Cyclist’s tearful video on close pass drivers; Cambridge’s new Dutch-style roundabout; Motor nutters try to equate LTN protest with civil rights movement; Boardman: “Be a YIMBY and choose cycling”; Dowsett negative for coronavirus + more on live blog
SUMMARY
Cargo biking, 1920's style
Cette femme avait tout compris !
(1920’s) pic.twitter.com/TWPYkKhIcQ
— David Guénel (@davidguenel) July 28, 2020
'Fix Your Bike' website needs fixing
Tried to get a ‘fix your bike scheme voucher’ available online from 23:45 tonight & the page has been absolutely overwhelmed & been off-line since before then! Go to bed everyone, this one is mine 😉 Good idea but poorly executed#FixYourBikeVoucherScheme https://t.co/xHhiu07YQS pic.twitter.com/izF93XwrqG
— Aaron Bailey Ⓥ 🌿 (@IdoAdventures) July 28, 2020
In shocker, the Fix Your Bike Voucher scheme, launched at 23:45 on Tuesday, promptly crashed. pic.twitter.com/NuCE14cOU3
— Pádraig Belton (@PadraigBelton) July 28, 2020
What a surprise. Stayed up watching shit on Netflix in order to apply for the #fixyourbike scheme which launched at 11:45pm, only for the site to crash at 11:44pm. Literally the only thing I might have been eligible for in this whole miserable shit show.
— Helen Kasparian (@Helliebean) July 28, 2020
According to numerous people on social media, the very scheme that is supposed to help Britain get its bikes fixed with £50 vouchers is in serious need of fixing itself, after fixyourbikevoucherscheme.est.org.uk reportedly crashed before it was even set to go live.
As of this morning, the website displays a message saying: “Thank you for your interest in the Fix Your Bike Voucher Scheme. There are no vouchers available right now. Vouchers are being released gradually to reflect the capacity of the bike repairers signed up to the scheme. More vouchers will be made available as soon as possible.”
…which suggests that the first 50,000 were already snapped up, but we’re yet to hear from anyone who managed to get hold of one. Did you apply for a voucher successfully? If the general testimony is anything to go by it appears you’re a rare breed, so do tell us more about your experience in the comments or email us at info@road.cc
Borish Johnson launches cycling strategy in Nottingham
We’re going to make it easier than ever to cycle around, with new cycle routes and vouchers for bike repairs.
Together we can reduce the pollution and noise on our streets, and move towards a cleaner, greener Britain. pic.twitter.com/lcxbYmpt9z
— Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) July 28, 2020
The PM headed to the East Midlands to plug the government’s £2 billion cycling strategy and £50 bike vouchers (the latter of which is reportedly having a few teething problems), with some obligatory footage of Johnson going for a spin with some local cyclists.
Have the government got this one right, or are there (pot)holes in their plans? Let us know your thoughts as always.
Cycling investment described as "gimmicks to appease public health zealots" in tabloid newspaper
The minority militant cyclists have cycled into influential political advisory positions & media jobs. Please tell me why 37m drivers are not being represented in govt road user planning policies. @Iromg @FairFuelUK @RHADuncanB @TheABD @matt_dathan @lukethejourno @BorisJohnson pic.twitter.com/3ch7QMxsmT
— Howard Cox (@HowardCCox) July 29, 2020
Tagging in our pal Mike Graham, who yesterday said on his Talkradio show that the cycling community was “nothing less than an absolute eyesore on the entire country” amongst other things, Howard Cox of FairFuelUK retweeted this tabloid editorial comment that is critical of the government’s investment in cycling. Mr Cox claims he wants people to work with FairFuel UK “for ALL road users”, yet endorses comments like this one…
Nice one 🤣🤣🤣
— Howard Cox (@HowardCCox) July 29, 2020
The comment in the tabloid is referring to the part of the government’s Gear Change document that promises a ‘national e-bike support programme’ to incentivise people to buy e-bikes. As reported on our sister site eBikeTips yesterday, there’s no guarantee yet the programme will definitely offer electric bike grants; but if it does mirror the existing plug-in grant scheme for electric cars, then it could mean up to a third off e-bike purchases in England. This, as outlined in Gear Change, would act as an incentive for people who are otherwise put off by the physical demands of cycling – such as older people or the disabled – to consider electric bikes as a viable transport solution.
