West Ham star’s plea in hunt for car tyre slasher turns into cyclist registration ‘debate’; Cyclist forced to use ‘cyclocross skills’ to avoid lorry; Britain’s worst bike lane?; Rondo + Cannondale recalls; Cyclist knocked off in road rage incident +more
SUMMARY
Superstrata - the "world’s first custom 3D-printed unibody carbon-fibre bike" - raises over £1 million on Indiegogo
We reported on the launch of this curious-looking bike on Monday, and already it’s crowdfunded over £1.1 million – over 1000% more than Superstrata’s original target. Will they be able to scale up deliver to backers? The Indiegogo campaign still has 29 days to go, so we’ll be following this one with interest…
Brand new cycle lane has a slight lamppost-shaped flaw...
Another image that would slot nicely into our ‘Why don’t cyclists use cycle lanes?’ feature, this fail was captured by road.cc reader John this morning on a brand new cycle lane in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London.
He said: “It’s great to see the investment in cycling infrastructure, but did anyone think this one through?”
Rondo issue safety recall for Mutt AL and ST models due to 'potential safety issue' with front mudguard
The Polish brand have issued a voluntary safety recall of all 2020 Rondo Mutt AL and ST models, identifying a potential problem with the front mudguard. The statement says:
“We have identified a potential safety issue. Overtime the front fender (mudguard) can become loose and bring the front wheel to a sudden stop. Due to this, the rider could fall and be seriously injured.
“Consumers should immediately stop using bicycles equipped with the original front fenders and contact the dealer that sold the bicycle. A new front fender that resolves the problem will be supplied within approximately 4 weeks of this announcement. The detailed information regarding replacement of this parts for each consumer is available and shall be provided by dealer.
“Please contact us via email info@rondo.cc or fb messenger if you have any questions. The detailed information regarding replacement of this parts for each consumer is available and shall be provided by dealer. Note that it is safe to ride the bicycle without the front fender.
“Your safety is our highest priority. We sincerely apologise for the situation, and would like to thank you for your support.”
Hunt for car tyre slasher turns into cyclist registration debate
West Ham footballer Michail Antonio posted footage of a rogue vandal slashing multiple car tyres yesterday, warning his followers to “keep an eye out”. In the clip, the man wearing a blue rucksack cycles cycles up to a black Audi and appears to make a slashing motion to one of the rear tyres. He then rides over to a Mercedes G-Class and stabs a front tyre, which visibly deflates as he rides away. Antonio claims one of the cars targeted in Wapping, East London in the early hours of Tuesday morning was his, and is appealing for information.
This has all somehow led a number of people over on Twitter advocating for the registration of cyclists…
CYCLISTS registration is coming
— SUPPORT UTAG WHERE BUSES GO WE GO (@sharks1334) July 14, 2020
This is why I Lobby for Rego plates on bikes.. disgusting behaviour.@SurreyRoadCops keeping an eye out?
— Relentless (@Relentl12852948) July 15, 2020
In a world where cyclists needed to register and insure their vehicle, would someone going around slashing car tyres anonymously take the time to do this? We’re going to guess ‘no’…
British Cycling extend TrainingPeaks partnership through to 2022
British Cycling say TrainingPeaks has provided the GB Cycling Team and British Cycling members “with unrivalled analysis and support”, and the extension will take the partnership up to a decade. Thanks to the deal, British Cycling members can access a library of 13 digital training plans on TrainingPeaks, two of which were designed specifically for training indoors during the pandemic. A discounted rate on more comprehensive access to the platform is also available to British Cycling members.
Kingston cycle lane lamppost debacle: some background, and (hopefully) a solution
From what I heard following @KingstonCycling the budget was there to start the project but it would need to be completed at a later date. I can see that these things take time, moving large pieces of street furniture overnight is not an easy undertaking.
— JT (@JT2UK) July 15, 2020
Jeeees.. stop it. The reality is there are several contractors on this job. The one moving the lamp post hasn’t completed the job yet. One could argue they should have done that first, but still.
— Norman T (@NormInATeacup) July 15, 2020
We’ve had a fair few comments on the site and social media about the unfortunate blockage on a Kingston cycle lane, not all of them glowing towards yours truly… and the good news is, the likelihood is that it probably won’t stay like that for too long.
