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Councillor says they got "dog's abuse" for telling cyclists to use £700,000 shared-use path; "Not the type of fan we want": EF Education-EasyPost's Jonathan Vaughters shares grim homophobic 'fan mail'; TdF: Unchained hits Netflix + more on the live blog

It's the second Thursday in June, the sun's out and the temperature is on the rise — Tour de France fever can't be too far away... Dan Alexander is in the hot seat, trying not to get sunburnt...
08 June 2023, 09:23
Councillor says they got "dog's abuse" for telling cyclists to use shared-use path

A councillor in Dunfermline, in Scotland, has told the local press how they received "dog's abuse" for telling cyclists they should use cycle lanes, namely a shared-use path that cost £700,000 to build.

Jean Hall-Muir accused local cyclists of taking the law "unto themselves", saying they "do what they want". 

"If you provide a cycle lane they go on the road. If you point it out you get dog's abuse from the cyclists as they don't want to hear it from anyone else," she said.

"I would like to see an elevated responsibility from the cyclists. If you're provided with a dedicated lane, you're expected to use that and stay in it, but I don't know how much we can do."

Interestingly the article was illustrated with a picture of one new-looking shared-use path on Aberdour Road, the sort of infrastructure that could help new riders who might not have the confidence to negotiate the road and would otherwise be cycling on the pavement (or not at all), but might seem unnecessary to those with more experience.

"We can't make people use them," Lesley Craig, from the traffic management service added. "It's a mandatory cycle lane that's there for their use but we're dealing with human nature. If cyclists are still allowed to cycle on the road we can't enforce against them doing that. We just have to provide what we can and hope they will use it."

Another councillor, Lynn Ballantyne-Wardlaw, had at least spoken to those of us told to use such 'infrastructure'... "One of the reasons cyclists shared with me, as to why they still cycle on the road rather than use cycle lanes, is that the detritus and mess that ends up on cycle lanes damages their wheels and they find it safer on the road."

At risk of veering off into opinion here... can councillors really get miffed if the extent of their 'infra' is widening and resurfacing a pavement and calling it a shared-use path? I think I already know the answer, but it's nice to have a short relief after writing all of the above...

08 June 2023, 14:50
"If cyclists aren't using the infrastructure provided, then it's probably not very good"

Comments time... I'm going to selectively bypass the debate on what constitutes dog's abuse... 

OnYerBike: Preaching to the choir here, but if cyclists aren't using the infrastructure provided, then it's probably not very good. Cyclists just want a convenient and safe route. Rather than trying to "force" cyclists to use the infrastructure provided, maybe think about why cyclists don't want to use it and then try to improve it.

Steve K nailed it...

"Bloody cyclists, cycling on the pavement"

(puts up shared use sign)

"Bloody cyclists, not cycling on the pavement"

hawkinspeter: "They build a shitty 'cycle lane', don't maintain it, have it cede priority at every side road and then blame cyclists for not using it."

HoldingOn: "I try and avoid shared footpaths if I can — the one section I do use it, is because the road is very narrow, full of potholes and car/lorries get so f****** close I have to change my shorts.

"Do I avoid the shared footpaths as some form of weird protest or a feeling of self-entitlement? No — as with (I would imagine) most cyclists, I avoid the shared footpaths because I am going a heck of a lot quicker than pedestrians, on a vehicle that is quieter than someone running.

"I need to slow way down when I see a pedestrian, because chances are they can't hear me/my bell (definitely not if they are wearing headphones) and last thing I want is to crash into someone/ get a punch from someone who got a fright as I went past."

08 June 2023, 16:06
Jonas Vingegaard lays down Tour de France marker, dominates Critérium du Dauphiné

I wonder if somewhere near Granada, at altitute, a certain Slovenian was watching this?

Extra training motivation, I guess, seeing your big rival for the Tour de France dispatch all the other Dauphiné hopefuls with one strong attack. We're not even in the mountains yet...

08 June 2023, 15:59
Have pro cyclists 'gone soft'? We discuss the big debate from the Giro and perceptions of elite sport (and us mortals), while Simon samples Drum & Bass On The Bike on our latest podcast episode
08 June 2023, 15:26
Lidl-Trek kit clue?
08 June 2023, 07:57
"Not the type of fan we want": EF Education-EasyPost's Jonathan Vaughters shares grim homophobic 'fan mail'

Here's a depressing start to a live blog in 2023. EF Education-EasyPost's team boss Jonathan Vaughters shared a picture of an email that dropped into his inbox after yesterday's Critérium du Dauphiné time trial where British rider James Shaw was the team's best finisher, in 17th, and team leader Richard Carapaz lost a disappointing 2:39, coming home 43rd...

