Ineos Grenadiers slammed for relentless 4×4 promotion; Chris Boardman clip on lockdown cycling descends into helmet row; West Mercia Police say Close Pass Op WILL go ahead; Tino Asprilla shares strange Rigo Uran pic + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Hasty backtracking, or a genuine misunderstanding? West Mercia Police say they will be running a Close Pass Operation, despite a superintendent saying "risk is too great" for her officers
OP CLOSE PASS | We’d like to apologise for any confusion around our participation in Op Close Pass; whilst we always take into consideration health and safety matters we can confirm that we will be taking part. We will keep our communities informed on our #OpClosePass activities.
— West Mercia Police (@WMerciaPolice) September 14, 2020
If you think it is too dangerous for even police officers to ride a bike on the road, how will police officers not addressing the cause make it safer for the public? 🤔 https://t.co/44A6O7f2N3
— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) September 14, 2020
Police: “We can’t get on bicycles to catch bad drivers because that puts our officers at too much risk.”
I’m not criticising the officer. But this says everything about our roads and the way drivers control them. https://t.co/ys9TrkhsNg
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) September 14, 2020
A few hundred comments from angry social media users and celebrities plus numerous FOI requests later, the official Twitter account for West Mercia Police stepped in last night to say they will be taking part in Operation Close Pass after all.
The problem arose when Supt Steph Brighton said her force wouldn’t be taking part in a close pass operation, suggesting that it couldn’t be allowed after carrying out a health and safety assessment. Naturally people took this to mean that Supt Brighton thought sending police officers out on bikes to catch close-passing drivers was too dangerous, but she says her words were taken out of context.
The thing is, I don’t believe you will approach it with any kind of alacrity.
You were shamed into it. You’re playing the PR game
— Scooper (@stainlessmatt72) September 14, 2020
Is it legal to make a u turn so blatantly in the middle of a twitter traffic flow. Glad you’ve reconsidered just unfortunate you had to be shamed into doing your job!
— Fergusottopeevishsun (@ottothepeevish) September 14, 2020
When can we expect the operation to commence?
— Bike Worcester (@BikeWorcester) September 14, 2020
Some have doubted West Mercia’s intentions, accusing them of backtracking after the hugely negative reaction. Cycling campaign group Bike Worcester appear to be suggesting that the force are yet to set a date to actually start their close pass operation.
road.cc have asked West Mercia Police for a statement.
Chris Boardman on cycling during and after lockdown
Due to the covid-19 pandemic the planet effectively shutdown, meaning our public spaces and roads became quieter almost overnight 🛣@Chris_Boardman looks at the effects of cycling during and after the lockdown 🚴♂️ pic.twitter.com/bsRcyoIldh
— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) September 15, 2020
With his Cycling and Walking Commissioner hat on, Boardman looks at how cycling boomed during the pandemic, and what needs to happen to ensure it continues – well worth four minutes of your time.
Just Rigoberto Urán taking a ribbing from Tino Asprilla on Twitter
¿Cual será @UranRigoberto? pic.twitter.com/j57jl6wBau
— Faustino Asprilla (@TinoasprillaH) September 14, 2020
When legendary 90’s footballers and embarrassing old photos of professional cyclists collide… somehow ex-Newcastle and Colombian national team footballer Faustino Asprilla has come into the possession of this pic, which shows a very young Rigo appearing to get blanked by a ‘podium girl’ as he moves in for a kiss.
Luckily cycling’s archaic tradition of placing female hostesses on the podium looks like it will soon be consigned to history, so there’s less chance of eccentric footballers from 2020 posting compromising old photos of cyclists on social media by 2040…
"No regrets": Egan Bernal on his unravelling yellow jersey defence so far, in totally on-brand interview
ICYMI: @Eganbernal talks us through his stage 15 time loss, his thoughts on #TDF2020 and what’s next in the race. pic.twitter.com/Qz4vQHcKMM
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) September 15, 2020
With his Dogma F12 rested against an Ineos Grenadier 4×4 in the background, the 23-year-old has reflected on his Tour so far, saying that he has given everything but can’t change what happened on stage 15, where he lost over seven minutes to race leader Primoz Roglic.
