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PCSO accuses injured cyclist of making unnecessary journey; Cabbie admits spreading tacks around Regent's Park; Ex-Labour MP's inspirational cycling thread; World champs heading to Quatar?; Busy Brighton A-road gets temp bike lane + more on the live blog

This bank holiday Friday special blog is brought to you by Jack Sexty, with the occasional contribution from staff members who haven't swanned off on a long weekend getaway. Oh wait.....
Fri, May 08, 2020 09:20
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08 May 2020, 15:14
Welsh lockdown restrictions will allow exercise more than once per day from Monday

The 'modest' changes will mean that Welsh residents will be permitted outside to exercise more than once per day; while no such rule specifically exists in England, it's been reported that a change to the current guidance - that says 'one form of exercise a day' is allowed with a number of exceptions -  may be announced by Boris Johnson over the weekend when he addresses the nation. 

08 May 2020, 13:42
PCSO faces backlash for asking if injured cyclist's planned 26 mile ride was necessary

The Somerset County Gazette reports PCSO Steve Hill wrote on his Police Facebook account that a cyclist was injured while out on a bike ride with friends, which would have reportedly been 26 miles in length. PCSO Hill said the cyclist crashed on Ford Street in Wellington, Somerset, and was taken to hospital with minor injuries. 

He then said: "It transpired the cyclist was with two friends from Taunton who decided to go for a cycle ride as their daily exercise. They were avid cyclists and thought this was ok.

"Although cycling can be part of your daily exercise is going for a 26-mile bike ride with friends necessary?

"This cycle ride ended in tragedy, luckily the cyclist only suffered minor injuries but was taken the (sic) Musgrove Park Hospital.

"This incident took up valuable emergency service time and could have been prevented by the cyclists staying at home as per government regulations.

"Please think before going out, is the journey necessary?"

The comments reportedly attracted anger in comments underneath PCSO Hill's post, and others have criticised him for imposing 'rules' that don't exist; under the government's lockdown guidance daily exercise is permitted, but the length or duration isn't specified. 

08 May 2020, 13:31
Geraint Thomas will return to France to train for rescheduled Tour de France

The 2018 winner of Le Tour revealed in a Facebook Live chat with Wiggle (above) that he will be heading to France on Monday to up his training for the race, which is set to begin on the 29th August - Thomas is a resident of Monaco. 

He said: "We'll be back out there, we can train on the roads there. At the moment anyway that's what the French Government are saying, so looking forward to it."

Thomas also said that while it "obviously isn't ideal that he is 'excited' about the new UCI calendar, which has been squeezed betwen September and November with many events overlapping: "if we can get it all in that will just be phenomenal", he added. 

08 May 2020, 12:59
Reports that the UCI Road World Champs could be held in the UAE, Qatar or Oman if Switzerland is unable to host

According to the Spanish publication Marca, one of the Arab nations could step in if Aigle-Martigny 2020 is unable to take place in Switzerland between 20th-27th September because of the pandemic. 

The Swiss organisers of the championships are reportedly not convinced that the event will be able to go ahead, and co-chairman of the organising committee Grégory Devaud says that they "must be humble" about the situation, out of respect for those who are fighting the virus each day."

He added that a final decision whether Switzerland could host would be made by the end of June, while Marca claim to have learned from insiders that the UCI is considering the UAE, Qatar or Oman as alternative host nations. As Switzerland is mountainous and a road race in any of these three countries would most likely be very flat, it means any shortlist of favourites to win world titles in 2020 would be turned on its head. With organisers most likely looking to avoid big crowds gathering, there would be an advantage to hosting in one of these three countries according to some...

08 May 2020, 14:15
Wanna Zwift with us? Maybe not, but the offer's there!
08 May 2020, 12:33
Ridiculous coronavirus-related signs in villages: the bar is raised again

The scattergun approach to this ranting collection of signs mean they appear to say something the angry authors probably didn't intend for them to say. 

08 May 2020, 11:06
Tweet surfaces from London cab driver who admits to spreading drawing pins around Regent's Park

There's stupid as in endangering the lives of others by putting drawing pins in the road to puncture bike tyres... and then there's stupid as in admitting it publicly on social media. That's what 'Welsh Cabbie Tony' has done if his tweet from 21st March - which has resurfaced today - is to be believed. Incredibly, the Twitter account is still active. 

We understand the tweet has been reporting to the police and they are still investigating. 

