Traffic cops clash with talkRadio's Cristo Foufas about...CyclingMikey?; BBC responds to 'hit by car' headline complaints; COP26 accessibility issues; Hill climb rain and pain; Have you signed for Ineos?; Cycling friends episode 2 + more on the live blog

Neighbours in #Islington please be aware the top end of Noel Road is closed due to a car having been driven into a house. @CycleIslington I hope nobody was hurt 🙏 pic.twitter.com/DUU2YPskcO

— 𝔅𝔞𝔡𝔤𝔢𝔯 RPR 🔱 🄹🄰🄼🄴🅂 (@badgercyclist) November 2, 2021

Whether on a bike, horse, motorcycle or on foot, there's a number of ways that you can make yourself be seen in the dark.

👀 Wear Hi Vis clothing.
👀 Have lights on your bike.
👀 Wear reflective snapbands.
👀 Place Hi Vis over rucksacks or on your horses/dogs.

Be seen, be safe pic.twitter.com/PJ30XZJgL8

— Derbyshire Police (@DerbysPolice) November 2, 2021

You'd have thought police forces would have worked out posts like these are more hassle than they're worth. Wear hi-vis and make sure you've got lights. Ask any cyclist who does both of those things and you'll hear countless tales of how both did nothing to prevent dangerous driving, close passes, near misses etc. 

Anyway, here's some of the reaction rolling in...

Gheesh, nobody said that being in hi vis will prevent all accidents but it doesn’t prevent some. If you are cycling or riding a horse at night without proper reflectors and lights then you are putting yourself and others at risk.

— Tref (@climbtechy) November 2, 2021

Better than that, start prosecuting drivers who drive too fast, who pass cyclists and horses too closely, etc. That's how you'll get actual safety, not with this hiviz nonsense.

— CyclingMikey tired of road crime. 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇿🇼 (@MikeyCycling) November 2, 2021

Thoughts?

> Met Police denies operation issuing hi-vis to cyclists was ‘victim-blaming’

It must be that time of year...last Friday Philip Pullman had a rant about "damn fools" on bikes "speeding through Oxford" without lights or hi-vis.

One man who will be keeping a close eye on Alex Dowsett's progress in Mexico tomorrow will be Victor Campenaerts. The Belgian, fresh from signing for Lotto-Soudal, has spoken about Dowsett's chances of reclaiming the record he lost to Sir Bradley Wiggins in 2015.

Campenaerts holds the current record, having covered 55.089km in April 2019, coincidently (or not considering the performance marginal gains) at the same high altitude velodrome in Aguascalientes. "I think it’s a 50-50 per cent chance that he can break my record," Campenaerts said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. "I think the biggest benefit Alex has over me is that he already had the Hour Record before. He already did an attempt and the full preparation.

> Alex Dowsett reveals his hour record bike for tomorrow’s attempt

"I prepared for the Hour Record very well but by doing it all I learned some things that I would do differently. That’s a big advantage Alex has – that he has the experience."

We took a look at Alex Dowsett's Hour Record machine, complete with £950 gold chainring, HED's Volo wheels and Aerocoach Ascalon bars, and Campenaerts believes the improved tech two years on will help the Brit's chances.

"Technology hasn’t been standing still. Everything goes forward," he continued. "Tyres are getting faster, frames are getting more aero, suits are getting faster, you have faster chain rings, faster chain lubes. All marginal gains but those margins are all very important in the end if you want to break an Hour Record. There are also new rules. Alex can ride with aero shoe covers, which I wasn’t allowed, though that’s only a small advantage.

"If he breaks it, I’m happy for him. Records are there to be broken, and Alex is a nice guy. I also know what it would mean to him to break the record, so I would be happy for him."

If Dowsett does set a new world-best distance, Campenaerts won't be jumping back on the boards to reclaim his crown..."I don’t think I’d go back after him - not on short notice anyway - because of changes in my career. I think I lost a lot of my time trial abilities. It would be already hard to break my own record, so if Alex breaks it, I will just cheer hard for him, congratulate him, and not go back after him."

There'll be no shortage of eyeballs on Dowsett's attempt which will be broadcast on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and the UCI's YouTube channel from 21:45GMT tomorrow evening.

Of the 300m+ journeys by public transport monthly in London (2019 figures), 1m represents well under 0.5%.

Well done TFL! https://t.co/4N4vo83JKX

— Cristo (@cristo_radio) November 1, 2021

Another one for the collection...presumably he wants way more journeys made by bike?

