Tory councillor say Labour promoting ‘anti car dogma’ in Birmingham; Girl rides 1,200km carrying injured dad; Hit-and-run driver ‘checked car for damage’; ‘Time running out’ for pop-up infra; ZZ Top frontman rides e-bike in Vegas + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Police appealing for information after cyclist suffered fractured skull
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Sussex Police say the 36-year-old male cyclist suffered serious head injuries after the collision in St Leonards-on-Sea, at around 3pm on Thursday. After initially being taken to Conquest Hospital in Hastings he was later transferred to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton with a fractured skull.
Police are looking for witnesses, and anyone with information has been urged to call 101 quoting Operation Danson or email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk
Anger over driver who allegedly hit Deliveroo rider, before fleeing and checking car for damage
Photos are being shared across social media after a woman allegedly fled the scene after knocking over a Deliveroo cyclist near London’s Olympic Park.
The witness above wrote: “Today I witnessed a woman fleeing a scene after knocking down a cyclist.
“I was just skating to the Olympic park so just instinctively chased her, she drove off to “a safe distance” where she decided to check the damage made to her car…
I just took a picture of her car and her doing her “important checks”, I mean must have been a big deal to her that she didn’t blink over a life she had just violated…”
This, on bookface, but you know… Cyclists n’all that. pic.twitter.com/v4rR5IU2QA
— Ramos (@SezRamos) May 22, 2020
What a repulsive human being 😡
— Tankslapper (@tankslapper) May 22, 2020
The post has ben shared widely across Facebook and Twitter. It’s not clear if the incident has been reported to the police yet.
"Time is running out" to ensure space is made for cycling before lockdown lifts
We have the opportunity to pave the way for a healthier future. 🌿
But time to act is running out. ⏱️
Councils must make #SpaceForDistancing before lockdown is lifted and things go back to normal. 🚴↔️ 🚶♂️
Take action! https://t.co/HEmbAQhIwQ
📸 @davewalker pic.twitter.com/ZDqG6agnLs
— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) May 22, 2020
Cycling UK are urging the public to continue lobbying councils to make extra cycling and walking space when the lockdown lifts, to avoid going back to our previous car-clogged cities. Temporary ‘pop-up’ cycling infrastructure has been going up quickly across the UK, but Cycling UK say more needs to be done – yesterday we also reported that Simon Monk of London Cycling Campaign says the capital is “in real trouble” if emergency bike lanes are not built soon.
You can check out our round-up of major towns and cities that have already installed pop-up cycling infrastructure here, and Cycling UK’s form to ask councils for cycle space can be found here. Hopefully the plans for your area won’t end up looking like this…
Here is a map of the temporary walking and cycling infrastructure my local authority has announced. Very similar to their permanent plans. pic.twitter.com/eW0kA4cECv
— The Ranty Highwayman #SpacesToBreathe (@RantyHighwayman) May 22, 2020
ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons e-biking on the Las Vegas Strip
Seriously… Get OUTTA here, Billy Gibbons – ZZ Tops RIDES the Vegas strip! https://t.co/8JmdLdNR1E
— Stephen Hodge (@stephenhodgeaus) May 22, 2020
He’s got legs and he knows how to use them etc etc… the lead singer of the legendary rock band took to the Las Vegas Strip to talk about his love of cycling. Accompanied by his wife, Gibbons was riding a Giant electric mountain bike with a ZZ Top-themed paint job, and wearing what we hope were suitably cheap sunglasses.
He said: “Its amazing what you see on a bike, everything. You’ve got this 360 panorama. Things that you don’t see in the car.”
Unfortunately technical issues appear to have prevented us from embedding the video, but head over to the Las Vegas Review Journal to see the on-bike interview.
Bike racing secretly returned to Norway on Wednesday
You have have missed this (we did) but on Wednesday what we think was the first professional race since the lockdown began in Norway. Among the entrants to the race that was broadcast live on Norwegian TV were Edvald Boasson Hagen, and the first stage of three – a 4.1km hill climb time trial – was won by Uno-X rider Andreas Leknessund.
Finally, live racing on tv in Norway! @Tobias_S_Foss 2nd @tv2 #klatrekongen #fuelofnorway @JumboVismaRoad pic.twitter.com/OA3sUmTjXw
— Richard Plugge (@RichardPlugge) May 20, 2020
The event is reportedly not part of the UCI calendar and was organised in secret to ensure social distancing is maintained and no crowds are attracted.