In short, different contractors are responsible for installing the cycle lane and removing road furniture, and as mentioned by Kingston Cycling on 4th July, the former was a few stages ahead of the latter…
As usual, unfortunately the contractors that move things are running a few weeks (or even months) behind the rest of the team… pic.twitter.com/0b7gGZkseH
— Kingston Cycling Campaign (@KingstonCycling) July 4, 2020
The bad news is that it’s still there, so we’ve contacted Kingston Council to find out when the lamppost is scheduled to be removed. You can find full details of the Kingston to Tolworth scheme – of which this cycle lane was part of – here.
Cannondale recall Treadwell models over reported front rack issues
Following the news of Rondo’s recall due to reported issues with the front mudguard, a reader has been in touch to share communication from Cannondale regarding a recall of their Treadwell urban bike. As we understand it it’s the Treadwell EQ models that feature a front rack that are affected; the email says:
“We have received a few reports of issues with the bolts that attach the front rack installed on some Cannondale Treadwell bicycles that caused the rack to become detached from the bicycle and abruptly stop the front wheel, creating a fall and injury hazard.
“We have elected to conduct a recall of the rack in order to provide riders with a more robust attachment system, which will be installed at no cost by Cannondale dealers. We are working to finalise this improved attachment system and obtain required government approvals.
“In the meantime, Cannondale dealers should stop sale of the racks and all Cannondale dealers and riders should remove the rack from any Treadwell bicycles and save all rack parts for later re-attachment. If you have not already registered your bicycle for warranty and recalls, please do so now by downloading the Cannondale Mobile App and just spinning the front wheel to activate the built in Bluetooth wheel sensor and complete the registration, or register on the Cannondale Website. Once your bicycle has been registered, we will be able to contact you to complete the recall when we receive final government approvals.
“It is easy to remove the rack – instructions and a step by step video is available on the Cannondale Mobile App and on the Cannondale Website.
Once the rack is removed, you can keep riding your Treadwell – because nothing beats a bike ride. We’ll be in touch as soon as possible to get your rack safely re-attached.”
In tribute to the late, great Sheldon Brown
Born on this day in 1944: Sheldon Brown – the bicycle mechanic whose vast website remains 12 years after his death probably the greatest repository of #cycling maintenance tips and guides ever assembledhttps://t.co/PmxzOIyOTf pic.twitter.com/dVs3g1Bvp2
— John Lloyd (@Cyclopunk) July 14, 2020
If you need to work out gear ratios or get some comprehensive written maintenance tips, there are still few better places than Sheldon Brown’s treasure trove of a website, 12 years after he passed away. While it still looks like a time capsule, the site is still updated regularly by Brown’s friend John Allen, his widow Harriet Fell and employees of Harris Cyclery – find it here.
Just a guy riding through a small puddle
💪💪💪 pic.twitter.com/YHNIyqyYWm
— ADN Ciclista (@adnciclista) July 15, 2020
Lancashire Road Police continue to defend themselves over helmet tweet
Jon the investigation is concluded. It really was a very simple set of circumstances, a very explanatory scene and both parties involved able to explain what had happened corroborating each others accounts.
— Lancs Road Police (@LancsRoadPolice) July 14, 2020
The Lancs Road Policing Twitter account came in for a barrage of criticism yesterday after being accused of using the aftermath of a collision to promote the use of cycling helmets; and they’ve since said that the driver wasn’t to blame. They also added: “Actually in this instance many people blamed the driver. Many turned into keyboard accident investigators instead of listening to the experienced officers who attended the scene. We don’t always imply that a cyclist collided with a car but in this case, that’s what happened.”
Transformation of West Yorkshire's Queensbury Tunnel moves another step closer, with £1 million of government funding
A lengthy campaign to transform a 1.4 mile disused railway tunnel into a ‘greenway’ route between Bradford and Calderdale has received another boost, with Grant Shapps announcing £1 million of government funding to make a business case for the project.
The tunnel is on a railway line that was closed down in 1956, and became the centre of a row in October last year after it emerged contractors had been sent in to fill in the No 2 Shaft of the tunnel. The leader of Bradford City Council called on Shapps to intervene after Highways England ceased inspection and repair works at the tunnel, with the Queensbury Tunnel Society describing the work that followed as as an act of “ruthless vandalism.”
