Phone use whilst driving is on the up, and we have no effective way of addressing the fact that people see it as perfectly acceptable – at least until they happen to kill someone. Time to clamp down?
Sentencing discrepancies look outrageous, plain and simple, but verdict discrepancies look a bit fishy.
I used to be against presumed liability. I’m now in favour. Here’s why.
In which I ask that you write to your MP about road legislation.
I’m no lawyer, but from a road user’s perspective I think there are certain important legislative changes which can make a difference to safety.
Enough is enough. The law is incapable of protecting people on the road. We need to start asking questions of it.
Sentencing guidelines for motoring offences are too lenient; but if we address that issue then let’s not just grab headlines, let’s actually improve road safety.
More on why segregation puts cyclists at risk, even in relatively freely-flowing traffic.
The good news is that cyclists’ safety has become a multi-day front page campaign for a major national newspaper. The bad news is that what they’re pushing for is arguably harmful for cyclists’ safety.
Oh lordy. Old chestnuts galore.
200 miles and a 5-hour ferry trip in 24 hours? Yeah, went ok actually…
Let’s get to the point: I want your cash.
A cyclist is struck and fatally injured by not one, not two, but three cars on an open road. What can we learn from this?
As another fashionable anti-cycling diatribe rolls in, is it time to do something?
A blast from the past: snippets from a notebook.
Fans of well-polished bicycle finery may wish to look away now.
In which I wonder if I’ve missed something and might need to go back and get it at some point.
The end of the road: the harbour wall at Collioure.
The penultimate day over and on more Bezes to hunt down. 160km and over 2000m of climbing makes it one of the bigger days, whilst another problematic achilles, one blown tyre and an 80km/h descent make it one of the more eventful on the road.
Tomorrow, no more big hills. Just the run down the coast…
Still a very long afternoon ahead of me, but somewhere off stage there’s a fat lady gargling.
For whatever reason, and much to my surprise as I could barely walk last night, the achilles was entirely fine today from the moment I got on the bike. Maybe it was good luck from the obligatory ‘
Englishman cycling in France’ Tom Simpson hat (not that it brought Tom much luck) but I even had…
This morning went splendidly: cracking progress and then a huge lunch for next to no money. But after Bez 8 my right achilles went wrong and despite doing about 15km almost entirely on one leg it’s seen me pull up 10km short to wait for the broom wagon. Hopefully some rest and a gobful of…
This one’s parked 350m up on a hill but I don’t care because you see that? I’ve got bloody sunglasses on! It’s warm and dry and if it carries on my shoes might even dry out.
Oh look, it’s pissing down again.
Anyone who’s ridden a bike any distance will know that songs get stuck in your head, and you have no control over them. Today I was stuck with a couple of hours of just the first verse of Take it Easy by the Eagles, then a couple more of just…
The first of two today, both of which are placed inconveniently on tops of hills. Observant readers will note the absence of panniers. Yes, I am now cheating and they are riding in the car, but I’m not keen on repeating Sunday’s wretchedness.
The third Bez, at roughly the halfway point of the route. The rain is becoming a little tiresome now, not so much on the bike but more for having to put on wet clothes and shoes in the morning. Not to mention, of course, the complete lack of scenery: everything is obscured by cloud. Still,…
The second river Bez, encountered today on a 184km ride which, despite being the longest on the tour, was far better than yesterday’s. The rain, however, grows ever more persistent – I arrived at the hotel soaked and with no hairdrier or heating in the room, I shall depart ready-soaked tomorrow.
I forgot to hold up two fingers for it but I did that earlier for the Lautaret picture so use your imagination.
Also picked up the first river today, the Torrent du Bez.
Some climbs are enjoyable. Others are difficult but satisfying. The western ascent of the Lautaret is a horrible, soul-destroying bastard of a climb, and I’m never riding up it again.
A break in the rain, for now at least.
