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Comedian Rob Beckett says he has 'never seen a cyclist smile';15mph speed limit to be introduced in City of London next year; Police officers conduct patrols on bicycle due to lack of fuel; Hundreds of cyclists rave in tunnel + more on the live blog

Will Bolton is back on the blog again today...
28 September 2021, 15:12
Reaction to Fair Fuel UK boss having his house marked as petrol station

One of the big stories on road.cc over the last couple of days was the tale of the Fair Fuel UK boss having his house marked as a petrol staion on Google Maps - allegedly by who he described as 'Militant cyclists'. 

The ​head of Fair Fuel UK, which lobbies the government over fuel duty, says he has been inundated with calls from panic-buying drivers after an unknown person listed his home as a petrol station on Google Maps.

After reading the story, one road.cc reader commented: "Perhaps he should have bought some  fuel and given it away to needy folk who arrived at his house....that would have been the charitable thing to do...or bought fuel and sold it a high mark up to fund his lobbying."

Another reader added: 'Militant cyclist sounds cool.'

Philip Cower also offered his opinion: "I think we should say his address is a highly successful coffee shop.

"Imagine his face when about 30 cycles rock up all at once."

28 September 2021, 13:13
15 mph speed limit to be introduced in City of London next year

The City of London is planning to introduce a blanket 15mph speed limit to 'save lives', according to a planning document due to be discussed in a transport committee next month. 

Bruce McVean, acting assistant director of transportation at the City of London Corporation, said: “A request for in principle support for a 15mph speed limit will shortly be submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport. 

“If this is agreed, we will begin work on an experimental traffic order (ETO) to introduce a City-wide 15mph limit, with the aim of having this in place before the end of 2022.”

“Through the Transport Strategy we have committed to eliminate death and serious injuries on the City’s streets by 2040."

As well as introducing a 15mph speed limit the City of London also aims to widen pavements in a “Pedestrian Priority Programme” that will “give more priority to people walking.” 

There will also be an expanded cycle network with links from Aldgate to the protected cycleway on the Thames Embankment, Forbes report. 

The City of London previously planned to introduce a 15mph speed limit in 2019. At the time, AA president Edmund King said it would not make much difference because motor traffic in the Square Mile has “moved no faster than a horse and cart for 100 years anyway.”

Indeed, as the author of the latest article, Carlton Reid, pointed out, 15mph is actually about double the speed most vehicles travel at in London. 

28 September 2021, 12:28
Cyclist killed in hit-and-run on the edge of the Surrey Hills.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a cyclist was killed in a suspected hit-and-run crash on the edge of the Surrey Hills.

It happened in Horsham Road, Cranleigh, at 18:05 BST on Monday, when the rider was struck by a white vehicle which failed to stop.

The cyclist was treated by paramedics but pronounced dead shortly afterwards. His next of kin have been informed.

Police are searching for the driver and have appealed to any witnesses or people with dashcam footage to get in touch.

28 September 2021, 11:55
Brainteaser - can you spot all the cyclists?

A brainteaser, created by Fletchers Solicitors, shows a bustling town.

Hidden amongst pedestrians, as well as those travelling by car and van, are ten cyclists or motorcyclists to spot.

The bike injury specialists have released this challenging brainteaser to highlight the importance of drivers being aware of cyclists on the road.

The law firm has also revealed some of the top locations that put motorcyclists and cyclists at risk of accidents, which have been worked into the brainteaser to educate drivers and cyclists.

Credit: Fletchers Solicitors - cycling brainteaser

 

28 September 2021, 11:14
Hundreds of cyclists rave in a tunnel in the heart of the City of London

Drum & Bass On The Bike was out on the streets of London this weekend with hundreds of cyclists turning up.

28 September 2021, 10:20
Jasper Stuyven gets 'chocolate medal' after missing out at World Championships

Jasper Stuyven's uncle has made him a chocolate medal after the Belgian rider finished just outside of the podium at the World Championships.

His uncle Ivan, who runs a chocolate workshop with Stuyven, posted on Instagram after the race showing the detailed design. 

He said: "Now we have the chocolate medal [for] ourselves.

"Such a shame, but still so proud."

28 September 2021, 09:55
Comedian Rob Beckett claims 'he has never seen a cyclist smile'

Comedian Rob Beckett has come under fire after he posted a Tweet claiming he has ‘never seen a cyclist smile’.

