“Transfer your pulsing rage directly onto cyclists,” urges bizarre anti-cycling column; Fans celebrate as ‘nice guy’ Sepp Kuss wins Vuelta; Wacky conspiracy theories abound as Wales introduces 20mph speed limit; Thriller in Madrid + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Thriller in Madrid: Was the Vuelta’s nail-biting climax the best final road stage of a grand tour in years?
I thought I’d kick off today’s live blog with a bit of a recap of the final weekend of everyone’s third favourite grand tour: the Jumbo-Visma Company Picnic and Bike Ride – sorry, I mean Vuelta a España!
And before we get onto the obligatory Sepp Kuss love-in, let’s turn our attentions quickly to that absolute stonker of a stage 21 through the streets and dead turns of Madrid – because whoever said that final grand tour stages in national capitals are always dull processions with five minutes of racing at the end?
Well, if anyone mentioned that long-held cycling truism on the outskirts of Madrid yesterday afternoon, Remco Evenepoel certainly wasn’t paying attention.
The polka dot-clad (in too much polka dots if you ask me… those shorts) Belgian ripped up the script, tearing off the front with none other than Filippo Ganna and green jersey Kaden Groves – the two favourites for the stage in a sprint, remember – in his wheel with over 35km left to go.
(Tommaso Pelagalli/SprintCyclingAgency)
After bridging up to the earlier move featuring Nico Denz, Lennard Kämna, and Rui Costa, Remco and his mates proceeded in turning the final few laps around the Spanish capital into a pulsating pursuit match.
After as delicately poised a final 30km as you would ever dream of witnessing, during which no-one (apart from the all-knowing Carlton Kirby on comms) would dare to predict how it would pan out, a brief moment of hesitation with just one kilometre to go amongst the hitherto committed attackers seemed to spell the end of their romantic escape.
However, with 500m to go, just as the ragged peloton finally latched onto the break, Evenepoel – who else – thought ‘sod this’ and drilled it at the front. The Belgian’s acceleration, though doomed from the start, nonetheless perfectly teed up his breakaway companion Groves (who only slipped into the break initially to keep an eye on the marauding Evenepoel for the green jersey competition) to take an exhilarating, unpredictable third stage win of the race.
On paper, with Ganna again taking second behind Groves, yesterday’s final stage of the Vuelta resembled a typical bunch sprint. On the road, it was anything but.
The final stage into Madrid saw an incredible win from the breakaway as @kaden_groves sprinted to his third win of the race! 🇦🇺
Watch live*, get highlights and in-depth analysis at https://t.co/VuciWgDSgK (*some territory restrictions apply) #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/aeGaCVLDbG
— GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) September 17, 2023
Bonkers end to a pretty bonkers Vuelta. Have to hand it to Remco there. A doomed cause once the messing about started but hey just go for it
— William Fotheringham (@willfoth) September 17, 2023
Wow. Just wow. What a finale. Cannot believe the breakaway almost lost it, then Groves powered through at the end anyway. Brave from Remco. Gutted for Pippo. SO exciting 👏 #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/wpz111nte1
— Katy M, Vuelta Edition (@writebikerepeat) September 17, 2023
While Mark Cavendish’s win in Rome on the final day of this year’s Giro d’Italia carried with it a sense of fate and history-making, yesterday’s thriller in Madrid certainly must go down as one of the best non-TT final grand tour stages in modern cycling history.
In fact, it’s been a while since we’ve had such a pulsating road stage on the last day of a three-week race. Back in 2005, Alexander Vinokourov attacked – was there any other way for Vino? – to win solo on the Champs-Élysées at the Tour de France, repeating the feat of Bernard Hinault, who broke clear (in the yellow jersey no less) alongside GC rival Joop Zoetemelk to upset the sprinters on the famous Parisian boulevard in 1979.
It’s been 18 long, long years since we last saw an attacker win on the Champs – but with Remco set to turn his attention to the Tour over the coming years (he’ll have to wait until 2025, of course, thanks to next year’s Nice finale), that long champagne-sipping, processional drought could soon come to an end.
