Cop suspended for punching cyclist wrongly accused of theft; AA chief says cyclists shouldn’t “pretend they’re in Tour de France”; Nail traps buried on trail; £5m cycling infra boost for Manchester; ‘Priapic cyclist’ spotted + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Euston Road and Park Lane in London to get temporary cycle lanes
Annoucement that two major roads to get temporary cycle lanes in London.
Whilst this is to be applauded, provision on local high streets (many controlled by the local councils) is more likely to give people the confidence to cycle for everyday journeys to school and work. https://t.co/18f9htt4ni
— APPGCW (@allpartycycling) May 6, 2020
The All Party Cycling Group say they also want to see provisions on local high streets, but nevertheless welcome the changes. This is all part of the Streetspace plans announced by Will Norman recently.
Cyclists discover nails and drawing pins on the road in Regent's Park Outer Circle
Several reports of a large amount of nails / tacks being place on the Outer Circle in an attack on cyclists. Almost certainly a response to the un-necessary negative press we have been subject to recently. @MPSRoyal_Parks @RossLydall @HamandHigh @theroyalparks @NewJournal pic.twitter.com/hbX8vhB0dz
— RegentsParkCyclists (@RPcyclists) May 6, 2020
@RPcyclists a warning to those out, someone has tipped a tub load of pins in the Park road and many people will now struggling with punctures. What dreadful behaviour. pic.twitter.com/wNmBiDSGVi
— Kate Laing (@Kate_Laing) May 5, 2020
The Regent’s Park Cyclists group have blamed negative press coverage from the media for what looks to be an attempt at vigilante action to prevent cyclists from using the road around Regent’s Park in Central London.
A Facebook post from a member of the London Cycling Facebook Group first fell victim to the traps yesterday, saying: “Someone decided to drop a box of pins on the outer loop of Regent’s Park outside the London Business School. Myself and 10+ others got punctures (I had 5 in my tyres).
“I saw the police as I was walking out of the park and let them know – they have said they will log it and would go and take a look. I picked them up with another victim – hopefully we got them all but watch out.”
It’s not the first report of ‘vigilante’ action since the pandemic started, with numerous signs reported in towns and villages to deter cyclists from passing through, believing that they could spread the virus. We also reported that drawing pins had been spread across a popular South London cycle route on 19th April, in what looked to be a deliberate attempt to target cyclists.
BBC 'travel alternatives' article makes no mention of cycling or walking
68% of UK journeys are under five miles. Distances that can be walked or cycled.
So perhaps active travel should be listed as one of the ‘best alternatives’…
https://t.co/Wt1R8mZd9e— Living Streets (@livingstreets) May 5, 2020
With public transport set to be greatly reduced to maintain some social distancing, the article asks the question of how people will get around when the lockdown lifts; and although the BBC quote Professor Tony Travers who says that “a sudden and radical change in road use” is needed if we’re all to get around on bikes and scooters, the alternative travel suggestions don’t include cycling or walking. Instead, electric scooters (which aren’t currently legal on British roads), taxis, cars and drone taxis.
Plans for helping Londoners cycle around the city in video form
As we prepare for the next phase of lockdown, we’re exploring new ways to help Londoners to cycle around our city 🚴
Right now we’re planning to create temporary cycle lanes to make cycling easier, which has the added benefit of easing the burden on our public transport system. pic.twitter.com/kY5UEDUstT
— Mayor of London (gov.uk/coronavirus) (@MayorofLondon) May 5, 2020
Despite The Beeb forgetting to suggest cycling in their travel suggestions article mentioned below, yesterday they explored what it will take to get more people cycling around the capital when people return to work.
Another 50km of emergency bike lanes for Paris
Ce matin avec mon équipe rue de Rivoli et rue Saint-Antoine pour préparer le plan de circulation vélo prévu dans le cadre du déconfinement : 50 km de voies seront progressivement dédiés aux cyclistes à partir du 11 mai. #Transports #Paris pic.twitter.com/sEtuSS4zrL
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) May 6, 2020
Mayor Anne Hidalgo already had expansive plans for a comprehensive cycle network around Paris, and they’ve been quick to dedicate street space for cyclists and pedestrians during the lockdown; another 50km will be ready to go by Monday.
Nail traps buried under the soil on trail in the north-east
Janclare Miller told Teesside Live that her husband Paul found numerous wooden boards with nails sticking out of them hidden under the soil on a trail in East Cleveland, and was left stranded after both his tyres were punctured. Mr Miller first went straight home after getting picked up by his wife, but discovered the boards after going back when he thought the damage to his tyres was too severe to have been an accident. The incident has been reported to the police.
Mrs Miller continued: “Since we put it on Facebook we have heard it’s not the first time it’s happened.
“It’s scary to think they could be anywhere. A lot of people walk their dogs and ride horses there so they need to be careful.
“The NHS is busy enough as it is without idiots doing this sort of thing. It’s shocking.”
