“Cycling has just made me really happy”: Jeremy Clarkson’s daughter partners with Specialized; Jeremy Vine delivers a ‘road tax’ schooling; Chris Froome skips the Vuelta; Quads of Destiny; Marginal groins aero package + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Jeremy Vine delivers a 'road tax' schooling
You’ve probably heard about the upcoming Highway Code changes by now. In short, the updated edition to be published in the autumn will introduce a hierarchy of road users, meaning those with the potential to cause the most danger to others will be deemed to have greater responsibility to those who are more vulnerable. Radical, I know…
On top of this, motorists are also to be subject to guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking riders. Cyclists will also get priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead.
This has been as well-received as you might expect by the sort of people who enjoy a spot of anti-cyclist bingo in their free time.
Susie, for example, shared a photo of some letters in a local newspaper. Topics raised included: red light jumping, ignoring zebra crossings, pavement cycling, ignoring one way signs, riding two abreast, insurance, commuters causing congestion, number plates on bikes, hi-vis clothing and headphones…in other words, the full set.
Our old friend Jeremy Vine spotted Susie’s assessment of the situation and had a smart idea…a new tax for all road users. How might that work?
Hello Susie: I’d be delighted to pay a new £10 per year road tax for riding my bicycle.
Conventionally it is scaled up based on the fourth power of weight on the rear axle, so your family car would be subject to an annual £1.3m charge. Hope that’s okay — let’s get cracking! https://t.co/wZSTdIyQuv— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) August 4, 2021
Here’s the notorious Surrey Roads Policing Unit’s admin for their take on the whole ‘road tax’ kerfuffle…
— Blythe on a bicycle 🚴🏻♀️ (@girlonabrompton) August 5, 2021
One month to go...Could Chris Froome be at the Tour of Britain?
The Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 finally returns in just one month’s time.
From Penzance to Aberdeen, eight incredible stages featuring nearly 20,000 metres of elevation gain over 1,320 kilometres await. #TourOfBritain 🔴🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/lfTm89EhGW
— Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) August 5, 2021
I’d say the Tour of Britain is my favourite race of the season. There’s something about knowing the geography of the race, having visited some of the areas of the route and seeing the pros suffer on your local climbs that makes it all much more relatable.
This year’s route looks particularly great if you live in the South West, where the week-long stage race will begin with two stages in Cornwall and Devon. One man who may be on the startline is Chris Froome. The four-time Tour de France winner is going to skip the Vuelta a España and do some smaller races instead. Come on, Chris. You know you want to…
Quads of Destiny: How many watts can you thrash out?
If you’re watching the cycling sprint and you need some context of how the power equates to a normal bike… @chrishoy says get yourself on a Wattbike and see if you can get your output to hit 2600 watts!!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯#Power #QuadsOfDestiny #Olympics pic.twitter.com/HDe46h67D8
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) August 5, 2021
Marginal groins aero package
Also heard some great gossip from the track this morning – Apparently a nation has complained a certain rider had an aerodynamic aid down the front of his skinsuit – it transpired the rider was just very well endowed 😂😂😂
— Jacob Tipper ️ (@JacobTipper) August 5, 2021
Where to start with this one?
Specialized hits the nail on the head with e-bike advert
What makes the perfect vehicle?
The reality of driving in cities is a far cry from what the advertising tells us. Loved working with @Specialized_UK to show there’s a better way with Specialized Turbo.
No Traffic. Easy Parking. Zero Emissions. Effortless Errands. pic.twitter.com/ew8hb3rkF0
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) August 3, 2021
Getting Jeremy Clarkson’s daughter on board was a masterstroke, and this new advert isn’t too bad either…
No Traffic. Easy Parking. Zero Emissions. Effortless Errands. No wonder Emily Clarkson loved it.
"Cycling has just made me really…happy": Jeremy Clarkson's daughter partners with Specialized
Right at the top of the list of things I didn’t expect to stumble across today is this news that Jeremy Clarkson’s daughter, Emily Clarkson, is now partnered with Specialized, promoting the brand’s e-bikes. The Instagram influencer shared the news with her 194,000 followers via a well-shot ad of Clarkson Jr and her partner going for a spin through London.
