“I despair of humans sometimes”: Anger over “dangerous and damaging” New Forest mountain bike trails; School of Rock star Kevin Clark dies in collision with driver; Remco abandons Giro; Cyclists dismount; LEJOG record attempt + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"I despair of humans sometimes": Anger over dangerous and damaging New Forest mountain bike trails
Forestry England and members of a New Forest litter-picking group have slammed the mountain bikers whose “dangerous and damaging” wild trail was recently discovered at Wilverley Inclosure. Photos of the site were shared on the New Forest Litterpickers Group on Facebook and showed large trenches and piles of earth. The New Milton Advertiser reports a member of the group found the trail while collecting rubbish nearby and said it was also scattered with bottles, bags and food wrappers.
Nicky Searle wrote: “Thought it might be a poachers den but apparently it’s people trying to make a mountain bike trail. Thanks to Forestry England and our local keeper who are now onto it and putting the damage right as best the can. I despair of humans sometimes…why would you want to cause so much damage to such a beautiful space?”
Forestry England condemned the trail and said it creates “hazards in the woodland, including deep holes close to footpaths.” The spokesperson continued: “Although looked on favourably by some from the local mountain biking community, this ‘wild trail’ has caused real damage to the environment, which is home to rare and sensitive wildlife. Forestry England will be removing this and restoring the area; we urge people to stop building any more.
“We have supported off-road cycling for many years – here in the New Forest we have an extensive network of approved trails and we encourage cyclists to stick to these way-marked routes.”
Earlier this month the Beyond New Forest sportive was cancelled after Forestry England threatened legal action against the organisers after insisting permission is needed for events on off-road tracks. In January, Forestry England was told to “toughen up” action against “out of control” cyclists by the Verderers Court, a body dating dating back to the 13th century that functions similarly to a magistrates’ court for the New Forest. One verderer slammed the “gangs of hardcore bikers determined to ride where they please.”
Deceuninck-Quick-Step's Remco Evenepoel abandons Giro d'Italia following stage 17 crash
Of course it’s sad to leave the race, and my first Grand Tour too early, but in the end, it was a nice experience and I hope to be back one day again. I’m wishing the best to all my Deceuninck – Quick-Step teammates #TheWolfpack 🐺🤍 #Giro
Photo: @gettysport pic.twitter.com/LvoQX3OweQ— Remco Evenepoel (@EvenepoelRemco) May 26, 2021
Remco Evenepoel has pulled out of the Giro d’Italia before stage 18 due to injuries sustained in a fall on the descent yesterday. Evenepoel was one of the riders taken down after Team BikeExchange’s Mikel Nieve crashed on a fast corner which sent the Belgian over the roadside barrier. Despite being able to complete the day, the post-stage diagnosis from his team’s medics means he will not start today.
The 21-year-old suffered multiple cuts and abrasions as well as bruising to his left hand, arm, knee and ribs where he hit the barrier. It has been decided he will now leave the race to recover ahead of goals later in the season.
“In the end it was a crash that shouldn’t have happened,” Evenepoel said. “I don’t know what really happened in front of me, but I came into the corner and saw some guys on the ground and I couldn’t pass on the right side because I was next to another guy, so I didn’t have any chances to avoid a crash. For now, there isn’t anything broken, but I have a lot of contusions, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to carry on with this pain. So I go back to Belgium and go for some CT scans. Then we will see.”
Before yesterday’s stage Evenepoel had been bullish in committing his support to teammate João Almeida in the third week of the race. Almeida has recovered from a disastrous opening week to sit eighth on GC, 8:45 behind maglia rosa Egan Bernal. Last year’s fourth placed rider impressed on stage 17 too, attacking early with Simon Yates to drop Bernal and reclaim more than a minute on the race leader.