“Firstly I would like to recover a little bit”, said Bernal.
“Try to help the guys. Maybe take some bidons to them, try to do this kind of work that I have never done.
“It’s something that I want to do. Just try to help the guys, enjoy the race… and then, I don’t know, maybe try to go in some breakaways.”
The fact that Ineos appear to be shoehorning their massive off-road vehicle into everything they can hasn’t gone unnoticed on social media…
When PR want a good interview, but all one can see is how the team’s sponsor will kill cyclists. pic.twitter.com/PJzmq4MTSq
— Jimmy Banjo (@jamie_and_bikes) September 14, 2020
"Breakdown in communications": Superintendent Steph Brighton apologises for saying close pass operation was called off in South Worcestershire, and West Mercia Police issue statement
I have removed an earlier Tweet that incorrectly stated that South Worcestershire officers would not be taking part in Op Close Pass. This was simply a breakdown in communications and I’m sorry. We will be taking part, please see the update here. https://t.co/hVvDjuyYUp
— Supt Steph Brighton (@SuptBrighton) September 15, 2020
Further to the update from West Mercia Police to say that they would be taking part in Operation Close Pass, Supt Brighton added: “I have removed an earlier Tweet that incorrectly stated that South Worcestershire officers would not be taking part in Op Close Pass. This was simply a breakdown in communications and I’m sorry.”
I will. We will also be sharing updates on our force-wide Op Close Pass activities on the main @WMerciaPolice account.
— Supt Steph Brighton (@SuptBrighton) September 15, 2020
Supt Brighton said a start date would be announced by West Mercia Police. The force also responded to a request for a statement from road.cc, with Deputy Chief Constable Julian Moss saying: “We’d like to apologise for any confusion around our participation in Operation Close Pass; whilst we always take into consideration health and safety matters we can confirm that we will be taking part. We will keep our communities up to date with our Operation Close Pass activities.
“There was was a breakdown in internal communication around the decision-making process for our participation but this has now been resolved – and we have apologised for the confusion.”
Chris Boardman's ITV segment on cycling during lockdown leads to complaints over his lack of helmet
Great piece… no helmet mr boardman 😔
— Chris (@cjayres11) September 15, 2020
Poor form not wearing a helmet, what were you thinking?
— Calvin Coulter (@CalvinCoulter) September 15, 2020
Where is your helmet? Great advertisement…
— Kevin Pettengell (@KevlarP18) September 15, 2020
It’s time to dig out that archive pic again, and on this occasion it’s because Chris Boardman dared not to wear a helmet while he was steadily pootling along in a short clip that featured during yesterday’s Tour de France highlights coverage on ITV4.
As we outlined further down the page, Boardman was explaining how cycling during lockdown boomed, and how councils quickly moved to reallocate space to cyclists and pedestrians in an era of social distancing. Wise as his words were, as you can see from some of the comments above some believe that Boardman’s lack of helmet is a sin that can’t be atoned for.
Going to put this out there, just once: https://t.co/70MQZHX3bf https://t.co/9ncKYzIgS7
— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) September 15, 2020
Cycling’s a low-risk activity – you don’t need special safety kit. The single place most head injuries are suffered is in cars – do you wear a car helmet?
— Stuart Helmer (@stuarthelmer) September 15, 2020
Jeez – the helmets whataboutery crowd are out in force! If they’re concerned about head injuries they’ll be all over TV footage of people driving without helmets. Because that’s where most head injuries occur – inside vehicles.
— Philip Sutton (@PhilipSutton425) September 15, 2020
Great piece by @Chris_Boardman. Put simply and in terms with which intelligent people couldn’t possibly disagree.