“Alex has been trying to get me cycling in London for the best part of a decade, it took until now for me to get it,” Clarkson wrote on Instagram. “But I’m here. Probably because riding an electric bike is about 10 million times easier than the bikes I rode before (statistic made up by me) – although you still have to pedal it really does take the sting out of the hills. They’re fun and practical but mostly they’re just so comfortable.
“We got into central London quicker than we’d have done in the car (and didn’t have to pay congestion) and saw so much more of it than we would have done on the tube. It sounds odd but cycling has just made me really… happy, a huge thanks to Specialized for partnering with us on this, we’re loving it.” I wonder what her old man thinks of that? Quicker than a car? Practical and comfortable? Making you happy?
Jeremy Clarkson’s career has been the polar opposite of his daughter’s pedalling positivity. In a famous 2019 rant, Clarkson said “Bikes can f*@% off” and last year he argued the capital’s segregated cycle lanes were causing congestion…
He even managed to squeeze a pop at passing Trek-Segafredo pro Charlie Quarterman into Clarkson’s Farm…
But maybe the tide is turning in the Clarkson household and we’ll soon see Jeremy out and about on two wheels? Okay, probably not…But on that bombshell…
Matt Walls reacts to first GB track cycling gold of Tokyo Games
Matt Walls earned the honour of winning Team GB’s first track cycling gold medal of the Tokyo Olympic Games. The 23-year-old from Oldham, who rides for Bora-Hansgrohe on the road, held off a late charge from Elia Viviani in the final points race to win omnium gold, GB’s first in the discipline.
“I came into the points race with a bit of a lead and that was nice to have a bit of breathing room. I got a gap and committed to it, it worked out I got the lap (and 20 points) and the legs were sore after that. Coming in here, everything was a bit of an unknown. The last track race I did was the European Championships last year, which is a long way away,” Walls said.
“I came into the scratch race feeling good and won it. I thought then, ‘I have a chance now as long as I play it smart.’ I knew I had the legs and it worked out.”
Before transitioning to the track, Walls was a mountain biker and also dabbled in a bit of triathlon…”Someone said about going down to the velodrome, which was close for me because of where I live. I went there, tried it and loved it. I did more and more as I grew up, got into racing and tried all sorts. I did cross, did mountain biking, track and road. I got onto the British Cycling programme when I was 15, and went on to get a pro road contract which put me in good shape for here.”
Rod Ellingworth: Ineos won't spend big to keep Geraint Thomas
Team Ineos are happy to let Geraint Thomas leave unless he takes a wage cut, team director of racing Rod Ellingworth has hinted. The 2018 Tour de France winner struggled for form in 2020 before suffering a series of crashes at big races this campaign. Thomas’ Tour de France tilt was left in tatters by a stage three fall.
Reports have suggested Ineos are willing to keep the 35-year-old for a 13th season with the team and have offered Thomas a new deal on a reduced wage. However, the Welshman’s career achievements are likely to demand a greater salary, making a departure the most likely outcome…
“It’s still ongoing and the ball is in his court,” Ellingworth said. “There are conversations going on and I’ve tried to give him personal support, especially after the difficult time that he’s had but we’re talking to him and it’s ongoing, but if there’s a massive offer then there’s no way we’d be able to keep him. We just need to be realistic.
“There’s quite a lot going on around rider recruitment, and not just for next year but also for the coming years after that. There are a few areas for us to work on.”
Ineos have already announced the signing of promising Australian Luke Plapp – who won an Olympic bronze as part of his nation’s team pursuit squad yesterday. Controversial Italian Gianni Moscon, Sebastian Henao, Owain Doull, Ivan Sosa, Cameron Wurf and Michal Gołas are all expected to leave the team.
Sebastian Vettel just became our favourite F1 driver
CRYING LOOK AT HIM CYCLING pic.twitter.com/hNsogZKmGM
— mols (@dr3ricciardo) August 3, 2021
From what little F1 coverage I’ve seen, Sebastian Vettel seems like an all round good guy. This is just extra bonus points…
American rapper T.I. arrested in Amsterdam for being on his phone while cycling
T.I. shared the news on Instagram that he had been arrested in Amsterdam after being caught texting while cycling. The American rapper explained he had been on his phone when a policeman “ran into me and broke his side mirror”.
