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Regent's Park driver speeds into cyclists following altercation with another motorist; Pozzato snaps seat post avoiding truck; New bike lane too narrow to use; Velomobile stopped by police; Cafe stops back on the menu; Time Matters + more on the live blog

It's the start of a new week and Dan Alexander will be getting you through Monday on the live blog...
12 April 2021, 15:55
Fabio Jakobsen: "It's special to be back and to see Mark win here"

Fabio Jakobsen made his return to the peloton on yesterday's opening stage of the Tour or Turkey and was delighted to see his teammate, Mark Cavendish, back winning again on stage two today. In a finish line interview Jakobsen told Wielerflits "it's special to be back and to see Mark win here".

"Mark has fought for this for a long time and he is very motivated," Jakobsen continued. "I couldn't help much myself in the sprint preparation, but I did as much as I could. Mark deserves this and is a great champion. I try to come back step by step. I want to finish a race first and build up my form. 

"I think the top form from before my fall is still there, but that takes time. In the meantime, I can help guys like Cav and other teammates, and that motivates me too. It is good to be a cyclist again. Another stage win would be nice. It doesn't matter which of the team wins. But for me it is important to finish this race."

12 April 2021, 15:32
Local cyclist takes a tape measure to narrow Manchester cycle lane

Some strong detective work from Rick this afternoon to go out and measure the width of the Barlow Moore cycle lane we featured earlier in today's live blog. He found it ranged from 80 to 90cm and was just wide enough to fit his road bike...

12 April 2021, 14:49
Pros congratulate Cav on his win

Some day for Mark Cavendish taking that vintage sprint win at the Tour of Turkey... 

12 April 2021, 10:02
Regent's Park driver speeds into cyclists following altercation with another motorist

This shocking video shows the moment a group of cyclists were driven at by a motorist following an altercation in Regent's Park yesterday morning. One of the riders was particularly lucky to avoid serious injury and carried his wrecked bike off the road. The person filming the group ride turned around after hearing an altercation behind, apparently between two drivers. One of the motorists then sped off, mounting the pavement, hitting the cyclist and driving off through a red light...

Regent's Park cyclist hit by driver.PNG

Yesterday's incident has understandably led to increased calls for traffic to be restricted from the park. However, unlike Richmond Park, the roads in Regent's Park are not the responsibility of The Royal Parks, so the Crown Estate Paving Commission is a better destination for any complaints. In a 2019 article on this site, Laura Laker described the group as "an unelected and effectively unaccountable Georgian quango."

12 April 2021, 14:04
Northern Ireland tops the UK's thrill-seeking charts
The Lagan and Lough route at Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland - the last maps to complete the UK series. Credit Robert Ashby. Sustrans

The good people at Leisure Lakes Bikes were keen to find out which part of the UK is the most adventurous and collated more than 8,500 Google searches to reach a verdict. Their data suggests that of the 'adventure sports', mountain biking is number one in the UK, with around 1,500 average searches per month. Interestingly, 'e-bike off road' was also one of the fastest-growing adventure sport searches and was up 235 per cent compared to in 2016.

In the regional breakdown Northern Ireland took the title for the UK's keenest adventurers with 9,209 adventure sport searches per 100,000 people, while Wales and the South West of England rounded out the podium.

12 April 2021, 13:21
Time Matters: an award-winning film from Kinesis about ultra-cyclist Richard Curtis's life-changing brain injury

Kinesis UK has shared this award-winning film project about the life-changing brain injury suffered by ultra-cyclist Richard Curtis in 2018. At the time he was in the shape of his life having represented Great Britain at the Gran Fondo World Championships. The film covers Richard's experience and "serves as a sombre reminder that life is precious, and simple pleasures like riding your bike should not be taken for granted." Time Matters won an Award of Excellence at the Best Shorts film festival and has been nominated for several others.

12 April 2021, 12:51
Reaction to Cav's first win in three years

Mark Cavendish beat Andre Greipel in a sprint this morning and it was just like being taken back to 2015 all over again...Plenty of love for Cav about this lunchtime, here's the best of the reaction to his win, including some nice words from Greipel's teammate Alex Dowsett, and the full story if you want to read more...

12 April 2021, 11:56
Velomobile rider stopped by police

CyclingMikey saw this one coming...As if by magic, one day after Mikey said it was guaranteed to happen KarlOnSea was stopped by an officer who claimed to be "concerned for your safety" and worried about the visibility of the orange velomobile...