He was immediately challenged by lots of cyclists who pointed out if riders didn’t look happy on the roads it was probably because they had just narrowly avoided being wiped out by an SUV.

While some questioned whether the Tweet was meant to be ironic, one man, Dave Walker, commented: “Hi Rob. We’re quite a happy bunch really. But around town look serious as we’re concentrating on not being hit by a wayward driver.”

Another, Chris Day, said: “Hi Rob, 99 per cent of the time I'm riding my bike I'm really happy - I'm getting fresh air, endorphins, it's keeping me slim and healthy, plus I'm saving a shedload of money. The 1 per cent I'm not happy is when I get cut up or close passed by angry, impatient motorists. I hope this helps.”

Cyclists also flooded the thread with lots of photographs of happy, smiling people on bikes - including a nice one of Beckett himself.

28 September 2021, 09:12
Author Tim Moore able to see the funny side of negative comments about latest book

Cycling author Tim Moore was able to see the funny side of some rather negative comments left below the road.cc review of his latest book. 

Clearly, this road.cc reader was not a fan of Moore, or his style of writing, and said he thought he was a 'w*****r of the highest order'.

The author's latest book, Vuelta Skelter, is out now and details the exploits of Julián Berrendero in the 1941 Spanish Tour alongside Moor's own re-tracing of the route. 

28 September 2021, 09:04
CCTV shows just how quickly bike thief is able to cut through lock

CCTV released by North Yorkshire police shows how easy it is for thieves to cut through cheap bicycle locks - even in broad daylight.

This theft took place in Lendal, York, at 2.45pm on 14 August. The bike stolen was a Carrera Vengeance electric bike, which is grey with red stripes.

PC Jamie Gibson said:  “The victim has secured their bike to a cycle rack with a lock, however the lock is cut and the bike is stolen within seconds.

“The CCTV footage demonstrate how thieves can quickly steal a cycle which has a cheap or poor lock. To help deter opportunistic criminals, we strongly recommend using an approved locking device.”

28 September 2021, 08:27
Owain Doull joins EF Education-NIPPO from Ineos Grenadiers

Welsh pro cyclist Owain Doull has announced he will join EF Education-Nippo from next season. 

The 28-year-old said: "I always like doing my part for the team and that’s one of the things I find so attractive about joining EF. There’s a mixture of opportunities I’ll have and I’ll be able to explore my limits more.” 

He added: “The Classics will be a big goal. Obviously the team has a great pedigree in the guys they’ve got there already but hopefully I can add to that... A different style of racing completely, I think that’s the thing I’m most excited for.”

28 September 2021, 07:43
Deceuninck - Quick-Step auctions a unique S-works Tarmac SL7 to support climate change project

World Tour team Deceuninck - Quick-Step is auctioning off a one of a kind S-Works Tarmac SL7 with the proceeds going towards a new climate change initiative in France. 

Deceuninck---Quick-Step-Specialized

The frame is raw carbon, and instead of paint, the texture is drawn on by hand.

The bike also has the message #ItStartsWithUs mirrored in chrome supposedly to 'force the person looking at the design to reflect on themselves and remember that they too play a role in the fight to save our planet'.

If you want the chance to get your hands on this unique bike (although it is only in a 56cm frame) then you can enter here.

Based in Brittany, the climate project is one of the first ‘Label bas Carbone’ climate action initiatives in France.

This scheme reduces the carbon footprint by 'sequestering CO2' and planting more than 3000 local tree species by the end of 2021.

28 September 2021, 07:36
Yorkshire Police conduct patrols on bikes due to lack of fuel

Police officers in North Yorkshire had to abandon their vehicles and conduct patrols on bicycles this weekend due to the lack of fuel in petrol stations.

Officers covering the Scarborough District revealed on Twitter that when they arrived at a station forecourt on Sunday night they could not refuel their vehicle, The Yorkshire Post reports. 

The Government announced yesterday that it will suspend competition law to help secure fuel deliveries to petrol stations across the country.

Police North Yorkshire

 

Add new comment

54 comments

Avatar
Jenova20 | 2 years ago
5 likes

Very concerning that they're planning to triple London's speed limit to 15mph. This will cost lives.

Avatar
Roulereo | 2 years ago
1 like

Drum and Bass on the Bike is urgently needed in Melbourne Australia. 

