Newspaper highlights petition for cyclists to be banned from local road… but it’s only been signed four times; Pogačar wins FIFTH Giro stage; Cyclist feels “like a criminal” due to town centre ban; “Living nightmare” doping case + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Pro cyclist Lizzy Banks' life "torn apart for nothing" after being found of "no fault or negligence" for positive doping test, but only after nine months "living my worst nightmare" and €40,000 spent
British pro cyclist Lizzy Banks, who has represented Great Britain at the World Championships and ridden for WorldTour team EF Education–Tibco–SVB, has penned an at-length blog detailing an “incredibly dark” nine-month ordeal that left her “silently living my worst nightmare” after a positive anti-doping test last summer.
I have some news. I’ve been offline for a really long time now. I’m afraid the reason isn’t a very nice one & too complicated to explain on social media so I have written everything up and put it on a website. Please head to https://t.co/3kaV1vD1y3 to read the full story. 1/4
— Lizzy Banks (@ElizzyBanks) May 21, 2024
Ultimately, last month UKAD (UK Anti-Doping) found that Banks held “no fault or negligence” for the chlortalidone and formoterol found in her system, but in what she called “a landmark case”, they accepted this without her having identified the source of the contamination.
On 28 July last year, Banks was notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for formoterol, a “medication I have been using for asthma for four years was detected at a concentration in line with how I have been prescribed it”, and chlortalidone, a diuretic, which was “detected at a low concentration indicative of contamination”.
To get to the point of UKAD accepting the conclusion that Banks had “no fault or negligence” regarding the positive took nine months of stress, endless reading of anti-doping rules and €40,000 of her own money spent.
“This process has cost me a huge amount, literally and metaphorically. My husband and I spent every penny of our savings and the huge mental toll has left deep scars,” Banks wrote in an in-depth blog piece recalling the tale from start to finish and that can be read in full here.
“But somehow, through it all, I knew I had to fight. Right from the start, I learnt of other athletes in the similar situations with a contamination of chlortalidone, whose lives and careers were also being torn apart.
“Prior to being completely cleared of any wrongdoing, I was repeatedly told by UKAD and lawyers that I would receive a two-year ban. This simply didn’t make sense. No party thought I had ‘consumed’ chlortalidone with any intent, yet that’s how the system works and my life continued to be torn apart for nothing.
“It is difficult to emphasise enough how significant UKAD’s finding is that I bore ‘no fault or negligence’. To put it in black and white, I understand that this is the first time that UKAD has ever issued a finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ (and therefore zero sanction) when the athlete has not specifically identified the exact source of the contamination.”
4/4 as there was nothing I could say. As you will read, the truth is that I haven’t been okay. I’ve been silently living my worst nightmare. Please know that I read every message and I was so grateful for the kindness at what has been an incredibly dark time.
— Lizzy Banks (@ElizzyBanks) May 21, 2024
From initial suspicion about contamination from anaesthetic and medication used by the dentist the day before the positive test to endless hours trying to trace, “shattered” mental health, a paranoia about taking legitimate and approved medication, anxiety that “crippled”, Banks’ story shows the financial and emotional stress that she went through during the months of investigation.
“You are being charged for a crime, but you are also being told that the police aren’t going to investigate anything themselves. You are guilty until proven innocent and you have to pay every penny of the investigation yourself with no help from the police,” she said.
“So that’s it. Everything points to contamination, but that’s what UKAD says. Two-year ban unless you can find that needle in that barn of haystacks. Oh and by the way, that needle was put there three months ago. The haystacks aren’t there anymore but good luck finding them and that needle.
“I had spent in excess of 38,000 euros investigating this case. That included every penny of savings that my husband and I had accrued as well as money borrowed from both mine and my husband’s family. These costs barely scratched the surface of the initial investigation. Furthermore, I was no longer receiving an income due to the provisional suspension which compounded the financial and emotional stress.