12 April 2021, 11:02
Former pro Filippo Pozzato snaps seat post avoiding truck

Fortunately, ex-pro Filipppo Pozzato came away from a crash in Venice with just cuts and bruises. The 2006 Milan San-Remo winner says he had to veer off the road to avoid a collision with a truck and that while he was largely unscathed, his bike wasn't so lucky.

Writing on Instagram, Pozzato said: "Unfortunately today while I was on my bike in the Venetian streets, to avoid a truck that invaded my lane during the descent, I went off the road and fell to the ground. Fortunately, I don't have any serious injuries except a few bumps and scratches. I thank everyone who wrote to me and worried about me.

"However, I would like to renew to everyone the invitation to be more attentive and concentrated while driving because it really is a moment to endanger your own life and that of others."

12 April 2021, 10:58
A timely thought considering this morning's blog posts
12 April 2021, 09:03
Cafe stops back on the menu

With the re-opening of hospitality you can now officially 'stop' at the cafe for your mid-ride fuel...Hopefully the weather where you are is more like the scenes at Stage One Cycles than the snowy conditions over here and you'll actually be able to make use of your new freedom for a coffee and some cake in the sunshine...

Let us know where you'll be heading for your first non-takeaway cafe fix over on the forum and it could get a visit from one of the team for our new YouTube show road.cc Recommends...

12 April 2021, 07:50
New bike lane too narrow to use

As Sean pointed out, it's never a good start when you can't fit the bike symbol in the cycle lane...

These new lines painted on the Barlow Moor Road in Manchester don't leave much room for cycling, especially if you're riding a cargo bike...Lots of disappointed local riders took to Twitter, with Rob Rocklad asking why they even bothered to paint the lines?

It's not the first time cycle lanes in the city have got attention for all the wrong reasons. Remember when the council used a segregated cycle lane on the Stretford Road as somewhere to collect fallen leaves? Unbe-leaf-able...

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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43 comments

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
7 likes

Am I the only one who thought KarlonSea was 

a) A bit bolshy

b) Could do with a recumbent like flag on the back.

The copper was at pains to be precise that he wasn't nicking him - just advising him about his visibility.   Some poeple may think thats overstepping the mark and bossing the public around - not sure thats worth kicking off over as Karl did.  The sarky remark about the colour pushed it over the edge for me.

Whilst I understand why Karl didnt like it I can also see why the copper thought it was reasonable to mention it to him.

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hawkinspeter replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
13 likes

I half agree. The policeman seemed polite and reasonable and was mainly concerned about safety, but obviously the onus is on traffic to look where it's going and a bright orange velomobile is easy to spot.

I think Karl should have been a bit friendlier and he might have been able to get his point across - that officer wasn't his enemy.

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Awavey replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
14 likes

I'd have more faith in the concerned about your safety line,if the police lifted more than a darn finger most of the time we report actual law breaking stuff to them that distinctly concerns our safety.

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PRSboy replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
4 likes

It was all a bit cringey, the impression I got was karlonsea trying to make something out of nothing for YT views.

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OnYerBike replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
10 likes

The police officer seemed reasonably polite in that bit of video. According to the original tweet, before the video started, the officer also told Karl to cycle on the footway (which would have been illegal) and threatened to book him if he came past again (despite no offence being committed).

Even if we just consider what we have on video:

1) He was still pulled over by the police whilst breaking no laws. No-one wants to be stopped by the police, it's unsurprising that Karl would be a bit annoyed and/or defensive.

2) The officer claimed to be concerned about Karl's safety. It is a pretty sorry state of affairs if you think a careful and competent motorist would not spot that thing - it's not exactly small and it is bright orange. 

3) I don't want to accuse this individual officer of hypocrisy, but as a cyclist it's frustrating to see that concern for safety is expressed by giving the cyclist words of advice, when we've seen time and time again police forces around the country ignoring dangerous and illegal driving by motorists.

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markieteeee replied to OnYerBike | 2 years ago
10 likes

I can see both sides really.  But it brings to mind one time in Southwark when there was a focus on cyclists (perhaps a 'charm offensive') for about a week or so and the police were having polite words with cyclists while they waited at red lights. One evening, I stopped at a junction alongside another cyclist who the police officer decided to speak with. The first thing he advised was that he ought to have lights on his bike... he did, and they were switched on, as were mine.  While the officer continued onto other safety concerns, a huge lorry pulled into the ASL at the red light behind us. I pointed this out to the officer and he said that today they were speaking with cyclists as there had been a few cyclists killed/injured on the roads lately. 

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HarrogateSpa replied to markieteeee | 2 years ago
2 likes

Yes. People are much easier to stop and speak to when they are on bikes. If you stop a huge lorry, you have to consider where to put it while you talk to the driver.