If the Queensbury Tunnel project does goes ahead, the estimated cost will be £27 million, and it wil become the longest cycling tunnel in Europe. The Queensbury Tunnel Society said: “It’s time to move away from our engrained carbon-centric culture. Active travel must become the default choice for short journeys and we have to invest to make that happen.
“Queensbury Tunnel is a valuable future transport asset, not a relic of our past. It’s great to see the Government waking up to that reality.”
Tory MP Rachel Maclean says cycling is not right for "women wearing a skirt or a dress"
.@redditchrachel says she is a big fan of cycling, it is fantastic and is great, and it is something that the DfT backs, but it is not right for everybody. Particularly women who are travelling to work wearing a skirt or a dress and not able to shower when they get there.
— APPGCW (@allpartycycling) July 15, 2020
The comments were made at a Transport Committee meeting that was mostly regarding the recently launched e-scooter trials; however Maclean’s comments attracted considerable criticism, with one replying: “Good grief, not all people who ride bikes in UK want or need to wear lycra, ride racing bikes or go so fast they work up a sweat! Cycling in normal clothes (including skirts & dresses) is perfectly possible. Just ask any of us who’ve being doing so years.”
Young cyclist knocked off his bike in alleged road rage incident in Norfolk
Here is my boy….. pic.twitter.com/0ywY29kRo3
— Victoria MacDonald 🔶 (@TheVickyMD) July 14, 2020
20-year-old Alastair Barrows had only just returned to his hometown in Norfolk after spending lockdown in Bristol where he studies; but just a week later after heading out for a bike ride, he was recovering in hospital after being knocked off his bike in an alleged road rage incident.
Ms MacDonald wrote on Twitter: “Road rage is disgusting! To the woman who decided to run my son off the road whilst screaming through the window of her car. He is now in hospital with a suspected broken jaw, concussion and two broken teeth. Luckily his cycle helmet saved him from greater damage!
“The witnesses confirm he had done no wrong but your attitude stank! Yet my son remained stoic throughout despite his injuries. I haven’t seen him for 10 MONTHS, he is just home in the last 5 days and now you’ve put him in the @NNUH (Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital). The matter is with Norfolk Police.”
Ms MacDonald also said her son called the police at the scene, and they have witnesses plus details of the offender. The Eastern Daily Press report that Norfolk Police were called to the incident in Hingham, which involved Mr Barrows and a woman driving a white Vauxhall Corsa; enquiries are ongoing.
Cyclist forced to hop onto curb to avoid lorry in shocking near miss
Was delivering Torm to the Post Office yesterday afternoon when the same John Byewater Transport lorry tried to kill me twice in 30 secs ! pic.twitter.com/51GUUs6JpU
— Torm (@tormcycling) July 14, 2020
The footage, uploaded by the admin of the Torm cycle clothing company Twitter account, shows the rider being forced to hop onto the curb to avoid a lorry who is seemingly oblivious to the cyclist’s presence. The cyclist says “cyclocross skills were put to the test”, before he is then close passed again by the same lorry.
After the first incident with a 44 ton truck against a push bike you still went back for more though? Driver was at fault this time but why go back surely stay away!!! And where you in the blind spot second time, self preservation!!!
— RetroRocks (@rocks_retro) July 15, 2020
Some have questioned why the cyclist would go back onto the road in front of a driver who clearly needs some serious re-training at the very least – would you have waited until the lorry was well out of the way?
15 July 2020, 08:30
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I agree, the study was made after cycle paths that had been introduced in Berlin during the 70’s and 80’s caused a big increase in cycling deaths. It is an interesting study for cyclists to read in order to know what dangers exist at badly designed junctions. Here in Paris we have very few bi-directional paths. The ones I have cycled on have no building entrances or courtyards (so no cars crossing the path) and every junction is traffic lights to prevent accidents.
We have enough regulation. They're running a motorbike without insurance/registration and possibly without a licence, and the punishment for being caught with all that is pretty severe already. The problem is lack of enforcement.