As for bUt wHaT abOuT hElmEts? – personal choice each time you swing your leg over.
— Dan Masks (@SirArthurIndeed) September 15, 2020
Others disagree, and Boardman himself has addressed the negative comments by linking to Cycling UK’s policy on helmets, which suggests that he is strongly opposed to their mandatory use. In the headline message, the policy says:
“Cycling UK is opposed to both cycle helmet laws and to helmet promotion campaigns because these are almost certainly detrimental to public health. Evidence shows that the health benefits of cycling are so much greater than the relatively low risks involved, that even if these measures caused only a very small reduction in cycle use, this would still almost certainly mean far more lives being lost through physical inactivity than helmets could possibly save, however effective.
“In any case, there are serious doubts about the effectiveness of helmets. They are, and can only be, designed to withstand minor knocks and falls, not serious traffic collisions. Some evidence suggests they may in fact increase the risk of cyclists having falls or collisions in the first place, or suffering neck injuries”
In 2014, Boardman also claimed that helmets were “not even in top 10 of things that keep cycling safe.”
Coventry suspends e-scooter trial because of concerns about users riding them on the pavement
Just five days after it launched, an e-scooter trial in Coventry has been suspended due to concerns about users riding on the pavement – full story over on eBikeTips.
Aldi caught up in row over where to re-erect a popular bicycle mural, that stands where they will build a new store
Although heritage campaigners welcome the new supermarket, concerns have been raised about where Aldi have proposed the mural’s ‘forever site’ should be, report MK Citizen.
The popular ‘bicycle wall’ in the Stantonbury district of Milton Keynes was created in 1978 by John Watson with the help of school pupils from the local area, and features 1,200 tiles. The building it is on was earmarked for demolition when Aldi moved in; but after a public outcry, the German grocery giants said they would place it in its original form off the supermarket site next to a redway (part of Milton Keynes’ extensive cycling and walking network).
This could be problematic according to local campaigners, with Tim Skelton of the Milton Keynes Forum saying: “The site they are proposing is only about one metre from the footpath, putting it at risk of damage and vandalism. You will be able to reach out and touch it.
“Although it would be visible from the road, there will be no visibility from the store, and we are concerned that it could be a case of out of sight, out of mind.”
Aldi rejected building the store around the mural because it wouldn’t be “in keeping” with the design, and the council have demanded that they can’t start building until the mural is safely erected elsewhere. Their planning expert Dan Templeton commented: “The overall strategy has been to ensure the mural is re-erected in a location that ensures it would be appreciated by the greatest number of local residents, and with an appropriate level of natural surveillance.”
The council’s website currently has the application for a discharge of the planning condition, and is allowing comments/suggestions on how the issue could be resolved.
Rennes steps in to host first ever French Naked Bike Ride following bans in Paris and Lyon
Des centaines de cyclistes nus sont attendus dans les rues de Paris et de Rennes aujourd’hui pour la première World Naked Bike Ride française.
Lire l’article: https://t.co/qFPzviDfNI pic.twitter.com/0ogUUQurZO
— Le Média au Quotidien (@Mediaquotidien) September 13, 2020
Rennes hosted the landmark clothes-less occasion on Sunday where Paris and Lyon couldn’t, and some are hoping it could become an annual event to highlight environmental issues. Michèle Charles-Dominé from the French Naturist Federation (FFN) told RFI: “We’re delighted, we laughed a lot, had a great time.
“When you care about nature, it’s better to be naked, you show your fragility.”
Riders had to wear masks for the 15km ride, with about 70 cyclists taking part. Charles-Dominé expressed his disappointment at Paris banning the ride suddenly, adding: “Didier Lallement (Paris’ Police Chief) is simply playing for time. He waited until the last minute so we wouldn’t be able to contest the decision.”
