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“Victim-blaming” police advise cyclists – but not drivers – to “pay attention to road signs and red lights”; “So sick of drivers telling me where I should and shouldn’t be”; “No News November”: Movistar quash Cavendish rumour + more on the live blog

After domestique Dan’s impeccable lead out, a rested Ryan Mallon – who spent most of yesterday in the wheels, watching Movistar on Netflix – is back in the thick of things for the first live blog of November
Tue, Nov 01, 2022 09:56
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“Victim-blaming” police advise cyclists – but not drivers – to “pay attention to road signs and red lights”; “So sick of drivers telling me where I should and shouldn’t be”; “No News November”: Movistar quash Cavendish rumour + more on the live blogPolice Scotland (via Twitter)
01 November 2022, 10:55
Police Scotland accused of “victim blaming” after advising cyclists – but not drivers – to “pay attention to road signs, markings and particularly red lights”

It’s been a while (alright, two months) since the live blog last featured accusations of “victim blaming” aimed at a local police force.

But as Police Scotland launches its ‘Get Ready for Winter’ campaign, by issuing road safety advice to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists with the reminder that “we all have a responsibility to keep Scotland’s roads safe during the winter months”, some cyclists online noted one particular piece of guidance that appears to be solely directed at those on two wheels:

You can imagine the scene when this advice was being put together in Police Scotland HQ: ‘Now, remember to emphasise the red lights, lad. "Particularly red lights", that’ll make our intent clear…’

Other Twitter users weren’t too pleased that pedestrians and cyclists were also being encouraged to “dress for the weather” – not by wrapping up warm, but by wearing “reflective or bright-coloured clothing”, on top of having front and rear lights (for the cyclists that is, not pedestrians. Though I wouldn’t be surprised…).

While some were confused and bewildered as to why helpful tips such as “Cars can take twice as long to stop in wet weather” were included in the ‘Advice for Cyclists’ section: 

Thankfully, Andy was on hand to pithily sum up what everyone was thinking: 

01 November 2022, 17:19
01 November 2022, 17:03
Police Scotland’s winter road safety advice reaction: It’s a jungle out there…

While it’s all kicking off in the comments section about red lights (top tip: don’t get involved), the aptly named road.cc reader Safety has had their say on Police Scotland’s latest campaign to “keep Scotland’s roads safe”:

Let’s not be surprised by the latest approach by Polis Scotland. This is the same force who have not just been slow in introducing a portal for accepting videos but at every turn have filibustered and actively delayed its introduction.

Meanwhile, over on Twitter:

And finally, the inevitable, thoughtful counterpoint:

Ach, that ‘z’ in ‘criticized’ irks me. I can accept being called a self-absorbed leftist. But a self-absorbed American leftist? That’s where I draw the line…

01 November 2022, 16:42
Just in time for Police Scotland’s latest road safety advice…
01 November 2022, 16:14
‘We’ll have our Park Anywhere lights on, so it’ll be fine’: Leith Walk strikes again

Edinburgh’s Leith Walk appears to be the gift that keeps on giving at the moment – if by gift, you mean example after example of questionable driving, that is.

Following yesterday’s close encounter with a bike lane-mounting lorry driver, a delivery van was spotted this afternoon taking up the whole of the new bike lane and a decent chunk of the footpath:

01 November 2022, 15:29
Wat een finish! Lars van der Haar overcomes late crash to sprint to dramatic Koppenbergcross win

Today’s cyclocross drama at the prestigious Koppenbergcross certainly didn’t end with the women’s race and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s woes.

In an absolute corker of a men’s race, European champion Lars van der Haar tore up the final ascent of the Koppenberg to see off the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal pairing of Michael Vanthourenhout and reigning three-time champion Eli Iserbyt.

At the very end of what was a feisty and sometimes volatile race (let’s just say that I’ve seen less bullying in 1990s school-based sitcoms), Van der Haar’s blistering turn of speed on the steep cobbled climb, a mainstay of the Tour of Flanders, completely blew away the Vanthourenhout-Iserbyt double act, and even came after the Baloise-Trek Lions rider crashed during the final lap, allowing Vanthourenhout to slip away for what looked like a nailed-on victory.

However, the last time up the Koppenberg proved one too many for Vanthourenhout, who could only watch as Van der Haar flew past in the closing metres, while teammate Iserbyt – the recent king of the Koppenberg – could muster very little by way of response.

