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Mr Loophole fury at perfectly legal two abreast cyclists "riding with impunity" (+ Surrey traffic cops aren't impressed); Cattle grid conundrum; Van Aert hopes to make peace with Remco; Josh Quigley set for round the world finale + more on the live blog

It's Thursday and Dan Alexander is in the hot seat for all your live blog needs...
02 December 2021, 19:19
He's still going...

Goodnight folks! Undoubtedly we'll have more on this in the morning, can't wait... 

02 December 2021, 08:42
Mr Loophole fury at perfectly legal two abreast cyclists "riding with impunity"

*This post is pinned from this morning*

The new Highway Code changes have been announced, we'll be bringing you all the details ASAP. In that context, Mr Loophole timed his latest anti-cyclist rant perfectly, sharing a video of a group ride travelling safely along a narrow, twisty country road. Mr Loophole, real name Nick Freeman, claimed the riders were three abreast and holding up traffic at 20mph when drivers could have been going 60mph...

In the video shared to his Twitter followers, Freeman can be heard saying, "So here we are now on a 60mph derestricted road with seven cyclists two abreast, not going to give way so all the cars have to go at 19 or 20mph because they've got no intention of moving over...and there's no means of holding them to account. What they're doing is completely illegal.

"This is not right and why we need to know who they are. They're cycling without consideration for other road users, we factually know that is correct, but who is it? We've no idea because there's no means of identifying them."

> Rural A roads are where cyclists are most likely to be killed, road.cc analysis reveals

The lawyer seemed to ignore the fact the road would not have been suitable for travelling at 60mph regardless of how many cyclists were using it...something many pointed out in the numerous replies to the post...

He also seemed oblivious to the reason that most of us ride two abreast — it's safer for those on bikes and easier for motorists to overtake because it shortens the overtaking distance in half...if only the group had been riding single file, Mr Loophole could have got round on those tight bends...

He's got history with this sort of thing. Last year, Mr Loophole claimed cyclists were "abusing" rules on riding two abreast. While earlier this year he started a petition calling for all cyclists to be insured.

Mr Loophole, save us all some time and have a read of our 'Why do cyclists ride two abreast?' explainer...

02 December 2021, 16:53
Pep and Pog talk...footy? Cycling? The benefits of Middle Eastern investment?

We've had Mr Loophole, now it's time for Mr Financial Fair Play Loophole...meeting Tadej Pogačar at City's Manchester training base. I wonder what these two megastars bonded over? A shared hatred of Manchester weather perhaps?

According to City's official news report, the two-time Tour de France winner took a break from his cycling exploits to take a look around and was invited to watch a training session, where he met Guardiola and his backroom staff, before presenting the City boss with a commemorative jersey.

Rumours the boss wants to shell out £20million on Pog as a third choice right back remain unconfirmed...

02 December 2021, 16:17
Selfridges criticised for selling 50mph e-scooter
Kaabo Wolf Warrior 11

Our friends at e-bike tips have the full story about Selfridges facing a fair bit of criticism for selling a 50mph e-scooter, currently illegal to use on public roads and pavements...

For the full story head over to e-bike tips...

02 December 2021, 14:58
Surrey road cops' road safety debunking bonanza

Whoever's behind the Surrey Roads Policing Unit's Twitter account had their Weetabix this morning (plus a few choccy biscuits)...it's been another vintage day for everybody's favourite police account. It all began with those delightful replies to Mr Loophole. But was that the end of it? Not one bit. Loophole may not have come back for a second bite, but the anti-cyclist bingo lot did...

Fear not, fuelled by mugs of tea, our admirable admin continued the good fight. The only tricky decision is where to start?

That was fun, fortunately there's more...

Was anyone keeping score? I think I lost count at 6-0 to the traffic cops... 

02 December 2021, 14:37
Blast from the past
02 December 2021, 14:17
Tickets for Eroica Britannia on sale 9am Monday 6 December

Tickets for the cycling lifestyle festival Eroica Britannia at Goodwood go on sale from Monday at 9am. The event involves family-friendly fun, cycling heritage and live music over the weekend of 6-7 August 2022.

It is a celebration of Sussex and cycling’s past, with three rides across the South Downs, starting and finishing at Goodwood’s famous motor circuit. On Saturday, visitors can participate in various activities at the motor circuit, where there will be live DJs and bands, pop-up shops, cocktail bars and food stalls.

On Sunday, 'The Ride' ticket holders have a choice of three routes: a 25-mile all abilities route, as well as 60 and 100-mile options. All the routes will take in Goodwood’s iconic hill climb and pass the historic 1982 UCI World Championships finish line at the top of Kennel Hill.

