“We’re being taken for fools”: Manchester Bee Network blasted as motorists drive into cycle zone; Should we toast goodbye to the Tour’s ‘drink driving’ champagne photo op?; Transcontinental race gets under way; Vos the boss + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“We’re being taken for fools”: Manchester Bee Network blasted as motorists filmed driving into cycle zone
Back in 2020, you may remember, Greater Manchester’s then-cycling and walking commissioner Chris Boardman told the then-safely secure Prime Minister Boris Johnson (how times change, eh?) that Manchester’s Bee Network could act as a “national blueprint” for active travel, and that the “timing is perfect to wean a nation off its automobile addiction”.
Judging by footage filmed at the weekend, however, it seems that motorists first need to be weaned off driving into the city’s new cycle and pedestrian zones.
Cycling advocate Harry Gray, one of the masterminds behind this year’s Snake Pass protests, posted a video on Twitter on Saturday showing a number of Uber drivers being forced to reverse out of the cycle zone in the city’s Northern Quarter:
Look at the state of Manchester’s flagship Bee Network Scheme.
We’re being taken for fools pic.twitter.com/36BRlhW0TM
— Harry Gray (@HarryHamishGray) July 23, 2022
Absolutely no enforcement of pedestrian and cycle zone with cars backing up to reverse out pic.twitter.com/gPbUjGTOUQ
— Harry Gray (@HarryHamishGray) July 23, 2022
While some criticised the blasé attitude of the drivers towards cyclists, Gray focused his attention on the “sheer incompetence” of what he called the network’s “awful design”.
Problem is they are being taken down to this point down a one way street! Absolutely awful design. The sheer incompetence is mind boggling
— Harry Gray (@HarryHamishGray) July 23, 2022
Roads giving way to a pedestrianised area?!
No anti terrorism barriers to prevent danger for seating either pic.twitter.com/7l1kkMN9zX
— Harry Gray (@HarryHamishGray) July 23, 2022
He pointed out that the cycle and pedestrian zone is only enforced by a ‘No entry’ sign and a red line on the road (the concrete block that forced the motorists to back up is found further into the zone) and that drivers are being shuttled down a one-way street towards the area, with no other option than to reverse.
> Revamped road condemned as “death trap” after cyclist critically injured
Gray wasn’t the only one pointing out the flaws in that particular section of the Bee Network, as last night infrastructure expert Iain Roberts gave his take on the Thomas Street cycle lanes, which, as he points out, were originally touted as an alternative to the “missed opportunity” for active travel provision on Great Ancoats Street:
I want to say a few things about the new cycle paths in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, primarily along Thomas Street. I’ve heard few negative comments, so let’s take a look. [1/10] pic.twitter.com/RONW6icfau
— Iain Roberts (@slowbikeiain) July 24, 2022
Let’s look at the new infrastructure on Thomas Street. Apart from a small section where loading is allowed in the morning, the road is split between pavement, cycle lanes and outdoor seating. No cars [3/10] pic.twitter.com/xJocYHrlRP
— Iain Roberts (@slowbikeiain) July 24, 2022
A non-standard bike would struggle to make it down the lane, and if people do sit on the blocks, it narrows the lane even further. They are really odd pieces of street furniture for this location. [6/10]
— Iain Roberts (@slowbikeiain) July 24, 2022
On the south side there’s a fair bit of clutter and, for one section, hoardings for a stalled development halves the pavement width. The wholly predictable result: lots of pedestrians in the cycle lanes. [8/10] pic.twitter.com/2IbCNQrfya
— Iain Roberts (@slowbikeiain) July 24, 2022
I was there on a busy Saturday night, so maybe I’m being unfair. Perhaps it will work better when the road is quieter. I have my spies keeping an eye on that one. But at first look, there do seem to be serious issues [10/10] pic.twitter.com/D64djajHXv
— Iain Roberts (@slowbikeiain) July 24, 2022
road.cc at the Tour de France
Live blog favourite Dan drew the short straw this weekend and was whisked away on a private jet – loaned to him by his mate Kylie, he tells me – to Paris for the final stage of the men’s Tour de France and the first stage of the relaunched Tour Femmes.
