Fuming driver claims two abreast cyclists “causing utter chaos on the roads”… thanks to one car tailback; Richard Madeley blasts “idiots” without helmets; “Abusing my body for too long”: Veronica Ewers quits racing; Scott to NSN + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Earning more, eating better, and environmentally resilient: The impact of the bicycle in the developing world shown in new study
The distribution of bicycles in Zambia significantly enhanced the life outcomes of those who received them, proving the bike’s power as a “catalytic tool”, a two-year study from the World Bicycle Relief charity found.
> Earning more, eating better, and environmentally resilient: The impact of the bicycle in the developing world shown in new study
When cycling infrastructure meets the steeplechase
“Excellent work by whoever was tasked with adding a water trap to the cycle lane,” wrote John Oxley on BlueSky, after encountering this ‘fun’ bike lane obstacle on the Warton Road in east London, which has got me thinking – if the steeplechase can be an integral part of the Summer Olympics for over 100 years, what’s the big deal about cyclocross being added to the Winter Games?
Start ‘em young!
Alex Dowsett’s daughter Vivienne here, proving she’s a chip off the old block by already perfecting a few cycling hand signals on the way to the park:
But what’s her aero tuck like?
Swindon hoping to “make active travel the natural choice for everyday journeys” by launching new cycling and walking infrastructure plan… after cracking down on “reckless” cyclists and e-bikes
Swindon Borough Council is hoping its new cycling and walking route plans will “make active travel the natural choice for everyday journeys” in the area, just months after introducing a new order cracking down on “reckless” cyclists.
The authority’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan focuses on an impressive 25 schemes designed to make walking and cycling more accessible across the borough.
The plans include the creation of a Northern Flyer cycle route, which would complete the Flyer-branded bike network and link the town centre with new housing developments in north Swindon, while the Southern Flyer will be linked to the newly opened cycle route on Fleming Way and Holbrook Way.
These revised plans, the council says, align with Swindon’s Local Transport Plan and its new Decarbonisation Framework, which will be considered by the council’s cabinet this evening.
“This update to Swindon’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan builds on the foundations laid in 2022 and sets out a clear vision for a safer, more inclusive and accessible network.
“By prioritising walking and cycling, we aim to make active travel the natural choice for everyday journeys, helping reduce carbon emissions, improve health and create a more connected borough,” Chris Watts, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said in a statement.
“I encourage anyone with an interest in walking or cycling to take part and help shape the future of the networks they use for travel, fitness or fun. We’re committed to listening, and this consultation is another chance for residents to have their say so we’re ready to act when funding becomes available.”
The council’s consultation on the proposals runs for 13 weeks, closing on 20 February 2026.
Swindon’s grand cycling plans come just a few months after the council became the latest UK town to impose restrictions on people riding bikes, after the local authority launched a crackdown on “reckless” cyclists who it says are endangering pedestrians, with repeat offenders warned they could face prosecution and fines of up to £1,000.
In August, Swindon Borough Council stated the action will “make the town centre more pleasant for all”, a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) having been introduced to give council officers the legal authority to stop and fine anyone riding a bicycle in a “reckless” manner.
The crackdown on “anti-social behaviour” also includes action on street drinking and public urination.
Confusingly, the communication of the rules to the public also saw the town’s local authority tell residents that e-bikes are banned, a ban that the council’s own documents appear to suggest only applies to illegal vehicles which do not comply with existing laws.
The curious case of David Rozman continues
> Ineos head carer who quit Tour de France over suspected doping links understood to remain with the team
Sum up the UK’s approach to cycling infrastructure in one image...
Sums up UK cycling infrastructure in one picture. Painted cycle ‘lane’ unusable so no way to reach the ASL, which is blocked by a car anyway ?♂️
— Drew Mabey (@drewmabey.bsky.social) December 2, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Yep, that’s basically spot on.
The perfect cycling Christmas present doesn’t exist – oh, wait…
An absolute Facebook Marketplace classic here, guaranteed to brighten up any office environment:
Good quality, barely used, and good for the spine – and, I assume, putting some big watts down when you’re flying through those morning emails.
And $75 too? Bargain.
When is a screw not a screw? When it’s on a bike, where it’s often referred to as a bolt, of course...
Now here’s one to keep you busy this evening. Let the pedant’s revolt begin!
> Bottom brackets with no brackets, clipping into clipless pedals, and saddles held up by seatposts: The mysterious world of bike part naming
“We’re at a turning point”: Marc Madiot says reported plans to build artificial hills on 2028 Abu Dhabi worlds course “disastrous” for cycling, as Groupama boss blasts attempt to favour Tadej Pogačar, saying there are “still basic principles to respect”
Last week on the live blog, you may remember, we reported on the rumours currently floating around that the 2028 world road race championships in Abu Dhabi – a race tailormade for the sprinters, you’d imagine – will be toughened up by the addition of a few under-construction artificial climbs.
