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"What possible justification is there for this?" Bike racks in Norwich closed for "Royal Period of Mourning" goes viral; Remco wins the Vuelta; Reaction to Hammersmith cancelling Car Free Day; Cabbie "meltdown" in CyclingMikey vid + more on the live blog

It's Monday, we're getting used to saying King Charles III and Jack Sexty is kicking things off in the morning, with some other members of the news team chipping in this afternoon...
Mon, Sep 12, 2022 08:55
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"What possible justification is there for this?" Bike racks in Norwich closed for "Royal Period of Mourning" goes viral; Remco wins the Vuelta; Reaction to Hammersmith cancelling Car Free Day; Cabbie "meltdown" in CyclingMikey vid + more on the live blogNorwich bike racks closed Sep 22 (Jeremy Hutchinson)
12 September 2022, 16:03
Bike rack(s)gate Norwich: a closing round-up of reactions

Well since this morning we've found out from our spotter Terry that it's actually multiple bike racks with signs on around Norwich City Hall, and interestingly the wording appears to be slightly different on each one. 

Even though, as some have pointed out, there is something of a reasonable explanation for the closure of the racks, in the court of public opinion the council are still taking a fair bit of flak for closing them for such a lengthy period of time. 

Someone proudly proclaiming to be an anti-monarchist has now even parked their bike in front of the sign in protest.

12 September 2022, 15:55
Always remember to make eye contact with drivers

Unless you're Shaquille O'Neal, that might be difficult in some parts of the USA where these very, very large pickup trucks appear to be gaining popularity amongst sections of the population that, we suspect, are not using them for logging....

12 September 2022, 15:39
Active travel news and state funeral news colliding much more than we were anticipating this week...
12 September 2022, 15:18
Cyclist "fighting for his life" after being hit by lorry driver in Southwark
Police tape (CC licensed by freefotouk on Flickr)

Police rushed to Great Dover Street outside Borough Underground Station in London at 7.35am this morning following the collision between a cyclist and a flat-bed lorry driver. The Evening Standard reports that the male cyclist was taken to hospital for treatment, and he is in a critical condition.

The driver of the flat-bed lorry stopped at the scene, and there have been no arrests made at the time of writing. 

12 September 2022, 14:22
Remco Evenepoel wins La Vuelta a España: Roundup after final stage in Madrid
Remco Evenepoel vuelta espana podium 2022 (Wout Beels)
Wout Beel

 

As Remco Evenepoel crossed the line yesterday in the Spanish capital of Madrid he became the first Belgian to win a Grand Tour in 44 years. He also took the first Grand Tour win for his team, Quick-Step AlphaVinyl, and boy did we know about it!

Along with multiple posts to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram they also posted 79 Instagram stories throughout the day, granted one of two were from the GP Montreal, but mostly it was Remco in Red. Here are a few social media posts after the final stage...

12 September 2022, 12:23
More peculiar marks of respect for Her Majesty

As we've already mentioned, a number of events have been simmered down or cancelled altogether following the death of Queen Elizabeth last Thursday, and some of the decisions have left people scratching their heads... with the one to cancel Car Free Day in Hammersmith yesterday standing out as one of the most puzzling. 

Is it more respectful to drive round Hammersmith than to walk, cycle or catch the bus? With what we suspect is a hint of sarcasm, Sue and John added: "She would really really have appreciated this gesture - stopping local people celebrating a lovely and community-focused idea was the reason she got up in the morning." 

12 September 2022, 11:32
Norwich bike rackgate: a passer-by comes forth with more information
Norwich bike racks closed Sep 22 (Jeremy Hutchinson)

While we still await further comment from Norwich City Council (though as EnjoyTheRide points out in the comments, it's probably not its top priority right now) we've heard from an intrepid reader who happens to be in Norwich today for some eyewitness reporting. 

Norwich bike rack during royal proclamation 2022 - Terry Gilbert

Terry Gilbert tells road.cc that four cycle racks around City Hall have the notices on:

"The excuse seems to be to allow people to leave flowers, but I took a photo showing that currently the flowers are not at the point where they encroach near the bike racks," said Terry. 

"If it's for presentation reasons, I for one think the notices are rather more distracting from the aesthetic of the City Hall frontage than a bike!" 

Norwich bike rack rear side during royal proclamation 2022 - Terry Gilbert

He added: "On the other side of the main steps to the building, the racks have been closed to enable them to rope off the footway for the vast queues waiting to sign the condolence book." 

