Cyclist’s wonderfully petty karma for driver parked in bike lane; Mr Loophole’s back…with a “comic film” about cycling (nobody’s laughing); Teflon Tom Pidcock (+ Van Aert’s Geordie cousin); DnB on the Bike; Cargo bike orchestra + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Cyclist's wonderfully petty karma for driver parked in bike lane
Someone parked in the bike lane. Their vehicle is now blocked in with 200 pounds of water-filled k-rails. pic.twitter.com/UJd53AycQg
— Joshua Davis (@byJoshuaDavis) December 4, 2021
Hopefully you all had a Mr Loophole-free weekend…he’s still knocking about with some blog-worthy stuff this morning, so I can’t promise he will be gone for too long.
In the meantime, here’s a delicious dose of parking karma to brighten up your Monday morning. You inconvenience me and put us in danger, I’ll inconvenience you. It’s along the same lines as that cyclist from Minneapolis who proved a point about drivers’ double standards by blocking the road, mirroring the car parked in the adjacent bike lane. Needless to say the BMW driver behind wasn’t too impressed…
Today’s karma-delivering rider opted for a more long-term inconvenience, moving the water-filled barriers to form a makeshift ‘inconsiderate idiot enclosure’. It took “all my strength” to drag the circa 200lb (90kg) obstacles around the Ford Focus, Joshua told his Twitter followers. Amazing what you can do with the power of pettiness…
The comments didn’t disappoint either…
Guess the driver needed more… Focus
— Jeff (@grossman317) December 5, 2021
Judging by the lack of a bumper they’re as bad at driving as they are at parking.
— Kyle Huey (@khuey_) December 4, 2021
Weekend round-up: Islington Council threatens £50,000 fines for parking your bike, bus driver near miss, Just Eat on the M5 + more
Fines were the hot topic on road.cc over the weekend…on Saturday we heard from a commuter in Hemel Hempstead calling for clearer signs after he was fined £80 for riding his bike through an area of the Hertfordshire town where cycling is prohibited.
> Review: Liv Langma Advanced SL Disc 2022
Then, on Sunday, a reader told us they were fined £75 for cycling through a pedestrian zone outside Highbury & Islington station. However, the main event was pictures of notices left on bikes parked outside the station threatening £50,000 for fly-tipping.
> Best bikepacking seat packs for gravel and mountain bikes – tried, tested and reviewed
We also had a close pass from a double decker bus driver in Buckinghamshire, Cav talking mental health, a Just Eat delivery rider taking a trip down the M5, and frustrated readers getting in touch about an anti-theft GPS crowdfunder which still has not seen a product delivered more than two years on…
Teflon Tom Pidcock somehow stays pristine despite the Belgian mud (+ Wout van Aert being Wout van Aert)
It’s a very creditable 7th place at #SPBoom for @Tompid as he kicks off his CX season.
Super slick and muddy conditions out there 👍 pic.twitter.com/g0S6rKfLQQ
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) December 4, 2021
Cyclo-cross has been back for a while, but for casual viewers like myself Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock coming back on the scene was the cue to pay attention again. Van Aert dominated at Superprestige Boom, whetting the appetite for some monstrous head to heads against world champ Mathieu van der Poel over the festive period.
Pidcock had a slower return, finishing seventh, but all most people cared about was how he managed to keep his British national champ’s jersey so clean?
> What do you think of the new Ineos Grenadiers kit from Bioracer?
“You feel like a numpty every time you do your first race of the year,” Pidcock told Ineos Grenadiers’ media team afterwards. “I was far away from winning, but I was good. Considering what I’ve done, I’m pleased. I had too many crashes. I’m a bit bruised now, and I’m still struggling to see.
“There are always things you can get, like putting anti-fog on my lenses, but they were still fogging up so I had had to take my glasses off and then I couldn’t see.”