Melbourne is being crushed by a Dictator who has closed parliament and enforced the world's longest and harshest Lockdown on its 5 million citizens, at 240 days +. Melbourne is a Bio-medical Police State in desperate need of saving. 

Any form of protest is illegal, Victoria Police enforce this with utmost violence (riot police ran through the CBD on the weekend shooting plastic bullets and throwing flash grenades). People posting comments on Facebook have been arrested for 'incitement', and non mainstream journalists (who question the Dictator or otherwise don't follow the Government spin) are 'visited' by Victoria Police at their homes.

A Jewish Synagogue was 'visited' by Victoria Police during Rosh Hashana, > 10 police and undercover detectives stood guard outside for 2 days to ensure no one could attend worship, with the Riot Police horses on the street outside for extra intimidation. 

Nightime curfew is in place, all restauarants and pubs are closed (take away service only), all schools are closed and kids' sport is banned also. Mental health in children has skyrocketed, all while there has not being a single death amongst children from Covid in Melbourne. Councils have placed concrete blocks and stones in skate parks/bowls, playgrounds are banned for children >12 years old, and basketball hoops have been removed from all courts. All gyms are closed also. 

The Dictator Dan Andrews has used 'emergency powers' to ban any unvaccinated people from working in certain industries (ie. construction), and the unvaccinated will be banned from entering pubs or restaurants, sporting events, etc. The fine for not wearing a mask in public is $1,500, and $5,900 for being caught more than 10km from home without a valid reason (there are 4). 

This is despite there being not one death from Covid in the state this year, less than 400 people in hospital due to Covid, and 80% of the population (16 yrs + older) having already had their first vaccinations.  

The only problem is cycling is banned more than than 10km from your home, or with another person. Cycling bunches are regularly scolded for visiting cafes after a ride, I had a Covid Karen take a photo of my bunch for her Facebook group no doubt. The Melburne equivalent of the Stasi is made up of the Dictator's acolytes and Covid Karens all happily scolding 'rule breakers' despite the overwhelming health benefits of cycling and fact of zero Covid cases being transmitted outdoors.  

Would love to see someone copy the Drum and Bass dude in Melbourne though, the people are being crushed and need some outlet...

 

Avatar
eburtthebike | 2 years ago
8 likes

That's odd Rob, I've seen hundreds of cyclists laughing their heads off as they ride past the queues of frowning, miserable drivers outside the petrol stations.

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
4 likes

And I split my sides at this one:

"Drivers queue for three hours to get into petrol station - which was closed"

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/drivers-queue-three-hours...

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to eburtthebike | 2 years ago
2 likes

And another one to tickle Rob

Man who tailed tanker driver angry he didn’t stop to say he wasn’t carrying fuel

https://metro.co.uk/2021/10/02/fuel-crisis-man-who-tailed-tanker-driver-...

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
11 likes

Not my own but one Tweet summed up Rob Beckett's comment rather pithily: "This has a strong vibe of 'In my experience women don't enjoy sex' about it."

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David9694 replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
2 likes

Sounds to me like RB needs to get better material. 

Avatar
Captain Badger | 2 years ago
0 likes

Bob has of course got a smile that would light up a room (probably more than one if the walls are thin). One is confident that he also is no stranger to the superior conveyance. He would, it may be observed, need no front light after dusk....

Avatar
Jigzy99 | 2 years ago
0 likes

I think Rob Beckett has a point. Lots of miserable fellow cyclists out and about in Devon, mainly those who don't nod or wave! I have even commented on it on it as a Strava title in the past. 

Avatar
Wingguy replied to Jigzy99 | 2 years ago
8 likes

Jigzy99 wrote:

I think Rob Beckett has a point. Lots of miserable fellow cyclists out and about in Devon, mainly those who don't nod or wave! I have even commented on it on it as a Strava title in the past. 

While conversely, people who feel the need to complain multiple times about imagined slights by total strangers are the happiest people  3

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
8 likes

I'm very much not convinced by the proposed 15mph limit across the City of London by the ...checks diary... end of 2022?

As Greta Thunberg aptly puts it - it's just 'blah blah blah'.

Avatar
markieteeee replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
2 likes

It's a tiny area and 15mph is faster than the average speed on surrounding streets anyway. They score very highly with healthy street measures, perhaps an easier task as it's not really a residential area.  They've wanted to do this for years, if it's do-able anywhere, it's here.  