Chris Boardman helmet row rolls on
I’m guessing somewhere, you’ve picked up the idea that cycling without a helmet is dangerous, and that’s why you’re asking. So to answer, everyone makes a personal risk assessment when they do anything, and decide what, if any, PPE is appropriate.
— Mr Ridey-Bike Man (@JohnBaker1975) September 15, 2020
So personally I’d wear a helmet for downhill mountain biking, but not for pootling to the shops or feeding the cat. HTH
— Mr Ridey-Bike Man (@JohnBaker1975) September 15, 2020
What on earth has the equipment required for bike racing got to do with the leisure cycling displayed in the video?
Wouldn’t you think it a bit odd if Lewis Hamilton started hectoring his local vicar for not wearing a helmet on his way to church in his Morris Minor
— Al Goritham (@barbedquill) September 15, 2020
Some continue to say that Boardman should have been wearing a helmet while presenting the ITV segment, while others have defended him for choosing not to. We doubt Mr Boardman cares very much, and will continue doing excellent work as Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner.
Things we didn't expect to see at the 2020 Tour de France: Egan Bernal dropped from the GC group with Greipel and Sam Bennett
Egan Bernal, the 2019 Tour de France champion riding in the gruppetto with Sam Bennett and Greipel…what an image. #TDF2020 pic.twitter.com/UqBrL1iTcx
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) September 15, 2020
It looks like Bernal is fully committed to going into the break tomorrow, as he chills behind the GC group with the sprinters.
Lennard Kämna wins Tour de France stage 16
🏆 🇩🇪 @lennardkaemna finally!
🏆 🇩🇪 Cette fois c’est la bonne pour @lennardkaemna !#TDF2020 #TDFunited pic.twitter.com/KkP9agQ8iQ
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) September 15, 2020
The 24-year-old Bora-Hansgrohe man demolished the field today, with Richard Carapaz coming in over a minute behind – full stage report here.
Tour de France: Ambulance driver who knocked over Bob Jungels on stage 15 has been removed
Race officials have taken action. The driver of the ambulance who hit Bob Jungels has been sent off the Tour de France and fined. #TDF2020
— UCI_media (@UCI_media) September 14, 2020
After appearing to take out Sergio Higuita, who was forced to abandon, Jungels was then hit by an ambulance driver further up the road. The UCI’s communications department replied to the tweet above, saying: “Race officials have taken action. The driver of the ambulance who hit Bob Jungels has been sent off the Tour de France and fined.”
"It's just not a great look really": Debate over heavy promotion of Ineos Grenadier 4x4 continues
It’s just not a great look really, I don’t think. At a time we really ought to be considering cyclists sustainability and environmental impact. Maybe we do need a reset. 🤔 https://t.co/vKPmTT6F4c
— Elisabeth Anderson (@velobetty) September 15, 2020
That is all true, but a driver behind the wheel of one these monstrosities is going to be far more dangerous in a collision than someone driving (say) a hatchback.
— Mark Treasure (@AsEasyAsRiding) September 15, 2020
You do all realise that it’s an off-road utility vehicle, filling the gap in the market left by the loss of the Landrover Defender, don’t you?
— Mike O’Hanlon (@unoghoulie) September 15, 2020
The Ineos Grenadiers have taken to featuring the vehicle in the background whenever they interview their riders, and some are uncomfortable with such heavy promotion of a 4×4 that isn’t exactly environmentally-friendly and could be considered more dangerous than your regular runaround.
Others have defended Ineos, saying it’s drivers who are dangerous rather than the car they drive, and that the Grenadier is more intended for off-road use. Do you think the whole Ineos Grenadier thing is a wise PR move? It certainly doesn’t seem to have brought the team any luck at the Tour so far…
15 September 2020, 08:41
In which Cav also reveals his love for Lego...