European champ Van der Haar’s impressive win – his third and biggest of the season so far – also marks the first Dutch victory at the prestigious Flemish race since Mathieu van der Poel took the victory in 2017. No pressure then, Lars.

01 November 2022, 15:22
01 November 2022, 14:57
From Belgian fields to Belgian trains

According to a law passed by the Belgian parliament last week, all new trains in the country from 2025 will be equipped with a minimum of eight designated spaces for bikes, while refurbished trains will be required to have four bike spaces (from April 2021, all EU member states are obliged to include four places for cycle storage on all new or upgraded trains).

The new law forms part of the National Railway Company of Belgium’s train-bike strategy, which aims to increase the overall capacity for bikes on trains, provide more secure bicycle parking, and ensure clearer signage and information for travellers.

It’ll also make it a whole lot easier to take your bike to the cyclocross, which is what this is all about really…

01 November 2022, 14:31
Squints at screen… “Nope, still no Cavendish”
01 November 2022, 13:49
Mechanical #2 for PFP and Cobblestone Ducks

Oh dear, it really hasn’t been a great first outing for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot as an Ineos-backed rider – or for her new Pinarello Crossista F – at the Koppenbergcross today.

Despite picking her way through the field after that unlucky first lap mechanical and bike change, the French rider’s final lap was then derailed (excuse the pun) by yet more gearing issues.

Those pesky jammed gears (where’s Bauke Mollema when you need him?) forced the gravel world champion to run up the final ascent of the Koppenberg, her troublesome bike slung over her shoulder – which, in cleats, is a feat in itself to be fair…

There were no such issues, however, for the imperious Fem van Empel.

The prodigious 20-year-old Dutchwoman, who is set to join Jumbo-Visma for 2023, has been in scintillating form so far this ‘cross season, winning each of the four UCI World Cup events so far, and she stormed around the Koppenberg course to secure yet another resounding victory.

And what was Van Empel’s prize for such a dominant display?

An inflatable cobbled duck.

A. COBBLED. DUCK.

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe cycling may have peaked.

01 November 2022, 13:17
Marginal ‘cross losses for Ineos

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s much-anticipated first race in Ineos colours isn’t quite going to plan, as an unfortunate opening lap mechanical (due to a jammed chain) has left her a long way behind the dominant Fem van Empel:

However, it was the questionable response of PFP's new Ineos-branded pit crew as she rushed to change bikes that has raised a few eyebrows online:

01 November 2022, 13:06
01 November 2022, 12:38
Agony, ecstasy, and a rainbow at the National Hill Climb Championships

As Andrew Feather and Illi Gardner stormed to victory at the National Hill Climb Championships on Sunday, atop North Wales’ fearsome Old Shoe, Rod MacFadyen was once again on hand to capture all the grit, determination and beauty of hill climbing in the UK (and its fervent roadside support):

It almost makes me want to get back into hill climbing. Almost…

01 November 2022, 11:59
The duck is down, I repeat, the duck is down

As I noted earlier, the Koppenbergcross takes place this afternoon, providing cycling fans with both a preview of the winter of mud-spattered ‘cross goodness to come, as well as an early dose of the insanely steep, cobbled delights awaiting us in the spring…

The Koppenbergcross also marks the first round of the X2O Badkamers Trophy, the eight-race-long competition known primarily for its love of giant, inflatable rubber ducks:

Unfortunately, this morning the strong Flandrien winds of November have incapacitated one of cyclocross’s defining features (along with the chips and beer, obviously), prompting many – okay, one hardcore fan to argue that we should just call the whole thing off…

And who says cyclocross is cycling’s “silliest discipline”? 

01 November 2022, 11:39
“So sick of car drivers telling me where I should and shouldn’t be,” says Ned Boulting after run-in with taxi driver

ITV commentator Ned Boulting here, currently touring the UK with his one-man show, pointing out one of many inherent flaws in the ‘cyclists should ride in the cycle lane’ argument favoured by some motorists: 

01 November 2022, 10:39
01 November 2022, 10:10
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot to make Ineos debut at Koppenbergcross

French off-road star Pauline Ferrand-Prévot – who has, you know, just the four world titles to her name in 2022 – is set to make her debut as the Ineos Grenadiers’ first ever female rider this afternoon, at the always-fun Koppenbergcross:

PFP has missed the last two ‘cross seasons to focus on mountain biking, so today’s hit-out on and around the famous Koppenberg – a Tour of Flanders favourite (granted, not for Jesper Skibby) – could provide an interesting, if somewhat early, indicator of her form in the fields of northern Europe as she aims towards a second career world cyclocross title in February. 