“I still had the perpetually sickening feeling that my life was over. My mental health had been ripped to shreds. I consistently felt that I had lost everything, that I would never be able to work due to my name being tarnished, that when the world and the cycling community finally found out I would be labelled as a doper and discarded by all those who I thought cared about me. That I would lose my integrity which is so deeply entrenched in the core of all my beliefs and actions. This is one of the things that hurt the most. I became deeply depressed. Over the months, it worsened and I started to have suicidal thoughts. It was terrifying for me and deeply harrowing for my husband.”
Following a hair test that “unsurprisingly indicated low-level [chlortalidone] contamination in a short period just preceding my anti-doping test” UKAD “did a full 180” and found Banks “to bear no fault or negligence and therefore would be subject to no sanction and no period of ineligibility”.
There really are too many twists and extra details to the story to summarise exhaustively in a live blog post or news story, so we’d recommend taking a read of Banks’ full blog post recalling the ordeal from the initial UKAD email last July through to the present day. It’s an estimated 67-minute-long read, according to the blog page, so maybe save it for your lunch break. You can read it here…
"Rogue" wardens accused of "lying in wait" for cyclists riding on pavement beside busy roundabout, as two cyclists fined £100 for breaching anti-social cycling order at same spot
Cycling in the press: Guardian says "UK's new dangerous cycling offence will achieve pretty much nothing"
Political writer for the Guardian newspaper Peter Walker has an opinion piece published in today’s edition analysing the new dangerous cycling law and concluding that it “will achieve pretty much nothing”.
“In the six days since a law to prosecute dangerous cyclists was announced, somewhere close to 30 people will have been killed on UK roads, none of them struck by bikes,” the piece begins.
It stands in stark contrast to much of the “Lycra lout” shouty columns seen in the Telegraph, Times and Express in recent days, Walker calling out the “out-grouping” of cyclists seen in other sections of the press.
The new dangerous cycling offence is a move, he concludes, that “reflects wider state of politics around active travel — arguing around the margins and doing little to change lives for better”.
Another bit of Tuesday reading that we’re happy to recommend.
Giro stage in chaos as riders vote against ascending Umbrail Pass
The scenes over at the Giro that have prompted the riders to vote against starting the stage as planned:
#giro ahora nevando en el primer tramo de la etapa 16 ❄️😱 pic.twitter.com/Rev3Vumwkv
— Marcelo La Gattina (@MLaGattina) May 21, 2024
More than a few chilly faces at the team presentation in Livigno:
👋 The team presentation has begun in Livigno, with the 🇫🇷 @GroupamaFDJ #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/frN6fxZgQ1
— Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia) May 21, 2024
This was the Stelvio stage, the monster climb removed last week due to heavy snow and landslides, Umbrail Pass slotting in as the replacement ascent. However, in a Giro situation becoming increasingly familiar in recent times, it has been reported that the CPA riders’ union has stepped in, the riders opting against climbing the Cima Coppi (the race’s highest point) given the miserable conditions.
CPA President Adam Hansen posted a statement from the union and riders on Twitter:
Statement from the @cpacycling and the riders at the Giro. It was said many times before the vote that if they vote, they stick to their vote. It is very clear.
I wonder now if there will be outside pressure. This was spoken about, even if teams or the organisers push the… pic.twitter.com/1L5u1euWxg
— Adam Hansen (@HansenAdam) May 21, 2024
There’s a fair bit of confusion this morning, but it now seems (according to Marca) that the stage will begin after the Umbrail Pass. However, this hasn’t been confirmed and riders are still stood outside at the start, Ben O’Connor telling the TV cameras “it’s probably one of the worst organised races”.
“It’s just a shame that it is 2024 and you have dinosaurs who really don’t see the human side of things,” he continued. “I would still like to ride the stage but I don’t want to ride over 2,500m. It is already five degrees and pouring rain and at 2,500 it is already snowing. I think it is only clear you should just start a touch lower and do the finish. I’d like to see him in our position, go outside on the bike and do the start of the stage and see what his answer is after those couple of hours.”
Ouch.