Yes, that’s right. Instead of throwing the peloton’s sprinters their first properly plan-flat worlds course for 12 years, the UAE is currently in the process of plonking a few brand-new sprint-sapping hills onto the prospective course, which, when it comes to the men’s event, would potentially suit a certain UAE-sponsored Tadej Pogačar.
After investigating Tim Merlier’s jokey claims that the Abu Dhabi’s world championship organisers were desperate to include some hills in an area where, frankly, there just aren’t any, Spanish sports paper Marca reported that the artificially constructed climb of Al Wathba could form the focal point of the 2028 worlds.
First built back in 2023, works continuing on the Al Wathba, which could end up 3.8km long with an average of 6.5 per cent, and a final kilometre of 11 per cent, by 2028. Which will make it pretty tough for any pure sprinters – starved of a bona fide rainbow jersey opportunity since Qatar in 2016 – to survive to the finish, especially if the climb is tackled several times.
And one man, known for his forthright, some might say traditionalist opinions, isn’t happy with the UAE’s decision to shun the chance to host a sprint-friendly worlds.
“I’m not an environmental zealot, but there are still basic principles and fundamental rules to respect,” Groupama-FDJ boss, and chief car panel beater, Marc Madiot told RMC this week.
“Having a world championship there, why not? But if we get to this kind of situation, it’s disastrous for our sport, and indirectly for others.”
ASO/Pauline Ballet
While Madiot stressed that he isn’t against adding new, artificially constructed hills in principle (after all, the Paterberg fits that bill at the Tour of Flanders), he did express concern that the development is indicative of race organisers ignoring the sprinters and seemingly favouring the sport’s current biggest star.
“We are at a turning point at what sport should be or can still be,” Madiot continued. “I think the UCI and its president need to regain control of this type of situation. It’s the UCI that awards the world championships based on a set of specifications.
“I can’t imagine the UCI accepting that an artificial obstacle is being created under the pretext of making the race harder, or even giving an advantage to a particular rider.”
NSN Cycling confirms new bike deal with Scott, as Swiss brand takes over from Factor at team formerly known as Israel-Premier Tech
Pro cycling’s bike brand merry-go-round continued this afternoon, as the newly rebranded NSN Cycling Team confirmed that it has agreed a multi-year partnership with Scott, who will replace Factor as the squad’s bike supplier.
In November, Factor announced that it was terminating its deal with the team, known until recently as Israel-Premier Tech, following a chaotic 2025 campaign dominated by pro-Palestine demonstrations, protesting the team’s continued involvement in cycling’s biggest races.
Factor’s decision to rip up its contract with the under-fire squad came in the same month that Premier Tech stepped down as the team’s lead sponsor, claiming that the “core reason to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable for us to continue”.
It also followed CEO and founder Rob Gitelis’ public criticism of the squad in the wake of the widespread protests that gripped the Vuelta, with Gitelis issuing the squad an ultimatum that “without a name change, without a flag change, we won’t continue”.
Meanwhile, Q36.5’s recent deal with Pinarello, which sees the Italian brand take on co-title sponsor duties at the Tom Pidcock-led team, left Scott without an elite men’s squad for 2026. Daniel Benson had previously reported that Scott’s bikes had already made their way to the team’s service course in Girona in the middle of November.
Scott, which supplied Q36.5’s bikes for the past three seasons (though Pidcock still raced on Pinarellos when competing off-road), also shares a nationality with their new partners at NSN, which swapped their previous Israeli licence for a Swiss one during November’s rebranding.
That rebranding operation will also see the squad adopt a Spanish identity, thanks to its bases in Girona and Barcelona and the title sponsorship role of Never Say Never (NSN), an international sports and entertainment company co-founded by Barcelona footballing legend Andrés Iniesta.
It was announced last month that NSN had taken over the team and its development squad in a “joint venture” with global investment platform Stoneweg.
As part of the announcement of its deal with Scott, NSN shared a series of photos taken of the team at their winter training camp in Spain, riding the Swiss brand’s bikes and wearing mostly plain, dark blue Ekoi kit.
One of the riders, though not included in the photo shoot, who will be racing on Scott’s bikes for NSN next year is Biniam Girmay, the Tour de France green jersey winner’s long-rumoured move to the squad from Intermarché-Wanty finally being confirmed on Monday after months of speculation.
“This partnership with Scott marks an exciting step forward for NSN Cycling Team,” NSN’s general manager Kjell Carlström said in a statement.
“We’re aligning with a brand that shares our pursuit of elite performance and is driven by innovation and constant improvement. Scott’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of design, aerodynamics, and technology mirrors our own ambition on the road. We are proud to embark on this journey with Scott ahead of what is going to be an incredibly exciting season for the team.”
“It is a privilege to support NSN Cycling Team and a roster of athletes, staff and sponsors united in their ambition and pursuit of excellence,” added Scott’s co-CEO Pascal Ducrot.
