“So refreshing to see”: A lesson on how to pass cyclists safely; “You kicked a hornet’s nest full of eagles!”: Remco Evenepoel calls Sepp Kuss an “outsider” for Vuelta; Is Montreal the best North American city for cycling? + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Another day of cyclists raving about Montreal's infrastructure
Montreal, the largest city in Canada’s French-speaking Quebec, has been the subject of cyclists’ gushing in recent weeks, so much so that many cyclists just wanted to visit the city to feel out and test the infrastructure for themselves.
> “It exists, and it’s beautiful!”: Cyclists rave about Montreal’s “incredible” cycling network
So here’s some more gushing, and maybe another lesson in urban planning for those in charge.
1/ Pedestrian streets are all over the city. Some grand, others cozy. All gentle and lively. pic.twitter.com/4KewDbesFb
— Kasey Klimes (@kaseyklimes) September 4, 2023
3/ Bikeshare systems are great.
Bikeshare systems + comprehensive, physically protected bike infrastructure = how we build the low-carbon city of the future
(Montreal has a big head start in N. America) pic.twitter.com/ivTupmssY0
— Kasey Klimes (@kaseyklimes) September 4, 2023
5/ Proof that city life and nature can coexist. pic.twitter.com/rXT8JrYzNT
— Kasey Klimes (@kaseyklimes) September 4, 2023
Klimes, who’s from New York and behind the thread, said: “Mayors like
Valerie Plante save lives and make their cities wonderful places to live. I wish many more had the courage.”
Just a couple weeks ago, she was interviewed by CNN, with the previously viral video of the city’s “incredible” cycling infrastructure playing on the side. This is what she had to say: “It is a position that at one point, we need to say, that even though this is not a popular measure, I have to do it.
“I’m confident that with other mayors [this will be successful]. This is why the C40 network that I want to bring forward is so important. Whether it’s Los Angeles, Milan, Paris, New York, London, Montréal, we can work together saying ‘we need to do the right thing’ for the future generation.”
Lots of cheery, uplifting news on the blog today! (I’m just preparing myself for everything to go off the rails in the Vuelta so I can kickstart my cantankerous ranting session on the live blog…)
The worst thing about sunny days...
“How could I possibly be expected to handle work on a day like this? pic.twitter.com/P67qEZ59Nh
— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) September 4, 2023
Yeah, tell me about it…
"You kicked a hornet's nest full of majestic eagles!": Remco Evenepoel calls Sepp Kuss an "outsider" for winning the Vuelta
There, there, Remco! Big words from the big man before today’s time-trial stage!
The men’s time-trial world champion, donning the rainbow bands on his biceps for today’s mostly flat but very technical individual time-trial stage at the Vuelta a España in Valladolid, has drawn the headlines to himself once again.
One of the Grand Tour’s most exciting performers this year, has arguably been Sepp Kuss. While everyone knows how good the American domestique magnifique from Jumbo-Visma is, seeing him win the brutal stage 6 with a mighty performance in Javalambre and then convincingly go into the lead of the race two stages later, while the two big names from his team sat back, did not come as a shock or even a surprise, but with some mild incredulity.
And now, Soudal Quick-Step’s star Evenepoel has labelled him as an outsider! This man really does not care what he says anymore!
“Sepp is considered one of the best climbers in the world. If he does a good time trial tomorrow, he’ll be an important candidate to beat. But we also saw him getting into trouble in the last two mountain stages. Personally, I see Kuss more as an outsider at Jumbo,” said Evenepoel.
He added: “I think they’re still going for Roglič and Vingegaard but for sure it’s not easy to go against three strong climbers and Grand Tour racers.”
A mix of respect and pragmatism? Or just plain old rabble-rousing Remco? (If it’s the latter, I see he’s learning well from his boss Lefevre).
Rather expectedly, the comment has gotten everyone losing their minds and picking up the pitchforks to defend their faves.
YOU JUST KICKED A HORNETS NEST FULL OF MAJESTIC FLYING EAGLES
— YEAH MIKE! (@YEAHMIKE1) September 4, 2023
Pretty fair comment. He’s not dissing GCKuss. GCKuss is an outside chance of winning even within Jumbo.
— daveydaveydavo (@daveydaveydavo) September 5, 2023
Bruh idk people just hate on Remco for any reason. He just speaks his mind and people can’t seems to handle the truth. I like this way more than some JV robot doing a interview.