Road to the Tour of Britain
It may finally feel like summer is getting started but the Tour of Britain is already getting everyone in the mood for our home race with some video previews. Following some of the key British riders on UCI Continental teams, the Road to the Tour of Britain will show their preparation for the biggest race of their season. The riders involved are Rory Townsend (Canyon dhb SunGod), James Shaw (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling), Tom Mazzone (Saint Piran), Pete Williams (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling) and Ben Healy (TRINITY Racing) and the first episode is out now.
Check out the host towns and cities here…
Team relay hoping to average 35km/h to set Land's End to John O'Groats Guinness World Record
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A team of 11 cyclists from the South East is aiming to set a Guinness World Record for the fastest Land’s End to John O’Groats team relay by completing the 1,325km distance in under 40 hours. Starting at 5am on Saturday 26 June, the team hopes to reach the most northern point of the UK by 9pm the next day.
To hit this target they will split into two groups with each rider doing a one-hour slog on the front before passing over to the next rider. The team hopes to hold an average speed of over 35km/h…
It is all for a good cause too. The group is raising money for child bereavement charity Jigsaw and has set a £5,000 target.
Adam Hinds, organiser of the world record attempt said: “The team has been training ferociously for the last 10 months, burning rubber seven days a week in preparation for the relay sprint. An endurance event of this magnitude is not only physically taxing, but also mentally and logistically demanding.
Giulio Ciccone abandons Giro d'Italia feeling the effects of same crash that took out Remco Evenepoel
Unfortunately @giuliocicco1 won’t start stage 18. The rider had a hard night with a fever. He initially signed his presence at the podium but, after a further evaluation by team doctor, considering his heavily weakened state, the team decided to stop him to safeguard his health pic.twitter.com/t4hhxYohqC
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) May 27, 2021
Trek-Segafredo climber and 10th on GC Giulio Ciccone has also abandoned the Giro d’Italia ahead of stage 18. Ciccone was involved in the same incident that has forced Remco Evenepoel out of the race and struggled through the night with the effects of the crash. His team said he had a fever last night and other reports add that the Italian suffered serious back pain as he finished yesterday’s stage eight minutes after Dan Martin.
The loss meant Ciccone dropped from sixth to 10th in the overall standings. Team Bike Exchange’s valuable climbing domestique Nick Schultz fractured his hand in the fall and will also not be involved today. A frantic start to stage 18 has finally seen a group establish an advantage over the peloton after nearly 40km of racing. The 23 riders, including Diego Ulissi and Alberto Bettiol, currently have 25 seconds advantage…
'Cyclists dismount' sign silliness
Cyclists dismount signs should not be used per @Tfl guidance. It’d be like Motorists get out and push signs.
— Fully Vaccinated CyclingMikey. 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇿🇼 (@MikeyCycling) May 27, 2021
‘Political Figure’ Farah London took some time out of her day to film all these pesky cyclists riding past a ‘cyclists dismount’ sign…shockingly none of whom got off and walked. Plenty of comments asking why there are no drivers getting out to push their motors either?
Elisabeth Anderson commented: “The type of sign you see here, which you will know from your driving test, is the plate which gives information which is used *with* another sign. If the sign was a circle with a bicycle within a red ring it would mean no cycling. This sign does not mean what you think it does.”
KatyCycles added: “I hope you’re campaigning for ‘get out and push’ signs for motorists? ‘Hop from here’ for pedestrians? No? Not inclusive – not everyone can do those things – and space reductions that require them to do so put them at risk. Look at the real problem to get the right solution.”
The trouble with these signs, besides their discriminatory nature, is that people see them as orders which must be obeyed, resulting in ignorant tweets like this one. They need to be abolished and diversions or other provisions made instead, like is done for motor traffic. https://t.co/GvWIy8hyxL
— BicycleBenUK 🚲🚶♂️🛴🇪🇺 (@BicycleBenUK) May 27, 2021
Time to ditch ‘cyclists dismount’ signs for good? The Belgian city of Ghent did exactly that back in January…
School of Rock star Kevin Clark dies in collision with driver
School of Rock actor Kevin Clark, who played the drummer Freddy, has died aged 32 after being struck by a driver on the Northwest side of Chicago, TMZ reports. Clark was cycling when he was struck by a 20-year-old women driving a Hyundai Sonata who was not arrested but has been issued citations. The incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday morning and the Cook County Medical Examiner confirmed that having been taken to hospital the cyclist was pronounced dead just after 2am.
