“Share the road? Cyclists never endanger drivers”: Campaign to make endangering a cyclist “as unacceptable as drink driving” praised – but angry motorists urge riders to “find a safer mode of transport”; Julian Alaphilippe tributes + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
“That’s a more assertive message than ‘share the road’. Cyclists never endanger drivers”: Campaign to make endangering a cyclist “as unacceptable as drink driving” praised – but angry motorists say “if you don’t like it, don’t ride on the road”
A recent post by Amy’s Foundation has caused quite the stir on social media – for simply urging people to treat endangering a cyclist on the roads as seriously as drink driving. Yes, that’s the world we live in.
Amy’s Foundation, as I’m sure you’re aware, is the current iteration of the Amy Gillet Foundation, the campaign set up in memory of the Olympic rower-turned-elite cyclist. In 2006, 29-year-old Gillet was killed during a training ride with the Australian national team in Germany, when a driver lost control of their car, hitting her and her teammates.
The foundation has been at the forefront of road safety advocacy in Australia for two decades, and led the campaign to enshrine in law the requirement for drivers to leave a minimum of one metre’s distance when passing cyclists. That campaign came to an end in 2021 when Victoria became the final state to pass the 1m law.
> Australian helmet cam study says motorists to blame in 88 per cent of accidents with cyclists
The foundation says it wants to “build a culture of mutual respect between cyclists and motorists, enhancing cyclist safety through effective legislation, advanced technology, and improved infrastructure”, which it hopes will pave the way to “essential-zero” cyclist fatalities and serious injuries on Australian roads.
In 2024, the foundation was liquidated after losing its federal government funding, but managed to bounce back a few months later thanks to a new leadership team, including former pro Phil Anderson and Gillet’s teammate and world points race champion Kate Bates, rebranding as ‘Amy’s Foundation’.
On 13 September, it will host Amy’s Great Ocean Gran Fondo, the annual event raising funds for the foundation and its road safety campaigns.
In recent weeks, the foundation has produced several posts related to various aspects of road safety, from the risk of ‘dooring’ incidents and inadequate cycling infrastructure to the school commute and motorists driving in bike lanes.
But yesterday’s post has appeared to have attracted a lot more attention online than the others. Why? Because it simply pointed out that endangering people on bikes on the road should be treated as seriously as drink driving. Yes, really.
“Behind every campaign is a small team with one clear goal: make endangering a cyclist as unacceptable as drink driving became,” the post read.
Of course, some Facebook users were happy with the campaign’s simple, to the point messaging.
“That’s a more assertive message than ‘share the road’,” said David Baillie. “Drivers endanger cyclists. Cyclists never endanger drivers.”
David Jones added: “Decades ago, on my first lesson with a new driving instructor, he said, ‘This is a lethal weapon and it is my job to teach you how to drive it responsibly.’ I am convinced that they no longer teach this.”
“We MUST get dangerous drivers off roads and thank a cyclist for that extra parking space at work or store. Cyclists aren’t dangerous distracted or speeding drivers. Cyclists are gentle. They don’t kill 40,000 people per year like drivers do,” noted Joseph Barnett.
However, rather inevitably, not everyone was in agreement with a post calling for people not to put other people’s lives in danger.
“High time cyclists took responsibility for their own safety, not expect driver [sic] to think for them,” wrote Edward Sayers, who also questioned why the 1.5m passing rule doesn’t also apply to cyclists passing vehicles (yes, really).
“If they want drivers to respect them on the roads they need to earn it.”
“Before cyclists try and change how others use the roads, they need to do everything they can to make the way they use them as safe has [sic] they can,” said Lawrence Wilton.
Responding to David Baillie’s comment about cyclists not endangering motorists, Mike Smith said: “A pack of cyclists that ran a stop sign caused me to knee jerk react and swerve into oncoming traffic. Thankfully neither I nor the person in the truck I hit were seriously hurt. The pack of cyclists kept riding. They categorically endangered me.”