In the end, Van Aert made it all look very easy…
🚨 Wout is back! 🚨
An absolute mud masterclass by @WoutvanAert! 🇧🇪 at #SPBoom as he beats the field by 1:40 in treacherous conditions!! pic.twitter.com/szW3Y0lyzz
— GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) December 4, 2021
Afterwards, two-time UCI World Cup winner Toon Aerts told Sporza, “It is unbelievable what Wout van Aert has done here. We have to be honest, it could be a Christmas without victories.” Just wait until Van der Poel’s back too…
Wout still had enough energy for a 27kph, 123km off-road blast around northern Belgium yesterday…
Stolen Goat and Cycling UK's new collection to raise money for charity campaigns
Stolen Goat is collaborating with Cycling UK for a new collection to help fund the charity’s campaigns and projects, which are aimed at helping people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities enjoy cycling safely and easily.
The new SG X Cycling UK collection includes Stolen Goat’s Bodyline jerseys, water-repellent Orkaan long-sleeved jerseys and Climb and Conquer winter jackets and matching accessories in two designs: the classic, clean looking Heritage design featuring a navy background with a simple yellow and blue stripe, as well as the Contemporary design with striking geometric lines over a blue-purple gradient fade.
The matching accessories include Orkaan arm warmers, plus neck warmers, turbo towels and even a special Baby Nik plush toy on the way – who saw that one coming?
Get the Jason Kenny look: Nine-time Olympic medallist launches collection with HUUB Design
Britain’s most decorated Olympian Jason Kenny, who is the owner of seven gold medals, now has his own cycling collection called JK9 which has been created in partnership with HUUB Design.
The kit is designed with the aim of making cycling more accessible and enjoyable to all thanks to aerodynamically-tested fabrics which, according to HUUB Design, have been purposed for real-world speeds and not just optimised for the fast pace of the velodrome.
The Bib Shorts (£129.99) have reduced external seams for optimal aerodynamics and feature HUUB’s 6-panel anatomical cut and four-way stretch fabric for the optimal fit, as well as HUUB’s patented 3D multi-density foam chamois for a comfortable ride. The Short Sleeve Jersey (£99.99) uses wind tunnel-tested sweat-wicking fabrics and the sleeves are bonded for comfort. It also has three regular pockets and a zip pocket for storage, and reflective elements for safety.
Drum & Bass on the Bike in Edinburgh
Amazing day out at drum and bass on a bike @domwhiting and @EdCriticalMass 🥁 🔊 🚲 pic.twitter.com/TlGnPOgH1R
— Josh Turner (@Josh_turner13) December 5, 2021
Quite the turnout in the Scottish capital for Dom Whiting’s Drum & Bass on the Bike north of the border debut…
We’ll link his official vid once it’s up so you dnb heads can listen to the full set…
Check this fella out on the Penny Farthing on @domwhiting DNB outing today. What a legend! Me thinks he’s done this kind of descent before pic.twitter.com/HKjkqv9aNc
— Ed Hawkins (@edd1e_h) December 5, 2021
Comment of the day...Wout van Aert's Geordie cousin
Cyclists in Brazil attacked with pepper spray by passing motorcyclist
A group of roughly 40 cyclists in the Brazilian city of Paulista were targeted by a passing motorcyclist who aimed pepper spray at the group. The incident was caught on camera and shared on Facebook by a member of the group who called for an end to violence against cyclists.
One of the cyclists said the attack happened two weeks ago, on November 24, when the biker in the red helmet reached into his pocket before spraying something at the group. Some of the women were left coughing and feeling sick after inhaling the spray but thankfully managed to avoid crashing, regrouping at the side of the road.
Catch some off-season training with the Ineos Grenadiers (on Zwift)
Sadly this isn’t an opportunity to jet off to Mallorca with Pidcock, Ganna and the rest of the Ineos Grenadiers. But hey, a Zwift ride (or five) is alright, isn’t it?
The Ineos boys are out on the Balearic Island this week, starting their preparation for 2022, but will be taking time out to host rides on Zwift, with the first one scheduled for 9am GMT on Wednesday morning with Dylan van Baarle. That’s a ‘workout’ so make sure to have some carbs if you’re aiming to keep up with the Dwars door Vlaanderen winner.
Later in the day, at 5pm GMT to be precise, Egan Bernal and Richard Carapaz will be hosting a social ride…just don’t ask who’s leading the team at the Tour de France…
Thursday’s 9am workout will be led by British national champ Ben Swift, before Michał Kwiatkowski and Filippo Ganna take the social spin at half three (British time).