Clark was famous for his role as Freddy Jones in 00s comedy School of Rock. Co-star Jack Black said he is heartbroken by the news. “Devastating news. Kevin is gone. Way too soon. Beautiful soul. So many great memories. Heartbroken. Sending love to his family and the whole School of Rock community,” Black said.
Hitting 125km/h on British roads...
Probably right to put some emphasis on Alec saying this was all filmed on “controlled roads”…
38 per cent of UK cyclists who bought a bike in last 12 months have no insurance, according to new study
Some new research from Aviva found that of 2,000 UK cyclists who bought a bike within the last 12 months, 38 per cent have no insurance for their new pride and joy. Of course, this is not a ‘same old cyclists, no insurance…no road tax’ story, just an interesting look at how many riders with new bikes feel the need to cover them against damage and theft.
The study found that UK customers spent on average £835 on a new bike last year or £1,201 per e-bike and that e-bikes are three times more likely to be stolen than their non-electric counterparts. The figures also point towards something of an e-bike boom with one in three people bicycle customers opting for an electric model.
Alberto Bettiol wins stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia from the breakaway
“A moment to savour!”
What a ride from Alberto Bettiol as he wins Stage 18 at the Giro d’Italia on home soil 🇮🇹#Giro pic.twitter.com/KUz57iVJmw
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 27, 2021
One of the most consistently impressive performers at this year’s Giro has finally got his reward…Alberto Bettiol won stage 19 solo after catching Rémi Cavagna on the final climb, dropping the Frenchman and extending his advantage to around 20 seconds by the finish. It is only Bettiol’s second pro win in a road race…the first? Tour of Flanders in 2019…not a bad two to have.
Behind, Bettiol’s compatriot Simone Consonni pipped Nicolas Roche to second, with the Irishman holding on for third. The GC riders are still out on the course which tells you how big a gap the peloton let the breakaway have. More stunning scenery today and a slightly easier parcours for the riders.
Tomorrow it is back to the mountains for the first of a double-header of tough climbing stages before the TT in Milan on Sunday. Stage 19 ends with the summit finish of Alpe di Mera, a first category climb averaging nine per cent for nearly 10km. How are you feeling, Egan Bernal?
Winners of ŠKODA DSI Cycling Academy selected by Dame Sarah Storey
Four female amateur riders have been selected by ŠKODA DSI Cycling Academy principal Dame Sarah Storey to join the team after a competitive application process. Three of the riders took up cycling during lockdown and the four winners were selected from a strong field of more than 100 riders to earn their spots in the academy.
The university-style programme aims to provide ambitious female cyclists aged between 17-22 with a pathway to the elite level of the sport. Maddi Aldam-Gates, Gwyneth Parry, Lucy Ellmore and Olivia French were selected following a testing day at Lee Valley VeloPark which involved a peak power test, three-minute maximal test and a 12-minute steady state challenge. Their technical skills were also tested with laps of the outdoor circuit.
“The standard of the riders we tested far exceeded my expectations and it was such a tough decision to narrow down the selection,” Dame Sarah Storey said. “Given the talent we saw and the potential within the group we have decided that limiting the selection to just two riders wasn’t enough. ŠKODA is committed to furthering the opportunities for female riders and it’s a testament to their dedication to the sport that we’re expanding the intake this year.”
Penny fathering...
Mind blown https://t.co/d0ks7FfYS8
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) May 27, 2021
Alberto Bettiol dedicates Giro stage win to victims of Mottarone cable car crash
BETTIOL WINS STAGE 17 OF THE GIRO.
