Police use undercover cyclist to tackle close passes; Nibali injury update; Jonathan Vaughters slammed for supporting European Super League; But cyclists; Richmond Park driver squeezes through no cars shortcut; Vini Zabù banned + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Police use undercover cyclist to tackle close passes
West Midlands Police took ‘Operation Close Pass’ to the streets to educate drivers. Officers got in the saddle, some in uniform while others rode in plain clothes, to look out for drivers failing to pass at a safe distance. A total of 36 dangerous drivers were flagged down, two received penalty tickets and 17 given the roadside education seen in the video above.
The force said it used plain-clothed officers to highlight it does not matter if cyclists wear high visibility clothing or not, impatient drivers will still close pass you. Roadside education involved being explained the need to keep a minimum 1.5m gap when travelling at 30mph or less.
West Midlands Police attribute their five-year-old close pass operation for helping to cut cycling road casualties from 124 in 2017 to the still worryingly high figure of 88 last year…
Sgt Jon Butler, from the Road Harm Prevention team, said: “Our primary aim is to maintain the safety of vulnerable road users, while promoting sustainable travel and shared space road use. Operation Close Pass is a vital approach in helping us to do that.
“We were the first force in the country to proactively target road user behaviour in this way, and we’re proud to see others are now following the example. It has enabled us to educate road users on the dangers of overtaking too close, prosecute those who risk lives, and ultimately see fewer vulnerable road users killed or seriously injured on our roads.”
Jonathan Vaughters slammed for supporting European Super League
Yes. It should. But most team owners lack conviction and remain fearful. Others just don’t care about cycling, long term, as they are backed by huge net worth entities and will enjoy winning all while they have endless cash at hand. https://t.co/WPVxZ83MD2
— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) April 19, 2021
EF Education-Nippo team boss Jonathan Vaughters has outed himself as a supporter of the proposal for 12 of football’s richest clubs to break off and form their own extremely lucrative ‘Super League’…The plans have been almost universally condemned by match-going supporters of English football clubs, however Vaughters claimed it was both a good idea and one that cycling should take inspiration from…
The American put the backlash down to a poor PR roll out and perhaps sarcastically said “team owners are always the enemy. Evil. Evil. Evil.” Eurosport commentator Rob Hatch was just one of the many vocal critics…
Nah, not a poor PR rollout. In Football it’s a quite simply a poor idea, and that’s putting it politely. Football doesn’t need franchises or American models. It’s entertainment, yes, but also culture built on attachments to history, geography & more.
— Rob Hatch (@robhatchtv) April 19, 2021
And it’s exactly the right move.
— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) April 19, 2021
But cyclists
Yeah, but if a #cyclist hadn’t locked their bike to the railings the driver would have seen them!#FuckWittery of the absolute highest order. pic.twitter.com/eHe3kSOK6W
— ButCyclists 🚴🏽♂️💨💨💨💨 (@but_cyclists) April 19, 2021
Chris Froome testing form ahead of "bigger goals" later in the year
Chris Froome must be a lonely figure right now. Not a great start to his season.
47th – UAE tour
81st – Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
5’23” behind leader after stage one of Tour of the Alps pic.twitter.com/cJ5TOrnCYO— Cycling Bite (@CyclingBite) April 19, 2021
Chris Froome’s Tour of the Alps did not go to plan yesterday. Or maybe it did? So far this year the four-time Tour de France winner has repeatedly distanced himself from pressure to get results in early season races, saying it is all part of the bigger picture to get back to his best.
Froome finished more than five minutes behind stage winner and former teammate Gianni Moscon on stage one but said the week is just about finding out “exactly where I’m at” for “bigger goals in the season.”
“I feel good. I’m continuing to see progression, which is the main thing for me at the moment. I’ve just come down after another altitude block in Tenerife. My feelings are getting better and I’m looking forward to racing this week and seeing any progressions,” he explained.