— Elmar Bischop (@EB_cycling) September 5, 2023
The statement is factually correct. The issue is that it is disrespectful to a fellow rider. But Remco seems to get off on being that guy. No chance you see Pogi saying that. And by the way , I like Remco, think he is a real talent.
— tony loughnane (@poolbest11) September 5, 2023
What does an outsider even mean here?!
Because Evenepoel, who has had a tumultuous Vuelta himself, is sitting not only 2:22 behind Kuss, but also Marc Soler, and the 20-year-old prodigy Lenny Martinez. His two biggest rivals, Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard are a further 7 and 11 seconds behind him respectively.
But while Evenepoel came out on top at the TT world championships, we’ve seen how superhuman-ly strong both Roglič and Vingegaard are when it comes to riding a GT-deciding time-trial (also, both weren;t there at the world championships in Stirling).
What do you think? Straight facts from Evenepoel, or some naughty jiggery-pokery going on?
Either way, the good thing is we’ll find out very soon, roll out the red carpet for this red-jersey deciding TT!
The Independent gets involved in "cyclists speeding" debate
The speeding debate, which dominated much of yesterday’s live blog, has caught the attention of The Independent, and cyclists are not very pleased with the reporting.
Exactly as predicted, your misguided video @DC_RPT misrepresented by @Independent and others.
As I stressed, it fuels a hostile road environment, benefits no-one, and directly contradicts your road safety remit. Astonished it’s still up. @Adrianleisk https://t.co/OL6zNcnxaA— Tom Staniford (@tomstaniford) September 5, 2023
Tom Staiford, Vice Chair of Wheels for Wellbeing wrote: “It is unfathomable to me that this was published, or it’s still up. When your remit is encouraging road safety, why post something so clearly inflammatory and likely to sow greater division and enmity on the road? What positives for road safety are there, here? None.”
“That’s before we address the questionable ‘police purpose’ logic of “your (legal) speed poses a small risk to pedestrians, so I will pose a far bigger and more dangerous one to them in my car to tell you”. And then publishing it!
Cycling campaigner from Salford Harry Gray was also displeased with the newspaper’s coverage, writing: “Your lies about cyclists breaking speed limits will inevitably lead to more hostile driving towards myself and fellow cyclists on the roads today. Thanks for using your position and career to endanger vulnerable road users.”
"Las Vegas doesn’t really want me to ride my bicycle": A bicycle commuter opens up about the cycling culture in the States
The Unites States, as you may know, is notorious for its car-dependency bubbling from the glam of the roaring 1920s and then establishing as the primary mode of transport during the Reagan era, the scars of which still linger on and permeate throughout the world.
Yes, as much as we like to moan about the cycling conditions in the UK, while definitely not on par with other European countries, I can say with certain confidence is better than the USA.
So when I came across this column in The Nevada Independent from a resident from Las Vegas about the unwelcoming cycling culture across the Atlantic, I wasn’t too surprised, but it’s an interesting read, and worth sharing on here.
Eric McCammond, a senior analyst at the Department of Aviation, says he’s a regular bicycle commuter. “I don’t mean I’m some guy who rides my bicycle once in a while through the Henderson suburbs or down a Summerlin bike trail. I don’t mean I occasionally ride my bicycle down to the store or I haul my bicycle in the back of my truck for an occasional ride after work. I mean I have made my bicycle my primary mode of transportation. Rain, dust storm or heat wave, I’m riding my bike,” he writes.
Here’s some more excerpts from the column:
“But I’m convinced this city doesn’t really want me riding my bike.”
“Let’s start with the “cagers.” For those who don’t ride a bicycle or motorcycle, a cager is somebody sharing the road with you from inside the protective “cage” of a typical automobile. If they or another cager commits an error while operating their chosen mode of transportation, the cager has a solid metal encasement that’s equipped with an array of restraining belts and inflatable airbags to ensure they have the highest probability of surviving the accident.”
“This is in sharp contrast with the cyclist. The cyclist is an unprotected bag of brains, blood, bile and bone balanced precariously upon a thin aluminum frame and two skinny tires. One of the cyclist’s primary goals each day is to avoid almost certain death or dismemberment should one of the cagers commit an operational error at high speed while in close proximity to the cyclist.