Mark Cavendish says he thought depression was “an excuse” – until he was diagnosed with it
Manx sprinter also tells celebrity fitness coach Joe Wicks he has “nothing left to prove” following glittering career
15 September 2020, 08:41
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Latest Comments
@perce I'm normally a big fan of your excellent posts perce but I must take issue with this one. The idea that Lord Khan of Tooting would ever, in any circumstances, have been friends with Nigel is surely beyond the bounds of even your fertile imagination?
Not to downplay the seriousness of bikejacking, but Mr.Taylor might want to consider that fact that many riders have been put off using the park at weekends due to the aggressive, intimidatory behaviour of members of his own club, who are notorious for riding as if the park is a private training facility just for themselves, and that's a pretty sad state of affairs as well.
In Wiggle/CR's absence, what are people using nowadays? I've been out of it for a while, but now returned.
I did a multi-day ride many years ago with someone who was a better cyclist than me by every conceivable measure but this one. I remember watching them up ahead on a quiet road trying to teach themselves - snatching brief seconds with their hands off the bars before losing balance and grabbing on again. 'Watch this' I said to the rest of my group, before I accelerated to catch them, then nonchalantly sailed past them uphill riding no hands. Very satisfying. I've been able to ride most of mine hands-free, but had a Specialized Allez that really didn't cooperate. Haven't been brave enough to try it on a Brompton or cargo bike though. And still can't do a wheelie, or any of the other things on Jo's palmares.
@Hamster now that is an exciting development. I do remove/amend signs but reporting them for flyposting is much more satisfying.
@Slartibartfast If the sign-maker can be caught in the act then the council Environmental Health can get a report for littering/fly-tipping. Hours of endless fun for that person trying to explain away a conviction. Don't report unless you're prepared to go to court though. Or remove the litter and put in the nearest bin with a sticker explaining how littering is a crime.
What would make driving safer for motorists is if they stopped driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and driving faster than the speed limit.
Some good ideas there. One point tho. Whilst I love those Wera Allen keys for steel bolt heads, they can be risky on alloy socket screws. Not ideal, IMO, for Rochshox fork axles as they eat into the alloy and lock into the socket. Play soon results. The hex+ system seems to be based on an inside out adaptation of the Snap On “Flank Drive” spanner or socket - and that’s a great idea, but sadly the design seems to overstress alloy socket head screws. Could it be that the profiled section on the end of the tool doesn’t have enough penetration on a fork axle? Maybe. All I can say is my axles last a lot longer using a regular Allen hex key. (Ideally on a torque wrench I guess). Ooh and ChrisA is right - a “Vernier Caliper” relies an a sliding scale more like a slide tile. Digital is way easier, but battery dependent.
@Rendel Harris - ginger ale can be alcoholic when it's traditionally brewed. Not nearly as strong as mead, though.
@tomlew Don't disagree. That makes me at a system weight of 85kg more dangerous at 20mph than a 100kg rider on a 20kg eapc at 15.5mph! Except that I'm in control and only do that sort of speed on the road, not shared used paths etc
22 thoughts on “Ineos Grenadiers slammed for relentless 4×4 promotion; Chris Boardman clip on lockdown cycling descends into helmet row; West Mercia Police say Close Pass Op WILL go ahead; Tino Asprilla shares strange Rigo Uran pic + more on the live blog”
Quote:
Surely all she had to do, then, was to explain the context?
Maybe the context actually made her case cast-iron?
Or maybe saying the words were “taken out of contaxt” was a load of defensive rubbish…
How can the full quote of her
How can the full quote of her tweet be taken out of context, it wasn’t misquoted it wasn’t edited down to misrepresent its meaning. It is 100% of what she released in a public statement, so no context issues at all.
Maybe she meant that the
Maybe she meant that the tweet was itself only a part of some larger guidance? I don’t know; just trying to play devil’s advocate.
TBH I think she ‘s making the whole “out of context” thing up.
Does the motivation matter?
Does the motivation matter? They’re doing it. That’s the important bit!
I find when doing something,
I find when doing something, motivation is of primary importance….