Elsewhere on stage one, Froome’s teammate Alessandro De Marchi voiced his displeasure at being called back from the breakaway to explain himself…
Tour of Alps, small breakaway.I was called back by jury because was assuming a prohibited position with my arms, both elbows resting on the handlebars
I was trying to put on a pair of gloves on top of the Brenner Pass in the snow
Safety first,always 🤷♂️ @UCI_cycling @cpacycling
— Alessandro De Marchi (@ADM_RossodiBuja) April 19, 2021
Richmond Park driver squeezes through no cars shortcut
A motorist using closed-to-cars Broomfield Hill in Richmond Park as a shortcut. Sad! pic.twitter.com/me7kqemX7v
— The Department of Parks & Recreation 🦌 (@ldnparks) April 19, 2021
Royal Parks Police moved swiftly, saying they will be paying this motorist a visit. Sadly, the Royal Parks, some of London’s most popular destinations for cyclists in the capital, have been popping up a lot on this live blog recently due to instances of bad driving and calls to ban through traffic.
Just last week a shocking video emerged of a motorist in Regent’s Park speeding into a group of cyclists following an altercation with another driver. Back in February, a cyclist was taken to hospital after a collision with a driver whose wrecked car was found off the road nearby…
Mips launches new website to inform cyclists in the market for a new lid
Mips has launched its new website to better educate cyclists, making helmet safety “more transparent and easily understandable”. It has resources for riders looking to find the right helmet as well as a search engine for scanning over 120 helmet brands that use the Mips system.
CEO Max Strandwitz said: “As of late last year, more than 20 million helmets equipped with the Mips system have been sold. This never ceases to amaze us and we could not be more happy with our success. But in terms of consumer education on helmets and head safety, there’s still a long road ahead for our industry.
“Many consumers are not equipped to make the best decision when purchasing a helmet. This new website may seem small, but to us, it’s a critical step on our mission to improve helmet safety around the world.”
From the editor: Has West Midlands Police now found its way again?
Just over a month ago, road.cc contributor Laura Laker asked if WMP had lost its way on cycling… and ever since, it seems like the force has been back in full swing educating and prosecuting drivers who commit offences against cyclists.
Just three days after the article was published, the WMP Traffic Twitter account posted two ‘close pass op’ updates, plus the informed comments from the officer in our earlier post gives us even more reasons to praise WMP. Will it rub off on other forces? Hopefully, and Derbyshire would be a good place to start…
This risks blaming cyclists for car drivers’ bad behaviour. Yes, some cyclists go through red lights, but this is just whataboutery. A helmet won’t help if a car hits you at 30mph or above. More important to focus on driver behaviour and road layout to ensure cyclist safety.
— Mike Thompson (@mjthomp2) April 19, 2021
SunGod adds the 8KO lens to lifestyle range
SunGod has made its 8KO lens available in their lifestyle range following the success of the lens in its performance Pace Series. Why is it so good? SunGod says it’s down to the construction technique combined with its nylon based material, which is a higher grade lens material than standard polycarbonate. Fancy. Owners of the lifestyle range probably care less about grams and watts but the 8KO lenses do also come in lighter than the 4KOs.
The 8KO lifestyle lenses will be customisable, like all SunGod’s other products, and come with the option of polarised or non-polarised and with seven refined lens tints. However, they’re not binning the 4KOs just yet and promise they’ll be sticking around due to high demand. Prices range from £45 to £110, depending on which of the 1,792 unique versions SunGod glasses you go for. Now that is what you call spoilt for choice…
Italian UCI Pro level team Vini Zabù suspended for 30 days after two failed drugs tests in 12 months
UCI confirms 30 day suspension for Vini Zabù which started on April 7th. With this they could’ve started the Giro but they already forfeit. https://t.co/MFthQQ36kK
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) April 19, 2021
We already knew that Vini Zabù had forfeited their place at the Giro d’Italia next month out of “love for the sport”. That decision has now been taken out of their hands. The UCI has banned the team from racing for 30 days, backdated to April 7 and lasting until May 6. With the Giro starting a day before that suspension expires, on May 5 in Turin, there is no way they will be taking in their home Grand Tour, even if they hadn’t jumped before they were pushed…Fans of excessive sponsor logos will be glad to see Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec take their place.
During last year’s Giro, Matteo Spreafico failed two tests for banned steroid ostarine, while Matteo de Bonis tested positive for EPO last month. A UCI statement said: “The UCI Anti-Doping Rules provide for the suspension of a team when two of its riders receive notice of an Adverse Analytical Finding for a non-specified substance in samples collected during the same 12-month period.”