And UK-based Paul Rennie chipped in: “Cyclists should try using the roads, for what they are intended, not for training.
“I cycle as well, yes I agree the standard of driving is ridiculous but the UK’S infrastructure is built around motor vehicles and wanting/campaigning for equal rights will never happen.
“The infrastructure in the UK has NOT got the room for a cycle infrastructure as well. The quicker you realise that the better.”
Well, that’s a bit pessimistic, isn’t it Paul? I wonder what he makes of the increasing size of cars, then?
“You ride on the road you take the same chance as everyone else! If you don’t like it then don’t ride on the road,” added Keith Birchall (complete with a smiley face at the end).
And finally, Richard Standing said: “Or maybe the cyclists should find a safer mode of transport…”
My head hurts. We’re on to the ‘don’t tell me not to endanger another person’ stage of the internet, it seems. Although, to be fair, we’ve probably been here a while…
The Alaphilippe effect: How France’s charming pyromaniac and his stunning 2019 season came to define cycling’s in-between era
It’s fitting that 2019 will be remembered as the pinnacle of Julian Alaphilippe’s career.
That was the year the swaggering Frenchman cemented his position as the most exciting – and arguably best – bike racer on the planet, just before the sport turned on its head.
Alaphilippe won 12 times in 2019, equalling his haul from the previous year. But the quality of those wins, and the way he influenced racing in general, was greater than ever before.
He took out big classics victories at Strade Bianche, Milan-Sanremo (incidentally, his only ever monument success), and a second consecutive win at Flèche Wallonne. The then-Quick-Step rider also won two stages at Tirreno-Adriatico, and a stage apiece at the Tour of the Basque Country and the Critérium du Dauphiné.
But it was at the Tour where his reputation was cemented. After all, at some point during those 14 days Loulou spent in the yellow jersey at the 2019 race, it looked like he was actually going to win the whole damn thing. In the end, a landslide and the climbing legs of Egan Bernal snuffed out that dream (he ended up fifth).
But there’s no denying he bent and shaped that 2019 Tour to his will. That attack with Thibaut Pinot on the road to Saint-Étienne, when you could almost hear the entire French nation roaring them on. That stupendous, ridiculous time trial in Pau. The swaying, the gurning, the constant battle to hold on to yellow in the mountains. It was all pure drama, pure Alaphilippe.
There were other standout moments in his career that added to the Loulou myth, of course. His masterful attack to win the worlds in Leuven. That emotional Tour stage win in Nice. When he stupidly threw away his best chance ever to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège, or when he clipped the motorbike in Flanders. In victory or defeat, ‘Alan Philip’ never disappointed.
But that 2019 Tour summed up his racing style perfectly, the heroic attacks and the romantic defeats.
Like Peter Sagan, Alaphilippe stood out from the 2010s crowd. His greatest successes came at the tail end of the Sky era, when conservatism and patience largely prevailed over theatrics and panache. He was a charming, goateed pyromaniac in an office of po-faced suits. An exhilarating throwback in a time of sterile modernity.
In many ways, Alaphilippe (and that 2019 Tour, the last notably to be won by an Ineos rider) acted as the bridge between eras, dragging cycling out from the gloom of the Froome epoch and paving the way for the all-out attacking of the Pogačar and Van der Poel generation.
It’s no coincidence, perhaps, that he was slightly left behind by cycling’s post-Covid revolution. They had stolen his clothes and kicked him out on the street.
Alaphilippe became a bit-part player just as the style of racing shifted to his strengths. That was never more apparent than at this year’s Tour, where he was reduced, at best, to speculative early moves before being absorbed by the peloton, vanishing from trace, when the real attacks started.
The swashbuckling romance was still there, still fighting, there was just no room for it anymore.
If anything, the past few years proved that Julian Alaphilippe’s strengths came from being different, fighting against the tide, painting fireworks on a blank canvas. And giving us something to shout about.
End of a swashbuckling era: Julian Alaphilippe retires from cycling with immediate effect, according to reports
That’s it, let’s pack up cycling, we’re done.