Now it’s official. I am super happy to announce that I, The Flying Goat of Leafy Cheshire, will, like everyone else, be riding for @INEOSGrenadiers next year. pic.twitter.com/ycznahvzur

— Rob Whittle (@PolkaDotRob) November 2, 2021

Four signings from Ineos yesterday has left more than a few punters feeling left out. Surely we could do a job in a couple of early season races? You know, get all the free kit and the flash bike, ride on the front during the neutral zone, go back to the car, fail to rejoin the bunch, jump in the car...that sort of thing. 

BREAKING: I can confirm I am the only person to have not signed for Ineos Grenadiers

— Robyn (@robynjournalist) November 1, 2021

I have to say, I am a little disappointed to announce that I have yet to receive my email from Dave Brailsford, inviting me to join InEoS Grenadethrowers on a gazillion pounds a year salary.

Why am I the on person who rides a bike who hasn't been signed up?

— RiksRedGuard (@RiksRedGuard) November 2, 2021

They've boringly gone down the signing proven talent route...if you missed the news yesterday, Elia Viviani is rejoining the team for 2022, along with Spanish champ Omar Fraile, German U23 champ Kim Heiduk and promising British talent Ben Turner. What have they got that we don't?

Yesterday we brought you the story from Glasgow that security guards at COP26 were asking cyclists to use a footway and had refused to open a barrier on the road. The footway didn't have a ramp over the kerb, however, making it unaccessible to everyone.

Now, the BBC reports an Israeli minister was unable to attend the conference yesterday because it was not wheelchair accessible. The Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's delegation said they had formally complained to organisers about the issue.

The UK's Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said the incident was "deeply regrettable" and apologised to the Israeli politician.

Maybe this is life in the metaverse? Three live blog favourites coming together for one royal rumble. In the red corner it's the Surrey Roads Policing Unit's Twitter admin — a defender of all things cycling. In the blue corner it's talkRadio presenter Cristo Foufas — LTN critic and definitely not a defender of all things cycling. The battleground? CyclingMikey.

We begin with Cristo setting his sights on the catcher of law-breaking drivers..."Mikey is such a desperate and weird character. Imagine being so sad as to spend hours at a time at a junction hoping to film inside peoples’ cars. Odd and perhaps even sinister to say the least," talkRadio's finest begins. 

The presenter took issue with CyclingMikey's hands-on approach to catching drivers on their phones and breaking the rules of the road.

Wouldn’t it be great if we had enough cops to do the same. Unfortunately we don’t, so Mikey is providing a really effective element of Road safety.

The only people who would find this concerning are Road users committing offences.

— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) - Surrey Police - UK (@SurreyRoadCops) October 29, 2021

In our book that's round one to the traffic cops...

Cristo went straight for the nuclear 'I'm telling your boss' approach, replying: "Interesting. Looking forward to passing this exchange onto senior officers at Surrey Police how you’re endorsing to over 100k followers, a civilian walking in front of a moving vehicle at a junction with no authority, based on the suspicion of an alleged offence. Thanks for clarifying."

Interesting how we’re having a conversation but you seem to suddenly want to involve (or threaten involvement) of senior management.
That’s not very ‘engaging’.

By all means, if you wish to complain, here is the link:https://t.co/3vx6Pyxfbi

Sgt 3564 Pascoe

— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) - Surrey Police - UK (@SurreyRoadCops) October 30, 2021

Nice way to change our language to suit your agenda.

Like we said earlier, wish you’d put as much energy into trying to make the roads safer by using your audience to influence change than targeting one individual.

— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) - Surrey Police - UK (@SurreyRoadCops) October 30, 2021

This is getting very tasty...time for closing remarks:

We’ve answered a lot of your questions but you still haven’t answered our question about your source from earlier.

It’s all about language, as a radio host you should know that better than most. Twisting our wording to suit your agenda.

— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) - Surrey Police - UK (@SurreyRoadCops) October 30, 2021

For the backstory on these two, a dip into our archives will let you know how we got to this point...

Surrey Road Cops' live blog career is a glittering highlight reel of education and mic drop moments. We had them calling out a safe driving campaign spouting "dangerous advice" about riding two abreast. The time before that they were sliding into the DMs of one driver calling cyclists "dickheads". And it's not all entertainment...last year they explained to their followers why road safety enforcement focuses on drivers.

Cristo's most recent road.cc mention came when he called a caesefire on one LTN debate to ask an anti-LTN account on Twitter to not use language comparing cyclists to rats or vermin. Last summer he ripped up the Highway Code during one of his talkRadio shows, saying: "I am so sick of drivers rightly being held to account for their behaviour on the roads... but cyclists ignore the law with impunity."

Back in March he received many a joke online for complaining about struggling to drive around south London...because of road closures, bus lanes and a lack of parking.