Café replaces bicycle billboard with car… blocking bike parking in the process; 20mph roads expanded, residents want it but other ‘locals’ aren’t happy + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
Café replaces bicycle billboard with car… blocking bike parking in the process
Sometimes if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. Today’s bit of daily car-brain comes from a café owner who has inherited a very motonormative view of the world and swapped the bicycle for the automobile. Ordinarily, that wouldn’t warrant a live blog mention, although today’s dose of irony is too good to miss.
We begin in April 2019, where Terry’s Café has a small quaint bicycle billboard on the pavement outside. So far, so ordinary…
By the time we emerge from the pandemic, the bike billboard has sadly succumbed to evolving marketing trends (we presume), but we don’t mind that with some bike parking installed next to the lamppost instead, along with some Cycleway signage.
But then things start shifting, tragically for the worse. By this point the cafe seems to have had a bit of a makeover, becoming more overtly patriotic according to the signage, whilst the bike parking places have been cut to a single space presumably brought by the owner of the solitary bicycle we see parked outside in July 2024…
Fear not however, because at least by last year a parking bay has been installed for dockless e-bikes and e-scooters, encouraging micromobility and a shift from more polluting modes of transport, even if private bicycles get short shrift…
But that brings us to yesterday, when one cyclist on Reddit captured the horror of what is there today…
A restaurant advertisement parked in cycle spot
by
u/popopopopopopopopoop in
londoncycling
“There are a couple of motor vehicle spots just to the left of this, including currently free ones. This is one of very few cycle hire designated spots around…” our poster writes.
“The breakfast there is overpriced and service has been meh both times I’ve been but now even more reason to avoid.”
Amusingly, this crime against bike tolerance seems to have set some internet sleuths on the case who have found the car has no MOT results and its tax expired in May, which sets it up nicely for being towed if someone wishes to report it.
A quick look at social media finds this café has somehow amassed 100,000 Instagram followers, with the flat cap wearing owner promoting his book about “a day in the life of a café owner” whilst driving around in Robert Maxwell’s old Rolls Royce.
I suspect the owner comes from the school of business that believes all publicity is good publicity, though judging by some of the other Reddit comments that may not be the case…
“This just screams petulance at having a hire bike point outside in “their” space.”
“Ebikes should block him in I guess”
“Is it legal to ride a jump bike over a car parked in a cycle lane?”
You get the idea…
Paul Seixas "really affected" by Fin Tarling's death
You know it’s the off-season when riders suddenly crop up giving interviews just when there’s not much going on. Though that rule maybe doesn’t apply to Paul Seixas who, as we covered on the live blog earlier this week, is continuing to attract attention by being irritated by all the contract speculation that he refuses to shut down by not signing a new deal.
Now, the Frenchman has appeared on the Canal+ show “Clique” where he’s offered opinions on rider safety following the death of Fin Tarling. French speakers among you can watch the clip below:
“Honestly, it’s terrible and the problem is, he’s not the only one. What’s more, I raced with him, and it really affects me. It really affected me at the time, because what’s terrible is that we’ll be thinking: ‘This is yet another cyclist who has died in a race this year.’
“I think it really affected everyone, all the riders. That’s when you realise sometimes there are real organisational problems. The organisers do their best, that’s not what we’re saying, but sometimes there should be more strict standards.
“We protested about it at Lombardia, at the beginning of the race, [that Seixas won] for five minutes. What happened is extremely serious. Families are affected. It’s very serious that it happened during a race. A professional organisation, riders losing their lives; it’s frightening.”
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Crimes against cycling fashion
By which I don’t mean badges on crocs – as a child I had some rather fetching Winnie the Pooh croc badges. No no, socks on crocs is the real enemy here. Unless you’re camping, in which case all fashion laws are suspended in the name of body temperature preservation under canvas.
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Pogacar and Vollering lead the way for the Velo d'Or
If anyone else wins either top gong, I will eat my hat, and my shoes, and Ryan’s shoes if he’s willing to post them across the Irish Sea.
The 2026 Vélo d’Or nominees 🏆
The winners will be announced on Saturday, November 28.
📸 Getty Images https://t.co/I4WaXW3c6O
— Velon CC (@VelonCC) October 29, 2026
But before the awards are formally dished out next month, we can at least admire the other nominees…
On the men’s side Jonas Vingegaard and Enric Mas make it by virtue of their triumphs in the Giro and Vuelta, the same goes for Brandon McNulty as World Champion. Mathieu van der Poel didn’t win a Monument this year but a few classics and two Tour de France stages are enough for him to make the cut. Wout van Aert’s cathartic Paris-Roubaix win plus a Vuelta green jersey might even see the Belgian finish ahead of his old rival in the final vote.
