“Look, we’re famous”: Tadej Pogačar’s rock, paper, scissors moment goes viral – and the internet misses the point; Motorists blast cyclist on Twitter… for praising lorry driver; ULEZ debate rumbles on; Pidcock’s “step forward” + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
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‘The Community that Cares’… Not about pavement parking, obviously
Presented without comment. pic.twitter.com/sB0uorur8H
— Dave McCraw (@david_mccraw) January 30, 2023
Tom Pidcock: “I wasn’t looking forward to the ‘cross season mentally… But this winter I really enjoyed it”
World cyclocross champion Tom Pidcock may not be defending his rainbow jersey this weekend in Hoogerheide, but the Ineos Grenadiers rider believes he “took a step forward” on the muddy fields of Belgium and the Netherlands this winter, firmly cementing himself within the sport’s so-called ‘Big Three’, alongside worlds favourites Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.
Pidcock, who has now turned his attention to the upcoming classics season on the road, enjoyed an impressive cyclocross season, taking two wins in the rainbow jersey at Kortrijk and Boom while also – perhaps even more importantly – going toe to toe with the dominant Van Aert and Van der Poel during a compelling and often exhilarating Christmas campaign.
However, the 23-year-old Yorkshireman also admitted to Het Nieuwsblad yesterday that, despite his victory at last year’s world championships victory in Fayetteville last year, he had fallen out of love with cyclocross in recent years and entered this winter “not looking forward” to the season ahead.
A muddy Pidcock at the Dublin round of the UCI World Cup (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
“My coach Kurt Bogaerts and I had already decided that [I wouldn’t be riding the worlds] before we entered the winter,” he told the Belgian paper. “Also, because this year’s world championships only falls on February 5 and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad [the traditional curtain raiser of the spring classics season] follows twenty days later. I was sad initially because I wasn’t riding. We waited a very long time to announce the decision. Just in case I changed my mind.”
“Honestly, in recent years I loved cyclocross less and less. Especially last winter I didn’t enjoy it as much as usual. As a result, I was not really looking forward to this cross season mentally.
“But I understood that a number of races would serve me well in preparation for the road season. And see – this winter I really enjoyed it. I took a step forward. I won a few ‘crosses and was able to compete against Mathieu and Wout in almost every cyclocross race.
“Last year they already talked about the ‘Big Three’, but in reality it was different: you had the ‘Big Two’ and Pidcock. Now I am mentioned in the same breath. And in the rainbow jersey. I will take this positive evolution with me to next winter, which I am already looking forward to. I try to take another step and beat them once in a while.”
Pidcock on the way to second at the Diegem SuperPrestige (Cor Vos/SWpix)
When asked if there was a moment during the ‘cross season that he fancied his chances of defending his rainbow jersey, Pidcock replied: “Yes. After the evening cross in Diegem [where he finished second to Van Aert but ahead of Van der Poel]. A nice course. I was really happy, even though I lost to Wout van Aert.
“I knew where I had made the mistake. With a little more experience I could have won Diegem. Loenhout wasn’t bad either. Last year was different. I was sick too much. Maybe due to Covid. My immune system was also a bit less.”
With the British rider establishing himself in cyclocross’ elite stratosphere this winter, many retired pros, such as former world champion Lars Boom, have questioned Pidcock’s decision to give the worlds a miss.
“Of course I understand why they say that, but it’s my decision whether or not I race” he said. “I’ve never thought in terms of ‘I have to defend the rainbow jersey’. I started cyclocross with the big dream of becoming world champion with the big boys one day. And I won that title in America.
“Suppose I do start in 2024, then I will try to take a shot at gold. You don’t defend a title. In my mind you are trying to win a title. Fayetteville was not my last worlds. I can say that with great certainty.”
Pidcock at the 2022 Gent-Wevelgem (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
So, before Pidcock turns his full attention to the road, where he hopes to hit the ground running at the Volta ao Algarve in two weeks before testing his cobbles legs at Omloop, who does he reckon has the legs to inherit his rainbow jersey this weekend?
