my loins (so to speak) and taken the lane? Or should I have bailed out earlier?
Bail out when there’s a nutter about. The only thing you can do is film the b******s and send in the technically immaculate online complaint to the police.
Yep, that’s a tricky bit of
Yep, that’s a tricky bit of road. I try to stay left (even in the so-called bike lane) quite late if it’s busy and the light is green as otherwise you do get idiots left hooking you. If the light is red, then I’d get to the front and position myself between the lanes although that does invite poor overtakes (unless there’s vehicles parked on the right hand side).
I think ultimately it’s down to reading the traffic as you can encounter issues with any road position you may take there.
Don’t know the road, so just
Don’t know the road, so just going off Street View, it looks like an uphill section, so I assume it’s slow progress.
I would tend to use the left lane for straight on, I think. I would tend to ignore the magic paint, and ride primary in the left general lane to deter left-hookers. It’s not really a ‘cycle lane’ there, it’s a feeder to the ASL – too short for any other purpose. If the lights are green and traffic is moving, you don’t need to feed, you need to lead.
If the lights are on red, make a decision on approach as to wether you have time to filter to the front and take primary in the left lane. If not, stay in primary in the line of motor traffic till the lights change and stay in that position till past the junction.
I’m not sure I see a need to be in the right hand lane. But if I was (e.g. to pull in to the right after the junction), I would definitely ride centrally in that lane. Beyond the traffic lights, it’s a one-way road, so it is perfectly OK to use the right hand lane when slower, but maintain primary to emphasise your position, because drivists are just not used to that rule.
What you certainly don’t want to be doing is allowing yourself to be forced to the white line between the general lanes: you’ll get drivists going either side of you; and the surface is patchy, waiting to grab your wheel and throw you off (especially in the wet).
Just after the traffic lights
Just after the traffic lights, the road goes nicely downhill, but then branches to the left and to the right, so if you want to go right (as Brooksy did and I sometimes do), you need to move over from the left. For me it’s a choice between taking the right hand lane early and attempting to out-pace the cars downhill before they can left hook me or it’s a case of wait for the cars to go by and then lazily drift over to the right hand lane. As I said, I often base my decision on the traffic light phase.
Sorry, peter, realised you
Sorry, peter, realised you replied to GMB too
It is uphill, and slow(ish)
It is uphill, and slow(ish) going, but its usually so busy there that the motor traffic isn’t exactly speeding along either (and its a 20mph limit).
The two lanes approach the traffic lights you can see. Beyond the lights there are still the two lanes – left one goes to go down Jacobs Wells Road and the other continues round the Triangle (where it opens out into three lanes, temporarily) and then up towards Clifton or back all the way round the Triangle.
If you stay in the left lane and try to get across to the right beyond the traffic lights, you are then trying to find a gap in traffic racing (again, ish) away from the traffic lights.
So, I usually take the right hand lane (along with most motor traffic).
That all makes sense – and
That all makes sense – and local knowledge makes the difference.
yes… I’d stay right, then, but definitely keep centre-lane and exude an aura of authority.
Whenever I’ve ridden that
Whenever I’ve ridden that route, I find riding well into the centre of the lane stops them overtaking, but of course, not undertaking. Like you, I found that if I stay left in the lane, the buggers will try to force their way past, with possibly as much as an inch to spare, which can be entertaining as other drivers speed past an inch from your left elbow.
The cycle lane on the left is particularly useless, especially when the pizza delivery moped gangs park their vehicles in it.
From what I can see, I’d be
From what I can see, I’d be looking to fully take the right lane at some point (which would depend on a judgement call on the traffic levels as to how late I could leave it and still reasonably expect a suitable gap to move into), and then if i had to manouevre for anything try to manouevre further to the right, so that the worst that can happen is someone swings partially in to the left lane to try to push past, leaving bail-out space to the right.
Once someone starts trying to drive through you, though, discretion the better part and all that – let them go and give them a hard stare.
Haven’t been in Bristol for
Haven’t been in Bristol for years and that spot doesn’t look super friendly. My general principle is if I’m in the lane already I try to stick it out but not to the point of scaring myself. You’ve said you were in the right lane and there was traffic in left (so no space), you didn’t deliberately let him by but this guy just elbowed through anyway. Nothing you’re going to do about him – without being a point-of-principle vehicular cyclist and daring him to run you down. So no issue with you doing whatever to keep as safe as you can.
As for pre-emptive action again it sounds like you did better than I would. To save people beeping, tailgating or undertaking I tend to leave shifting right later than I probably should, so I’d likely have found myself stuck on left and have had to cross at the lights.
This commonplace experience is just the reason that despite the magical incantations of “active travel” and “hierarchy of priority” by our overlords I don’t expect a swarm of new cyclists on the roads. It’s not even the “I could have died!” moments – though that’s enough for most people. It’s the feeling that the majority of people in vehicles just see this as “nothing to see, cyclist left a gap and I moved into it, no-one got hurt”. If it went wrong I wouldn’t have got hurt – in a car. Someone wouldn’t have squeezed me out of the lane if I was in a car. F*** it, I’m getting back in my car.
brooksby wrote:
You do whatever it is that you can do to feel safe and preserve your well being. Sometimes that’s be assertive, sometimes bail, and sometimes that decision changes in the blink of an eye.
The individual was a psycho, and you did the best thing you could do with the information that you had to hand at the time