Norwich bike rack sign during royal proclamation 2022 - Terry Gilbert

"Here's the floral tribute notice, close up" 

Do we still think this heavy-handed approach is appropriate? According to our live analytics a lot of people are pondering this very question right now... 

Thanks to Terry for supplying the photos and info

12 September 2022, 12:22
12 September 2022, 11:31
Win some very nice carbon wheels in our latest mega competition!
12 September 2022, 09:51
CyclingMikey's latest video sees cab driver in "meltdown" over being caught phone driving

This one might take up most of your lunch break to watch in its entirely, and I'm not sure you'll learn much from doing so... essentially the driver is really, really not happy that he has ben caught using a phone at the wheel, and repeatedly says the person who caught him doing so is "disgusting", as well as calling his bike "cheap" (for the record, it's most likely not a cheap bike at all). 

After a lot of shouting and the de-escalation of what nearly turned into a physical altercation, the offender himself called the police, the officers appear puzzled and CyclingMikey, real name Mike Van Erp, left the scene after chatting to one of the attending officers. 

Van Erp said in the video description: "I was too late to report this driver as I was busy at work at the time, so he got off completely scott-free. Interestingly, TfL have recently changed their policies on what offences will result in a green badge being revoked. It takes at least 12 points, or two mobile phone convictions, to be considered for driver licence disqualification. TfL will, however, revoke a green badge or PHV licence for a single mobile phone conviction.

"I hope this taxi driver doesn't use his phone any more. I also hope that this incident gave him a big shock." 

12 September 2022, 09:10
Bike rackgate: some further analysis

As mentioned in our post further down the page, numerous people have defended Norwich City Council for the closing of the bike rack outside City Hall due to the events taking place in the area. As you can see above, the proclamation for King Charles III took place yesterday afternoon, and it's expected that high volumes of people will visit to leave flowers during the national period of mourning. 

norwich city hall - google maps
Google Maps

We're quite certain this is the cycle rack in question, which is indeed right outside City Hall, and could in theory become tricky to access if large crowds formed around it.

So, is it possible that long queues to pay respects will last for 12 days, thus rendering the rack unusable? This is almost too much for a Monday morning... 

12 September 2022, 08:42
Londoners: be prepared to devise another bike route

As we also noted in our news story after the death of Elizabeth II last week, a number of road closures and diversions will be in force during preparations for the funeral in London. We predicted some of the roads in the map above could be closed for several weeks, including Cycleway 3, which passes both Buckingham Palace and Parliament Square, plus Wellington Barracks where many of the troops who provide ceremonial duties in London are based.

We're still waiting for all the exact details from TfL, and will update when we know more. At the moment, TfL's page on travel advice for the mourning period regarding cycling says: "Avoid the roads that are closed to motor traffic and use alternatives if possible. Central London will be very busy. It may be too crowded to cycle in some areas.

"Follow the instructions of stewards and police - you may need to dismount and walk at times." 

12 September 2022, 08:10
Britain is baffled by a cycle rack in Norwich... closed for 12 days due to "Royal period of Mourning"

If your bike is locked up safe and sound, are you really even mourning? That appears to be the message Norwich City Council are trying to hammer home, after a local spotted this bike rack outside City Hall had been closed... for 12 whole days, in what some people are suggesting is a bizarre mark of respect to our late monarch. 

Although, is there a reasonable explanation? One road.cc reader from Norwich got in touch to say that as the cycle rack is outside City Hall it could be justifiable to put it out of use during the proclamation for King Charles III, but they were puzzled as to why it needed to be shut for the entire mourning period. 

Jeremy, who took the photo, also told us: "There were a few people commentating on it and saying that because there’s people leaving flowers outside and going into the city hall building to sign the book of condolences that there might be a queue to get in which would get in the way of the cycle racks.

"The flowers weren’t really near them, and I’m not sure that people would be queueing for all of the days it’s out of action, so seemed a bit of overkill."

Of course social media has gone into overdrive about this seemingly OTT mark of 'respect', with Jeremy Vine and many others chiming in to wonder just why locking your bike up over the next week or so is disrespectful. 

It's not the only unusual bit of meddling from authorities and event organisers that has taken place since the passing of Elizabeth II aged 96, with a number of children's events targeted for cancellation during the period of mourning such as Ironkids at Ironman Wales, the children's fun run at the Great North Run and this fair on Wimbledon Common... 

Of course, we've put a question in to Norwich City Council to get their side of the story on that now infamous bike rack... 