“Wout,” he says, unequivocally. “The Big Racer. Wout is the best in terms of pure power, but in the end such a title is decided after one hour of ‘cross. It is not just about strength, but also about the tactics if you want to be world champion.”
‘Dystopian nightmare’ or just children riding bikes?
Dystopian nightmare. https://t.co/oV46pPwG0I
— DAVID LAWES (@DAVID_LAWES) January 29, 2023
Needless to say, David’s rather unique Orwellian take received a warm reception from other Twitter users:
Kids cycling bikes. Yeah, Mad Max.
— such things as dreams are made of (@diminutivefox) January 31, 2023
Kids burning calories, getting a dose of fresh air, learning to problem solve in the real world, whilst not adding to pollution as they travel is not dystopian.
— Miss Melly (@MelAndTheWhale) January 31, 2023
— Craig (@CraigTheTrain) January 31, 2023
They’re children riding bikes, David
— Dave, everybody is dead, everybody is dead, Dave (@DaveTTWD) January 31, 2023
Sadiq Khan is “treating Londoners with complete and utter contempt” over ULEZ expansion, says London Assembly member
London mayor Sadiq Khan has been accused of treating the city’s residents “with complete and utter contempt” over his attempt to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
The ULEZ – inside which motorists will be charged £12.50 day for driving non-compliant, high-polluting cars – will be extended to outer London from 29 August, a decision described by Khan as “not easy but necessary to reduce the capital’s toxic air pollution”.
The Labour mayor is also launching a £110m scrappage scheme, which aims to provide low-income Londoners with grants of up to £2,000 to replace their high-polluting vehicles.
> Sadiq Khan encourages Londoners to give up cars
A recent report by the BBC, however, claims that Khan is facing “growing pressure” from local authorities to reconsider the expansion.
According to the report, eleven of the 19 outer London councils have expressed their apprehension – over issues such as the seven-month timescale of implementation, the scrappage scheme, and poor public transport links – with some even considering legal action.
Conservative-controlled councils Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Harrow, and Hillingdon have released a joint statement on the expansion, saying they would “do everything in our power to stop it from going ahead”.
On the ever-balanced Mike Graham’s TalkTV show today, Conservative London Assembly member Keith Prince said Khan was “insulting” anti-ULEZ activists by likening them to opponents of the smoking ban, and that he was “treating Londoners with complete and utter contempt”.
Keith Prince from the Transport Committee says Sadiq Khan is “treating Londoners with complete and utter contempt”, as the Mayor has likened ULEZ opponents to smoking ban critics. pic.twitter.com/L1puhPOyA9
— TalkTV (@TalkTV) January 31, 2023
However, speaking to the BBC today, Khan argued that the opposition to the scheme was simply a political strategy by Tory councils who he says are “in the pocket of vested interests”.
The BBC was also told that the councils keen to instigate a judicial review accept that it would be unlikely to succeed, but that it would nevertheless act as a “delay tactic” to “tangle the mayor up in court and push a decision on the matter closer to the 2024 London mayoral election”.
While the extremely vocal opposition to the scheme has become a TalkTV staple, the extent to which it represents the average Londoner has been questioned by some on social media:
Great to have it confirmed that ULEZ opposition comes from a tiny handful of cranks. We can safely move on. https://t.co/VavIH437j7
— The Green Tyranny Party 🥳 (@ukgaragefan) January 29, 2023
Anti-ULEZ protestors having a totally normal one 🙄 200ish people max, spectacularly undiverse, mixed in with other random conspiracy theory-type messages. Lots of bemused looks from people just getting on with their Saturday – mostly on foot or public transport! pic.twitter.com/uef58JKdwE
— Charlotte Baker (@charlie_baker23) January 28, 2023
I see more people queuing up at my local bus stop every morning.
— Tim the Planner (@TimThePlanner) January 31, 2023
Fascinating that these two at the ULEZ demo have multi-use placards.
STOP [Insert latest London Tory campaign] MADNESS.