Felix Gall’s two Grand Tour podiums, the only man to achieve the feat this year, give him a nod, whilst Paul Seixas and Isaac del Toro’s burgeoning rivalry is again reflected. Del Toro rewarded for winning the Dauphine, Tirreno-Adriatico and a 3rd place at the Tour de France, Seixas rewarded for his Tour of the Basque Country win, 4th at the Tour and becoming the youngest Monument winner since the Second World War at Il Lombardia.
And then there’s Remco Evenepoel, who enjoyed his best season to date with 2nd at the Tour de France, another TT world title, a European road race title and victory at Amstel Gold Race.
The women’s side sees Vollering’s Tour rivals Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, Marlen Reusser and Elisa Longo Borghini also shortlisted. With the women’s award only established in 2022, Anna van der Breggen has never won this prestigious prize but is nominated after podiuming both the Vuelta and Giro. Vuelta winner Paula Blasi is also nominated after a very impressive season amid some notable team drama, as is Giro runner-up Antonia Niedermaier.
Juliette Berthet has had an impressive season, but with results of 5th at the Vuelta before working for Demi Vollering at the Tour de France, I suspect she might have benefited from her nationality in making the shortlist. The same can’t be said of Kim Le Court-Pienaar, the Mauritian had another triumphant season winning a stage at the Tour de France before finishing 9th overall, she later won the overall title at the Tour of Britain.
Then there’s Lorena Wiebes, and if it the Velo d’Or wasn’t to go to Giro, Tour, World and European champion Vollering, the Dutch sprinter could stake a very strong claim to the title. 23 professional wins on the road by my count, including two Tour stages en route to another points jersey win. She is undoubtedly the fastest woman in the world… when her bike’s the right weight.
“How about asking drivers to pay attention?”
Obstructing Limes...
For all the perks of dockless e-bikes, you sometimes wonder if they could benefit from… a dock?
Limebike pileup on Strand takes up 75% of the pavement
by
u/Impressive-Sea-6647 in
london
20's plenty for Poole
-1024x1016.jpg)
We have some interesting news from Wales concerning 20mph speed limits which we’ll come to a little later, but in the meantime let’s discuss a part of the country set to introduce them after both residents and the council said they wanted them!
Bournemough, Christchurch and Poole Council are set to introduce 20mph speed limits on 14 roads in Poole to encourage sustainable travel for pedestrians and cyclists travelling towards Bournemouth town centre, the Local Democracy Reporter… reports.
New pedestrian crossings, traffic calming, improved pavements and wayfinding signs will also be put in place to support the council’s active travel infrastructure plan. Interestingly, a public consultation on the measures received 30 formal objections compared to 21 responses in support.
But among respondents living within the BH12 postcode area which would actually see the measures implemented, opinion was in favour of the lower speed limit, with 18 residents backing the plan compared to 13 objecting. A cautionary tale for the power of “astroturfed” campaigns, though this is hardly anything new…
> FROM 2019: Anti-cycling Facebook pages part of propaganda network run by Boris Johnson ally
And as for BCP Council, this is a measure we can get behind, now that cyclists are no longer being blamed for budget shortfalls despite increasing car park income. Saying that, there are still a couple of irritated readers on the Bournemouth Echo website that made us chuckle…
“Making journeys 50% longer by reducing speed limits by 33%. Not great for businesses or tradesmen. Not great for the school run or anyone else really. Here’s the arithmetic for the bewildered:
“30mph equates to 1 mile every 2 mins. So a 6 mile journey takes 12 mins 20 mph equates to 1 miles every 3 mins. So the same 6 mile journey now takes 18 mins 50% longer. Also driving any vehicle at 20mph in 3rd or 4th or 5th gear is fraught with control issues & throttle response so you need to select 2nd.
“All good if you are in an electric car. Not so in a internal combustion engine car. Ever tried doing a rolling pull away in 4th? Tailgating will increase so full control is required.
“So now journeys will lead to increased tailgating, require higher engine revs which clearly decreases fuel economy while raising the emissions from exhaust pipes for 50% longer journey times.”
> Council claims more people cycling causing budget shortfall, despite car park income increasing
A fascinating argument that seems ignorant of the fact that 30mph roads don’t solely consist of vehicles moving at the limited speed, or that cars might occasionally stop and therefore average a speed significantly closer to 20mph, a slower speed that produces fewer emissions providing you drive a car properly.