It was clear from the start today that this guy was going to give it everything he had. He did just that until the finish…and then some 🤜
We couldn’t be prouder of him for getting a win like this in his home country. Cheers Bettiol 🥂 🇮🇹 🥇 pic.twitter.com/ubaUkEAIip
— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) May 27, 2021
Alberto Bettiol dedicated his stage win to his former agent who passed away last year and the victims of the Mottarone cable car crash. 14 passengers were killed in the incident at the summit, where the Giro was meant to visit on tomorrow’s stage, however the route has now been altered.
“It really means a lot for me,” Bettiol said at the finish. “For my team and for the people that always believe in me. It’s a gift that I want to give to my former agent Mauro Battaglini who passed away last year, he was like a second father to me so this victory is for him. For sure, he looks at me from the sky. I also want to give a thought to all the victims in the Mottarone cable car and all the families.”
27 May 2021, 08:00
27 May 2021, 08:00
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Latest Comments
@kinderje Are you aware that -ise endings are actually the newer form, having supplanted -ize (as used by Shakespeare, the King James Bible and Jane Austen, amongst many others) in the mid 19th century? Etymologically there is a far better argument for -ize endings for words with Greek and Latin roots than the -ise ending which arose from Victorian publishers imitating French verb endings. Both endings are now regarded as acceptable in British English, although the Oxford style guide recommends -ize. It is most certainly not incorrect.
@Backladder Given that the makers are selling it as being useable on any ride on open roads, it doesn't seem unreasonable to try to test it in those conditions.
'Leasting'? That's a whole 4 letters less.
Although usually the easiest thing of all would be for them just to stop for a few moments while you cycle past them (which requires a lot less space to do safely than them passing you), but most people seem allergic to stopping, even for the briefest time.
@Backladder Oh I think I can guess - the nearest indoor velodrome to road.cc HQ looks to be some distance away in Wales, whereas Odd Down Cycle Track (where this test was conducted) is just 2 miles away.
There are a number of causes of "the divide between motorists and cyclists". Only one is to do with the technology (of bicycles and cars) and that's the nature of the car, which is designed to induce the sort of dangerous and careless behaviours that providing humans with a lot of power and glamour fetches out of us. Other causes are much more insidious - A culture of hyper-individualism bordering on solipsism, with violently ultra-selfish and aggressive anti-heroes being promoted in every mass media channel as the ideal. A "news" media that overwhelmingly seeks, creates and offers pariahs and scapegoats to the rabid individualists, which pariahs and scapegoats includes all kinds of those perceived as less powerful and therefore easy victims, including cyclists. The near complete lack of any curb upon the dangerous antics of vast numbers of media-maddened motorists by the forces of law and order, many of whom are actually members themselves of the mass media maddened motorist ilk. ******** No amount of a more rational discourse about active travel or the means of making it safer will change these root causes of the vast numbers of deaths and maiming due to inept, incompetent and deliberately violent antics of vast numbers of motorists allowed their dangerous "weapons of choice". Yet many other highly damaging aspects of modern societies would be solved by a much more effective curbing of mass media mob-building and goading along with a serious attempt to prevent motorists and a whole range of other damagers from behaving as badly as so many do. It'll not happen, of course. Large and powerful elements of the modern world obtain far too much ultra-riches and power from current conditions for them to allow any significant change. And vast numbers of the population have long had their minds, attitudes and behaviours captured and directed by various oligarchical monsters and their mass media propaganda horns. About the only chance of safe active travel becoming extant is for the population at large to become mostly too poor to afford a car, ironically one other likely outcome of the machinations of those same power and money-mad monsters that have created the car-issue in the first place. Their need for zero-sum socio-economic arrangements degrades everything, including the wallet-contents of the masses.