Warning: email includes very strong homophobic language

Wait until he sees what Carapaz was wearing in 2019... 

"In case there was any need of clarification, as there often is on Twitter, this person, whoever they are, is not the type of fan we want. Period," Vaughters added. 

As one real fan replied, hopefully they sent a nice pink EF cap to whichever basement this particular email came from...

08 June 2023, 14:02
G enjoys Tour de France: Unchained... sort of
08 June 2023, 13:20
Basically

If you were wondering, it's a lumpy hilly stage out in France today, a breakaway of breakaway favourites: Thomas De Gendt, Nils Politt, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Jonas Gregaard, Georg Zimmermann and Leon Heinschke. Despite the group's escapee credentials, it doesn't look like the peloton will let them decide the day, just over two and a half minutes advantage with 40km to go.

Over in the Netherlands, Cav has the opportunity to follow up his Rome success with another victory, on the opening roads stage of ZLM Tour after last night's prologue. Worth noting, for the first time, he'll have the support of the team's lead-out (of sorts), including former DSM fast man Cees Bol.

08 June 2023, 12:10
Is Shimano working on a hub-charged electronic shift system?
08 June 2023, 11:11
Early reaction to Netflix's €8 million Tour de France documentary series

It's been up on Netflix in the UK for four hours now so the breakaway is making its way through the episodes. Those of you sat comfortably in the peloton (at work) will have a few hours longer to wait before your turn to get stuck into the action.

We're not particularly bothered about spoilers for this one, after all we all know what happens, right? But if you are hoping to keep things completely fresh for your viewing, maybe give this post a miss...

Tour de France: Unchained (Netflix)

One thing popping up a few times is the recommendation to watch it in French with English subtitles, partly for the authenticity, partly because the voice actor dubbing is apparently somewhere between terrible and horrendous...

"The English dubbing on this Netflix Tour de France series is f****** awful. The guy sounds like some crazed carnivore hunting for his prey. Much better in French with English subtitles (if you need it like)," one particularly gifted wordsmith reviewed the series...

On Twitter, Tim O'Connor said: "You see the emotional side of both" Thibaut Pinot and Marc Madiot, while we've also seen suggestions that Tadej Pogačar's absence is notable. 

Anyone had a chance to watch an episode yet? 

08 June 2023, 10:49
'Tour de France: Unchained' teaser clip — Pidcock vs Galibier descent

Just to keep you going until you get to watch it... 

08 June 2023, 10:44
Uh oh… Wait, you still have your KOM/QOM! Strava to automatically flag suspicious activities in hopes to improve leaderboard accuracy
08 June 2023, 08:52
People flee by bike from flooding caused by Ukraine dam collapse
08 June 2023, 08:43
Tour de France: Unchained hits Netflix

And it's live...

Apparently at the end Jonas Vingegaard wins... sorry, spoilers!

Anyone got any early thoughts?

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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73 comments

Avatar
Owd Big 'Ead | 9 months ago
8 likes

Someone at Dunfermline Council must be getting some big brown envelopes with wads of cash in them if a shared path is costing £700,000. 

While I realise that building different types of infrastructure have certain cost parameters built into them when paid for with taxpayers money, how on earth a single white line, even if it is likely to be approx 1 mile long, plus some small blue sign equates to this sum of money is mind blowing.

I think a change of career path is in the offing if that is typical of the money being thrown about for such sub-standard infrastructure.

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Geoff Ingram | 9 months ago
1 like

Colours don't really exist anyway. They are generated in our brains, which assign this representation in our minds depending on what sensors in our retina are stimulated. 

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hawkinspeter replied to Geoff Ingram | 9 months ago
3 likes

Geoff Ingram wrote:

Colours don't really exist anyway. They are generated in our brains, which assign this representation in our minds depending on what sensors in our retina are stimulated. 

So did that dress not even have colours?

https://xkcd.com/1492/

//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/dress_color_2x.png)

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Geoff Ingram replied to hawkinspeter | 9 months ago
3 likes

Outside our heads, no. The picture reflects some light waves, absorbs others and those that reach our eyes make us "see" colours. Since everybody's cone cells are slightly, and sometimes very, different, as in daltonism, a range of possible colour interpretations are valid. Birds have 4 different types of photoreceptors and thus see vastly more colours. As do a very reduced number of humans.