Reuse is good for the planet 🌎 though so mustn’t grumble. pic.twitter.com/Hi39fxBtqz
— Ian Barnes 🇺🇦 (@Ianbarnes2001) January 29, 2023
Olympic road race champion Anna Kiesenhofer joins Israel-Premier Tech-Roland
In arguably the second-worst kept cycling transfer secret of the winter (looking at you, Cav), Olympic road race champion Anna Kiesenhofer has been unveiled as Israel-Premier Tech Roland’s latest signing for 2023.
The 31-year-old Austrian, who, following the completion of her PhD, spent a brief spell at Lotto-Soudal in 2017 before pursuing a career in mathematics, earned an improbable gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games against the leading pros, attacking early and building an unbridgeable gap to hold off Annemiek van Vleuten.
After continuing to race without a pro team in the wake of her Olympic success, Kiesenhofer joined the Soltec squad late last year for the Challenge by La Vuelta.
She was then set to join the proposed B&B Hotels women’s team for 2023, but found herself without a contract after the French squad collapsed in controversial and acrimonious circumstances just before Christmas.
🚨 Welcome, @AnnaKiesenhofer!
We are delighted to welcome reigning Olympic road race champ Anna Kiesenhofer to IPTR!
Read more about Anna’s signing and our two teams 👉 https://t.co/3KPhXf4Psi pic.twitter.com/cmdClRJeao
— Israel – Premier Tech Roland (@TeamIPTRoland) January 31, 2023
While a move to Israel-Premier Tech Roland has been in the offing for weeks, Kiesenhofer was finally unveiled in the team’s colours this morning.
“I am very happy to join Israel-Premier Tech Roland,” she said in a statement. “The environment and equipment are ideal for me to perform at my best in some of the most important races of the WWT calendar. In particular, I want to target the Tour de France and other hard stage races.
“I’m excited about this new challenge. It won’t be easy, but I think we have a great team and will deliver some surprises this year.”
Bargain Buys of the Year | 2023 Awards
Everyone loves a bargain! Find out which of the hundreds of bikes, components, accessories and clothes we’ve reviewed over the past year offer the biggest bang for your buck https://t.co/iyyn1Cy1uM #cycling pic.twitter.com/pXwFoMbxDv
— road.cc (@roadcc) January 31, 2023
Waves of Fear: Where do you stand on the whole waving debate?
Forget road safety, doping, helmets… the one discussion point guaranteed to provoke an animated argument between cyclists concerns the simple act of waving.
Our resident controversialist Jo’s latest opinion piece, on the inherent contentiousness that revolves around how cyclists greet each other on the roads, had us all reaching for the popcorn and the comments section.
(For the record, and I believe I’ve mentioned this on the live blog previously, I’m the kind of enthusiastic children’s TV presenter-style waver much derided by Jo in his article. My brother, on the other hand, is more ‘an almost imperceptible nod of the head’ guy. We’ve agreed to disagree on the subject.)
Surprisingly, perhaps miraculously, the comments section under Jo’s piece didn’t descend into fisticuffs – though it did bring up a varied and interesting range of viewpoints.
Here are some of the best comments:
Hawkinspeter: “I’d rather be the asshole waving and being ignored than the asshole doing the ignoring.”
Adamrice: “I generally wave when I see a fellow cyclist on the road, unless I’m in a death grip on a descent. When someone does not return a wave, I don’t get the tiniest fraction as worked up as Jo seems to imagine. I do judge them though.”
Freddy56: “A nod is plenty, any acknowledgement that they are part of your tribe. To ignore another cyclist is just being a dick.”
IanMSpencer: “It depends. I would always acknowledge another rider unless Stuff Was Going On. I am more likely to be more effusive to pottering couples, off-roaders and obviously casual cyclists than heads down, teeth gritted TTers.
“I save conversation for the poor female partners who have been lumbered with a 20kg Halfords hybrid struggling away while sonny boy is scooting up the hill at great speed on his brand new Colnago with Super Record pretending not to be pissed off that the other half is neither keeping up nor enjoying the easy ride out. E-bikers are always worth a friendly heckle.”
Which one are you?
Calc: “I wave at drivers who show courtesy to me. If they’re at a side street and don’t shoot out nearly killing me, then they get a wave. Or just obeying the law when they could save 1/2 second by killing me. That gets a wave.