Honestly, if you’re going to try and express your irrational anger at a safer transport initiative that has the support of local residents, I’d much prefer the style of the below comment than some pig maths.
“Another vanity project by the Bournemouth Clown 🤡 Party!”
A short, punchy putdown with a play on the council acronym. Honestly the cynics should do better. Maybe the sum-makers have taken their lead from the group of BCP and Dorset motorists, for which the less said the better…
Car on protected bike lane alert!
Speaking of BCP Council, a familiar councillor has got in touch…
Semi-segregated bike lane on roundabout?
Blimey, you can view the original dubious plans here…
Yet another major injury and a broken bike...
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Oof, that’s not a good-looking bike. Dutch amateur Jens Bassa takes up the story:
“Last Thursday, I was involved in another accident during training. A driver cut the corner, resulting in a head-on collision.
“I’ve ended up with three bruised ribs, a bruised wrist, shoulder and forearm, and pain throughout my body from the impact. I’m incredibly lucky that these are the only injuries and that things didn’t turn out much worse.”
Having been hit by another driver and breaking his femur in April, this unfortunately isn’t Massa’s first major injury.
“What makes this especially difficult is the timing. This week, I had finally ridden on the road where my first accident happened again. For the first time since then, I was back on the bike feeling pain-free and riding naturally again. It felt like I was finally taking a big step forward in my recovery.
“Now, I’m back to square one in many ways, and I’m incredibly disappointed that my brand-new bike has also been written off.
“It’s frustrating, mentally as well as physically, to have to deal with another setback just when things were finally moving in the right direction. For now, the most important thing is to recover and be grateful that I got away with what I did.
“One step at a time, again. ❤️🩹”
'Easy, affordable' static cycling
> The Elite Rivo with Zwift Cog and Click Explained
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Latest Comments
Another reason to avoid Terry's, which is a pretty crappy overpriced place anyway and dreadfully hipster (there's a sign on the wall that says something like "when you eat at Terry's you're not just a customer, you're a member of a very exclusive club" - thanks but I just wanted coffee and beans on toast). I'd advise anyone in that locale to try the splendidly named Giggling Sausage cafe directly opposite, better food and coffee, cheaper, better service and fewer hipsters, you can enjoy watching them queueing like sheep to get into Terry's as you dine.
I wondered if parking in a cycle hire bay was against the law, so I googled it: it isn't unless there are road markings prohibiting parking. But, this little gem came up 'Obstruction: Even where a specific bay type might lack a dedicated motor-traffic prohibition, parking a vehicle in a way that blocks access to cycle hire docks, footways, or causes an obstruction is an offense.' Report it to the authorities and demand action. Don't patronise the place, obviously. And leaving rubbish reviews is definitely out. Absolutely, definitely out. Very absolutely definitely. Out.
".....dark clothing “has been deemed a contributing factor in many fatal or serious injury collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists” No. The dark clothing is not a contributory factor, the only cause of the deaths and injuries is drivers failing to observe. The list of police organisations above shows that motornormativity in the police is institutionalised, and just as rife as it is in the rest of society. The question is, how do we get them to change? Make all police ride bikes? Show them films of collisions where perfectly visible cyclists are mown down by drivers who weren't looking? Show them pictures of cyclists literally dressed up like christmas trees by are still hit by dumb drivers? The clincher might be the picture of the police car, festooned with hi-viz, after it had been hit by a driver.
@mdavidford the standard practise is to ignore the consultation, start a petition, complain that the council doesn't listen to the public, and get your picture in the Bournemouth Echo with a headline 'Drivers fury at new cycle lane', or 'shopkeepers anger at lost parking space'.
"Serious cyclist injuries down 50% and overall road casualties continue to fall..." This is clearly fake news, invented by the bearded, sandle-wearing, bike-riding hippies who don't even live in Wales. Everyone who lives there knows that the frustration and cost to drivers of having to drive at the ludicrously slow speed of 20mph is worth so much more than a few dead cyclists. I live in the Forest of Dean, near Wales, and we've been trying for quite some time to get the national speed limit roads in the statutory forest reduced to 40mph, and 20mph in towns and villages. In fact, I mentioned it in the pub tonight, and the reaction from locals was, to say the least, not enthusiastic. It is a human right to be able to drive as fast as you want, and anyone saying different is an idiot. With Local Government Reorganisation, I was hoping that the Forest of Dean District would merge with Monmouthshire and then we could adopt the Welsh speed limits, but it ain't gonna happen, so sadly, we have to remain in England.
