Driver spotted ignoring no cars sign to overtake kids on bikes during BBC interview; Evenepoel signs for Pizza Hut; BikeExchange's equal pay promise; Concussion protocol questioned; Inspiring female cyclists; Old man yells at cloud + more on the live blog

Yeah, saw that. Very sad. I bought my bike from Evans just after the takeover. The staff were excellent, all genuine bike people. Between ordering and collecting already some had left, others were fearful for their futures. Seems they were right to be. Nothing shittier than converting full time jobs into zero-hours contracts. Ashley said way back he would be changing his ways, but he's proved himself to be a man of straw.

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Re: BBC Interview. When Drew states "here you are, here's one" does the BBC man say something about "those kids aren't supposed to be there"??

He did realise he was supposed to be there to show drivers going down a road they were banned from and not criticising the kids.

I thought he said "those kids are supposed to be there".

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Re: BBC Interview. When Drew states "here you are, here's one" does the BBC man say something about "those kids aren't supposed to be there"??

He did realise he was supposed to be there to show drivers going down a road they were banned from and not criticising the kids.

I think he said

"those kids are meant to be there, that driver isn't" 

Quite. Not sure why road.cc is reporting on this in glowing terms. 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.0580126,-0.3303538,3a,75y,91.23h,78.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4NaU8P0_ch3tDQTUXZiIuA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This appears to be it.

Fordingbridge Close

Could just about make out a embankment and tunnel when the camera showed the cyclists, so just had to see what roads itercepted the railway and found it in about 30 seconds.

It's crying out for a Strava segment...

https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-videos/watch-follow-the-leader-urban-do...

I think somthihg like this may be better pref though there house, ohh but only if we put some mats down to save the carpets!!!!

Nigel Garrage wrote:

Completely off-topic here, but I seem to remember that there was an article somewhere on Road.cc saying that HMRC had dropped the requirement for the work Cycle schemes to mainly be used for qualifying journeys to the office.

I've just checked my workplace benefits for this year, and my employer has discontinued the cycle scheme on the basis that COVID is stopping people cycling to the office.

I'm therefore wondering if anyone would have a link to the article or a HMRC press release about them dropping the office requirement? I have tried to look but found nowt

I may be wrong (Iknow, I know, but it has happened before), but I don't think that employers are required to offer the CS as part of their benefits package. 

If they have dropped it they are being jerks as there is little overhead to the scheme (obvs if you work for a small company that might be different but even then...).

I'm not sure if there is a way to pursue it outside your company.

https://road.cc/content/news/cycle-work-scheme-tax-rules-relaxed-due-cov...

If that is the reason they've pulled the cycle scheme (it may not be) then it may be worth a question on if they'll re-introduce it as that exemption is only valid for another 4 weeks up to April 5th after which normal rules apply again. (or they may extend it as per the roadmap to normality allows, I guess)

There is a government document called 'safer travel guidance ' which advises - 'if you need to travel, walk or cycle if possible'. If an employer is removing the means to obtain that form of transport then I suppose you could try and enter a discussion on the back to work implications of that for any employee trying to now follow that guidance.

I assume the basis for stopping the scheme is that everyone is currently working from home, and so no-one would be travelling to the office anyway. One would hope that once plans to re-open the office materialise, the company in question will re-open the cycle to work scheme too (although I appreciate in the current climate you might be waiting a long time to actually get a bike!)

For info, the link to the HMRC guidance is here.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim21664

Seems odd to pull the scheme unless your company is saying you will never return to the office.

brooksby wrote:

"This is a private road sunshine, it belongs to Horsham District Council" - err, WTF???

On that line of reasoning, every single person operating any sort of vehicle would need a licence to travel on every single separate roadway.

Is that what he wants?

("Oy, you!  - You've got a licence to drive on the High Street but where's your licence for Acacia Avenue??")

I think you are labouring under the misapprehension that there is any logic, or desire to broadly apply the principles that  he has espoused.

HoarseMann wrote:

Well maybe the old bloke should reverse into his drive. It's generally considered the safer option.

Drives me nuts when I see people reversing out. I always reverse in, and get this, people give me grief when I'm positioning myself to do so. W*nkers

Same here. I always make a point of reversing into any sort of parking space or driveway where possible. I also get hooted at desparingly frequently when I am trying to reverse into my own driveway! There is of course an HC item for this;

201 - Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.

Although I must admit that I am not entirely sure where the distinction lies between main road and not main road in this context.

Dicklexic wrote:

Although I must admit that I am not entirely sure where the distinction lies between main road and not main road in this context.

The principle is that you should not reverse out of a junction (or driveway).

Dicklexic wrote:

..... 201 - Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.

Although I must admit that I am not entirely sure where the distinction lies between main road and not main road in this context. 

It doesn't have to be the M25, it means the main road compared with the one you've reversed out from.

Mungecrundle wrote:

.......but we have seen before that an antisocial minority can spoil it for everyone else.

yes, it's time they were tested, licensed, taxed, and MOT'd. And made to wear helmets and hiviz. That'd sort them out

Captain Badger wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

.......but we have seen before that an antisocial minority can spoil it for everyone else.

yes, it's time they were tested, licensed, taxed, and MOT'd. And made to wear helmets and hiviz. That'd sort them out

...and put a crystal in their right hand so we can see when they get too old