Richmond Park 'plumes of exhalation' in hymn form
Thanks to The Choking Angels in the comments for taking the time to arrange the main story on yesterday’s live blog into a carol… although, shouldn’t that be ‘Don’t come all ye faithful’?
Challenge of the Stars 'virtual tournament' taking place this weekend
I Challenge You! 👊 #TheChallengeofStars pic.twitter.com/ZFPXnvi78g
— The Challenge of Stars (@stars_challenge) May 22, 2020
Among the 16 pros to have signed up for the tournament are Chris Froome, Jakob Fuglsang, Warren Barguil and Nacer Bouhanni. Eight top climbers and eight sprinters will do virtual battle using Bkool’s software, and after numerous knock-out rounds there will be a winner for both categories. It’s reportedly to be the first virtual pro cycling tournament of its kind, and the courses will be based on Italian terrain influenced by the gradients of the Stelvio and Tuscan hills. The sprinter’s course is 1.2km with an average gradient of 0.97%, while the climbers will race over a 2.9km ‘climb’ with an average gradient of 8.69%.
The races will be broadcast live on Facebook and Youtube at 4.30pm CET on Saturday 23th and Sunday 24th May. The first round match-ups are below…
#TheChallengeofStars #TheClimbers@chrisfroome 🆚@WarrenBarguil@jakob_fuglsang 🆚 @giuliocicco1 @majkaformal 🆚 @DeGendtThomas @vincenzonibali 🆚 @simongeschke@BkoolSport pic.twitter.com/CCB5bLpUNX
— The Challenge of Stars (@stars_challenge) May 20, 2020
Ruin a cyclist's name by changing a letter
https://t.co/QR6wcKbTt5 pic.twitter.com/eSmdc2ev7u
— Victory Chimp (@VictoryChimp) May 22, 2020
So far we think Floyd Landis is up there with the best, as are Tao Geoghegan Fart, Peter Satan and Ban Ullrich. We’ll let you get creative with Alberto Contador’s name yourselves…
Keep three fridges apart, says Prime Minister
Keep 2 metres apart when you go outside. That’s:
🔴 1 bed
🔴 2 benches
🔴 3 fridges
🔴 4 chairs#StayAlert— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 22, 2020
Yep, that is official government advice and not a parody account. So basically like this guy but with two more fridges if you’re out for a ride this weekend…
Girl cycles 1,200km carrying injured father in India
An amazing story about family and love. This girl in India carried her injured father 1,200km on the back of her bicycle, to bring him home. ♥️https://t.co/ajEV9N6B0T
— Jeffrey Peterson🇺🇸 (@realJeffreyP) May 22, 2020
According to various Indian news outlets, 15-year-old Jyoti Kumari has been offered a trial by The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) after they heard about her superhuman efforts to cycle her father from Gurugram to the state of Bihar.
Her father suffered an injury that meant he couldn’t work, and with no income Jyoti decided their best option was to make the journey back to their home town. The autorickshaw he used for work had to be returned to the owner, so Jyoti’s best option was to sit her father on the rear side of her bike’s carrier and cycle. The journey reportedly took seven days.
Speaking to PTI, CFI chairman Onkar Singh said that if Jyoti passes the trial, she will be invited to train at India’s National Cycling Academy in Dehli. He said yesterday: “We spoke to the girl this morning and we have told her that she will be called to Delhi next month as soon as the lockdown is lifted. All the expenses of her travel, lodging and other will be borne by us.”
“If she needs to accompany somebody from home, we will also allow that. We will see in consultation with our Bihar state unit on how she can be brought to Delhi for a trial.”
Reports that Colombian travel ban could prevent Egan Bernal from lining up for Tour de France
According to Sporza, the Colombian Transport Minister has extended the travel ban in the country until 31st August, with all flights out of Colombia banned until after this date. With Le Tour set to begin on the 29th August, that could pose serious problems for Egan Bernal’s plans to defend his Tour de France yellow jersey. Other big names who could be affected unless exceptions are made include Nairo Quintana and Rigoberto Uran.
Cycling is most popular family lockdown activity, according to survey
Black Mountain – who make a range of adjustable kids’ bikes – surveyed 2,000 people with children aged 3-14, revealing that 35% said cycling was the outdoor activity they felt most confident doing with the family during the lockdown. This was followed by walking (29%), wildlife trails (25%), jogging (20%) and climbing (16%). 82% also said they felt comfortable taking their children outside for activities such as cycling during the pandemic.
