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Great George Street (source Londonneur on Twitter).PNGQuentin Willson asks “Where are the cyclists?” – on unfinished Cycle Superhighway that's blocked
London cyclists set Quentin Willson straight on Twitter yesterday after the motoring journalist and TV presenter tweeted a picture of a stretch of Cycle Superhighway near Parliament Square and queried why no-one was using it.
Great new cycle lane but where are the cyclists? pic.twitter.com/a1vhAAXxt2
— Quentin Willson (@QuentinWillson) October 10, 2016
The reason was revealed by Twitter users including Londonneur, who tweeted a video that began from the view towards Big Ben captured by Willson in his picture then panned round to show that the new lane is blocked by red and white barriers, which also have temporary traffic lights placed in front of them.
Hi @QuentinWillson you wanted to know where the cyclists were? Happend to be passing so I made you a little video so you could understand. pic.twitter.com/ZwZY2A3av3
— Londonneur (@Londonneur) October 11, 2016
For his pains, Londonneur says he got blocked by the former Top Gear and Fifth Gear presenter, who dreamt up the show Britain’s Worst Drivers, a format expanded to include titles such as Britain’s Worst DIYer and Britain’s Worst Teenager (though not, as yet, Britain’s Worst Cycling Infrastructure Critic).
He wasn’t the only user of the social network to take issue with Willson, however, with others also tweeting pictures from the same location, Great George Street, between Parliament Square (the direction he took his photo in) and Birdcage Walk.
.@QuentinWillson Perhaps, waiting behind the barrier and traffic lights that block the access to it. #TurnAround #Liar pic.twitter.com/xOkI0JLSDU
— Dr Morocho (@DrMoroch0) October 11, 2016
@simonwickers @quentinwillson #LookBhindYou pic.twitter.com/BBJUOqEkLw
— cycleoptic (@cycleoptic) October 11, 2016
Figures from Transport for London (TfL) show that once separated infrastructure is in place and fully open, cyclists – including those encouraged to take to two wheels by the provision of safe routes – will take to it in huge numbers.
For example, cyclists now make up 70 per cent of rush hour traffic on Blackfriars Bridge thanks to the installation of the North-South Cycle Superhighway.
@QuentinWillson We can all play this game - the stats show take up is MASSIVE! pic.twitter.com/1OJ77O5kqY
— Herbie Green (@HerbieGreen) October 11, 2016
As some pointed out, depending in time of day and issues such as phasing of traffic lights, it isn't that difficult to take pictures of Cycle Superhighways apparently bereft of cyclists, or indeed roads free of motor vehicles - and the part of the East-West route beyond where Willson took his picture is still a work in progress, with evidence from other routes now open showing that once end-to-end infrastructure is in place, it wil be used.
But that doesn’t stop some elements of the media from seeking to mislead about their popularity with bike riders, with the Daily Mail for example publishing an article in August claiming a Cycle Superhighway at Parliament Square wasn’t being used, only for TfL to point out there wasn’t actually one at that location.
> "Cyclists not using bike lanes": Twitter responds
Undaunted, the newspaper has continued its campaign against infrastructure for cyclists, not just in London but throughout the country, running an article last week that was trailed on its front page with the headline “Cycle lane lunacy!” and described them as “The new blight paralysing Britain.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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32 comments
"For example, cyclists now make up 70 per cent of rush hour traffic on Blackfriars Bridge thanks to the installation of the North-South Cycle Superhighway."
How many more times? Cycles may, cyclists don't, and won't until they stop running all those buses across the bridge.
Unlike Quentin Clocker to get things wrong!
Bradbury was very good, ditto Humble.
Here's Bradbury with some weird looking chap with short hair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roaq5YCMJsk
I clicked on to get past the intro from James May and the first thing I hear from her is
"..maybe getting a bit old, but with a good set of lungs on it."
Prescient, if a little unsettling...
Well, Quentin, I use that cycle lane twice a day. Sorry that I don't spend all day in it, but I have work to do, rather than tweet pointless Twatter posts.
I believe that young lady is Julia Bradury
She has worn well, I love her walking programs in the Lakes using Wainwrights books as inspiration.
I must admit I don't remember her doing TG, but I must also admit to having liked QW in those days, I always wondered how good a deal you would have got if he had been on your side when buying a used car.
He should stick to clocking cars rather than clocking cyclists.
He was also always the weak link Top Gear as well. I guess he knew all the tricks of the trade because he actually applied them.
Old old Top Gear was a very long time ago wasn't it?
Yes, talking early 80's with the likes of William Woolard along with:
Tom Coyne, Angela Rippon, Mike Dornan, Noel Edmonds, Gill Pyrah, Peter Macann, Marian Foster, Sue Baker, Stewart Woodcock, William Woollard, Chris Goffey, Tom Boswell, Bob Friend,
Malcolm Wilson, Tony Mason, Tiff Needell, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, Jon Bentley, David Llewellin, Michael Collie, Quentin Willson, Michele Newman, Stephen Lee, Steve Berry, Andy Wilman, Russell Bulgin, Stephen Bayley, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Stirling Moss, Julia Bradbury, Brendan Coogan, James May, Kate Humble, Adrian Simpson, Jason Barlow
I know what Clarkson and Angela Rippon look like; I don't know who the other woman is, but the answer is clearly 'Yes' - QW was the one who looked like Mr Burns
Clarkson in his Grange hill days?
You just know Clarkson was double denim there! Always was a total...Jeremy Hunt
KATE HUMBLE presented Top Gear?!?
Actually yes.
http://home.bt.com/pictures/tv-news/12-top-gear-presenters-you-might-have-forgotten-about-from-angela-rippon-to-kate-humble-41363967574037
Yup, when it was a half-decent program, and QW had my respect! To criticise may be one thing, but given the reason for the empy lane is just a few yards away out-of-shot is either lacking in observation or judgment, or simply making a sarcastic remark to kick the developers - or whoever is responsible for the work not being finished - into life.
Was Quentin Willson the one that looked like Mr Burns?
There are, believe it or not, hundreds of writers and columnists who consistently entertain and inform us on a wide spectrum of topics without resorting to half-truths, innuendo and sensationalism. So why is the motoring press so over-represented with these dribbling dolts?
must be the fumes
I liked him until 10 minutes ago, now I think he's a knob.
Welcome to post-factual news narratives. You'll be seeing a lot more of them in the next decade or two.
Please can I use the word cockwomble?
You may. You can even use the fantastic jpeg someone on here made (I thought I had it saved to my PC ready to deploy at times like this, but can't find it)
This one?
cockwomble.jpg
Yes you may
If I was Quentin Willson I'd be deeply upset and highly offended by the use of that name. So yes, it can (by general consensus) be used and I hope he takes note
Poor old Quentin. He can't even do stupid with any style.
Via Private Eye
Brilliant!
What a two-faced Clarkson-wannabe!
Something else which is also empty is my EPG when I search for TV programmes presented by Quentin Willson. That would be because he is a poor man's Jeremy Clarkson (who is himself an idiot's Stephen Fry.)
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