Like the traps left in Regent’s Park yesterday evening, this undoubtedly looks like a deliberate attempt to injure cyclists, runners or walkers in the area, and some have suggested it’s once again the actions of individuals twisting their version of the lockdown guidance to a shocking and dangerous extreme.
Looks like the Mail, Express etc have succeeded in their campaign of stirring up hatred against cyclists & runners & walkers & dogs. https://t.co/HcOZa7Ge9q
— paul gannon (@paulgannonbike) May 5, 2020
British Cycling say "exciting announcements on cycling and walking" are coming later today
Keep your eyes peeled for a few exciting announcements on cycling and walking today, starting with some great work from @MayorofLondon and @willnorman 🚲🚶
Find out more ⬇️ https://t.co/uYHWMhVnpH
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) May 6, 2020
Once again London’s Streetspace plan is mentioned, but we’re hoping this will be something along the lines of funding boosts for the whole country.
This 'Ritchey Rider' isn't 50 quid
We believe the bike in the picture is the brand new Ritchey Outback, and the photo of the pedals is from bikepacking.com – just in case anyone genuinely thought this was some unbelievable bargain. We’ve reported it to Facebook…
Prime Minister promises "new golden age of cycling"
“A new golden age of cycling “sounds good. Now fund it and make the roads safe. @theJeremyVine pic.twitter.com/tjSq161y8f
— nalladrah (@nalladrah) May 6, 2020
This is referring to new plans set to be announced by the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps later today, as already mentioned by British Cycling – full story to follow.
Someone claims to have spotted a priapic cyclist in London
Just seen a lad in cycle shorts not able to walk straight then I realise he’s got such a massive lob on he can’t walk properly – absolutely massive like a proper foot-long cob – he looks like a tripod – it’s making Egyptian tomb furniture in his pants
— Melanie ‘Isolation Karen’ Princess (@MeLadyFreshness) May 5, 2020
And it wouldn’t be the first time a cyclist’s appendage has landed them in trouble… that time when a Dublin man sustained a seven-week erection after crash-landing on his bike’s top tube for example, and who can forget the man who was chucked out of the World Naked Bike Ride in Canterbury for getting ‘overexcited’? We’re having a hard time racking our brains for more examples from the archives, but do let us know if we’ve missed any…
AA president says lockdown "isn’t a time for cyclists to pretend they’re in the Tour de France"
Edmund King made the comments after a survey by the AA found that people think the behaviour of drivers and cyclists has ‘got worse’ since the lockdown. The Evening Standard reports that the poll of more than 19,700 drivers revealed that 25% feel drivers and cyclists were both behaving worse.
King said: “Less traffic doesn’t mean that drivers should start drag-racing at traffic lights, dangerously overtaking others or ignoring the speed limits.
“Drivers should also leave a wide ‘social distance’ when overtaking cyclists. Equally, this isn’t a time for cyclists to pretend they’re in the Tour de France and ignore mini-roundabouts and stop signs.”
The Standard report that the Metropolitan Police enforced 800 speeding offences last week, more than three times the number during the same period last year. One driver caught doing 93mph in a 30mph zone, and 34 drivers in total were caught doing over 100mph.
Bizarrely, drivers who took part in the AA’s survey were also asked how they feel about the ‘behaviour’ of pedestrians, and 25% said they feel that pedestrians are ‘behaving better’ than before the pandemic. As if to provide a damning snapshot of the reported worsening in driving behaviour, shocking footage was widely shared yesterday of a Birmingham man forced to stand in front of a car at a pedestrian crossing to stop the driver from running over his children.
Schwalbe launch e-bike specific inner tube
Yep, that’s right… this tube has extra wall thickness which Schwalbe says retains air for longer, meaning riders of heavier e-bikes needn’t pump their tyres so often. Full story on eBikeTips.
Manchester to get up to £5 million of emergency funding as part of active travel plans
Greater Manchester’s local authorities have launched the ‘Safe Streets Save Lives’ campaign to support social distancing during coronavirus lockdown and recovery, with pop-up infrastructure and temporary measures prioritised to enable safe essentials travel and exercise. Up to £5 million of emergency funding is promised from the Mayor Andy Burnham’s Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund.
Transport for Greater Manchester say that while traffic volume has dropped by around 60% during the pandemic, cycling and walking now accounts for up to 33% of journeys during the lockdown.
Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner Chris Boardman commented: “Like any successful response to a crisis, people must be the priority. And fortunately, the data is unambiguous; during lockdown more and more residents across Greater Manchester are turning to walking and cycling for essential journeys and exercise. So, in order give people the space they need to keep safe, the only real question was ‘how soon can we act?’
“If we don’t take steps to enable people to keep traveling actively, we risk a huge spike in car use as measures are eased. Not only is it the right thing to do to protect people now, but it’s vital to meet our clean air goals and protect our NHS long term.”