By all accounts he had a dreadful time:
Time to take the applause #TDFF opening stage won by Lorena Wiebes pic.twitter.com/c1XlLrFD2x
— road.cc (@roadcc) July 24, 2022
Why aren’t all great sporting events preceded by a frozen chicken ad on wheels? #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/hOe9FZPZlL
— road.cc (@roadcc) July 24, 2022
Here we go… #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/gMWabNNLB0
— road.cc (@roadcc) July 24, 2022
The second most popular Dane in Paris, Mads Pedersen, gets the party started ahead of his compatriot’s coronation #TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/h6frkXMg4X
— road.cc (@roadcc) July 24, 2022
I wonder how he’s feeling this morning…
“Just what people on bikes want. Drink driving”: Is it time to toast goodbye to the Tour’s final day champagne photo op?
Now, before we get into that tedious annual debate about the merits of the Tour’s final “processional” stage to Paris (though all I will say is, make sure Tadej Pogačar isn’t a handful of seconds behind you on GC, as he will attack on the Champs-Élysées, tradition be damned)…
Yesterday cycling journalist Peter Flax pointed out, as Jumbo-Visma’s riders and staff soaked up their dominant Tour win by posing for as many photos as possible, the rather questionable optics of team car drivers clinking glasses of champagne.
Podium girls seemed like a fine idea at some point. This is just such a shit look in 2022. pic.twitter.com/4TGFeJjw87
— Peter Flax (@Pflax1) July 24, 2022
Just what people on bikes want. Drink driving.
— Dr. ElSupreme Funk (@_DrFunk) July 24, 2022
Regardless of whether any bubbly was actually consumed by riders or drivers, does the champagne photo op send the wrong message, and should it be consigned – like proper racing before the Champs on the final day – to the annals of cycling history?
Tadej Pogačar: Never wasting an opportunity
Pogačar is definitely a resourceful person. pic.twitter.com/3Z3N2KiwIB
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) July 25, 2022
Also, spare a thought for poor Simon Geschke, forced to look on as a polka-dot mannequin takes his place on the Tour podium…
I’ll be back… on my bike
Reunited with my old partner. pic.twitter.com/iQnX8OzaSj
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) July 24, 2022
Now, I wonder what everyone thinks about smoking a cigar while cycling?
Geraint Thomas congratulates… Geraint Thomas
Congratulations! https://t.co/ruMRzU71Fo
— Geraint Thomas (@geraintthomas) July 25, 2022
Hopefully the other Geraint’s Twitter notifications will calm down a for a bit now…
Wright Said Fred: rider of the Tour?
In November Sa told me I’d finish on the podium at the Tour this year. I found it pretty hard to believe her. But hey, she’s usually right. This is for her and Macs for always believing, & for everyone’s support over the last month. There’s life in these legs yet. Vive Le Tour 👌 pic.twitter.com/XzGIdNUs4m
— Geraint Thomas (@GeraintThomas86) July 24, 2022
It’s easy to forget, ten years on from Bradley Wiggins, in the yellow jersey, leading out world champion Mark Cavendish for the win on the Champs-Élysées, that a Tour de France with a British rider finishing on the podium, another winning a stage on Alpe d’Huez, and a third lighting up the race and placing top ten on the final stage would have once been unthinkable.
But we live in strange times, when British success on cycling’s biggest stage is almost taken for granted.
While the yellow jersey appears, for the time being, beyond reach (thanks to Jonas and Pog), this year’s Tour seemed to pay homage to the past, present and future of British grand tour racing.
First, 36-year-old Geraint Thomas rolled the clock back, putting in a ‘best of the rest’ performance to take third overall, the third Tour podium of his career (ably supported by Adam Yates, who also managed a top ten on GC).