The questionnaire was part of a wider study by One Poll into how the coronavirus lockdown is impacting outdoor exercise and activities for families, with 89% of parents saying their children are currently eager to do outdoor activities such as cycling. They say this contrasts with a study published by Bristol University prior to lockdown in November 2019, which found children of primary school age were becoming more inactive. Perhaps the best way to get kids outside is to tell them to stay in…
Tory councillor who says Labour promoting 'anti-car dogma' during pandemic slammed for comments on social media
I have today written to the Labour administration to say that it is quite wrong to use this period of national crisis to promote Labour’s anti car and anti motorist dogma. Birmingham is a motor trade city; many hardworking people rely upon the motor trade to make their living.
— Cllr Meirion Jenkins (@meirionj) May 21, 2020
Councillor Meirion Jenkins, of the Sutton Mere Green ward in Birmingham, is receiving much criticism for claiming that “Labour’s anti car and anti motorist dogma” is impacting on Birmingham negatively during the pandemic. Councillor Jenkins says that Birmingham is “a motor trade city”, with numerous replies slamming his views.
Dinosaur view. If you put marbles in a funnel along with sand, which will move through faster? Cities must change or nothing will move, the air will stagnate and health will worsen. More active travel + pub transport means more people out of cars leaving functional roads for all.
— marksuttonbike (@marksuttonbike) May 22, 2020
It’s not anti-car or anti-motorist. It’s pro-public transport & pro-city. Are you against reducing air pollution & tackling climate change? It’s not incompatible to support an industry with global customers while also maintaining that cars are inappropriate in the city centre.
— Jordan (@jordanbhx) May 21, 2020
As my city councillor for Mere Green I am very disappointed with your views on cycling as a means of transport. You are at odds with the majority and certainly with your own PM and Transport Secretary.
— John Kirk (@OwlFiftyEight) May 21, 2020
It’s also pointed out that the Conservative government themselves have been making huge promises for sustainable transport as of late, with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps recently announcing a £2 billion active travel plan with £250 million set aside for emergency infrastructure; Boris Johnson also said he hoped to herald a “new golden age of cycling” during Prime Minister’s Questions earlier in May.
22 May 2020, 08:54
22 May 2020, 08:54
22 May 2020, 08:54
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Latest Comments
@FionaJJ These officers deployed next-level stupidity, and it must be difficult for the police to find people this dim. It doesn't even need rolling-roads or whatever, just a reputable bike computer on a quickly changed mount for the difficult cases where a proper EAPC has been modded, although you would need to look hard in Lancashire to find a police officer who knows how to make a pedal cycle go. Most illegal electric motorbikes are immediately obvious, not least because the crim is wearing a face mask. I saw an obvious one tonight coming out of Garstang Sainsbury's, not pedalling but without a face mask because everybody knows that the police only come into the town to hide away in the police station 200 yards away.
Gustav Gullholm.. that's not a good look mate
@Chris RideFar I think what you meant to say was "REMOVE this and put it on PODCAST CC".
As Mary Whitehouse never said - one doesn't have to read the article if one doesn't want to read about an off-road bicycle.
@FionaJJ In London they're allowed to stop on single and double yellows to deliver packages or empty pillar boxes; in practice they take this as carte blanche to park wherever and whenever they want, such as this chap on the Brixton Road who pulled into the bus/cycle/motorcycle lane without indicating, as I approached at 20mph, to park on a red route, response to a remonstrance, "I suppose you never get post delivered do ya?"
@Rendel Harris We have a pavement parking ban, but around here at least, royal mail vans are already exempt, subject to certain caveats, such as allowing at least 1.5m, and only being stopped to do their work.
It was already embarrassing for the police that they made such a mess of their attempt to determine whether a bike was legal or not, but I had assumed it was a group of well intentioned, but under-trained officers acting on their own initiative, having spotted something they thought looked not quite right. I'm now discovering this was a planned activity, something sufficiently organised to have been given a name - Operation FRISLEN, designed specifically to identify and remove illegal e-bikes and scooters. It's apparent that the officers were sent out without adequate training, never mind the kind of equipment that should be used for this sort of work. I'm not saying they always need specialist equipment to spot all illegal bikes, but at least if they'd been given a demonstration with that equipment, they'd have realised why their approach was not going to end well.