There’s one final social ride scheduled for Friday at 9am, which will be led by Watts Occurring duo Luke Rowe and G…full details here…
Mr Loophole is back...with a "comic film" about cycling (nobody's laughing)
SPOOF ALERT: This is a comic film and events fictitious. But has serious message about failings of cycling law. Please watch and sign our petition @Iromg @cristo_radio @Sueperb2 @JeremyClarkson @theJeremyVine #cycling https://t.co/mJTs4R9eBn pic.twitter.com/IPLCAqZc4R
— Nick Freeman (@TheMrLoophole) December 5, 2021
I apologise in advance for what you’re about to see/read…we did warn you Mr Loophole is back for more…
Last week’s events seem to have to got to Nick Freeman, who took time out of his preparation for defending Frank Lampard in court next month to shoot this “comic film” with a “serious message”.
Sporting a festive pair of antlers (granted, it would be weirder if they weren’t festive), Loophole rolled into shot after a fictitious bike ride before setting off on a rant about all things cycling…”I went through a school area, 60mph on this bike. 20mph speed limit because it’s near a school, and you know what? For a cyclist — no speed limits. Fantastic!” You can see where this is going…
Cycling under the influence of drink and drugs came next, followed by helmet-wearing and no hi-vis. “I went on a few pavements, went through a few lights, and I went through a group of people really fast, about 45mph […] quite dangerous really, but it’s fantastic because nobody knows who I am so I can do all this. It’s impunity…”
Loophole also said there was no bell on the bike (a point disputed by some)…
TalkRadio’s Cristo, Mike Graham, Top Gear host turned farmer Jeremy Clarkson and Jeremy Vine were all tagged in the clip shared to his 5,000 Twitter followers. Vine responded saying the video looked like a “cry for help”.
The video is the latest social media activity from the lawyer who specialises in getting motorists off driving charges. Last week he came under fire from Vine, Surrey Police’s Roads Policing Unit and seemingly almost everyone else on Twitter for a tedious video of a group ride in a two abreast formation, in which Loophole ranted about being held up.
Despite the criticism, Freeman doubled down, saying it was proof “we need mandatory identification for cyclists. Anonymity equals impunity.”
Stuck in the mud Mondays
Monday pic.twitter.com/ZFwRDjF19o
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) December 6, 2021
Wholesome Sam Bennett content...seven years later...
Your little training buddy ain’t so little anymore @Sammmy_Be. 7 years and 200W between the two photos of Patrick and Sam @Carrickwheelers pic.twitter.com/zYYmUeKj3D
— Martin O’Loughlin (@martinol) December 5, 2021
A lot has changed in between these two photos. The year after the first one was taken, Bennett went to the Tour de France for the first time in his career, abandoning in the Alps on stage 17 while last on GC.
The year after he made it all the way to Paris, last on GC, but with a ninth place on the Champs-Élysées to show for it. In 2017, he won his first WorldTour race, a stage of Paris-Nice, before in 2018 he finally got that maiden Grand Tour win at the Giro. By Rome, he had his second and third stage wins too. Last year, two stages of the Tour de France and green jersey followed.
Even after the year he’s had and off to Bora in 2022, Bennett is taking no chances with that Deceuninck-Quick-Step kit…
6 December 2021, 08:52
6 December 2021, 08:52
6 December 2021, 08:52
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Latest Comments
If the police are overwhelmed with evidence showing dangerous driving, then that shows that the dangerous driving is endemic: the graveyards and hospitals are full of the victims. If it is endemic, then one of two things must be true, or both: the detection rate is not high enough, and/or the punishment is not sufficient to deter. So in this case, we have the victims providing the evidence, in most cases all the officers need to do is view that evidence. If the officers don't have time, then the process should be automated, possibly by AI. If the driver disputes it, then a real person could view it, but if they consider the driving to be dangerous, the driver should pay for the officer's time. Then we have the lack of punishment, or punishment which doesn't fit the crime, because it does not deter people from offending. The current system of points and fines is clearly not working, and something rather more effective has to be done, like confiscating the car for instance. ".......the Chief Inspector recommended that road users use a rear-facing camera and evidence their own speed at the time of the overtake." I fail to see what the speed of the vehicle being overtaken has to do with the overtaking vehicle passing too closely. Would it be ok if you were doing 5mph, or 25mph? Baffling.