The stage was meant to have started by now but still no confirmation from the race organisers about what happens next, presumably because they’re busy watching highlights from the good old days on repeat from a cosy armchair by a fire…
📺 ⛰️❄️ Passo di Gavia (2,618 m) in 1988 Giro d’Italia | 🇮🇹 #Giropic.twitter.com/f7ztbA3P0h
— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) May 21, 2024
Removal of safety wands and dividers from cycle lane will "make it safer for all road users", claims council – but cyclists say plan is "vindictive and insane"
Giro stage shortened
To nobody’s surprise today’s Giro stage has been shortened to miss out the 2,500m Umbrail Pass that the riders’ unanimously voted against climbing. Here’s the new stage profile, 120km in total, with the finish to the stage unchanged.
#giro – Stage 16
🚩 Spondigna
🏁 St. Christina in Gröden (Monte Pana)
🚴🏻♂️ 121 Km
Weather: 🌧 7°C, heavy intensity rain
Route: https://t.co/5U2FwAG56W pic.twitter.com/zCdYjyjqEh— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) May 21, 2024
"Just like being at home..."
Just like being home… 🏴🫣🤣#GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/E2W6KEie9h
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) May 21, 2024
"Despite a handshake between the parties, the athletes did not show up at the start": Giro organisers hit back at peloton after stage 16 shortened
Here’s a helpful stage profile from the Giro showing what parts have been cut and what remains…
In a punchy press release the race organisers added their assertion that “despite a handshake between the parties, the athletes did not show up at the start in Livigno”.
The Extreme Weather Protocol Commission met yesterday to decide on the conditions for today’s stage.
A few minutes before the start, the weather conditions deteriorated further and so the commission decided to fall back on Option 3 – In the event of extreme weather conditions, the stage will be neutralised up to a place where the safety conditions are met.
On today’s meeting, an agreement was reached on moving the race from Livigno with a town parade. Despite a handshake between the parties, the athletes did not show up at the start in Livigno.
A shorter version was posted on the Giro’s social media accounts, prompting plenty of criticism about the previous lack of communication and the fact the public statement conveniently omitted the paragraph where the organisers seemingly have a pop at the riders after “the athletes did not show up”.
Ineos Grenadiers sports director Zak Dempster explained they had been “in a bit of a tango with the organisation”.
“From the riders’ and teams’ point of view it’s been for the last, more than 24 hours to be honest,” he explained. “There was a proposal from the rider side to adjust the stage, to take out the two 2,500m passes because of the weather. That was refused.
“This morning it has just been a mess.”
A mess indeed, organisers wanting to fulfil obligations to start towns who have paid money to host the race, riders just wanting to stay safe and healthy, teams supporting their riders’ best interests, and a riders union representing the peloton… something tells me we haven’t heard the last of this… oh, by the way, racing is now underway…
Cyclist "treated like a criminal" and fined for "accidental error" in riding through area with controversial cycling ban
A cyclist new to Bedford has spoken out about its controversial cycling ban in the town centre after she was “left feeling like a criminal” when stopped and fined by “intimidating looking” officers. Writing to the local paper, the Bedford Independent, Karyn Pemberton said she had no idea she wasn’t allowed to cycle through the town centre.
“I am fairly new to Bedford and have so far felt it to be very welcoming, lovely and quite a safe place to live. That is until the other day, when I was innocently cycling through the town centre, and was stopped by an intimidating looking ‘officer’ of sorts, who proceeded to tell me I had committed an offence and was being fined £75 for cycling in a pedestrian-only zone,” she said.
> Bedford cyclists protest “discriminatory” town centre bike ban
“I was literally riding for less than a minute in an area I had assumed was OK, helped by the fact that there are scooters and kids cycling around everywhere in town, so not knowing about any restrictions, one would assume it was fine. I am shocked and extremely angry, and I feel I have been treated like a criminal when I am an honest citizen who made an accidental error, unaware of this cycling ‘ban’ in certain areas.