In my experience with anything less than one of those serious mid-bike two-foot kickstands, a wall / tree / hedge is the better option, or the bike will sometimes show you the alternative and lie down by itself. Maybe I've got panniers that are just too large and the wrong balance of (too much) cargo though? And of course Edinburgh streets are great at funneling gusts of wind...
I agree there's a clear legal line * but I do see something here. Like much tech it's entirely opaque from the outside (without even invoking things like the VW emissions cheating).** I know in NL they have trialled semi-portable "test stations" to check max motor speeds. However with the latest "but there's no money" crisis I can't see that over here. Indeed it's hard to see the police being motivated to do any more roads policing, with this even further down the priority list. Hope I'm wrong... While I guess many of us *would* be fine with EAPCs as a means to attract "non-cyclists" ... perhaps there's an "attractive nuisance" element to this? We're ushering people into an apparently effortless, easy and minimal consequence mobility mode without the "learning experience" of managing a lighter, unpowered machine on roads. And it's still (busy) *roads* where the new power-assisted riders will often find themselves. Not like in more advanced countries where people usually cycle in much safer and more controlled environments. OTOH we should always balance such concerns against "but cars and full-power ICE motorbikes now" though! Number plates, licences and insurance aren't necessarily mitigating that well... * As soon as there are laws games will be played. How long can you be above the "continuous rate power" for? Can we have *multiple* legal motors on one machine? ** Is the power / speed actually regulated by software, and how long will that keep a child armed with the internet from unlocking it?
And maybe a planning obligation to have traffic Marshalls controlling access out of the site not obstructing the path and restricting it if cyclists are likely to be obstructed …one can hope
I'll stick to my low rider with Karrimor Kalahari dry bag panniers and Karrimor Kalahari barbag thanks.
How is the Hover Air X1 Smart more jersey pocket friendly? It doesn’t fold, like the original Hover Air X1 (which is excellent BTW). Are your jersey pockets larger than standard? You did read the part about this also being available only for Japanese market?
Presumably your bike has the legal restriction to 25 km/h, in which case you're not dangerously close to the line at all, it's the high speed achievable by illegal electric motorcycles (there is a plague of them at the moment in my area of London that, I would estimate, are capable of at least 45 mph) that's causing the collisions, the actual power is fairly irrelevant.
I use this cycle path regularly. It is used by commuters during the week but it is used more and more by families with young children evenings and weekends when the weather is fine. The car boot takes place on a Sunday which conflicts with this leisure use. One problem is with cars stopping on the cycle path to wait for a gap in traffic (as in the picture). Even if the car is stopped and there is space behind it, as in the picture, you can't be sure that the driver won't reverse or the driver behind won't close the gap so you have to slow down to almost a stop to get through safely. You would have to dismount as well as you would be using the footway part of the path. This isn't a huge problem going up the hill into Cheltenham, (coming towards you in the picture) as it is relatively steep and usually against the prevailing wind if there is any, so you are going slowly anyway. Going down the hill however it is easy to reach 30mph and this is where cyclists are going to be seriously inconvenienced by having to slow down and dismount. I don't think it's a huge safety issue but it will be annoying. Obviously the driver should not be blocking the cycle path at all and should wait in the entrance, which has good visibility, until there is a gap in both the road and the cycle path traffic. This is obviously beyond the skill set of the majority of motorists who would not dream of blocking the road but can't see any problem with blocking the cycle path. The main problem, however, is with drivers from Cheltenham crossing the oncoming traffic to enter the car boot sale. There may be nothing blocking the cycle path and the drivers will be looking for gaps in the (usually continuous) oncoming traffic. When a gap appears they will go but will they have checked that there are no cyclists on the track who will expect the driver to give them priority as instructed in the highway code. A cyclist coming from Cheltenham down the hill will be travelling at speed from behind the driver and the driver will cut across them from their left if they are not seen. Experienced cyclists will be watching out for this but that is not who the cycle path is intended for, it is intended to encourage new cyclists to get on their bikes. Another concern is when a driver is turning into the site and does notice a cyclist and does give way. The driver behind may not be expecting the car in front to stop and there is potential for a rear ending incident. The speed limit is 40mph but it is only adhered to in heavy traffic. I rarely drive but I did drive the road recently and I was doing exactly 40mph when I was overtaken. None of these would be a problem if drivers could be relied upon to obey the highway code but it seems to me that it is asking too much in today's "drivers come first" and "must drive as fast as possible" mentality. Finally one time I cycled when the car boot was on there was a person in a hi vis jacket directing the traffic. If the individual has received training then it should be safer but it will still inconvenience cyclists unless we are given priority.