Come on Remco, we’re all banking on you…
Romance from Durango: Fans celebrate as the ‘nicest guy in cycling’, Sepp Kuss, wins Vuelta a España – But why is the American so popular? Because he’s “human” and a “noob”, apparently…
A few hundred metres behind the action-packed, Remco and Ganna-driven finale, Sepp Kuss sat up alongside his Jumbo-Visma teammates (wearing a rather underwhelming homage to their unprecedented Grand Tour triple success), as they lined up across the road to toast the American’s first ever triumph at one of cycling’s biggest three-week races.
By winning the Vuelta, not only did the 29-year-old from Durango, Colorado, seal the deal on his team’s history-making season, but he also became the first American in a decade to win a Grand Tour, after 76-year-old Chris Horner beat Vincenzo Nibali at the 2013 Vuelta (probably best not to delve too deeply into the previous decade’s list of US Grand Tour winners, mind you…).
Kuss’s transformation from loyal and invaluable mountain domestique (he’s had a hand in all six of Jumbo-Visma’s previous GT wins from 2019) to big race winner was, of course, achieved amidst the backdrop of a fledgling and ultimately stifled civil war within the Jumbo-Visma camp, as confusion reigned over who called the shots on the road, prompting a messy and wholly unnecessary PR battle for hearts and minds.
(Rafa Gomez/SprintCyclingAgency)
In fact, ever since Kuss gained over three minutes on the peloton from the break on stage six, and took the red jersey two days later, it was the American’s two teammates, Tour champ Jonas Vingegaard and Giro winner Primož Roglič, who appeared the most likely to rob him of a career-defining triumph.
No gifts in cycling, eh?
Perhaps because of this internal conflict, Kuss has emerged as an almost universally popular winner of the Vuelta, a race otherwise defined by Jumbo-Visma’s clinical dismantling of the opposition and overwhelming dominance.
And Kuss’s popularity, and sense of romanticism within a ruthless team, was made abundantly clear on social media as he took to the podium for a (very long) speech in front of Madrid’s iconic Cibeles Fountain:
My mind is still blown over the fact that awesome and cupworthy SEPP KUSS won this race. He stumbled into the GC lead by accident (kind of) but he stayed in that red jersey with grace, humility, kindness and a always a smile. I couldn’t be happier for him.
BRAVO, @seppkuss!❤️ pic.twitter.com/4EjCR31OWf
— Stacy Snyder (@snyderceramics) September 17, 2023
Pretty hard to not be emotional as an American cycling fan hearing the national anthem played for Sepp Kuss.
First American grand tour win I’ve witnessed. Legendary race. Legendary rider.
— GC KUSS (@GCSeppKuss) September 17, 2023
Massive congrats to @seppkuss on becoming the World Vuelta Champion of the Universe. 👏 👏
— Alex Howes (@alex_howes) September 17, 2023
Sepptember 17th…..#Zerostagestogo This dude @seppkuss is going to win @lavuelta today, defying the odds in his third GT of the year. Historic day for so many reasons, but by far the biggest is the fact that it IS possible for nice guys to win Grand Tours! pic.twitter.com/zYiGpAEaxH
— VandeVelde,Christian (@ChristianVDV) September 17, 2023
But what makes the American so popular amongst cycling fans and his fellow and former pros?
Well, Kuss himself thinks he has the answer:
Why do you think the cycling fans like you so much?”
Sepp Kuss: “Because I’m human, because I’m a ‘globero’ (noob). Because I’m more a cyclist than a rider.”pic.twitter.com/0jsv9PNWJT
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) September 17, 2023
“Because I’m human, because I’m a noob,” he told Spanish reporters after yesterday’s final stage. “Because I’m more a cyclist than a rider.”
Fair play, GC Kuss, fair play.
Weekend roundup
Away from all the drama in Madrid and phase three of Jumbo-Visma’s plan for world domination, there was plenty going on in the rest of the cycling world over the weekend…
> “Luckily I saw it in time”: Cyclist narrowly avoids rope and bramble trap on popular bridleway
All the gifts: Is Primož Roglič Santa Claus?