“He was extremely upset. I was out having a great time. I’m still not upset. They arrested me and didn’t even put me in handcuffs. They just opened the door and invited me to the backseat. I obliged.”
The rapper said he had ignored the driver at first, thinking he was just a delivery driver and only realised it was a police vehicle when the officer shouted at him to stop. NME reports that as he slowed down the driver of the van pushed against his handlebars, breaking the vehicle’s wing mirror.
“…And you need to move over, so I can get past.”
“…and you need to move over, so I can get past.”
INCORRECT
— The Department of Parks & Recreation 🦌 (@ldnparks) August 5, 2021
It’s just as well this guy got in front, he managed to save himself two seconds of not sitting in traffic time…
We interpret the world through a cognitive lens.
1. I think I’m cycling to get a coffee.
2. This guy thinks I’m deliberately blocking his path and delivering a personal slight.We need a national educational campaign for motorists. And keep it simple!pic.twitter.com/UoWF4Awbyi
— The Department of Parks & Recreation 🦌 (@ldnparks) August 5, 2021
Another incredible Dutch infra project
How serious do Dutch cycle planners take comfort and directness?
For a new “star route” from The Hague’s centre to its southern suburbs, the existing (dark and noisy) underpass below the A4 created a 400 meter detour.
So they built this €12 million viaduct across the motorway. pic.twitter.com/xPPx244pqL
— Melissa & Chris Bruntlett (@modacitylife) August 5, 2021
The Dutch are alright at this cycling infrastructure lark…All to avoid a 400m detour through a dark tunnel. Now compare that to the A12 in Suffolk that had us all grimacing the other week.
5 August 2021, 07:48
5 August 2021, 07:48
Help us to bring you the best cycling content
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.
58 Comments
Read more...
Read more...
Read more...
Latest Comments
I'll counter that by saying the Bryton 750se I have drives me nuts at times. Inconsistantly picks up on routes created on Komoot and the app re-syncs every few seconds when trying to set up the device and sends me back to the home screen. The most infuriating one is that I turned live track on. Once. It now won't turn off and repeatedly flags up the live track is starting, and then disconnecting every few seconds whilst riding. I haven't timed it but it wouldn't suprise me if 10-20% of the time the the screen is covered with an error message. That's been about 6 weeks now. Other than that it's great :/
RE: Police launch road safety operation... by clamping down on cyclists using footbridge Meanwhile in Glasgow, Police Scotland are riding their motorbikes over the pedestrian and cyclists only bridge. https://x.com/FietserGlasgow/status/2065106152917012523?s=20
@Paul J Van Schip certainly seems a bit of a dick, but he's a European and multiple World Champion on the track, pretty sure you don't get there without having some talent in your legs.
Poor Vincent cannot get over the simple fact that given the choice people prefer dedicated cycling spaces, rather than pretending to be cars like vehicular cyclists.
What is the point of the fancy air sensor if it can't account for changing weather conditions?? If all you care about is a delayed approximation of aerodynamic watts in steady conditions, you don't need any special sensors for that. Just your speed on a decently flat course is enough to approximate rolling resistance and drivetrain losses. And the rest must be aero. If you assume a less aero body position at the same watts, your speed will drop while rolling resistance also drops, which means approximated aero watts goes up. And that's enough to demonstrate what you've shown in your testing protocol ("I sat upright and the number went up a little while later").
Your correction is accurate - it's almost always been "the (lack of) thought that (doesn't) count". "Massive" - less than a billion a year spent on active travel (trying to catch up / building a network across the entire country) Not massive - 6 billion every year (2026-2030) spent on road *maintenance* of existing "already built, goes everywhere, very convenient" road network for inactive travel Ultimately the reason "cycle infra" is *needed* is those unbelievably colossal amounts spent every year (and for more than a century now) on making mass motoring not just viable but apparently the "best choice" for most journeys. As the Dutch and others have shown, the majority of people *are* prepared to cycle and even mix with very light, slow local motor traffic *if* cycling is also made safe and convenient for the whole of their journey (including secure parking at both ends). (The history of the financial drivers of the current situation are a complex topic but note that while people complain about "crumbling roads" and underfunded motor infra - with some reason - by us continuing the fuel duty escalator freeze (for example) we're actually helping motorists pay *even less* for that activity / subsidising more of the cost of driving than ever.)
yes, but people will still object - which was my point.