@KiwiMike Respectfully, I don't think "oh well people can afford it" is a valid excuse for blatantly overcharging for a product. Yes of course it's people's choice whether they want to pay for it or not, just as it's my choice to point out that in my opinion, as with so many cycling products, it's a rip-off.
47 thoughts on “West Ham star’s plea in hunt for car tyre slasher turns into cyclist registration ‘debate’; Cyclist forced to use ‘cyclocross skills’ to avoid lorry; Britain’s worst bike lane?; Rondo + Cannondale recalls; Cyclist knocked off in road rage incident +more”
I really struggle to
I really struggle to comprehend how cycle lanes like this get built. It is easy to asjust a process flow to stop things like this (the most effective way is to put a check in the way of the part that sees the contractor being paid).
What a waste of money, and not the only piece of dodgy cycle lane in Kingston that otherwise has some decent infrastructure for bikes.
Quote:
Many non cyclists already think our bikes have some sort of cloaking device. Maybe they think we have a teleport drive too…?
Particularly baffling in that
Particularly baffling in that if they’d just kept the track along the kerb for a few metres it could have passed to the right of the post without losing much, if any width, and at the same time avoided creating the pinch point in the footway between the cycle track and that wall.
I hadn’t even noticed that,
I hadn’t even noticed that, but yep, they’ve actually aimed for it, that’s some especially good work there.
I thought that angled
I thought that angled trajectory was the entry point to the cycle lane from the road rather than a swerve towards the lamp post. Presumably there’s some kind of stipulated minimum distance the right hand edge of the lane has to be from the carriagway.
Cyclelane has to be off
Cyclelane has to be off carriageway 15m in advance of the crossing, so from counting the 2m zig zags, that would be part way into the mouth of the side road, so its had to pull back a bit further to be in front of the side road – it looks as if the LC just happens to be in the same place.
I’m sure you’re right, but I
I’m sure you’re right, but I do notice that councils follow the rules when it suits them and totally ignore them otherwise.
I once read about rules for pedestrian refuges & carriageway width. Councils are supposed to make them wide enough for an overtake or narrow enough so it’s clearly impossible. Where I live 99% of them are the prohibited in-between width.
daccordimark wrote:
I don’t think that can be the case, because if you look further along there appears to be a double cycle space that butts right up to the kerb.
With flow can be up against
With flow can be up against the kerb. Usually referred to as cycle track type 1 (no buffer). Type 2 is with a buffer, which can be anything but is usually 600mm min, which looks to match this. There’s also a table in the relevant DMRB section (can’t remember which one) for recommended offsets from carriageway edge dependant on road type/speed.
OK, so the official answer is
OK, so the official answer is now in; different contractors do the lamp post, later. So they will dig up the newly laid surface to uproot the lamp post & gubbins. Then fill in the mess with either a dip or a lump. So begins another boneshaking path no cyclist will want to ride.
The cycle-path-on-the
The cycle-path-on-the-pavement arrangement here (possibly, or at least similar to, the route from Kingston towards Surbiton) is hopeless, reguiring you to pretty well stop at every side road. This is one of those cycle routes I choose not to utilise, and I am not alone. Wasted money.
This is the type that gives
This is the type that gives cyclist priority, it’s raised from the carriageway and you can see the edge of the give way markings on the side road in advance of the table.
Now you just have to hope cars turning into the side road realise you have priority…
Moist von Lipwig wrote:
…which is unlikely, since they never even knew pedestrians have priority in that situation already.
https://mpora.com/road
https://mpora.com/road-cycling/worst-cycle-lanes-ever-grace-the-earth-1/
Check these cycle paths out, some real corkers here
Love the canalside challenge!
Love the canalside challenge!
WTF is going on with the one
WTF is going on with the one on Torquay seafront??
Were the contractors laughing
Were the contractors laughing when they put that cycle lane in? Or if you’d asked them maybe then would’ve answered, “I’m just following orders mate.”