Speaking of ‘gifts’ and the Vuelta, Primož Roglič – the rider reportedly most unhappy at being unable to race for the win at the Spanish Grand Tour – played the role of the ultimate present-giver (albeit without the white beard) after yesterday’s final stage in Madrid, tossing energy gel after energy gel to punters watching the podium presentations in the Spanish capital.
According to Daniel Friebe on The Cycling Podcast, the ever-irreverent Slovenian grabbed a big stack of leftover gels, both from his own pockets as well as those of this teammates, before throwing them into the crowd and wishing everyone a “merry Christmas”, over and over again, for around 30 seconds.
Make of that what you will… But at least you can’t say Primož Roglič doesn’t like dolling out gifts.
Wales becomes the first UK nation to introduce blanket 20mph speed limit in built-up areas… and the conspiracy theories are already rolling in
Yesterday, as you may already know, Wales became the first country in the UK to introduce a default 20mph speed limit, reduced from 30mph, in built-up, residential areas.
The new law means that the speed limit will be altered on roughly 35 percent of roads in Wales where lampposts are no more than 200 yards apart.
According to the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, the change will “keep people from losing their lives”.
“It’s going to take you a minute longer to make your journey, and we will save 10 people’s lives in Wales every year as a result of that one minute contribution – it doesn’t seem an unfair bargain,” the Labour politician said.
Despite the estimated £33 million cost, the Welsh government also says improved road safety resulting from the lowered speed limits could result in a £58 million saving due to reduced emergency service demand over the next 30 years.
However, this latest salvo in the so-called ‘war on motorists’ has not gone down well in certain corners of social media, where one anti-20mph advocate argued that the timing of a certain major news story this weekend is all an elaborate ruse to keep our minds off the Welsh government’s heinous attempt to stop motorists flying through residential streets…
I’ve found today’s tweet of the day and am now logging off because it can’t be surpassed pic.twitter.com/gJ9ivYOWfw
— Jim Pickard 🐋 (@PickardJE) September 17, 2023
Alright, maybe that’s enough internet for today…
Disturbing footage allegedly shows teenager kill cyclist in shocking hit-and-run
Absolutely shocking and sickening, this…
Following the death of a retired police chief who was killed in a hit-and-run while cycling in Las Vegas last month, police in the Nevada city have arrested a 17-year-old driver and are now investigating a shocking video which emerged on social media allegedly showing the incident.
In the appalling footage, filmed by the passenger and widely shared on social media this weekend, a driver is seen travelling towards a cyclist, the two occupants of the vehicle laughing before one can be heard saying “yeah, hit his ass” seconds before the collision.
Afterwards, someone is heard saying “he got knocked out” before another voice adds “get out of here”.
Read more here: > Disturbing footage allegedly shows teenager kill cyclist in shocking hit-and-run
Crimes against cycling fashion, part 211
Oh my god my eyes… not even Remco can pull this off. pic.twitter.com/F5DUyh4a4V
— Hanna Yanagisawa (@HannaYanagisawa) September 17, 2023
Nope, just nope – and that’s before we even get onto the questionable dot placement…
Remco Evenepoel: Great rider, horrible style.
Searching for new tyres as we slowly creep into autumn? Well look no further…
> Best road bike tyres 2023 — ride faster and further with fewer punctures: Our top picks and personal recommendations of the best road bike tyres, whether you’re after speed, comfort, durability or value
Cyclist challenges council over barriers on popular cycle route that “discriminate against disabled people”
A cyclist in Newcastle has sent a legal letter to the city’s council to challenge the lawfulness of barriers on a National Cycle Route which prevent him from accessing the path on his recumbent.
Alastair Fulcher has Parkinson’s Disease which affects his balance, core strength and ability to walk, but is able to continue to enjoy cycling thanks to his tricycle.
However, the 61-year-old from Wallsend, is unable to ride the National Cycle Route 72 past Pottery Bank due to the barriers installed to prevent motor vehicles accessing the route.
Cyclist who almost lost his eye in “killer” magpie attack urges riders to wear glasses during swooping season
A cyclist from Melbourne who almost lost his eye after being swooped by a magpie is encouraging other riders to wear sunglasses during the coming swooping season in Australia, the Daily Mail reports.