12 September 2022, 08:59
Christmas has come early for road.cc Liam
Liam procyclingstats

...because he now has a ProCyclingStats page! Liam will be looking to add to his other stellar results such as 36th at the Category 2 National Trophy Series Round 5 in Pembrey over this year's cyclocross season, do stay tuned... 

12 September 2022, 08:03

Invalid Scald ID.

Remco Evenepoel takes Vuelta red jersey, becoming first Belgian to win a Grand Tour in 44 years
Remco Evenepoel Vuelta 2022 (Wout Beel)
Wout Beel

Unbelievable as it is, it really is true that Evenepoel is the first Belgian for almost half a century to win one of cycling's Grand Tours. After some wobbles in the mountains the 22-year-old managed to hold on in style and finished over two minutes ahead of Enric Mas in second place. 

Of course Evenepoel had a lovely red Specialized Tarmac to mark the occasion, and did some classic poses with his teammates before rolling across the line... 

Can this lad win the Tour de France one day? We're still just glad he picked cycling over football... 

 

Jack Sexty

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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39 comments

Avatar
srchar replied to Dogless | 1 year ago
4 likes

Dogless wrote:

Last close pass I had the driver leant out the window and shouted 'helmets!' at me and the 4 year old

Like I said, they're not all there. The presence of kids doesn't seem to temper some of them.

Before I had the cargo bike, I used an audax bike with a kid seat attached to the seat post, and a trailer. On one ride, the trailer warning flag fell from the vertical to the horizontal, making my bike much wider (but only about as wide as a car). I noticed because two drivers passed me really wide, while shouting abuse.  The first shouted a simple, "fucking wanker", while the second shouted, "you're blocking the fucking road you cunt", completely missing the irony of overtaking someone you claim is blocking the road. This language and aggression while I had an obviously young (4-year old) kid on the back.

Avatar
brooksby replied to srchar | 1 year ago
1 like

srchar wrote:

... completely missing the irony of overtaking someone you claim is blocking the road.

Same as when a cyclist, or even two cyclists, are accused of 'taking up all the road' by a person sitting in an SUV on their own...

Avatar
PRSboy | 1 year ago
16 likes

A bit humbug possibly but I find this whole leaving of flowers thing for people you've never met rather strange.  Its expensive and a waste, not to mention someone has to clear it all up, along with lots of single-use plastic wrapping.

I wonder if the Royal family should recommend charities to donate to, if people wish.

Avatar
Patrick9-32 replied to PRSboy | 1 year ago
4 likes

Not humbug at all, flowers make sense when they are going to the family of somone you love to show you care at a difficult time. A huge pile of rotting flowers and single use plastic isn't quite the same thing. The queen was well known to support a number of charities. Surely a much more fitting tribute would be that £5/10/20 on flowers going to one of those charities instead?

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to Patrick9-32 | 1 year ago
5 likes

Patrick9-32 wrote:

Not humbug at all, flowers make sense when they are going to the family of somone you love to show you care at a difficult time. A huge pile of rotting flowers and single use plastic isn't quite the same thing. The queen was well known to support a number of charities. Surely a much more fitting tribute would be that £5/10/20 on flowers going to one of those charities instead?

It's the new conspicuous consumption; conspicuous grief, exactly the same as when Diana died.

Avatar
IanMSpencer replied to PRSboy | 1 year ago
0 likes

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/12/people-asked-not-to-use-...

Avatar
Hirsute | 1 year ago
1 like

Presumably they will be closing the road where these people will be queuing as the danger from motor vehicles is far higher than a cycle.

What legal process did they follow to come up with a ban?

When we had the story of the cargo bike on the pavement, it had a 7 day notice which then had to be signed off by a magistrate to remove it. Will this process be followed?

A simple removal of the bike would be criminal damage.

But as per the twitter thread "It's what she would have wanted"

//s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.4U6jpCOAhc5WBBHu28_Tw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEyNjQ-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/Go75MmJ606TVQ6dOBC9BBg--~B/aD0xNDQwO3c9MTA5NDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/women_s_health_uk_864/fc89bbcbd156b2b5b6c1afd4c877ce30)

Avatar
VanDerBike | 1 year ago
1 like

https://twitter.com/LBHF/status/1568887068024918016?s=20&t=N2IlhZoxEh7Fa...

Another crazy response. Sit revving your Range Rovers. It's what the queen would have wanted.

Avatar
eburtthebike | 1 year ago
4 likes

I'm sure drivers will understand when all the car parks in Norwich are closed for the twelve days of mourning.

Has the council been approached for comment?  I can't wait to hear the justification.

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