Aggressive drivers make London among worst cities for cycling, according to survey; Cav hasn’t raced his last race; Jumbo-Visma + Mitchelton-Scott withdraw from Giro… remainder of race in doubt; Sagan wins Giro stage 10 + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Multiple riders and team staff test positive for Covid-19 at the Giro
Team Mitchelton-Scott has withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia following further positive tests for Covid-19 in the wake of Simon Yates’ test last week.
It is also being reported that a number of riders and staff have tested positive on other teams.
BREAKING: 2 riders and 6 staff members Covid-19 positive.
1 rider of Jumbo – Visma and 1 of Team Sunweb.
4 Mitchelton-Scott staff members, 1 Team Ag2r-La Mondiale staff member and one Team INEOS Grenadiers
— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) October 13, 2020
In a statement, a Mitchelton-Scott spokesperson said: “Following two rounds of negative COVID-19 test results on Friday and Saturday, the team was notified of four positive results for staff members from testing conducted on Sunday evening.
“Upon receiving the results, Mitchelton-SCOTT immediately withdrew its team from the race and will focus on the health of its riders and staff and their safe movement to areas of quarantine.”
General manager Brent Copeland commented: “Unfortunately we received the news on Monday evening that we have returned a number of positive COVID-19 results to members of our staff after our third round of tests in three days.
“As a social responsibility to our riders and staff, the peloton and the race organisation we have made the clear decision to withdraw from the Giro d’Italia.
“Thankfully those impacted remain asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, but as an organisation the health of all of our riders and staff is our main priority and we are now focused on safely transporting them to areas where they are most comfortable to conduct a period of quarantine.
“We wish the RCS and the rest of the peloton a successful finish to this year’s edition of the Giro d’Italia and we look forward to returning in 2021.”
Steven Kruijswijk out of the Giro following positive Covid-19 test
Team Jumbo-Visma says that Steven Kruijswijk – third in last year’s Tour de France – is one of the riders to have tested positive for Covid-19.
🇮🇹 #Giro @s_kruijswijk will not appear at the start of the tenth stage of the Giro d’Italia. Kruijswijk tested positive on Covid-19 on the rest day. As a result, he has to leave the race.
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) October 13, 2020
We're just waiting for the Sunweb rider to be named...
Meanwhile at the Team Sunweb press office pic.twitter.com/wnfEqNaCg3
— José Been (@TourDeJose) October 13, 2020
The correct call from Mitchelton-Scott?
Huge call by Mitchelton-Scott to remove their entire team after latest raft of Covid tests. A team taking a tough stance like this was probably what the sport – and the Giro – needed. Can’t have been easy, but the right decision.
— Felix Lowe (@saddleblaze) October 13, 2020
Back when the global pandemic was hitting Europe, the Mitchelton-Scott team of British GC riders Adam and Simon Yates was one of the first to pull its teams from races like Paris-Nice, citing concerns over public health.
After their leader tested positive for COVID-19 and then subsequently discovered that four staff members were also positive, the team has again made a tough call for the greater good.
The greater good.
Nothing from Ineos yet, but their meme from yesterday is on point
How it started – How it’s going !!! #mess pic.twitter.com/1SQMlWIh0C
— Luke Rowe (@LukeRowe1990) October 12, 2020
Luke Rowe’s disapproving face kind of sums up today’s situation…
Full joint statement from the UCI and RCS Sport on positive tests
We’re still waiting for the Sunweb rider to be officially named, but here is the full statement that has now been published by the UCI:
In accordance with the Giro d’Italia health protocol, developed in the framework of the Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) rules for the return of the road cycling season in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, and compliant with the measures of the Ministry of Health of Italy, all teams (riders and staff) was tested on the 11th and 12th October.