Basically, yes they are
Basically, yes they are following orders. If someone deviates from the spec, then they could end up in hot water as that could deprive the company of future income where the client changes their mind.
It really is ridiculous how
It really is ridiculous how these awful bikes get so much hype and funding.
Just looking at their team, as usual it’s almost all marketing folks.
Disingenuous marketing too.
Disingenuous marketing too. Note how they compare the competitors at $11,000 with Shimano Dura-Ace to their $2,799 bike with ‘Shimano Groupset’…
JohnnyEnglish wrote:
Conveniently marked yellow as a “win” for the Terra…..
Given their frame is double the weight of the competitors, I don’t see how they can keep the weight down to within a few hundred grams considering they’re using components they’re too embarassed to give the level of. Only way I can think is they’re factoring in the £555 upgrade wheels to the standard figures and making the rest out of Swiss cheese. Flexy flexy fun!
And the fact that none of the
And the fact that none of the photos show the bike with cables (where are the cable ports?). All the hype over the manufacture, and they advertise it with mechanical disc brakes!
I thought exactly the same
I thought exactly the same looking at this bike. It’s not a problem specific to bikes either but a general one with crowd funding that to get attention, they need to make bold promises and offer a low cost.
I feel online sites are also partially responsible as well because they often highlight the product in a positive way rather than take a more cautious tone warning of the risks of crowd funding on complex products. I notice on the page for this bike that road.cc and many others have their badges implying their support despite the fact they’ve never even seen one of these bikes.
It just feels exactly the same as the SpeedX which similarly was heavily hyped and promoted on many bike sites who were then listed on the Speedx page as well despite also never even having seen a bike. Many promoted it as being a fantastic bargain since it was far cheaper than equivalent bikes whereas I’d have expected people in the bike industry to be at the very least advising people to be cautious since there are no guarantees at all with crowd funding and I’m immediately suspicious when they’re promising a better product than long established companies on the market and a far lower price.
Unsurprisingly Speedx collapsed and only delivered a small number of bikes that to put it mildly, weren’t very good.
BlodadTand wrote:
Reassuring to know they have a poet on board though.
BlodadTand wrote:
…from Road.CC, which loves to hype crap like this.
I’m afraid the cycle path
I’m afraid the cycle path lamp post is all too common in the UK, but very popular with councils who can tick the cycling box on the government funding application.
Have had many similar incidents including on the old Severn Bridge when they swapped the cycle lane to the downstream side with quite a few dark grey lamp posts in it; they hung fluo/reflective lamps on them. I still get flash backs to the answer I got when I enquired why the new bridge didn’t have cycle paths like the old one; “It doesn’t really go anywhere.” I was too gobsmacked to reply.
As for being the worst, the competition is fierce indeed http://wcc.crankfoot.xyz/facility-of-the-month/site-map.htm
Imagine if roads were built
Imagine if roads were built like this, let alone motorways.
facility of the month…
facility of the month…
Bournemouth January 2011 is in a class of its own
Car tyres get slashed all the
(edited)
Car tyres get slashed all the time – check the news pages of pretty much every local paper ever – and not always by some bloke on a bike. Some of them are on foot.
I wonder what would be suggested when a crime is committed by a (so far unidentified) pedestrian on CCTV? – perhaps mandatory ID/registration for EVERYONE??
(I’m so glad we have
footballersBlack Cab drivers available who can explain matters of vehicle registration and civic responsibilities and liability to us – who could we rely on otherwise…?)Can you point me in the
Can you point me in the direction of where Michail Antonio called for registration of cyclists? Looking at his post I can only see a load of cab drivers getting in on the act.
Ah, dammit! Didn’t read it
Ah, dammit! Didn’t read it properly (was doing something else at the same time…). That’s a damn good piece of ranting of my own made pointless…
Some of them are on foot, eh?
Some of them are on foot, eh? REGISTER TRAINERS NOW!
‘Hunt for tyre slasher turns
‘Hunt for tyre slasher turns into cyclist registration debate’
Sort of – although the “Lobby for Rego” guy you quote was only part of a debate in the sense that he made a comment which everyone ignored. Apart from me, and I rather regret that now.