Simon Yates wins stage two of the Tour of the Alps
Emphatic win for @SimonYatess 🇬🇧 on stage two of the Tour of the Alps 🏆👏
📺 @Eurosport_UK #TotApic.twitter.com/jGwWRPVlBv
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) April 20, 2021
Speaking of the Giro, what chance does Simon Yates have of avenging that 2018 heartache? A very good one on the basis of this performance. Yates was dominant on the summit finish second stage to win solo by 41 seconds. Ineos Grenadiers’ Pavel Sivakov took second while Dan Martin headed a trio including Aleksandr Vlasov and Giro bound Androni climber Jefferson Cepeda who were 58 seconds behind Yates. Initial results have Chris Froome 106th, 14 minutes behind the Team BikeExchange leader.
Vincenzo Nibali injury update: Giro d'Italia still a possibility
Trek-Segafredo hopes Vincenzo Nibali will still be able to race the Giro d’Italia despite fracturing his wrist in a training accident last week. Nibali has been fitted with a brace for his injury that has been specially designed to allow him to resume training next week. Team doctor Emilio Magni said his rider will meet the surgeon who operated on him on Thursday to remove the stitches and check the two-time Giro winner’s progress.
“After Thursday’s visit we will be able to think about the next step, which is to allow Vincenzo to train consistently on his home trainer and then on the road. It will be a gradual process that, in addition to the medical indication, will take into high consideration the feelings of the rider,” Magni said.
“I think it is still premature to hypothesise a timing for the decision on Vincenzo’s presence at the Giro. We continue to have hope and to do the impossible to succeed, but the road is still uphill.”
Bad driving: Down Under edition
Why don’t more students cycle to school? pic.twitter.com/Mz1u4gZTvH
— Liveable Melbourne (@liveable_melb) April 19, 2021
Some bad driving from Australia for you. It seems like a good time to share this tweet from the Department of Transport and Main Roads Queensland and some reaction to it…
While we appreciate your fashion policing of the bike rider in this post, the *actual* police will have something to say if you’re spotted not wearing a helmet.
Need a refresher on the rules? Hit the link https://t.co/9xJKKYpjxY
— Transport and Main Roads Queensland (@TMRQld) April 20, 2021
Taking measures which prevent accidents in the first place would be a far better approach than what amounts to trying to patch up a problem after the fact. While I wouldn’t get on a bike without a helmet, the obsession with enforcement is wrong-minded.
— Ge🍩ff Rehmet (@gmrza) April 20, 2021
It’s being used to make a point which ignores the actual issues faced by cyclists?
— Elisabeth Anderson 💙 (@velobetty) April 20, 2021
Panaracer's limited edition Gravelking Colour tyres
🥁 Drumroll please! Here are our 2021 limited edition Panaracer Gravelking colors: “Pansy” blue and “Flamingo Pink”. Both come with a brown sidewall, in sizes 700 x 32 and 700 x 38 sizes, and in all three GravelKing thread patterns.
Shipping early to mid June. pic.twitter.com/U1dNMYEjXF— Panaracer (@panaracer_world) April 20, 2021
Panaracer has livened up its tyres for 2021 with some limited edition colours. They are certainly bold and will add a touch of flare to your gravel ride. All their tyres are tubeless compatible and have all the good stuff associated with the Gravelking, just with some added brightness. The “Pansy” blue and “Flamingo Pink” are limited to 700×32 or 700×38 and are expected to sell out like the Japanese brand’s previous mustard yellow, purple, sandstone and ivory offerings.
“These limited edition tyres have garnered a bit of a cult following in the bike scene,” Panaracer’s Jeff Zell said. “It’s a fun challenge to come out with something different every year. For 2021, we choose Pansy, because it’s a really beautiful and rich colour that’s also rather unique, and pink because it has been the number one requested colour by Panaracer fans for a while now.”
20 April 2021, 08:04
20 April 2021, 08:04
20 April 2021, 08:04
20 April 2021, 08:04
20 April 2021, 08:04
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I'm now writing my Christmas gifts list to Santa. No doubt the bearded shrewd old man will be able to negotiate goods deals before brands release RRPs.