'Fix Your Bike' continued
Current scene at the #fixyourbike HQ pic.twitter.com/bLqDtobfcQ
— ROMYN (@R0MYNUK) July 28, 2020
The moment the entire UK bike industry’s been waiting for 😑#FixYourBike pic.twitter.com/PT9dHLkbJ7
— Butternut Bikes (@ButternutBikes) July 28, 2020
BBC News: “After the balls up with the #FixYourBike voucher scheme, a government spokesman made the following statement” …….. pic.twitter.com/USyzk9ZLMU
— Working From Home Harold (@HaroldShand1979) July 29, 2020
Anyone out there who got one, anyone at all? It seems like there was more chance of nabbing one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets by the looks of things…
Two years ago today: G wins the Tour
Two years ago today @GeraintThomas86 💛@LeTour 🏆#OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/MlblMrJa8V
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) July 29, 2020
Due to that thing, he’ll be lining up for the 2020 edition of the race on 29th August according to the current schedule.
"Let's make sure it's the voice of the YIMBYs that's heard loud and clear": Chris Boardman on importance of clean air and safer street
Today’s announcement from @10DowningStreet is a great start, but for us to really succeed we need to hear more from people saying yes to better health, cleaner air and safer streets – and less from the NIMBYs standing in the way.
Be a YIMBY and #ChooseCycling 👍 pic.twitter.com/f59N0ZGsyA
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) July 28, 2020
With his British Cycling Policy Adviser hat on, Boardman explains why public support for low traffic neighbourhoods, cycle lanes and better public transport is going to be so important going forward.
@FartingDan is it people on bikes or people who are walking you think need insurance, helmets and lights? Why? Because you said so? Are you one of those NIMBYs by any chance?
— Sonja harper (@sharper50) July 28, 2020
Unfortunately some inevitable ‘road tax’, insurance and helmet comments popped up under British Cycling’s post; but as Boardman explains in the video, new YouGov research released by the Bike is Best campaign has found that there are 6.5 people in support of local measures to enable cycling for every 1 against, so plenty of people replied with more thoughtful takes.
Government publish open consultation on review of the Highway Code, "to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders"
The consultation document includes a number of changes that could have a significant effect if they are followed up with legislation. The alterations being proposed are:
– “Introducing a hierarchy of road users which ensures that those road users who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others.”
– “Clarifying existing rules on pedestrian priority on pavements, to advise that drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road,
providing guidance on cyclist priority at junctions to advise drivers to give priority to cyclists at junctions when travelling straight ahead.”
“Establishing guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists and horse riders.”
Full story with analysis to follow.
Cycling investment rage continued: Mike Graham still going, while motoring group appear to compare their plight to the civil rights movement
Wow, the ABD now equating the systematic oppression of people based on their skin colour with, that’s right, motorists being mildly inconvenienced by cycling and walking infrastructure https://t.co/Sr0lP50OeS
— Laura Laker (@laura_laker) July 29, 2020
In a bizarre battle to see who can have the biggest meltdown over the Department for Transport spending a small fraction of their annual budget on cycling infrastructure (see yesterday’s live blog too), we may have a new winner from ‘The Alliance of British Drivers’.
Get a bit of perspective guys. Limited restrictions on where you drive your gas guzzlers is not comparable to systemic racism 🤦♂️
— Kevin Clarke (@Kurako76) July 29, 2020
In one of their posts that gives details of a resident protest against low traffic neighbourhoods in Islington, the ABD are reminded that removing any of the new obstacles preventing motor traffic would be against the law; in reply the ABD quote Martin Luther King, appearing to suggest that their crusade to reopen residential streets to traffic congestion again is somewhat akin to the American civil rights movement.
