Traffic monitoring group apologises for telling cyclists not to ride at night; Tory politician demands “nonsense” Hyde Park cycle lane is axed; Giro queen stage; Snow joke; Bike hangars; And then there were two; Bicycle hospital + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Traffic Wales South apologises for telling cyclists not to ride at night
We sincerely apologise for this previous tweet. We intended to say please avoid cycling at night without lights, high vis etc. We want to encourage all everyone to access our network safely by sharing safety advice that is useful for all road users.
— Traffic Wales South #KeepWalesSafe (@TrafficWalesS) May 21, 2021
Traffic Wales South deleted its tweet promptly after receiving a backlash for saying cyclists should avoid riding at night. The traffic monitoring group was accused of victim-blaming and missing the point over the list of ‘five safe tips for being a bicyclist’, which included: “avoid riding at night”.
In response, the group apologised and said what they really meant was to “avoid cycling at night without lights”.
“We sincerely apologise,” Traffic Wales South tweeted. “We intended to say please avoid cycling at night without lights, high vis etc. We want to encourage all everyone to access our network safely by sharing safety advice that is useful for all road users.”
The original tweet was ridiculed on Twitter and got plenty of attention in the comments on our original story too…
Wycombewheeler said: “I know Wales is further west than where I live, but I’m fairly sure people still finish work after sunset in the winter. Are these people suggesting cyclists should be allowed to leave work earlier, because they think it is impossible to keep the roads safe during the hours of darkness?”
hawkinspeter suggested some extra ‘safe tips’: “Ensure that drivers behind you are paying attention and aren’t listening to music. Only cycle where there aren’t any cars or lorries. If a car is behind you, carefully dismount and doff your cap as you allow them to speed past you.”
Egan Bernal wins shortened Giro d'Italia queen stage in the cold as Hugh Carthy jumps to third
Pulling off the jacket on a wet, cobbled finish to post up in the maglia rosa is such an absolute baller move #Giro https://t.co/qQeBEc0VFj
— Neal Rogers (@nealrogers) May 24, 2021
Well, we didn’t see much of it but we did catch the final 500m where the TV pictures were unaffected by the weather…
Egan Bernal has one hand on the maglia rosa after another incredible performance, and he wanted everyone to know it—stripping off his rain jacket for the winner’s salute across the line. Romain Bardet and Damiano Caruso were 27 seconds behind. Caruso, enjoying the Grand Tour of his career, is now second on GC 2:24 behind Bernal. Hugh Carthy has jumped onto the podium at 3:40.
Simon Yates was one of the big losers on today’s stage, getting dispatched on Passo Giau and limping home more than 2:30 behind the stage winner. Yates has now dropped to fifth. The stragglers are still making their way to the finish. Keep an eye on the live blog for all the reaction to a chilling day at the Giro…the riders have certainly earned their rest day tomorrow.
Chris Hall announces second Nuts and Bolts attempt
Some nice news now…Chris Hall is having another crack at the Nuts and Bolts ride which involves cycling from England’s most western point to the most eastern point as quickly as possible. Just over a month ago Chris ended his first attempt in Andover after being pushed off his bike by a gang of men.
“On the 29th May, I’ll be heading back down to Land’s End to have another crack,” Chris explained. “Cycling from England’s most western point to the most eastern point, Ness Point as quick as I can to raise money for the incredible work carried out by Movember. If you are able to support in some way, it’s hugely appreciated. If I could ask you to do one thing, it’s to talk more. I hope by continuing these challenges, I can draw more attention to men’s mental health.”
Good luck, Chris…
Should Remco Evenepoel be pulled out of the Giro by Deceuninck-Quick-Step?
In my opinion Remco Evenepoel should not finish this Giro d’Italia. He gained valuable experience but he comes back from a grueling injury.
There is only one option left now and that’s a stage win. Judging by today that would be a miracle.
Recover and focus on next goals: Tokyo
— José Been (@TourDeJose) May 24, 2021
Remco Evenepoel’s GC challenge disappeared up the road on the Giro d’Italia queen stage as Deceuninck-Quick-Step’s wonderkid struggled in the dismal high mountain conditions. Two weeks of continuous racing off the back of a nine-month layoff after a shocking crash at Il Lombardia caught up with Evenepoel as the 21-year-old dropped 24 minutes to stage winner Egan Bernal and slumped to 19th on GC.
Is it fair to push Evenepoel through a third week? Should his development be prioritised over finishing the race for the sake of it?
The Belgian rider’s family said earlier in the Giro that they are just pleased to see him back racing after the horror crash last August which left him in hospital with a fractured pelvis and contusion to his lung. Was a Grand Tour first race back too big a challenge?