01 November 2022, 09:11
Mark Cavendish, British road race championships 2022 (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
“It’s No News November”: Movistar quash Cavendish rumour

There have been so many twists and turns in the ‘Where will Mark Cavendish end up in 2023?’ story that, frankly, it’s hard to keep up.

First, we had the Manx Missile’s controversial omission from Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s Tour de France squad in July, ending all hopes of that historic stage win number 35 (for this year, at least), followed by Patrick Lefevere’s confirmation that Cavendish would no longer be “part of our project” after the end of this season.

With Cav’s exit from Quick-Step confirmed, the rumour mill has been swirling wildly since July: first, there were the – albeit tentative – rumours of a move to EF Education-EasyPost, after the 37-year-old attended a Rapha (EF’s clothing sponsors) event in London.

Mark Cavendish Rapha (copyright Simon MacMichael)

Cav visits Rapha in July (Simon MacMichael)

French minnows B&B Hotels-KTM (who appear to be on the cusp of a major funding boost) then took the lead in the race for Cavendish’s signature, with team boss Jérôme Pineau’s hopes of securing a deal – a “50/50” prospect in August – appearing to rise steadily throughout the autumn, with many expecting the sprinter to be announced as the squad’s marquee signing at a grand unveiling in Paris last Wednesday.

> Team rumoured to be signing Mark Cavendish cancels press conference due to "absence of certain major players"

However, that big reveal was called off at the last minute, as Pineau reportedly struggles to secure the required funds, amidst uncertainty over the arrival of new, heavyweight sponsors.

Cavendish, meanwhile, has remained tight-lipped on the matter, telling Cyclingnews at the Tour de France Criterium in Singapore on Sunday: “When I know, then you’ll hear it”.

So, just when you thought things couldn’t get any more convoluted, in walks Movistar, everyone’s favourite chaotic Netflix stars and the unlikeliest of bedfellows for a thoroughbred sprinter like Cavendish.

Movistar riders at the AJ Bell Tour of Britain - Credit SWpix.com_.JPG

Movistar riders at the Tour of Britain (SWpix.com)

But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Spanish band of climbers have emerged as a backup option if Pineau’s Parisian adventure falls through. The venerable Italian sports paper has claimed today that Movistar DS (and former GB rider) Max Sciandri is interested in securing his friend’s signature and aiming for No. 35 at the Tour next July.

A lead out train – consisting of Alex Aranburu, Imanol Erviti and Ivan Garcia Cortina – has even been touted, with Cav apparently set to share sprinting duties with old teammate and new Movistar signing Fernando Gaviria.

2022 Tour of Oman stage 1 Fernando GAVIRIA Mark CAVENDISH ASO Oman Cycling Association Pauline_Ballet (1).jpeg

Gaviria sprints against Cavendish at the 2022 Tour of Oman (ASO/Pauline Ballet)

But…

Just as we were all getting excited about the prospect of watching the volatile Cavendish and the squad’s impassive GC leader Enric Mas interact on the team bus on Netflix next year, the Spanish team took to Twitter itself to quickly quash any rumours concerning what surely would have been the shock signing of the winter:

“Can we please, kindly remind everyone that we’re at 30 riders on our men's team for 2023 (the UCI maximum) and this is just the desire of Max, who has been close friends with Cav for a long time,” the team’s social media manager wrote, in between fits of laughter I presume, this morning.

And in any case, Movistar tells us, if they could have an extra man in their squad, it would of course be the now-retired Alejandro Valverde:

Well, they don’t call it the silly season for nothing…

Ryan Mallon

After obtaining a PhD, lecturing, and hosting a history podcast at Queen’s University Belfast, Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.

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38 comments

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nosferatu1001 replied to rjfrussell | 2 years ago
9 likes

Going through on amber is the same offence as going through on red, and I bet you've seen that happen 

Passing the advanced stop line on red , to stop in the cycle box, is the same offence for cars as passing the stop line on red (or amber). If you've not seen that, you haven't paid attention.  