In principal, driverless cars have the potential to be much safer than human drivers, by virtue of the fact that they should be intent on following the rules of the road, nor driving whilst drunk/drugged, never be tired, frustrated, irrational etc, etc. Another advantage is that mistakes can be corrected and rolled out across the entire fleet (try that with humans. Add to that the resulting reduction in car ownership, increased car sharing, and the sheer amount of street space given over to parked cars will plummet. The key factor, however, is how much of those principles the owning companies are prepared to commit to. (Altruism isn't their strong point)
I'm going to take a close look at some of the lights mentioned. For reference: I extensively used the following: - Nightrider lumina (don't recall the exact model): horrible temperature control and after 18 months it bricked up on me and they refused to honour the warranty, will never buy anything from them ever again; - Lezyne 1600 XXL, two issues, firstly the strap that attached it to the handlebar never kept in place really well over rough terrain. Secondly: a cop stopped me and although -to me riding the bike- it appeared well adjusted, he claimed I was blinding oncoming traffic. He actually held the bike so I could check for myself from inside his car and he was simply right: the light level on the ground was ok but indeed, I was blinding oncoming traffic. That's a hard no, it had to go even though he didn't fine me. I don't want to annoy/be a risk to other road users; - Then the Lupine: solid as a rock, mounted on a GoPro mount, USB-C charging, StVZO compliant...but alas not enough oomph considering terrain and desired speed; Thinking back, it somehow seems like a light I had on my bike back when I was riding long distance events (Audax, crazy distances but lower average speeds) might have been ideal, that was a Son Edelux and it ran on a Son hub dynamo. But I don't want to install a dynamo and again, lower speeds.
Well that all blew up quickly! A pause to savour: "cyclists have a dislike for linguistic accuracy and authentic meaning." Apparently it's something to do with the cyclic muscle movements - ah, no, that would affect runners and rowers also. Circular motion of the limbs?
@mattw Yeah, and Oxford Street will be full of unicorns and rainbows by then as well. 🤣
@stulemanski Actually I think they do, as long as there is good behaviour. Complete cycle bans are vanishingly rare in the Netherlands, which is the best comparison. In 10-20 years time there will be a mobility track, and there will be no real problems.
@Rendel Harris That assumes training, expertise, and the time to do a proper job including full consultation. This does not happen, and then rapid assumptions are made based on "me". That also happens with cycling groups who campaign for something and completely ignore eg tricycles or other varieties of vehicle, in favour of standard cycles. Both lived experience and professional experience are essential. This week I have been looking at a brand new £50k 3m-wide path upgrade in my local Green Flag Park, where the Council have spent perhaps £3k installing a 3 ply chicane with 1.5m gaps and 1.5m spacing between barriers at one end of it. The path also includes a 1-in-9 30m long hill. I have since been talking to a lady who is a wheelchair user and has a fully-trained assistance dog which walks alongside, who is thereby prevented from entering the park she pays for with her Council Tax. Those dimensions are unusable for most small mobility scooters, never mind other mobility aid users, and are flat out unlawful, and not in accordance with several sets of Government Guidelines. Yet when I complain I expect to be stonewalled to the door of the Court in the hope that I will get exhausted and go away. At the door of the Court they usually capitulate, and will have spent 7-10k on legal letters and compensation and doing what they should have done at the start. That £3k could have been spent sorting out perhaps 10 other anti-disabled barriers around our Green Flag Parks. Every complaint so far I have made has been met with "Does Not Meet Threshold for Action".
@flowboy I'm not sure what your point is, FB. Unforfunately, in a world of insufficient resources and gutted Councils with no expertise (for example the near-vanishing of Accessibility Officers) due mainly to available resources being halved since 2010, the only things that will get a response are likely to be details supported by a credible threat of legal action. That's how it is. Even then they often rely on obfuscation via complaints procedures that can take 12 months and have no teeth.
@flowboy I'm not sure what your point is, FB. Unforfunately, in a world of insufficient resources and gutted Councils with no expertise (for example the near-vanishing of Accessibility Officers) due mainly to available resources being halved since 2010, the only things that will get a response are likely to be details supported by a credible threat of legal action. That's how it is. Even then they often rely on obfuscation via complaints procedures that can take 12 months and have no teeth.