02 December 2021, 14:12
How Mr Loophole's tweet should have read?
02 December 2021, 10:47
Mr Loophole taken back to school by Surrey traffic cops

As the saying goes...cometh the hour, cometh the regional roads policing unit armed with facts and a no-nonsense attitude...

The Surrey traffic cops were quickly on the scene of the Mr Loophole road safety horror show, and got back to him about both his posts: the video of the two abreast group ride and this questionable interpretation of the news cyclist deaths had spiked on rural A roads.

 In reply to the video, the Surrey cops echoed much of the sentiment seen elsewhere in the replies...

02 December 2021, 11:26
Josh Quigley touches down in Texas after brief lost bike scare

Josh Quigley's attempt to finally complete his round the world cycle two years later gets underway tomorrow. Today he took some time to return to the Texas Neuro Rehab Centre where he was treated after a driver collided with him while travelling at 70mph.

There was a brief scare when his bike didn't arrive in Austin...

02 December 2021, 11:20
Rapha partners with All In Racing on #RainbowLaces and socks
Rapha rainbow socks

Rapha and All In Racing have produced limited edition Rainbow Socks in support of #RainbowLaces day on Wednesday 8th December. All In Racing is a new initiative within competitive cycling which aims to help the sport become more inclusive for LGBTQ+ people.

Stonewall's #RainbowLaces campaign, which runs in December every year, has support from football’s Premier League but until now has held a lower profile in endurance sports. 

All In Racing and Rapha are bringing #RainbowLaces to the new Clanfield Cross cyclocross event in Hampshire on Saturday 11th December. They are providing a free pair of Rainbow Socks to anyone in the Men’s and Women’s Elite UCI races who would like to show support for LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Anyone else racing the Clanfield Cross event can request socks via the All In Racing website.

In addition, 120 pairs of socks are publicly available for sale at £10 (including postage) through the All In Racing website. To mark the #RainbowLaces day, on Wednesday 8th December at 6.30pm, Josh Jones from All In Racing will host an open Zwift ride with journalist Myles Warwood, where they will chat about the initiative.

 All In Racing will formally launch in spring 2022.

02 December 2021, 10:27
"I've never been angry, I was disappointed": Wout van Aert hopes to clear the air with Remco Evenepoel over World Championships tactics
Wout Van Aert on Stage 11 of 2021 Tour de France picture credit A.S.O., Pauline Ballet

Wout van Aert says he's keen to move on from the disappointment of failing to win the rainbow jersey at his home World Championships. Much of the narrative was around young starlet Remco Evenepoel apparently ignoring team orders to attack with 180km to go.

It then emerged Remco had skipped the post-race debrief, where Van Aert had hoped to address the decision. The Jumbo-Visma rider told HLN before the Kristallen Fiets award ceremony the pair hadn't addressed their concerns since..."It hasn't happened for the time being, because right after the World Championships, I didn't really care about it. I was disappointed with myself and for the group, because I hadn't been able to deliver," Van Aert told former rider Dirk De Wolf.

"Remco then chose not to attend the debriefing. That was a pity. After that, the season was soon over and everyone took a vacation. I've never been angry. I was disappointed because I just didn't think it was smart to spark a controversy in the media afterwards. But you're right: we need to sort it out because we will often be in national teams together."

02 December 2021, 09:37
Let's get all the Mr Loophole stuff out the way early...

You've had one Mr Loophole post already, let's get this one out the way too...for a slightly different interpretation of the official data, check out Simon's deep dive into the numbers from yesterday... 

02 December 2021, 09:25
Aberdeenshire farm crowned Tour of Britain land art competition winner for its creative straw bale display
Tour of Britain land art winner (Image Dr Jenna Ross/ToB)

Wout van Aert may have won the race, but Craskins Farm in Aberdeenshire won the people's Tour of Britain prize. The work of Dr Jenna Ross, parents Brian and Alison and brother Stewart, this 'mini peloton', made from straw bales and recycled materials collected from roadside verges around the farm, has been awarded the 2021 AJ Bell Tour of Britain national land art prize.

The judging panel, which included AJ Bell Tour of Britain race director Mick Bennett, chose the display for its novelty factor as well as its environmental credentials. Ned Boulting commented on the display during the ITV4 live coverage of the race, saying: "Cycling fans have used bales to represent bicycles for decades and I’ve never seen as inventive a use as that!" Big praise from a man who sees the best of what the French have to offer every year at the Tour.

Dr Ross had previously made a straw bale display in support of the NHS, and the mini peloton was repurposed into a Halloween display after the race had passed. "It was such a pleasure to have this world-renowned event come to our very special corner of the world," Dr Ross said.

"The art was inspired by my younger brother, Duncan, who is registered blind and is passionate about cycling. Unfortunately the pandemic massively impacted his ability to get on his bike due to the social distancing challenges of a tandem bike. So this was for him!" 