How the pros dealt with the cold
Was a bad idea, I was on fire in the first climb…
— Valter Attila (@ValterAttila) May 24, 2021
We won’t be updating our feature on cold weather riding with the Attila Valter method just yet. No gloves for George Bennett…hard as nails. Maybe that is what is in the musette?
George Bennett rolling into town with wonky glasses and still wearing a casquette basically sums up the day 😅#Giro pic.twitter.com/y7KTxISzM3
— Dan Deakins (@DanDeakins) May 24, 2021
These were the scenes at the top of Passo Giau…
📍Passo Giau pic.twitter.com/cBOZEUSUku
— Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@GroupamaFDJ) May 24, 2021
Better coverage than the broadcasters
Igor Tavella has single-handedly outdone all the broadcasters for race coverage today with his live stream from the top of Passo Giau…just look at that picture quality…
Over to Gennaro Gattuso to sum up the TV pictures…
Images today #Giro pic.twitter.com/HonQ1KrbWN
— Nairo Quintana Fanclub (@NairoInGreen) May 24, 2021
24 May 2021, 08:01
24 May 2021, 08:01
24 May 2021, 08:01
24 May 2021, 08:01
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@Accessibility for all Reducing the speeds wouldn't have helped in this case as the driver was reported doing 65 in a 40 zone on the approach to the junction, his driving described by the witnesses as erratic and evidently had no intention to stop to give way even though he had been warned by the passenger who apparently shouted "bike" three times just before the collision. He would have likely flown through that junction even if it was traffic light controlled with a red light for him at the time. In my own experience the entire area i.e. east of Lymm towards Warburton and along Dunham Road all the way up to Altrincham and past into Hale Barns, all those wealthy, posh settlements around Manchester Airport are best avoided by road cyclists. A disproportionally high number of psycho drivers must for some reason live in that area because every single time I went there on my road bike in the past, I either got harassed myself or witnessed proper dickhead driving - speeding, close passes, overtaking into oncoming traffic or round a blind bend, accelerating towards pedestrians already crossing the road, you name it. I gave up road cycling in that area years ago and only use the local TPT these days.
In respect of the murder charge: based on him hitting Mr Mullins and making no attempt to help him (this killing him), how would the case compare to a hit and run driver who seriously injures or kills a cyclist, knowingly, and flees the scene without helping? Would this make the cut for a murder charge? Or is there something very different going on here that I’m missing? Genuinely curious because I don’t recall there being a murder charge before for this kind of thing unless it was premeditated. In fact, in my experience most cases like this seem to go the opposite way - where the driver can merely say the sun was in their eyes and get away with a slap on the hands.
@Rendel Harris...and there was me dishing out the praise!
@polainm He must also be an already hardened criminal. It wasn't mentioned during the court proceedings to avoid influencing the jurors and ensuring he had a fair trial, but he had been released from prison shortly before this incident and was couch surfing at his cousin's house days before. Just look at his face, he's only 35, but looks older than his victim who was 56. Must have spent half his adult life in prison.
@jaymack They did offer him manslaughter though but he declined to plead guilty. Without wanting to seem curmudgeonly, yes great that they preferred the most serious charges but hard to see how they could have done differently considering that Richardson got out of the car, saw Mr Mullins was stuck underneath and then got back in and carried on. That clearly moved it above anything that falls under death by dangerous driving.
@thrawed Agree - the UK winters are utterly grim; grey, wet & windy. Not the type of weather you really want to go out and ride. Everything get covered in filth, and takes time to clean it after a ride. Oh for colder, drier & crisper days which can be enjoyable to be out in.
@ymm In my view, lax sentencing of dangerous drivers, especially where cyclists are involved, makes the judge, jury and CPS complicit in UK driver culture. This driver is a sociopath.
@Mr Blackbird i reckon the libido is a bit overrated. I'd let that go rather than a limb or a nice bike.
There are a number of armchair prosecutors on this site who happily heap criticism on the CPS for the decisions they make, sometimes deservedly so. I note that none of them have so far applauded the over worked, under paid specialist prosecutor at the regional Complex Casework Unit who successfully took this to trial. It would have been easy to accept guilty plea to a lesser charge, but she didn't - thank you.
The force also noted that almost all of these serious collisions occurred in 30mph zones where, police claim, “drivers feel most comfortable and familiar in their local area”. Yes, my neighbourhood is a 30mph zone, and the residents have become so comfortable and familiar with it that they feel comfortable with exceeding the limit with regular aplomb, parking in the most ridiculous of places and overtaking parked cars into the path of oncoming vehicles (despite those vehicle having bright lights) 🙄
35 thoughts on “Traffic monitoring group apologises for telling cyclists not to ride at night; Tory politician demands “nonsense” Hyde Park cycle lane is axed; Giro queen stage; Snow joke; Bike hangars; And then there were two; Bicycle hospital + more on the live blog”
How is it that these people
How is it that these people can’t understand that it’s not bikes or bike lanes that cause congestion or pollution? It’s cars!