A total of 571 tests were performed:
Two riders, one each from Team Sunweb and Team Jumbo – Visma tested positive for Covid-19 and were entrusted to the respective teams’ doctors who ordered the isolation measures
Six staff members, four from Mitchelton – Scott, one each from Team Ag2r-La Mondiale and Team Ineos Grenadiers tested positive for Covid-19 were entrusted to the respective teams’ doctors who ordered the isolation measures.
Michael Matthews confirmed as the Sunweb rider to have tested positive for COVID-19
Sunweb’s statement is now in, and the Australian has left the race. Here’s what the team had to say:
After undergoing a PCR test at yesterday’s Giro d’Italia rest day, Team Sunweb’s Michael Matthews has tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently asymptomatic, feels healthy and after receiving the results early this morning, he is now in quarantine.
All other riders and staff returned a negative test and at this stage, no other team member displays symptoms of COVID-19. The team will continue to closely monitor all within their bubble, operating with as much discipline as possible, doing the maximum it can.
Michael Matthews says he hope for full recovery after positive COVID-19 test
Just got the news that I’ve returned a positive test for COVID-19. Disappointed that this is the way the Giro ends for me after a fantastic first week with the team. For now, I’ll begin my isolation & monitor things closely. Hoping to make a full recovery & get back racing soon. pic.twitter.com/IzLoAcEe9W
— Michael Matthews (@blingmatthews) October 13, 2020
The Australian has spoken, and says he hopes to be racing again soon.
Jumbo-Visma pull out of the Giro
🇮🇹 #Giro
Team Jumbo-Visma won’t start in today’s tenth stage of the Giro d’Italia. More information will follow.
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) October 13, 2020
More information to follow, say the team – but with two whole teams now out, surely the race is in serious jeopardy. That’s if the rest of the riders can even get over the Stelvio…
Stelvio pass currently unprepared for possible Giro passage… https://t.co/ZiyOEOBRIb
— Max Leonard (@m_xl) October 13, 2020
"Just wrong": Jumbo-Visma's Jos van Emden slams Giro d'Italia organisers over control of COVID-19, saying riders shared hotel buffets with regular guests
Speaking on The Cycling Podcast yesterday, it seems likely that the 35-year-old won’t be at all surprised that his team have now pulled out and one of his teammates returned a positive test.
Asked if he thought the Giro organisers (RCS Sport) had done enough to prevent the spread of the virus, Van Emden said: “No, for sure not.
“It already went wrong in the first hotel we were in. We were there with four, maybe five teams. I don’t think that’s a problem because they know how the situation is.
“…just normal people were there, They were all eating from the same buffet. I think that’s just a real big mistake.
“I heard from someone from Quick-Step they had exactly the same, this guy sent me a little movie of their dining hall. Also Mitchelton-Scott were in that hotel and now Simon Yates is infected.
“For me there’s no doubt where he got the virus, it must have been there, That was just wrong. That’s already ten teams in two hotels with other guests. That’s not good.
He also blamed the UCI for lacking responsibility, adding: “The UCI should regulate this, if they want to be the head of cycling, then they should say: “This is not good.””
“So many teams in one hotel, other guests.
They only take care of themselves. As long as they don’t get infected… that’s how I see it.”
“…We should be protected by the people who run the sport. We need to do all the things for them but they never do anything for us. This is again a missed chance for them to show that they like us, that they don’t always want to fight us.
“I like to see going ahead of the situation, if more guys are infected, then the UCI gets the bill.
“They should have said: “No RCS, this is not a good idea. There should be another solution for this.”
Stage 10 - the Giro goes on
Well as things stand, the Giro d’Italia is still going.
This is what’s in for the (remaining) riders on Stage 10.
Race organisers conjure images of Spider-man in describing, “a rough ‘wall climbing’ finale.”
Those closing climbs are mostly 2-3km long at an average gradient of between 7 and 10%.
Mark Cavendish hasn't raced his last race
A couple of days after tearfully stating that Gent-Wevelgem may have been the last race of his career, Mark Cavendish has been named in Bahrain-McLaren’s team for Scheldeprijs tomorrow.