The ABD hit the headlines at the start of lockdown, when their director Paul Biggs said that it was “best to avoid cycling in case you fall off.”
Looks like the Lycra Louts are still going. It’s a new day people. Just try and obey the rules of the road today and move on. 🙄🙄🙄🙄 https://t.co/b0ZYN0BdKc
— Mike Graham 🍾 (@Iromg) July 29, 2020
Meanwhile, Mike Graham is still going on about people going on about him going on about cyclists on his radio show yesterday, in which he claimed people in Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle couldn’t cycle to work.
Dutch-style roundabouts explained in video from Cambridgeshire County Council
This explainer video explains pretty clearly how the roundabouts are designed to work, ahead of the opening of the first Dutch-style roundabout at Fendon Road/Queen Edith’s Way in Cambridge this Friday.
It has an outer ring for cyclists, in a contrasting red surface, to give them equal
priority with pedestrians over oncoming vehicles. Cambridgeshire County Council said in a press release: “The old roundabout was perceived by many people to be dangerous to cycle around, and residents also reported feeling unsafe when walking in the area due to a lack of pedestrian crossings. Public consultations showed the majority who responded were in favour of improvements.
“The roundabout has been designed to encourage motorists to drive at a slower speed, so it is hoped that by enhancing safety at the roundabout, more people will walk and cycle in the area.”
Gaviria wins stage 2 of Vuelta Burgos
🇨🇴@FndoGaviria of 🇦🇪@TeamUAEAbuDhabi wins stage 2 of 🇪🇸@VueltaABurgos #VueltaBurgos (📺@teledeporte) pic.twitter.com/ywLGkbfWY1
— World Cycling Stats (@wcsbike) July 29, 2020
The Colombian sprinted to victory in the Spanish stage event, arguably the most high profile road race that has gone ahead since the lockdown began; although questions are being asked if it will reach its conclusion on Saturday, after Alex Dowsett and a fellow Israel Start-Up Nation teammate and numerous UAE Team Emirates riders were withdrawn due to coronavirus scares. No one withdrawn from Vuelta Burgos is reported to have returned a positive test so far.
"I reckon I've nearly been taken out about ten times": cyclist's video on fear and frustration at close pass drivers
Debbie Bradley took to Instagram “in the hope that it might get the message out and make at least a few motorists think”, after claiming to have suffered from a number of frightening close passes on a training ride in the West Midlands.
She said: “I’m trying really hard not to cry.
“I’ve done two hours and ten minutes, and I reckon I’ve nearly been taken about ten times.
“I just don’t understand what’s wrong with drivers. There’s nothing coming the other way, I’m on my own. How can you not pass wide?
“It’s just ridiculous. It just puts me off riding my bike and I’m going home, and I’m bloody going to jump on Zwift for the last couple of hours. It’s ridiculous.
“Yeah so shit day, shit ride. But I suppose at least I’m going to get home in one piece.”
Ms Bradley claims one of the close passes she suffered sent her “bike into a wobble” at speeds of over 25mph. Numerous people have supported her for sharing the post, with one saying: “It’s fine for Boris Johnson to claim this is the year of the bicycle, but we need to educate the motorists? Stay safe.”
Another tagged in Chris Boardman and British Cycling, saying: “Show this to the powers that be, drivers need educating/punishing now. Why should we be made to feel this way when we are simply trying to ride our bikes?”
A recent survey from Green Flag found that a third of drivers believe they are being more patient with cyclists since lockdown, and 36% of cyclists also said they’d noticed ‘increased patience and respect’. Posts such as the one above, though, show there is still a long way to go.