@Rendel Harris I have recently come out. I have been called a lot worse. Sticks and stones. So are you saying I cannot call people like myself names? If a call myself and people like me, a ‘homophobic slur’ are you going to get the nasty words police on to me? If you are straight, then your opinions and fake anger mean nothing. Unless you are gay, you are clueless. So stop getting all worked up about a name. I can cope with it. If you can’t, it’s on you.
74 thoughts on “Cyclist’s wonderfully petty karma for driver parked in bike lane; Mr Loophole’s back…with a “comic film” about cycling (nobody’s laughing); Teflon Tom Pidcock (+ Van Aert’s Geordie cousin); DnB on the Bike; Cargo bike orchestra + more on the live blog”
A positive cycling article on
A positive cycling article on the bbc
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-59514294
Must be a seasonal thing.
It’s OK, because he’s not on
It’s OK, because he’s not on the Road.
That guy’s an inspiration. A
That guy’s an inspiration. A neighbour of mine has severe disabilities and has a hand tricycle, with a small electric motor assist system. She’s out and about on it all the time and given what she has to contend with regarding her disabilties, she’s pretty inspiring too.
This article bugs me.
This article bugs me.
You can buy them in the UK, the claim you have to import them from the US is simply untrue. Hell, there are several companies making them in the UK, as well as in the EU. No import duties or VAT on mobility gear, so less of an impact from Brexit, too.
He doesn’t ride a handbike – Wrong number of wheels. He rides a handcycle. Handbikes do exist, but they are vanishingly rare.
Also, handcycle is one. damn. word.
…handtrike?
…handtrike?
hawkinspeter wrote:
We could do with a catch-all like the Dutch “fiets” in English. (I’m hoping there will be increasing need for it). Dictionaries seem to translate this to “bicycle” but I’m pretty sure it is both more general than the English and more flexible. Bike? You can have fietsers, compound it to be more specific (bakfiets) etc.
Yes – English can do bikers / cyclists, box bike, cargo bike but it’s already getting a bit unwieldy. Tandem bike, recumbent bike, handcycle, trike, quadcycle, sociable cycle (say what?)… does “bike” stretch this far? They’re not bicycles (or birotas, or dicycles if you want to keep your classics pure).
Any philologists / linguists out there?
Just say cyclist. It covers
Just say cyclist. It covers the whole gamut.
Just “cycle” would do, wouldn
Just “cycle” would do, wouldn’t it – from the Greek kyklos, circle or wheel? We’ve all got wheels in common…when further definition is needed we can add the necessary prefix, bi-, tri-, hand etc. In Victorian literature the bicycle is quite often referred to as a wheel, as in “notable for his performances upon the wheel.”
I did think we could all be called pedallers, having pedals in common, but then handcycles don’t technically have pedals. We all have cranks in common but perhaps we don’t want to go down that route…
Just hoping this isn’t one of
Just hoping this isn’t one of swldxer’s interests…
The lack of pedals is legally
The lack of pedals is legally important – many cycling restrictions (and regulations…) specify “pedal cycles”.
Well, I don’t have any of those, so I’m not on a pedal cycle – Doesn’t apply!
Handcycle covers any
Handcycle covers any arrangement, including quads.
It’s part of why I detest the phrase “bicyclist”; It’s ugly, doesn’t roll off the tongue, has an entire unnecessary syllable and doesn’t cover everybody. Just say cyclist!
Given the state of it, are we
Given the state of it, are we sure that car was ‘parked’ in the cycle lane, rather than just abandoned there after being joyridden round the neighbourhood?
My first thought on it, was
My first thought on it, was what purpose those barriers were serving before Joshua moved them to make a point…
(That being said, I’ve been known to move traffic cones or replace wands in similar circumstances…).
If you wear a helmet, at
If you wear a helmet, at least ensure it is fitted correctly.
But she was only modelling
But she was only modelling for a photo!
brooksby wrote:
I’m just waiting for someone to mention the saddle angle….
Good work London Symphony
Good work London Symphony Orchestra!
Am I the only one who sees
Am I the only one who sees Toon Aerts and automatically thinks “Wout’s Geordie Cousin”?