Brompton launch virtual in-store service
It’s something we’ve seen Ribble do already, and now Brompton customers can browse bikes via a new video call service. Staff at the Brompton Junction store in London’s Westfield will guide through anything the customer wants to know and offer advice, which Brompton say is particularly useful during the pandemic. Staff will only be able to hear customers and not see them to protect privacy.
West Midlands Police officer who repeatedly punched cyclist has been suspended
The footage was widely shared on social media earlier this week, with Birmingham Live reporting that the officer repeatedly punched and kicked the 44-year-old black male after accusing him of stealing a bike – it’s now emerged that the officer has been suspended, after this incident on 20th April came the day before he was filmed kicking a 15-year-old boy in the head.
The man in the video claims that he is entirely innocent, and that he was riding his bike to get his daily exercise during the pandemic. He says his bike is grey and that the stolen bike was black, and that officers say they recovered the stolen bike elsewhere.
A Birmingham community activist has lodged a formal complaint on the cyclist’s behalf, accusing the officer of racial discrimination, assault, false imprisonment and use of excessive and unjustified force: “This man was only guilty of riding his bicycle to take part in exercise, which he has been told he can do”, said Desmond Jaddoo.
The Metro reports that the officer has now been suspended, and is also being investigated for the incident with the teenage boy. A spokesperson for West Midands Police said: “A complaint was received after the officer stopped a teenager on 21 April in Melbourne Avenue, Newtown. In the ensuing incident it is alleged that the officer used unnecessary force in striking and kicking the young person. A further complaint was received which involves the same officer.
“It relates to a prior incident on 20 April in Frederick Road, Aston, where two officers stopped a man they suspected was on a stolen bicycle. The man was detained and it’s alleged the officer assaulted the man before he was released with no further action.”
6 May 2020, 08:39
6 May 2020, 08:39
In our latest NMOTD instalment, it's a cyclist in the wrong
Near Miss of the Day 405: Oncoming cyclist on wrong side of road
Our regular series featuring close passes from around the country - today it's Cheshire
6 May 2020, 08:39
The Council leader's response hasn't gone down particularly well...
“Childish antics” – Tory county council leader’s view of calls for safe cycling and walking space during pandemic
Geoff Driver, who heads Lancashire County County Council, also sent blank replies to emails sent to him by public under Cycling UK's call for action
6 May 2020, 08:39
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Latest Comments
My father undertook post mortems and attended coronors inquests until his retirement and early death. He saw the riders who died in accidents. He built up decades of observed experience. He made us wear a helmet.
I'm glad I had my trousers on. If I hadn't I might have been arrested.
Who was responsible for organising the prizes on Bullseye? Tonight's star prize was a luxury fitted kitchen. How are you supposed to split that between two contestants? Absolutely ridiculous.
Oh sir! sir! Johnnys riding his bike without a helmet, he’s going to die when he falls off!, Yes what a silly boy he is ! Anyway jump in the car we’re going to be late for school and I hope no one gets in my way especially bleeding cyclists!! I wonder if AI will see what fools we are..
It's more about the nomex suit, car helmet and five point harnesses (with HANS), but "reply" ain't what it used to be...
'Gotten' ? The word is 'become', as in, I have become sick of seeing 'gotten'.
OK, all the stuff I said elsewhere on this thread in defence of helmets, I take it all back. I'd sooner be seen as an anti-lidder than be associated with that heap of steaming ordure.
Exactly my thoughts. A real shame, they're amazing bikes, same as Islabikes. Really sad to hear the news. Having said that, we probably didn't do enough to help them. My son had one Islabike and two Frogs, all second hand that we resold for about the same amount.
I couldn't agree more, and when we have all that everywhere I might think about leaving off the helmet, but until then if I have to share the road with huge fast-moving chunks of metal, many of them piloted by persons of limited intelligence and even less self control, I'm going to keep the lid, which even Burt agrees can "probably" offer some protection from injury.
And the irony is that helmet promotion and mandation kills lots of people and they don't reduce the death rate of cyclists. The benefits of cycling vastly outweigh the risks, and helmet promotion and mandation deter cycling (the only proven effect) so those deterred lose those benefits and die earlier.
80 thoughts on “Cop suspended for punching cyclist wrongly accused of theft; AA chief says cyclists shouldn’t “pretend they’re in Tour de France”; Nail traps buried on trail; £5m cycling infra boost for Manchester; ‘Priapic cyclist’ spotted + more on the live blog”
Is it just me, or is anyone
Is it just me, or is anyone else beginning to think that the media have managed to create a new ‘Enemy of the People’ (who rides a bike…)?
‘Beginning to think’? Where
‘Beginning to think’? Where you been for the last five years?
I’m not sure about that.
I’m not sure about that.
I agree that the media has picked on cyclists for a long time, but their general attitude was always more that Bl00dy Cyclists were “just” selfish, annoying, and childish.