“I’ve seen other cyclists in my area doing it too. This is worthwhile waving because it rewards good driving and may save lives and change attitudes. You wouldn’t squash a cockroach if he always waved and said hello to you.”
Andystow: “I don’t always wave, but in really terrible weather I’ll wave at any other cyclist, or even pedestrian, who’s out braving it. I’ve also made people laugh out loud by saying ‘wow, I thought I was the only idiot’ as I passed them.”
JustTryingToGetFromAtoB: “Nod and/or smile. Though if I’m struggling up a hill don’t expect more than a grimace. When I’m coming down said hills and I see someone doing sterling work the other way, they have in certain instances received a salute. Though clearly no reciprocal response is expected.”
HoarseMann: “I think this is simply a countryside/urban thing with a bit of northerner/southerner on top. Far more likely to say hello to a random stranger up north, especially if you’re out in the sticks. I don’t think it’s something that’s particular to cycling.”
Although Flintshire Boy might have summed up most of our feelings by the end of Jo’s manifesto: “Bladdy hell. That’s a long (very long) article about a little thing.”
A little thing that can still spark a lot of discussion, of course…
Oh, the irony…
The irony of a “Cyclists take care” sticker, whilst being parked in the cycle lane.@AmazonUK pic.twitter.com/FWqfzmwAue
— abperson – @abperson_cycle@toot.bike (@abperson_cycle) January 31, 2023
Edinburgh bus passengers play ‘spot the problem’ with infamous Leith Walk zig-zag cycle lane
It’s been over a month since we last heard from Edinburgh’s notorious Leith Walk cycle lane, so we thought we’d better take a trip up north to check in on its novelty zig-zagness – and it’s going just as well as you’d expect…
In December, we reported that an Edinburgh pensioner warned that the crooked, Pac-Man-style bike lane is a “disaster waiting to happen” after he suffered a suspected broken rib and other minor injuries after hitting a shallow kerb.
The city’s council responded to 69-year-old’s John’s complaint by noting that the lane is currently closed, with barriers and signage in place notifying the public, and will not be complete until early this year – though the pensioner reckons that it won’t be any safer when it’s officially open.
> “Moronic” much-ridiculed zig-zag cycle lane now blamed as cyclist injured by shallow kerb crash
And earlier this month, Edinburgh local Lauren tweeted a photo of several people queuing across the cycle lane as they waited for a bus, with the caption: “Spot the problem with this section of Leith Walk cycle path”.
Spot the problem with this section of Leith Walk cycle path pic.twitter.com/nhqP04qR3b
— Lauren (@NeepsnTatties) January 19, 2023
“A dedicated cycle path is a positive development as many people, including me, aren’t confident cycling in traffic,” Lauren told EdinburghLive.
“Unfortunately, the Leith Walk cycle lane design reduces pedestrian space and puts cyclists and pedestrians into conflict. It’s common to see people walking in the bike lane without realising.”
Edinburgh City Council’s transport and environment convenor Scott Arthur says he recognises the “genuine concerns” of residents concerning the much-criticised layout, and will monitor the situation when the lane is fully open.
> Edinburgh Council to make changes to bizarre zig-zag cycle lane after social media backlash
“The current layout on Leith Walk complies with the Edinburgh Street Design Guidance (ESDG), which recognises that flexibility is required to accommodate a variety of modes in the design of existing streets,” Arthur said.
“The Council’s project team worked hard to engage closely with the public from the project’s inception, and the design was developed in close consultation with the community and stakeholders during 2018 to allow residents, businesses, pedestrians, and cyclists to co-exist with buses and trams.
“The cycle lane is currently closed, with diversions in place. However, I do acknowledge that there are genuine concerns regarding this scheme and I will ensure it is closely monitored once it is fully open to the public.”
Shades of Kittel as Jonathan Milan thunders to Saudi Tour stage win
He may have the name of an Italian American stereotype in a lazy cartoon series (‘Yeo, it’s Jonny Milan!’), but Olympic team pursuit gold medallist Jonathan Milan is certainly going places – and fast.