The Australia magpie is notorious for attacking cyclists while defending its territory during the spring nesting season, with Remco Evenepoel and Grace Brown among the pros that were swooped upon while training ahead of last year’s world road race championships in Wollongong.
> “It was terrifying”: Remco Evenepoel and World Championships pros suffer magpie attacks
Christiaan Nyssen was riding his bike at Yarrawonga, near the Victorian-New South Wales border in November 2021 when he was struck by a swooping magpie, who proceeded to peck at his eye.
“I have been attacked countless times and don’t have a fear of the birds,” Christian said in a statement released today.
“This bird turned around and went straight for the eye, did a backflip and hit me right in the eye again. A neighbour said I was the fifth person to be attacked.”
Following the attack, he was left unable to see out of the eye due to iris trauma, but eventually underwent surgery to repair the retina and remove the entire lens.
Nyssen says that while the severity of the attack was “one in a million”, he believes it would have been prevented if he had decided to wear his cycling glasses that day as the magpie “wouldn’t have had something to aim at”.
Jonas Vingegaard, doing what every cyclist in the world does after a tough race…
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) September 18, 2023
Ah, he’s really just like all of us Cat 3 plodders after all…
London bike shop Velorution set to close as owner cites economic conditions and bus crashing into shop as key factors behind decision
Velorution, the London bike shop that in recent months saw two motorists, including a bus driver, crash into two of its four branches, has announced that it is closing after 20 years of business.
In April, the driver of the Route 19 bus crashed into one of Velorution’s shops on Chelsea’s King’s Road, smashing right through the store’s window.
Today, we had the pleasure of a personal visit from @tfl at our Chelsea store. Thankfully everyone is perfectly ok. @MetroUK @LonEveSta @standardnews #london #chelsea #buscrash #tfl pic.twitter.com/nMdx6bDZ6s
— Velorution (@_velorution) April 5, 2023
And a month later, another motorist careened sideways into the Marylebone branch, prompting the company’s social media to ask, “are we being targeted?”
During a tough year for the cycling industry, the two bizarre incidents compounded the issues facing Velorution, with the owners putting the business up for sale last month.
In a statement posted to the company’s Linkedin at the weekend, the owners confirmed that the business, which started off as a small shop near Oxford Circus, before expanding to four branches and an online shop, is set to cease trading.
“Velorution has been serving the London bike community for nearly 20 years, but sadly due to the economic conditions (which have been particularly harsh on the cycling industry) and circumstances beyond our control (a bus crashing into our Chelsea store certainly didn’t help), we have sadly decided to enter into a programme which will involve the closure of each of Velorution’s four shops and its website,” the statement said.
“Whilst we’re currently offering 25% off everything (some exclusions apply) on our website we will be undertaking a closing-down sale from the 18th of September for approximately one week. All of our stock will be sold so be sure to grab a one-in-a-lifetime bargain – either online or in-store.
“We’d like to take this moment to thank every single one of our customers who has shopped with us over the past two decades. Whether that’s been buying a bike, visiting us for a service or even just buying a coffee from our famous trike (which is also for sale) – it’s been a great journey and we hope to see another generation of Velorution in future.”
Are Jumbo-Visma the Barca, All Blacks, and Chicago Bulls of cycling?
Earlier then expected, but we did it. Writing sports history together! incredible proud of all our @JumboVismaRoad people. 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/uM5eiRPHMY
— Merijn Zeeman (@merijnzeeman) September 17, 2023
I can sense another creepy AI-generated video on its way…
“Easily triggered?”: Scottish journalist publishes bizarre column urging motorists to “transfer your pulsing rage directly onto cyclists”
Just when you thought the world of anti-cycling columns couldn’t plunge any deeper, especially after Jeremy Clarkson’s latest tirade against the “two-wheeled Stasi” or the Spectator’s almost monthly assertion that “Lycra-clad” cyclists “own the roads”, well think again.
Because yesterday the Herald published one of the more bizarre anti-cycling bingo rants of recent times, courtesy of commentator and former deputy editor Kevin McKenna.
Ten years ago, you may or may not recall, McKenna condemned a campaign to introduce a system of “strict liability” in incidents involving motorists and vulnerable road users, claiming that cycling in Scotland was strictly the preserve of the middle class and that the move would risk “criminalising innocent citizens”, while forcing them to “chug along permanently in second gear” behind cyclists on the roads.