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Geoff Ingram replied to Geoff Ingram | 9 months ago
0 likes

Pretty sure I read about this last Monday in the Grauniad, but I can't find the article now. Sorry.

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hawkinspeter replied to Geoff Ingram | 9 months ago
7 likes

Geoff Ingram wrote:

Outside our heads, no. The picture reflects some light waves, absorbs others and those that reach our eyes make us "see" colours. Since everybody's cone cells are slightly, and sometimes very, different, as in daltonism, a range of possible colour interpretations are valid. Birds have 4 different types of photoreceptors and thus see vastly more colours. As do a very reduced number of humans.

Pffft! Mantis shrimps laugh at your tetrachromacy

https://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp

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brooksby replied to hawkinspeter | 9 months ago
3 likes

I hate it when someone reminds me about xkcd.  I lose hours of time...

Anyhoo - found this one at https://xkcd.com/2766/

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peted76 | 9 months ago
4 likes

.

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hawkinspeter replied to peted76 | 9 months ago
3 likes

peted76 wrote:

.

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Steve K | 9 months ago
1 like

OK - my "thinking too hard about things that don't matter" rant.  Why is pink a separate colour anyway?  Add white to blue, you get light blue.  Add white to green, you get light green.  Same with every colour except red.  Pink should just be 'light red'.

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ShutTheFrontDawes replied to Steve K | 9 months ago
3 likes
Steve K wrote:

OK - my "thinking too hard about things that don't matter" rant.  Why is pink a separate colour anyway?  Add white to blue, you get light blue.  Add white to green, you get light green.  Same with every colour except red.  Pink should just be 'light red'.

Don't worry about it. An often-used shade of pink doesn't even exist.

https://medium.com/swlh/magenta-the-color-that-doesnt-exist-and-why-ec40...

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hawkinspeter replied to ShutTheFrontDawes | 9 months ago
6 likes

ShutTheFrontDawes wrote:
Steve K wrote:

OK - my "thinking too hard about things that don't matter" rant.  Why is pink a separate colour anyway?  Add white to blue, you get light blue.  Add white to green, you get light green.  Same with every colour except red.  Pink should just be 'light red'.

Don't worry about it. An often-used shade of pink doesn't even exist. https://medium.com/swlh/magenta-the-color-that-doesnt-exist-and-why-ec40...

Hold on a minute - does that mean that gays have stolen the colour "pink"? They've already got the whole rainbow, how many more colours do they want?

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ShutTheFrontDawes replied to hawkinspeter | 9 months ago
2 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

ShutTheFrontDawes wrote:
Steve K wrote:

OK - my "thinking too hard about things that don't matter" rant.  Why is pink a separate colour anyway?  Add white to blue, you get light blue.  Add white to green, you get light green.  Same with every colour except red.  Pink should just be 'light red'.

Don't worry about it. An often-used shade of pink doesn't even exist. https://medium.com/swlh/magenta-the-color-that-doesnt-exist-and-why-ec40...

Hold on a minute - does that mean that gays have stolen the colour "pink"? They've already got the whole rainbow, how many more colours do they want?

How can they steal something that doesn't even exist? Or maybe it used to be in the rainbow but it isn't anymore because they've half-inched it... I'm going for a lie down.

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chrisonabike replied to ShutTheFrontDawes | 9 months ago
4 likes

Perhaps that colour exists, but is only visible to certain gaze?

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ErnieC replied to hawkinspeter | 9 months ago
2 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

ShutTheFrontDawes wrote:
Steve K wrote:

OK - my "thinking too hard about things that don't matter" rant.  Why is pink a separate colour anyway?  Add white to blue, you get light blue.  Add white to green, you get light green.  Same with every colour except red.  Pink should just be 'light red'.

Don't worry about it. An often-used shade of pink doesn't even exist. https://medium.com/swlh/magenta-the-color-that-doesnt-exist-and-why-ec40...

Hold on a minute - does that mean that gays have stolen the colour "pink"? They've already got the whole rainbow, how many more colours do they want?

The internet is yours for the day!

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Steve K replied to ShutTheFrontDawes | 9 months ago
3 likes

Far from stopping me worrying about it, you're just making me worry about that, too.

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Rendel Harris replied to Steve K | 9 months ago
3 likes

Steve K wrote:

OK - my "thinking too hard about things that don't matter" rant.  Why is pink a separate colour anyway?  Add white to blue, you get light blue.  Add white to green, you get light green.  Same with every colour except red.  Pink should just be 'light red'.