Meet our team for the @Scheldeprijs:
🇬🇧 @MarkCavendish
🇮🇹 @sonnycolbrelli
🇹🇼 @Bnm7575Kai
🇪🇸 @ivan_cortina
🇦🇹 @mhaller91
🇸🇮 @pibernik
🇬🇧 @fred_wright0 #RideAsOne #SP20 pic.twitter.com/v16M9okHmI— Team Bahrain McLaren (@BahrainMcLaren) October 13, 2020
This *could* be his final race. Although contract negotiations are still ongoing, so also maybe not.
Hill climb sexism row: issue of unequal prize money rears its head again, as race organiser accused of saying women "don’t contribute anything to the sport"
Last weekend the organiser of Holme Moss Hill Climb replied “because they don’t contribute anything to the sport” when asked why the women’s prizes weren’t equal to the men’s!
If you have second please sign the following petition to stop this happeninghttps://t.co/UrY4H6cXXH
— Mel Sykes (@nuddypants) October 12, 2020
The issue of unequal prize money at Cycling Time Trial events has long been debated, with many organisers now offering equal prize money for men and women when in the past, a number of events offered a much larger sum for the ‘overall’ winner (more often than not a male) compared to the first female.
Despite pressure from the hill climb and time trialling community, some events are yet to level up – and in the case of the Holme Moss Hill Climb, an organiser has been accused of vehemently defending the prize pot by claiming that women “don’t contribute anything to the sport”.
The allegation was first made by Nikola Matthews on Instagram two days ago, and has since been widely shared across social media. She said: “Pye Nest Day Nursery offered to donate the difference in prize money (for the Holme Moss Hill Climb event) to make it equal. I’m really thankful they did this. However the organiser refused to accept it saying that he did not feel it was appropriate and women didn’t deserve equal prize money because they don’t contribute to the sport. He then tried to justify it with some bollox about women not making tea at TTs anymore.”
Since the allegation was made, a petition to make equal prize money mandatory at all Cycling Time Trial events has been shared, and signed by none other than Chris Boardman…
Done 👍
— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) October 12, 2020
After the unequal prize pot at Catford CC’s famous hill climb caused an uproar this time last year, the organisers eventually redistributed it. Originally £300 was offered for the overall winner and just £75 for first female, which was then changed to £100 each for the first male and female winners respectively.
road.cc have contacted Holme Valley Wheelers for comment – full story to follow.
Cav takes 'worst retirement ever' mantle
That was a short retirement Cav? Welcome back Champ, now get angry and smash those pedals with Manx power and bring home a win👍👏🏻👏🏻
— dave beck (@DaveB_747) October 13, 2020
Ex-pro and now notable YouTuber Phil Gaimon does have a YouTube vlog series called Worst Retirement Ever’… but after announcing that Gent-Wevelgem could have been his last race and then popping up in the Bahrain-McLaren squad for Scheldeprijs just two days later, perhaps Cav now takes that title…
Plenty of love for Peter after his stage 10 victory
🇸🇰 Peeeeeter Sagan. 🍾#Giro pic.twitter.com/5eY0mRiEiJ
— Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia) October 13, 2020
Granted the Slovakian is running out of riders to race against after this morning’s exodus of riders and teams… but nevertheless Sagan has clinched his first stage at the famous old race, apparently becoming the 100th rider to win stages at all three Grand Tours.
Check out the Zwift Power Documentary, featuring our very own Dave Aktinson
From the folks at Avid Photographers, the documentary tells the story of six Bath CC members who are all addicted to Zwifting… and one of those is road.cc Dave of all people! If you have 25 minutes or so, it’s well worht a watch.