> Cities are for cars – and the Road Share campaign criminalises motorists, says Scots commentator
Well, it seems as if McKenna’s attitudes towards cycling haven’t dimmed in the intervening ten years, judging by a column in which he urges readers to create their own “wellness plan” to combat and find an outlet for their “repressed rage” – with one element of his plan involving “transferring his rage” onto one of his seemingly many “triggers”: Cyclists on the road. Which sounds extremely safe for all involved.
“Cyclists,” he begins, readying his anti-cycling bingo pen. “To the unwary, these gentle and unassuming road snails are merely well-meaning types with too much time on their hands who are seeking fresh air and exercise amid the grandeur of Scotland’s wild open spaces.
“Then you begin to realise that you’re about to be late for making the working contribution to society that they seem to be dodging.”
Ah yes, the ‘cyclists holding up people actually trying to go to work and help society’ trope, good one. Because no cyclist ever uses their bike to commute. Ever.
Just look at all these work-shy leisure cyclists, holding all the important people in cars up…
Next, he moves onto one of the more recent anti-cycling bingo lines, fuelled no doubt by the reaction to LTNs and the ‘extra pollution’ they cause:
“Worse, your carbon footprint is going from a manageable size six to a dangerous size 10 as you slow to a crawl and your engine begins to consume more petrol, along with the long line of cars behind you.”
So, what’s McKenna’s doubtlessly thought-provoking solution?
“In my personal wellness plan I’ve now pledged to take a deep breath before gently edging out and around the cyclists and taking up a position directly in front of them. And then slowing right down to about two miles an hour.
“Thus, you transfer your pulsing rage directly on to them. You need only do this for about three minutes. But it will lead to better mental health outcomes, knowing that you’ve given these insidious and sanctimonious weapons a taste of their own medicine.”
Ah, delightful.
Though it seems like the bingo enthusiasts in the Herald’s comments section appreciate McKenna’s words of, ahem, wisdom.
“Spot on about cyclists, Kevin. Must try your 2mph trick,” writes Gordon, who for some reason I’m imagining as one of the Self-Righteous Brothers from Harry Enfield and Chums – ‘Oi, cyclists, no!’
Turns out that his frankly bizarre column isn’t the only unprovoked dig aimed at cyclists by McKenna in recent days:
They let me have a shot at the driving. Not a cyclist in sight. Bliss pic.twitter.com/qQvIPIrNGj
— Kevin McKenna (@kmckenna63) September 15, 2023
Obsessed much, Kev?
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Latest Comments
@Rendel Harris you've painted a rather alluring picture of social harmony there, but unfortunately you've got my name wrong. I'm Jack, not Nigel. However, to return the compliment, I must think of a story for you. I imagine you sat outside a pub, real ale and pipe propped on the adjacent table, in a similar fashion to Nigel Farage at his populist best. You turn to your wife. "You know what dear? I think I've been a bit harsh in my time. I've shunned the politeness and wisdom of others for too long and want to change my ways.* "There there Rendel", says Mrs Harris. "You're not a bad old stick, it's just living in London that's emptied your soul of kindness and compassion. I've found a lovely new place where we can settle down in our later years. It's on a leafy cul de sac, surrounded by friendly neighbours and smiling faces. There's a guy a couple of doors down, a remarkable man. As well as his towering intellect and rapier wit, he's also a keen cyclist, holding severa local KOMs. Don't be perturbed dear - he'll ride with anyone provided they show other road users the kindness and courtesy they deserve." Rendel turned emotionally, voice shaking. "Oh my dear, thank you for this second chance", and with that the rest of the pub goers turned and applauded the couple, throwing garlands of petals in their wake. The end.
As a Councillor, Edward needs to be paying some attention to all that parking obstructing visibility and manoeuvres at the junction, and sorting out those radii.
Ed Hill was chucked out by Reform in 2025, though TBF to him it was about how to run it rather than ideology I think. He is now reportedly closer to Advance UK, which is distinctly more extreme than Reform. I'd call this Alan Amos style attention seeking.