At the other end of the age spectrum (sorry, Geraint), 22-year-old Tom Pidcock gave us a glimpse of what to expect over the next ten years – securing a sensational solo breakaway win atop arguably the Tour’s most famous climb, L’Alpe d’Huez, after one of the finest rides of the race. While Pidcock couldn’t hold onto a top ten overall – he is human after all – the world cyclocross and Olympic mountain bike champion cemented his status as a bona fide star of the road.
Away from Ineos, Owain Doull was a constant presence in breaks, including on the Champs-Élysées, while Connor Swift helped Arkéa Samsic’s Nairo Quintana to sixth overall.
In a word @fred_wright0: Chapeau 🥹 pic.twitter.com/W6fo2SHM3C
— Phil Wright (@philinhernehill) July 24, 2022
But my rider of the Tour – if we just ignore Jumbo-Visma and Pogačar for a moment (easy, I know) – has to go to Fred Wright.
The 23-year-old Londoner built upon his breakthrough seventh place at the Tour of Flanders in April with an assured, exciting ride through France.
While his Bahrain-Victorious teammates generally underperformed, Wright was an ever present in breaks, bunch finishes and even in the final time trial.
After being beaten into second by former world champion Mads Pederson into Saint-Etienne, Wright put in another gutsy ride from the break on stage 19 into Cahors, breaking clear in the final kilometres before being swept up by a rampant Christophe Laporte.
He then backed that up by finishing a remarkable eighth in the TT, and then – just like that – tenth on the most important sprint stage of them all on the Champs-Élysées.
We just love that park. Unfortunately he doesn’t much love the name 😬
— Phil Wright (@philinhernehill) July 24, 2022
Wright, who also possesses one of the most unique middle names in the peloton (Brockwell, named after a local park) then staked his claim for the ‘best off-hand comment of the Tour’ award, quipping to GCN’s team in Paris “where’s my make-up” while he was being interviewed…
Chapeau, indeed.
From one Great Dane to another
Jonas Vingegaard🏆🚴🇩🇰❤️👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/y707O3eMcZ
— Peter Schmeichel (@Pschmeichel1) July 24, 2022
Transcontinental race gets under way
#TCRNo8 RACE REPORT 01 / “The Race Is On”https://t.co/GEwKsNa5p7
We recap the magical start in Geraardsbergen, the scattering of rider dots through the night and early hours of the morning, and Anna’s moving farewell. Who has their first-day strategy right? #Transcontinental pic.twitter.com/JMjyHxm8s6— The Transcontinental (@transconrace) July 25, 2022
‘Dot-watching’ cycling fans, rejoice! After a three-year hiatus, the Transcontinental race is back for its eighth, gruelling edition.
Yesterday, as the men’s Tour de France ended and the Tour Femmes kicked off on the Champs-Élysées, 250 ultra-distance cyclists gathered at one of cycling’s other holy places, the Muur van Geraardsbergen, for the start of Europe’s definitive ultra-distance bike race.
The Transcon is a self-supported jaunt across Europe founded by the late ultra-cyclist Mike Hall in 2013, with riders usually covering 4,000km depending on the route they take.
Look who’s back, and smiling. #TCRCapNo001 is always given to the last edition’s Race winner. Fiona Kolbinger is ready to roll…#TCRNo8#Transcontinental pic.twitter.com/qdeE27YsbU
— The Transcontinental (@transconrace) July 24, 2022
After starting in Flanders last night, the riders will head to Germany and the Czech Republic, before heading south to the Dolomites and the iconic Passo di Gavia, then onto Montenegro and Romania, before finally finishing, after lots of blood, sweat and tears presumably, in Burgas on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast. Whatever route they take between those checkpoints is up to them, with riders scattered all over Germany at the moment.
Crucially, the clock doesn’t stop at all during the event, meaning those at the sharp end of the race sleep sparingly, often in a bivvy at the side of the road if it’s not quick or convenient to make a hotel stop.
Drafting is not permitted and you’re also allowed no assistance from friends, family or other racers – all food, accommodation and repairs must be paid for by the rider.