@kinderje Yep. Completely agree. People should have to do a retest every 10 years at most. People should also have to go online or take a test in person if they can't do it online every year to keep them up to date on the latest highway code changes. How often do cars let you cross at a junction as a pedestrian? Most people don't know about any changes in the highway code.
@mctrials23 Rendell said it in the other thread - why don't we get re-tested? I have had a license for over 40 years purely due to the fact that I passed the test when I was 20. It makes no sense.
I am sending this post from hospital. I forgot what "Danger! Tiger Enclosure! No Unauthorised Entry!", meant. Incidentally, ignorance of the law (which includes forgetting it) is not usually an acceptable defence?
Never really thought about it to be honest.
...and, of course, there was no way of recording any kind of information before the internet was invented. 😏
Not even a passing comment for John Tomac?
@Jakrayan God knows. On the country roads here (Kent) people are usually good at not close passing me but the consistently overtake me on blind corners etc. Oncoming cars on very narrow roads its 50:50 as to whether they will slow down at all despite passing me within 50cm. Once I get back into civilisation its a different story. Bad driving becomes the norm.
You could bé right. I live in a French Pyrenean départment with plenty of narrow, tight roads. About 80% of drivers either pull over to thé max or wait for a better space to overtake. Mind you, there's always thé odd one looking at their phone...
For a while I've thought this was an unfortunate brand name. Several times I've seen cyclists riding towards me wearing Le Col jerseys with their right arm covering the L so it looks like they are advertising e.Coli.
39 thoughts on “Police use undercover cyclist to tackle close passes; Nibali injury update; Jonathan Vaughters slammed for supporting European Super League; But cyclists; Richmond Park driver squeezes through no cars shortcut; Vini Zabù banned + more on the live blog”
Over 3 people every two weeks
Over 3 people every two weeks and that’s a reduction! Worrying that after all that we’ve been through the last year, people still have no patience or respect for vulnerable road users. Is it me or does the whole world seem angrier than ever!
It would also be interesting
It would also be interesting on what figures were used to get 124 as according to a local newspaper report in 2019 had official Government figures as 280 cycling casulaties with 58 being KSI figures.
(althought as the local newspaper is normally nicknamed the Meaning Evil or the Fail, they could well be the ones at fault).
The DfT publish stats every
The DfT publish stats every year,based on STATS19 reports which you can produce your own custom datasets from. http://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk
It perhaps more confusingly reports there were 127 KSIs for cyclists in 2017 for West Midlands police. But it does confirm the newspapers numbers if you break it down with Birmingham as the local authority, 58 KSIs and then include slightly injured as well in the numbers to get 280 cyclists hurt.
So the police are using only
So the police are using only KSI’s for the whole of the West Midlands they cover and not just basic casulaties. Would prefer the other as the only reason the one is not more serious is usually luck then judgement.
I wonder what happened with
I wonder what happened with the other 17 people who were flagged down?
I’d be happy to volunteer as
I’d be happy to volunteer as bait! Just recently, there seems to be one every ride. Here’s one from last Sunday. Not the worst and not reported to Police.
looked like bike racks on the
looked like bike racks on the roof as well…
“I wasn’t that close becasue
“I wasn’t that close becasue I’m a cyclist too.”
“It’s not bestiality, I’ve
“It’s not bestiality, I’ve got pets myself.”
I’m not sure I follow how the
I’m not sure I follow how the “undercover” aspect is different to how close passes are normally run, or did people genuinely think they had police officers in uniform doing this stuff ?
Road.cc’s report is
Road.cc’s report is misleading. It’s not that they’re using ‘plain-clothed’ officers – it’s that they’re using officers in both hi-vis and in normal clothes to demonstrate that it makes no difference – both get close-passed – so the complaint that this only happens because cyclists don’t make themselves visible enough is baseless.
Absolutely. Cyclists at night
Absolutely. Cyclists at night, dressed in black and without lights are clearly visible. We know this because some motorists keep telling us that’s all they see cyclists doing.
We also know that some motorists just don’t approach with the right mentality. In a Bike Radar article (curently live on their front page about lane-keeping car tech), a quote from former police instructor, Reg Local (made up name), says:
… or they pass too close. Or just smite them off the road like the bugs they consider them to be.