The 22-year-old Bahrain-Victorious sprinter launched early before managing to hold off the in-form Dylan Groenewegen to take just the third victory of his fledgling pro career on a windswept second stage of the Saudi Tour at Shalal Sijlyat Rocks.
It was so close on the line, but race leader, Groenewegen was beaten into second place by Jonathan Milan on stage 2 of the #SaudiTour
Watch the race replay over on GCN+ 👉 https://t.co/8FSJcLL3Gx pic.twitter.com/K8cbewbNk7
— GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) January 31, 2023
“I finished last year with two victories in the CRO Race,” the Italian said after the stage. “My goal was to start the new season with victories here, not just for me but for the team.
“Yesterday we tried with Dušan [Rajović] and he finished second with nice teamwork. I had some problems in the last kilometre with my cassette and I couldn’t help my teammate in the final. Today they helped me and I’m super happy with this result. All the team supported me and I’m super happy and super thankful.
“It was super hard. The first 80km the wind was coming from the back, then we had crosswind, headwind and again crosswind in the final here.”
Watch out, the established sprint hierarchy, there’s a new powerhouse in town…
Not Near Miss of the Day II: The Comments
Most HGV drivers I encounter on the bike are brilliant… this guy was holding back and giving us space rather than charging up behind us to dive down the slip road. Little things like this make a big difference #Cycling pic.twitter.com/PXzyWfBR4e
— PassPixi (@PassPixi) January 29, 2023
This ‘not near miss of the day’, posted on Twitter in praise of patient HGV drivers and featured on yesterday’s blog, seems to have coaxed – for whatever reason – the usual anti-cycling suspects on Twitter out of the woodwork:
So I Tweeted praise for an HGV yesterday and here’s a few of the replies… pic.twitter.com/Zh7Ok6IHcm
— PassPixi (@PassPixi) January 30, 2023
Some of the replies are truly baffling (now I know what the non-cycling fans watching the Pog and Majka video felt like).
“One day cyclists will have training like the HGV driver to use the roads,” wrote Peter B.
“Bullsh*t video,” says Chris. “You haven’t got a clue what the driver was doing and created a false proposition.”
“The fact you are in the middle of the road might have something to do with it,” suggested Mark.
And my personal favourite: “Classic case of the tail wagging the dog! We want, we demand, you will comply attitude from the minority. How many HGVs are there on the road v cycling lobbyists? Yet they still want their avocados, quinoa, out of season strawberries, bananas, oranges, delusional…”
Astounding.
It’s almost as if they want to start a row
— PassPixi (@PassPixi) January 30, 2023
So your, ‘I think most HGV drivers are brilliant when it comes to cyclists & here is a great example of what I mean too’ has solicited these replies… this tells you everything you need to know about them, their driving & entitlement prejudice!
— Jonathan Stone (@JonnyStone) January 30, 2023
Dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t
— MWE (@MarkW_E) January 30, 2023
Indeed.
Netflix reveals story arc of upcoming Tour de France series (not really)
Two cyclists leading the Tour de France decided to choose the winner with rock, paper, scissors https://t.co/3f4lgKFYuX pic.twitter.com/T48lqSnyCe
— Patrick Broe (@LanterneRougeYT) January 31, 2023
Do we trust the Netflix show producers not to run with this as a narrative?
— Patrick Broe (@LanterneRougeYT) January 31, 2023
At this stage, and after all the belated publicity generated by the Tour of Slovenia (of all races) this week, who really knows?
“Look, we’re famous”: Tadej Pogačar’s rock, scissors, paper moment goes viral – and the internet misses the point
It’s finally happened, folks – pro cycling has gone mainstream (and no, I’m not talking – again – about the upcoming Netflixification of the Tour de France).
Though it’s fair to say that not many of us cycling evangelicals would have suspected that the world would be awakened to the wonders, quirks, and complexities of road racing courtesy of a viral video…
The catchily-titled ‘Two cyclists leading the Tour of Slovenia decided to choose the winner with rock, paper, scissors’ – a clip of UAE Team Emirates buddies Tadej Pogačar and Rafał Majka sharing the spoils in typical Pog fashion after a dominant week at the pre-Tour warm up race last June – has been doing the rounds on social media the last few days, popping up on pages such as Historic Vids, The Archbishop of Banterbury, and so on.