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
58 thoughts on ““Cycling has just made me really happy”: Jeremy Clarkson’s daughter partners with Specialized; Jeremy Vine delivers a ‘road tax’ schooling; Chris Froome skips the Vuelta; Quads of Destiny; Marginal groins aero package + more on the live blog”
Malcolm Brockman of Maidstone
Malcolm Brockman of Maidstone, Kent, writes,
Part of me agrees with Mr Brockman’s dissatisfaction, as an experienced former police officer, with such vague wording that implies a disproportionate priority in all cross-road circumstances. It is, indeed, a poor choice of wording for a policy document.
Which is why H3 doesn’t say anything of the sort.
And that leads to the other ‘qualification’ Mr Brockman presents of himself: member of the ABD. An unqualified membership of an organisations whose primary objective is as “a voluntary organisation promoting the interests and concerns of Britain’s drivers”. And an unnerving characteristic to latch on to the first glimpse of a DM headline without critical thought. And it seems this qualification overrules the copper’s mantra: Assume nothing, Believe nothing, and Check everything
Incidentally, the provisonal wording of H3 says,
In other words, nothing has changed except the guidance to obey existing principles, and the extension of the guidance to reflect the fact that cycle tracks and lanes are still (and always have been) part of the road.
I don’t think that the
I don’t think that the wording is vague at all. It is the same wording used at section 44 “Take extra care at road junctions. When going straight ahead, check to make sure there are no vehicles about to cross your path from the left, the right, or overtaking you and turning left.” (my emphasis added).
Mr Brockman is nothing more than a gammon complaining about the fact that its now in writing that cyclists have to be given priority in certain circumstances.
The way I’m interpreting the
The way I’m interpreting the new ‘priority’ is that cyclists may no longer have to slow/stop at each side road when using those crappy pavement cycle lanes that stop at each side road. However, I’m not sure that I’d trust drivers to always be looking out for cyclists that are just about to zoom across the side road junctions (I’ll probably just stick to using the roads instead).
Meanwhile, just spotted this on The Gurdiana: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/05/cargo-bikes-deliver-faster-and-cleaner-than-vans-study-finds
But they need to RTB more
But they need to RTB more often to refill so what is the daily comparison?
Also they don’t run when it is cold and wet.
hirsute wrote:
I’ve only very briefly skimmed the study, but supposedly that headline figure is an average that accounts for time collecting packages and the fact that cargo bikes have a lower capacity. I would note that for PedalMe, the business model revolves around delivering packages from numerous different clients to numerous different customers – rather than all deliveries starting from a central hub.
PedalMe also claim they do go out in all weather…
My seond sentence was a
My second sentence was a little joke as that is what I read a lot on the local rag website. That and the main story here shows what the scale of oppostion there is cycling.
hirsute wrote:
They’re using GPS data, so that should already be factored in (I don’t know if they cherry-picked dry days), and from the report:
Sounds good.
Sounds good.
The cold and wet is what I read on the local paper website about cycling in nearly every story plus you can’t cycle up hills !
We know Amazon as an example
We know Amazon as an example expect 150-200 packages/parcels to be delivered per shift. If their vans could only achieve a rate of 10 per hour,let alone 6, it would take minimum 15-20hours of driving to achieve.
Evidentially they dont take that long, so the survey data doesnt appear to be reflecting real case examples of van couriers. It might well be showing bike couriers in a business model for delivering parcels by bike are quicker than a van doing the same job, but it doesnt show bike couriers are quicker than van couriers in general, however much spin is put on it.
Awavey wrote:
There’s some details in the report (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d30896202a18c0001b49180/t/61091edc3acfda2f4af7d97f/1627987694676/The+Promise+of+Low-Carbon+Freight.pdf) about how they modelled the vans. They were modelling the same jobs as the cargo bike, but allowing for larger pick-ups and different routes. Interestingly, they used longer times for the vans to drop off goods which is presumably due to difficulties in parking etc. Most of the jobs were in inner London, so it’d be interesting to see how the real-world data on delivery vans in London compares.