@Astralstroll The hierarchy of road users does not mean priority of road users except in certain circumstances, e.g. stopping to let pedestrians cross junctions before turning. It doesn't mean that cyclists have priority over motor vehicles at all times any more than the pedestrians have priority over cyclists at all times. It certainly doesn't mean that you have priority in the circumstances you describe; personally, unless the driver is being a complete dick, on a narrow country lane I accept that it is easier for me to turn around and go back to the nearest passing place, which is never that far if you're on a bike, than for a tractor or other large vehicle to reverse back down the road for my benefit.
If you were spending that much money on the device the obvious thing to do is to book a couple of hours in a velodrome for testing in a stable environment, I can't understand why Road.cc tried to do it outdoors.
@Astralstroll The Hierarchy of Road Users, announced with great fanfares in 2022, has been rendered into complete fiction by the attitude of the police: there is this hierarchy/ priority list but we don't take it seriously and if drivers ignore it we don't care! The same applies to the ludicrous notice of close-passing - No KSI'd cyclist = No Offence ttps://upride.cc/incident/lwa190_minicooper_hierarchy/
51 thoughts on ““I despair of humans sometimes”: Anger over “dangerous and damaging” New Forest mountain bike trails; School of Rock star Kevin Clark dies in collision with driver; Remco abandons Giro; Cyclists dismount; LEJOG record attempt + more on the live blog”
Does seem to be a bit dense,
Does seem to be a bit dense, really, digging a f*cking great hole!
Though it has to be said that attributing the litter collected from nearby to the trail-builders is highly circumstantial.
MattieKempy wrote:
Indeed we have a local hill partly given over to mtbers. The trails, they manage themselves. They clear up all the rubbish others leave behind.
visionset wrote:
Genuine question Captain:
Genuine question Captain: Where exactly do Wombles sit on the ‘Badger – Squirrel’ evolutionary spectrum?
I hear Badgers and Wombles
I hear Badgers and Wombles don’t get on.. some old dispute around a sett on Wimbledon Common.
peted76 wrote:
Oh, that’s my Aunty Mabel! that was taken a while ago….
Looks like those New Forest
Looks like those New Forest litter pickers had better watch out.
pockstone wrote:
An evolutionary dead end, there’s a common ancestor I believe, although we don’t invite him to family dos any more cos he’s a bit embarrassing.
having ridden through enough
having ridden through enough jump-spots in my time i’d say this is a fair assumption, if you don’t care about illegally digging holes in the countryside you’re likely to not care about the litter you leave behind
on the other hand if you give a group of mtbers a bunch of land to to build trails on and take care of and they tend to take care of it
Superb comments on the New
Superb comments on the New Milton Observer!
WTAF?
WTAF?
The connection to MTB’ing looks entirely spurious judging from that single photo. It looks like a wild camp/den to me – I suspect the only bike connection is kids getting there on them in the first place.
I’ve seen plenty of dirt jump tracks in our local woods – which are mostly harmless imo (although obvs the New Forest is “special” in their own minds at least). Its dirt in a wood – it will be unoticable in a year. I have never seen a tarp associated with a track – ever.
The only link to cycling appears to be in the mind of the journalist and “witnesses/rampant speculators”.
v. poor trail building skills
v. poor trail building skills on display there. I think it’s supposed to be a step-up, with the tarp covering the run in and take off – because if you dig a big hole, it will turn into a muddy bog at the slightest bit of rain – duh!
And the mound of earth in
And the mound of earth in background? Looks pretty ramp like to me. Round my way there is a superb and authorised jump facility. Tarpaulins are used to protect the ramps from weather, and presumably in this case to keep water out of the diggings.
Pesky kids rather than anyone
Pesky kids rather than anyone who actually knows anything about trail-building I’d say
Or a false flag to bring this latest cause celebre back to public attention
Either way, it’s shit, don’t do it, respect the woods you ride in, particularly this time of year. Of course, the local rag will gloss over the fact that most wildlife disturbance is caused by dogs off leads.