“The area was empty too, so I would never have been posing a danger to anyone. Clearly, something is very, very wrong with this, I am questioning the very purpose of this ban. If the aim is to honestly prevent cycling that is a potential danger to others in the pedestrian area, it is plainly not working. I’ve seen several cyclists, especially young men, cycle through at some speed, with no regard for people around them, including on market days.
> Bedford cycling ban to remain despite consultation showing most people want it scrapped
“I can’t see them stopping for enforcement, giving their details as I did, and paying a large fine. So, the system is basically penalising law-abiding people, visitors, those new to the town and most probably elderly people who cycle slowly and carefully, and benefit from locking up their bikes close to where they need to go.
“One thing is certain, I feel less inclined to go into the town centre at all now. I am sure there are plenty of others that feel the same, that have had the same awful thing happen to them, and are wanting to now avoid the centre.”
We’ve reported numerous similar town centre cycling bans across England in recent times, often enforced through Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) with a stated aim to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Active travel charity Cycling UK has long been a prominent critic of PSPOs, which it says have the effect of criminalising cycling, with head of campaigns Duncan Dollimore stating that the orders only discourage people from riding bikes into town.
> “Why pick on a lone female cyclist?” Cyclist slapped with £100 fine – for riding on a cycle path
In December, North East Lincolnshire Council said it had “escalated” and “intensified” its “war on cycling menaces” by implementing a complete ban on riding a bike in pedestrianised zones, as part of a wider crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
The council and its enforcement officers have come in for criticism during the five years the PSPO has been in place, locals accusing council officers of targeting “old and slow” cyclists after a pensioner was fined for riding through the town in 2022. Barrie Enderby, who was 82 at the time, told the council to “stick it up your arse” after being fined £100 for breaching the order.
In November, Coventry too introduced a PSPO preventing e-bike use in pedestrianised areas, a measure the former West Midlands’ Walking and Cycling Commissioner Adam Tranter slammed as “reckless” and something that will “discourage cycling and penalise responsible cyclists”.
Yesterday, we reported that “rogue” wardens working for a local council have been accused of “lying in wait” to catch Colchester cyclists riding on the pavement, after two riders were recently fined £100 for briefly mounting a footpath to avoid navigating a notoriously busy roundabout and its “thick and fast motor traffic”, a penalty described by one of the cyclists involved as “unjustified” and “a bit farcical”.
"If the aviation or rail industry had the safety record that roads do, planes would be grounded, and trains would be stopped": Brake road safety charity latest to respond to government's 'dangerous cycling' bill
Is he okay?
❌🧤 Short sleeves and no gloves?? In this weather???
How Tadej? Howwww? #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/1CM1bBHXnw
— Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia) May 21, 2024
While everyone else hides beneath hats, rain jackets, gloves and more…
The final climb is nearly here, Julian Alaphilippe just 15 seconds clear of a chasing peloton. No prizes for guessing who’ll be the big favourite from there.
Giant joins Specialized and Trek in offering huge discounts on several of its mountain and gravel bikes
Giro d'Italia stage 16: Tadej Pogačar wins fifth stage of the race, extends seemingly unassailable GC lead
💗 Simply the best. #GirodItalia | @TamauPogi pic.twitter.com/dKsBCfD16d
— Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia) May 21, 2024
It all looked incredibly easy for Tadej Pogačar in the end. I know, it almost always does, but this looked especially easy — riders scattered all over the freezing mountain pedalling squares, one pink-wearing Slovenian not even in arm warmers or gloves, hands on the tops, barely breathing.
As the maglia rosa eased towards his fifth stage of the race he looked more like a top-class rider who, for whatever reason, had dropped out of the GC hunt and could take things easy, rolling effortlessly past sprinters and lesser riders at the back of the race. That wasn’t how stage wins usually look.
There wasn’t even much of an acceleration out of the GC group, Rafał Majka finished his turn, looked back and the rest were already gapped, Pogačar rarely getting out the saddle, just tapping out a rhythmn to pick off the four riders up the road with incredible ease. At least second-place Giulio Pellizzari — who for a moment would have been dreaming of a famous victory — got a consolation prize.