“With our long racing heritage, we celebrate Scott’s return to the UCI WorldTour with the team, where our world-class products will support these talented athletes to perform on the sport’s biggest stages.”
In your 50s? Well, apparently you’re a big fan of the turbo trainer, according to Garmin’s end-of-year report
‘Tis the season for turbo training. So, it’s rather fitting that Garmin’s end-of-year report shows that, when it comes to people in their 50s, indoor cycling is their favourite pastime.
The 2025 Garmin Connect Data Report – a kind of Spotify Wrapped for sweaty people – was released today, giving some insight into the data shared by the tech company’s smartwatch wearers.
Some of the key trends picked up on the report include a 67 per cent increase in racket sports compared to 2024, thanks perhaps to the recent rise of padel and pickleball, while women recorded lower average stress scores than men.
Meanwhile, 18 to 29-year-olds recorded the most outdoor running segments, while those in their 50s led the way when it came to indoor cycling. Perhaps we need to change the acronym to MAMOTs (Middle Aged Men on Turbos)…
And, finally, what sport topped the charts for the over 70s? You guessed it – golf. Give it a few more decades and cycling really will be the new golf.
Comment of the Day
I’ll just leave this here…
Meanwhile, here’s what the rest of you had to say about Mr Partridge – I mean Madeley, and his views on bike helmets:
Mpdouglas: “Someone should suggest to Dick Madeley that the cyclists he sees without a helmet perhaps just had a ‘freak memory lapse’ and forgot to put it on. The same reason he cited for leaving a shop without paying for the champagne in his basket.”
Ouch…
Open_roads: “It would probably come as a surprise to Professional Loudmouth Richard Madeley that more lives would be saved each year by drivers wearing crash helmets. Perhaps the next time he’s driving in traffic without a helmet a helpful passing cyclist could point out his stupidity to him.”
Mdavidford: “Seems like Madeley would do better to get worked up about the decline of the postal service, considering he appears to be receiving letters posted in the 1920s.”
Go back and read G’s letter, you’ll see what he means.
Gazza_d: “I see Dick is just perpetuating the modern myth that whenever anyone falls of a bike they’ll hit their head and die.
“Wear a helmet or not. It’s your head and not my concern cos it’s not my head, but people need to stop the evangelising and emotional blackmail.
“Wear gloves or mitts though. If you go down, you’ll put your hand out and ripped palms are no fun whatsoever.”
As a non-mitt wearer in the summer, I’d respectfully disagree there. They are my hands after all…
“I’ve put myself into a hole by abusing my body for too long”: EF Education-Oatly rider Veronica Ewers steps away from cycling to continue RED-S recovery after admitting “I’ve not had my period since 2014” due to eating disorder
Last night, EF Education-Oatly rider Veronica Ewers, one of America’s most highly rated female pros, has announced that she will step away from elite cycling in 2026 as she continues to recover from RED-S, following a decade-long struggle with eating disorders.
In a statement issued by the 31-year-old on Instagram, Ewers admitted that recent blood tests revealed that her hormone levels were “still nearly non-existent”, due to years of hormone suppression and bulimia.
Those results prompted Ewers and EF to come to a mutual agreement that she won’t race or train next season, in order to prioritise her long-term health and well-being.
In June 2024, Ewers, who has a ninth on GC at the Tour de France and a fourth place overall at the Giro d’Italia to her name, announced that she was taking a break from racing to “reset” her physical and mental health amid her ongoing battle with RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport), a syndrome of poor health caused by athletes not getting enough fuel through food.
In a brutally honest, and at times harrowing, in-depth blog post shared on her Substack yesterday, Ewers detailed her struggle with the “demon” of eating disorders, admitting that while the outside world saw a “disciplined, thin and lean athlete” capable of securing a Tour top ten, in reality she was “slowly killing” herself.
A.S.O./Thomas Maheux
She recounted an episode from 2023 when, during a purposefully brutal training session, Ewers’ body began “shutting down”, forcing her to sit by the side of the road 10km from home, “unable to move and barely conscious” and on the brink of kidney failure.
“Thanks to two kind men who separately stopped to check on me, I was transported to the hospital where, upon arrival, everything neck down stopped responding. I was paralysed,” she wrote.
“I began to panic and cry while the nurses hooked me to an IV to pump me with fluids. One nurse drew my blood to assess the situation. The doctor soon came back after I’d stabilised and told me I was nearing kidney failure. I’d lost so much sweat and so many electrolytes, I easily could have died if I’d not been brought in.”
While she’s avoided having another similar “episode” since, Ewers admitted in her post: “I’ve not had my period since 2014. My bones are weak. My gastrointestinal function is shit.”
After taking the second half of 2024 off to recover, Ewers returned to racing earlier this year, in a bid to “continue my recovery journey whilst training and racing”. But she admits now that “it didn’t work”.