And, hilariously, it’s been leaving a trail of confusion and anger in its wake, as Twitter and Instagram users were left baffled by the intricacies and conventions of cycling’s internal team politics.
Here are a few of my favourite responses – though I think it will be hard to top ‘This is everything that is wrong with the world today’…
Western society has become a woke joke
— Mr. America (@ConservativesSo) January 30, 2023
While cycling fans around the world rushed to their keyboards, armed with their ‘Rules of the Peloton’ handbooks, others debated whether the confused response to one of the lighter racing moments of 2022 underlines the potential difficulties inherent in exposing the sport to casual viewers via a massive online streaming platform:
Having been and read some of the comments.. ok most of the comments I’m not sure the world is ready for our sport.
Feeling protective like a mama bear… https://t.co/8AotJDS9bR
— Anna Mac 🌈 (@AnnamacB) January 30, 2023
I know we shouldn’t gatekeep, but these people don’t deserve our beautiful sport
— Thomas Harvey (@_ThomasHarvey_) January 30, 2023
It’s the stuff like this that makes for grim/funny reading – Poland and Slovenia being famously not the same
Probably also shows there’s a reasonably high bar for understanding cycling as a sport that isn’t apparent for those of us firmly in the bubble pic.twitter.com/AbezGU7XLn
— Mathew Mitchell (@MatMitchell30) January 31, 2023
But why, when the hilarity that ensues by people being absolutely clueless is this immense?
🤣
I really can’t get mad at people being mad at this, just find the level of dumb outrage super entertaining and of very little consequence.— Stine Momo (Momo Lamarr / DJ Momo 🌙🌱❤️🔥) (@stinemomo) January 31, 2023
But what about one of the stars of the viral video sensation of late January 2023? Well, he’s just happy to finally be “famous”:
@majkaformal look we are famous 😂
— Tadej Pogačar (@TamauPogi) January 30, 2023
Never change Pog- sorry, I mean ‘random cyclist’…
31 January 2023, 09:33
31 January 2023, 09:33
31 January 2023, 09:33
31 January 2023, 09:33
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Latest Comments
I'll counter that by saying the Bryton 750se I have drives me nuts at times. Inconsistantly picks up on routes created on Komoot and the app re-syncs every few seconds when trying to set up the device and sends me back to the home screen. The most infuriating one is that I turned live track on. Once. It now won't turn off and repeatedly flags up the live track is starting, and then disconnecting every few seconds whilst riding. I haven't timed it but it wouldn't suprise me if 10-20% of the time the the screen is covered with an error message. That's been about 6 weeks now. Other than that it's great :/
RE: Police launch road safety operation... by clamping down on cyclists using footbridge Meanwhile in Glasgow, Police Scotland are riding their motorbikes over the pedestrian and cyclists only bridge. https://x.com/FietserGlasgow/status/2065106152917012523?s=20
@Paul J Van Schip certainly seems a bit of a dick, but he's a European and multiple World Champion on the track, pretty sure you don't get there without having some talent in your legs.
Poor Vincent cannot get over the simple fact that given the choice people prefer dedicated cycling spaces, rather than pretending to be cars like vehicular cyclists.
What is the point of the fancy air sensor if it can't account for changing weather conditions?? If all you care about is a delayed approximation of aerodynamic watts in steady conditions, you don't need any special sensors for that. Just your speed on a decently flat course is enough to approximate rolling resistance and drivetrain losses. And the rest must be aero. If you assume a less aero body position at the same watts, your speed will drop while rolling resistance also drops, which means approximated aero watts goes up. And that's enough to demonstrate what you've shown in your testing protocol ("I sat upright and the number went up a little while later").