However, more recently we’re painted as being single handedly responsible for spreading Covid019 and hastening the end of civilisation or something…
Zebulebu wrote:
Five years? At least thirty.
No doubt a few of the Regent
No doubt a few of the Regent’s Park cyclists were off to their hospital shift when they punctured
I supposed tubeless would cope – does anyone have experience ? eg could you run out of sealant?
And if you ended up with 5 or 6 drawing pins, what is the best way to deal with them?
Quote:
https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/will-it-seal-how-good-are-tubeless-tyres-at-preventing-punctures (relevant section starts about 5 mins into that video).
I mean, that’d get you to work but it’s still new tyre, potentially taking the bike off the road for a day or two, possibly involving a bike shop to fix it. And tubeless on things like Bromptons, cheapo commuter hack bikes etc is unlikely. Anyone putting tacks down or wires across trails just needs shooting. Quite apart from the indiscriminate nature of it all (taking out key workers, casual roadies etc) it’s horrendously dangerous to dogs and to wildlife.
crazy-legs wrote:
https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/will-it-seal-how-good-are-tubeless-tyres-at-preventing-punctures (relevant section starts about 5 mins into that video).
I mean, that’d get you to work but it’s still new tyre,
Generally not, no.
Huh ?
Quote:
Not everyone out there is capable of fixing a puncture in a few minutes by the roadside. Plenty of people riding bikes who will have to walk the bike to a shop to get it fixed – meaning more interaction with people, the risk that the bike (and therefore their means of travel to/from their key worker job) will be off the road for a day while the shop sorts it.
As mentioned above, if it’s an NHS worker going to start their shift, you run the risk of an ambulance being a crew member down or a nurse not being on ward, even if it’s only for an hour. Seems a funny way to “save the NHS” by attacking key workers…
hirsute wrote:
Or they were doing their 100% legal and allowed daily exercise.
What the fuck has where they
What the fuck has where they work got to do with it?
The last article on tacks
The last article on tacks linked through to comments that one of the victims was on their way back/from their A&E shift.
Or perhaps the irony of protesting about cyclists not protecting the NHS whilst preventing those NHS workers from getting there is lost on you.
Zebulebu wrote:
Because the perpetrator has more than likely decided that people cycling in the park are not adhering to the rules of the lockdown. However, their action is likely to mean that NHS staff and other key workers are victims.
This action is not unprompted or the work of a ‘rogue actor’. It demonstrates most clearly that the mainstream media have a responsibility to be fair and accurate. Many of them haven’t just failed but actively gone out of their way to provoke hate and fear. And the paps and telephoto lens snappers lurking on a bend – whose role I used to admire as an aspiring photographer in my youth – are complicit in the whole sham. That is not the role of a free press, sometimes known as the fourth estate, in any country.
If Covid-19 or some other calamity hits the offices of the Mail, the Sun and the Mirror I certainly wouldn’t waste any energy on feeling sorry for those spiteful bar stewards.
The thing that worried most
The thing that worried most about Mr Nailtrap is the amount of “thought”, time and trouble he’s gone to – that’s quite a level of malice behind that.
Zebulebu wrote:
I’d imagine that hirsute was drawing attention to the fact that the vigilante who did this thought they were harming or stopping ‘Bl00dy Cyclists Charging Around in Lycra and Killing Puppies and the NHS’ and didn’t stop to consider that many cyclists are just trying to get to work, and that many of them might be “Key Workers”.
“Saving the NHS by sending more people to A&E”
Re: BBC article, I’ll have
Re: BBC article, I’ll have some of whatever they were smoking. Everyone on e-scooters or in drone taxis? what about hoverboards and time machines?
As we’ve seen with countries coming out of lockdown and having to maintain social distancing, modal shifts in transport tend to show cycling and walking maintain their level, public transport use far lower and private car use far higher than before.
It’s likely we’ll see a similar modal shift in the UK at lockdown’s end. The time to start planning for alternative transport was when we first locked down but, as we now know, this govt doesn’t think very far ahead.
Haven’t you got a time
Haven’t you got a time machine yet? I’ve had one since next Sunday 😉
Nail traps:
Nail traps:
Fortunate in many respects that it was a cyclist who fell victim to these booby traps and only suffered 2 damaged tyres. Imagine the injuries these could have done to an animal, wild or domestic, or someone walking or running in anything other than safety boots.
Police have to take this extremely seriously as intent to cause harm. Kudos to Paul for going back to check and removing the traps. Might be worth scouting the vicinity for hidden cameras, the perpetrator might be deranged enough to be wanting to collect a momento of their handiwork.
Mungecrundle wrote:
Yes indeed, it was good of the guy to go back and check. Those nail traps could cause a really nasty injury to a runner or a poor unsuspecting dog (or horse or any wild animal in fact). The person who placed those has committed a criminal offence.