Emily, thank you for such an insightful piece. I’m a man, but I enjoy watching the women’s races, possibly more than the men’s. The racing is so much closer, we rarely know who’s going to win. You painted a wonderful picture of how a true champion is able to ‘rise above’ setbacks and distractions, and focus their energy on the task in hand. ‘All’s fair in live and war -and sport, but always good to hear riders expressing their admiration for their competitors
@Nigel Garage ...and then everyone applauded my courtesy and I waved courteously to all the people who were courteously throwing flowers and cheering and courteously waving flags that said "Nigel is the best!"
The picture from street view clearly shows give way lines from the roads to the green painted cycle/pedestrian lane. The road user should give way (or must...) to the user of the green lane. This would of course apply to any cyclist on the roadway.
If I recall there is a cave or two along the route - perhaps they were sheltering from the heat in one of those having taken it for a Golf bunker?
“So if there’s a cyclist travelling down the cycle path at the moment, from this position I can’t see them because my blind spots are too big on the left hand side of the vehicle”, claims Hill. Well, there's your problem, right there...🙄
First impression from the headline that he's likely a twit. Then the detail he was expelled from Reform makes you suspect that failing even their low bar requirements he really is. Then he clearly explains his vehicle is unsafe for the highway because he can't see to give way when turning. Any collision he now has should have that video run out explaining he drove a vehicle he knew to be unsafe. Advice for motorists; instead of thinking that pedestrians and cyclists are low risk 100kg objects, imagine them as a 300 Tonne trains that will crush you and your vehicle if you cross into their paths. You'd give way to the train, so you equally can to the others.
I've had a brief look on Facebook, and Ed Hill (who now appears to be affiliated with Advance UK) seems to have taken some useful road safety improvements under his remit, including an initiative to help local pedestrians on unpaved roads, where the wider council won't help due to planning failures. Regarding the cycle path, I think this is linked to a wider misunderstanding about giving way at junctions and I'm afraid I cannot agree with Mr Hill's conclusion. Regardless of the suitability of the cycle path, vehicles should give way at the junction to both pedestrians crossing and cyclists. It seems to be a poorly understood rule among motorists where some believe they have priority at junctions like this, where they certainly do not. I once had a similar issue myself, while leisurely walking to Waitrose to buy some lunchtime fripperies. A driver beeped their horn as I crossed the junction, despite me having priority, and was shocked and apologetic when I explained I had priority. A polite conversation later, the driver departed, educated and updated on the rules of the road.
38 thoughts on ““Transfer your pulsing rage directly onto cyclists,” urges bizarre anti-cycling column; Fans celebrate as ‘nice guy’ Sepp Kuss wins Vuelta; Wacky conspiracy theories abound as Wales introduces 20mph speed limit; Thriller in Madrid + more on the live blog”
Not content with making us
Not content with making us drive at 20 mph, the tofu eating, avocado loving, anti-growth coalition wokerati are now micro managing our lives to look out for pedestrians and cyclists
Madness
Yeah, but it does say “If you
Yeah, but it does say “If you are willing to sign up…”. Might be worth asking the school, by the end of term, how many parents have actually signed up to it.
Remember: to many motorists, antisocial driving and parking are activities exclusively carried on by other people…
Just like they think they’re
Just like they think they’re not the cause of traffic jams.
.
.
Re McKenna’s bizarre column,
Re McKenna’s bizarre column, if every motorist wants to slow down to 2 mph around me when I’m cycling I’ll be more than happy with that, bring it on!
It’s weird, isnt it? He is
It’s weird, isnt it? He is so angry about being held up by cyclists that he wants to slow to far FAR slower than any cyclists ever rode, ever, in order to ‘teach them a lesson’. Straight out of the school that teaches angry motorists held up for 30 seconds to then pull over and spend ten minutes ranting…
Slowing down to 2mph for no
Slowing down to 2mph for no valid reason would probably amount to obstructing the highway.
I think Kevin McKenna is
I think Kevin McKenna is driving on a road to a black eye if he’s not careful. I can’t imagine many of my circle would take too kindly to being brake checked as such in a nice calm manner. What a twunt.