Because, according to L’Equipe, Julian Alaphilippe – swashbuckler supreme, the daring, attacking darling of every cycling fan – has retired with immediate effect, bringing an end to a panache-filled era.
The 34-year-old has another year on his contract at Tudor Pro Cycling, but according to the French outlet, he’s intending to terminate the contract early and forgo that final season.
Alaphilippe, who joined the Swiss team at the start of 2025 on a three-year deal, isn’t intending to pin a number on for the rest of the season, meaning his last ever race may well have been in Paris at the end of last month’s Tour de France.
To be honest, the news – despite it sending shockwaves among Loulou’s global fanbase – doesn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone paying attention to the Frenchman’s recent demeanour.
In Bourg-d’Oisans, among the team buses at the start of the penultimate stage of this year’s Tour, I spotted Alaphilippe as he made a point of visiting his old Soudal Quick-Step squad, hugging several staff members and ex-teammates, and looking pretty emotional as he did so.
Later that day, at the top of Alpe d’Huez, Alaphilippe told reporters: “It’s maybe my last one, so I made the most of it, I gave everything, not with a lot of success but I didn’t leave anything out there.”
If the reports are correct, and July in fact was the last time Julian Alaphilippe raced a bike, merci Loulou.
Some good bike parking facilities (for a change)
This is good bike parking. It has angular tubing, which prevents the quiet use of pipe cutters for theft. The racks are also spaced far enough apart to allow for larger bikes to be parked with room for the rider to maneuver while on foot. Also, this is entrance-adjacent to the building.
— Fietser (@americanfietser.bsky.social) August 21, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Julian Alaphilippe: the man who made the world yearn
It’s Callum’s turn now to get all nostalgic and teary-eyed over the reported retirement of a French bike racer. We’re a weird bunch, aren’t we?
Kim the Great (Orme): Le Court powers to stage win and Tour of Britain lead with devastating long-range attack on Great Orme
Kim Le Court isn’t taking any changes at the Tour of Britain this week.
On the opening two flat, sprint-friendly days, the Mauritian champion was busy targeting bonus seconds, rubbing shoulders with the sprinters to build up her GC buffer before the race hit her favoured hilly terrain.
That no-risks approach continued this afternoon in Llandudno, where Le Court – the pre-race favourite – put down a serious marker for the overall victory with a blistering, devastating long-range attack on the slopes of the Great Orme.
As the peloton took that sharp left turn onto the climb, its narrow road flanked by stone walls, Le Court wasn’t hanging around. The AG Insurance Soudal rider attacked immediately as the road titled skywards, leaving her rivals scrambling. Gaps quickly turned into fissures, as Le Court – out of the saddle, tilted over her bars – stamped on the pedals.
A lung-busting finish to Stage Three as Kim Le Court de Billot – Pienaar crosses the line after the climb at the Great Orme.
📺 Watch the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women LIVE on YouTube pic.twitter.com/l3kKRta0ya
— Lloyds Tour of Britain (@TourofBritain) August 21, 2026
Lorena Wiebes, ever dangerous even on hill stops, was the first to crack, though the SD Worx sprinter rallied to finish tenth, just 37 seconds down on the flying Le Court. Liane Lippert, whose Movistar team controlled the front of the bunch for much of the stage, looked closest to clawing back Le Court’s swiftly established lead, but was forced to settle for second, 13 seconds down.
A clutch of riders, including Caroline Andersson, Femke De Vries, Cecilie Utrup Ludwig, and Scottish rider Lauren Dickson (who’s been busy at the front earlier in the stage) finished about 20 seconds after Le Court punched the sky.
Despite the brutal severity of her attack and her take no prisoners mindset, those relatively small gaps mean that Le Court’s second career Tour of Britain stage win hasn’t quite killed off the race, as she may have wished. Which is good news for us. The weekend should be fun…
Get your ToB livestream on!
No delays today, just all-out YouTubing hilly racing:
Crash! Splits! Attacks!