Nail traps buried under the
Nail traps buried under the soil on trail in the north-east
If you were a runner, that would probably go through your shoe and you could end up with a nasty infection. You’d certainly be off to A&E for a tetanus jab, as do any of us know if our jabs are up to date?
Whoever did it needs to be locked up pronto for some period.
The BBC article is typical of
The BBC article is typical of their coverage of transport during this crisis, and despite cycling being the answer to many of the current problems, let alone those existing normally, they simply refuse to mention it. Is the accompanying picture, of a man with a scooter and a woman with a bicycle, neither riding them, supposed to be some sort of irony?
Likewise their coverage of the misguided criminals sabotaging cycle routes, not a mention that I’ve seen or heard. If it was cars that were targetted, they’d be all over it.
eburtthebike wrote:
Not again… FFS. No they don’t… which BBC website do you look at ? I’ve just been on there and looked at the articles talking about transport alternatives driven by the current epidemic and climate change mitigation requirements both here and abroad – it’s not wall-to-wall coverage, it could easily be better, but there’s stuff there. The last few of times i’ve searched and posted you the links you’ve mainly ignored them – although IIRC the last correction I sent, you at least acknowledged – go have a look now and see if they really do “refuse to mention it” or just don’t do it as much as many of us would like.
fukawitribe wrote:
OK, there are a few mentions of cycling, but they are the exception rather than the rule. I must have heard/seen hundreds, if not thousands of BBC articles selling ecars; I haven’t seen/heard a single one about ebikes, let alone ordinary bikes, but bikes are a thousand, nay a million times better by any metric than ecars.
The BBC has many progs about health, transport, congestion, obesity, pollution the environment, and in almost all cases, the bicycle is not only appropriate, it is by far the best answer, but I’ve never seen it presented as such by them. That’s never. Despite it being overwhelmingly the best answer by far: never. It is clear that the BBC is institutionally anti-cyclist. If they weren’t, cycling would be mentioned a hundred times a day.
fukawitribe wrote:
Well, well, well; who do you know at the BBC? R4, just after 0800, they mentioned cycling, and how sales were skyrocketing, especially amongst key workers, and how other countries were putting in temporary and permanent cycle lanes.
Re the buried nail traps,
Re the buried nail traps, that’s a pretty scummy thing to do. However >dons flameproof suit< why did the cyclist not ride prepared for punctures? He’s played into the anti cyclists hands, by having to call his missus out to pick him up. If he wasn’t prepared, and wasn’t within a distance of his base that he could get back to, un aided, with a crocked bike, he’s just given them a load of ammo.
I have to call you on that.
I have to call you on that.
Is it reasonable to expect a casual cyclist to repair a double puncture? Especially its done in with malice and designed for multiple holes and potential tyre shredding.
I think your standards are unreasonable in this instance.
It specifically states that
It specifically states that he went back to look for the nail traps because he realised “the damage to the tyres was too severe to be an accident” so it sounds like a lot more than a just replace the inner tube job. Those things certainly look as though they could render a tyre unusable. Or should we all carry spare tyres as well as tubes now in case some psycho wants to rip our tyres up?
I know it’s unusual, but I
I know it’s unusual, but I always carry a spare folding tyre. At the moment, in the climate we are in, I won’t go anywhere I couldn’t recover myself from, un aided either. It’s pretty daft to have got himself in the exact situation that was encouraged against.
Judge dreadful wrote:
But he didn’t get himself into the situation. The idiot who laid the trap put him in that situation.
Judge dreadful wrote:
I take it you really haven’t read piece. Damage was done to both tyres, I doubt even you carry two mtb tyres and tubes when you ride off road.
I always carry around 2 spare
I always carry around 2 spare tyres in case I miss one of these
out of interest what do you expect cardrivers with no spare wheel to do, espcially if they hit a pothole and damage the wheel.
What is your advice to a runner who suffers and bad foot injury and cannot walk and needs the emergency services?
We’re not talking about
We’re not talking about runners getting hurt, or stingers though, we’re talking about someone who went out on a ride unprepared for the ride, to a location he couldn’t recover himself from, without assistance.
It’s reasonable to carry a
It’s reasonable to carry a couple of spare tubes inflator and a multi-tool, not a full blown work shop/
You’ve got to keep
You’ve got to keep perspective, that’s true, but everyone is supposed to be either solo, or with members of the same household, so I’d have thought it’s reasonable to expect to have to carry more kit than you would on a normal group ride /club run, but it looks like this guy didn’t even have the bare minimum with him. We don’t know exactly what he did have with him, because it’s not clear from the piece, but the fact he called on outside assistance, also doesn’t help. It doesn’t detract from the point that some shit for brains loser put the spikes there in the first place, but it will risk having the foamy mouthed anti cyclists getting even more incandescent than they usually do.
Surely the even the most
Surely the even the most foamy mouthed would have to accept that Mr Nailtrap created the requirement for a rescue, if rescue were to be the beef?