Have put drop bars on a 2001 B1 mtb, a 2007 stumpy hardtail and a 2010 stumpy full suss. In all cases fairly basic conversións leaving gearing and wheels broadly the same and concentrating on correct positioning of bars and fit. Oddly, with all 3 I was happy with the result when recently done, but after a few months found that the extra speed on easy trails was more than offset by the lack of ability (probably mine) on tougher routes and finally preferred flat bar with slammed and inverted stem as best overall compromise. Good fun playing around, though.
The photos in this review look they are for a different bag?
This is a strange reactionary knee jerk overall. But what is this "are essentially motorbikes in disguise" waffle? "One letter claimed that high-powered electric ‘e-bikes’ were “essentially motorbikes” in disguise, with many being used without lights, helmets, or any hi-vis clothing." Surely, they simply ARE motorbikes?
38 thoughts on “Tory councillor say Labour promoting ‘anti car dogma’ in Birmingham; Girl rides 1,200km carrying injured dad; Hit-and-run driver ‘checked car for damage’; ‘Time running out’ for pop-up infra; ZZ Top frontman rides e-bike in Vegas + more on the live blog”
And so it starts again, the
And so it starts again, the motoring “community” pushing back against the plan to get more people cycling.
There’s some absolute cockwombles out there.
Stay safe everyone.
My first post!
My first post!
GV69 VVP – Very Vile Person
And, concerning yesterdays Richmond Park story…
Oh come all ye faithful,Plumes of exhalation,
Oh come ye, oh come ye,
To Ri-ich-mond Park.
Come and behold them,
To the highest heaven,
Those plumes of exhalation,
Those plumes of exhalation,
Those plumes of exhalation,
In Ri-ich-mond Park.
And what a first post it is..
And what a first post it is… you can stay!
Can they replace Rick Rude
Can they replace Rick Rude please?
In a few months nobody in the
In a few months nobody in the UK will have coronavirus so we do not need plans for socially distanced pavements etc.
This is a nonsense and simply enforcing this stupid ‘new normal’ in which idiots wear silly hats with 2m foam rods on top ( this is happening in one cafe in Germany) and people end up acting like they have social anxiety.
We already at that stage again where law breakers continue to break the daft law (gangs of tennagers everywhere now) and the public act like kids sent to their rooms.
I wonder how many people actually died having been in some sort of care? Already ill then given the virus by care workers.
Rick_Rude wrote:
Where’s your scientific proof for that? Are you aware what complications the people who have suffered this disease at its worst now face? Do you actually know what the hell your talking about and how much of a insult the crap you typed is to those who have lived through it and now have to survive….. I don’t think you do and I pray that you never will.
leqin wrote:
Where’s your scientific proof for that? Are you aware what complications the people who have suffered this disease at its worst now face? Do you actually know what the hell your talking about and how much of a insult the crap you typed is to those who have lived through it and now have to survive….. I don’t think you do and I pray that you never will.
— Rick_RudeDon’t waste your breath; as his name implies, he’s just a shit-stirring troll.
Says the guy who won’t wear
Says the guy who won’t wear helmets and makes up stats about them causing injuries.
Funny how you tell people not to live in fear of hitting their heads but not happy for anyone to not be bothered about this virus fear mongering. Where I live 1 in 10000 has died. Wow. Pandemic. It’s like we lived forever before corona or something.
I thought people enjoyed the element of freedom in cycling not fucking drawn out lanes of where and where not you’re allowed to go. Burt…fuck off and put your helmet and mask on.
Wait until the 2nd or 3rd
Wait until the 2nd or 3rd wave hits in conjunction with the usual flu epidemic in the winter. This has just been a precursor of what’s around the corner and hopefully a wake up call to all nations governments of what lies ahead. In the big scheme of things wearing a helmet or not is almost inconsequential.
Cargobike wrote:
It’s inconsequential now, let alone when wave 2 hits.
Rick_Rude wrote:
Absolute moronic drivel.
As there isn’t a picture of
As there isn’t a picture of Billy Gibbons I did a search and saw bits of the video, here’s a snipped grab of it. Fine looking outfit, odd hat though.
Great Beard.
ktache wrote:
Sorry there was supposed to be an embedded video there, give me a sec to try fix!
No criticism, I was desperate
No criticism, I was desperate to see him, maybe others might be too.
That beard, on a bike.
I reckon he must be going
I reckon he must be going ‘body popping’ (is that still a thing? “Oh shut up Grandad!”). He’ll do a head-spin and mop the floor at the same time. Who says men can’t multitask?
ktache wrote:
He’s a Sharp Dressed Man all right.
