Who’d have thought it? Highway Code changes working wonders (+ has driving improved?); “Where’s *insert your local town*?”: Tough day at the office for Tour of Britain admin; Should you resit driving test at 60?; Good ol’ days + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Who'd have thought it? Highway Code changes working wonders
January’s Highway Code changes arrived to a backdrop of criticism and hysteria from certain sections of the press (and a loophole-loving lawyer)…
It will cause chaos, carnage, collisions and casualties, some said, yet three months on — has much actually changed?
Not really, was the consensus when we asked readers over on our forum, with some saying they’d seen slight improvements, and fewer still saying they’d seen significantly better/worse driving.
So, when Jim’s Wheels, a Twitter account documenting the experiences of a South Gloucestershire rider “bimbling around on my bike”, shared a video titled “A driver who has read the Highway Code! Hurrah!”, we thought we’d better take a look…
A driver who has read the Highway Code! Hurrah! pic.twitter.com/TPnml0XHE9
— Jim’s Wheels (@JimsWheels) April 5, 2022
Some have pointed out the driver possibly only waited as they realised they’d committed a must get in front faux pas, pushing past only to turn straight across the cyclist’s path.
Perhaps Andrew Buss summed it up best…
Still poor anticipation, but we’ll take the end result
— Andrew Buss (@ambuss) April 5, 2022
The video began the identity sweepstake…is the driver a cyclist? Are they Dutch?
One reply summed up the disbelief on Cycling Twitter: “Well done that driver, the world didn’t appear to end, there was no catastrophic crash or whiplash.” Who’d have thought it, eh?
A rarest of species, there’s got to be space in the Natural History Museum for this clip…
Quick, have him stuffed and put on display!
— Philip Ball (@pmb1000) April 5, 2022
Sir Chris Hoy recently had his say on how the Highway Code changes have improved his riding experience, saying he’s had fewer close passes, although former UCI president Brian Cookson argued some drivers are still taking “unquantifiable risks”.
“Anyone else noticed fewer close passes when out on your bike since the change in the Highway Code?” the retired track star said.
“Could be a coincidence, but I’ve just had an amazing couple of hours on the road and not a single scary moment! Long may it continue.”
What do we reckon? Are the changes filtering through to road users? Have you experienced less close passes? Let us know in the comments…
Right on cue...
The new The Highway Code is now available to buy in shops 🛍️
You can also order a copy online from https://t.co/xabxmoxo4z 🛒
You can read it for free at https://t.co/gUM0vlpxfr 🆓 pic.twitter.com/CrGEeeodBy
— Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (@DVSAgovuk) April 5, 2022
I’m a sucker for a bargain…it’s free!
"Where's *insert your local town*?": Tough day at the office for Tour of Britain admin
It’s national ‘why isn’t the Tour of Britain visiting my town’ day. Prepare yourself @TourofBritain admin…things are about to get heated…
Introducing the Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 2022 route.
🔹 Glenshee Ski Centre summit finish on stage one
🔹 GC days in the Scottish Borders, North Yorkshire and Gloucestershire
🔹 Hill-top finish on the Isle of Wight to end the race
🔹 12 new host venues #TourOfBritain 🔴🔵⚪— Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) April 6, 2022
First up, aRe ThErE aNy HiLlS oN tHe IsLe Of WiGhT?
Sure is, we promise! Bullys Hill near Brading, Church Road out of Shanklin, the Ventnor zig-zags and then the finish up to The Needles are all fantastic short, sharp climbs.
— Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) April 6, 2022
Next, the Tour of England (with a wee bit of Scotland)…
Don’t forget that the Four Days of Dunkirk race takes place over six 😏 Also, Wales’ commitment to supporting cycling in 2022 comes in the form of @thewomenstour in June, more details of which are being released next week.
— Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) April 6, 2022
At least someone gets the comedy value of route announcement day…
Year on year it’s always the same, you never come down Mason Street, and this year I’ve even built a fine lean-too cabin for @M1ckBennett to relax in pre-start..call this a Tour of Britain, well I dont. 🚗🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴🚴♂️🚙🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️🚗🚙🚕🚗🚙🚙🚗🚑🚐
— Hａｒｒｙ Bｕｔｔｅｒｗｏｒｔｈ (@hbscouse) April 6, 2022
We’ll have a more in-depth look at the route up shortly…
Nearly one-in-three drivers believe people should re-sit their driving tests when they reach the age of 60, new study shows
New research from Compare the Market found that almost a third of road users believe people should re-sit their driving tests when they reach the age of 60, increasing to more than 50 per cent at 70.
The view is held strongest in Northern Ireland, where 35 per cent of respondents held the opinion, while 31 per cent in Scotland and 28 per cent in Wales agreed.
One-in-three also said they wouldn’t be able to repass their theory test. One-in-six said they wouldn’t be capable of passing their practical test.
"Bars and tires have gotten too wide, batteries suck, road bikes are back, you heard it here first"
Bars and tires have gotten too wide, batteries suck, road bikes are back, you heard it here first. pic.twitter.com/jBFd6w1jsl
— Bike Snob NYC (@bikesnobnyc) April 5, 2022
We’re going back in time with the Bike Snob. Agree?
Positive signs since the Highway Code changes? We ask our readers...
A few of you have shared your (largely positive) post-Highway Code riding experiences…
Sir Chris Hoy reckons things have changed for the better, but do you agree?
kil0ran has a positive tale to tell: “It’s encouraged me back on the roads for the first time in two years, following a road rage incident which sent me in the direction of trail and gravel riding. Only two rides in but both in rush hour and zero close passes. I’m colossally unfit at the moment and I’ve been surprised how willing drivers have been to hold back on the hillier bits of my routes. A definite improvement, let’s see if it lasts.”
TeaBasedOrganism thinks while the majority have improved, there is still a dangerous minority: “I feel like generally most peoples driving has got better, I definitely get less ‘regular’ close passes each ride than before. On the flipside, the really horrible drivers, the ones that were horrible before, are even worse. Absolutely the fault of the press coverage of the changes. Had a few instances while riding in a group of drivers shouting abuse, and on two occasions throwing fast food rubbish, while travelling in the opposite direction, so we weren’t even in their way. They have just been so riled up about cyclists that they feel the need to be angry and borderline violent just based on our very existence. That is new behaviour (for me) since the changes and all the negative press, which is making me a bit lukewarm about them if I’m honest.”
IanMSpencer reported similar: “I think the 99% are getting better, the 1% are just as bad, with a few more ideas for ranting. My pet hate is ‘cyclists run red lights’ which I have rarely seen, aside from pseudo pedestrian cyclists pottering around with their shopping or young lads being stupid, when I have seen so many motorists take stupid risks on a daily basis. In a typical week I will see someone overtaking a car already stopped to turn left at a red light. I wouldn’t mind but the UK driver videos are full of examples, indeed, I think anyone who says ‘But cyclists…’ should be sent on a one day course where they have to watch 8 hours of UK dodgy driver videos.”
One final one from Surreyrider who is less impressed: “Since the changes, I’d say more drivers (in Surrey at least) are aggressive, intolerant, impatient, anti-social and dangerous. Then there’s a group that continue to drive just generally badly around cyclists (and, of course, another that remains considerate).”
CyclingMikey picks up the pace...road offenders beware!
11 reports submitted in the last three days. I’m getting a lot faster at this lately, especially with being able to upload much smaller files as it’s so much easier to prove phone use nowadays. 1 more to go and then I’m free for half term with my family.
— CyclingMikey “Who made him Batman?” (@MikeyCycling) April 6, 2022
Three police officers assaulted after arresting man for bike theft
Three police officers were assaulted after they arrested a man for a bike theft in Winchester city centre on Saturday. The patrolling officers stopped a group of males, who were carrying items believed to be linked to a report of a theft.
A stolen bicycle was later found, leading to one of the men being arrested. However, the Hampshire Chronicle reports the man attempted to flee, assaulting an officer to the face and knee in the process.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: “One of the men, a 22-year-old from Winchester, attempted to run away and assaulted an officer to the face and knee in the process. He was not seriously injured.