You might be, everyone else
You might be, everyone else is viewing this a criminal act with intent to wound. You think it is reasonable to carry 2 spare tyres when you say you only carry a spare tyre. I don’t think it is reasonable to mitigate against malicious acts.
The story was about a track used by different users, so why are you falling into the media trap of focussing on cyclists?
You should be thinking about the different types of users – little Johnny being chased by his Dad who trips over and gets the spikes embedded in him.
You also don’t know whether the rider could have got home under his own steam. All we know is he was picked up, not that he had to be picked up.
Perahps these NHS workers were equally unprepared by not having a spare bike
https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-29-april-2020-273085
hirsute wrote:
It’s not just malicious acts that can finish a tyre. At the moment, under current circumstances, I think it’s entirely reasonable to carry a folding tyre.
Because It was a cyclist who had the issue.
Yes, but the article was about a cyclist.
That’s a big part of the problem. He chose ( for whatever reason ) to call for outside assistance.
That’s a totally different situation.
For heaven’s sake M’Lud!
For heaven’s sake M’Lud! First law of holes!
The story is here https://www
The story is here https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/first-picture-shocking-makeshift-nail-18194998
and is about “Cyclists, runners, walkers and dog owners are being warned to be vigilant after cruel vandals planted nail traps in a popular beauty spot.”
Quite why you want to make it a victim blaming of a cyclist is beyond me (and I think everyone else).
I hope you carry at least 2 spare tyres in the current circumstances in case of any issue that happens to your tyres, including malicious damage.
Judge dreadful wrote:
He was not prepared for sabotage. We don’t actually know what other preparations be did make.
Moreover, in the context of the current “save the NHS” imperative which is what this is all about, clearly he was able to organise his own recovery from that location. He did not need any assistance from outside of his household.
Teesside has two ‘s’
Teesside has two ‘s’
Though any extra bike
Though any extra bike capacity in London is very welcome indeed, I can’t quite see the point of putting a lane in Park Lane, as to go from Hyde Park Corner to Marble Arch there’s already the wide, lovely and much-used path through Hyde Park which is actually a little shorter than going round via the road. Think there are quite a few places where it would be more useful – down Baker Street, for example.
+10 on Park Lane. Not much to
+10 on Park Lane. Not much to like about riding in Park Lane, there are too many buses and everyone goes way too fast. Crossing it is tough though, so a bike lane there might help someone commuting from Chelsea or somewhere further Southwest into Mayfair. But unless that’s where you’re headed I would just as well rather avoid it altogether and go either through down through the Embankment or up trough Wigmore/Mortimer or Howland/New Cavendish.
I’d go for Gloucester Place instead of Baker Street though, fewer pedestrians. And Baker Street’s just had some work done recently, theoretically to slow cars down and make it safer.
No mention of the Zwift Tour
No mention of the Zwift Tour For All pro races that are happening this week? I’ve been watching (live on GCN and Eurosport at 2pm each day) and really enjoying seeing actual racing for the first time in ages.
I might suggest to the AA
I might suggest to the AA president that lockdown isn’t the time to start behaving like the Stasi.
jollygoodvelo wrote:
I’d assumed I had missed a memo or something – everyone else seems to be happy to report their neighbours to the Authorities, so why wouldn’t Mr King?
Edmund King is usually pretty
Edmund King is usually pretty good about cycling, but he’s got it badly wrong this time.
“Equally, this isn’t a time for cyclists to pretend they’re in the Tour de France and ignore mini-roundabouts and stop signs.”
No equally about it; being hit by a speeding motorist or a cyclist have very different outcomes. While there is plenty of evidence of drivers behaving dangerously, I haven’t seen any reports of cyclists riding dangerously, with the exception of the wrong side cyclist on this site, let alone ignoring mini-roundabouts or going through stop signs.
If I had a quid for every time a motorist has ignored priority at mini-roundabouts and stop signs, and nearly taken me out, I’d have enough to buy that harlequin bike.
Part of me wonders if it’s
Part of me wonders if it’s kind of dog whistle politicking,where he mistakenly feels his AA members,who after all pay to keep him in his job,are more motorcentric focussed & would react more positively to the message well motorists need to do their bit now stuff but only with an added “but yeah grrr grumble cyclists” attached to soften it for them
eburtthebike wrote:
He was responding to a poll
He was responding to a poll saying that people feel that cyclists and motorists are doing worse. He said sure, both should do better. Yes, it might not be exactly what I would have said, and I would quibble with the word “equally”. But I think you are asking way too much from him. What he said was more than fine.
Yes, the responsibility inherent to driving a car is much greater than that of riding a bike, but, to a limited extent, that is fact is laid bare by the quite-right-but-not-uncontroversially-so lower legal and regulatory requirements for cycling. It’s not his job to bend over backwards to make light of that fact every single time he touches on the topic of cycling. That’s just too much to ask. Regardless, he seems very aware of the issue and restated the importance of giving cyclists room when overtaking. That is, IMHO, the most useful point he can make to motorists. If you’re going to asking him to add prayer of contrition before making any type of statement on cycling we’ll all be the poorer for it.