“Each day I bicycle commute, I come within inches of hundreds of cagers. These cagers weigh a ton or more and are often driving at speeds approaching 60 mph on surface streets. If these cagers see me at all, they greet me with anything ranging from indifference to overt hostility. I’ve been honked at and cussed at. I’ve had drivers purposely drive through water puddles to soak me. I’ve had drivers of diesel pickups “roll coal” on me, purposely accelerating in a manner that causes a cloud of diesel exhaust smoke to envelope and suffocate me. And, I’ve been run over … while riding down the sidewalk. To too many Las Vegans, I am either invisible or a nuisance, and the local government contributes to this mentality.
“Our local governments like to tout their bicycle lanes. But most of these bicycle lanes, trails and paths focus on recreational cycling in the suburbs or at the edge of town. Such paths rarely connect one’s home with their place of employment. Safe, efficient bicycle commuting is dependent on a network of connected bicycle routes through congested urban corridors, not pretty manicured bicycle paths in Summerlin or Henderson. Give us more bike lanes.
“We also need to rethink vehicle speed limits. Organizations such as the National Association of City Transportation Officials and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have published countless studies connecting vehicle speed with pedestrian and cyclist deaths. The most common speed limit for cyclist deaths is 45 mph.
“When you add poor street design and lack of speed limit enforcement, you’ve created a hostile, dangerous environment for cyclists. We need local government leaders to provide a safe environment for all commuters, regardless of the vehicle they choose.”
Do you have to adhere to speed limits when cycling? Can you be fined? Here's everything you need to know
You might have seen the topic of cyclists and speed limits is back in the news this week. That’s after a group ride in Dartmoor was stopped by the police for descending at 39mph into a village with a 30mph speed limit. But what does the law say about speed limits for cyclists? Can you be fined? Do you have to stick to them?
Read our latest feature to find out.
"A GoldStar to the HGV driver": Your reaction to the safe passing of cyclist
I know it’s rare to see a safe pass on this website, or anywhere, really! But when they do happen, we have to appreciate them. Someone maintaining a safe passing distance next to me does bring a smile to my face at least.
Here’s a reaction roundup from you folks regarding the “refreshing” post featuring a car driver and another driver of a ‘GoldStar’ lorry, which kickstarted today’s blog:
SimoninSpalding: “I have to say the overwhelming majority of HGVs that pass me are exemplary, especially given how narrow and uneven roads are around here (and generally a deep drainage ditch either side of the road).
I also knew one the the driver trainers for Goldstar many years ago and they took safety and compliance very seriously.”
Oldfatgit: “The overwhelming vehicles likely to give a close pass are cars, light vans, buses then light trucks.
I’ve found the vast majority of HGV drivers (as in >7.5 tonne and the old Class 3 and above) to be highly aware of their vehicle and its impact on cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Treat them with respect … dont go up their nearside (off side if a left hooker), and make sure that if stopped at lights (gosh … a cyclist stopped at a traffic light? Nah, never … right) … you turn around and make eye contact.
Give them plenty of room when they are maneuvering – especially reversing – and sit as far back as you can to ensure they can see you.
Trust me… nothing shits you up faster than “where did that pedestrian / cyclist go …”
Plenty of waggon drivers ride bikes too.”
ymm: “HGVs are nearly always great. They are well trained therefore should be much more road user aware. From experience its the car driver with blinkers on who has to get from a to b in record time as they haven’t left enough time for the journey that causes me most grief. The rushing drivers behaviour that they priortise themselves over others which leads to dangerous behaviour. Proper passing is so easy to do and just needs patience from drivers.”
lesterama: “HGV driver: great pass.
Car driver: entered hatched area, quite close to car coming from the other direction. Not ideal. I’d much rather they did that than tried to pass the rider too close, obviously.”
And of course, HoldingOn, who couldn’t resist this, ahem, golden opportunity: “A GoldStar to that HGV driver….”
Peter Sagan wins his last race on Belgian soil — a derny criterium before the eventual retirement this season
Coming to an end of a wildly successful career, Peter Sagan, who’ll be retiring this season, has managed to win what will be his final race on Belgian soil, and as bittersweet as it may sound, what might also be the last win of his career as a road cyclist.
The former world champion from Slovakia took part in the derny race Wetteren, Belgium on Monday, with riders including Jonas Gregaard, Jordi Meeus, Dries De Bondt, and Oliver Naesen among those racing in the derny motorbike-paced event.