Jason Kenny & HUUB design…
Jason Kenny & HUUB design… coming soon to SportPursuit.com. Not having a dig at Jason but HUUB stuff seems to appear there a lot.
You did an article here a few
You did an article here a few years ago (https://road.cc/content/news/269159-proposal-compulsory-helmets-all-cycling-time-trials-events-including-hill-climbs) about CTT and a proposed change to the regs. They were looking to make it mandatory for helmets at all events like Scottish CTT has for the last 30 odd years. They voted it through the other day.
along with compulsory front
along with compulsory front lights (in addition to the back which was already needed).
Having seen some riders once they have thier “race head” on it then it is not really a bad idea
Re: Nick Freeman. Countdown
Re: Nick Freeman. Countdown minus 24 hours for him to scrape the 10,000 signatures just to get the government to respond to his little petition. And so he brings out a laughable tweet of him on a bike acting like the clown he is. When you see through what all of his recent activity is focused towards, you see the guy for the pathetic individual he is. He’s only got a borderline chance of getting the signatures needed by utilising a divisive topic like cycling 2 abreast. It makes me chuckle to see how hard he’s having to work to gain just a small crumb of relevance!
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/585474
Was he wearing a hi vis
Was he wearing a hi vis tabard with required registration, by any chance?
Just read the piece, doesn’t having enough disposable cash to employ his services equal impunity?
ktache wrote:
No unfortunately not, just some reindeer antlers and his wife’s 3 quarter leggings.
ktache wrote:
Is that a French spoonerism?
GMBasix wrote:
Ooh… that quick with the multi-lingual and nazi-aligned puns? You’re wasted on this forum!
Oh, and it’s CONTREPÈTERIE!
chrisonatrike wrote:
Oh, hat, monsieur!
(yes, by the time I get here, I usually am wasted! Can’t let a good breakfast wine go to ruin!)
GMBasix wrote:
Chap ho! to you too! Enjoy your vinegar! ” ‘Old Smokey, 1968’ has been compared favourably to a Welsh claret …”
ktache wrote:
But that’s different, cos cars and money.
He must have seen the
He must have seen the criticism of the TFL film about false equivalence and said “hold my … won’t tell you what I’m drinking”.
FFS and some on here state they worship him for the trolling purposes only.
Everything he was moaning about in the first few mins before I turned off would have been against current laws if stopped by the Police.
It’s telling that he can only
It’s telling that he can only gain feature-point status by stoking division and not wholesale support for his agenda, as his meagre petition numbers show. I will literally roll on the floor laughing if it checks out on 9,999.
Some of his “followers” are
Some of his “followers” are just as paranoid and nuts. Carol Vickery for one who has a long list of what car owners contribute (nothing about deaths and polution obviously) without thinking once that the majority of cyclists own a car. She even had the temerity to ask people to imagine about all the injuries caused to little kids by cyclists. I suppose imagination is the most.
Then another, who in his bio states petrol head and sports car owner, stating he is right about cyclists. Hmmm, I’m sure I’m right that that guy speeds everywhere he goes.
Exactly, he’s using every
Exactly, he’s using every tool (literally) at his disposal and he might only just reach the target. If he’d had a small amount of common sense he’d have appointed a social media guru and probably had no trouble getting the 10,000, however ridiculous or crude the message. The schooling he received from Surrey Police might be a highlight when compared to the ridicule he’ll receive if he fails to hit his target.
He’s only gone and done it!
He’s only gone and done it!
It’s the best bit of cycling-adjacent action I’ve seen in a while. A bit like dot watching I guess. The increasing desperation in his tweets has been amusing too. Well done Nick!
I really can’t bring myself
I really can’t bring myself to watch it…
Don’t bother. Just know that
Don’t bother. Just know that apparently there is no laws to stop cyclists doing 60mph outside a school or riding whilst over a drink or drugs limit. Remember as well this is apparently someone who knows traffic laws inside and out.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
No, you’re parodying him. The problem with cyclists is they don’t have numbers (tattooed on the back of their necks) and so you can’t identify any individuals thus allowing them to commit crimes with total impunity unlike pedestrians, horse riders and scooterists but and especially people in motor cars who because of number plates will be bang to rights as if they as much as brush against a wheelie bin.
chrisonatrike wrote:
A semi serious point. Loopy has previously got motorists off on loopholes around identifying who was driving at the time of the offence. Should he not be calling for cars to display a driver identification number as well as/instead of a vehicle identification number?