That isn't how policing decisions ought to be made, but I guess convenience is often the overriding factor.

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iandusud replied to OnYerBike | 2 years ago
2 likes

OnYerBike wrote:

3) I don't want to accuse this individual officer of hypocrisy, but as a cyclist it's frustrating to see that concern for safety is expressed by giving the cyclist words of advice, when we've seen time and time again police forces around the country ignoring dangerous and illegal driving by motorists.

Paticularly when that advice is that he shouldn't ride it on the road. Where does he suggest he should ride it?

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Hirsute replied to iandusud | 2 years ago
1 like

How is it any different from a recumbent?
I wonder what crippled biker would make of it?

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Philh68 replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
16 likes

The copper was being a dick. Obviously he's pulled over a vehicle because he's got no idea what it is, and there's no registration tag, and instead of having the balls to admit he was wrong to pull over a cyclist for no reason chose to make up a cock and bull story about visibility, as if nobody can see a bright orange canoe on wheels proceeding down the road.

Its a simple concept, to drive on the road you must look at the road therefore you should be able to see what is on the road. If you can't then it's not the fault of what you failed to see. This shifting of responsibility from drivers to the vulnerable road users has to stop. Pisses me off even more when cyclists buy into that crap.

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Richard D replied to Philh68 | 2 years ago
3 likes

Somewhat ironic that the officer was concerned about the visibility of a bright orange velomobile whose rider was committing no offence, yet was uable to spot an electric scooter whose rider definitely was.

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Secret_squirrel replied to Philh68 | 2 years ago
1 like

It pisses me off when people think being vunerable road users absolves them of all responsibility to make other road users aware of their existence, or allows them to defy the laws of physics, and in this particular case I dont think he's trying enough to do that, YMMV of course.

I personally kit myself and my bike out for the roads and traffic that exist today  - as me being in the right if I get hit by a motorist wont be much consolation to my friends and family, or me if I survive. 

If I was him I'd have a nice eye level flappy flag,  and I've exercised my personal judgement accordingly - end of story.

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Captain Badger replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
10 likes

Secret_squirrel wrote:

It pisses me off when people think being vunerable road users absolves them of all responsibility to make other road users aware of their existence, or allows them to defy the laws of physics, and in this particular case I dont think he's trying enough to do that, YMMV of course.

I personally kit myself and my bike out for the roads and traffic that exist today  - as me being in the right if I get hit by a motorist wont be much consolation to my friends and family, or me if I survive. 

If I was him I'd have a nice eye level flappy flag,  and I've exercised my personal judgement accordingly - end of story.

Trouble is, I can't make other people aware of my existence, being physically there is all I can do. I'm not wearing a f*cking invisibility cloak FFS.

His vehicle is orange, and he left his cloaking device behind. What more is there except  lights at night?

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wycombewheeler replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
4 likes

Secret_squirrel wrote:

It pisses me off when people think being vunerable road users absolves them of all responsibility to make other road users aware of their existence, or allows them to defy the laws of physics, and in this particular case I dont think he's trying enough to do that, YMMV of course.

I personally kit myself and my bike out for the roads and traffic that exist today  - as me being in the right if I get hit by a motorist wont be much consolation to my friends and family, or me if I survive. 

If I was him I'd have a nice eye level flappy flag,  and I've exercised my personal judgement accordingly - end of story.

Velomobile in front of car is easy to see. Velomobile easy to see for drivers pulling out of side roads.

There is potentially an issue when the velomobile is beside a car, presumbaly the user is smart enough not to put themself in that position. Drivers on the other hand..... Howevr a little flag is not going to help much when you are beside a car, afr to easy to miss sucha  small object.

These things are much more commonplace in europe I have seen them on significant length audax events, they don't get hit by cars because they are not difficult to see.

In the UK the attitude of the police seems to be to tolerate poor driving, and expect vulnerable road users to compensate.

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Philh68 replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
4 likes

Right, so a bright orange velomobile that is 8 feet long and 3 feet wide isn't visible enough, but a little flag on the end of a stick will make all the difference 

A little flappy flag at eye level, eye level for whom? The man driving his midlife crisis sports car, or the HGV driver that requires you to have a ten foot pole to put that flag at eye level?   Never mind asking if those drivers can see the lane markings painted on the road, and potholes and manhole covers and avoid running over them, why they can't see another vehicle in front of them…

 

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Captain Badger replied to Philh68 | 2 years ago
2 likes

Philh68 wrote:

The copper was being a dick. Obviously he's pulled over a vehicle because he's got no idea what it is, and there's no registration tag, and instead of having the balls to admit he was wrong to pull over a cyclist for no reason chose to make up a cock and bull story about visibility, as if nobody can see a bright orange canoe on wheels proceeding down the road.