Sagan managed to beat everyone else in the third 44km race of the day in front of an estimated 10,000 spectators in the town close to Gent. He beat Meeus and Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Dstny) in the sprint finish, also winning the combined overall classification at the event.
“I’ve always liked racing in Belgium. I won some very important races here,” Sagan told Het Nieuwsblad. “Will this be my very last road race in Belgium? More than likely it will be, but never say never in life.
“I’ll do some mountain bike races in Belgium next season, but my road career will soon be over.”
The 33-year-old, who completed his final Tour de France this year but hasn’t won on the road since last summer, will switch to mountain bike racing next season. He’s set to race for the Specialized Factory Racing team in the discipline where he finished 63rd at the MTB Worlds in Glasgow.
Reddit user kaiyotic wrote: “While this is a tiny insignificant race it was fun to see Sagan win his last ever Belgian race.”
CCTV footage shows horrific crash as cyclist sent flying by driver overtaking at traffic lights
A cyclist was left in hospital with multiple fractures after a driver, who police have since confirmed was arrested for his role in the incident, overtook another vehicle at a set of traffic lights, colliding with an oncoming cyclist.
> CCTV footage shows horrific crash as cyclist sent flying by driver overtaking at traffic lights
Three in three! Olav Kooij wins at the Tour of Britain once again
Is there any stopping him? The young talented Dutchman (where have we heard that before?!) just can’t help himself from sprinting to victory after victory at this year’s Tour of Britain.
THREE OUT OF THREE FOR OLAV KOOIJ! 🏆
The @JumboVismaRoad rider completes a hat-trick of stage victories after a thrilling run in to Beverley. #TourOfBritain 🔴🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/GoZ7VYGX3I
— The Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) September 5, 2023
Today’s win came in the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, after another leadout from Jumbo Visma’s do-it-all man Wout van Aert. The race started from Goole, with the breakaway riders tried their luck once again today, led by Harry Tanfield, with mountain points leader James Fouché also involved.
Jumbo Visma however, slowly found their way back in, and Danny van Poppel was once again the one who’d make them work the hardest for their third win in a row. The 30-year-old Bora-Hansgrohe rider latched onto Kooij’s wheel but his effort was outmatched by the Dutch wunderkind.
Soudal Quick-Step’s British rider Ethan Vernon finished third, after a strong sprint perfomance closely contested by Movistar’s Max Kanter and Uno-X’s Rasmus Tiller, with Ineos Grenadiers’ Tom Pidcock also trying his luck.
LIOS Bikes hit by another bike theft
11 bikes stolen from LIOS Bikes down in Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire, including…
1. LIOS Thunderbolt / Black / XX1 AXS / Reverb AXS dropper / Ohlins Suspension / LIOS carbon rims on Hope hubs.
2. Custom LIOS Thunderbolt / Blue / GX AXS / Fox Factory / Reverb AXS dropper / LIOS carbon rims on i9 hubs.
3. Custom LIOS Titanium Hardtail MTB / GX AXS / Cane Creek Ti eeWings / Fox 36 Fact / Reverb AXS Dropper / LIOS carbon rims on Chris King hubs / Chris King finishing kit.
4. Custom LIOS Thunderbolt / Blue / GX AXS / Fox Factory / Reverb AXS dropper / i9 hubs with LIOS carbon wheels.
5. Custom LIOS Hellfire / White / Shimano XTR / Fox 34 Fact / LIOS carbon rims on Hope hubs.
LIOS Thunderbolt / Orange / Shimano XT / RockShox Lyrik.
6. LIOS Thunderbolt / Orange / Shimano XT / RockShox Lyrik.
7. Custom LIOS Raptor / Blue / XTR (old version) / LIOS carbon rims on Hope hubs.
8. Custom painted Santa Cruz V10 / Blue with Orange graphics / Fox 40 Fact / Shimano Saint groupset.
9. Custom Zerode Katipo / Peppermint Green / Fox 38 Fact and X2 / Shimano XTR / Pinion Gearbox and Gates Carbon Belt Drive / LIOS carbon rims on Pinion hubs.
10. Santa Cruz Hightower / Melon Orange / Fox 36 / SRAM GX groupset.
11. Plus a customer’s road bike.
The shop is owned by former Royal Marine officer Steve McCulley, who opened the business after retiring from the military, a career which saw him survive three IED blasts and serious injuries in Afghanistan in 2011.