“To be honest, the contradictory life of trying to perform while also recovering my hormones was pretty frustrating (to say the least),” she wrote on Instagram, saying her body is still in a “recovery state”.
“Trying to perform, which I physically couldn’t do until my hormones recover (stabilise), while trying to recover, which I couldn’t do until I stop trying to perform at the top level, was like beating my head against the wall.
“I sat down with my dietician to go over the results and was devastated. I was confronted with two options: keep doing what I’ve been doing or focus on full recovery and then performance.
“I’ve made the decision to pursue the latter and therefore I will not continue training/racing in 2026. I’ve put myself into a hole by abusing my body for too long (well before I entered the world of cycling).
“Although I improved my fuelling and eating habits, it wasn’t enough. My body needs a full reset before it can be at its best. I’m tired of being mediocre. And most importantly, I want to go hiking, cycling, running, etc when I’m older.
“My goal is to come back eventually and show the world what I’m capable of in a functional body. For now I will focus on recovering.”
In a statement, EF Education–Oatly general manager Esra Tromp said: “The health and long-term well-being of our riders is always our top concern, and that is what guided this difficult decision.
“Veronica has shown immense courage and dedication, and we are committed to supporting her as she focuses on her health. We hope to see Veronica healthy again very soon.”
RED-S, and eating disorders in general, have been a prevalent issue in women’s cycling in recent years, with the Cyclists’ Alliance earlier this year renewing it calls for the UCI to update its medical programme to ensure that riders undergo a mandatory screening for the syndrome.
The appeal for mandatory health tests by the Cyclists’ Alliance, the body representing the women’s peloton, marks a response to the issues raised during this year’s Tour de France Femmes, where the relationship between weight and performance was heavily scrutinised.
After Kim Le Court revealed that she regained the yellow jersey on stage five while on her period, former pro Marijn de Vries admitted that during her career she was encouraged to become “so thin” that she didn’t menstruate.
Meanwhile, the topic of weight loss also cropped up during post-Tour interviews with winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and runner-up Demi Vollering, with Ferrand-Prévot noting that she had received complaints about her pre-race weight loss, which she admitted was “not 100 per cent healthy”.
“It is just stupid not to wear a helmet”: Richard Madeley blasts “idiot” cyclists without helmets who think they’re “immortal” – and calls on spouses to “lay down the law”
You know what cycling’s long-running, divisive helmet debate desperately needs? An intervention from the real-life Alan Partridge, of course.
So, it was refreshing (I’m sure that’s the word…) to find broadcast supremo Richard Madeley weighing in on all things helmets as part of his agony aunt-style relationship advice column (yes, really) in the famously cycling-love Telegraph.
Especially when you consider his previous, impeccably balanced forays into cycling debates (think insurance and bike number plates, and you get the drift).
Anyway, the Good Morning Britain presenter’s helmet intervention came after he was sent a letter by an elderly Londoner (and not, I’m sure, a member of the Telegraph’s news team), enquiring about what to do with her pesky husband who keeps riding the city’s hire bikes… without a helmet.
“You have occasionally advised relatives of older people who insist on driving despite declining faculties,” G from SW15 (so not that G) wrote to Mr Madeley.
“My concern with my husband is that he has become a devotee of the rentable bicycles that litter the streets of our capital.”
(‘Litter’ – are we one hundred per cent sure this isn’t a Telegraph plant? Anyway…)
She continued: “I ought to welcome the thought of him taking exercise, but he enjoys free bus travel thanks to his 60+ Oyster card, and having seen him on two wheels in the past I am very worried about him being in danger. He declines to wear a helmet.
“Obviously he is not endangering others in the way a motorist might be, but I’m fond of the old stick and I would like him to pack it in – or at least wear some sort of headgear. But he is stubborn, and tends to think he is immortal. How should I approach this?”
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> Why is Dan Walker’s claim that a bike helmet saved his life so controversial?
So, how did Madeley – who’s boasted in the past about riding his bike “every three days” – respond to poor G’s conundrum? By advising that, despite the safety benefits of helmets, it’s her husband’s prerogative to wear whatever he likes when cycling, and by pointing out that the greatest threat to his safety on our roads stems from distracted and careless drivers?
Not exactly…
“It sounds like your old man goes his own way, so I don’t think there is much point in trying to get him off his bike and onto the bus, Oyster card or no Oyster card,” Richard replied.
But I DO think you should lay down the law over the need to wear a helmet. It is just stupid not to. If he comes off his bike for any reason – pothole, jaywalker, careless driver – and bangs his head, unprotected, he could be killed. Or suffer irreversible brain damage.
“Or at the very least spend a few uncomfortable days in hospital with a fractured skull. He is NOT immortal and he DOES NOT have an invisible force-field protecting his napper.”
Great use of all caps there Richard.
“I don’t know what domestic sanctions you have at your disposal, G, but threaten to invoke all of them if he doesn’t start wearing a cycling helmet from this moment on. He is being an idiot,” Madeley concluded.