Motivation matters as they
Motivation matters as they have only said they are doing. Carrying that over to actually doing it is where the motivation bit comes in….
You do realise that they won
You do realise that they won’t actually run a close-pass campaign? She’s said this solely to stop the Twitter anger and FOI requests.
I know…
I know…
Surely all she had to do,
Surely all she had to do, then, was to explain the context?
She has made herself look even more of an idiot by tryng to explain it away. ‘Taken out of context’! Miscommunication?!! B******s!!!
wtjs wrote:
Exactly. Isn’t there some aphorism about ‘if you’re at the bottom of a hole, stop digging’?
https://twitter.com/jamie_and
https://twitter.com/jamie_and_bikes/status/1305607319934439427?s=20
That is already in the main
That is already in the main article about Ineos interviews (at the bottom. )
D’oh
D’oh
We can only hope that once
We can only hope that once West Mercia have carried out a close pass op that they do a review and realise the scale of the problem this is. We all know that most rides we do we are passed by vehicles within 1m multiple times. This needs to be taken much more seriously by all forces and best practice in this area needs to be shared and cyclists encouraged to report incidents with the results shared with the cyclist. Not difficult and there is a ready army of us willing to help.
Having walked past that mural
Having walked past that mural in Stantonbury many times – I must admit I thought it was just graffiti!
The whole area needs updating, it’s really very tired. I can’t see that moving it close to the Redway will actually make any difference at all.
Gimpl wrote:
It would be nice to find somewhere not obscured by parked 4×4’s or overgrown bushes, and that doesn’t have the feeling there’s a mugger round every corner.
While using bikes to sell
While using bikes to sell cars is hardly new, times have changed. Using bicycles to sell planet destroying, dangerous, utterly inappropriate for most people vehicles is crass.
they re-named the team after
they re-named the team after this vehicle, literally every time you say Ineos Grenadiers you are “relentlessly promoting” it, so what on earth did people think was going to happen with this link up ?
and how do the likes of Skoda get a free pass for this environmental concern of automobiles mixed with relentess promotion during cycling races, Skoda proudly deliver 250 cars for use just at the Tour de France, many of which are just there to drive Skoda invited guests around a tour stage so they can experience being driven around a tour stage, and who knows what happens to those vehicles after weeks of being thrashed around France,end up as hire cars ?
Only 30 of these 250 vehicles are hybrid/full electric and the lead vehicle will only be the full electric SUV (and why even bother creating an electric SUV at all) on 3 stages.
do you think Skoda do all this because they really really like cycling alot, or to ensure they keep on delivering 1million plus vehicles to the worlds roads every year, 75,000 alone of which end up on the UK roads.
the car that is most likely to cause me or any cyclist the most harm on our roads will be a bog standard family saloon,hatchback or compact, the likes of which companies like Skoda excel at producing and convince the public to buy in ever greater numbers, it wont be an Ineos Grenadier however it looks.
I hurriedly logged on to make
I hurriedly logged on to make set the world straight but you’ve already done it
This Grenadier car thing has
This Grenadier car thing has done a fantastic job of taking the focus away from all the far more disgusting things the Ineos company does to the planet, bravo to their PR firm
I am so fed up up of the
I am so fed up up of the helmet debate, it’s nowhere near the most important factor in keeping cyclists safe and should remain a personal choice, unless you are involved in a sport which raises the risk. Statistically it would be of more benefit for pedestrians and drivers to wear crash helmets. If you want to raise issues that really relate to cycling safety ask why so little importance is given to the provision of safe cycling infrastructure, effective policing of bad, bullying driving or why the number of deaths and injuries caused by motor vehicles daily are seen as “acceptable” if the numbers involved occurred in any other aspect of life health and safety would be investigating, but, apparently, if cars etc are involved it’s acceptable.
Paul Barrow wrote:
Helmets are just used to distract the conversation away from the benefits of cycling and instead concentrate on the dangers and to victim blame and insult anyone not wearing one.