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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99 comments

Avatar
IanMSpencer | 2 years ago
5 likes

The last time I can recall a caravan or tractor pulling over for a queue of motorists was about 1972.

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StuInNorway | 2 years ago
8 likes

If there's anyone out there NOT following the Surrey RPU team on twitter, go do it NOW (or at least once you have read here)
Easily the best public facing Police twitter group, pro-active, happy to dive in and correct people's misconceptions, and with a truly great sense of humour.
 

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Surreyrider replied to StuInNorway | 2 years ago
0 likes

It's all well and good responding on social media to people who shouldn't be on the roads and won't change their attitudes. 
If only Surrey Police actually took action again bad/dangerous driving when video evidence is presented to them. They're no better than all the other forces on that score. 

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brooksby | 2 years ago
0 likes

Selfridges criticised for selling 50mph e-scooter - corporate manslaughter type charges, anyone?  Encouraging the public to break the law?

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chrisonabike replied to brooksby | 2 years ago
0 likes

brooksby wrote:

Selfridges criticised for selling 50mph e-scooter - corporate manslaughter type charges, anyone?  Encouraging the public to break the law?

If I were them I'd be most concerned about the combination of speed (presumably accelleration too) and its tiny wheels. The last are not unique to this scooter but make it look about as fun as wearing open-toed steelies.

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IanMSpencer replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
2 likes

You know when a tiny lip of an entry to a cycle path can tip you off... Imagine that with 70c wheels rather than 700c!

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Pyro Tim | 2 years ago
1 like

Cav has signed for Quickstep!

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brooksby | 2 years ago
3 likes

Those Surrey Police twitter team must have a laugh, trolling the trolls all day...

Unless they get their mum to do it?  3

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GMBasix replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
4 likes

Garage at Large wrote:

Guess it breaks the monotony of the working day on the Twitterverse

Says you!

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brooksby | 2 years ago
0 likes

Blast from the past - what the actual... ?

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Kapelmuur | 2 years ago
12 likes

Walking home this afternoon I was following a pair of gray haired gents when I heard one say, "did you hear about those cyclists riding at 20 mph 2 abreast?"   

I immediately started marshalling my arguments when the other replied, "well, they're perfectly entitled to" and his friend agreed, saying that there were too many impatient drivers around.

Not what I was expecting!

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bobbinogs replied to Kapelmuur | 2 years ago
4 likes

I sincerely hope that the two old gents (who were no doubt walking slowly and two abreast with impunity), moved to walk in single file and/or then pulled to one side to let you past. #bloodyslowerpedsmakinglifesimplyunbearableforthemasses

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Kapelmuur replied to bobbinogs | 2 years ago
4 likes

I'm an old gent myself and was barely able to keep up in order to eavesdrop.

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nniff | 2 years ago
16 likes

Excuse me.  Let's just call a spade a king shovel here for one minute.   Firstly, the Garage is an idiot, as any fule no.

Secondly, the cyclists were not holding Loophole up.  That was being done by the car in front of Loophole, which was going at the same speed as the cyclists.  It was being driven, based on the evidence available, by a right-thinking person in control of both the vehicle and their faculties, with a sound understanding of when it was safe to pass other, slower road users.  It's not very difficult is it.   I thought precision was all in Loophole's world, but seemingly not.

The fact that the filming was done by someone sitting abreast of the driver is of note, as is the probability that they were carrying an empty three-seater sofa behind them.  If you want freedom from impediments to the progress of a motor vehicle, take your own medecine, single up, and ride a motorcycle 

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nniff replied to nniff | 2 years ago
19 likes

Oh, and another thing, while I'm about it.  That road is a public right of way, open to all citizens if they are travelling on foot, by horse, or bicycle.  But not by motor vehicle.  Motorists use the road under licence, a licence which may be taken away if they fail to meet the specified standards. 

In other words, the cyclists use it by right, motorists use it under licence.  

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
3 likes

Apparently it is illegal under rta 1988 s29

Careless, and inconsiderate, cycling.

If a person rides a cycle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, he is guilty of an offence.

That means every cycle journey is illegal as it is only reasonable to get off your bike every time an important motorist appears.

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STiG911 replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
10 likes

That's the problem - motorists say 'be more considerate' when what they actually mean is 'GET OUT OF MY WAY! I'M LATE, PAY ROAD TAX' etc. etc.

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quiff replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
2 likes

Of course, those citing inconsiderate cycling will never have committed the equivalent inconsiderate driving offence, e.g. "flashing of lights to force other drivers in front to give way; misuse of any lane (including cycling lanes) to avoid queuing or gain some other advantage over other drivers; unnecessarily remaining in an overtaking lane; driving through a puddle causing pedestrians to be splashed"

 

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IanMK replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
4 likes

Consideration only means I need to consider another persons needs. If I decide that after consideration that your need to get past me and save a few seconds is not really that important then surely job done.