Which is interesting, especially when we factor in this photo of the broadcaster preparing to ride his bike back in 2023… with a helmet nowhere to be seen:
Hmmm… Who knows, maybe Richard is actually immortal? How he’s still on TV is another matter entirely, however.
Of course, as I noted above, this isn’t the first time Richard has shared his thoughts on the cycling culture wars.
In 2017, he sparred with Cycling UK spokesperson Duncan Dollimore on Good Morning Britain in a segment about proposals for a ‘dangerous cycling’ law, resisting Dollimore’s attempts to highlight the broader lack of accountability on the roads, instead whittering on about why cyclists aren’t insured.
And in June 2023, he ‘chaired’ a GMB debate on bike registration plates with Timmy Mallett and Fair Fuel UK founder Howard Cox, allowing Cox to run wild with some classic anti-cycling bingo tropes (35mph e-bike riders, red lights, pavements, road tax, the lot), while constantly interrupting poor Timmy.
Later that year, Madeley also admitted in an Express column that he almost killed a cyclist by driving into them from behind… before rolling down his window to call them a “f***ing idiot” for not having lights on their bike.
Anyway, I wonder what Judy thinks about helmets?
“Carnage! It’s like the centre of Milan”: Driver claims two-abreast cyclists “causing utter chaos on the roads”… thanks to one-car tailback
Over the years, we’ve encountered dozens, if not hundreds, of tenuous reasons jumped on by motorists to complain about cyclists on internet… and to whip out their phone while driving to grab some evidence.
But this one has to be right up there.
Over on the ‘Spotted Newton Abbot’ Facebook page (which is more popular than you might imagine), one Devon driver couldn’t resist complaining about these two cyclists, who he spotted out on the road at the weekend:
“These guys causing utter chaos on the roads riding side by side, what’s the point!?” the driver fumed.
Hmmm… On closer inspection, that looks like single file to me. Anyway, it didn’t take long for the comments to roll in, especially when it came to dissecting the miffed driver’s definition of “utter chaos”.
“Chaos – a one-car tailback,” laughed James. “They’re not even in your lane! Hurry up and pass! Then the car can overtake them!”
“Looks like real chaos there,” added an equally amused Boo.
“Carnage! Maybe a sight test is in order,” wrote Cheryl, while Pete agreed with the motorist that the tranquil rural scene was just “like the centre of Milan!”
> Why do cyclists ride two abreast?
“This pic doesn’t even look like they are riding beside each other!” noted Patrick. “Would love to see your moaning if they were actually causing chaos.” I wouldn’t, to be fair.
Meanwhile, Claire advised our over-the-top driver to “read the Highway Code”, while Damien pointed out: “Side by side means a faster time to get round them, imagine if it were 10 of them.”
“Causing utter chaos but doing no wrong,” said Steve.
And finally, Neil asked: “Aren’t you and your passenger riding side by side?”
All these motorists, causing utter chaos everywhere they go…
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Latest Comments
@Rendel Harris He was convicted of not seeing the cyclist when he knocked her off her bike, maybe as he didn't have his sun visor down or didn't check his mirrors enough. He was not convicted of doing a u turn or overtake where one was forbidden for example. In terms of his negligence that will be settled in any civil claim, he has also received a driving ban
@chrisonabike It was not assault occasioning serious bodily harm though was it as he had no mens rea and intention to knock her off her bike. As you state he was not drunk and he stopped at the scene. I agree though he should lose his driving instructor registration. Dick did pass on an apology to the cyclist
@Smoggysteve "again. What is NEEDED, in THIS case?" since i offered an answer and you didn't like it and it seems you already have your own answer, over to you.
@chrisonabike again. What is NEEDED, in THIS case? Spaces? Potentially but not a necessity. I wouldn’t envisage a mass or cyclists suddenly appearing overnight ince the ban is lifted. That’s something that can be reviewed as time goes on. That’s what town planning is about. Not just cycling. And I don't care about your other comment. I didn’t even bother to read most of it since it’s not answering the question I asked.
@SVXY Oh good, the defender of drivers who kill and maim is back. Well down to your usual standard of idiocy, "it was not a criminal manoeuvre". Well yes, it was, because it was a manoeuvre that has resulted in him being convicted of a criminal offence, namely causing serious injury by careless driving. Is there any other sphere of society where one can pretty much destroy another person's life through criminal negligence and idiots will say well they didn't really mean to do it so they shouldn't get more than the tiniest slap on the wrist?