“The man also assaulted two more officers, the first received a minor injury to her finger and the second, a male officer, was not injured. The 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of two counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm and common assault of an emergency worker.
“He has been released from police custody on police bail while our enquiries continue.”
The three other men ran away from the scene but were also later found.
Meanwhile on Twitter...
fucking hilarious
— richard etchell (@richetchell) April 6, 2022
Apparently I should have gone into stand up…
Twitter Joke of the day 😏
— LitespeedLee (@LitespeedLee) April 6, 2022
Back to the comments here I go…Daveyraveygravey reckons any improvement was short-lived: “There was a brief time when the changes were first published where things were better, but it’s gone back to the previous appalling level now.”
SurreyHiller added: “I think there are different subsets of drivers. Those that overtook well, and continue to do so having made no changes to the way they drive. Those who overtook before the changes which were technically ‘close’ but had made some effort are now a little further out.
“Those who drive like idiots continue to do so (and continue to get reported to Surrey Police with a fairly high conversion to at least a warning letter) with close passes still being close. Get this a lot on my commute because people are in such a hurry.
“Have also seen a rise in really nice wide passes, almost completely on to the other side of the road, but in doing so nearly having a head on collision with something clearly coming the other way. Or, in Monday’s commute, something coming round the blind bend.
“So in summary there are some drivers that are considerate, some that don’t give a rat’s arse and never have and some that are trying but just aren’t very good at it.”
"Why's the race not visiting my cul-de-sac?": Tour of Britain route reaction (+ some exceptional reader local knowledge)
Hill-top finishes to bookend tough 2022 Tour of Britain route
This year’s race picks up where 2021 left off in Aberdeen and finishes on the Isle of Wight, as the comms team continue to do God’s work by shooting down complaints about the routehttps://t.co/dVHTQ319Kx #cycling
— road.cc (@roadcc) April 6, 2022
Happy with the Tour of Britain route?
BalladOfStruth would have been (12 months ago): “Stage six pretty much goes right by my house… about two months after I’m due to move to the other side of the UK.”
captain_slog’s looking forward to stage three: “ToB was brilliant last year and this year’s north east stage is looking very promising: starting from one of the country’s greatest cathedrals, heading up into the stunning scenery and challenging roads of Weardale and the Pennines before returning to finish at the mouth of the Wear itself. Ha’way the lads!”
Wingguy reckons we’re in for a cracker on the penultimate stage too: “In support of the Tour of Britain, I grew up cycling around the Dorset hills. In my opinion the route they’ve put together from West Bay is absolutely fantastic and a showcase of some of the best roads, climbs and views that amazing road bike destination has to offer.
“From what I can see it drops down the steepest ‘classic’ Abbotsbury hill into the town. There’s no shortage of sharp and steep in the Purbecks to and from Corfe, then I’m pretty sure it climbs to the top of Bulbarrow from Milton Abbas, descends the long north ridge and then back up and over the steep east side. Lovely!”
kil0ran agrees: “Sitting here impatiently to go all fanboi over the Tour of Britain route announcements. Get tharselfs down to the New Forest for the weekend of 11th/12th – finish in Ferndown on Saturday, camp overnight, ferry from Lymington and get ready for the world’s biggest ever set of echelons to form on the run back to the Needles.
“Needles Battery finish, never was a finish more appropriately named. It’s Great Orme part two and will decide the race. 20% bits.” We might have to check if that account belongs to race director Mick Bennett…we’re sold.
But if you want an in-depth look at where the final stage might be won, kil0ran has kindly broken it down to sports director detail…
For the Isle of Wight good spots will be:
Cowleaze Hill out of Shanklin will wake things up. 7% for 1.6km, 12% at the top. Lots of space to watch there.
Ventnor – Spyglass Inn on the esplanade all the way up ZigZag hill. About 100m vertical ascent in under a km, including 25%+ bits. Really narrow and about 40kms from the finish so will be tricky to cover an attack. Only three more climbs including the finish after that. This is part of the segment (go left at the top rather than right)
https://www.strava.com/segments/2879239
Niton Down will also be good on the way back, a long drag (3km at something like 5%) into a headwind followed by a steep descent (by UK standards). Plenty of space to watch there.
