Ex-Aston Martin CEO claims 20mph speed limits mean drivers are "swarmed by bicycles overtaking from all angles raising the risk of collision"; Wholesome content as Luke Rowe's son does team car TT radio messages + more on the live blog

He already pointed out that driving anywhere at 20mph was dangerous as the driver would be concentrating on the speedo rather the the surroundings, then states have them soley outside those locations as they make them safer. Just goes to show that people supposedly educated to Doctorate levels can throw out oxymorons. 

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ktache | 5804 posts | 1 hour ago
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Stumbled across this on internet today

https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en/elvedes-punch-tool-cable-pricker-4.1...(link is external)

Pricey, and can find no reviews. But could be effective.

Any of you tool collectors got any real world experience?

I have one. Brilliant piece of kit, works faultlessly. 

I use one of these, never let me down and a lot cheaper

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eclipse-E222-Double-Ended-Scriber/dp/B0044U4B70...

A pair of cable cutters I have has a pick that retracts from the handle and does the same job. 

How come he was allowed to be charged with a ticket in May for an offence in December? Or does even Nick Freeman have standards and didn't want to touch him with a bargepole?

Further details:

"Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC revealed Alexander was already had a string of road traffic convictions.

He was guilty of dangerous driving in 2009 in Oban. Three years later, he was convicted of drink driving.

The same year, Alexander was guilty of careless driving. Both the latter cases were at Stirling.

Mr Parsons had travelled from his home in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, in September 2017 to Fort William and was intending on returning south as part of a charity bike ride.

The amended culpable homicide charge stated Alexander drove at excess speed and when unfit through alcohol on the night of the killing.

Mr Parsons was cycling on the A82 at the time.

Prosecutors stated Alexander failed to observe him and caused his vehicle to hit the dad.

Knowing Mr Parsons was then badly hurt, he failed to get any medical help for the victim in what was described as “reckless disregard for the consequences” of his actions.

The cyclist was said to have been abandoned at the side of the road in the dark and remote area in “inclement weather”.

Mr Parsons was eventually reported missing on October 2 2017.

Both McKellars knew what had happened and took extreme steps to cover up the crime.

The damaged car involved in the killing was dumped at the nearby Auch Estate along with their phones.

They then returned in another car to where stricken Mr Parsons still was.

The man was then hauled into this motor along with his bike and other personal belongings.

The brothers went back to the Auch Estate and initially hid the body in a part of the woods.

But, the victim was later taken to another location there used “for the purposes of disposing dead animals”.

A grave was then dug and the body of tragic Mr Parsons dumped in it.

He was buried while his personal belongings were also disposed of.

Prosecutors said the brothers got help in trying to repair the car used in the killing claiming damage had been caused by hitting a deer.

The charge stated all this was to “prevent and delay the discovery of the body”.

It was said they did “obstruct” the police from conducting a “full and proper investigation” into the circumstances of the killing."

https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2023/07/26/driver-admits-killing-charity-cyc...

Everyone's nightmare.  Those who have zero care for others compared to their own convenience and are quite prepared to follow the logic through.

Or - worse - they could have either gone on and said later they couldn't recall the incident (see previous in road.cc) or 'fessed up but said "he came out of nowhere".  Said how sorry they were and they did everything in their power to save him, then had a panic, went home and had a drink to steady their nerves.  As we know from other stories the result of either may not involve any time in custody.

Well if the sun was in their eyes while they were digging his grave I should imagine they'll get off with a severe reprimand.

Edit - I hope what I said doesn't sound flippant. I really hope these scumbags get what they deserve, but I doubt they will.

I recently had a driver tell me (as a cyclist) that if I'd had something reflective on, he wouldn't have nearly reversed into me. It was broad daylight, I was running dynamo lights, and he hadn't used his mirrors in any event, as he reversed back into the junction he had overshot. I lost my s***. Regrettably, right outside my little one's nursery.      

quiff wrote:

Regrettably, right outside my little one's nursery.      

I couldn't think of a better place to educate someone on safe driving.

Reminds me of the time I left my local newsagent carrying a paper, when a driver pulled onto the pavement, forcing me to stop.  When I remonstrated with him, the reply was

"Well, you were reading your paper."

I was so gobsmacked I couldn't think of a reply.

Bike related.  I was on an interval session last night so was initially going fast but a few 100m from a village shop I saw a Merc parked in the middle of the road  between two others either side left and right and eased of 20 or so seconds later I got to the car and she was blocking a van that was being really patient with her giving the Merc plenty of room but she just sat there no indication what she was doing.  After a bit of track standing behind her I eventually overtook on her right.  At which point she yelled at me, " don't undertake on my left".  I'd never been there but had she first spotted me coming fast in her left mirror and never thought to look in her rear one  The van driver's response to me was, "Don't worry mate, I saw what she done"!

As an infra intersectionalist I support this message

Nah, that's leaving it too late, and for most learning practically / experientially is more effective. Lots of these, please!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d0yzZLVsTCE

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_park

I'd done the highway code for my cycling proficiency by 10 or 11.

PRSboy wrote:

For the record, Dr Palmer is no longer employed by Aston Martin... they saw sense and gave him the elbow 3 yrs ago.

His logic seems flawed... if by his own admission a 20 limit is entirely valid around hospitals and schools, then why not elsewhere?

Anyhow, urban supercar owners love a 20 limit... means they can drive slowly past adoring spectators on the Kings Road in 1st gear for that perfect Insta moment.

You don't get as many Deathrace points for bagging a hospital hobbler or a child, since they aren't as quick at the dodging as the bog-standard ped or cyclist. Therefore the speed restriction is increased to 20mph at the hozzies and skools, to allow full points if you stick to the limit and still mangle a hobbler or bairn.

The type that likes to admire their dash and cut in shop windows as they go past will drive into a lamp post or granny even at 10mph, as they aren't looking where they're going.  Mind, they aren't anyway as they're otherwise gazing at their gizmo stupifier screen to read the latest x-tweet-from-a-twat in another twatmobile, boasting about how they just ran over a cyclist.

Cugel wrote:

You don't get as many Deathrace points for bagging a hospital hobbler or a child, since they aren't as quick at the dodging as the bog-standard ped or cyclist. Therefore the speed restriction is increased to 20mph at the hozzies and skools, to allow full points if you stick to the limit and still mangle a hobbler or bairn.

The type that likes to admire their dash and cut in shop windows as they go past will drive into a lamp post or granny even at 10mph, as they aren't looking where they're going.  Mind, they aren't anyway as they're otherwise gazing at their gizmo stupifier screen to read the latest x-tweet-from-a-twat in another twatmobile, boasting about how they just ran over a cyclist.

Reading that reminded me of reading a novel by Irvine Welsh.

I live on a 30mph road, we have some local supercars whose owners take them out each weekend. Two stick in my mind, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. Both seem to be driven all down my road in 1st gear, with the drivers constantly blipping the gas pedal so they continually rumble. Noisy twats.

I love how he says that "one drives in a lower gear to control momentum avoiding the speed cameras" rather than driving below the speed limit because it's - er - the legal speed limit.

Doing it just to try and avoid being penalised, not doing it because it's the right f-ing thing.

quiff wrote:

*Former* Aston Martin CEO and Nissan COO. He's now "on a mission to help the planet" don't'cha know

Which planet?  Not this one, obviously.

eburtthebike wrote:

quiff wrote:

*Former* Aston Martin CEO and Nissan COO. He's now "on a mission to help the planet" don't'cha know

Which planet?  Not this one, obviously.

Presumably favours a venusian climate.