London among the worst UK cities to cycle and has the most aggressive drivers, according to new research
The survey from Wiggle surveyed 6,000 cyclists across Britain, and found that 54% of Londoners didn’t feel safe in the capital because of aggressive drivers. Cyclists in Brighton (50%), Glasgow (49%), Leeds (49%) and Liverpool (49%) also cited high levels of concern about aggressive drivers.
Half of London-based respondents also said that there were too many vehicles on the road, and 42% said London had the most dangerous junctions; this is all despite plenty of investment in cycling infrastructure in London in recent years, with 34% praising the city for “well thought out” cycle paths.
Elsewhere potholes and bad road surfaces were a commonly cited issue, with 61% of Edinburgh cyclists criticised the high volume of potholes and uneven surfaces. Wolverhampton came out on top for quality of road surfaces, with just 31% saying they were concerned about the state of the roads.
Wiggle’s Commercial Director Huw Crwys-Williams commented: “Despite the recent focus on cycling and improvements in our towns, our research shows that many of our customers still feel that there is a way to go before the UK’s major cities are truly cycle friendly. We are all on a journey to improve Britain’s cycling infrastructure, and we hope our findings support the continuation of this drive both nationally and locally.”
13 October 2020, 07:53
Full story on latest row over unequal prize money at a CTT event
Sexism row: organiser of Holme Moss Hill Climb accused of saying women "don't contribute to the sport" in defence of unequal prize pot
The race organiser was also accused of saying that women don't "make tea at TTs anymore" during a verbal discussion about the event's cash prize allocation, but claims he was misquoted
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Latest Comments
I'm pleased Mr Hamilton is doing this - it's about time the media in general got the facts straight on "e-bikes" and "electric motorbikes". I used to be a little sympathetic when it came to the food delivery / Deliveroo type bikers - unfortunately their road-sense and behaviour does little to help cyclists. We cyclists get tarred with the same brush - time after time.
@KnightBiker Thanks. I've looked at the Ryet saddles and here in the USA, the model I'm interested in is well north of $100 which is approaching the price I paid for my SQLab 612 saddle. I have no real gripes with my existing saddle, but my tooshie keeps saying there's no such thing as "too comfortable" :-D
The really difficult part is uncorking a bottle of wine while riding through a city, or on a mountain descent.
@PoorInRichfield - 3D saddles are super comfortable, don't have to be printed for you specifically and cost next to nothing (from 50 euro's) on AlieXpress and the likes. Well worth a try, i have them on all my bikes. (Mine are Ryet - there are several models - i recommend to pick one with a cut out)
@mdavidford The Specialized BG Toupé that came on a Langster I bought years ago was distinctly 2D - flat and barely any padding at all. Ouch.
Yes - it's all a bit mealy-mouthed and obfuscatory throughout - I should perhaps have said *implied* in the article.
This is road.cc we're talking about - I suspect you may be projecting. ;o)
The BBC article says: "The cost of payouts has been a major contributor to increases in annual premiums for ordinary members of the public, experts say." So taking your £2.50 figure - it may not be major to the average £750 premium, but could conceivably still be a major contributor to the year on year *increase* in that premium (though I thought the trend was downward premiums)? But from that line alone, it's not clear if they're saying the contributor is the cost of payouts *for illegally ridden e-motorbikes / escooters only* or the cost of all MIB payouts.
Isn't that what your bottle cage is for?
...'was jumped', oh how I miss the edit function!
28 thoughts on “Aggressive drivers make London among worst cities for cycling, according to survey; Cav hasn’t raced his last race; Jumbo-Visma + Mitchelton-Scott withdraw from Giro… remainder of race in doubt; Sagan wins Giro stage 10 + more on the live blog”
Urgh. It is indeed looking
Urgh. It is indeed looking grim for the rest of the Giro. Hope it does complete, as I’m hoping for another show of brilliance from Alex Dowsett.