And then you’ve got 20kms of the Military Road which will either be glorious if the weather’s good or echelon madness if it’s not. Prevailing westerly will be hitting them on their left shoulder all the way along there, there’s zero cover from the wind.
Final selection could be on on Compton Down east of Freshwater. Benign climb in good weather but a really steep descent could let the front few get away.
The steepest part of the final climb is at the beginning as they turn into Alum Bay. I’d imagine the car park will be used for team buses so it’s one to cycle too but there are public loos for spectating. Halfway up it turns right and flattens before a short 10% section. Think mini Planche des Belles Filles. On reflection, not as tough as the Great Orme.
Take the ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth and stay near the finish. Plenty of campsites for bikepacking. I’ve stayed at Grange Farm in Brightstone a few times, you can see the race pass there in the morning and then have a leisurely ride up to the finish whilst the race heads inland. If you fancy a hill climb competition whilst you’re there the road down to the beach is getting on for 30%, you can barely walk it.
Stick 11 September in your diaries…
Thanks to all for the local knowledge.
6 April 2022, 08:13
6 April 2022, 08:13
6 April 2022, 08:13
6 April 2022, 08:13
Help us to bring you the best cycling content
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £2.49. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.
50 Comments
Read more...
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
Chris King are fairly serviceable. And the warranty does indeed require it. I enjoy the xtr plug and forget on two of the bikes. Until they die, and I just fit another. Chris's headsets are worth it, superb seals. It's such a mucky area, and I haven't had adjustable cup and cone BBs. on a bike since my Peugeot racers in the 80s, I was relieved when starting my mountain bike adventures in the 90"s that the fit and forget square taper BBs just worked. The seals on the hubs were awful back then. Singletrack FGF featured this, https://burgtec.co.uk/product-category/hardware/shimano-crank-bolt/, I'm wondering if it will replace my seemingly made of butter bolt on the xtr 960 cranks, almost impossible to find back in the day.
If I had purchased my special products division 650 back in '96, rather than obtaining it under a warranty replacement, I would apparently have received a signed picture of the fine Nottingham artisan that welded her. The 750 of that year won Barry Clarke another British xc cup, as I recall.
Yay! https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/26466698.speed-camera-catching-drivers-25mph-oxfordshire/
The fall of Raleigh happened long before this week. Just because somebody bought the name does not mean they were the same bikes. And if you care about the name so much, noone says it won't be purchased by another inverstor as Accell Group is liquidated!
@Destroyer666 I totally see your point. The good news is there are indeed BBs which use industry-standard bearings. Take Neco, for example - they offer exactly what you want. Maybe the bearings in the set are not perfect, but you can replace them with SKFs later.
@chrisonabike I was just reading that myself, it seems a bizarre kneejerk reaction before poor Finlay's cause of death has even been fully investigated. What does Mr.Hansen think has been going on, have the manufacturers had the means to make safer, more robust helmets that are just as light and well ventilated but haven't bothered releasing them? Or does he want the peleton racing in motorcycle helmets, because that's the only way there's going to be a chance of meaningful protection in 100 kmh crashes?
I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work: AFAICS anti-social consequences are inherent in the business model. Models which seem to work better: advertising (Santander cycles), using bikes to make using another service which is more profitable (or less unprofitable) easier (Dutch OV Fiets). After that it's "local authority subsidises it" and then you're down to "flogging customer data"...
Back in the day square taper bb's rolled on bearings that were considerably larger than inside these Maxhit ones. The ball bearings in these fully serviceable models cost a couple of euros. Don't get me wrong, they had their issues, like poor sealing. But those days, servicing bearings was the norm. The current state seems to be something of an attempt at non-serviceability, where efforts made at making products that you DO NOT have to service are accompanied with products that you CANNOT service. And those two things are mixed in different ways. For example with this Maxhit bearing you pay a crazy amount of money for supposed durability - that you are nonetheless expected to service once a year. And once these bearings wear enough, there is no way to service them anymore - no cups, cones, ball bearings to replace, unlike with the old bb's (sure, it was not THAT easy even with them to e.g. find just cups in bike shop). I guess my point is that while I applaud e.g. Enduro for making "bike specific" bearings, I nonetheless long for products that are just easy to service - that is the key to durability. And that does not have to mean it costs a lot. To prove my point: There is absolutely no reason why Shimano could not manufacture it's ubiquitous 20eur BB-MT501 with easily replaceable industrial standard 6805 bearings (where SKF quality bearings cost about 20eur), for the same cost they manufacture the BB in it's current form. They just chose not to. And I would choose that over crazy expensive bb's with marketing schpiel and small print regarding warranty any day.