Sometimes police officers in
Sometimes police officers in the brightest “I’m a cop” uniform you could imagine also get close-passed, and deliberate verbal and physical abuse from car to bicycle. It can be on camera, and it can also fail on its way to, or in, court. I’ve spoken to the officers to whom it’s happened.
Sometimes the inter-modal hatred is just so strong that it overwhelms some car occupants to the point of insanity. Or they just hate the police as well.
Drivers probably assumed it
Drivers probably assumed it was was on those fake police dayglo outfits with POLITE on it, or just unobservant more likely.
I might be being generous but
I might be being generous but I dont think Vaughters is saying the football split is the good idea, I think hes saying apply that concept to cycling and a situation where teams would be ring fenced or franchised in effect and guaranteed steady income, so they wouldnt have to battle constantly for sponsors is a good idea. Because that’s something he has said before,that the teams provide the human element of the sport,but the organisers take all the riches from it.
One hopes that’s what he
One hopes that’s what he means – as he has mentioned the US style franchise system applied to cycling before. It could/should work for cycling, similar to how F1 works. It won’t ever work for football….
So if a team like Ribble
So if a team like Ribble wanted to improve / progress they would have to buy Cofidis’ franchise licence rather than do it on sporting merit!
Spot on, the US franchise set
Spot on, the US franchise set up is all about stabilising income so owners can take on more/cheaper debt and lenders/investors can plan how long it will take to get their cash back or can set up investment vehicles to allow long term investment by pension and life funds who like the certainty a closed shop provides. As a fan, the model does not appeal and it gives those at the top too much power on the say about which teams gets into the elite club.
The only thing I like about the franchise model is the draft system which, on the face of it, spreads talent across the teams each year. As to whether this would work in cycling who knows.
Not surprised Vaughters supports this, it’s the way top level sport is managed in the US and probably seems normal. Can’t see it being accepted in Europe as we fans love the underdog and the opportunity to win no matter how much/little cash you have.
Is it just me or does anyone
Is it just me or does anyone else think it may me more useful if the WMP had the car facing the same direction as the bike for their demonstration?
A driver would expect a cyclist travelling in the opposite direction to be that distance from their offside, wheras surely the point is the perspective view for the driver of the distance between the cyclist and the nearside of the car.
Re close pass : Did I hear
Re close pass : Did I hear this right? At 45s into the video did Sgt Jon Butler say that by not giving 1.5m you are comitting an offence of driving without due care and attention.
If that’s true in the West Midlands why isn’t it the case elsewhere?
Unfortunately I think it
Unfortunately I think it falls into the same bucket of road offenses as 80mph on the motorway ie only notable by the way in which its not usually enforced.
Bungle_52 wrote:
I think that statement falls into the realms of opinion, and is yet to be tested in a court of law.
Just because of someone who
Just because of someone on here who drives an Audi and will get riled…… The Richmond park video is an Audi driver but can someone else confirm with the railing parking job whether that vehicle is also a product of Vorsprung Dork Technique as well?
Kissing cousin, Porsche.
Kissing cousin, Porsche.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-56809145
According to the BBC account, it was the car that did it, injuring the driver and passenger in the process.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
No, I think it’s a Porsche Macan. Might be a collaboration/joint project with Audi/VW though. But whatever, it’s a crossover which translates as a pretend off roader with go faster bits…because that’s what buyers want
well technically VW own both
well technically VW own both Audi and Porsche brands, so its a pretend Audi 🙂
The Macan is based on the
The Macan is based on the Audi Q5, so they’re (wall) kissing cousins.
the American communist
the American communist approach to sport “leagues”
Is that a reference to the
Is that a reference to the proposed ESL?
I’m trying to understand why our Govt are getting so indignant about it – surely it’s just a result of “market forces” and they always say they can’t do anything to get in the way of The Market?
(disclaimer – I’m not a football fan)
Its only “Market Forces” when
Its only “Market Forces” when they have been invited to stick their snouts in the trough too. Otherwise its faux outrage in order to court the Fan vote and/or secure a place at the trough.