Ulrich is flying east. Making a beeline to CP1 in Krupka before the first riders arrive, one of the Race control cars caught him around 14.5 hours into the Race; hundreds of kilometres from Geraardsbergen. On his race so far, he said “hi” before pushing on through Germany #TCRNo8 pic.twitter.com/UNUfHKyxx9
— The Transcontinental (@transconrace) July 25, 2022
Our own Jo Burt, who was forced to ‘scratch’ after 950km in the 2017 edition, describes it like this: “It is about hardship and pushing yourself to keep going, no matter how fast that may be, always move forward. This is tough, several long strides outside of your comfort zone, it’s meant to hurt, everyone is doing their best just to get by no matter where they are in the race.
“There is little comfort to be had. It’s a race, it’s not meant to be fun. For every moment of high and photogenic viewpoint there are ten times as many tedious boring bits and shit struggle.”
Sounds great.
If ‘dot-watching’ is your thing, you can keep up to date with all the madness and misery – we’re currently almost 17 hours in – on the race’s website.
Marianne Vos takes stage and yellow jersey after dramatic day at Tour de France Femmes
It was written in the stars, wasn’t it?
Marianne Vos, arguably the greatest cyclist we’ve ever seen, unleashed her trademark sprint on the uphill drag to the line in Provins to win stage two of the Tour de France Femmes, and with it take the yellow jersey, after a dramatic, windy, crash-filled and potentially GC-upending day.
In 2009 Vos won the final ever stage of the Grande Boucle Féminine, the closest thing the women’s peloton had to a ‘Tour de France’ in those days.
13 years later, the Jumbo-Visma rider didn’t leave it long to restamp her authority on French roads. After finishing second behind Lorena Wiebes on the Champs-Élysées yesterday, Vos outsprinted a small group including Silvia Persico, Kasia Niewiadoma and Elisa Longo Borghini on the uphill drag to the line in Provins.
As the race descended into chaos behind her, with a number of pre-race favourites losing significant amounts of time or even crashing out completely, Vos remained cool, letting Niewiadoma lead her out before shifting down a gear as the road flattened to sprint to a historic stage win and the first yellow jersey of her illustrious, unsurpassed career.
🏁 🇳🇱@marianne_vos wins the breakaway sprint in Provins.
⏪ Relive the last kilometre of stage 2.🏁 🇳🇱@marianne_vos remporte le sprint de l’échappée à Provins.
⏪ Revivez le dernier kilomètre de la 2ème étape du #TDFF.#WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/4mKwOoMURe— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 25, 2022
Strong winds and open, exposed rural roads led to a day of tension for the peloton, as teams – conscious of the threat of echelons – sought to protect their leaders and GC hopes.
20-year-old’s Maike van der Duin’s attack with 25 kilometres to go, however, lit the blue touch paper and heightened a few already jangling nerves in the bunch. The Dutch sprinter’s opportune move also preceded a string of potentially race-changing crashes, as the speed noticeably went up a notch.
One of those crashes saw Australian champion Nicole Frain, chasing to regain contact, ride straight into the back of FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope’s Marta Cavalli, who had managed to avoid the initial pile-up. While Cavalli, who finished second overall at this month’s Giro Donne, got back on her bike following the sickening collision, she later abandoned the race and is currently being treated in hospital.
Coming through the finish line to begin the local loop around Provins, which doubled as an intermediate sprint, Trek-Segafredo’s Elisa Balsamo took advantage of the post-sprint lull to bridge to Van der Duin, with teammate Longo Borghini, Niewiadoma, Persico and Vos on her wheel.
A.S.O./Thomas Maheux
While Balsamo worked hard to forge her leader Longo Borghini clear – the leading five would end up putting around half a minute into all of their rivals – things went from bad to worse for FDJ as the peloton blew to pieces in the crosswinds.
The French team’s Danish leader Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig was held up by yet another crash, and lost 1.38 to Vos by the finish, and over a minute to the likes of Demi Vollering and Annemiek van Vleuten (who also surprisingly seemed to struggle on the drag to the line, ceding five seconds to Vollering).