He's wildly over the top / backwards about what is a risk to the hard-pressed motorist and local places: those are "other motorists" and "mass motoring" respectively. He's almost right though in that many places - even in the UK - are gradually realising that a great way to save themselves money, improve their places and aid their chances of hitting targets on health, obesity, climate etc. is indeed to slow down motorists, restrict parking and deter (not prevent...) much *private motor* travel.
RIP. According to the president of the Cyclistes Professionnels Associes the first thing they need to look at is ... helmets? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/czxqqlpnx98o Of course this could make perfect sense for a professional sport, perhaps standards haven't kept pace etc. It's certainly a rarefied extremely fast and hazard-rich environment, compared with my experience of normally <20mph utility-and-leisure cycling. But since the main factor seems to have been an uninvolved vehicle on the course this does sound like a convergence with the standard "cycling safety" narrative? ("Can't fix anything else, so what we *can* do is...")
50 thoughts on “Who’d have thought it? Highway Code changes working wonders (+ has driving improved?); “Where’s *insert your local town*?”: Tough day at the office for Tour of Britain admin; Should you resit driving test at 60?; Good ol’ days + more on the live blog”
Since the changes, I’d say
Since the changes, I’d say more drivers (in Surrey at least) are aggressive, intolerant, impatient, anti-social and dangerous. Then there’s a group that continue to drive just generally badly around cyclists (and, of course, another that remains considerate).
Surreyrider wrote:
I’ve never liked cycling in Surrey, it’s a bad combination of narrow lanes and entitled drivers in German cars. But without the cars, or off road, a lovely place to ride.
I think the 99% are getting
I think the 99% are getting better, the 1% are just as bad, with a few more ideas for ranting.
My pet hate is “cyclists run red lights” which I have rarely seen, aside from pseudo pedestrian cyclists pottering around with their shopping or young lads being stupid, when I have seen so many motorists take stupid risks on a daily basis. In a typical week I will see someone overtaking a car already stopped to turn left at a red light. I wouldn’t mind but the UK driver videos are full of examples, indeed, I think anyone who says “But cyclists…” should be sent on a one day course where they have to watch 8 hours of UK dodgy driver videos.
Looking at things from a non
Looking at things from a non-cycling point of view, there is no such thing as ‘pseudo pedestrian cyclists’.
If you are on a bike, you are a cyclist.
It doesn’t matter if you are 5 or 105, teen on a BMX, Deliveroo, hobbyist, endurance or serious time-trialer, once you cock that leg and get on that saddle – to the world you are a cyclist.
And we’re all tarred with the same brush.
Quite true, yet motorists don
Quite true, yet motorists don’t seemed to get tarred by their 1% do they?
I feel like generally most
I feel like generally most peoples driving has got better, I definitely get less ‘regular’ close passes each ride than before. On the flipside, the really horrible drivers, the ones that were horrible before, are even worse. Absolutely the fault of the press coverage of the changes. Had a few instances while riding in a group of drivers shouting abuse, and on two occasions throwing fast food rubbish, while travelling in the opposite direction, so we weren’t even in their way. They have just been so riled up about cyclists that they feel the need to be angry and borderline violent just based on our very existence. That is new behaviour (for me) since the changes and all the negative press, which is making me a bit lukewarm about them if I’m honest.
Generally, I think the 1% are
Generally, I think the 1% are really bad drivers and horrible people who are vile to anyone and you would probably cross the road if you saw them walking down the pavement. The shouters tend to be either builders in sign-written vans or young lads in my experience.