@Smoggysteve "not needed" by whom? Certainly not all infra is "necessary" - and the UK often builds stuff of little utility. Indeed little except for paved surfaces would be needed in the absence of motor traffic - we could bin traffic lights, roundabouts etc. However I note there are plenty of "I cycle what's the problem?" folks in countries like the UK... where very few people *do* cycle. I think having "mass cycling" is a good thing and that ultimately infra plays a significant part **. * Some don't think mass cycling is a good idea, or not possible "here". Or "I'd rather it was just me and my mates". ** FWIW I think it takes lots of things - different "philosophy" of public transport and space, motor traffic reduction, good enough public transport etc The simple "people just need to cycle" and the "encourage / police it better" approaches alone just won't do it, alas - which is why they have't.
@Smoggysteve on the specifics: separate marked spaces might be a good idea, depending on the numbers of cyclists.
@SVXY ah yes, it's a good job that someone has appeared again to remind us that the outcome - equivalent to assault occasioning serious bodily harm is not real crime! Or at least shouldn't be taken so seriously. Of course they weren't also "taking the mick" by eg. being drunk. They didn't mean it! It was an accident! They'll never do it again! (The fact they literally added insult to injury afterwards is just down to shock! Perhaps... but interesting what was on their mind, waiting to come out. Mens rea? Plus see lack of remorse before.) This is by someone who not only should have been driving the car with the alertness and care appropriate to operating dangerous machinery in a public space ... but who might be expected to be able to drive at a high standard. Indeed they are also responsible for training others. There appears to be a lack of the customary plea of remorse here also, you'll note.
@chrisonabike A lot of that isnt needed. why is there a need to add in more infrastructure in this case?
@GMBasix indeed - there are conflicts between "good transport design" and both institional motivations (police making it easier for themselves) but also the overall "criminal safety" brief. In a (much) smaller fashion as there's a fundamental conflict between "freedom to get around by driving" (even in accordance with the licence conditions) and public health and safety (including from "real crime"), to say nothing of costs, ability of non-motorists to get around etc. I would hope that much of "how designing for active travel changes crime patterns" could be resolved by reference to "how it works elsewhere" *. But it's another case of "change *does* mean things do not stay exactly as they are now". * eg the "social safety" design features of non-motor infra elsewhere and how police do police those spaces.
57 thoughts on “Fuming driver claims two abreast cyclists “causing utter chaos on the roads”… thanks to one car tailback; Richard Madeley blasts “idiots” without helmets; “Abusing my body for too long”: Veronica Ewers quits racing; Scott to NSN + more on the live blog”
a far greater number of
a far greater number of cyclists neglect to use protective eyewear, which i consider more important.
Absolutely! A passing car
Absolutely! A passing car once flipped a stone at me. The impact dented my alloy front wheel. It would have caused a lot of damage to an unprotected eye.
Also impact with a bluebottle at 15 – 20 mph can be pretty painful.
On a frivolous note. My wife cycles a couple of times a week and does not wear bicycle spectacles. I wonder if I should pen a letter to Richard Madeley. Maybe he will read it out next time he is on the picture wireless.
Mr Blackbird wrote:
more likely to send the TV licensing people to visit, i should think.
I try to remember to have
I try to remember to have clear safety glasses for night rides, but I seldom actually remember.
I have a set glasses with 3
I have a set glasses with 3 sets of interchangeable lenses : clear, yellow and dark. I used to swap over to clear in the autumn.
TBH I have found that the yellow lenses work fine in the dark and are ok for sunlight, so I leave the yellow ones in most of the time.
For my night and gravel rides
For my night and gravel rides I have worn for the past few years a cheap pair of Rockbros photochromatic lenses. Ive just picked up a a slightly more expensive but still cheap pair (photochromatic) from Ekoi that were on a deal and I’ll use them for night rides going forwards but still use the Rockbros pair for gravel. It saves remebering to change lenses.
Like not wearing gloves,
Like not wearing gloves, something I’ve never understood. The only time I don’t wear glasses for cycling is when it’s pissing down. Because glasses are designed to keep glare, insects and dust off your eyes. None of which are present when it’s raining. Also, the rain drops on the lenses obscure my vision.
I still can’t believe that
I still can’t believe that people take showers without wearing a protective helmet!
YOU ONLY HAVE ONE HEAD – PROTECT IT YOU IDIOTS!!!!!!!
I keep my cycling helmets on
I keep my cycling helmets on a high shelf in the garage. There is obviously a risk of a helmet hitting me on the head if I drop it while lifting it down.
I am going to start wearing a hard hat (stored at low level) before going to fetch my cycling helmet.
And after the late, very
And after the late, very unlamented BHIT (Bicycle Helmet Initiative Trust) was formed, the Shower Helmet Initiative Trust appeared.
eburtthebike wrote:
Don’t be daft, how are you going to wash your hair with a shower helmet on? What we really need is for all bathrooms to be made entirely of expanded polystyrene!
Even better – just eliminate
Even better – just eliminate the source of the problem: human heads being dangerously high, and human locomotion posture being statically unstable.
There has been a spate of
There has been a spate of pedestrians injured by motorists recently here in Southampton. Not one of them was wearing high-vis or a helmet.
Seems irresponsible considering how dangerous cars are.