Team BikeExchange-Jayco’s Kristen Faulkner fared even worse, and now sits 92nd on GC, over four minutes down.
Today’s chaotic finale underlined that old cycling adage that you may not win the Tour on tricky stages like this one, but you can certainly lose it. Those words will certainly be ringing in the ears of everyone at the FDJ dinner table tonight, only two days into their home grand tour.
🎙 Hear from the winner of stage 2 🇳🇱@marianne_vos. 🏆
🎙 L’interview complète de Marianne Vos après sa victoire à Provins. 🏆#TDFF #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/LrmGFkrdi7
— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 25, 2022
As for Vos, the yellow jersey represents yet another historic landmark in one of sport’s most storied careers.
Cycling? Completed it, mate.
Correction Corner
A classic from the Graun here, whose Tour de France live blogger managed to spectacularly misinterpret one of Jonas Vingegaard’s heartfelt post-race interviews:
The Tour De france winner Jonas Vingegaard dedicated a stage win last week to “his two girls” leading to this brilliant correction in the Guardian: pic.twitter.com/TttFrDKc7I
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) July 25, 2022
I always said live blogging about cycling was a tricky business…
“Just a minute!”: Chicago cyclists protest Amazon driver parked in bike lane
Before I head off for a nice evening spin, here’s an example of a novel method adopted by some American cyclists for dealing with motorists flagrantly breaking traffic laws… by holding up traffic for “just a minute”:
During our jam yesterday, we held a “Just a Minute” protest for an @amazon driver in the bike lane. While some motorists became frustrated that their lane of travel was blocked, others applauded us. Imagine how those angry motorists would feel if they were cyclists in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/xjISQCX6bV
— Chicago, Bike Grid Now! (@bikegridnow) July 24, 2022
Thanks to IanMSpencer for flagging the video in the comments!
25 July 2022, 08:45
Some thoughts on the last three weeks, and how well Jumbo-Visma can answer tricky questions, on and off the bike…
Tour de France review: Jumbo-Visma, at last
Following a series of chaotic near misses, a murky past, and a 15-year-long road to redemption, the Dutch super team has finally conquered the Tour de France
25 July 2022, 08:45
25 July 2022, 08:45
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PS re the cyclist ringing a bell (or as a sports cyclist more likely shouting a warning), they would have no reason to: the lady wasn't "approaching the road", she had got to the island in the middle of the road and was standing still, then she stepped out. As far as I can see there was no reason to think anything but that she had seen him and was waiting for him to pass before crossing the lane.
@bensynnock We, and car drivers, must indeed exercise the utmost care for vulnerable road users, but if you take it to the logical extreme the only way you can absolutely guarantee never hitting a vulnerable road user is not to cycle or drive at all under any circumstances. As the Highway Code makes clear, "The hierarchy places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy. It does not remove the need for everyone to behave responsibly." In a case like this where the pedestrian has made an absolutely suicidal move by stepping onto the roadway into the path of a fast-moving cyclist when they were two metres away you can't say that the cyclist has failed in their duty of care, the cyclist was approaching on a clear straight road in good visibility, the lady was standing still on the island then suddenly stepped out when he was so close that he had no time to make any reaction at all, let alone brake or swerve round her. She, sadly, for unknown reasons, failed in her "need to behave responsibly". Unless duty of care encompasses coming to a complete stop when one sees a pedestrian waiting to cross (when there is no marked crossing) I don't think it was breached here.
@C3a Presumably it's to do with turnover stability while moving. I saw a Tentbox today, just being driven through Garstang. I can certainly see the advantage of these boxes over tents, because I have suffered lifelong from the 'Get orf my land' brigade, and there's a much greater tolerance among them for those 'camping' in vehicles than for those much more worthy real campers in tents. Add to that the convenience of just stopping in any old free spot by the roadside, where there isn't a decent site for a tent, and you can see the attraction.