As HP verified but I expect
As HP verified but I expect they are looking at central cities where the dropoffs figures are probably less due to the parking or movement. So although Amazon delivering to suburban area is 150-200 per shift, the city centre couriers would be less.
Amazon are making a huge
Amazon are making a huge thing about being green at the moment, putting thousands of electric vans on the road, all this is very good, but doesn’t offset Jeff Bezos for taking a rocket into space. The man is a hypocrite.
hirsute wrote:
How big does a van need to be delivering 6 parcels an hour, or only 48 per day. sounds like the boxes would be rattling round in the back of an astravan, never mind a transit
wycombewheeler wrote:
Pretty big if it’s 6 fridges or cement mixers
Am I right in thinking that
Am I right in thinking that the proposed wording is to be tweaked and then presented to Parliament? Or has the DfT published its final draft?
HarrogateSpa wrote:
This is what gov.uk says https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-highway-code-to-improve-road-safety-for-cyclists-pedestrians-and-horse-riders/outcome/government-response-to-the-review-of-the-highway-code
Parliamentary approval is (I think) by the negative resolution procedure – ie it gets approved unless it is objected to, rather than there is automatically a debate/vote. So – normally anyway – it’s just a formality.
GMBasix wrote:
Part of me agrees with Mr Brockman’s dissatisfaction, as an experienced former police officer, with such vague wording that implies a disproportionate priority in all cross-road circumstances. It is, indeed, a poor choice of wording for a policy document.
Which is why H3 doesn’t say anything of the sort.
Traffic police officer has not read the highway code text as it relates to cyclists SHOCK
wycombewheeler wrote:
Former traffic police officer. At least one step removed from the cynical dark side of the force; but as a member if the
illustriousill-conceived ABD, also one step removed from reality.First track cycling gold for
First track cycling gold for Matt Walls. Let’s see what Jack Carlin can do.
Saw this today, quite amusing
Saw this today, quite amusing and it’s pretty much spot on!
That JV tweet – the person he
That JV tweet – the person he’s addressing doesn’t ask for road tax for cyclists, and I don’t think the axle weight formula was ever used for private cars? Isn’t now anyway so fairly ridiculous argument to make. Do sometimes wonder how much JV’s tweeting is a genuine desire to promote cycling and how much a desire to boost his profile…
Disclaimer: may be biased as when I very politely once suggested that one of his close pass with a bus videos was actually at least partly his responsibility he encouraged his Twitter followers to join a pile-on (got some pretty foul DMs that day!) then when I (still politely) asked why he felt the need to do that he blocked me.
I saw JV posted a clip the
I saw JV posted a clip the other week he went sailing up the left side of a vehicle already indicating and moving across, and blamed the driver for getting in the way.
I do think he treats his twitter abit like that channel 5 show he does sometimes.
Awavey wrote:
Was he on a cycle lane at the time as otherwise that sounds like poor cycling?
hawkinspeter wrote:
He was in the one I commented on – but then the cycle lane ended at a junction, with a bus stop 50m up on the other side, he exited the bike lane behind the front of the bus then objected to it pulling into the bus stop.
One of those where the cycle
One of those where the cycle lane markings just vanish before the junction IIRC, so its wrong for me to imply he was totally at fault, but it felt a very easily avoidable conflict shall we say.
I dont think most experienced cyclists would have ridden that same situation as he did, and certainly not then spent as much time on Twitter arguing about it.
I don’t think driving/cycling
I don’t think driving/cycling should always be about assigning fault, but instead learning lessons about how to avoid conflict and admitting when in hindsight you’d make different choices. Twitter is all about who shouts the loudest and/or coming up with the funniest quips.
Vine has previously posted
Vine has previously posted videos where you could clearly see a problem coming but he continued cycling into it just to take the moral high ground. Sometimes ease the brakes on for 2s even if you’re in the right. He’d be dead if he rode a motorbike like he cycles.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Ha ha – you got blocked by Jeremy Vine!
I think the mistake is trying to use Twitter for a reasoned debate – that’s not really what it’s about.