It's been brought to our attention that some international readers may be unaware that 'black cab' is an informal term for a specific type of licensed taxi in the UK. We've changed the headline to reflect this, apologies for any confusion. 

08 May 2020, 10:33
Heidi Alexander posts epic thread on cycling... and then gets grief for not wearing a helmet

Heidi Alexander - an ex-Labour MP and now London's Deputy Mayor for Transport - sums up perfectly what is so good about switching to two wheels in the thread above. She closes with: "Life is going to be pretty different for a while. We are going to need to change how we move around the city. I’d love this horrible period to lead to hundreds of thousands of women (and men!) in London taking to their bikes - being healthier and happier as a consequence."

Although it did attract a comment from someone who didn't believe Ms Alexander's post was a 'great advert for safe cycling'...

Though we can't help noticing that this account's profile picture is Jan Ulrich, and despite his slick aero helmet this happened to him in the final time trial of the 2003 Tour de France... 

08 May 2020, 10:22
Notorious Brighton A road gets temporary cycle lane

Brighton and Hove Council have announced that a 1.7 mile long temporary cycle route is to be installed along the A270 Old Shoreham Road; described as "significant because you'd only want to use that road on a bike if you're in a hurry" according to road.cc contributor Jo Burt. 

Resident access to driveways are unaffected, and the lane will be in use from 11th May. 

08 May 2020, 10:10
Is there less roadside litter because fast food joints are closed?
roadside waste flytipping - via wikimedia commons.PNG

A cyclist wrote to the Northern Echo suggesting this could be the case, observing that while flytipping has inevitably gone up, there seems to be much less general litter around during lockdown. Evidently it's not gel wrappers that appear to be the main litter problem on countryside roads then...

08 May 2020, 08:57
More drawing pins found around Regent's Park

We first reported this on our Wednesday live blog, and it looks like either they've yet to be removed or new pins have been put down in their place. The MET Contact Centre replied to this tweet to say that they're aware of the latest discovery. 

There have been rising reports of self-styled 'vigilantes' laying traps - presumably aimed at cyclists and/or walkers - who are attempting to enforce their own warped version of the government's lockdown guidance and illegally putting up signs telling people to stay away. This one from South Wales was one of the numerous examples we've seen since the lockdown began. 

coronavirus pandemic you are my targets sign - via Matt James on twitter.PNG

 

08 May 2020, 08:53
On yer bike, say The i newspaper

That's what's on the front page of this morning's edition, as it's reported that the public wil be urged to cycle to work to avoid the risk of further spread from a return to the mass use of public transport. Are we really heading for a 'Golden Age of Cycling'?

08 May 2020, 08:06
Peter Sagan double header: a change of tune about indoor cycling, and 'escaping' with the new Diverge

The Slovakian recently revealed on an Instagram live video that he didn't care much for indoor cycling, and that he's "a real cyclist not a virtual one"... but ever the people pleaser, Sagan has been taking one for the team and getting involved with Bora-Hansgrohe's virtual ride outs. 

He's also been taking one for the Specialized marketing team by starring in the ad for their all new Diverge, posing as an escaping crook by the looks of things and using the revamped all-roader as his getaway vehicle. We all know it's make-believe because that rather expensive bike wasn't locked, and in real life it would have definitely got pinched...

08 May 2020, 08:18
Cycling in America

Apparantly getting shot at was 'just a joke', if this story is indeed true. Only in 'merica... 

08 May 2020, 08:21

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Jack Sexty

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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35 comments

Avatar
Rick_Rude | 4 years ago
1 like

PCSO=reject bin police office=chip on shoulder, probably posts on twitter too much type. 

Sadly these sort of jobs seem to attract exactly the sort of people that shouldn't be doing them. They seem to be either too thick to use discretion and operate on a restricted boolean basis or of the literal rule to the letter types. 

This lockdown seems to have brought out the very worst in them as it's added an element of moral high ground they seem to think there are already on, the 'if it saves just one life' type. 

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Eton Rifle | 4 years ago
5 likes

The villagers are not taking any chances.
In case the signs don't work, they have taken the precaution of making the village look like a collection of ugly shacks, inhabited by inbred imbeciles.