🫂 True respect, and a day that Giulio Pellizzari will never forget.
🤩 Never change @TamauPogi, never change #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/KuiU5bh12C
— Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia) May 21, 2024
Behind, Geraint Thomas was the big loser, surrendering second spot to Dani Martinez, while Ben O’Connor lost time too. Curiously, Thomas’ Ineos teammate Thymen Arensman did not wait, pushing on, presumably in search of seconds to help his youth classification challenge.
A tough day for many, spare a thought for those still nowhere near the finish.
Relentless power from Pogi 🔥
The UAE Team Emirates rider flew to another stage victory on Stage 16 at the Giro d’Italia with a late acceleration to catch the break.
📸 Getty Images
__________
🇮🇹 #Giro pic.twitter.com/PJCgS26dl5— Velon CC (@VelonCC) May 21, 2024
Near Miss of the Day 908: cyclist praises swift punishment of driver after shocking close pass but slams "sorry state of affairs" with third-party reporting in Scotland
Newspaper highlights petition for cyclists to be banned from local road... but it's only been signed four times
Big news from Hertfordshire to finish the day, the county’s local paper The Herts Advertiser reporting that a petition has been launched demanding that cyclists be banned from using the B651 between Wheathampstead and Sandridge. The petition states…
B651 between Wheathampstead and Sandridge is a 60 miles an hours road, narrow with many blind corners. Parallel to the road there is a paved wide cycling path. However every day cyclists decide to stay on the main road rather than use suitable cycling path, posing danger to drivers and themselves. The problem is even bigger during warm months. There have been many accidents on this road and banning cyclists and encouraging them to use cycling path will save lives.
Interestingly the local paper chose to run the story before noting midway through that the petition has been running since April 10 and has been signed by… one person. That’s literally the numerical equivalent of a random bloke (yes, it’s obviously a man) ranting incoherently at you as you try to enjoy a trip to the pub.
Anyway, the local press’ coverage means the number of signatures is now up to four, so given our live blog post you can expect that to maybe have sneaked into double figures by the morning. Not sure the council will be particularly worried, given it closes in a couple of weeks.
The top comment on the local paper’s story, with more than three times as many likes as the petition has signatures, is someone writing: “If the road is that dangerous, then surely the petition should be to reduce the speed limit!”
Maybe there is hope after all?
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Latest Comments
@tomlew That sounds like someone who is thinking about GC to me. I don't think your comparison with 16-year-old footballers is particularly valid, ultimately football at every level is played on roughly the same size to pitch, the goals are the same size and there are eleven players on each team. If professional football was played on a pitch three times the size with goals half the size and for five hours instead of ninety minutes, that might be a good comparison. I have no objection to Seixas riding this tour for experience, I think it's a good idea, but as I've said, I don't think he's got any chance of winning unless something major happens to the big contenders (he's already shipped 39 seconds and 27 seconds respectively to the big dogs) and if he tries too hard he could receive humiliating setbacks that could damage him psychologically throughout his career. You say "If I were a prodigy cyclist youngster with a realistic shot at winning, I might take [the risk] even if I knew it might be the end of my career", but he doesn't have a realistic shot at winning and in taking the risk he might be putting in jeopardy the possibility of winning multiple Tours in future. I don't think this is a situation where a "death or glory" approach is suitable. We shall reconvene in three weeks time and see what happened, and I'm quite happy to be proved wrong and if he does win this year it would certainly mean we had had a thrilling Tour.
@Rendel Harris I absolutely know all that. But that's exactly what I said: he is risking a lot, but the reward might be worth it. It is only a matter of judgment. And by the way, AFAIK nobody said he's going to ride to win the GC. Maybe the plan is exactly to learn his lessons this year so that next year nobody can say he's too inexperienced to really go for victory. Of course, he could ride the Vuelta, but what better place is there to learn the TdF than TdF itself? Times have changed. No more pecking orders, 16-year-old footballers are already shaking the world (even though most of them do indeed get chewed and spat out badly, but again: that's a risk they take). Why wouldn't the same happen in cycling?
