Jumbo-Visma sprinter crashes into ravine; Simon Cowell vows to wear a helmet after second fall; Must. Not. Wait. For. Bike; Highway Code sensibleness; ECHELONS; Are you a lentil-munching barista?; Team Qhubeka continues; FOI data + more on the live blog

Spot on. "spent elsewhere on highways." = No money for cycling -> because no-one cycles -> because there's insufficent safe space -> because it's taken up by "highways" infra -> because we added extra roads and lanes -> because the old ones were crowded with motor vehicles -> because no-one cycles.

Therefore we must spend this money on motor infra for motorists.

This is the letter we sent to The News in Portsmouth:

If there’s a row over Hampshire’s £10m cycling improvement budget (The News, 3-Feb), it’s over how out of touch Havant’s Councillor Gary Hughes is.  

If he thinks cycling is only 1% around Purbrook and Stakes South, it’s because for years, all the road investment has been for cars - we spend billions on spaces “for cars” every year.

It’s way, way up wherever we’ve invested in safe, easy and pleasant cycle paths.  And that cuts road traffic, parking and congestion for everyone else:  If kids and adults can cycle safely to school, work , shops or the park instead of being driven, they’ll all be healthier, happier, and it would reduce traffic congestion for those who need to drive (rather than those who are forced to drive because no safe, viable alternative has been provided) 

According to YouGov, 77% of Brits support local measures to encourage cycling and walking.  51% say they would then cycle more.  What if 51% of local journeys were by bike?  Less traffic, less air pollution, less noise and healthier neighbourhoods.

Which is a better investment - one roundabout that shaves a few seconds off a journey (only for 2 years or so), but encourages more vehicular traffic, or a few miles of high quality cycle path network, enabling that alternative?  Cycle paths cost peanuts in comparison, and last longer.

At least it reminds us that it’s mostly local councils that pay for local roads of Council tax, not Vehicle Excise Duty (or ‘road tax’) which goes straight to the government: people who cycle and leave their car at home (or don’t own a car at all) pay MORE than their share.  

Shame the accompanying photo showed a lone sports cyclist on the road - next time can we see lots of smiling kids and parents, in normal clothes, cycling independently to school and to the shops, in their own safe space, instead of being delivered by Chelsea tractor?

That one looks very familiar - unless it is the junction that is familiar.

brooksby wrote:

Quote:

Must. Not. Wait. For. Person. On. Bike...

You know, I was sure that they had updated the Highway Code so as to provide guidance on how to deal with a situation/incident like that... 

Maybe we need a literacy test for drivers; if they can't read the HC, how can they follow it?

"Because wearing a helmet reduces your chance of having an accident by 80%."

Advice from BHIT. The same wording formed the official advice from UK Gov until 2010 when there was a consultation into the effectivness of helmets and if they should be mandatory. The result was a change in the wording of the advice that was hidden in a leaflet that was released just after the election without any press release.

I'm fairly familiar with the BS of BHIT, but I haven't heard that particularly noxious statement before; have you got a reference for it?

So not only will it protect your head. It actually subliminally communicates to motorists to not drive through you. That's amazing. 

I appreciate the evidence is disputed, but if anything doesn't the evidence show that wearing a helmet increases your chance of having an accident?

Most of the folk I know who have unfortunately been hit. All have been wearing a helmet. So there is some substance to your point. 

Pyro Tim wrote:

I like a dhansak, even a dahl. Sometimes even lentils in a veg stew. However, I'm no veggie, let alone vegan. I do drink coffee, but don't know how to use those machines, so not a barista. I'm also not a green, and not completely anti car. I'm more anti dickhead, and if that means making safe spaces to keep away from them, then all the better

I agree with you on the anti-car position.  I think the vast majority of people who post on here are not anti-car just against idiots who will risk our lives to save a few seconds.  

There is one - can you guess? - who is on record as stating that the motorcar is "humanity's greatest achievement." Mind you they have also stated that Donald Trump is "the greatest President in the history of the world" so they may be a dick or desperate troll or both...

IanMSpencer wrote:

Next time you get a "but cyclists" give them a link to this video... https://youtu.be/qDQEkByp9OM UK dodgy motorists. It's a quick fire collection of UK driving - the sort you see on a daily basis. Remember that this is only a small selection of incidents as most drivers don't have cameras. Having been addicted to Russian car crash videos in the past, I hadn't realised that the British had upped their game to compete (though there aren't quite as many driving straight into oncoming lorry on snowy road incidents). If cyclists rode like drivers drive, Mr Loophole might have more of a point.

Only got through half of that compilation before I'd heard enough 'F...ing Hells' to last me a while.  Seemed to be shot by the same man saying the same magic phrase every time.  A lot of the shots were the fault of the motorist with the camera travelling too fast, failing to read the road ahead and making a situation out of an otherwise normal road manoeuvre.  

Bit harsh. I'd say it's more a case of Briton Lacks Talent.

HoarseMann wrote:

Bit harsh. I'd say it's more a case of Briton Lacks Talent.

Ah, but he is a bit of a nutter

Acorn arrabiata?  Chestnut cannelloni?

chrisonatrike wrote:

Acorn arrabiata?  Chestnut cannelloni?

https://www.realtree.com/timber-2-table-wild-game-recipes/squirrel-and-mushrooms-in-cream-sauce

• 2 large or 3 small squirrels, pressure cooked according to your cooker’s instructions, with meat picked from the bone and shredded into small pieces
• 6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced, I used chanterelles
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pint of heavy cream
• ½ cup sour cream, divided
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil, diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh Italian flat leafed parsley, diced

hawkinspeter wrote:

• 2 large or 3 small squirrels, pressure cooked according to your cooker’s instructions

Do most pressure cookers come with instructions for cooking squirrel?

mdavidford wrote:

Do most pressure cookers come with instructions for cooking squirrel?

I was going to write some brief instructions, but I started off with arranging the squirrels in height from tallest to shortest. Then I realised I was just critter sizing.

hawkinspeter wrote:

mdavidford wrote:

Do most pressure cookers come with instructions for cooking squirrel?

I was going to write some brief instructions, but I started off with arranging the squirrels in height from tallest to shortest. Then I realised I was just critter sizing.

I always hope people will avoid bad squirrel jokes, but drey never do. 

stomec wrote:

I always hope people will avoid bad squirrel jokes, but drey never do. 

Nowadays, everybody wanna talk
Like they got something to say
But nothing comes out when they move their lips
Just a bunch of gibberish

hawkinspeter wrote:

mdavidford wrote:

Do most pressure cookers come with instructions for cooking squirrel?

I was going to write some brief instructions, but I started off with arranging the squirrels in height from tallest to shortest. Then I realised I was just critter sizing.

Personally, I woodchuck them in any old how.

hawkinspeter wrote:

.....

https://www.realtree.com/timber-2-table-wild-game-recipes/squirrel-and-mushrooms-in-cream-sauce

• 2 large or 3 small squirrels, pressure cooked according to your cooker’s instructions, with meat picked from the bone and shredded into small pieces
• ......

hawkinspeter wrote:

Pffffffft! Lentils?

Some of us are more interested in low carbon cuisine: https://www.utilitycentre.co.uk/forget-lentils-low-carbon-cuisine-is-all-about-squirrel-lasagne/

I had no idea squirrels were canabalistic.