Just for interest [sic] found
Just for interest [sic] found this today, message sent to JV via his C5 and R2 shows. No response.
JV is a complete dick. I used
JV is a complete dick. I used to like him, and enjoy listening to his radio show. But he is such an idiot now that I cannot listen any more, much like the airhead Zoe Ball, I do not listen to Radio 2 any more. I accidentally caught a snip of his show when in a van with a colleague the other day, he was discussing whether it should be made against the law to rinse your dishes before putting in the dishwasher. Enough said Jeremy, time to hang up your headphones.
While I generally agree with
While I generally agree with the new road user hierarchy, it sits at odds with my experience of working in a distribution warehouse – the bigger and more dangerous a vehicle, the greater priority it has. A big forklift takes a lot of skill to drive, has reduced visibility and can cause serious injury and death; a pedestrian can stop and turn in an instant and poses almost no risk to anyone but themselves.
But in my experience at least, people at work pay a lot more attention and are a lot more considerate of others, than people on the roads. So I reckon they’ve got it right.
We were one of only 3
We were one of only 3 countries in Europe (the others being Malta and Ireland) that didn’t have the concept of Presumed Liability enshrined in law. It’s long overdue.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/uk-cyclings-thriving-should-even-better-health-huw-watkins/?trackingId=NXvOExNeTU2z6fEtkQRzfQ%3D%3D
Joe Nation wrote:
Our H&S dept is trying to reverse that convention – it’s happening slowly but surely, but it’s sometimes like pulling teeth. The reason it’s like that is exactly what you say – you can’t concentrate on being fast and being safe. The management teams bigger KPIs are about prod – MHE injuries are relatively rare, so aren’t assigned as high a priority. So make the victims the ones in the wrong – it’s all enshrined in the training, and management can wash their hands.
In addition, the MHE drivers and other operatives all know each other, so the drivers do tend to take care, and each driver and operative is running the same area, with the same low-speed vehicles that aren’t penis extensions. Except the long forks maybe…..
Captain Badger wrote:
I used to put one of these on to move rolls of carpet at a hardware store. We called it “the carpet dick.”
saw the comment without the
saw the comment without the picture, disapointed this tool is fitted to a fork lift and not worn.
I’ll never look at my
I’ll never look at my shagpile in the same way again.
andystow wrote:
I used to put one of these on to move rolls of carpet at a hardware store. We called it “the carpet dick.”
— Captain Badger
But that example is private
But that example is private property with staff told certain safety guidleines and with also flashing lights and moving sounds usually used for the vehicles to alert as well. And even then I expect the onus is still on the operator of the vehicle to ensure it is safe to action in the actual print copies of the H and S policy for the company.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
Yes, it’s a (relatively) highly controlled closed environment, where everyone knows each other personally, and what they’re doing. It shouldn’t be seen as an exemplar for road policy, with the possible exception of being able to swiftly revoke licences, and limiting the vehicles to low speed – ours are at 6mph inside the building
Following on from the success
Following on from the success of Clarkson’s Farm, I’d like to see a Clarkson holiday-by-bike series.
Maybe all it was, was that
Maybe all it was, was that Clarkson hadn’t realised you could make money from bicycles. Now he knows that, maybe he’ll be all in favour of them…
brooksby wrote:
He’s made a couple of comments over the years about getting ‘ordinary’ people onto bikes and there was that time he was on holiday somewhere exotic where the only way he could get to the pub was by cycling 3km over a mountain. I suspect that he enjoys cycling (most people do when they give it a try) but his media persona requires a bit of cyclist bashing.
Especially as that bike she’s
Especially as that bike she’s riding costs £4,250 https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Specialized/Turbo-Como-SL-50-Electric-Hybrid-Bike-2021/TXFT
I wonder why she doesn’t ask
I wonder why she doesn’t ask her dad to get her a proper job so she can afford to buy a car.