“We are all utterly devastated by what happened on Saturday,” he said. “I know I’ll never get the bikes back, as they’re probably already stripped down, but I am hoping that any attention that this gets might help to catch the criminals.”
Five suspects were involved, using a large van, a car and two mopeds. They used petrol and battery disc cutters to cut through the metal shutters and door.
Filippo Ganna wins stage 10 of La Vuelta, Remco Evenepoel best of the GC riders on TT day... BUT Kuss KEEPS red
🥇 𝙏𝙤𝙥 𝙂𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖! 🥇
🚄 🇮🇹 ¡@GannaFilippo es el más rápido de hoy!
🚄 🇮🇹 Filippo Ganna – @INEOSGrenadiers fastest on the day.#LaVuelta23 📸 @sprintcycling pic.twitter.com/umJ2r6WisY— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) September 5, 2023
I wonder if Remco Evenepoel still sees Sepp Kuss as an outsider after that?
The climbing domestique extraordinaire had, with some, been faniced to ship enough time to lose the red jersey today, but performed valiantly in today’s TT, limiting his losses to keep hold of the race lead.
Evenepoel was, predictably, the best of the GC favourites, but could not win the stage ahead of Filippo Ganna, back in imperious form after his Wolrd Championship disappointment.
The Belgian’s second place does however move him up to third on GC, now 1:09 behind Kuss and 27 seconds and 1:13 ahead of Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard respectively.
In between Evenepoel and Kuss is Marc Soler, now 26 seconds off red.
"So refreshing to see": A lesson on how to pass cyclists safely
We have seen our fair share of close passes and near misses on road.cc over our 15 years of existence (psst, we just turned 15 yesterday!), so it’s always good to come across something that isn’t either of those, but the exact opposite — and how it should always be regardless — instead.
West London based rider who goes by the name PedalPerspective on Twitter, shared this video of “two drivers showing everyone how to pass cyclists safely” this morning. And I have to say, it does feel refreshing and a fresh breath of sanity.
Two drivers showing everyone how to pass cyclists safely earlier today. pic.twitter.com/LeYfIkEA8U
— PedalPerspective (@Pedalperspectiv) September 4, 2023
The HGV driver, of the two, ended up impressing everyone the most. “Have to give particular credit to the HGV driver,” wrote the original account, while another person replied: “HGV diver is a model driver. If the driver of a vehicle of this mass can pass safely, why can’t all drivers?”
Well, I’ll leave you all to find the answer to that question.
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Latest Comments
@Xenophon2 Yes, strict liability exists for a reason, and as you say, professional athletes treat keeping on top of everything as part of the job, and allow time and money for them/their team to double check purchases and keep appropriate records etc. My issue is that the punishment should reflect how plausible it was that it were an accident, as well as any theoretical advantages. They should also consider the financial position of the athlete. Someone who lives well from prize money and lucrative sponsorship deals should reasonably be expected to have more resources to protect themselves from accidental ingestion, and they'll also be able to weather a suspension. I'm assuming there's not much money in paracycling, so a two year suspension is severe. I'd have thought a year more than sufficient to make a point.
@mitsky A force spokesperson said the distance he gave was “significantly less than the car he reported earlier had given him” This confirms my oft-repeated statement that the people the police really dislike and will try every dodge to prosecute are not offenders but those who report offences they don't want to know about (which is pretty much any offence by drivers such as No MOT for years, handheld mobile use, unbroken white line offences, red light offences), especially if the police are presented with indisputable evidence- they REALLY hate that! These two offences are at the same position and in the same direction ttps://upride.cc/incident/kn21axh_lancspolice_closepass/ ttps://upride.cc/incident/px12dnv_stagecoach41_closepass/ Needless to say, Lancashire Constabulary ignored both of them. The police reference numbers for the reports are (just for the record) are LANCSPE-188202 17.3.25 (this is the report to LC's DoItOnline portal where incidents are always rapidly closed by an un-named officer, which I submitted because there was, as expected, no response at all from OpSnap Lancs.) and APL198377 23.7.26 (this is the OpSnap type of reference). Police corruption is rife in the UK!
Usually, there's a valid engineering reason behind things being the way they are and barring a genius who invents something truly innovative that can be backed up by data most of these outlying designs are either rubbish or bring nothing (except weight). Thanks for showing but I'l pass.