Just as I (and Lizzy) bemoaned the lack of action at the Tour of Britain, the peloton has started to split into pieces, following a crash in the pack.
UAE Team L’Imad’s Karlijn Swinkels is the highest-placed rider to be affected by the spill, ending up on the grass.
Movistar are now piling on the pressure at the front, bringing a speculative effort by yesterday’s attacker Katrine Aalerud to heel as they hit the foot of the Nebo climb, where FDJ’s Lauren Dickson led over the top.
“They’re just riding like they’re out on a Sunday ride. What is going on here?” Tour of Britain stalemate baffles Lizzy Banks
We’ve got around 50km to go at the Tour of Britain and… not much is happening, to be honest. The peloton is all grouped together, with nobody daring to attack before the final few climbs. Which annoyed Lizzy Banks, who’s commentating on the race with Dani Rowe, to no end.
View this post on Instagram
“I cannot understand this from the riders, from the directors behind,” an exasperated Banks, who spent much of the recent Tour Femmes scooting around the team buses while on duty for the Cycling Podcast, said during comms just now.
“I was sure all the directors, the way they’ve been instructing their riders to have such attacking races these past two days.
“I mean, they were attacking with 20km to go on a flat run-in to what was definitely going to be a sprint yesterday. Here we are, with opportunities galore and they’re just riding like they’re out on a Sunday ride. What is going on here?
“Come on directors, please get in their ear and tell them to attack. Because if they wait until the second categorised climb of the day, it’s going to be too late. It’s not steep enough, it’s not exposed enough, you’re going to get that shelter from the riders in front, and you’re just not going to get that gap. So I don’t understand what is going on here.”
Alright Lizzy, stop sitting on the fence, tell us what you really think (though on a serious note, more commentary like this, please, it’s great).
“He’s a tough kid”
In the latest episode of his Watts Occurring podcast, Netcompany Ineos’ director of racing Geraint Thomas discussed Josh Tarling’s decision to race the Vuelta, just over a week after the death of his brother Fin at the Volta a Portugal:
After the heartbreaking events around Finlay, Josh Tarling is returning to racing at @lavuelta.@GeraintThomas86 and @LukeRowe1990 and the WO team wish Josh the best of luck. Thinking of everyone affected. ❤️
New pod out now: https://t.co/wwTVWNI36z pic.twitter.com/wzstzmBWfM
— Watts Occurring (@Watts_Occurring) August 20, 2026
“Josh is coping with it in his own way. He’s a tough kid,” Thomas said. “He’s been down there in Portugal, he’s been over to Wales.
“But he’s still super keen to race the Vuelta. It wasn’t a decision taken lightly by him or the team, but he’s been adamant he wants to do it. I think he just wants to get back to the day job, he doesn’t want to be sitting around doing nothing.”
Thomas added that psychiatrist Steve Peters, famed for his work with British Cycling, will be available to help Tarling if he needs it.
“I mean, credit to Josh, the way he’s dealing with that,” added Thomas’s podcast partner Luke Rowe. “What better way to make his brother proud than trying to do something special or winning the time trial or win on the first stage. Credit to him.”
Oi, I thought you said the Vuelta was always hot and dry?
The Vuelta gets underway tomorrow afternoon, with a prologue around the gilded streets of Monaco.
Not that you’d guess it, however, looking at footage of Uno-X’s wet and wild pre-grand tour training ride yesterday:
View this post on Instagram
Rain jackets at the ready, lads. They must’ve thought they’d accidentally rocked up at the Tour of Britain instead.
Things you have to do when you’re Tadej Pogačar
View this post on Instagram
Let’s face it, that’s probably going to be the world champion’s toughest task for the entire three weeks.
Are we set for another scintillating GC battle on Great Orme at the Tour of Britain?
After a Lorena Wiebes sprint double, it’s GC time at the Tour of Britain Women this afternoon, as the peloton heads into Wales for a constantly lumpy stage and a summit finish atop the iconic Great Orme in Llandudno.