I (was among those who)
I (was among those who) flagged this story to Road.CC. Not sure myself what to make of the photo, but the story will fuel the “out-of-control cyclists” agenda rampaging through the New Forest. I keep saying “wait ’til they hear about cars”, but it’s not working, they’re normalised, along with the canine commuters they often bring.
I thought that “Ms Farah
I thought that “Ms Farah London” was being sarcastic, then read the rest of the story and realised that they were being serious…
Very stupid person who put that signage up – what is it supposed to achieve? I presume that they are diverting pedestrians around the blocked footpath onto the cycle path and then want cyclists to not use the cycle path so they don’t come into conflict with the pedestrians??
brooksby wrote:
No – I dont think they are directing the peds onto it, there would be another sign? And as I said in my post above, pretty sure there’s no dismount sign the other direction (I’ll check on the way home)
brooksby wrote:
If that is the intention, then surely a different sign would make more sense, like “Pedestrians on bike lane – cyclists take care” or something similar that actually explains the risks.
I often find signs in the UK really not helpful, because they just tell you to do something without explanation why. Like all the big “SLOW” signs painted on the roads – either it is very very obvious why they are there (because of a narrow bend in the road or a school or something similar) in which case they are not needed and any competent driver would notice the risk itself, or the the risk is not at all obvious, in which case a “SLOW” doesn’t help me much because I don’t know what I’m supposed to look out for. Especially as many signs just seem to be put up (like the “cyclists dismount” sign) for no particular reason as an H&S checkbox exercise without real specific risk assessment.
Stephan Matthiesen wrote:
I can see where you’re coming from. However, you seem to be making the assumption that drivers are competent and would respond to the “obvious” hazard in an appropriate manner…
Whoever the contractor is
Whoever the contractor is they have done a right half arsed job. If they are blocking the pavement and saying pedestrians are supposed to go into the cycle lane, they should have temp drop kerbs and barriers stopping the bikes from entering. They should then divert the cycle lane users onto the roads with warning signs to motorists about cyclists having priority.
Still Ms London who got about as many votes as The Gammon in the London Elections (11k although her website is claiming 55k) has decided this is the route she wants to go down to still have a “face” in Politics. I expect she will hang around like a bad smell and be a talking head on news soon.
Regarding the cycle path BS
Regarding the cycle path BS (Cable St CS3). I may be totally wrong but I rode in the opposite direction this morning and I’m pretty sure they was no dismount sign that end – it’s only in one direction.
All pointless anyway, if they dismount they take up twice the space and for what? They gonna walk in the road? Walk on the narrow pavement over the road?
Even a minor road wouldn’t have such a crappy solution for motorists.
So, “Fully vaccinated”
So, “Fully vaccinated” Cycling Mikey (EU flag), seems to think some signs should apply to traffic, and others not. Coming from the man who sneaks around pretending to be a unpaid policeman you’d think he’d know better – but apparently not.
(No subject)
Nigel Garrage wrote:
Fixed that for you
I’m glad at least we all
I’m glad at least we all agree he sneaks around pretending to be an unpaid policeman at least
It’s also surprising to see you all taking a leaf out of Nick “Mr Loophole” Freeman’s book of abusing logical, advisory signposts to wriggle out of personal responsibility.
Of course, the police can still view this reckless, dangerous disregard for personal and others’ safety by viewing it as what it is: anti-social behaviour.
Show me where Mr Loophole has
Show me where Mr Loophole has used abusing logical, advisory signposts to get drivers off the hook then and we will see if there is difference.
And if he was pretending to be a Policeman, surely he would have been arrested for it by now?
Nick Freeman has got loads of
Nick Freeman has got loads of people off tickets through technicalities such as incorrect road signage, sign obscured, even too dirty signs. Just because the contractor has used an advisory sign instead of one which makes it strictly illegal doesn’t mean it should just be ignored and abused with impunity.
The words are clear: “Cyclists Dismount”. The sign is there for safety, and to protect other road users. What kind of a self-entitled cretin would just carry on regardless due to this loophole?