Steve K wrote:
Also semi-serious – I can’t quite work out the business model. E.g.
(a) Is he just looking to create new excuses to get bad drivers off (“my client is blameless because the cyclists were riding two abreast contrary to the new law I campaigned for“);
(b) Does he think cyclists are a potential new client base (“yes, the cyclist was wearing a registration tabard like I campaigned for, but my client has no recollection of who was wearing their tabard that day, and there is no footage of the cyclist’s face to prove it is my client“); or
(c) Perhaps he just finds cyclists irritating and thinks that’s a good basis for legislation.
quiff wrote:
You’re over-thinking it – the business model is “LOOK AT ME!!!”.
Re Loophole’s ride.
Re Loophole’s ride.
Mungecrundle wrote:
60 mph? In those shoes? I don’t think so!
(Apologies to Kirsty McColl.)
Nick Freeman’s 60 mph bicycle
Nick Freeman’s 60 mph bicycle challenge – when’s the next Comic Relief? I’d pay good money to see that!
He might then realise the lack of legislation; it’s self-limiting due to the sheer terror feedback loop.
Going to be needing a very
Going to be needing a very big hill.
ktache wrote:
…that goes past a school!
(the cheering children will be safely behinds barriers as he whizzes by of course).
I’ve always scoffed at the
I’ve always scoffed at the idea that Mr Loopy and NG are one and the same person, but looking at the utter lameness of that video I have to say that the evidence is mounting.
Nah, unfortunately Poophole
Nah, unfortunately Poophole has been relatively successful in his field, (well in the ones he brags about winning, we never hear the rest unless Boo accidently links to them). However Boo can’t even quote the correct pages in a report in his anticycling arguments which sounds bad for a “Master” Economist. However I wouldn’t say that Boo didn’t tell him to do that video in some way.
Nick Freeman: There appears
Nick Freeman: There appears to be small print in the bottom right of each sign he holds up. Presumably footnotes to correct their accuracy.
Honestly, if this is the standard of his advocacy, it’s astonishing he’s got so many dangerous drivers off.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m sure some of his wins have come from the Magistrates being star struck about the clients. There is no loophole which states someone desperately in the need of a toilet can speed down the hard shoulder if stuck in Motorway traffic for example. The magistrate just decided it was now allowed in the case of Football managers in Manchester. The same with being allowed to speed because someone is following them who might want to take their picture in not a loophole.
Doesn’t he know that
Doesn’t he know that littering is illegal?
So is shitting in public. And
So is shitting in public. And he definitely laid out alot of shit in that video.
while it would be hard to
while it would be hard to pursue a case of fly tipping against cyclists who clearly intend to recover their bicycles (therefor they are not waste) the same cannot be said for the leaflets attached to them arning of fly tipping charges.
So, are those responsible for dumping these leaflets in the public domain being prosecuted for fly tipping?
To misquote Blackadder:
To misquote Blackadder:
“If he’d meant it to be funny, he’d have put some jokes in it”.
I regret to inform you all
I regret to inform you all that Nick Freeman’s last minute tactics have worked and he has his 10,000 signatures, so the government now have to acknowledge his petition. On the bright side, considering he’s had to pull out all the stops to achieve this by the slimmest margins, his chances of reaching 100k to be brought into the Parliament agenda are slim to zero. Maybe Jeremy Vine responding earlier today is what got him over the line in a sick unintentional way.
sensei wrote:
That’s disappointing. But here’s what the response will say. https://twitter.com/Tdr1nka/status/1467802136570437639?t=qNr-fWDGdZLsblzOQ0nCAQ&s=19
I’m sure there are many many
I’m sure there are many many stupid people who see 6 months of tirelessly campaighing on friendly TV and radio shows, in friendly newspapers and on a twitter account with 5k followers to SCRAPE past 10k signatures in 6 MONTHS (and how many of those are fake) as a “famous” victory. They might even claim he always wins even though they posted a link to where he doesn’t, (and google searching Nick Freeman loses does return plenty of results of course).