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Rick_Rude replied to Eton Rifle | 4 years ago
1 like

//thenewbev.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Straw-Dogs-4-1053x850.jpg)

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alchemilla | 4 years ago
2 likes

PCSO's comments re necessity of cycling were definitely out of order, but I'm surprised they didn't make more of the fact this guy was out with friends. Surely we all know by now this is not allowed? The distance is irrelevant, but the fact he wasn't solo is the main issue.

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roubaixcobbles replied to alchemilla | 4 years ago
2 likes

How do you know they weren't all housemates? How do you know they weren't riding 20m apart? Marvellous how this virus has brought out the assumption-jumping holier-than-thou little Britons like this copper and, it seems, you.

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Rome73 | 4 years ago
4 likes

That clutter of signs outside that 'village'? Jeez, who would want to go there anyway? It looks hideous (and inbred)

Oh, and fast food litter has definitely decreased since the 'lockdown'.

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brooksby | 4 years ago
0 likes

Is that the Heidi Alexander who's appeared in these pages before, iirc opposing cycle lanes?

Why does she have a red light on her handlebars?

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Butty | 4 years ago
5 likes

Welsh_cabbie Tony will no doubt be getting lots of no show call outs very soon 

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Sriracha | 4 years ago
9 likes

"This incident took up valuable emergency service time and could have been prevented by the cyclists staying at home as per government regulations."
1) Staying home is worse:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/12/home-accident-risk-nhs-d...
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/may/08/brian-may-hospitalised-gar...
2) Government Regulations envision taking exercise
3) Cycling "saves the NHS":
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2017/sep/17/the-miracl...

The PCSO needs to understand (be re-educated?) that if everybody took his advice and stayed home not only would A&E admissions not reduce, but the cost long term to physical and mental health would be a drain on the NHS.
Of course it would be great if every cyclist who met with misfortune had instead stayed at home. Such is the perception of those whose job takes them to every such incident.

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Sheen wheels replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
9 likes

This gardening lark is dangerous. A doctor relative of mine had a patient in A&E shortly after lockdown started with some fairly horrific cuts - he had decided to use his Flymo to trim the hedge. Then a short while later another patient came in with similar injuries - he had seen someone using a Flymo to trim the hedge and thought it looked like a brilliant idea...

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Hirsute replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
3 likes

I moved a lounger with a cover on it in the garden earlier. Trod on the cover, the lounger came to a halt and I have 2 cut shins - could have broken a bone if I'd also fallen over.
Stay in doors ( but not upstairs - you might fall down them).

Avatar
ktache replied to Hirsute | 4 years ago
2 likes

One of the major triggers for heart attacks is waking up/getting out of bed.

Though mostly in the morning, lessons to learn maybe?

I would like to know what Brian May was doing while gardening to inflict such an injury?

 

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eburtthebike replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
4 likes

Sriracha wrote:

The PCSO needs to understand (be re-educated?) that if everybody took his advice and stayed home not only would A&E admissions not reduce, but the cost long term to physical and mental health would be a drain on the NHS. Of course it would be great if every cyclist who met with misfortune had instead stayed at home. Such is the perception of those whose job takes them to every such incident.

A classic case of observation bias.  Because of a single incident, he thinks that every cyclist is an accident waiting to happen and they should all stay home.

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OnTheRopes replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
1 like

 "It transpired the cyclist was with two friends from Taunton who decided to go for a cycle ride as their daily exercise."
Going out with friends is not okay though, so perhaps he took exception to this?

Avatar
handlebarcam | 4 years ago
10 likes

Some people, including some plods and pseudo-plods like this PCSO, have very one-dimensional minds. If someone tells them "journeys must be essential" they'll trot that line out in response to every situation, regardless of the fact that exercise has been officially and specifically sanctioned. Similar to the "road tax" talking point: you can tell people it doesn't exist, and vehicle excise duty would be zero for cyclists anyway, but in their minds it is a watertight argument.

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Kapelmuur | 4 years ago
6 likes

"ended in tragedy".   

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NZ Vegan Rider replied to Kapelmuur | 4 years ago
3 likes

Yes, "tragedy" - death? Broken bones? No - cuts

and bruises.

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simontm | 4 years ago
3 likes

I had an off on Wednesday when my pedal snapped clean off. Some serious road rash and bruising but a nearby Halfords was open so bought some pedals and cycled home to get patched up.

That was six miles into my ride- I was only warming up at that stage and would have done around 30 as a quick ride around. An off can happen anywhere. 