Your correction is accurate - it's almost always been "the (lack of) thought that (doesn't) count". "Massive" - less than a billion a year spent on active travel (trying to catch up / building a network across the entire country) Not massive - 6 billion every year (2026-2030) spent on road *maintenance* of existing "already built, goes everywhere, very convenient" road network for inactive travel Ultimately the reason "cycle infra" is *needed* is those unbelievably colossal amounts spent every year (and for more than a century now) on making mass motoring not just viable but apparently the "best choice" for most journeys. As the Dutch and others have shown, the majority of people *are* prepared to cycle and even mix with very light, slow local motor traffic *if* cycling is also made safe and convenient for the whole of their journey (including secure parking at both ends). (The history of the financial drivers of the current situation are a complex topic but note that while people complain about "crumbling roads" and underfunded motor infra - with some reason - by us continuing the fuel duty escalator freeze (for example) we're actually helping motorists pay *even less* for that activity / subsidising more of the cost of driving than ever.)
yes, but people will still object - which was my point.
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
17 thoughts on ““Look, we’re famous”: Tadej Pogačar’s rock, paper, scissors moment goes viral – and the internet misses the point; Motorists blast cyclist on Twitter… for praising lorry driver; ULEZ debate rumbles on; Pidcock’s “step forward” + more on the live blog”
Currie
The Community for Cars
Currie
The Community for Cars
Although they’re not new the
Although they’re not new the Balerno – Currie – Juniper Green axis to the southwest has become a de-facto car-commuter’s dormitory nexus along the A70. Promoted as such. So like eg. the New Towns it’s no surprise that this is what we’ve ended up with.
Currie only 7 miles from the middle of town and there is even the path along the Water Of Leith you can cycle on, or drop down the hill and pick up the canal. There’s even some wands and blocks “protecting” the cycle lanes along the Lanark Road (direct). To give the council their due it’s far from the worst effort in Edinburgh.
I wonder why the place isn’t full of cyclists? Could it be as simple as “it’s uphill going home and into the wind and 7 miles is just too far for most?”
Not the main reason. Plenty of amenities and work places are nearer and eBikes exist (there is some council housing but if you’re living there it’s likely that you can afford one). Aside from “you get who you build for / sell to” the main road is full of vehicles (as is the pavement). The WoL is a lovely, indirect, not-socially safe “off-road” recreational path. The canal path while flat is also indirect, narrow and really the domain of walkers.
What all of these people
What all of these people judging the team mates for not racing want to see is both forwards for England tackling each other to make sure they are the one that gets the winning goal… Or two cricket fielders pushing each other out of the way to make sure they get the glory of the catch…or rugby players tackling their own team mates so they can get the ball and score the try…
“One day cyclists will have
“One day cyclists will have training like the HGV driver to use the roads,” wrote Peter B
https://upride.cc/incident/yn67mvj_sainsburys44tonner_closepass/
The cyclist did pretty well here!
On a blind bend, on a blind
On a blind bend, on a blind crest outside of a school with children walking and cars actively passing in the other direction.
If that driver still has a job after that then Sainsbury’s should be held criminally liable when he inevitably kills someone.
If that driver still has a
If that driver still has a job after that then Sainsbury’s should be held criminally liable when he inevitably kills someone
I see you don’t live in Lancashire! The police ignore all these, and contacting the firm simply results in a form letter saying ‘we take this seriously but we’re not going to tell you what we did about it’, so you know the complaint went straight in the bin. The firm will delete all reference to the complaint because they also know the police will ignore it. That’s why there are so many offences by buses around here
https://upride.cc/incident/ua5013_kirkbylonsdalecoaches_closepass/
Lancashire Constabulary also ignores vehicles without MOT for years, which is why this could be another genuine absence of MOT on school bus XJF 386- but I’ll have to wait another week to be sure that there wasn’t an MOT before today which hasn’t yet reached the website (for HGVs/ PSVs it’s apparently different to the almost immediate logging of MOT tests which occurs with cars/ LGVs)
So, those anti-ULEZ
So, those anti-ULEZ protestors are people that want poisonous air?