Pedestrians and motorists don
Pedestrians and motorists don’t wear crash helmets – a lot more lives would be saved if they did. About a thousand pedestrians a year are killed falling down stairs in the UK, probably because they were drunk and/or drugged.
kingleo wrote:
That’s a bit harsh, the vast majority (about 80%) of stair fall fatalities in the UK are people who are over 65; infirmity rather than substance abuse is the major culprit.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Excellent point. Compulsory OAP helmets, to be worn at all times other than in bed or firmly say in a comfy chair.
Actually, it’s a good idea, a
Actually, it’s a good idea, a lot of elderly people trip over and hit their heads on the ground, which often kills them ( I’m 83 and wobble when I walk).
And getting out of bed is a
And getting out of bed is a major trigger of heart attacks.
Rendel Harris wrote:
A cohort which includes Mr Madeley. We should not rule out infirmity of mind as well as body.
OK, the substance abuse
OK, the substance abuse people get killed when driving their cars, off cause they never injure their heads – must be true because I’ve never seen it in an advert, they are always made to look 100% safe.
Given head/neck injuries,
Given head/neck injuries, should drivers and passengers wear helmets AND HANS devices…?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HANS_device
I have had a biting insect,
I have had a stinging insect, likely a wasp, fly under my helmet through one of the vents, get trapped there and sting, on two ocassions within two years. The protective netting didn’t prevent it from happening. It’s ok for me as I am not alergic to their venom and usually just get a little local pain and mild swelling, but some people are and can get quite sick from it especially from bee’s or hornet’s venom. Had I not been wearing a helmet, the insect would have just bounced off my head.
whosatthewheel wrote:
I lost my balance and fell off my bike while vigorously shaking my head to dislodge an insect from inside my helmet.
I almost hit a car in my
I almost hit a car in my efforts to rip of my eyewear when I thought I had a wasp on the inside of the lens. Turned out it was on the outside.
I am highly allergic to bee
I am highly allergic to bee and wasp venom. I have had a bee become briefly trapped in the helmet straps and stung me on the way out. I don’t always have a systemic reaction, but possibly because I was stung right on the temple, I very quickly started to lose blood pressure and go into shock. It was pandemic times, the streets were empty, but fortunately was only a 10 minute sprint from the GP. I doubt it would have stung me if it hadn’t become caught.
Anecdata, of all the (driver-caused) collisions I have suffered on the roads in the last 30 years, not once did a helmet make any difference to my injuries. I can see that in some circumstances it might, but these would generally be low speed-type situations. I wear a helmet when riding off road, as I occasionally fall off. I have never fallen off whilst riding on the road, other than gravel driveway unclip fails.
I worry more about the idiots who speed, close pass at speed, and overtake into my lane headlong into my direction of travel. Frankly, on Surrey’s roads, a helmet is not going to make one jot of difference to my chances of survival because of the large number of maniacs in metal boxes. Shout at them Dicky-boy, not those of us who choose to ride without a helmet.
I see Dick is just
I see Dick is just perpetuating the modern myth that whenever anyone falls of a bike they’ll hit their head and die
Wear a helmet or not. it’s your head and not my concern cos it’s not my head, but people need to stop the evangelising and emotional blackmail.
Wear gloves or mitts though. If you go down you’ll put your hand out and ripped palms are no fun whatsoever.
gazza_d wrote:
Which is of course, true. I well remember back in the 70s, the piles of dead cyclists at the side of the road. Local councils had special “dead cyclist truck” with a remote control shovel to pick them up before taking them to the graveyard.
Yeah, I’ve never understood
Yeah, I’ve never understood the “not wearing gloves” thing. They improve your grip on the bars and you don’t even notice you’re wearing them (unlike a helmet). The guys on GCN seem to make a point of not wearing gloves. When I got hit by a driver on a pedestrian crossing, my gloves were the most important bit of clothing I was wearing (my head didn’t even hit the ground).
Richard Madeley wrote:
This sounds like the start of old-school advice in response to an invitation to a meeting from HR!
Nicely worked in spurious
Nicely worked in spurious reference to ‘jaywalkers’, there.
Meanwhile…
Seems like Madeley would do better to get worked up about the decline of the postal service, considering he appears to be receiving letters posted in the 1920s.
“Anyway, I wonder what Judy
“Anyway, I wonder what Judy thinks about helmets?”
Favourably, one assumes, given she married one.
Re the cyclists riding two
Re the cyclists riding two abreast.
I believe that central Milan has some rural nature reserves with hedgerows and restricted car access.
So maybe the driver’s comment is valid.
It would probably come as a
It would probably come as a surprise to Professional Loudmouth Richard Madeley that more lives would be saved each year by drivers wearing crash helmets.
Perhaps the next time he’s driving in traffic without a helmet a helpful passing cyclist could point out his stupidity to him.