@andystow That's pretty much how new roads are justified. If ten million motorists save ten seconds a day over the next twenty years, and motorists time is worth a lot, then you can justify spending £372m on the new roundabout in Gloucestershire. You know, the place where the locals think that a cycle lane will destroy their life.
@rbrtribble as the driver was out of his vehicle, thereby not making it a driving offence, and the cyclists was stationary with their feet on the ground, there was no more need for a helmet than if the encounter had been between two drivers who had got out of their cars, or two blokes in a pub. Maybe all of those people who fall down the stairs and hit their head should wear a helmet? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and accept that you were being sarcastic, but leave my comment for the benefit of those who think you were being serious.
@chrisonabike if flash-mobbing by female cyclists dressed in french maid attire is what it takes to help the roads be safer for everyone, then i think it's something we should consider lending support to.
Personally, if I have to light myself up in Hi Viz, and add bells, trinkets and lights, just to help the poor motorists see me, the question needs to be asked, if their eyesight is so bad, should they be driving?
@slc so it saves fuel and brake pads? Now we have to also weigh the lost profits of oil companies and car parts suppliers. Jobs or bonuses could be at stake.
8 thoughts on “Café replaces bicycle billboard with car… blocking bike parking in the process; 20mph roads expanded, residents want it but other ‘locals’ aren’t happy + more on the live blog”
Doesn’t look like they’re planning on going anywhere in it, so that’s not likely to have much effect. Leave the bike on top of the car instead. In fact, why not a game of ‘how many bikes can we stack on the car’?
“Semi-segregated bike lane”
There is only one useful kind of separation (“segregation”) for bike infra * and it isn’t “bike lane”, whether “semi” (?) or other.
Legally even some “mandatory” cycle lanes have little/no legal effect. And of course ignoring the law is commonplace as it brings zero sanction for beaches here.
* Separate protected cycle path – although pragmatically in *some* places where there are few cyclists and even fewer pedestrians expected “shared use” may be pragmatic.
I’m in no way whatsoever justifying the car being parked in the scooter bay, but as it is a ‘classic car’ from 1972 it doesn’t actually need an MOT. It does need to have current VED, although again due to the age, this is a cost of £0 per year, so there’s no excuse for not keeping the VED records up to date.
I’m not generally a fan of emulating American approaches, but I do think local authorities need to be much more willing to tow and impound illegally parked vehicles, with all costs involved recovered from the owner before they get their vehicle back. (Maybe it’s just a TV trope, but in American films and TV shows, improperly parked cars always seem to get towed away pretty quickly, especially when inconvenient for the protagonist!)
Most of the time illegally parked cars just get a PCN, which a) is regressive (impacts poor people most; for rich people it’s a minor annoyance at most) and b) does nothing to alleviate the harm done by the illegal parking – i.e. the parking restriction exists for a reason; leaving the car there means that reason continues to be undermined.
A cautionary tale for anyone relying on public consultations as an indication of public opinion, given that BH12 apparently had a population of 36,169 at the 2021 census, and only 31 bothered to respond.
@mdavidford the standard practise is to ignore the consultation, start a petition, complain that the council doesn’t listen to the public, and get your picture in the Bournemouth Echo with a headline ‘Drivers fury at new cycle lane’, or ‘shopkeepers anger at lost parking space’.
I wondered if parking in a cycle hire bay was against the law, so I googled it: it isn’t unless there are road markings prohibiting parking.
But, this little gem came up ‘Obstruction: Even where a specific bay type might lack a dedicated motor-traffic prohibition, parking a vehicle in a way that blocks access to cycle hire docks, footways, or causes an obstruction is an offense.’
Report it to the authorities and demand action. Don’t patronise the place, obviously. And leaving rubbish reviews is definitely out.
Absolutely, definitely out. Very absolutely definitely. Out.
Another reason to avoid Terry’s, which is a pretty crappy overpriced place anyway and dreadfully hipster (there’s a sign on the wall that says something like “when you eat at Terry’s you’re not just a customer, you’re a member of a very exclusive club” – thanks but I just wanted coffee and beans on toast). I’d advise anyone in that locale to try the splendidly named Giggling Sausage cafe directly opposite, better food and coffee, cheaper, better service and fewer hipsters, you can enjoy watching them queueing like sheep to get into Terry’s as you dine.