Standard issue gravel biker,
Standard issue gravel biker, surely?
I’m guessing that’s not a
I’m guessing that’s not a Boris hiding sized fridge?
I spent a bit of time reading
I spent a bit of time reading the twitter thread, highly amusing it is too.
Here is a Yorkshire version, purely for HP-
And the best Boris in a
And the best Boris in a fridge pic-
ktache wrote:
Does the 2m still apply if Boris is hiding in one of the fridges? Anyway, I thought we’d gone back to yards since Brexit.
eburtthebike wrote:
We were inching towards metrication.
Thanks, but it’s taking me
Thanks, but it’s taking me ages to get nine squirrels lined up like that.
“We’ll let you get creative
“We’ll let you get creative with Alberto Contador’s name yourselves… “
Just say it like Sean Kelly does when he’s commentating. ?
Time is not *running out* to
Time is not *running out* to get safe cycling infrastructure. We can do it any time. We could have done it any time – not just in the 70s and 80s like Amsterdam and Copenhagen, but in the last five years from effectively a standing start like Paris. We’ll still be able to do it once all this is over.
Let’s not suggest we can only do these kind of things under the severe pressure of a global pandemic, it gives the antis encouragement to stonewall for just a little bit longer until they can get back to normal. Sure, it’s less disruptive to do it now while there’s less traffic, and while people’s relationship with cities and space is changing there’s more call for it now, but this is not a ‘pandemic’ thing, it’s a ‘progress’ thing.
Re thetory councillor; is it
Re the tory councillor; is it cannibalim for dinosaurs to promote fossil fuel use?
Tory councillors in
Tory councillors in Birmingham are always whining whenever anything is done to promote active travel.
This site has been sinking
This site has been sinking into a vile leftist, government-hating politically biased site over the past few years. So much childish, small minded venom happens on these comment boards. God forbid that a Labour councillor once said something bad about cycling. Let’s not let petty behaviour grow, the fact its a tory councillor means nothing, let’s rise above the politics for the sake of cycling.
alexuk wrote:
Are you somehow suggesting that this utterly incompetent government, which got into power by cheating and lying, and is led by an incorrigible liar, cheat, hypocrite and coward, supported by a cabinet of sycophants with no morals, somehow isn’t the worst government in our lifetimes and totally deserving of all the abuse they get?
In fact, it isn’t really abuse if it’s true is it? I think you’re mistaking rational discussion with “vile leftist, government-hating politically biased” venom.
Thanks for proving my point.
Thanks for proving my point.
alexuk wrote:
How odd. You don’t deny anything I’ve said, so it must be true.
Imagine how god awful the
Imagine how god awful the opposition must have been, that such a despicable bunch of people got voted for in a complete landslide victory.
Imagine how god awful the
Imagine how god awful the
oppositionelectorate must have been, that such a despicable bunch of people got voted for in a complete landslide victory.Mungecrundle wrote:
FTFY.
Mungecrundle wrote:
It was more to do with a smart move by Boris/Cummings to push such a simple straightforward message when lots of people where incredibly disillusioned with politics. Labour totally dropped the ball and to be honest their best chance was against Teresa May and should have got rid of Corbyn after that close loss. (I liked Corbyn – he seemed to have integrity).
What we need to do is judge whether our leaders are doing a good job or not and not just blindly support them because they’re members of a specific party. Personally, I think the UK’s coronavirus response has been atrocious.
As a potentially vile leftist
As a potentially vile leftist, I agree that there’s plenty of anti-cyclist rhetoric from Labour and Tories. (And yes, I do hate the government when it makes bad decisions and people suffer from it)
Hold on – you plead that we
Hold on – you plead that we ‘rise above the politics for the sake of cycling’ yet open with the gambit ‘This site has been sinking into a vile leftist, government-hating politically biased site over the past few years. So much childish, small minded venom happens on these comment’
Can you see the irony / hypocrisy? Does it need spelling out?
Cease to resist, given my
Cease to resist, given my good bike,
Ride my bike up to the school,
you think I’m bad, but I ride away,
On a plume of exhalation,
a plume of exhalation,
Plume of exhalation
plume
plume
I’ve missed KoMs, rode the Dark Hill,
Cycled Sawyers Hill with the Ride London,
Could find my way to Pen Ponds Cafe,
a plume of exhalation,
Plume of exhalation
plume
plume
apologies to The Pixies