Dredging up physics lessons from 40 years ago, I can remember being told that pink is not light red, pink is in fact a combination of red and purple from different parts of the spectrum in the same way that brown is a combination of red, blue and yellow, and that gave it the "right" to have its own individual name. If this is wrong, feel free to take it up with Mr Wallace. Though thinking about it if he's still alive he would be well into three figures so…

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IanMK replied to Rendel Harris | 9 months ago
3 likes

Does this help?

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chrisonabike replied to IanMK | 9 months ago
3 likes
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Cycloid replied to IanMK | 9 months ago
4 likes

I don't know where to start here.

Colour is a sensation that only exists within the brain. (Do you see colours when you dream?)
There are an infinite number of colours, but the human eye can detect about 10 million (depending on which textbook you read). The English language has eleven true colour names, pink is one of them. Other languages may have a different number.
The colour we "see" depends on three things, the fundamental colour of the object (reflectance), the ambient light (Illuminant), and the human eye/brain combination.
The diagram above is of an undefined colour space (Check out CIELab for a definitive one) Color space is three dimensional, imagine it is sherical like the Earth. In this diagram we are looking down on the North Pole,  white and pastel colours near the centre and all the brightest colours around the Equator. If we took a section through the Equator we would have a neutral grey in the centre with more subdued colours surrounding it.

Sorry to be a bore, but it used to be my job

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ShutTheFrontDawes replied to Cycloid | 9 months ago
2 likes
Cycloid wrote:

There are an infinite number of colours, but the human eye can detect about 10 million (depending on which textbook you read).

I'd like to be able to see more colours, please. Which textbook do I have to read to make it happen?

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Cycloid replied to ShutTheFrontDawes | 9 months ago
4 likes

I would recommend the Terry Pratchet Discworld novels. The Newtonian Spectrum contains Seven colours. On Discworld we have an eighth color - Octarine which expands the visual spectrum.
The sooner you fuck off there the better.

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ShutTheFrontDawes replied to Cycloid | 9 months ago
0 likes
Cycloid wrote:

I would recommend the Terry Pratchet Discworld novels. The Newtonian Spectrum contains Seven colours. On Discworld we have an eighth color - Octarine which expands the visual spectrum.
The sooner you fuck off there the better.

That's not even a textbook, it's just a book with text in it.

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Steve K replied to Cycloid | 9 months ago
1 like

Cycloid wrote:

I would recommend the Terry Pratchet Discworld novels. The Newtonian Spectrum contains Seven colours. On Discworld we have an eighth color - Octarine which expands the visual spectrum.
The sooner you fuck off there the better.

Newton's decision to define the spectrum as seven colours was pretty arbitary - it was actually to align it to a musical octave (which, despite the name, is seven notes).

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Cycloid replied to Steve K | 9 months ago
3 likes

You are 100% correct, Newton could have used any selection of colours from the spectrum. Most people don't see indigo. the crazy thing is that we still teach Newton's spectrum in schools 350 odd years later.

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ShutTheFrontDawes replied to Cycloid | 9 months ago
5 likes
Cycloid wrote:

You are 100% correct, Newton could have used any selection of colours from the spectrum. Most people don't see indigo. the crazy thing is that we still teach Newton's spectrum in schools 350 odd years later.

I thought it was because a Richard of York had recently given battle in vain.

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Cycloid replied to Rendel Harris | 9 months ago
0 likes

Take a can of brilliant white emulsion, put a spot of red in it, you get pink. Pink is a very light red.

Take a bright orange, put some black in it you will get brown. Brown is a dirty orange.

Generally speaking you can match any colour paint with the correct combination of yellow, red, blue pigments.

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Steve K replied to Cycloid | 9 months ago
5 likes

Cycloid wrote:

Take a can of brilliant white emulsion, put a spot of red in it, you get pink. Pink is a very light red.

Take a bright orange, put some black in it you will get brown. Brown is a dirty orange.

Generally speaking you can match any colour paint with the correct combination of yellow, red, blue pigments.

Also, take a load of white t-shirts and put them in a wash with one red sock...

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Cycloid replied to Steve K | 9 months ago
2 likes

Why didn't I think of that?

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Rendel Harris replied to Cycloid | 9 months ago
1 like

Cycloid wrote:

Take a can of brilliant white emulsion, put a spot of red in it, you get pink. Pink is a very light red.

But why do you see pink? Because your paint is reflecting to you the red and purple portions of the spectrum, not because it's reflecting back a little bit of red and a lot of white light.

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