Well the Gov is because of
Well the Gov is because of popularism which seems to be what they want, hence the 5 thousand u-turns they have done since he has been in power.
It is harder to put into cycling terms but I would argue it would be like DQS, Ineos, and a few other of the big teams suddenly announcing they want to do their own racing series seperate to the UCI and with them setting their own rules on it and pocketing all the money. However they still then want to enter the grand tours and the classics but eff the smaller races that aren’t as lucrative. And we are doing it because the the “future fans” want this and the “legacy fans” can just lump it if they don’t like it. Oh and other world teams might get invited in but it will be our choice and they don’t get the same benefits we will get.
Re: Derby Police Tweet…. So
Re: Derby Police Tweet…. So if my camera is attached to the handlebars they won’t accept it because they only accept helmet cam footage?
I’m not sure we should be
I’m not sure we should be celebrating WMPs return to the cause so quickly yet,nice as it is to see them, the footage they shared was taken from last weeks UK wide police #OpClosePass day, part of that whole fortnight two wheel safety campaign thing, so lots of police forces, & even Cycling UK were joining in doing close pass stuff, some better than others as has been highlighted.
But the reason the WMP close pass thing worked so well to begin with is because it wasnt part of some national do something campaign day,they accepted it was simply a part of their day to day policing of roads & an effective strategy to reduce casualties on the road
When they and other forces demonstrate through continued close pass action that’s what they are doing again, that’s when I’ll celebrate it.
On the Laura Laker blog post
On the Laura Laker blog post about WMP last month, I posted a link where Mark Hodson did a vlogcast about the setup.
Him and Steve had been asked to do the mat thing at Pressers and Cycle shows and had agreed as they were regular cyclists themselves. However whilst at the Cycle show they were approached by cyclists stating that is all well and good but there is no enforcement so they decided to set something up. The first ones were from his own cameras (and one is pants shitting bad). Then they allowed some submissions from other people but were waiting for someone to challenge it in court to see if the judges would rule against that type of submission. Someone finally did and was told the video evidence was sufficient and ruled against the challenge. They then pushed for the other stuff like the portal etc but had to bring other officers in to try to process them as they were recieving hundreds to review. He didn’t go any further though on why it is now being quietly swept under the mat.
The Porsche crashing through
The Porsche crashing through the railings at Laura Place isn’t even that unusual for Bath. A car smashed through iron railings on Cavendish Road summer last year, ending up wedged – it was just lucky no one from the basement apartment there was hurt. The railings still haven’t been fixed. I love living in Bath, but the average quality of driving, especially by the rapidly increasing number of SUVs, is really poor.
Im originally from a “rival”
Im originally from a “rival” town just up the motorway from Bath, the quality of driving in Bath was a running joke for us in our late teens/early twenties. We used to blame it on the upper/middle classes of Bath getting a bit inbred and gradually inheriting worse and worse driving skills due to the type of drivers and cars you would see commiting the worst offenses.
“Mips (link is external) has
“Mips has launched its new website to better educate cyclists, making helmet safety “more transparent and easily understandable”.”
No. The sole point is to sell more useless tat to gullible fools.
This WMP item is all very
This WMP item is all very well, and I appreciate them using an authentic West Midlands local to present it, but the evidence is against this notion that the police are policing close-passes. We heard recently that NYP had declared that without cyclist blood on the road, they weren’t even looking at the video. I accept that no written proof of that policy was presented. Many people will recall the ultra-barmy Essex Police comment on a convincing close pass video that it wasn’t really a close pass because the cyclist hadn’t ‘wobbled or braked’. You may also recall, Worcestershire I think it was, where their close pass operation was cancelled because the senior officer decided it was too dangerous for the covert police cyclists. I know people are tired of hearing this from me, but Lancashire Constabulary has never prosecuted anyone for non-contact close-passing (to be precise, the LC response to an FoI request stated that they were unable to demonstrate any close passing prosecutions over the previous 5 years). The close-passing prosecution on the basis of my video evidence of an offence dated 30.9.19 was due, last time I enquired about 5 months ago, in June 2021. It will probably be delayed further, and I am about to enquire again.
Quote:
Um – the Giro starts on May 8th, so they could have started. It even says that right there in the tweet you’ve embedded.