In context, it’s like people
In context, it’s like people forget that those committing crimes while driving, often do so with removed or fake license plates. What a lot of good being “registered” is then, am I right?
But looking at this video, how can anybody think “cyclists are to blame” instead of “thug on bike rolls around getting revenge(?)” etc. I mean honestly he could have made better time getting off the bike, slashing/stabbing the wheels he is targeting and then climbing back on for a sprint-exit.
I am guilty of talking about slashed tires on a few separate occasions, but pretty much as a venting hypothetical. . but this guy… just why?? genuinely hope the police do catch the guy and shed light on the backstory.
We all know that there will
We all know that there will have been different contractors on the cycle lane job. But making sure that tasks are scheduled and done in a sensible and therefore cost-efficient sequence is pretty much the first thing they teach you on the most simple project management courses. Are they saying that even the pitiful level of cycling infrastructure we’re getting in this country, is being implemented by people without even the most basic qualifications?
jollygoodvelo wrote:
Yes. When I did my MSc Transport Planning, there was very little about practicalities or cycling, but these people are then supposed to plan and run our transport systems.
Anyone with any sense would have had the lamp post moved first, so that the surfacing can be continuous and smooth. Now there will be a large, lamp post shaped pothole, guaranteed to sink, with dangerous tyre-trapping edges, which will have to be repaired many times over the years.
I sincerely hope any readers in Kingston on Thames will be making their views on the council’s efficiency very, very clear to the councillors.
Anyone seen this one yet?
Anyone seen this one yet?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/15/english-councils-backpedal-on-cycling-schemes-after-tory-backlash
Yep, just read that. Pretty
Yep, just read that. Pretty depressing eh.
Depressing yet so predictable
Depressing yet so predictable. Two days ago I read a letter to a local Cllr that called cyclists ‘terrorists’ and cycle lanes a ‘far left agenda bordering on facism’ and that their installation was a ‘human rights violation’ . This was in a wealthy part of central London.
We need some uber-expensive
Until the Duchess of Cambridge is regularly seen riding a bicycle, these people won’t accept it. They need to know it’s not just for plebs.
Lukas wrote:
The division of society is almost complete; the wealthy on one side and the plebs on the other. Cognitive dissonance is strong in that one; far left fascists indeed!
A large part of the problem is the media, which almost universally portrays cyclists as demons, scum and an out group that can be attacked by right thinking drivers; BBC included. There are many and regular progs/articles/opinion pieces about driving in the msm, but almost none about cycling, except for the critical ones of course. I’ve given up writing to the BBC criticising their helmet propaganda campaign and suggesting a regular, sensible prog about cycling.
“…with Grant Shapps
“…with Grant Shapps announcing £1 million of government funding to make a business case for the project.”
So rather than just fund something which is clearly massively beneficial, in line with government policy and supported by the community, they’re going to waste another million of our money on a business case? When most other schemes, motorways, bypasses, HS2 etc don’t have a business case and don’t seem to need one before they waste our money.
I’m trying to think of something positive to say about this shower of incompetents and liars pretending to be a government, but offhand, I’m failing.
EDIT: no wait, there’s the £2bn for alternative travel, some of which might get spent on cycling.
Without wishing to get too
Without wishing to get too political, another tory MP makes crass statements about cycling; is there no end to this talentless, misinformed, plain ignorant group of upper class professional wasters.
Oops, might have got a bit political there; sorry.
My current fave pic of a Dutch lady in a skirt ferrying around beer. Clearly impossible in the UK.
Great pic, which highlights
Great pic, which highlights that essentially nobody just cycles in the UK. By which I mean, of all the people I have seen out cycling, 99% seem to belong to a breed called “cyclist” having identifiable characteristics which separate them from the general population of “non-cyclist”, such as this woman. Take away the bike and she’s indistinguishable from anyone else. I guess it’s like, I might walk to the shops, but I’m not a “rambler”.
‘heard at least he done 4
‘heard at least he done 4 cars’ (sic)
Erudite comment that.
“Sheldon Brown Day”
“Sheldon Brown Day”
Come on – how do we start a petition for this??
brooksby wrote:
He was the greatest, able to explain clearly without being condescending, and generous enough to pass on all that knowledge and experience for free. A true gent.