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to markieteeee | 2 years ago
2 likes

If it's camera-controlled it will certainly make things nicer on weekends, when the children of oligarchs get bored with ripping it up round Mayfair and Kensington they're not averse to bringing their Ferraris round there on a Sunday morning for a bit of stupid driving to put on Instagram.

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markieteeee replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
0 likes

Let's hope.

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mdavidford replied to markieteeee | 2 years ago
1 like

I thought hp's point was not that it couldn't be done, but the opposite - that it's a tiny meaningless gesture in the scheme of things, and unambitious to only be looking to do it by the end of 2022.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
0 likes

Exactly.

We've known about climate catastrophe for decades and our 'leaders' just keep on stating how important and critical it is, yet there's very little action and even the action that does happen takes forever.

Avatar
markieteeee replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
0 likes

I also didn't think he meant that it couldn't be done either and agree that the timeline is far too slow. The City of London, however, only have the square mile to deal with and can hardly aim wider than the area they are responsible for,  so it's not necessarily unambitious unless you want them to invade Westminster or something (not necessarily a bad idea). If all local authorities replicated their tiny meaningless gestures then we'd be much further forward in the scheme of things.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to markieteeee | 2 years ago
0 likes

If they've wanted to do this for years, they should have done it years ago.

Here in Bristol, we've got a 20mph limit on most roads and that's been in place for a few years already - it shouldn't take another year to implement speed restrictions in the City of London.

Avatar
markieteeee replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
0 likes

Completely agree - definitely should have been done years ago.  Oddly, one (presumably not insurmountable) hurdle is that our speed limits go in increments of 10mph, so they have to apply to someone/somewhere or make special orders to make it happen rather than just imposing it. Does anyone know anything about this? It sounds odd to me - presumably drivers can count in 5s as well as 10s (my eight year olds can).

Avatar
Tom_77 replied to markieteeee | 2 years ago
2 likes

markieteeee wrote:

Completely agree - definitely should have been done years ago.  Oddly, one (presumably not insurmountable) hurdle is that our speed limits go in increments of 10mph, so they have to apply to someone/somewhere or make special orders to make it happen rather than just imposing it. Does anyone know anything about this? It sounds odd to me - presumably drivers can count in 5s as well as 10s (my eight year olds can).

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...

"Any speed limits below 30 mph, other than 20 mph limits or 20 mph zones,
require individual consent from the Secretary of State."

Avatar
markieteeee replied to Tom_77 | 2 years ago
1 like

Cheers Tom.

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
1 like

Sidewalks?

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mdavidford replied to Hirsute | 2 years ago
4 likes

hirsute wrote:

Sidewalks?

Lazily copied from the source Forbes article.

Avatar
chrisonabike | 2 years ago
5 likes

Getting through bike locks - I think everyone must know the limitations by now but if you want to watch the world lock burn the Lock Picking Lawyer's "destructive" video series is an excellent no-fat video collection (all locks not just bike specific).  Particular awards go to the makers of Ottolock / LiteLok who are politely and mercilessly roasted for overselling their security.

Avatar
Steve K replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
3 likes

chrisonatrike wrote:

Getting through bike locks - I think everyone must know the limitations by now but if you want to watch the world lock burn the Lock Picking Lawyer's "destructive" video series is an excellent no-fat video collection (all locks not just bike specific).  Particular awards go to the makers of Ottolock / LiteLok who are politely and mercilessly roasted for overselling their security.

Those videos just depress and worry me!  On the Litelok one, I do wonder in the real world when a bike was locked to something whether you be able to get the purchase, leverage and angles he does to break it so easily, but even so, it's pretty scary how quickly he gets through it.

Avatar
chrisonabike | 2 years ago
9 likes

I couldn't see any cyclists in the brainteaser puzzle, until I got out of my car. Then they were everywhere!

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
5 likes

Is one lying under the HGV?

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Captain Badger replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
4 likes

chrisonatrike wrote:

I couldn't see any cyclists in the brainteaser puzzle, until I got out of my car. Then they were everywhere!

I can't see them cos they're not wearing hiviz

Avatar
ktache | 2 years ago
14 likes

Obviously Rob didn't see me on my morning commute early last week, as the mist lifted as I was riding down the canal tow path. Enchanting it was.

Or the week before when the dew was caught on all of the tiny spiders webs being lit by the low sun...

Avatar
wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
23 likes

If rob becket is only seeing unhappy or angry cyclists, then he's probably a bad driver.

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