Last night vindicated the decision to stay in hotels instead of a tent. Not only was the food excellent, but I was woken in the night by a(nother) almighty storm which sent patio furniture flying past my window. I doubt the tent would have survived. I noticed…
Some posts haven’t appeared, nor has the Flickr picture, so, apologies; no =
idea why this is as I tested it before leaving=2E You may have to wait till=
I get back=2E
I arrived at my destination today with the usual sense of relief – a job do=
ne=2E Things started going off the boil when I discovered the hotel was a f=
urther 6km north, which added a noticeable climb to tomorrow’s already daun=
ting route, also tipping it over the 100 mile mark=2E On arrival I’m asked =
“you…
I’ve not even set off yet and it’s detour time already.
By all accounts (well – one here and another here, at least) the Galibier has no chance of being open next week. No surprises there, but the Croix de Fer is also looking deeply unlikely to be passable.
Change of route, then – bypassing Aix les…
Well, it’s about time I posted this. Too much other stuff to do and an ever-worsening home Internet connection are to blame (I’m now down to just one of my commonly-visited sites that seems to work regularly for me, and it’s not this one – hopefully a new ISP as of next week will cure…
With May fast approaching, the first proper off-road ride of the year was somewhat overdue. Thus far I’ve been almost completely riding on the road in preparation for next month’s trip, but I needed a change of scenery. If familiarity alone hadn’t bred contempt, the last ride I did was with other people who seemed…
It’s fair to say that the weather and I have a love-hate relationship: It loves to rain on me, and I hate that. I’d been keeping an eye on the weather forecast all week, having moved my plans for a lap of the Isle of Wight back a week from Good Friday to yesterday. All…
Not one to pass up a 41%-or-whatever-it-is reduction on a bike with the addition of a year’s interest free credit, this year’s Cycle2Work contract sees me kitted out with another shiny pair of wheels. This time, just as Rich says goodbye to one, I say hello (as does Mike) to a Specialized Langster.
I’d asked them…
Now I’m quite a fan of Inbreds, but oddly enough I like mine with gears: I’ve got two 18″ geared versions (one with bouncy forks and one with rigids — the former never gets ridden due to having suspension on it, but the latter is sublime) but I’ve never really clicked with the singlespeed versions….
It’s a bouncing baby Inbred. Well, it’s an Inbred. It’s got no bouncy bits and it’s bloody huge.
I think I can confidently say this is the largest bike I’ve owned – certainly in top tube length anyway. Not had a chance to ride it yet, but hopefully I can at least drag it to the…
Courtesy of Moving Target this morning comes news from the CTC that the latest round of Highway Code changes have not been worded so as to effectively force cyclists off the roads onto cycle lanes and paths where they exist – to which, a big YAY!
For anyone who doubts the sense of staying on the…
A while ago I acquired a Dahon Vitesse D5 via the Halfords Cycle2Work scheme that our company joined a few months ago. I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks now, so let’s see how it’s faring.
The first thing that I pondered when I considered buying one was, ‘is it big enough?’ I’m a…
Once again, Morzine supplied more than its fair share of rain and mud. Ah, the joys of spending three days in the same sodden, stinking clothes!
Still, who cares? It was ace. The Inbred still rocks, as do rigid forks. Bags of fun on the descents, though somewhat punishing. I tested my “full-sus bikes are just…
Oh, good grief. Look what happens when you mix Nigel Havers with erstwhile fanzine of middle-English bigotry, The Daily Mail. You’ve guessed it, Havers is on a roll this week clocking up as many column inches as he can, devoting each one to the usual blinkered crap about cyclists.
Continuing the hypocrisy set by his earlier…
Apparently Nigel Havers has been attracting the ire of some of the cycling community by saying in the Independent, “cyclists who jump red lights and ride on pavements … they’re all bastards,” which, whilst a little over the top in terms of vitriol, is fair enough really.
His manner of defence seems to be a little…
Much as I hate stickers in car windows, and much as I’m sceptical of things like this actually having any real benefit, I feel compelled to advertise the Give Cyclists Room website. I might even buy a few.
I’m being plagued again. Plagued by indecision and curiosity, by “what ifs” and “I wonders.”
I say “again,” because it’s happened before. Anyone who’s ridden bikes with suspension is probably familiar with the sensation. You know, you’re just riding along and a voice appears in your head, “hey, you know you could use a bit more…
Bikes are ace. You can ride them to the top of a hill and then use them for launching fireworks. Rockin’.