And speaking of Julian Alaphilippe, the last time one of Britain’s national tours visited Great Orme, the fiery Frenchman fought out one of the all-time great finishes with Wout van Aert, a battle that left the victorious Belgian flat out on the grass, exhausted:
Same again today, please.
Alaphilippe’s greatest moment?
Any excuse to share whatever this utter madness is one more time:
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When you need to get from the Tube to the office quickly
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Can you imagine what the Telegraph would say if Lime actually did start hiring out time trial bikes?
“And drivers wonder why cyclists ride in middle of the road”
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It seems to be some sort of aiding and abetting- the shop has been told it might face prosecution if the bikes are used illegally.
@Steve K I have no issue with clamping down on 'illegal ebikes' (using the shorthand for convenience) but I'm curious what powers they have over a shop selling / fitting the mods. My understanding is that it's not illegal to sell / buy the kits, only to use them on the road without insurance, helmet, licence etc.
Some illegal electric bike enforcement in the London Borough of Sutton
@eburtthebike Reality is for people who cant handle drugs
It’s actually quite useful for getting water out of places in can pool like inside the derailleur or inside bolt heads or around seals and bearings. Obviously you’re not going to blow it directly into bearings up close but it is quite effective at getting water from places you can’t see. Also, I ceramic coated my bike, I dint like wiping it down with cloths. I prefer to blow away the water that beads up. These are available online far far cheaper than this. £20 on Temu can buy you a good one.
So then what were you on about with this?: ...and yet they chose to do so anyway.
Or...use an old rag to dry your bike, and stop wasting money and resources.
I am something of a stuck record on this, but I find Isadore bibs fantastic
“When a cycles [sic] passes you on the inside can they only do it if the gap is 1.5m?” CyclingMikey's great video explaining the difference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikWFQquoZto
Is that 30p Lee's creation?
21 thoughts on ““Share the road? Cyclists never endanger drivers”: Campaign to make endangering a cyclist “as unacceptable as drink driving” praised – but angry motorists urge riders to “find a safer mode of transport”; Julian Alaphilippe tributes + more on the live blog”
Take a bow Mr Richard (the voice of common sense) Standing.
Finding a safer form of transport than cycling is the ultimate solution.
I have just put my bikes up for sale on eBay and will put the proceeds towards buying a huge SUV. Hopefully I will be able set some PBs if I get it before the end of the time trial season.
Maybe the tragic loss of Fin Tarling will force professional cycling to take the same path? This would also remove the need for improved cycling helmets.
@Mr Blackbird but what if the others have bigger SUVs? Perhaps Dodge Ram trucks? Best get a truck yourself. Or even something with armour…
It’s the only responsible thing to do if you are carrying passengers.
Of couse ultimately one of those German tunneling machines might have to be the answer, just under crawl, at cm per hour, the problem.
@chrisonabike XKCD has the answer! (as always)
https://xkcd.com/3167/
RE: the foundation looking to “build a culture of mutual respect between cyclists and motorists, enhancing cyclist safety through effective legislation, advanced technology, and improved infrastructure”
I have an idea what that “advanced technology” could look like!
Of course doing that we’ll get chips with everything and it’ll end up “needing” AI * …
… but eg. the Dutch have gone a long way with “just don’t make every street a through-route for motor traffic”. Along with “where you seriously reduce motor traffic volumes and speeds different modes can share space; where that’s not possible physically separate them (but design it so cyclists can keep rolling as much as possible)”.
Although their traffic light phasing (and advance detection of approaching traffic, *including* cyclists) is “space age” tech compared to UK usually timed lights…
* Doing planned societal change “simply” appears almost as impossible as following the simple diet advice of “just eat less than you expend energetically, mostly vegetables”. There are very strong forces reinforcing any status quo.
For those who think the answer is to find a safer mode of transport, they’re clearly incapable of driving safely, so I’m asking them to stay off the road to help me fulfill their request for me to move to safer transport.