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rjfrussell replied to nosferatu1001 | 2 years ago
0 likes

You are right-  I haven't been paying any particular attention.  It may be that cars have gone through on the red as it has turned and i haven't noticed. Agree that that is likey to have been the case.

 

But with bikes, it is a different problem-  it is not people taking a chance and sneaking through on the turn.  Tehre is a substantial minority who just totally ingore reds, and will just weave through pedestrrians crossing, when all lights are fully red.  i find it infuriating whether i am driving, on the bike or on foot.  in the last case, it is often intimidating and frightening too.

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cyclisto replied to rjfrussell | 2 years ago
4 likes

Let's face it from the main three road users, pedestrian, cyclists and motor vehicles drivers, the cyclists are the one who will have the worst experience if they are forced to stop and start again, pedestrians can easily stop and start again, motor vehicles will just have to step on brakes and then gas but cyclists will have to regain on their own all this precious momentum. So I can undestand them.

Allowing red lights for cyclists shouldn't be a taboo. Is a policy that happens and should be tested in more countries

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33773868

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/oct/27/cyclists-run-red-lights-p...

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rjfrussell replied to cyclisto | 2 years ago
0 likes

I agree that there are plenty of circs where it is indeed daft for cyclists to have to wait at red, but for the moment that is not the law here, and some cyclists ignoring red, i am afraid, tars us with the same brush.

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chrisonabike replied to rjfrussell | 2 years ago
2 likes

Well... there is no us, same as for most people there are no "drivers".  But of course there is in the stereotype.  But again, because it's a stereotype we're already tarred.  So no amount of good behaviour by "most of us" will change that either.  If people buy a stereotype I think only some kind of a personal relationship with the believer will change the belief.

I tend to stay on the side of the rules personally but that's just me.

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chrisonabike replied to cyclisto | 2 years ago
0 likes

Hmm... I'd say it's sub-par solution, a bit like "flexible speed limits".  The issue is that locals (and observant people) would be fine, 99% of the time... but if we really need traffic lights that means there will be traffic.  So there will always be danger from motor vehicles.  Pedestrians also sometimes rely on "green = safe" - yes, we all should check but some people may not be able to see a cyclist!

Better to be unambiguous e.g. anything other than green = stop / do not proceed.  It might make sense for this to not always be enforced in some situations to the exact letter of the law of course.  Or variable penalties.  Otherwise there'd be lonely cyclists waiting at roadworks in the country for months for example.  Cyclists generally are less danger to all other road users than motor vehicles.

If we can imagine the UK being better than currently however we should look to better solutions.  Starting at the best:
No traffic lights at all (cyclists don't need them)
No traffic lights in certain directions (where cyclists aren't crossing motor traffic)
Smarter traffic lights (e.g. bike detection) / different signal phases (Ranty Highwayman has plenty on this, search there)
More time for a cyclist phase.
Advanced green (this is kind of an "entry level for improving countries" thing e.g. UK!)

Avatar
Awavey replied to rjfrussell | 2 years ago
4 likes

London isnt a good barometer to take a UK wide pulse on this from, I'm aware you see more cyclists jump red lights there, I've complained about it several times as it frustrates the hell out of me they do it, but I cant see how it gets fixed.

Equally I know I can walk to a traffic light crossroads a mile from my house and see at least 2 cars jump an "established" red light each time the lights change,and on each of the 5 sets of traffic lights on my commute route a vehicle will jump an established red and noone seemingly cares.

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EddyBerckx replied to rjfrussell | 2 years ago
7 likes

rjfrussell wrote:

Having spend a couple of days in London, (a) great to see so many people on bikes, even in pretty shitty weather but (b) I have not seen any cars drive through red lights, and I have not seen any cars driving on the pavement while (c) I have seen lots of bikes go though red lights- really, almost at every junction, someone will do it.  And even if there are 30 bikes waiting patiently, it is the one that draws attention (especially when compared with zero cars) ;  and there are, I am afraid to say, lots of people riding dangerously on pavements too.

I fully agree that "advice" from police like this is frustrating, but I think we might better serve the cycling community by being honest about the fact that there are plenty of people on bikes who don't follow the law, who give everyone a bad name, and create risks for all.  Calling them out too would not do any harm.

I see cars jump red lights - most of the time whilst breaking the speed limit - EVERY COMMUTE I do in London. Every time. And as for cars not being driven on pavements? Are you on drugs? More than 10 times as many people are killed on pavements by cars than by bikes.

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