I don't understand how the authorities can say they accept the substance was ingested inadvertently when at the same time banning her for not being able to say from whence the substance came? One would have thought to prove the first proposition one would need proof of the second. Not in any way suggesting she is guilty of deliberate doping, but it doesn't seem logical.
This ruling needs to be challenged and overturned. "Cyclist who reported bad driving told to pay £1,200 over bad riding ... police said the video also captured him "riding without due care and attention" as he approached a parked car and an oncoming vehicle. A force spokesperson said the distance he gave was "significantly less than the car he reported earlier had given him"." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cd9w2l2wqvdo
It's extremely unfortunate in this case but the problem is, if the rules are any different, they'll immediately be exploited. Professional athletes go to incredible lengths with their nutrition and supplement purchases, to the extent that they only source from providers that do their own checking + that they keep sealed samples of the batches they purchase. For someone who doesn't have an entire team behind him/her that's just not feasible. I personally know someone who got 'caught' and fined + suspended, also with a dose that was 'sub physiologic concentration' but nothing to be done. No idea about the source. 6 months later it turned out that the 'bio' farmer where he purchased meat got caught for having administered hormonal substances to his cattle. But nothing to be done, he had to prove that the stuff that he had ordered at the time was contaminated. All costs for analysis of course to be borne by him. Where I am even recreational riders like myself -could never have made a living out of riding, never came even close to being good enough- are subject to tests and after a completely non-competitive gravel event that to me was strictly for fun even I got selected for testing. Strange feeling, having to pee in a cup with a guy watching. Anyway, it was negative.
@OnYerBike That is absolutely insane. How can you be fined for close passing a car coming the other way when you're on your side of the white line? When there is no mandatory or suggested rule regarding how closely a cyclist can pass a car? Cars pass each other like that all the time, if they didn't the roads would literally grind to a halt. If the cyclist is close passing the oncoming car whilst on their own side of the road, why isn't the car driver being fined for close passing the cyclist? The cyclist should appeal as the magistrates are clearly wrong in their interpretation of the law.
Yet another example of the cure being worse than the ailment. I hate the idea of letting actual cheaters off the hook, but it needs to be fair. If any doubt, it CANNOT be to the detriment of the athlete. This is people's lifes.
C'mon now. He came close to possibly scratching the parked Beamer.
43 thoughts on ““So refreshing to see”: A lesson on how to pass cyclists safely; “You kicked a hornet’s nest full of eagles!”: Remco Evenepoel calls Sepp Kuss an “outsider” for Vuelta; Is Montreal the best North American city for cycling? + more on the live blog”
Adwitiya, at this rate today
Adwitiya, at this rate today’s blog will turn out fine! Even the Vuelta will bring positive vibes. ?
‘Green policies are the new
‘Green policies are the new Brexit’: a day on the frontline of London’s clean air zone
“we live in strange times, when rational arguments, no matter how well supported by evidence, can be vanquished by highly emotive, fact-light, campaigns”
Others, like Dean Palumbo,
Others, like Dean Palumbo, see Ulez as a money-making scheme to fill the “black hole” in TfL finances. If you’re going to stop polluting cars, they should be banned, not charged, he argues.
?♂️??♀️
David9694 wrote:
I’d be happy to see the most polluting vehicles banned, but that’s going to be far more unpopular than the Ulez. Just imagine someone going to get MOT or tax and their vehicle just gets towed and crushed.
David9694 wrote:
Don’t those arguments tend to end “… but we will do neither! Instead will get rid of all the cyclists and bike infra as they slow down drivers and that causes pollution. Plus LTNs – they’re an unfair / woke farrago also! Driving is a keystone of our freedom and fuels our economy – you can’t be against that? Traffic has to go somewhere anyway so the main streets will just get busier! And what about the ambulances? We’re not nannying types – drivers should be free to choose whatever routes they find most efficient, which will help capacity. So we’re encouraging them to cut through residential streets. Except for the leafy cul-de-sacs and those around where we and our pals live of course.”
chrisonatrike wrote:
Driving is a keystone of our freedom and fuels our economy – you can’t be against that?
— David9694
Try me.
But how will the shops make a
But how will the shops make a living without any cars in the street? Madness!
All those calm, happy people
All those calm, happy people in the place where the shops are??? Surely they will spend less money here than people stuck in traffic or searching for parking somewhere else?