Most of the cars that I have owned have had a roof-box limit (bars, box and contents) of 70kg. How does a textbox fit with that? Is the limit only applicable when the vehicle is moving?
@Chris RideFar For starters, by being 1,5 m above the ground you are mostly protected from dew. In many countries it also protects you from frost or really low temperatures. You'd be surprised how much of a difference it actually makes. Bugs, ants, spiders etc. are another thing, as is the purely mental feeling of security by being isolated from the ground. You'd be surprised how much that means to some of us and our better halves ;-) Sleeping on the ground also means more mechanical damage to the floor from rocks, hard roots etc., which could make a big difference in some areas and on longer trips, where a ripped tent floor could really break your holiday. I'm not saying a roof tent is the answer to all one's troubles with camping. But these factors definitely to make a difference to many of us.
When was the last time you had a groundsheet with a built in mattress? The point is predictable comfort.
Is it because cars and driving are about convenience (for a price), so there is mileage in selling more (quite expensive) related things that are about convenience?
@FionaJJ that's the crux of the issue i guess. Minority causes can have this where the mainstream has the power to steamroll you (figuratively and literally). There's always "fear of angering the giant" (or alienating the decision makers / majority, where any politician has the temptation to gain attention by criticising this. And business salespeople stand to gain by selling "convenience and status" instead). But ... it's also easy to keep getting "small wins" while losing the main argument. (That would be where rules and public space remain suited to or are further modified to reinforce motor dependency and thus reduce active travel - even if perhaps it's now autonomous vehicles and "they're more efficient / much safer than human drivers").
40 thoughts on ““We’re being taken for fools”: Manchester Bee Network blasted as motorists drive into cycle zone; Should we toast goodbye to the Tour’s ‘drink driving’ champagne photo op?; Transcontinental race gets under way; Vos the boss + more on the live blog”
AImlessly wandering around
AImlessly wandering around Twitter after following the Manchester tweets, I noticed this:
In Chicago, when cyclists find that an Amazon driver has parked in a bike lane, they block the main traffic for “just a minute”. I’d like to think that they came up with the idea after the typical response from a delivery driver as to why breaking the traffic laws don’t apply to them.
It does remind me of the self-imposed protests we have when drivers, incensed at being criticised for obvious mistakes, are more than happy to debate their driving for far longer than the patience required to have avoided the driving mistake in the first place. In other words, one of the American ideas I’d happily import.
Yep, only really read through
Yep, only really read through my Twitter recommendations when linking from here or other sites to stories. Noticed a regular contributor to news content here, Parks and Rec didn’t actually cover himself with glory when showing his use of shared infra the other day. I suspect his speedo is in KMH (hopefully) but doing 15mph along a narrow section of shared infra outside some shops after hopping on and off it because of traffic on the roads.
I think it’s a London thing,
I think it’s a London thing, though I am sure we have all done it at times. I’ve seen a lot of videos along the lines of I don’t have a speed limit so how dare traffic slow me down? CyclingGaz started off so well with his SillyCyclist series, but as he got super-fit he showed a few times where he was cycling at around 30mph and was getting miffed at motorists being caught out by his speed. Perhaps there are times when a bit of self-preservation doesn’t go amiss. I thought some of the hopping off and on bordered on the reckless too, (dropping back onto the road after passing the bus behind the lorry exiting the corner – there was a car behind that may or may not have accelerated around the bus while he was unsighted and he didn’t have a clear sightline of the place where the lorry came out of where there could have been another vehicle pulling out, and how did he know that there wasn’t some little old lady about to step off the bus – it had been paused a long time without any apparent activity – why? – as one example at the very beginning).
It was kph and he did
It was kph and he did apologise the next day
hirsute wrote:
Did he – I saw he apologised about the previous video, but I’ve not on this one.
In that case, I’m incorrect.
In that case, I’m incorrect. It was the previous one I was thinking about (hopefully still in kph though)
You’d have thought he’d have learnt from the first one !