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Daveyraveygravey | 2 years ago
9 likes

That video is just over a minute long, FFS!  Is it really so terrible to be "held up" for that length of time?

Why does he say 3 abreast one minute, and then 2 abreast?

Sometimes when I am driving, I get held up by a car doing 20 mph.  Am I allowed to dob them in to the cops because they have a reg plate?

And this from a "top lawyer"..."we factually know that is correct"...has he ever said that one in court?!

I suspect his media profile has dropped a bit lately, so he's trying to raise it with this pile of shite.

 

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Daveyraveygravey | 2 years ago
6 likes

Quote:

That video is just over a minute long, FFS!  Is it really so terrible to be "held up" for that length of time?

As someone on Twitter pointed out, the video ends at just the point the road opens up and safe overtakes are possible. Also I didn't quite make it out but he seems to say they "have about 100 miles to go at this speed". I suspect I misheard it but if not, Boo would be proud of that whopper. 

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chrisonabike | 2 years ago
3 likes

Quote:

Aberdeenshire farm crowned Tour of Britain land art competition winner for its creative straw bale display

Troubling - that looks like an impaled rider. Too low for top tube descending style.

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wycombewheeler replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
5 likes

chrisonatrike wrote:

Quote:

Aberdeenshire farm crowned Tour of Britain land art competition winner for its creative straw bale display

Troubling - that looks like an impaled rider. Too low for top tube descending style.

It's a warning - cyclists stay off my land

Avatar
Steve K replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
5 likes

chrisonatrike wrote:

Quote:

Aberdeenshire farm crowned Tour of Britain land art competition winner for its creative straw bale display

Troubling - that looks like an impaled rider. Too low for top tube descending style.

Looks like an illegal super-tuck to me.

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OldRidgeback | 2 years ago
16 likes

Let's put this in perspective. Mr Loophole is the man who makes a very comfortable living getting rich people off charges for driving offences that they've actually committed by exploiting gaps in the system. Here he is complaining about people doing something perfectly legal. Anybody might think that this lawyer doesn't actually understand the difference between legal and illegal? Anybody might think that his world view has become distorted by what he does? 

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chrisonabike replied to OldRidgeback | 2 years ago
4 likes

OldRidgeback wrote:

Let's put this in perspective. Mr Loophole is the man who makes a very comfortable living getting rich people off charges for driving offences that they've actually committed by exploiting gaps in the system. Here he is complaining about people doing something perfectly legal. Anybody might think that this lawyer doesn't actually understand the difference between legal and illegal? Anybody might think that his world view has become distorted by what he does? 

Hoping it becomes illegal, then he can work his magic defending a new client base?

Avatar
Bmblbzzz replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
6 likes

chrisonatrike wrote:

OldRidgeback wrote:

Let's put this in perspective. Mr Loophole is the man who makes a very comfortable living getting rich people off charges for driving offences that they've actually committed by exploiting gaps in the system. Here he is complaining about people doing something perfectly legal. Anybody might think that this lawyer doesn't actually understand the difference between legal and illegal? Anybody might think that his world view has become distorted by what he does? 

Hoping it becomes illegal, then he can work his magic defending a new client base?

Mr Loophole is not only a lawyer, he's an opinion maker or to be more accurate, opinion stirrer. This is a wedge issue for him. In short, he has Farageist tendencies.

Avatar
OldRidgeback replied to Bmblbzzz | 2 years ago
4 likes

Bmblbzzz wrote:

chrisonatrike wrote:

OldRidgeback wrote:

Let's put this in perspective. Mr Loophole is the man who makes a very comfortable living getting rich people off charges for driving offences that they've actually committed by exploiting gaps in the system. Here he is complaining about people doing something perfectly legal. Anybody might think that this lawyer doesn't actually understand the difference between legal and illegal? Anybody might think that his world view has become distorted by what he does? 

Hoping it becomes illegal, then he can work his magic defending a new client base?

Mr Loophole is not only a lawyer, he's an opinion maker or to be more accurate, opinion stirrer. This is a wedge issue for him. In short, he has Farageist tendencies.

Or indeed Garage at Large tendencies.

Avatar
sean1 | 2 years ago
10 likes

The soon to be introduced Highway Code amendments can be viewed here:

Highway Code Amendments

This is the revision to Rule 66 and riding in groups:

"be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups. You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so"

So both MR LoopHole and our beloved Nigel are going to go ballistic when they read this.

Also worth pointing out that this is only guidance and not legally enforceable.

Avatar
sean1 replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
8 likes

Yawn

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