Could Kevin McKenna face
Could Kevin McKenna face legal/criminal consequences for promoting terrorism/incitement to violence?
mitsky wrote:
He’d just claim that it was ‘bantz’ or some other way to avoid taking responsibility for his nonsensical rantings.
For those of you who wish to make an IPSO complaint about that article, note that it’s “HeraldScotland” in the drop down box as opposed to “The Herald”.
https://www.ipso.co.uk/complain/
mitsky wrote:
2mph in a car is no different to just stop oil gluing themselves to the road, surely the police will arrest him?
LOL
Good point.
Good point.
The biggest single purpose of
The biggest single purpose of car trips is leisure. Next comes shopping.
The idea that people in cars are on vital economic missions, without which Britain will go bankrupt, is false.
Where is this taken from?
Where is this taken from?
It comes from this article,
It comes from this article, and the original source is the National Travel Survey.
HarrogateSpa wrote:
Thank you, HS
(BTW I agree…) But but but
(BTW I agree…) But but but those leisure trips ARE important for the economy! Recall all those people driving
to out-of-town shopping centresinto towns who keep the high street alive! Think of all our tourist attractions (like the Maccy D’s drive-thru) which require a car to access. And we need people to keep driving and buying fuel (supporting ournative oil industrypetrol stations / all the electricity we’ll producevery expensively via nuclearthrough ten times as many windmillssomehow), wearing out the roads (to keep our roadmenders in business) etc.As the more extreme examples of motordom from the US illustrate, organising housing and ameneties around an extremely space-inefficient mode of transport is a good way to bankrupt your council, never mind make terrible “places” which then require motor vehicles to traverse.
I think the overlap between leisure, shopping and commuting is a fruitful spot to look at – because cycling and walking seem to lend themselves more to “place” than the motor vehicle. Pick up some shopping on the cycle home from work, or meet some friends in a local centre after walking the kids to school (collecting sundries en-route).
One for whoever’s succeeding Mary Portas I guess. I always thought politicians tend to sound rather contradictory on “high streets” and “place” vs. “economic growth” / “business” / “globally competitive”…
chrisonatrike wrote:
That’s a very sensible comment – facts are, cars facilitate the economy and without them we would be a lot further backward in all aspect of our lives.
Other facts are that
Other facts are that economics as practiced has trashed the global biosphere and delivered social injustice on an unprecidented scale.
levestane wrote:
LifL and his ilk often come out with the “cars are convenient/useful” trope, neglecting to notice the enormous deleterious effects of this technogy and many, many others. Even when the deleterious effects rise up to swamp their own ground floors in a rotting slime, they continue their “techno-is-wunnerful” bleat, often offering up their habitual prayer that further technological “innovations” will solve all the problems wreaked by the previous technological innovations.
Alas, not even the bicycle will save us. Various loons about the planet will continue to develop and use technologies that can blast billions of cyclists away to nowt, along with everything else. No matter how many “nice” techs are found, there’ll be more than enough nasty ones to continue the ongoing work of human self-destruction. And more than enough power-crazed loons to use them.
But LifL will hope he is able to enjoy his frequent car rides to Junk-R-Us shops right up to the end! By then, it’ll also be legal to run over cyclists as they will have become “enemies of the people”, a eumphemism for “not sufficiently supportive of the mad swivel-eyed loon in charge of the wrecking crews”.
try reading that again
try reading that again
“… and bus DRIVER crashing
“… and bus DRIVER crashing into shop … “?
“Thus, you transfer your
“Thus, you transfer your pulsing rage directly on to them. You need only do this for about three minutes. But it will lead to better mental health outcomes, knowing that you’ve given these insidious and sanctimonious weapons a taste of their own medicine.”
Throbbing rage surely, Kevin?
This latest iteration of bizarre, dangerous, anti-cycling rhetoric is showing that things are getting worse, and we need some form of protection from these deluded psychopaths. It’s pretty clear that Kevin is worried about his mental health, with good reason: he’s a psychopath.
I wasn’t sure if psychopaths was the right word, so I looked up the meaning:
“A person who is manipulative, dishonest, narcissistic, unremorseful, non-empathetic, and exploitative may be a psychopath. Criminality, promiscuity, and lack of responsibility are also common traits associated with psychopathy.”