Campaign to make endangering a cyclist “as unacceptable as drink driving” praised – but angry motorists say “if you don’t like it, don’t ride on the road”
I am not sure the language here is helpful. Are there really many ‘Angry’ motorists? who is getting angry at the idea of being thoughtful when passing a cyclist? Yes, I am sure there are plenty who will complain about cyclists being ‘in their way’ but is anger the first emotion you think they jump to? If you want a climb down from the perceived war on our roads – made up entirely by the media, dont feed it with language like this. It helps nobody.
So how would you describe the comments left on that post, friendly? What about the comments left on stories of people being knocked off their bike and killed saying “good they deserved it”? What about the many cases of drivists deliberately hitting people on bike? How would you discribe the coutless times I’ve had someone deliveratly swerve at me, sometimes from the on comming lane, while swearing and shouting, almost always when there was plenty of space to just go around, would you say they were calm while threatening the life of another human being for just exisiting? Just a bit of banter right?
Maybe try actually riding on the roads before trolling a cycling website because there’s no way a regular road cyclist hasn’t had an encouter with an angry driver!
The point you miss is bigots and idiots can’t get away with blaming all their problems on people of different races, genders etc, one of the last groups it’s socially acceptable to overtly hate is cyclists, so we thankfully don’t have lynchings anymore what we have instead is people actually wanting to kill or see cyclists be killed and glorifying this behavour.
We are just human beings going about our day in a healthy and environmentally friendly way that actually reduces congestion on the roads and half the population (it seems) litterally state outloud they want to see us dead for it and frequently treatern or try to hit us, or just don’t care if they do… of course there’s nothing angry about that!!!
@rideANDdie People writing any comment on any social media platform should be taken with a pinch of salt, they could be from anyone, mostly rage baiting. I dont for a minute believe people suddenly get absolutely furious with vein popping anger at a cyclist in the road. words on a screen like that are written by the same cowards who try to act big but if they were confronted in the real world they balls would shrink up inside them.
And as for trolling, I think youll find I am a regualr commentor on here , and I am a strong advocate for raod safety as many who have read my comments will know. So bore off with that one.
My point still stands, the language used is inflammatory, and helps NOBODY, its adding to a problem that made out to be far worse than it is by the gutter press and social media. Adding to it just compounds the problem made by the ones who perpetuate the war on the roads,
I don’t always agree with Smoggysteve’s opinions and he certainly can be blunt when articulating them but he is a long-term contributor to road.cc comments, he is quite clearly an enthusiastic cyclist and his opinions are genuine, not deliberately contrarian, so he is not in any way a troll. If you want to go troll hunting I can point you in the direction of a 24 carat example…
I think in some cases irritation, which soon escalates to anger. Although some drivers may miss out the irritation stage.
I agree that most motorists are considerate towards, cyclists.
But just read some of the idiotic comments in the article. It is a minority to be concerned about.
Motorists should be allowed to drink and/or use drugs while driving at speed in residential areas; pedestrians and cyclists will have to learn how to jump out of the way and wear body armor to protect themselves.
Thanks for all the marvellous entertainment Julien, even though it’s always been coupled with irritation as one shouted at the screen “There’s no N! It’s not Alanphilippe!” as the commentators consistently got your name wrong. Somewhere in an alternative universe there wasn’t a landslide on stage 19 of 2019, you caught back up with Bernal on the climb to Tignes, the next day wasn’t shortened either and you clung on to the yellow jersey all the way to Paris. You deserved one just for the amount of excitement you generated that year and the peloton will be a duller place without you, plus Mrs H is going to have to find a new piece of eye candy now…
@Rendel Harris I watched him at the world champs in Glasgow and he was never going to win but he still kept going around waving to fans and has always been a top pro who appreciates the fans.