“meaning those with the
“meaning those with the potential to cause the most danger to others will be deemed to have greater responsibility to those who are more vulnerable. Radical, I know…” I remember many years ago being in a car in Thailand with a Thai driver, on an on-ramp to a dual carriage-way, north of Bangkok, on a very busy Friday afternoon. Everything was crawling due to traffic volumes. And when i asked him about the rules of the road his tongue in cheek, but truthful reply was ” the bigger your vehicle, the more right of way you have ” . Seems that way to me quite often when i on my bike in Dublin, and reading Road.cc comments re roads in UK I think things are even more difficult for cyclists in UK, but then population much higher = much higher traffic volumes, and I certainly remember noticing the contrast between Irish roads and UK roads when i lived in Yorkshire for a few years in late 90’s. I hope the changes to the Highway Code result in safer roads for cyclists in UK , but it will of course need proper enforcement ….
Seagull2 wrote:
LOL at those busy Yorkshire roads, trying coming to the southeast
LOL at those busy Yorkshire
LOL at those busy Yorkshire roads, trying coming to the southeast
Meanwhile, here in Chester, six cars at the lights constitues a traffic jam!
I wonder what that rapper’s
I wonder what that rapper’s frame was made of?
What was that parks and rec
What was that parks and rec bloke on about? Driver was in the other lane to overtake !
No wonder the driver argued back so much.
I suspect the fact he
I suspect the fact P&R mentioned “Speed”, not the overtake. It was a MGIF and the arguing back also stated Parks and Rec was “in the middle of the road” (which he wasn’t) which is why the car driver had to “speed” (his words before backtracking) to save 10 seconds to get to his destination.
Yes, but to stop and give a
Yes, but to stop and give a lecture on supposed speeding when someone has given you a wide berth is self defeating. I suspect the driver was surprised to be lectured and should have just stuck with ” I gave you loads of room stop complaining about nothing”.
He is lecturing on a shit bit
He is lecturing on a shit bit of driving. The BMW driver decided to speed past whilst approaching traffic lights and a narrowing of road way, and one where he couldn’t see around the corner and only did it because a cyclist was in front so MGIF. And this was after the cyclist had to move across to avoid what looked like poor road surface on that bit of junction.
I mean look at the whole situation, first car in front slowing to turn left, other car at junction just pulled out so they couldn’t overtake until that was cleared, not much room coming up and not really a clear view of the oncoming road in the split second the BMW driver decided to speed past the cyclist to then have to brake heavily again and saved himself 2-3 seconds at most. It was shit driving even if the initial pass might not have been “close”.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
The driver will have been confident nothing was coming the other way because it’s signal controlled, but I agree a completely pointless MGIF, particularly given you pretty much always hit traffic on the other side of the bridge. I always take the lane through there – and on the other side – because I am nearly always taking the right turn after the bridge (because that’s the cut through to my house!)
I guess we are going to
I guess we are going to disagree on this one. The driver could see the light were in his favour and the blue car was just about to go through the bridge so to me picked the best spot to overtake and gave a wide berth.
In terms of mgif that’s retrospective as we don’t know whether the driver intended to stop or knew that there would be traffic the other side.
There’s something funny going
There’s something funny going on here: Jeremy Vine is doing a lot of good work despite being on Radio (the horror, the horror!) 2, and Surrey Roads Policing Unit keeps coming up with sensible, worthy education and policies- but they haven’t yet been shut down by the Covert Daily Mail Counter-Cyclist Squad which seems to be in control of recruitment for all those cyclist- hating forces throughout the UK. SRPU seems too good to be true- anyone experienced any actual successful prosecutions of villains at their hands? Lancashire, for instance, has never prosecuted anyone for close passing a cyclist in the absence of buckets of cyclist blood on the road.
Easy Parking. Zero Emissions.
Easy Parking. Zero Emissions. Easy Errands. No wonder Emily Clarkson loved it
And associated with the Clarkson name too- can it get any better?! If only there was some way to get all the above but with improved health benefits, a feeling of accomplishment and money saving, but without relying on an electric motor and being tied to mains power every day!
Of no great relevance to
Of no great relevance to anything, but that Parks and Recreation video is literally two minutes from my house.
I agree that it’s far from the worst overtake – but it’s also not the best place to overtake given the traffic lights and the road narrowing under the bridge. (Also – although not on this occasion – there’s often a traffic jam once you come out the other side of the bridge, so often little to gain from the overtake.)
Apart from MGIF
Apart from MGIF