Sôme interesting comments from Wright and Stewart about 'losing' thé team élément a bit with thé new format
And I don’t know when you wrote this but I think it was published 9 days after Onley was confirmed out of the Tour.
Paul Seixas’ team is Decathlon CMA CGM
The best thing about the TTT as Stage 1 is that it emphasises the fact that cycling grand tours incl the TDF are a team sport.
If you click through and read the story you'll see that the first motorist hit the cyclist, and the second, following, motorist then also hit them while they were lying in the road - both were convicted of causing the cyclist's death.
I may be reading far too much into it, but I felt as though Pogacar and UAE weren't actually that bothered about winning today. Not having yellow to defend and all the extra press etc to do this early in the race is an indisputable advantage; I just got the impression that they were out to lose no more than a handful of seconds but not to bury themselves for the win. With about 2.5kms to go I thought that if Pogacar really wanted it he would have gone from there, but he stayed with Del Toro for nearly another kilometre even though the body language was saying that no way was Del Toro in as good shape as Pogacar. Even after the finish he didn't seem as wiped out as Ganna (whom I don't think I've ever seen quite so shattered) or Jonas. As I say, might be reading too much into it but I would not be surprised if UAE had played a very clever hand not to lose any meaningful time but to avoid the burden of yellow from the get go.
@tomlew It's not his youth so much as his inexperience. He's never ridden a race longer than eight days before. Pogacar won his first Tour, it's true, but he'd already finished a Vuelta. There's simply to much for him to learn and become accustomed to in my opinion for him to have a realistic chance of victory, particularly as he's up against probably the greatest of all time and a double Tour winner, both of whom seem to be at the peak of their powers. It's not entirely beyond the bounds of possibility but he'd need a hatful of luck and something fairly catastrophic to happen to both of those guys before he'd realistically be in with a shout. Don't forget nobody has won their first Grand Tour since Hinault in 1978, forty-eight years is a hell of a lot of precedent.
There is no rational reason for a rider this young not to dominate the race, other than some of us believing this is "not right" based purely on opinion. Younger athletes recover much, much faster. They adapt more easily. They are typically more eager to take risks, which is... well, risky, but could pay off big time if the stars align. Burnout? Yes, that is a risk. But it's not a given. See how long Leo Messi has been absolutely top-notch. The risks are high, but the potential is even more so. And even if Seixas does burn out early, it may just be his choice despite the awareness of the risk. If I were a prodigy cyclist youngster with a realistic shot at winning, I might take it even if I knew it might be the end of my career. After all, it's winning the TdF we're talking about!
35 thoughts on “Newspaper highlights petition for cyclists to be banned from local road… but it’s only been signed four times; Pogačar wins FIFTH Giro stage; Cyclist feels “like a criminal” due to town centre ban; “Living nightmare” doping case + more on the live blog”
Peter Walker writing in the
Peter Walker writing in the Grauniad:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/bike-blog/article/2024/may/21/uk-dangerous-cycling-offence-achieve-nothing
brooksby wrote:
I believe the correct phrase is “rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic” – certainly our government seems very much like a sinking ship
Oh they still have a sting in
Oh they still have a sting in their tails I reckon. Never underestimate how stupid the average person is or how short their memory is. If there is one thing the Tories are excellent at, its persuading people that somehow it was someone elses fault for a decision that they themselves made.
They will manage to buy plenty of votes with their culture wars BS and they will fight dirty. Labour will probably self sabotage themselves as usual as well.
mctrials23 wrote:
Yeah, I’m constantly bewildered by how people still support them and believe their bullshit
Some proper journalism in the
Some proper journalism in the 21st Century – Can someone tell me through which portal to a parallel universe did I fall through?
brooksby wrote:
Great article.
The first few lines are essential reading and frame this ridiculous debate in proper context.
Banning people from going outside in thunderstorms could save 2 lives a year.