But you are right, the being shouted at by someone who goes out of their way to do it, wind window down, slow, and the venom with which they do it is deeply unsettling.
TeaBasedOrganism wrote:
The Rt Hon Nadine Dorries MP is Minister in charge of “The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) helps to drive growth, enrich lives and promote Britain abroad.”
Hate crime against an identifiable SPORT in the DIGITAL MEDIA should be her concern, especially given the government initiative for Active Travel.
We can’t very well complain if we don’t take the opportunity available in the democratic process. Please write to your MP, too..
I haven’t done much commuting
I haven’t done much commuting into London since ‘the before time’. I used to ride in every day and I have noticed that the number of cycle red light jumpers now has increased dramatically. It used to be occasional, but it seems to be every set of lights now.
The incidence of cars speeding has also gone up I think – in 30 mph areas and in the increasingly common 20mph areas particularly
nniff wrote:
Interesting. What pattern of behaviour is that?
Please let us know what you have seen?
lonpfrb wrote:
I have noticed that the number of cycle red light jumpers now has increased dramatically. It used to be occasional, but it seems to be every set of lights now.
— lonpfrb Interesting. What pattern of behaviour is that?
Please let us know what you have seen?— nniff
The original format used to be someone on a bike-shaped object who would let nothing stand in the way of their generally sedate progress.
To that has been added far more ‘common commuters’ and, depressingly, people who really should know better, with decent bikes and roadie clothing to match. Electric bikes too. Previously, the demographic was pretty much exclusively male, but not any more
It’s got so bad now that I prepare for a close pass from a bike, one side or the other, whenever I stop at a red light.
The slow ones are worse, as you now get stuck behind them because of the CS7 segregating wands, unless you can pick a spot in the traffic and nip past. This is heading in and out of London from the south
It’s encouraged me back on
It’s encouraged me back on the roads for the first time in two years, following a road rage incident which sent me in the direction of trail and gravel riding. Only two rides in but both in rush hour and zero close passes. I’m collossally unfit at the moment and I’ve been surprised how willing drivers have been to hold back on the hillier bits of my routes. A definite improvement, let’s see if it lasts.
Sitting here impatiently to
Sitting here impatiently to go all fanboi over the Tour of Britain route announcements.
Get tharselfs down to the New Forest for the weekend of 11th/12th – finish in Ferndown on Saturday, camp overnight, ferry from Lymington and get ready for the world’s biggest ever set of echelons to form on the run back to the Needles.
Needles Battery finish, never was a finish more appropriately named. It’s Great Orme part two and will decide the race. 20% bits.
Thanks for the local
Thanks for the local knowledge and the insight into the final stage, sounds like a cracker …
If anyone else has some tips on best locations to watch etc for other stages, feel free to add them in the comments.
For the Isle of Wight good
For the Isle of Wight good spots will be:
Cowleaze Hill out of Shanklin will wake things up. 7% for 1.6km, 12% at the top. Lots of space to watch there.
Ventnor – Spyglass Inn on the esplanade all the way up ZigZag hill. About 100m vertical ascent in under a km, including 25%+ bits. Really narrow and about 40kms from the finish so will be tricky to cover an attack. Only three more climbs including the finish after that. This is part of the segment (go left at the top rather than right)
https://www.strava.com/segments/2879239
Niton Down will also be good on the way back, a long drag (3km at something like 5%) into a headwind followed by a steep descent (by UK standards). Plenty of space to watch there.
And then you’ve got 20kms of the Military Road which will either be glorious if the weather’s good or echelon madness if it’s not. Prevailing westerly will be hitting them on their left shoulder all the way along there, there’s zero cover from the wind.
Final selection could be on on Compton Down east of Freshwater. Benign climb in good weather but a really steep descent could let the front few get away.
The steepest part of the final climb is at the beginning as they turn into Alum Bay. I’d imagine the car park will be used for team buses so it’s one to cycle too but there are public loos for spectating. Halfway up it turns right and flattens before a short 10% section. Think mini Planche aux Belle Filles. On reflection, not as tough as the Great Orme.