Johnson talking about this
Johnson talking about this being the golden age of cycling.
Remember, last week he boasted our response to Covid-19 would be looked upon by other countries for its apparent success. How is that ‘success’ looking now?
We know Johnson is a populist who’ll say whatever he thinks the audience want to hear. An actual plan for cycling should have been started weeks ago and any new govt proposal to cycling will likely be tokenistic at best and not a national commitment.
If anything, when we exit lockdown the roads are likely to be worse for cycling as many who previously commuted by public transport will drive to maintain social distancing.
billymansell wrote:
this is a really worrying new twist on “I’ll be safe in my car”.
oh look there’s congestion – clearly someone should do something about this, and there’s nowhere to park either – ditto.
David9694 wrote:
Our of interest, are motorists being advised to only drive as far from home as they could walk their car if they had a mechanical?
Indeed, something I asked
Indeed, something I asked previously in one of the ‘welsh’ threads.
One of my friends advised me to get a spare wheel for my new (to me) car as often they don’t come with one. His sister had hit a pothole and dented the rim and the wheel was useless and the sealant/inflator you get instead would not do anything for that. I think there may be a few potholes in the UK…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/52581213
there are 11% more vehicles on the road this week than in the second week of lockdown.
Meanwhile, the number of emergency callouts rose 18% over the same period.
Maybe motorists should be told to be self sufficient instead of this irrational targeting of cyclists
hirsute wrote:
You’d think with the apparent link between air pollution and worse outcomes for coronavirus victims, people would be very reluctant to drive anywhere unnecessarily, and those that do would be subjected to social pressures to stay at home and save lives.
Then again, maybe not.
brooksby wrote:
Motorists are being told (albeit not very vociferously and increasingly ignored) not to drive anywhere unless it’s an essential journey.
The ‘walking distance’ guidance doesn’t apply to essential journeys – only to cycling for exercise. I’m pretty sure driving is not considered an acceptable form of exercise.
But that’s not how it is
But that’s not how it is framed. It is put in the context of the strain on the emergency services or having to have a recovery service out.
Whilst you are allowed to travel to a food shop, where has anyone suggested that you should only go the nearest one or only walk if you can?
And the guidance has been updated to say you can drive to get to your exercise as long as the exercise is longer than the drive. Well, I can drive quite a few miles in 15 – 20 minutes, somewhat further than walking distance.
Quote:
I wonder what its called when a motorist ignores a mini roundabout or a stop sign?
I very rarely see a motorist
I very rarely see a motorist using indicators and even trying to drive around the mini roundabouts I use.
True. Same here.
True. Same here.
How’s about:
“Equally, this isn’t a time for
cyclistsmotorists to pretend they’rein the Tour de Francedoing Le Mans and ignore mini-roundabouts and stop signs.”I PAY ROAD TAX, BLOODY LEFTY
I PAY ROAD TAX, BLOODY LEFTY GUARDIAN READING CYCLISTS
Captain Badger wrote:
Quote:
The sunny weather has brought out an awful lot of people making essential journeys in convertible Astons, Ferraris, Mercs and Lambos recently (might be because I live not far from Alderley Edge / Wilmslow / Knutsford and there’s a lot of bored footballers and WAGs around the place with nothing better to do than to take the supercar out).
And if they’re allowed to pretend to be in the Monte Carlo rally then I demand to be allowed to pretend I’m in the Tour de France.
crazy-legs wrote:
The sunny weather has brought out an awful lot of people making essential journeys in convertible Astons, Ferraris, Mercs and Lambos recently (might be because I live not far from Alderley Edge / Wilmslow / Knutsford and there’s a lot of bored footballers and WAGs around the place with nothing better to do than to take the supercar out).
And if they’re allowed to pretend to be in the Monte Carlo rally then I demand to be allowed to pretend I’m in the Tour de France.
I think his point was that no, the motorists should not be dicks, and neither should cyclists. The exact opposite of what you say.
Not sure there’s any real
Not sure there’s any real equivalence between drivers being dicks and riders being dicks. I think AA man needs to stay in his lane…..
So we are back to the
So we are back to the argument that it is ok for cyclists to be dicks because car drivers?
Well, in all fairness, there
Well, in all fairness, there do seem to be a lot of motorists who justify their behaviour with “there was this cyclist who I’m told jumped a red light this one time”…
Not sure where I said it’s ok
Not sure where I said it’s ok for people on 2 wheels to behave like dicks – maybe you could point it out to me?
However, I say again there is no equivalence. A driver being a dick stands a very real chance of killing someone. A rider, well not so much.
If all AA man can bring to the discussion surrounding driving standards during a pandemic is ” yeah but… cyclists.. tour de France…. stop signs…” I’d expect him to at least make some kind of coherent argument as to his contibution’s relevance. If not he can, y’know, stay in his lane.