Reducing road deaths by less than 0.5% would save more lives than if they reduced deaths caused by cyclists to nil.
But he’s still using that
But he’s still using that phrase about “that having new offences of causing death or serious injury by dangerous cycling will necessarily make the roads less safe”
Surely he means won’t necessarily make the roads safer, or less dangerous.
Making something less safe just doesn’t parse to me, as why would new laws designed to prosecute dangerous cycling result in less safe roads ?!?
Rest of its spot on though.
Lizzy Banks’ story is eye
Lizzy Banks’ story is eye-opening tale. The world of sport needs effective anti-doping and cheating countermeasures. Not surprisingly the beauraucracies that have been set up to try and achieve this aim are not perfect, probably understaffed and underfunded and have far less skin in the game than the individuals they are investigating. When critiqued or criticised they put up the shields and turn on the individual doing them a favour, rather than listening. From recent Post Office scandals to blood contamination, we need to recognise that this is what organisations do.
Her efforts and persistence in the face of this are amazing, but there must be many other athletes who weren’t as lucky to have these in such strong supply and have been incorrectly sanctioned in similar circumstances. Conversely, there will be a number of athletes who ‘get away with it’ and manage to cheat and beat the testing regime. Who knows where the balance between these two figures lies, but making your experience and battle public is essential and greatly appreciated. Anti-doping must do better.
The civil anti-doping system
The civil anti-doping system – largely the product of the Anglo-phile nations, as a way of being seen to do something, without having to actually do much – is largely a failure. It is largely toothless, and lacks any real investigative powers. Instead the focus is on largely unworkable “testing”.
The only system that has managed to crack organised doping in sport is the criminal justice system. It takes the investigatory powers of the criminal justice system, with the ability to monitor communications, search private property, etc., to reliably prove doping and intent to dope.
The civil system is not really fit for purpose.
Paul J wrote:
Except you made a lot of baseless statements that without evidence are just uninformed opinion….
But if it was a furriner,
But if it was a furriner, they deserved all they got.
Removal of safety wands is in
Removal of safety wands is in the best interest of – motorists.
Removal of these wands:
– provides an ability to park in and block a piece of formerly segregated infrastructure designed for the safety of for other road users forcing cyclists into the road
– encourages closer and more dangerous passing without a physical barrier
– provides a wider field of vision for drivers thus reducing a driver’s perception of speed in relation to their actual speed (feeling slower but going faster – encourages speeding)
In all fairness, most wands
In all fairness, most wands don’t stop motorists “accidentally” driving over and parking on top of cycle lanes…
brooksby wrote:
No, you need to randomly install bollards that look just like the wands.
andystow wrote:
1/20 wands is now made from hardened steel and buried 6 feet into the ground.
Patrick9-32 wrote:
I really hope so.
Patrick9-32 wrote:
Now that would be a good addition for LTN 1/20 !
Unfortunately the entire paint-and-sign budget for the average town would be eaten up by 1/4 the High Street. (Probably would be overall more effective though).
Lady tries to lift heavy bike
Lady tries to lift heavy bike into vertical stand whilst 2 blokes film and give her advice !!
No idea how a bike would be secure on that.
” Trying to arrive by bike to a meeting at Beehive Mill, Ancoats. Not everyone has the ability to lift their cycle off the ground. @urban_splash @TomBloxhamMBE
this is your building – what can be done to make cycle parking more accessible? “
TBF, perhaps the racks were
TBF, perhaps the racks were at wheel height, but the paved area has subsided.
Heightened security!
Heightened security!
Has someone been changing the
Has someone been changing the direction of gravity again?
Hirsute wrote:
Pfffft! Those are designed so that you wheelie up to them, plant your front wheel firmly into the bracket and jump off your bike.
It’s all very well for you to
It’s all very well for you to say that but I think you’re just flexing being able to wheelie … because you can ride without a front wheel at all!
chrisonabike wrote:
I’m afraid not – I’ve never been able to wheelie or do a bunny-hop.
Isn’t it really a landscape
Isn’t it really a landscape photo?