This! What's wrong with "interesting vehicle sir, care to talk me through it?"

It wasn't about concern, it was about "oh shit, he is entitled to do that but I haven't got the interpersonal skills to back out gracefully"

Philh68 wrote:

Its a simple concept, to drive on the road you must look at the road therefore you should be able to see what is on the road. If you can't then it's not the fault of what you failed to see. This shifting of responsibility from drivers to the vulnerable road users has to stop. Pisses me off even more when cyclists buy into that crap.

No no no, you are responsible for whether other road users have got their eyes open or not.....

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wycombewheeler replied to Philh68 | 2 years ago
6 likes

Philh68 wrote:

The copper was being a dick. Obviously he's pulled over a vehicle because he's got no idea what it is, and there's no registration tag, and instead of having the balls to admit he was wrong to pull over a cyclist for no reason chose to make up a cock and bull story about visibility, as if nobody can see a bright orange canoe on wheels proceeding down the road.

Its a simple concept, to drive on the road you must look at the road therefore you should be able to see what is on the road. If you can't then it's not the fault of what you failed to see. This shifting of responsibility from drivers to the vulnerable road users has to stop. Pisses me off even more when cyclists buy into that crap.

Amazing he got stopped at all really, since the police officer presumably couldn't see him

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eburtthebike replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
4 likes

wycombewheeler wrote:

Amazing he got stopped at all really, since the police officer presumably couldn't see him

Like all the drivers complaining about the invisible cyclists; that they saw last night.

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eburtthebike replied to Philh68 | 2 years ago
8 likes

Philh68 wrote:

This shifting of responsibility from drivers to the vulnerable road users has to stop. Pisses me off even more when cyclists buy into that crap.

This; a thousand times this.

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belugabob replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
3 likes

I was concerned for the safety of the police officer - who chose to crouch down (thereby making himself less visible) in live traffic, to patronise a road user about being unsafe, instead of moving to the pavement, to do so.

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Captain Badger replied to belugabob | 2 years ago
0 likes

belugabob wrote:

I was concerned for the safety of the police officer - who chose to crouch down (thereby making himself less visible) in live traffic, to patronise a road user about being unsafe, instead of moving to the pavement, to do so.

He was wearing dark blue too (under the hiviz of course, just like Karlonsea was under the orange shell. Probably)

Neither of them wearing lids.

Asking for it I'd say.....

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makadu | 2 years ago
16 likes

Police really need to track down that regents park driver so they can issue him a warning letter

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hawkinspeter replied to makadu | 2 years ago
2 likes

makadu wrote:

Police really need to track down that regents park driver so they can issue him a warning letter

If only the other cyclists had thought to take his reg.

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Bungle73 replied to makadu | 2 years ago
2 likes

Warning letter? They need to be prosecuted and given a ban.

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Stilton replied to Bungle73 | 2 years ago
5 likes

Makadu is making a sarcastic reference to the pathetically light treatment that car drivers get when they've damaged (and even killed) cyclists.

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
0 likes

Difficult to follow what happened in regents park. The bloke with the broken bike was near the middle of the road.
Did the driver actually mount the pavement?

Why are motorised vehicles allowed anyway?

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Awavey replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
1 like

Yeah I watched it several times yesterday,think theres a longer version of the clip too out there but I'm still none the wiser how it all started and then ended up like it did. Hopefully they can find some CCTV of the car at least.

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RoubaixCube replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
1 like

hirsute wrote:

Why are motorised vehicles allowed anyway?

Because there is a zoo, A college, A Mosque, A Church, A school, A Rotary Club and some posh residential areas and probably a lot more stuff (and im not even counting all the places of interest inside the park itself...) all within the same vicinity of the park.

It isnt as simple as closing all the gates to stop all vehicles from entering.

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andystow replied to RoubaixCube | 2 years ago
3 likes

It could easily be made not a through route with some bollards.

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RoubaixCube replied to RoubaixCube | 2 years ago
0 likes

then that would require some form of manned or unmanned gate keeping or a carpark built away from the park within short walkable distance to the zoo.

Either way, that all costs money...lots of money. Lots of people park in the outer ring to visit the park, the zoo or any of the surrounding area. Imagine if you were disabled but couldnt visit the park or the zoo because you couldnt park close by.

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