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Sriracha replied to simontm | 4 years ago
8 likes
simontm wrote:

I had an off on Wednesday when my pedal snapped clean off. Some serious road rash and bruising but a nearby Halfords was open so bought some pedals and cycled home to get patched up.

That was six miles into my ride- I was only warming up at that stage and would have done around 30 as a quick ride around. An off can happen anywhere. 

And what is the point of that truism? Most things are possible, the question is what is the probability.

Not only is it not feasible to avoid all risk, it is not even desireable. What is required is to manage things to extract maximum benefit at an acceptable level of risk.

"Acceptable" is when the R0 reduces below 1. I hardly think the numbers of cyclists having mechanicals requiring 3rd party help that also lead to an instance of covid transmission is even going to move the needle. Set that against the manifest good to the NHS of regular daily exercise widespread amongst the population.

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mdavidford replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
2 likes

Sriracha wrote:
simontm wrote:

I had an off on Wednesday when my pedal snapped clean off. Some serious road rash and bruising but a nearby Halfords was open so bought some pedals and cycled home to get patched up.

That was six miles into my ride- I was only warming up at that stage and would have done around 30 as a quick ride around. An off can happen anywhere. 

And what is the point of that truism? Most things are possible, the question is what is the probability. Not only is it not feasible to avoid all risk, it is not even desireable. What is required is to manage things to extract maximum benefit at an acceptable level of risk. "Acceptable" is when the R0 reduces below 1. I hardly think the numbers of cyclists having mechanicals requiring 3rd party help that also lead to an instance of covid transmission is even going to move the needle. Set that against the manifest good to the NHS of regular daily exercise widespread amongst the population.

Um, I think the point was that the PCSO's reference to the length of their ride was irrelevant, since they should just as easily have come off even if they'd restricted themselves to a 6 mile ride. Not sure why you're taking issue with it - you both seem to agree with each other.

 

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Sriracha replied to mdavidford | 4 years ago
0 likes

Yes, I take your point. I read it the other way, that he was cautioning that you never know when you might have an incident so in these times you better be safe than sorry so stay home. But it could equally be as you say.

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simontm replied to Sriracha | 4 years ago
0 likes

Sriracha wrote:

Yes, I take your point. I read it the other way, that he was cautioning that you never know when you might have an incident so in these times you better be safe than sorry so stay home. But it could equally be as you say.

sorry, what Siracha said was exactly my point. The pedal could have come off anywhere, the distance was irrelevant in my case as well as the reported one. 

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Hirsute | 4 years ago
13 likes

My wife is on some running challenge this week. Max 1 hour. Some bloke racked up 17km in the hour challenge - she managed just over 11.
So when you read a cyclist rode 26 miles, it not very far if you are fit and used to it.
Seems Joe public has no concept of what someone who is fit and takes an interest in a sport is easily capable of.
Cyclist could have come a cropper courtesy of a Hermes van 100m from home.

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Captain Badger replied to Hirsute | 4 years ago
9 likes

The positive side is that the comments in the County Gazette are largely critical of the PCSO

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asbwilson1994 replied to Hirsute | 4 years ago
4 likes

Not defending him if the copper really did mean a 26 mile ride isn't appropriate but it looks to me from his wording he's saying is, 'going for a 26 mile bike ride WITH FRIENDS necessary.' Which seems fair enough, we have been told to not exercise with people from outside our household.

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mdavidford replied to asbwilson1994 | 4 years ago
0 likes

If he did mean that then his comments are even more nonsensical - how does riding with friends make having an off any more likely?

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Hirsute replied to mdavidford | 4 years ago
0 likes

Pulling a wheelie to impress - look at me I'm Peter Sagan !!

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asbwilson1994 replied to mdavidford | 4 years ago
2 likes

Again not defending him but I don't think he's suggesting you are more likely to have an off but that his point is that a ride with friends isn't necessary at the moment. Not sure this is the situation to make his point but I don't think we need to get as triggered at the authorities trying to limit our time on the bike.

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Captain Badger replied to asbwilson1994 | 4 years ago
1 like

How is exercise without friends more necessary than exercise with friends? Would PCSO have been more sympathetic if the rider had been alone? Would it have meant less stress on the emergency services?

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fukawitribe replied to Captain Badger | 4 years ago
0 likes

It might be prudent during a pandemic. Given they probably hang around together anyway, it might be somewhat moot but the point is not unreasonable.

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