And who doesn’t say ‘The Greater Good’ in their head whenever they see or hear it anywhere – it’s the new ‘Garlic Bread – it’s the future…’
This is what happens when you
This is what happens when you mix different bubbles inside hotels. There have been officials and teams sharing hotels and even hotel floors, then allowing the public inside aswell. It was always going to happen, there are also many videos and photos out there of teams mixing with other teams in hotel rooms. The whole thing is a shambles.
At least Mitchelton have done the right thing, other teams aren’t doing that, not even isolating people who’ve been in contact with that rider. Riders are still sharing rooms and transport. So Sunweb and Jumbo should be pulling more people rather than “no-one else is showing symptoms” while also stating that the riders in question that have tested positive have no symptoms.
Jumbo have now departed as
Jumbo have now departed as well. It’ll be interesting to see what Sunweb now do.
So Matthews has tested
So Matthews has tested positive and Sunweb only pulls him?? Yet only three days ago…
“Unfortunately, Tiesj Benoot won’t start at Gent-Wevelgem tomorrow after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Tiesj is currently symptom-free, feeling well and will go into quarantine before having PCR tests next week.”
done the right thing ?
done the right thing ? eventually maybe, but Yates tested positive for Covid 3 days ago, how did anyone not think it was likely Mitchelton Scott would quickly produce more positive Covid tests ? and what that might have meant for the other teams and spread of the virus across to them.
why werent the same protocols/rules from the TdF enforced for the Giro ? (yes I know different organising bodies but its not beyond the wit of man or the UCI, to note what worked so lets keep doing the thing that worked rather than try something a bit different)
Awavey wrote:
As soon as Yates tested positive, the whole of the Mitchelton team were retested and no more positives came up, so I think it was fine for them to carry on, thinking it was an isolated case. As soon as that was not the case, they have pulled out. Jumbo have slightly different protocols as a team and have pulled everyone incase that same happens as Mitchelton.
Sunweb are another story, pulled a rider the other day because he’d sat at a table on a TV program with another rider who later tested positive, Benoot to my knowledge hasn’t tested positive, where as Matthews has and the whole team should have been pulled under Sunweb’s protocol…
The rules are the same, one team per hotel floor, team bubbles, no public in race hotels, keeping riders and race staff separate. That is all meant to be happening. The UCI aren’t enforcing it and the RCS are playing on that. I fully understand that it might not have been as possible on Sicily, but they could have kept the public out at least.
all the tests Mitchelton
all the tests Mitchelton Scott took after Yates positive, was prove none of them had developed the virus sufficiently yet for it to be detected, and its believed the test can only produce positives 1-3 days before symptoms develop, whilst it can be 5-6 and even upto 14 from infection developing to symptoms,and during that period you are potentially unwittingly spreading the virus even if you feel ok.
so I guess Im surprised that they seem surprised that theyve then had more people on the team test positive, given that we know Yates test was as the result of reporting symptoms, and that just feels completely inevitable.
the thing the rules say though if no public are allowed in the same hotels, why are riders then complaining about the public being in the same hotels ? but then Im not sure I get why youd even be in the breakfast room of a hotel having a shared buffet at the moment, is it really that complex to serve weetabix or ready brek on the team bus ?
Awavey wrote:
— Awavey
That is the confusing thing, the rules also state that teams should have different areas to eat in their own bubbles. I get why hotels would serve buffet food, it means they are just cooking everything at once to scale, but having everyone in the same dining area isn’t supposed to be happening, the same as public aren’t supposed to there. This is RCS, UCI and CPA not cracking down on the rules and forcing them to be met.
A number of teams, I’ll point to NTT and Quickstep as I’ve seen what they are doing, have their food trucks on-site and are using those for food, sometimes riders/staff are having meals in their rooms, sometimes on the team bus, sometimes just standing around the team vehicles. (depending on what role you play in the team).
I would assume some other teams will be doing the same.