A bit like the upsidedown building that was on Blackfriars Rd, London?
“In the six days since a law
“In the six days since a law to prosecute dangerous cyclists was announced, somewhere close to 30 people will have been killed on UK roads, none of them struck by bikes,” the piece begins.
Tories “Party of the dangerous driver.”
B651. This is in my neck of
B651. This is in my neck of the woods. Whilst it’s not an ideal road to ride on when busy, I can’t say I’ve ever encountered any major issues, and happily used it before the path was made. Admit I do often use the path now if not in a hurry, as it’s nicer and more fun.
However, it’s definitely not a ‘paved cycle path’; it’s a ‘gravel’ horse path, although much walked and cycled too, being part of a big Woodland Trust project. Very much designed for gentle leisure use. Finally, it doesn’t go all the way to Wheathampstead anyway, so even with a ban the petitioner would still get stuck behind slower cyclists like me slogging up the last hill . . .
I haven’t cycled that stretch
I haven’t cycled that stretch for a year or more but I didn’t remember any cycle track so I brought it up on Google Maps satellite view. It was as I remembered, a track that ran part of the way only, wasn’t signed as a cycle path, was gravel / mud and the road, far from being twisty was pretty straight. Maybe a bit narrow but no different to many single carriageway country roads. I suggest the petitioner adjusts their driving according to the road conditions. If they feel they are approaching a blind bend then apply a touch of middle pedal and slow down until you can see it is safe to proceed.
tHAT’S Not impoRTANT! What
tHAT’S Not impoRTANT!
What is important is that there is somewhere you maybe could ride your bike that isn’t on the road where the
IMPOTENTIMPORTANT people go!“Maybe there is hope after
“Maybe there is hope after all?”
Of course there is. The vast majority of people are reasonable and considerate, though to suggest as much no doubt amounts to heresy in the darker and more twisted corners of road cc comments.
… the vast majority of
… the vast majority of people are human*. So most may be mostly reasonable and considerate.
Unfortunately being human we’re also sometimes careless, impatient, or plain unobservant. (Smart and careful humans sometimes make unfathomable mistakes.) Lots of people doing a fair bit of driving times a small fraction of that adds up.
From the outside of the motor vehicle it can be impossible to tell the difference between that and a driver who’s turned to the dark side.
The way forward is to acknowledge that and embrace the concepts of “sustainable safety”.
* Allowing for any fiends in human form, aliens, zombies, novel robots, lizards etc.
john_smith wrote:
Most people on here would not dispute that (apart from perhaps a certain Australian resident and one or two others who appear to hate everybody), but when it comes to the road if 99% of drivers are reasonable and considerate (which would surely be a massive overestimation, given the way that the nicest people often seem to turn into psychopaths with a steering wheel in front of them) that still means that of the 500–1000 odd cars I will pass/will pass me in a 50 km day of London commuting there will be 5 to 10 drivers who are prepared to act aggressively and possibly put my life in danger rather than drive considerately. Which feels like quite a lot.
“…decide to stay on the
“…decide to stay on the main road rather than use suitable cycling path, posing danger to drivers and themselves.“
Where is the danger coming from?
Benthic wrote:
Those big, burly cyclists going at 52mph on average. They’ll kill you as soon as look at you.
Well don’t panic – not long
Well don’t panic – not long ’till a change of government now (almost guaranteed to be a change at the top even in the Conservatives manage to cling on).
Will that change much, if anything, to make transport more equitable and sustainable? Or allow “places to be nicer”? Or even improve road safety or (gasp!) cycling convenience?
Thoughts on a postcard.
FWIW my guess is “no”. I really hope I’m wrong.
Here in Scotland I’m just hoping the SNP doesn’t completely reverse all the more “social” and “environmental” policies. Especially the commitment to spend a sensible amount of the total “road budget” on active travel. OTOH they may, like the Conservatives, just have been in power too long. But if ousted I can’t see any of the others doing as much (after the “gender” stooshie I don’t see the Greens getting much of a look-in with anyone).