Why don't cyclists use cycle lanes? Because it's a car park; Government shuts down latest mandatory helmet question; Toughest job in pro cycling commentary; Police horse rider catches phone-using driver; Strike day, bike day + more on the live blog

We often joke semi-facetiously that the reasons why we might not use a cycle lane are well into the thousands by now... poor condition, terrible routing, painful give way lines... the list goes on. But bike lane blockages, namely by those who've 'just popped to the shops' or are 'just dropping something off' would be right up there in the top ten reasons, we'd assume...

"There's a car park 20 meters away": Cyclists slam cycle lane parking putting riders in dangerhttps://t.co/ENa2l6sMQP #cycling pic.twitter.com/rbTbLLdqlg

— road.cc (@roadcc) March 14, 2023

Yep, this is yesterday's story about the cycle lane in Bristol on... *checks notes* Park Row... that is, well, yep, you see the irony...

> "There's a car park 20 metres away": Cyclists slam cycle lane parking putting riders in danger

The story prompted a bit of discussion about the issue in the comments, the perfect start to a live blog in my book...

pete666 reckons we could have a job for Danny MacAskill, "to ride over the offending vehicles", while eburtthebike was (jokingly) outraged at the fact the nearest multi-storey car park is a whole 20 metres away...

"You expect me to walk twenty metres?!  Quite, quite mad."

Even Google Maps' Street View has captured the absurdity of the situation...

Owd Big 'Ead: "If Bristol is anything like Derby, it would appear that double yellow lines and a continuous white line denoting a cycle lane count for nothing. Whether loading, or not, vehicles of all kinds are allowed to park wherever they like with absolutely no chance of enforcement measures against them.

"It makes me wonder what the actual point of putting cycle lanes in at all, is all about. Are councils really that hard-pressed that they will take any government funding available, whether needed or not, just so that they can go through the exercise of ticking a box or two and believing that they are doing their bit?

"There is one 20 metre contraflow section in Derby city centre that is constantly full of private hire taxis every Friday and Saturday night, where you are already dodging pissed up revellers then turn a corner to find the cycle lane full of cars and a bus coming headlong at you with nowhere to go.

"I've queried this lack of enforcement with the groups of police that wander the streets keeping the pissed up yobbos from scrapping and all you get is a shrug of the shoulders or 'try walking if you don't like it'!!"

Oldfatgit: "Makes me laugh that the same people moaning about cyclists pointing this stuff out, will be the same people that moan that cyclists never use the cycle lanes"

HoldingOn: "There are several cars parked on the solid line cycle lane on my route to/from work every day. It really bothers me when nothing is done about it. People I've spoken to about it usually respond with 'I didn't know you weren't allowed to park in a cycle lane'.

"Ignorance is not an excuse to break the law, however I do think Bristol council could help remove any form of doubt, by putting a cover over the parking meter so drivers don't see the parking sign on its side and think its okay to park there."

Sriracha: "'Park Row' — maybe it's nominative determinism?"

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by British Cycling (@britishcycling)

Here's where the jerseys will be decided this year...

As per British Cycling, the championships will begin one day earlier than usual with the time trials on Wednesday 21 June, due to local restrictions and venue availability, and further details of the route will be released in due course.

The circuit races will then take place on Friday in Redcar town centre before the road races on the Sunday, starting and finishing in Saltburn.

 Local rider Charlie Tanfield said it'll be a "special" event. "I cannot wait to go to Redcar in June. Having raced at the Tour of Britain last year, the crowds were amazing and I'm really hoping to claim another national podium this year."

Full details of the routes and profiles will be announced in due course...

The big news this lunchtime? No, not the Budget... Pidcock's out of Milan-San Remo...

> Tom Pidcock to miss Milan-San Remo after concussion diagnosis

Also on the news front, active travel campaigners have lost their High Court legal challenge over the decision to rip out the High Street Kensington cycle lane back in December 2020. Full story here...

On the tech front, Mat had a big scoop yesterday...

> Campagnolo is definitely going wireless and ditching thumb levers… and these pictures prove it

While editor Jack got his fine-tooth comb out for a look at the All Party Cycling and Walking Group's meeting one year on from the major Highway Code changes. Let's just say the adjective "disappointing" was fairly prominent...

> "Disappointing": Department for Transport drops out of All-Party meeting on Highway Code changes as publicity issue discussed

And to top off a hectic day of action on all fronts... some more grim news from the bike industry...

> Bike industry turmoil continues as Forme bikes and Lake cycling shoes distributor enters liquidation

Hero of the day/week/month goes to Lotte Kopecky, the SD Worx star who just won Belgian semi-classic Nokere Koerse solo, the win made all the more impressive by the fact her family suffered the passing of her brother on Saturday, aged 29.

Lotte Kopecky: "I think I raced with two today."

Absolutely stunning mental strength there after losing your brother a couple of days before

— José Been (@JoseBeenTV) March 15, 2023

Utterly speechless at that performance from Lotte Kopecky. She understandably doesn't celebrate across the line as she wins Nokere Koerse. I can't imagine how she must be feeling, yet her strength and dominance is just breathtaking. Pure dignity and class ❤️ #NokereKoerse

— Katy M (@writebikerepeat) March 15, 2023

"I made the choice to race today," she said at the finish. "I really wanted to race today no matter what. These were not easy days, it's just no use to let your head hang and today I just wanted to race, I'm happy that it worked out and I think today I raced with two." 

Lotte Kopecky vince la Nokere ma non esulta.
Non alza le braccia al cielo.
Le sue compagne la abbracciano dopo il traguardo.

Lotte Kopecky ha perso il fratello 3 giorni fa. Questa vittoria non può che essere per lui 🙏❤#EurosportCICLISMO #NokereKoerse pic.twitter.com/7sfwqniPTQ

— Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) March 15, 2023

Yesterday, Labour's MP for Liverpool Walton, Dan Carden, had a written question for the Department for Transport... 

For what reasons the government will not make it a legal requirement for cyclists to wear helmets?

 In reply, the Minister of State for the Department for Transport said the government "recommends that all cyclists wear helmets, as set out in the Highway Code" and "particularly encourages children to wear helmets".

> Endura designs "world's most graphic cycle helmets" featuring CAT scans of cyclists' brain injuries to encourage helmet wearing

"Helmet wearing is strongly advised in the Bikeability programme and school children are taught the correct way to fit them. A 2018 safety review considered mandating helmet wearing for all cyclists but concluded that this would deter many people from cycling and therefore any safety benefits would undermine wider health and environmental benefits," the reply came.

It is Cheltenham week after all...

Officers from @ASPoliceHorses have been supporting #OpTelecom, our operation to clamp down on the risk posed by drivers who use their phone at the wheel. This driver was sighted & stopped on East Reach, #Taunton. Drivers face 6 points & £200 fine if caught using a phone.#FATAL5 pic.twitter.com/sW3YXWcaMU

— ASPolice Roads Policing (RPU) (@ASPRoadSafety) March 14, 2023

Get your best gags in the comments...

WARNING: anything involving 'why such the long face' WILL result in disciplinary action...