There was a similar video
There was a similar video from GCN that was supposed to show an ‘epic’ ride around London but the main thing I remember from it is Alec Briggs (crit racer) jumping on and off pavements at speed. Really surprised at GCN including those in the edited vdeo. Although they have included Alec in a Slow Ride video on GCN+!!!
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
It’s the second video he’s posted in recent weeks showing shall we say not the best cycling practice. The previous one was criticised by, among others, cycle-friendly cop Mark Hodson, and he (Parks and Rec) did end up apologising. (His speedo is kmh)
In my recommedations I did
In my recommedations I did have two from him, this was the second one after stating he had been reported by a Police Officer to the Met for cycling on the pavement for several seconds (followed by a comparison about the caravan incident from the other day). I did think that if that was how he was cycling on the pavement, then no wonder he was reported.
Having to weave through
Having to weave through street furniture, dips and turns, and sudden changes from segregated cycle track to shared pavement, just demonstrates how poorly implemented this infrastructure is. I wouldn’t use it.
Great idea
Great idea 😀 And yet I suspect most motorists wouldn’t see the equivalence…
(edited)
IanMSpencer wrote:
Ah, but then you’re just proving the trope – cyclists cause pollution! The effects are magnified at busy times because motor cars are not space-efficient transport. This could lead to a more widespread delay and thus even more unneccesary emissions.
What’s that? Some motorists in a hurry suddenly stop voluntarily to have it out with cyclists? That’s cyclists causing pollution again – no doubt the drivers wouldn’t stop if there hadn’t been cyclists to argue with.
Ah, but complaining that
Ah, but complaining that cyclists are causing pollution would in itself be woke, wouldn’t it?
< Head spins >
We want British warming, not
We want British warming, not global warming! Besides, it’s those foreign fossil fuels they’re burning over there to try to catch us up that mean that we can’t afford to limit growth by increasing taxes on fuel because that would hold back our world-leading green technology. #takebackcontrol
chrisonatrike wrote:
I thought we were ‘Global Britain’ now – leading the way with our homegrown warming and exporting it to a grateful world (or something)?
chrisonatrike wrote:
/shoehorn=on
Has anyone else watched the coverage about the queues at the Channel Tunnel and the south eastern ports and thought, “Well, what did you think was going to happen”…?
/shoehorn=off
brooksby wrote:
It’s a price I’m willing to pay for all the tangible benefits of living in a world-beating country
I believe this has been said.
I believe this has been said…
https://www.private-eye.co.uk/covers/cover-1412
And the latest Led by Donkeys
And the latest Led by Donkeys thing:
I presume you’ve seen the
I presume you’ve seen the most recent issue?
https://www.private-eye.co.uk/covers/cover-1577
brooksby wrote:
it’s also literally what they voted for – a hard border, no freedom of movement. They’re just stupid / racist eniugh to think it would only apply to brown people, not them….
I suspect there was also an
I suspect there was also an element of them being led to believe that it only applied to people coming into the UK, and didn’t imagine it applied to them going out into other countries… But let’s face it, the EU and the French in particular (in this case) have a right to control their own borders too, don’t they.
Careful now! Lots of people
Careful now! Lots of people (especially in England) in all income brackets / of all political views were very keen on Brexit. Many were quite prepared to articulate why. I don’t believe they all were “fooled” – even if they may have thought “what did the European Empire ever do for us?” Or felt we were powerless in the face of EU directives when actually other EU countries took a more “if it suits us” approach. That one was a favourite of several UK governments!
Whatever they didn’t like about it – or even if they only wanted to “stick one to the government” – at least some of them were prepared to take unknown consequences rather than stick with the status quo.
Although if someone had only been honest about the likelihood of delay in getting framesets or interruptions in the supply of Brooks saddles that might have swung it for “remain”.