Given head/neck injuries,
Given head/neck injuries, should drivers and passengers wear helmets AND HANS devices…?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HANS_device
Nomex fire resistant outfits
Nomex fire resistant outfits too, I mean if it saves just one life…
Someone should suggest to
Someone should suggest to Dick Madeley that the cyclists he sees without a helmet perhaps just had a “freak memory lapse” and forgot to put it on. The same reason he cited for leaving a shop without paying for the champagne in his basket.
Should drivers and passengers
Good point.
It sounds like Veronica Ewers
It sounds like Veronica Ewers’ team should take a serious look at the support they’re giving their athletes. Whilst she is obviously responsible for her own health, so are her team.
A reminder to Ryan that OUP’s
A reminder to Ryan that OUP’s phrase of the year is ‘rage bait’, and it’s not supposed to be a journalistic goal or a compliment.
Well done Swindon, hope they follow through and build stuff.
*’Carspreading’ is on the
*‘Carspreading’ is on the rise – and not everyone is happy about it*
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7vdvl2531o
More on that over on the
More on that over on the “drivers and their problems” thread including a coincidental counterpoint on keeping the larger vehicles out of European urban areas.
(Of course, that’s over there not here. And for the UK parties which want to import US attitudes and policies – or the other ones which just don’t want to arouse the wrath of Big Donald – that’s a likely a non-starter. Enjoy what’s left of your footways, people – when you get out of the car.)
mitsky wrote:
Is it that cars are getting bigger, or is it an optical illusion caused by (wagon) wheels getting smaller? ?
“Children hurt as school bus
“Children hurt as school bus roof ripped off by bridge”
Another classic of the genre… The apparently autonomous bus was brutally attacked by the bridge, injuring several children (thankfully none seriously).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp34nyenqpko
The Beeb needs to make it’s
The Beeb needs to make it’s mind up.
Did the bridge do it or the bus?
“… the roof of a school double-decker bus was ripped off when it hit a low bridge.”
Would be better if it was
Would be better if it was along the lines of “(Dangerous?) Bus driver ploughs bus into low bridge injuring children and severely damaging the bus.” He probably damaged the bridge as well. It even says “LOW BRIDGE” in big yellow letters on the bridge. What a numpty. He must have been going at some speed. No mention of any charges against the driver but it is Lancashire Police so unlikely anyway. But cyclists…
PS: children likely injured because they weren’t wearing hi-viz and helmets so driver not liable.
Whilst we shouldn’t apportion
Whilst we shouldn’t apportion blame directly on the driver right now as the investigation is clearly in its early stages…
1) It is highly unlikely that the bus driver did it intentionally so language such as “Bus driver ploughs into low bridge…” could hint at direct intention and untill the investigation shows it we should avoid that implication.
2) It would make sense that unless the brakes failed, or some other mechanical failure led to the driver somehow losing control and not being able to prevent the collision with the bridge …
I would guess that it was careless driving on the driver’s part.
(New route/diversion and not reading/seeing the height restriction sign.)
So maybe something like “Bus driver collides with bridge, cause unknown as yet.”
At the end of the day, if a cyclist hits a piece of road infrastructure, the headline would be “Cyclist hits (x)”
It would never be “Bike hits (x)”.
From the pictures it looks as
From the pictures it looks as though the driver kept going for some distance after the initial strike, the sound of impact, ripping metal and what I’m presuming must of been the screams of children should have given them a clue…
AidanR wrote:
Ban bridges now! You know it makes sense. If they can do all that damage to a bus, think what they’d do to a cyclist.
eburtthebike wrote:
Bridges should pay road tax, wear hi-viz and helmets, and not ride two abreast.
The only interesting thing
The only interesting thing about Richard Madeley, is why do so many utterly misinformed people get paid so much to spout drivel? I’m immediately thinking of Boris and Nigel, who probably earn more than Richard: but I suppose their drivel is just that so much more drivelous.
Is there a scale for the Dunning-Kruger effect? If it went from one to ten, he’d be eleven.
Ryan wrote:
?
Quote:
There is a bit of a difference between a road specially created for cycling up an existing hill, and creating an entire hill specially for cycling over, though.
Assuming she’s a real person,
Assuming she’s a real person, G from SW15 should buy her hubby a turbo trainer to keep him at home, cycling aimlessly and helmetlessly. Conversely, this married man may cycle to escape from his domestic demon. Or worse, may want to die, hence the lack of helmet.
MaxiMinimalist wrote:
It’s two: escaping the demon.
It is utterly stupid to be
It is utterly stupid to be Richard Madeley, until you realise that Richard is in fact a helmet, and he only is only out for the interests of big helmet.
Barraob1 wrote:
He has form for opening his mouth when he shouldn’t https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/richard-madeley-good-morning-britain-gmb-shoplifting-b2502457.html
At this point, Madeley is
At this point, Madeley is even more Partridge than Partridge himself. I don’t think Steve Coogan envisaged this.