That pretty much describes every anti-cyclist media “star” I’ve seen.
Isn’t it hate speech?
Isn’t it hate speech?
iirc hate speech only applies
iirc the anti hate speech law only applies to the groups that parliament has selected for protection
If the Streets Were on Fire
If the Streets Were on Fire review – hope on show as BikeStormz riders fight knife crime
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/18/if-the-streets-were-on-fire-review-hope-on-show-as-bikestormz-riders-fight-knife
Happy 20mph day! My first
Happy 20mph day! My first experience of it yesterday – being overtaken downhill by a white van (when I was already doing 20mph, and in what has long been a 20mph zone anyway) who then immediately had to brake in front of me because the car in front was sticking to the speed limit. I shouldn’t have, but I continued my momentum, overtook again and slotted back in where I was.
I had to drive into and out
I had to drive into and out of Kingston in south west London twice last week, where a 20mph speed limit operates. Hardly any vehicle even got close to sticking to that. One in front of me, probably reached 40 before braking hard for a vehicle only doing 30 before it turned off and the speed went straight back up to 40ish.
Not looking forward to my
Not looking forward to my cycle home (not from work – obviously) – I will have to compete with rage filled motorists driving at 2mph (and to support their mental health I won’t pass them) and swooping magpies (or do they only swoop at cyclists in Austrailia?)
HoldingOn wrote:
They are different magpies.
Only issue I’ve had over here with magpies was almost losing control when I took my hand off the bars to salute one.
Oh come on. With all the
Oh come on. With all the recent “debate” about 20mph speed limits I think we all know that driving at 2mph would be impossible given the superhuman powers of concentration that are needed to stay at 20….
I say we find out where this
I say we find out where this McKenna bloke has his boat, and all get in front of him in pedalos. Who’s with me?
Thought at first this was a
Thought at first this was a typo – “after 76-year-old Chris Horner beat Vincenzo Nibali at the 2013” – but then realized it must be a joke about just how ancient Horner was when he won his first and only grand tour.
The Herald used to be a
The Herald used to be a decent local paper for the Glasgow area but these last 10 years it has been turning increasingly right wing populist, including the vilification of cyclists. It seems determined to give drivers reason to assault me as I go about my cycling on Glasgow’s streets.
I cannot forgive the Herald for the attached 2018 article after which I immediately cancelled my subscription. Read it and weep.
“Some of my friends are
“Some of my friends are cyclists” .. hmm. Hopefully not after reading this putrid piece of crap.
Looks like my commute is going to be even easier now, thanks to this … “person”.
Meh. Can’t be arsed to wade
Meh. Can’t be arsed to wade through it all and the format’s ubiquitous – grab attention by picking a fight in the first paragraph. Let ’em wonder if you’re going to keep it up, then double-down.
Normally they throw in the odd “you and I…” and references to stuff they can’t afford for added chumminess. Ageing bar-room edgelord in print, basically. Just how much hyperbolic nonsense they think the editor will bear varies of course. In this case both writer and editor appear to have been at the cherry brandy. Or maybe it was written and edited while both were concentrating on more taxing matters like driving their progeny to cello lessons or angling for event tickets.
Feels like I’ve been reading pretty much the same article (adapted to fit different topics) for years now. I can’t even guess if this guy actually believes any of it.
I don’t know about others,
I don’t know about others, but if I encountered a bunch of cars travelling at 2mph (which is a common occurrence in Bristol congestion), then I just filter/overtake them. I’d rather they weren’t there, but it’s not something that would enrage me.
Despite all the projecting &
Despite all the projecting & strawmen in that piece, it does confirm that all of the “frustration” directed at cyclists is basically coming from one place – ie “they cause me to have to slow down (and drive to the conditions) a bit on occasion & not drive at or above the prevailing speed limit”. A frustration which, being entirely controllable by the frustratee (?), is, as my daughter would say “a you problem”.
Yes – “hold me up” in my “legitimate journey to somewhere” and I’ll be apoplectic at the delay because I just can’t waste a second. Solution: slow down & add time to my journey – ha! that’ll learn ’em!