“I just can’t understand why
“I just can’t understand why the shop is doing so poorly these days. If only the council would spend another 50 years for making it simple and cheap for everyone to drive here”
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/paigntons-multi-coloured-golden-mile-8711913?
A GoldStar to that HGV driver
A GoldStar to that HGV driver….
(couldn’t resist)
I have to say the
I have to say the overwhelming majority of HGVs that pass me are exemplary, especially given how narrow and uneven roads are around here (and generally a deep drainage ditch either side of the road).
I also knew one the the driver trainers for Goldstar many years ago and they took safety and compliance very seriously.
I’m the same.
I’m the same.
The overwhelming vehicles likely to give a close pass are cars, light vans, buses then light trucks.
I’ve found the vast majority of HGV drivers (as in >7.5 tonne and the old Class 3 and above) to be highly aware of their vehicle and its impact on cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Treat them with respect … dont go up their nearside (off side if a left hooker), and make sure that if stopped at lights (gosh … a cyclist stopped at a traffic light? Nah, never … right) … you turn around and make eye contact.
Give them plenty of room when they are maneuvering – especially reversing – and sit as far back as you can to ensure they can see you.
Trust me… nothing shits you up faster than “where did that pedestrian / cyclist go …”
Plenty of waggon drivers ride bikes too.
Oldfatgit wrote:
I recently took the opportunity to do the exchanging places thing where you get to sit in the cab of a lorry and see what the driver can see. With the abundance of mirrors, I never totally lost sight of the HGV driver who was walking around the outside – but that (well, that and whether my bike was still there) is the only thing I was looking for, and it wasn’t a dynamic situation. Probably most shocking is the lack of visibility directly in front, where an advance stop line might encourage you to be. I have always given HGVs plenty of space in town, but it was still a valuable experience – I’d recommend it if you get the chance.
Great post. Thanks.
Great post. Thanks.
Oldfatgit wrote:
This has been my experience too, other than the worse here are Arriva buses.
My commute to the station takes me along a 40mph dual carriageway. There is a cycle lane, but it is little more than a wider gutter. A lot of HGV, and pretty much all from a local haulage company, will move into lane 2 as they come past. Arriva on the other hand, I had a bus overtake me actually on a roundabout.
Edit: (hope that’s OK) – just to emphasize that on the roundabout the cycle lane dissapears.
Too true and agree. HGVs are
Too true and agree. HGVs are nearly always great. They are well trained therefore should be much more road user aware. From experience its the car driver with blinkers on who has to get from a to b in record time as they haven’t left enough time for the journey that causes me most grief. The rushing drivers behaviour that they priortise themselves over others which leads to dangerous behaviour. Proper passing is so easy to do and just needs patience from drivers.
It might be nearly 4 years
It might be nearly 4 years now, but I doubt I’ll ever forget this HGV pass, in the wet. Can’t say my view of HGV drivers has improved much since either.
This one wasn’t much better
This one wasn’t much better
I did say overwhelming
I did say overwhelming majority. I have also had the occasional, terrifying close pass from an HGV driver, but unless you are very lucky and have only been passed by 2 HGVs in the last 4 years, I guess you are also agreeing with me?
Weirdly nope, I don’t ride
Weirdly nope, I don’t ride HGV heavy routes, so these are the few unlucky ones I meet, plus these were the two easiest to grab quickly & share.
I’ve got one where the driver was sent a NIP and couple of other near misses like those above in the archives.
HGV driver: great pass.
HGV driver: great pass.
Car driver: entered hatched area, quite close to car coming from the other direction. Not ideal. I’d much rather they did that than tried to pass the rider too close, obviously.
I’m not too fussed about the
I’m not too fussed about the hatched area, but I thought the same about the car coming the other way.
Can I ask a Hemel Hempstead
Can I ask a Hemel Hempstead High Street question, if we have anyone from Hemel Hempstead or the area here?
I’m visiting and trying to understand parking on the High Street. It seems to be a 20 mph zone open to all traffic with motor vehicle parking, but they also seem to have a weird PSPO banning cycles from the High Street.
(And cycles are part of general traffic by legal definition – I am not aware that a PSPO can override Statute Law.)
Can I drive in and park my car on the High Street?
Can I cycle in and park my bicycle on the High Street?