Ones who can see it is clear
Ones who can see it is clear of any peds and cannot understand why a totally out of place sign is there. If the offending video had showed the lane crowded with pedestrians and cyclists were travelling that fast I would defintitely be more on your side there.
What Ms London should have picked up on (and inadvertantly has whilst only blaming cyclists) was the general shoddiness of the provision for all the road users in that section. A “Cyclists Priority to Pedestrians” sign or a diversion of the cyclists into the main carriageway with a “do not overtake cyclists” sign are both the recommended options for what have happened here and would have meant no specific road user was inconvenienced more then needed or put into more danger.
Nigel Garrage wrote:
As a matter of fact, he is always really clear he is not the police, although the police do seem to appreciate his assistance
I wonder whether you think that every witness, …what was it? Ah yes….. “sneaks around pretending to be an unpaid policeman” or just this particular one….
You said it….. no need for loopholes, or talk about responsibility. Advisory
Oh my god….. over-egging the situation a little? You aren’t the OP, are you?
So, if you see a crime
So, if you see a crime happening, endangering other cyclists, you’re just going to walk by?
And it’s rather illogical to label legally ignoring invalid signage as “anti-social behaviour”, while dissing someone who takes a legal form of action, with the support of the police, against extremely anti-social, dangerous and illegal behaviour.
But then I guess you share that with your “nom-de-plum” sake.
kraut wrote:
He isn’t “walking by” though is he? That’s the whole point. He’s sneaking around, hiding in bushes, or leering at drivers through their windows when they are stationary – he’s the cycling equivalent of a badly motivated traffic warden. If he was recording dangerous incidents or doing something that was actually valuable and in the public interest I’d be all for it. Also, when he jumps out or sneaks up on people, he always ignores the dozens of cyclists performing the same illegal manoevres – why?
On the signage, you have to understand the way society works and damage it does to all cyclists’ reputations when things are ignored like this. It is precisely this kind of flouting of societal norms that gives succour to those who want cyclists to have ID plates and other onerous regulations enforced on them.
It’s “nom de plume” by the way, should probably have stuck to German, lol.
Nigel Garrage wrote:
Yeah, that’s kind of the point with witnesses, and good citizens. They don’t just walk on by.
Gor blimey, woss it camin to when a good old honest to goodness dangerous driver can’t do ver wotsappin’ when ver be’ind va wheel, eh? Facking lefties….
Yes, badly motivated – by the fact a driver killed his dad…
Anyway, that motivation’s paying off looking at his stats.
No you wouldn’t. Because he does. And you aren’t.
Can you point that video out please. I did see the one where he shouted after a rider on Gandalf corner though
Doesn’t damage my reputation, and as you yourself pointed out, it’s advisory. And advice may be ignored.
Societal norms?? Now you really have got me.
You mean North Korea? Even they can’t make that one work, I don’t think we have much to fear there.
Hmmm, d’y’ know, I rather like Kraut’s way of spelling it …
Captain Badger]
Just a quick browse of his “most popular” video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMckoqLbCs8 shows 5 cyclists doing the exact same manoevre as the car within the first 90 seconds of footage – many more by the end! In fact there are 2 cyclists breaking the law within the first three seconds of the video!
Did your hero stop them too? No! Of course not, he was too busy revelling in the limelight.
Tell me, how did doing all that improve the relationship between cyclists and the rest of society? How did it make my bike ride today safer for me? The answer is – it didn’t! It made it more dangerous by promoting conflict on the road.
Take the number plate and report it to police instead of grandstanding and fishing for YouTube hits!
Nigel Garrage]
I counted about 4 or 5 before I got bored about halfway through, so not dozens. As I said, please direct me to that video that you mentioned that shows dozens
Why should he? if you care so much, you go and stop them, and I’ll even congratulate you. Or perhaps I’ll start ranting that you aren’t doing the same to peds, or start some other whataboutery…
Dude, if you’ve been caught on your phone, you’ll get phuck all sympathy here
It hasn’t made one iota of difference. No one cares, except the ones that have been caught, or are going to get caught.