Campaign to make endangering a cyclist “as unacceptable as drink driving”
I recently had my life threatened by a reckless/inattentive driver, and since I had a bar cam, I posted a still and an explanation on our local website. Whilst I did get some support, there were also some incredibly entitled drivers:
‘the one idiot [cyclist] decided to start weaving back and forth across the road, almost collided with me yet I was over the white line in the other ‘lane’….. yes, I did beep my horn at them and got told to F*ck Off for the privilege!!!’
‘However, had he have collided with me/my car who was going to HAVE pay for the damage to my 26 plate car…..oh yeah that’ll be me !!!’
‘The public highway is not suitable. In 1826 it was. In 1926 perhaps it was. In 2026 I suggest it really isn’t.’
‘….cyclists will hold up a significant amount of traffic for quite some time to excercise their “rights” to be on the road whilst making people late for work/school/appointments etc just because its their “rights”.’
‘…all because of 3 cyclists all riding “abreast”…’ [I did ask for evidence, but didn’t get any.]
‘Im absolutely certain that we all get the message that ONLY you matter, ONLY your story is the truth…..’ [sic]
‘However, I do take issue with Entitled arrogant smarmy cyclists who think only their opinion matters, oh, or thinking about it, do I detect misogyny. [sic]
‘My point remains – consideration is a two-way street, and the idiot policy makers who can’t see an issue with mixing 10-15mph traffic with 50+mph traffic are the main problem.’
‘..by the way, only one contributor in this thread has lowered to thinly veiled prejudices, borderline rudeness and absolute refusal to consider anyone else’s point of view.’
All that because I posted about two drivers who put my life at risk and posted a picture of one of their cars.
Motornormativity is so deeply embedded in our society that it is going to take generations to change things.
@eburtthebike I like the cockwomble telling you that the roads were safe for bicycles in 1826. So all you have to do to be safe is to go back in time about forty years before the pedal cycle was invented and you won’t have any problems!
“consideration is a two-way street”
Perhaps it could be made one-way and use the other half for a cycle route?
Richard Standing said: “Or maybe the cyclists should find a safer mode of transport…”
The memories come flooding back- the day when Blackpool Police wrote on Twitter the thoughts of the whole of Lancashire Constabulary: ‘If cyclists don’t like the conditions on the roads, they should find an alternative mode of transport’. This was later deleted, but LC has remained true to the sentiment to this day and is also resolute in its determination to protect offending drivers at all costs. HN21 VXB’s driver has now exceeded his year without MOT and 2 years without VED, and I’ve now discovered where he lives- it’s half a mile from Garstang Police Station where NPT stalwart PC Mike Duff works at writing letters asserting that he mustn’t be told of any more ‘alleged offences’ because he doesn’t have time to deal with them.
Browsing the news at lunch, and a couple of stories caught my eye:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgljrn8rek6o
No bikes involved, but sentence seems very lenient. What was the point of the Government increasing the maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving to life if cases like this still only get 13 years? Ticks pretty much every aggravating factor box, several times other. In general I’m in favour of giving people a 2nd chance and rehabilitation over incarceration, but at some point you have to say there’s no chance of that happening. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at the 56 year driving ban – given he already has two lifetime driving bans, and shows zero likelihood of complying with them.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/21/cycling-britain-traffic-laws-london-chaotic-roads
In general I’m supportive of the suggestion that cyclists should be exempt from red lights in certain circumstances, and there are some good arguments and evidence supporting that position. Alas this “opinion” piece presents none of them – it is insubstantial twaddle (so par for the course for Simon Jenkins). Also continues to conflate illegal electric motorbikes with legal EAPCs under the banner of “e-bikes”. The specific model mentioned, the Freesky Alaska, appears to have a “compliance” mode which (supposedly*) allows it to meet the EAPC regulations, but I assume most riders are not using this mode.
* If the “compliance mode” can be easily deactivated, especially whilst riding, it’s probably not actually legal according to DfT: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrically-assisted-pedal-cycles-eapcs/electrically-assisted-pedal-cycles-eapcs-in-great-britain-information-sheet
Given the first item on today’s blog, that doesn’t sound encouraging.