Why?
hawkinspeter wrote:
In quite a few cases because they won’t have to breathe it; a significant part of the opposition comes from middle-class people with big pre-2016 diesel BMWs and Mercedes; they live on nice quiet leafy streets in the suburbs and don’t see why they should have to change their car or pay a charge just because they’re choking children on the main roads through poorer areas. The portrayal of the ULEZ as being an attack on the working-class is mostly nonsense, 50% of Londoners live in households with no access to a motor vehicle at all.
Much of inner London breaches
Much of inner London breaches nitrogen dioxide standards. Much of outer London doesn’t. The case for expanding the ULEZ to the N and S circular was clear. The case for covering Greater London isn’t.
There’s also a political/ identity battle going on. Many outer London residents identify themselves with the home counties rather than Greater London (even though they are often part of both). Many outer London local authorities have Conservative administrations, with leaders who also align themselves with the home counties and against the GLA.
Having worked on the first London LEZ in the early 2000s, I’m not convinced they’ve got the balance right with a Londonwide ULEZ.
That’s fair.
That’s fair.
I’m not convinced that Mayor Sadiq has tapered it enough towards the edges.
However, equally, Conservatives are trying to weaponise the issue amongst car owners yet afaics approximately 90% of current vehicles are exempt, and as is said London has the lowest car ownership in the country.
So I think the Tories are calling this wrongly as well – they are weaponising an issue that is tiny in practice.
That’s a fair point to
That’s a fair point to consider, I would only say to counter that that obviously cars that live in outer London boroughs don’t always stay in outer London boroughs; for example, I know a couple who live in Kingston who drive (in the same car) to their jobs in Stockwell and Camberwell, respectively, so although somebody may not live in a polluted borough it doesn’t mean they are not polluting others.
I did have sympathy for those
I did have sympathy for those who live 500m inside the limit, and commute outwards. I have relatives who do the opposite.
But the realisation that ~90% of cars are exempt, including many going back to the point where they now cost thruppence, has tempered that a little.
More interesting stuff coming in all the other cities that have them.
IMO it’s a Conservative Cockup from end to end. They sloped shoulders for years until instructed by a Court, then sloped shoulders so it is all on the local authorities, and are now trying to weaponise a vanishing issue – wearing the “anti-active travel motohoon” hat whilst they sink in the swamp.
They deserve to lose. Though it’s quite possible that they will be back in 2028, since Mr Starmer will be getting a poisonous chalice, and has gone out of his way to pretend it is all “Tory Failure”. Unfortunately a huge amount of it is circumstances and black swans which are unfixable by political progrmmes, and him not being able to fix it easily has been locked in by himself as a Labour Failure.
In my place, it is the Tories at County who are doing active travel infra, and the ex-LibDem independents who are weaponising it.
Hey-ho.
Hey-ho.
Anti-wheelchair / bicycle barrier installed on what I think is the Thames Path in Greenwich. Since it is on Tunnel Ave does this affect the Foot Tunnel? There is alleged to be an alternative of sorts.
Amusingly it has united active travel types and One Greenwich.
I don’t know the site so can’t comment on the local angle, but if he wanted barriers he could have come here and collected dozens.
It doesn’t affect the
It doesn’t affect the Greenwich foot tunnel as Tunnel Avenue is the approach to Blackwall Tunnel, further east. Still an unwelcome piece of shithousery though. I assume the “alternative” is to use the shared path pavement alongside the main approach road to Blackwall, which is a potholed polluted excrescence.
Tunnel Ave seems to be the
Tunnel Ave seems to be the approach to the O2.
And it seems to be here, which Twitter is saying is the way (more direct way?) from the O2 to the Thames Path.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4979705,0.0014872,3a,75y,253.7h,81.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSzW9k8-3s_H0J4m4gxvhVw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Yep, the O2 and the Blackwall
Yep, the O2 and the Blackwall Tunnel entrance are right next to each other. You can go down the path shown (if you can get through the new barrier) and round the riverside edge of the golf range and follow the Thames Path round to the O2 or keep on the main road (Tunnel Ave) then up Drawdock Road to join the Thames Path; the latter is a little more direct but much nastier.
Clearly the randos tweeting
Clearly the randos tweeting have no clue cycling is a team sport.