Take the ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth and stay near the finish. Plenty of campsites for bikepacking. I’ve stayed at Grange Farm in Brightstone a few times, you can see the race pass there in the morning and then have a leisurely ride up to the finish whilst the race heads inland. If you fancy a hillclimb competition whilst you’re there the road down to the beach is getting on for 30%, you can barely walk it.
I know it’s not really a test
I know it’s not really a test for a pro but its a shame that it looks like they’ve left out Cowleaze Hill on the IoW. Hopefully they’re using the really sharp Ventor/Brightstone route which has 25/30% sections. Mini Mur de Huy that.
I take it back, Cowleaze is
I take it back, Cowleaze is in
Def not New Forest, too flat,
Def not New Forest, too flat, you’ll only see them for a second. Get to the Purbeck hills and watch there, that’s my plan. Might see if my 8 year old is prepared to try the 20%ers
I was thinking more of
I was thinking more of staying there after watching the finish in Ferndown, that way you’ve got a nice leisurely ride to Lymington for the ferry for the final stage.
Luckily fo me, I live 5 miles
Luckily fo me, I live 5 miles from Ferndown, so no need to camp. You’ll still have to deal with the nasty New Forest drivers that drive at you without slowing down, and probably the illegal parking too.
Okeford hill, and East Creech would be my tips, having ridden most of the route many times. I’ll be heading to Creech, but it’s steeper in the oposite direction to their travel. Not much space to watch though, but on the climb they’re doing, you can see the tank range and the sea.
The climb at Abbotsbury is a
The climb at Abbotsbury is a bitch too. Remember hitting it at the end of a hilly 60 miler. It hurt.
For the Needles finish, I
For the Needles finish, I wonder if they might use this option, all the way up to the rocket testing site
https://www.strava.com/segments/16504823
Final 400m at something like 13%!
kil0ran wrote:
I’ve done that one, it’s tame really, although it was at the start of my ride. The wind may have a bearing too.
In support of the Tour of
In support of the Tour of Britain, I grew up cycling around the Dorset hills. In my opinion the route they’ve put together from West Bay is absolutely fantastic and a showcase of some of the best roads, climbs and views that amazing road bike destination has to offer.
Yeah, it looks really good.
Yeah, it looks really good. Will do wonders for cyclotourism if the weather is good. I can’t see from the low res map, does it include those evil ramps around Abbotsbury? It has a breakaway day written all over it, straight into climbs and doesn’t really let up for the first 20kms.
From what I can see it drops
From what I can see it drops down the steepest ‘classic’ Abbotsbury hill into the town. There’s no shortage of sharp and steep in the Purbecks to and from Corfe, then I’m pretty sure it climbs to the top of Bulbarrow from Milton Abbas, descends the long north ridge and then back up and over the steep east side. Lovely!
Yes, 17% gradient at the top
Yes, 17% gradient at the top with a 30 degree left hand bend at the bottom, that will be interesting, I’ve touched 80km/h down there, it’s like freefall.
ToB was brilliant last year
ToB was brilliant last year and this year’s north east stage is looking very promising: starting from one of the country’s greatest cathedrals, heading up into the stunning scenery and challenging roads of Weardale and the Pennines before returning to finish at the mouth of the Wear itself. Ha’way the lads!
Stage six pretty much goes
Stage six pretty much goes right by my house… about two months after I’m due to move to the other side of the UK.
I think there are different
I think there are different subsets of drivers. Those that overtook well, and continue to do so having made no changes to the way they drive.
Those who overtook before the changes which were technically ‘close’ but had made some effort are now a little further out.
Those who drive like idiots continue to do so (and continue to get reported to Surrey Police with a fairly high conversion to at least a warning letter) with close passes still being close. Get this a lot on my commute because people are in such a hurry.
Have also seen a rise in really nice wide passes, almost completely on to the other side of the road, but in doing so nearly having a head on collision with something clearly coming the other way. Or, in Monday’s commute, something coming round the blind bend.
So in summary there are some drivers that are considerate, some that don’t give a rats arse and never have and some that are trying but just aren’t very good at it.
There was a brief time when
There was a brief time when the changes were first published where things were better, but it’s gone back to the previous appalling level now.