If I ran a cycling team in the current climate, I’d say screw the UCI rules on having to stay in their chosen hotels and hire a tour bus or two, you know the ones, with 16 beds to a coach, each rider has a bunk. Then park them up away from towns every night. That way keeping the bubble intact.
I can’t see how, once any
I can’t see how, once any rider tests positive, there can be any other option than to pull the whole team. When Yates tested positive and was pulled, the position from MS was basically that the rest of the team have been retested and are negative so fine for them to continue. Except (as I understand it) there is a time gap between being exposed to the virus and the point at which a test would come back positive. Surely a positive test for one rider on a team inevitably means that all other team riders will have been exposed, and are therefore at risk of having and passing on the virus. Of course, the case could be made that the riders are in such close proximity (regardless of any hotel sharing) that once one rider has tested positive the whole peleton will have been exposed and should isolate. I can’t see any way the Giro can hope to fiinish.
Let’s be honest, the Giro is
Let’s be honest, the Giro is now beginning to look like another of the Cornetto trilogy, Shaun of the dead. It’s a zombie stumbling around waiting for a head shot with a spade.
… or a Sade album
… or a Sade album 😉
Why are hotels doing buffets
Why are hotels doing buffets at all at the moment?
Why are cyclists eating hotel
Why are cyclists eating hotel food, don’t they have teams of nutritionists and cooks to ensure they have a meticulously balanced diet and to hide the pills inside the sausagemeat?
Can’t say I’m surprised – pro
Can’t say I’m surprised – pro cycling is organised shambolically; still stuck in another era.
Last man standing may well win this Giro…..
Velophaart_95 wrote:
According to this article at Cycling Tips, “Jos van Emden explained on The Cycling Podcast that earlier this Giro d’Italia several teams were in the same hotel, along with motorbike police, Shimano neutral service, and regular guests. They all shared the same hotel dinner buffet.”
A comment below the article:
“Listened to an interview with Kruijswijk yesterday and he was saying how bad the Giro/RCS Covid protocols were—multiple teams staying in the same hotel with other, regular guests. Social distancing and masks not enforced, shared buffets etc. He blamed the UCI, too, which is a fair call.”
RCS organisers not making the same effort as ASO? That’s nothing new.
Precisely. And why are big budget teams playing along? Poor show from them too.
Velophaart_95 wrote:
I knew I should’ve ridden this year ?
Quote:
Seriously? I’m not sure that regular guests should be sharing hotel buffets with other guests…
“However the organiser
“However the organiser refused to accept it saying that he did not feel it was appropriate and women didn’t deserve equal prize money because they don’t contribute to the sport. He then tried to justify it with some bollox about women not making tea at TTs anymore.”
This smells of pooh to me… I struggle to believe there are people who’d voice this Alf Garnett nonsense.
Bloody poor form though from Holme Moss Hill Climb.. I mean ‘why’ wouldn’t you have equal prize money for men and women, presuming they are the same category. It’s not as if anyone enters these things for the cash is it, so whether it’s £100, £50 or £30, literally, no one cares, just make it fair.
On another hill climb note, I see that the RTTC National HC comp organised by Reading CC is charging £28 to enter! That’s a lot of loot for less than 5mins racing. Seems wrong to capitalise on a lack of racing by upping prices like that.
peted76 wrote:
It has precisely nothing to do with capitalising on a lack of racing. The entry fee was settled a year ago, race handbooks and all that. CTT takes (I think the figure is) £14 a head from the entry fee. Reading CC is paying for the event out of the remaining £14 a head and that includes a full road closure on Streatley for the duration of the event on top of many other expenses. I can tell you there are 480 entrants of which about 140 are female.
I bow to your knowledge of
I bow to your knowledge of this and would ask, is it normal to charge this sort of money for a national HC? (Could well be for all I know.)
I guess you’d need st johns, maybe a new course assessment (maybe not) a few paid for marshalls and some the timing chip expense.. and if that comes out of the organising clubs £14 then that would seem reasonable enough.