Sriracha wrote:
No, merely pointing out that there is lots of evidence that drivers are breaking the law and putting other people’s lives at risk, and precious little evidence that cyclists are doing anything illegal. With more power comes more responsibility, something drivers, and Edmund King should acknowledge.
crazy-legs wrote:
The sunny weather has brought out an awful lot of people making essential journeys in convertible Astons, Ferraris, Mercs and Lambos recently (might be because I live not far from Alderley Edge / Wilmslow / Knutsford and there’s a lot of bored footballers and WAGs around the place with nothing better to do than to take the supercar out).
And if they’re allowed to pretend to be in the Monte Carlo rally then I demand to be allowed to pretend I’m in the Tour de France.
The other day riding through Ashley & Mobberley I was passed by a Ferrari, an Aston Martin and two Bentleys inside a minute. No doubt all essential journeys…
There’s been a definite
There’s been a definite uptick in open topped sports cars driving around in the nice weather, all definitely on essential journeys to buy toilet roll or something…
Also the number of essential
Also the number of essential journeys, at least on the main roads around Royston, that need to be undertaken on high powered motorcycles and apparently requiring extreme acceleration.
Not to mention the divot in the noisy white Merc constantly cruising around town. Presumably looking for somewhere to get the broken exhaust and on/off accelerator fixed??
Those revving about on large
Those revving about on large sports motorbikes seem to be on very urgent essential journeys. Strange that very few of them are not carrying backpacks, there is only so much vital supplies you can fit under the leathers.
The local paper today has an
The local paper today has an article about a biker who recently died. They have invited bikers of all sorts from anywhere to come to the home to give him a loud send off. Apparently it is ok as they will ‘social distance’.
I’d have thought the sensible thing would be to wait until the restrictions have eased.
What a bizarre ‘news’ story.
What a bizarre ‘news’ story. Attention seeking twitter user makes up bizarre story about cyclist with a foot long John Thomas. I clicked on the link and it’s like some James Joyce rambling of thoughts every hour. Is this what we’ve become? Is this your average twitter user?
It’s a live blog, sometimes
It’s a live blog, sometimes we go a bit left-field. Plus it opened up an opportunity to link phallus-related stories from our archive, which everyone deserves to read.
During my hourish mandated
During my hourish mandated exercise ride today I pulled a large thorn out of the rear tyre, the twig it was attached to was making an annoying sound when it hit the seat stays, biggish one, jet of air, rotated down and it seemed to seal. I rode on and cannot find where it might have been now.
I will stick in another oz of Orange Enduance Seal later tonight.
I think that my low pressure 3 inch knobblies might just withstand a tack attack, I hope so. There have been many thorn holes in both the tyres, and no lasting damage (I hope, I’m still going to uses them) and an anchovie fix that’s as good as permenant (as far as I can be bothered anyway).
I very much doubt if I could withstand the mounted nail booby traps though. I carry a spare tube and a couple of tyre boots and I have 4 small anchovies from my first fix kit. And a mini pump. Who knows how much damage those nails would do. I dread getting the bead off the rim in the outdoors if I ever need to fit the tube.
Even when I rode tubes, I would always carry a spare tube and a pack of Park quick patches, and the tyre boots, which have fixed some slashes and a destroyed sidewall in the past. Another tube and a full repair kit at work, with a mini track pump, or an extra tube and the mini track pump if I was doing a long day ride.
Well done Paul for going back and finding the traps, and i’m glad it only got your tyres. Could have been nasty if you’d come off. It could have been a runner, walker or a child with those in their feet. Or a poor little dog, or worse a horse with perhaps a terrible outcome from it’s reaction for the rider.
Only one spare tyre might not be enough. Cars generally only have one spare wheel, or only one can of “stuff”. You cannot fully prepare for these forms of sabotage.
We are not doing a transcontinental ride here, it’s a quick hourish ride.
You can pretend you are in
You can pretend you are in the Tour de France anywhere you can consume drugs surely?!?
‘Someone claims to have
‘Someone claims to have spotted a priapic cyclist in London’
I’m intrigued how this story isn’t subject to outrage in the same way an inappropriate Twitter comment discussing the female genitalia would be?
I’m even slightly concerned about typing the words ‘camel’ and ‘toe’ in case someone says it’s sexist or objectifying women.
Please don’t think I’m a misogynist! I’m married and I have two young daughters. All of the women in my immediate family ride bikes. I’m just highlighting double standards, that’s all!
MattieKempy wrote:
Because it’s not attacking an individual and naming them on a public forum, it’s just a really crude way of describing erect male genitalia – for all we know the person who tweeted it might not even have been telling the truth. If the tweet had have named the individual and invited the rest of social media to join in, there’s no way we’d have posted it and we certainly wouldn’t have found it funny.