Evidence please
Don’t tell I, tell ‘e. But I’d sooner it’s publicised.
Really dude, he’s triggered you so much I can only assume that you’ve been caught yourself.
Captain Badger wrote:
Raspberries
Nigel Garrage wrote:
So can I get some red signs like this made up instructing people to do all sorts of things and then complain when they are ignored, or is it just the dubious ‘cyclists dismount’ instruction that can be thrown up without consideration of whether it is required or whether an alternative is possible?
The issue with “Cylcists
The issue with “Cylcists dismount” signs is nothing to do with loopholes, and everything to do with their being no more meaningful than any other sign that people with no legal authority – e.g. you or I – could go round putting up anywhere they feel like.
I could put up a sign in the main road outside my house tomorrow saying “No entrance to motor vehicles”. Drivers who ignored it wouldn’t be exploiting a “loophole”, they would just know that it had no significance beyond expressing someone’s opinion.
The last sign you commented
The last sign you commented on you didn’t understand either.
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That “CYLISTS DISMOUNT” sign
That “CYCLISTS DISMOUNT” sign didn’t have the necessary warning sign:
Previously, I urged that a
Previously, I urged that a couple of morons on here should be ignored. Both of those account names disappeared, although it could be that one of them at least has returned under a different guise. This one names himself after a nutter politician which is, I suppose, a form of honesty- however, this is not enough of a defence!
wtjs wrote:
No way to speak about the Right Honorable MP for Carlisle!
wtjs wrote:
Having just torn into one of his posts below, I find myself in the position of defending our Nige. People can disagree (vehemently and even disrespectfully) without being trolls. Nige is not Socrati, as evinced by the conviction of his opinions, even when they at the opposite end of the spectrum to my own, which is not 100% of the time. Personally, I’d sooner not have this site become more of an echo chamber than it is – if it does, I might have to start proper trolling myself. Beware!
I find myself in the position
I find myself in the position of defending our Nige
We’re agreeing to disagree, then.
wtjs wrote:
Or are we disagreeing to agree? no hang on, I want to make sure we get this right….
Moving on, can I just take a
Moving on, can I just take a moment to note Kevin Clark’s passing. School of Rock popped up recently on Netflix UK so I got to introduce my 11yo to it last weekend – he’s now raiding my entire classic rock back catalogue which is no bad thing. Awesome film and Clark almost steals the entire show. Surprised it was his only role as he had a bit more about him than most of the cast. Closing credits scene really captures what a blast they all must have had on that film
Riding home along this (not
Riding home along this (not very good) cycle lane (in the door zone for parking, next to a fast single lane of moving traffic)
https://goo.gl/maps/eJaB8TYtfviQBcQB8
… when I met someone merrily riding their bike toward me in the same cycle lane
Just wanted to share that.
That cycle lane is a disgrace
That cycle lane is a disgrace
Yup. It is a classic example
Yup. It is a classic example of how it would have been better to have just not bothered.
The traffic lane is pretty narrow – if you ride outside the cycle lane you get “Gerrinnafukkincyclelane!” and if you ride in it…
As you can see, you have to swerve out of it even to avoid door mirrors on vans!
Perhaps it was Jeremy Vine –
Perhaps it was Jeremy Vine – he likes to go the wrong way !
I was going to point out
I was going to point out similar along this road here when I noticed a minor RTA captured on Google steet cam as well.
And as we are talking about ROad signs and I have since found out about the supposed provisions or cyclists, I know Birmingham don’t bother as they Road works a bit further up is now continued all the way past the lights and onto the area the cycle lane reappears. The road works have narrows the lane that cars cannot go down it without egressing onto the cycle lane. Yet not one sign to mention don’t overtake cyclists or be careful around them. I have since found and alternative route.