No local knowledge, but just
No local knowledge, but just looked up the PSPO out of interest, and it’s ridiculous. Taken at face value it appears to prohibit cycling on plenty of road space in the area. E.g. here, fair enough: https://goo.gl/maps/7L2Sg8VvoaQ7R43Z9. But why not here (unless it’s changed dramatically since this Streetview was taken)? https://goo.gl/maps/prs5ado1daV1ShdY6
Unless by definition PSPOs only apply to “public spaces” within the specified area, not highways.
This is the area you’re not
This is the area you’re not allowed to cycle in. There are 2 maps in the PSPO, this is the one that shows where cycling is banned. The first map in the PSPO relates to spitting, urinating and defecating and covers a larger area.
You’d need a TRO to ban cycling on a public highway.
That help’s clarify – I was
That help’s clarify – I was looking at the other plan.
The PSPO is still loopy, of course – since as per the other article there is no safe provision, and a mobility track through the pedestrianised area is perhaps the best option if the Council can at some stage in the future start being inclusive.
Thank you, sloppy reading on
Thank you, sloppy reading on my part!
One might instead wonder why the restricted area for urination and defecation is so small!
Tom_77 wrote:
So that’s the pedestrianised Marlowes shopping area, the Premier Inn and MSCP building with its high up walkways and the Jellicoe Water Gardens .
Tom_77 wrote:
Dacorum Borough Council’s
Dacorum Borough Council’s most wanted: How you seen these men?
David9694 wrote:
If they aren’t all just a bunch o’ vankers, they should all be issued with a she-wee! On the other hand, they may have all just ridden madly over a particularly savage speed bump and are now examining their vitals whilst emitting a synchronised groan.
Is that barrier galvanised? We can only hope so.
Are you sure about Public
Are you sure about Public Highways?
RoWs are Public Highways, and H&F did the Thames Path with a PSPO.
mattw wrote:
My understanding was that a TRO is “required to make and enforce changes to a road’s use or its design” (ref).
I’ll see if I can find some actual legislation.
mattw wrote:
Found the legislation.
Categories of highway over which public right of way may not be restricted
(1)A public spaces protection order may not restrict the public right of way over a highway that is—
(a)a special road;
(b)a trunk road;
(c)a classified or principal road;
(d)a strategic road;
(e)a highway in England of a description prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State;
(f)a highway in Wales of a description prescribed by regulations made by the Welsh Ministers.
The meanings of the various types of road are defined in other acts.
I keep seeing the new twitter
I keep seeing the new twitter/X things embedded in the page and keep having to stop myself clicking on the X to close the window…
The Independent wrote:
Aside from the misunderstanding about which modes of transport speed limits apply to, isn’t this inaccurate in that the police did stop them…?
I’ve always wondered about
I’ve always wondered about journalists poor and ambiguous use of the English language (sorry Roadcc journos for the generalisation). After all they studied it formally in one form or another for at least 16 years and chose to continue to use it in their career. It’s almost like they choose to be lazy.
Edited. Note to self don’t try and multitask and post whilst in a meeting ?
Umm…
Umm…
Haha. I’m a chemist don ask
Haha. I’m a chemist don ask me to string a sentence together. Perhaps I should have put it through ChatGPT.
I’ve always found Goo Gull Translate to work wonders (!!)
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‘it formally’?
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‘it formally’?
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An HGV driver, last Sunday,
An HGV driver, last Sunday, thought it was appropriate to closely overtake me yards from a roundabout.
Unfortunately this far too often a common occurrence rather than that of the HGV driver highlighted above.
I’m opting out of the paean
I’m opting out of the paean of praise for PSV and HGV drivers with ‘superior driving skills and hazard assessment’
https://upride.cc/incident/px12dne_stagecoach42bus_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/n300bra_bradshawscoach_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/yj60kgzar12way_brethertonsarchwaybuses_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/ua5013_kirkbylonsdalecoaches_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/px12eez_stagecoach41_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/yn67mvj_sainsburys44tonner_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/4148vz_travellerschoicecoach_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/pk68zfl_32tonnetipper_redlightcross/
https://upride.cc/incident/px12dnu_stagecoach40bus_closepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/yp68jwv_highlorry_closepass/ might not be HGV
https://upride.cc/incident/px62cea_stagecoach42_uwlcrossclosepass/
https://upride.cc/incident/pk11jzg_booths44tonner_closepassuwlcross/