Local HC’s and TT’s are about £2 near me, maybe £4 if there’s tea provided. I know that sounds flippant, but I know what goes into organising a road race, CX race and I’m genuinely curious as to where the money goes and whether this is normal.
Is it normal to charge this
Is it normal to charge this sort of money for a time trial National Championship: yes, it is. I don’t have the CTT handbook to hand but all the national champs, 10, 25, 50, whatever, charged around £28 entry this year. As I say, CTT takes half of that off the top. Running a National is a much, much bigger event than usual, there are more riders with greater expectations of facilities. Reading CC is not making any money off this event.
For me the million dollar
For me the million dollar question is how much Reading CC would pay me to climb Streatley? I’m getting tired of doing it for free!
But seriously, kudos to everyone who takes the huge amount of time and effort to organise these events – at any level.
Miller wrote:
Thanks for the reply!
peted76 wrote:
It’s a national championship, they are all a similar price. There’s only one chance a year to pit yourself against 239 other unhinged lunatics.
Or should the 24-hour cost £14,000 on the basis that you can ride for 24 hours? (it’s about 500x the duration of this year’s national hill climb).
TTs and hill climbs are still cheaper than road races or sportives. There are lots of open events that cost about £10 to enter while club events are usually £5 or less and you can just turn up (though from this year a working rear light is mandatory).
EDIT: only just noticed your further comment. Club TTs won’t be £2 now, the levy is £3 for club events, £4 for opens.
I wonder how many of the
I wonder how many of the (like me) London-based cyclists who think it has the worst junctions have done much cycling in other cities? It (or at least the centre and the other, largely southern, bits I know) is pretty good overall and I’ve not seen anywhere consistently better.
I’d question the ‘London is
I’d question the ‘London is the worst city for cycling’ survey. My long experience of living and cycling around London is that it is generally very safe – though I do avoid arterial junctions. I suspect that this is because much has been invested in cycling infrastructure (thanks Boris) and that traffic congestion = low average speed and more reaction time. So, whilst drivers may be the most aggressive (or maybe just impolite), they are stuck in metal boxes – not going anywhere fast. Which is probably the best place for them. Infact, if we tried to force them into a metal box for 4 hrs a day they’d be complaining to the court for human rights. Pedestrians on phones, however, are another matter!
In short, I suspect some unintentional bias to Wiggle’s survey. I take my bike with me pretty much everywhere – overnight business trips, etc. and on weekend trips away and holidays – and have done for 30 years and would say that on the whole cycling seems to be getting safer as drivers become more aware. But cyclists and high speed traffic really don’t mix.
First of all, London is big
First of all, London is big so I suppose it depends on whether the article / participants were classed as central London or not. Anything outside of that area is essentially a large town / small city worth of people that has no real infra compared to the centre so more chance of impact. Then you also have the ones who realise they will be in a crawl in the centre so speed or go fast further out to make up time lost before the congestion. And then finally, even with the infra, you still get cars turning left across cycling lanes without looking which is a common occurence on NMotD or in the blog. So I can see why London was narrowly ahead of others even with the good infra and low speeds where you commuted cycled.
London cycling is the worst?
London cycling is the worst? Hahaha!
When I lived in London, I thought it was very safe and was by far the best place I’ve cycled in the UK. There’s loads of other cyclists, a lot of decent infra, traffic can’t really go faster than 30mph in the vast majority of places and the road surfaces are usually pretty good. The drivers weren’t even that aggressive and seemed more used to dealing with cyclists.
Bath again was pretty good but has alot of shoddy road surfaces and drivers in in the surrounding countryside are not so patient and tolerant.
Torbay though…terrible road surfaces everywhere, gammony drivers who still hold 1970s views on road saftey and cycling, pretty much zero decent or useful infra, narrow existing main roads with few/no alternative routes and few other riders. Some bits make the Trafalgar Square layout look positively Dutch