29 July 2020, 08:23
Full story on the Fix Your Bike fiasco
Fix Your Bike website crashes due to massive demand – but first 50,000 vouchers snapped up in hours
Government initiative went live to public just before midnight but many were left frustrated
29 July 2020, 08:23
Things are potentially not looking good for the future of the world's biggest sportive...
The end of the road for RideLondon-Surrey 100? Sportive under threat for 2021 – and beyond ... ?
Men's UCI race that shares same route has been dropped from proposed slimmed-down programme for next year
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Latest Comments
@DrG82 is a liar. First off, who here said they got everything right? "I wouldn’t say that the Welsh government got everything right." The article contains commentary saying they didn't get everything right. I suppose saying something obviously true sets you up to lie later... "They applied the speed limit changes uniformly, without considering exceptions" You are a liar. The Welsh Government guidance contained rules that would allow councils to exempt roads from 20mph. As an example, much of my route into town stayed at 30 and 40mph because my council bothered to apply the exemptions. I particularly enjoyed your unsupported claim of "This has been a massive waste of money". The article states "collisions involving all road users on 20mph and 30mph are down 37 per cent, with casualties dropping by 35 per cent". I'd say a one-off cost of changing road signs for a permanent 1/3rd reduction in collisions is gonna save the taxpayer a chunk of healthcare costs and owners and businesses a chunk of money not fixing car bodywork. Nothing but contempt for you. Take your lies elsewhere.
With so many people using and looking at mobie phones whilst driving and other distractions, may I suggest you always wear Hi viz and stay at home.
The design of the "car" has played a role in this. SUVs and what the Americans call "trucks" are exempt from the pedestrian safety regulations which apply to passenger cars. Had the victim been hit by a car designed in the past twenty years he would have been "scooped" onto the bonnet and either over the roof or off to one side. Still a serious injury risk and potentially fatal but they have the benefit of those passive safety systems to improve their chances. With vehicles with such a high bonnet line as this Volvo has what tends to happen is the person bounces off the bonnet and falls on the road in front of the vehicle where they're then run over. This has happened time and time again and is becoming more of an issue as the numbers of vehicles exempt from the safety standards grows.
@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.
25 thoughts on “Cyclist’s tearful video on close pass drivers; Cambridge’s new Dutch-style roundabout; Motor nutters try to equate LTN protest with civil rights movement; Boardman: “Be a YIMBY and choose cycling”; Dowsett negative for coronavirus + more on live blog”
Quote:
One at a time?
I’d say more likely that’s just a generic holding page that they’ve stuck up for want of anything better while they sort out their capacity issues.
No Cyclists with or without
No Cyclists with or without helmet
Why won’t they bloody compromise!
How do I compromise with someone like this, have half a helmet?
ooldbaker wrote:
Well, you could halve your brain like they did.
You might want to read up on
You might want to read up on Poe’s Law, and read the Twitter handle carefully.
Does the writer of that
Does the writer of that tabloid op-ed understand that with lower taxes, the Govt has less money and therefore wouldn’t be able to subsidise the furlough scheme, unemployment benefit (or whatever they’re calling it this week), NHS health treatment, etc etc?
(Do we need to ask which paper that appeared in?)
Howard Cox doesn’t represent
Howard Cox doesn’t represent 37M drivers.
He enjoys mutually masturbating with a few thousand like-minded bigots who spit their dummies about any travel suggestion that isn’t about further sudsidising driving.
Not 37M drivers. 37m drivers
Not 37M drivers. 37m drivers – i.e. the ones who get in their car to go to the corner of the street for a pint of milk.
Or less.
Or less.
As long as he campaigns for
As long as he campaigns for removing the subsidies for e cars and electric points it’s fine with me. After all, if you can afford a 30k car, you don’t need a government subsidy.
hirsute wrote:
I’ve got no problem with subsidising new technology that will eventually benefit everyone.
Wind turbines being a perfect example, heavily subsidised to start with, within a few years subsidies removed and industry self sufficient.