How is it that they can’t see that increasing cycling infrastructure and making it less and less attractive to drive when there are other efficient methods of getting places is the best way to reduce congestion and pollution?
Clearly idiocy is a part of the qualification for being a Conservative councillor.
Populist politicians don’t
Populist politicians don’t tend to have much time for logic or reasoned thinking sadly.
The masses are stupuid, its
The masses are stupuid, its really that simple. Its not political. Look at the Congestion charge, it did nothing for congestion or air quality in London. It’s going to take a long, long time for opinions to change.
Yes, they absolutely are.
Yes, they absolutely are. Moaning about cyclists causing congestion, all the while they sit in their car, in said congestion – go figure. Yet, they all carry on doing the same thing – day after day, sitting in their cars on their daily commute…..They never learn, because they’re right (and stupid) – and it’s all the cyclists fault.
Velophaart_95 wrote:
Insanity may be defined as the repetition of an action with the expectation of a different outcome.
alexuk wrote:
If the congestion charge does not dissuade people from using their cars, it’s obviously not set high enough.
alexuk wrote:
Didn’t it? https://theconversation.com/amp/london-congestion-charge-what-worked-what-didnt-what-next-92478 seems to suggest that it did.
In many parts of the UK we don’t have the space for all the cars people want to use or store, and we don’t have the means to tidy up their outputs of gasses, rubber particles and mangled pedestrians and cyclists. Something has to be done, and for decades this country has assumed that the only way to change behaviour is to change costs as we’re all too thick and selfish to do anything for any other reason.
as well as the ignorance of
as well as the ignorance of what causes traffic seems odd that those same politicians who criticise unnecessary spending are happy to spend more money to remove something that is working. removing something will cost no less than putting it in…
Not sure how I feel about
Not sure how I feel about this one, there is after all a cycle lane running paralell to park lane within the park.
However traffic on park lane is predominantly driver by how quickler cars can pass around the marble arch junction. At his junction no car capacity has been lost, so is the cycle really causing any delays at all to motorists? or just allowing cyclists not to choose between filtering through densely packed stationary traffic or dodging the pedestrians walking on the cycle path in the park?
I don’t know this area, but I
I don’t know this area, but I find it odd that politicians would say “we don’t need a cycle path here because there is another one parallel to it” but aren’t prepared to also say “we can easily close off one lane of this road to motorised traffic because there is another lane next to it, plus another road running parallel to it”.
the little onion wrote:
Expecting logic or sense from our politicians was always a bit optimistic, but having Boris the Liar as PM seems to have given permission for them to dump the concepts completely; rather like Trump in America.
having used both directions
having used both directions on park lane and the route through the park I still find it odd that people don’t understand that there can be different types of cycle lane – as there are roads – shared paths are often suited to slower /safer journeys/leisure , while segregated cycle routes can be efficient / quicker routes across longer distances..the new cycle lane along the a200 tooley street from tower bridge to southwark park is great..
wycombewheeler wrote:
The cycle lane through the park is a nightmare in normal (i.e. non-pandemic) times, absolutely packed with tourists ambling to and fro across it, free running dogs and kids etc. I often used to ride up Park Lane (even though a bit of a nerve-jangler even for a very experienced and fastish London cyclist), especially in summer, rather than risk hurting myself or others by cutting through the park. People can argue (if they must) that cars need more space, but the oft-stated claim (not by you) that there’s a “perfectly good” cycle lane in Hyde Park simply isn’t true, it’s a poorly marked packed shared path.
Of course we could ask Royal Parks to create a properly-marked-separated-from-foot-traffic cycle lane, but given their general attitude to cycling not sure we’d get very far.
“Tory Politician” really is
“Tory Politician” really is the English press equivalent of “Florida Man”.
So is Kensington High Street
So is Kensington High Street a free flowing traffic paradise now the cycle lane has been ripped out? Any data out there?
Genuine question…thought we could all hazard a guess at the answer…
EddyBerckx wrote:
I haven’t got any data but I do ride down it a couple of times a week around rushhour – same old snarled up shitshow as ever, not noticeably different from when the cycle lane was in situ.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Yeah but the drivers haven’t got any riders zipping past them anymore to remind them what mugs they are.
As far as I can see, the
As far as I can see, the proportion of Park Lane that is allocated to space-efficient and non-polluting forms of transport is working fine and is free flowing (bus and bike). The part that is allocated to inefficient and polluting forms of transport, not so much. The obvious thing, based on the evidence, is to increase the allocation to non-polluting and effcient modes of transport and use the available space well. The stupid thing to do would be to allocate more to the inefficient forms in the vain hope that the extra space would overcome the inefficiency and pollution. On cue, we have a dim-wit up on the stump calling for stupidity now.