Yes he was crowing about
Yes he was crowing about reaching the number on his Twitter account so I provided a dose of reality to take the glow off his achievement.
I mean he’s got to be very deluded to think the following from this point:
1) That considering the efforts and time to scrape 10k, he’ll then be able to go on to get 100k
2) He’ll get the government to go completely against it’s active travel initiatives as part of it’s environmental commitments
3) The government wouldn’t then conclude (as every other government has done e.g. Switzerland 2012) that the scheme is a wholesale waste of public money bringing barely any benefits whatsoever
If in the crazy world we live in, all of those 3 things were to happen, would he happily accept responsibility for unprecedented car insurance inflation as a result of insurers having to cover the huge shortfalls for the mandatory bike policies they have to sell (which probably wouldn’t cover the administration costs alone).
But sadly, his weird little agenda is still in play, thanks to 10k gullible morons that are instantly triggered by any anti-cycling rhetoric they can find.
0.01% of the population –
0.01% of the population – beyond pitiful.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Yes pitiful is the word to explain his whole campaign and particularly his antics in the last week.
Are we talking about Nick or
Are we talking about Nick or Boo?
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
Tbh all of the above and especially the show pony provocateur himself Nige!
Super-lawyer Nick Freeman’s
Super-lawyer Nick Freeman’s playful and comedic twist on antisocial cycling produced a familiar result for him – a fantastic win in terms of getting 10,000 signatures!
All eyes will now be on his parliamentary petition and the response it garners from the government.
Garage at Large wrote:
It will be a polite ‘fuck off Nick’.
Now only if I could think of the right phrase for you, eh Nige.
Only Nick Freeman could try
Only Nick Freeman could try and argue 60mph in a 20 limit past a school is a simple speeding offence.
That Freeman video is the
That Freeman video is the perfect “I ride a bike but…”
Freeman is getting beyond a
Freeman is getting beyond a joke. It’s utterly disingenuous to suggest that cyclists could be going 60mph past a school – I’ve never gone that fast on a bike and I’ve cycled down some pretty big mountains.
His quip about there being no limits on alcohol and drug consumption is only true if you are utterly immune to the effects of them, as section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 states:
“A person who, when riding a cycle on a road or other public place, is unfit to ride through drink or drugs (that is to say, is under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the cycle) is guilty of an offence.”
what an embarrassing little
what an embarrassing little prick that lawyer is. He wasn’t even very eloquent and his little, silly video was very forced. Not to mention the blatant misinformation (must be a Brexit supporter obvioulsy) Like the bit about cycling 45mph through a crowd of people. If that was even remotely true it would be total b******ks. Who can ride a bike at 45mph for a start? Do that through a ‘crowd’ of people and they would lynch you. Total rubbish – the kind of thing this site’s village idiot laughs add i.e. Nigel Fromage.
Fed up with Nick Freeman’s
Fed up with Nick Freeman’s lies, report him to the SRA here:
https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor
He makes blatant dishonest statements about cyclists w=hich is against the SRA rules.
Gus T wrote:
I’m up for this.. anyone got any tips on how we can ‘word this complaint’ so it holds some sway?
Freeman’s got a point about
Freeman’s got a point about 20mph speed limits not applying to cyclists. The centre of my village had a 20mph speed limit, and I sometimes cycle at as much as 36km/h (about 22.5mph if my maths it correct) through it. Not that that stops cars overtaking me. Every single time.
But you’re slowing them down.
But you’re slowing them down…
Steve K wrote:
Yep, one of my regular routes through East Dulwich has a nice flowing1% downhill (East Dulwich Grove for those who know the ‘hood), perfect for coasting down at 20mph; it’s a rare ride that I don’t get a car hooting right on my tail, despite my vigorously pointing down at the 20mph roundels painted on the road every 50m or so.
When something’s done about the 85% of drivers who regularly ignore 20mph limits and the 54% who regularly ignore 30s…
All in the new Highway Code !
All in the new Highway Code !
Well the county council here
Well the county council here have demanded the police enforce all speed limits, inc 20mph, as a result of the highway code changes. But I wont be holding my breath waiting for them to do any 20mph zones though, let alone the 30s,40s,50s or even NSLs, they seem to believe traffic calming infra does the job for them in 20 zones…it doesnt.