I’m not sure there’s much
I’m not sure there’s much point ranting here since I would just be preaching to the choir but:
1) £1000+ e-bikes are far more affordable means of personal mobility than £10,000+ cars.
2) If there are 37m drivers, given a UK pop. of 66m then there are 29m non-drivers. This is the first time in generations that their needs have been considered at all.
3) Better public health = less healthcare spending = more money to spend on unemployment, jobs etc. NB – more people on bikes means less pollution which is good for everyone’s health, not just the cyclists’.
4) Doesn’t creating jobs mean government spending, which requires higher taxes?
OnYerBike wrote:
All points so bleedin’ obvious that it’s more than slightly incredible that they have to be said, but I suppose generations of the msm rubbishing bikes and the people that ride them has brainwashed a lot of people.
I only spent 2k on my car.
I only spent 2k on my car. Then again down my mother’s road the neighbours have spent 120k on cars. Not a great investment seeing as they never seem to leave the drive.
I doubt that they have spent
I doubt that they have spent 120k. More like they are rentings cars valued at 120k.
I thought that Boardman was
I thought that Boardman was supposed to be promoting cycling – not going round blocking up the new popup lanes with cameras and cycling down the wrong side of the street…
“Borish Johnson”?
“Borish Johnson”?
A typo rather than a political comment, yes?
I’ve just read those twitter
I’ve just read those twitter items from the 1317 section to remind myself why I am not on twitter.
The brextards have a new
The brextards have a new target to aim their ignorant drivel at it seems; cycles and people who use them being the cause of all the UK’s problems.
As a fully paid up Brextard,
As a fully paid up Brextard, could I remind you that it’s possible to be in favour of Brexit AND be a cyclist. Is it possible to be a Remoaner and not be an arse?
FrankH wrote:
+1. Lets not get all political. This is a cycling site.
Oh, let’s.
Oh, let’s.
clearly it’s going to happen and at the moment it looks like being a right pig’s ear. I am worried for all of us about it happening in winter in flu and and in Covid. I fear for the food supply like I did this time last year – I mean worse than the inconvenience brought about by this year’s panic buying.
above all I worry about my mother 89 – entirely reliant on carers and cooks and with zero resilience to any disruption, pretty much unable to help herself if things get difficult on the fuel, food, or energy fronts.
My experiences of cycling
My experiences of cycling during the whole of the lockdown, mainly B roads: Drivers have either become more considerate or much, much more aggressive. Unfortunatly the former has far from outweighed the latter and as a result I’ve been doing less on road cycling and more off road cycling. It’s pretty much a disgrace that a developed country has let this happen.
And off road you’ll get
And off road you’ll get people complaining at you cycling there too…
It’s similar for me too and I
It’s similar for me too and I’m particularly frustrated with it as I was really pleased with the distances I managed during most of lock down since I don’t normally do many road miles. However even near the end of the initial lock down I was having too many close calls and started cycling at night to get the miles in and finish the mileage challenge I was doing. Since then I’ve barely cycled on the road and the couple of times I have done it’s just been a real worry with too many scares.
I don’t know if it’s just because I’m spoilt after lock down or people are simply more frustrated but either way, it doesn’t make for a pleasant ride knowing how close you are from being seriously wounded or killed. The video above does a great job showing how upsetting it is for riders and I just cannot understand how drivers can be that way, the local police here have been doing a close pass operation and still all the comments are about how awful the cyclists are not the drivers that have been pulled over for atrocious driving.
The requirement to ride
The requirement to ride single file to facilitate motorists’ overtaking runs counter to the requirement for motorists to give cyclists 2m clearance.
Two metres is wider than most cars. So motorists should be at least another car’s width clear of the cyclist, who is already about 1m from the kerb. That necessarily means the overtaking car must cross the centre line, unsafe unless the oncoming lane is clear anyway, so they may as well take the other lane, and be grateful if the cyclists are two abreast so as to expedite their manoeuvre.