Careful now! Lots of people
Careful now! Lots of people (especially in England) in all income brackets / of all political views were very keen on Brexit
They certainly were, and were shamelessly manipulated by the Cummings/ Gove /Johnson / that stupid toff /etc. (insert names of unprincipled shysters here) Axis of Evil into believing that everything they didn’t like was the fault of the EU. I know an old (=older than me) bloke who believes even now (now that it’s still just the same) that the absence of ‘the top of the milk’ which used to be sought out by blue tits, is all the fault of an EU directive
wtjs wrote:
Sad some folks could be so deluded. Of course the milk was stolen by Thatcher.
Snatched, not stolen.
Snatched, not stolen. Although didn’t she also stop the continental fruit bread popular at Xmas? Certainly only starting appearing again after she had been out of power for ages.
chrisonatrike wrote:
Made me smile. I was a milk monitor at my primary school, and some years later, marched through London shouting ‘Margaret Thatcher, milk snatcher!’.
I marched through on the ’84
I marched through on the ’84 CND march chanting “Cecil, you are a naughty boy.”
Ernie was taken away as his
Ernie was taken away as his speeding wasn’t allowed under EU rules.
Noticed this on one of my
Noticed this on one of my youtube vids viewings the weekend. (not UK Dashcams this time).
Conglomeration of lucky people videos and the recording dates for these are all over the place so could have featured here before. These three are so so lucky although the slow pacer car at night probably did as much to cause this as the driver. There are also a couple of examples of almost victims of red light jumpers from the states. They are jot fooling around when going through them as they both seem to be doing minimum of 40mph.
RE: Manchester infra – again
RE: Manchester infra – again looks like a “bigger picture issue”. Because of pressures of space people not in vehicles tend to seize areas which are more pleasant – e.g. no cars. Currently there aren’t many cyclists either. So at least at some times cycle paths will be filled by people not cycling but just walking or lingering. Pent-up demand given the large area allocated to motor vehicles.
Looking at the NL debates about walking / cycling allocation still come up. I think as long as there is a real cycle network and sufficient cyclists things work out. People learn what “their” space is and naturally stick to it.
Local authorities have to look at the “space grab” of cafes (tables, shelters), bars (people standing around smoking / drinking) and businesses generally (putting out A-signboard advertising, storing stuff and of course “loading”). That’s not something new but it has to be integrated with any changes to street layouts or permitted use.
TBF reallocation of road
TBF reallocation of road space to cafe tables etc shouldn’t be a big issue. It’s only problematic here because this was meant to be the main cycle route when MCC didn’t put any bike lanes in along GAS.
Important just to point out
Important just to point out that the bee network is greater Manchester. But this poor infrastructure is Manchester Council. Other councils like Salford, Wigan, Trafford are designing and building good things – but Manchester, under former leader Richard Leese, has been noticeably hostile to cycling.
Thanks – yes, I was schooled
Thanks – yes, I was schooled about that before having been ignorant of it. Sounds like it’s a little similar to London, is that correct? e.g. the Mayor / Greater Manchester can say what they want but it’s the boroughs – or councils in Manchester – who can do this or not at the end of the day?
It’s exactly the same, and
It’s exactly the same, and the political enthusiasm is best described as variable across the ten boroughs.
Leese was probably a good 15 years past his sell-by date as MCC Leader (on a number of fronts, not just AT) but the new regime does seem to be making some more encouraging noises. Whether anything can be done about GAS, I don’t know.
“Drafting is not permitted
“Drafting is not permitted and you’re also allowed no assistance from friends, family or other races…”
That policy seems a bit 18th century.
I just assumed they weren’t
I just assumed they weren’t allowed to use any routes used by other events during the course of 2022.
How does an Uber driver
How does an Uber driver afford a modern Mercedes? Or is it that someone who’s just lost a well paid job finds themselves Ubering to scrape a crust?
2014 C class, probably worth
2014 C class, probably worth £14k, less if intergalactic mileage, could be financed for less than £300pcm. Not sure what Uber drivers earn per month but seems affordable.
Uber actually finances car
Uber actually finances car purchases for its drivers, encouraging them to buy too much car, so they need to keep driving to pay for it.
There are also some Uber drivers who rent their cars, which seems even crazier.