Daveyraveygravey wrote:
I think I’ll second that.
Not much chance here in
Not much chance here in Warminster.
I think everyone should have
I think everyone should have to resit a theory test every 3-5 years.
A little old, but shows that the 60-69 age has the lowest death rate.
Looks like more testing is needed for lower age ranges.
Use a simulator for a restest every 5 years or make the current test requirment more stringent.
The theory and road tests are
The theory and road tests are the absolute minimum standard which every driver should be at or above in knowlege and ability. Those millions of people who don’t think they could pass a test should not be driving without further training.
A retest every 5 years would not be inconvenient for those who are competent drivers, it takes 45 minutes, but it would make the roads dramatically safer.
I think an on road test would
I think an on road test would be tricky due to sheer numbers – there would not be enough examiners. Hence suggested this bit as a simulation.
Looking at dash cams videos on youtube, seems driving is taken too easy. The seating, entertainment, air flow system is too comfortable leading to lower than required levels of concentration. You should be tired after an hour plus of driving.
I’m not convinced by a
I’m not convinced by a simulation. The hazard perception test is effectively that, and it is widely criticised: manufactured scenarios are measured according to when you react to them, based on an arbitrary window of opportunity.
Too early, and your click doesn’t count (even though you might have spotted the emerging hazard while it remained a risk); too late – even before it becomes an actual hazard – and you don’t get enough points.
Plus, you are driving a PC screen, not a real life windscreen view with all-round visability.
I dont doubt that there is equipment that would give a better 360° view, relaistic handling, and decent graphics, with more advanced assessment of the driver’s reactions. However, that would be very expensive at present, at a cost to the test centre.
Currently, the only reasonable way to test driving is to test somebody driving when they turn up in their [instructor’s] car.
Not really thinking currently
Not really thinking currently, thinking of what you could have in 5 years. Plenty of 360 simulations now that you can go to for entertainment.
Costs to be passed on to the driver.
The actual test would be a road test and the base line and at a higher standard than now. Then the simulation would measure against the base line.
How to drive round a roundabout and keep in lane, how to stop before the ASL, how to park in a cycle lane.
hirsute wrote:
Doing a bit of quick mafs we would probably need around 4000 more driving examiners on top of what we have now to test every UK license holder once every 5 years assuming each instructor does a little under 35 tests a week and some people need a retest. According to google, currently there are around 1600 examiners, some of whom are part time, so it would be a massive increase in the profession. You would likely also need to up the number of instructors as well as a lot of people would require additional training to pass their retests.
Surprisingly, when more
Surprisingly, when more people are needed in a profession, more people are hired. The current numbers are based around current requirements so if they need to increase requirements, they will increase people. I did have a mooch around Google and it seems the Gov are proposing changes which includes more full time examiners, changes to appointment cancellation times, reviewing driving instructors etc.
Consultation for them finished in March.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
I won’t expect any action soon, a consultation on pavement parking was completed quite some time ago, but no outcome has yet been reported.
This may not take into
This may not take into account the distance driven or journeys made, i.e. the 60-69 age group will mostly likely spend less time on the road than 20-29.
I’d expect that to be
I’d expect that to be reflected in insurance premiums though – perhaps the best measure of risk.
mark1a wrote:
Indeed, because a large number of this group will retire and stop driving to/for work
“The new The Highway Code”?
“The new The Highway Code”? Hmm… Where’s swldxer (Wing Mirror Guy) and his pedantry when you need them?
Re: Retests at 60
Re: Retests at 60
So potentially wait 43 years for someone to have driven badly before taking a resit? I wonder what the feedback would be if it was every 5 or 10 years.
Also 1 in 3 is still a minority.
How about a mandatory retest
How about a mandatory retest for anyone who accumulates 12 points on their licence over any period of time?
How about a mandatory retest
How about a mandatory retest when video evidence is provided showing driving which would lead to a fail.
iandusud wrote:
How about a mandatory annual retest for anyone that has any points on their licence?
Noting some limited changes
Noting some limited changes with the highway code at the height of the media storm, but even with the number of posts on phone use while driving I have seen more people tapping away with phones in their laps than normal!