Just been reading The Ranty
Just been reading The Ranty Highwayman’s blog at
https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/05/earlier-this-week-i-gave-talk-to-cyclox.html
Interesting factoid for you:
Could they just close the M25
Could they just close the M25 or North and South Circular roads? On the face of it, pretty much parallel, seem to do the same job of vehicle storage.
TheBillder wrote:
Actually, a more specific example in the current debates around cycling infrastructure – doesn’t this argument about the cycle lane in Hyde Park support the case for LTNs? i.e closing some roads to through traffic because there are other roads cars can go on?
(Edit – I should read all the posts before commenting. I see Little Onion has already made the same point.)
My point really (could have
My point really (could have been better expressed) is that just because there’s something that looks a bit similar nearby, it doesn’t mean that there is no need for an item.
As Rendel says, a shared use path in a park isn’t often suitable for commuting. So both are probably needed.
Is it not called the Glasgow
Is it not called the Glasgow Evening Times any more?
ratherbeintobago wrote:
No. It was rebranded the Glasgow Times in December 2019, although ‘Evening’ still appears on the logo/masthead/whatever.
My bike, ‘ambulance-lifted’
My bike, ‘ambulance-lifted’ to St George’s A&E a bit over a week ago, and keeping me company. Both feeling rather sorry for ourselves after we were ‘attacked by a car’. The doctor who discharged me many hours later used the words ‘miraculous escape’.
If a scissor-wielding para-medic hasn’t turned a new pair of Assos bibs into a black mankini and a jersey into a boob tube while you are lying prostrate in the gutter, you have avoided one of life’s more surreal experiences. On the plus side, it wasn’t raining
Best wishes for a speedy
Best wishes for a speedy recovery
Chain doesn’t look too happy
Chain doesn’t look too happy !
Bars, stem, shifters, RD and
Bars, stem, shifters, RD and pedals not too happy and a big query over the forks. Every item of clothing and shoes destroyed. At that point, the elbow you see belonged to my sole functioning limb and that had a canula in it. I entered with suspected broken femur, pelvis, wrist and neck, plus internal injuries and the usual cuts and grazes and limped out 9 hours later. Back on the bike (a different one), but not pain free.
The doctor who discharged me
” The doctor who discharged me many hours later used the words ‘miraculous escape’. “
He wasn’t kidding at all then !
Back on the bike (a different
Back on the bike (a different one), but not pain free
It takes longer than you expect to recover from a heavy crash, even when there are no broken bones, disrupted tendons/ ligaments etc. My crash on ice on Christmas Eve was my own fault and there was very little effect on the bike. I managed to get home despite the pain in R hip/ pelvis and R shoulder. It got worse that evening but I did some riding every day afterwards- wary of another crash on the icy roads around Christmas/ New Year. I couldn’t see any bruises but there must have been torn muscle fibres with blood collections etc. I had to manually lift my leg over the top tube to start. At least the L leg and arm were OK. It took about 4 weeks before I was almost back to normal.
Re: The Canal Artwork.
Re: The Canal Artwork.
How is it only cyclists that set it off as looks motion detecting to me.
How many cyclists might fall off / collide when distracted by it when the sounds start?
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
— AlsoSomniloquismThe same thing occurred to me, and having something so distracting to cyclists next to a canal is clearly dangerous; clearly they didn’t do a H&S assessment. Would that be acceptable if it was on a road?
Anyone not expecting it would go “WTF”, look around and go straight into the water.
None of Traffic South Wales “
None of Traffic South Wales “..five safe tips for being a safe bicyclist” are particularly going to make you safe e.g. I’ve never yet met a cyclist who didn’t watch out for and avoid road hazards, and one of the problems is that we have to spend so much time looking out for potholes that we miss other things.
But they’re only apologising for the last one, about riding at night. Maybe they should forget the whole thing until they have a basic understanding of what makes cycling safe.
I’m surprised no-one has
I’m surprised no-one has commented on the squalid weaselling from Traffic Wales- when they wrote ‘avoid riding at night’, ‘don’t ride at night’ is what they meant. When Northumbria Police wrote ‘don’t ride at busy times’, that’s what they meant. They thought they could get away with it, and later be able to comment about cyclists killed or injured at night or at busy times in such a way as to make it clear that what they really mean is ‘it’s his own fault’. Writing what you mean is not that difficult when what you’re writing about is clearly not a matter for levity in an official statement from an influential official organisation. Both the ‘clarifications’ from these organisations are really lies to avert further criticism.
Quote:
So, what? They ran out of characters on twitter or something?