Police use undercover cyclist to tackle close passes; Nibali injury update; Jonathan Vaughters slammed for supporting European Super League; But cyclists; Richmond Park driver squeezes through no cars shortcut; Vini Zabù banned + more on the live blog

Im originally from a "rival" town just up the motorway from Bath, the quality of driving in Bath was a running joke for us in our late teens/early twenties.  We used to blame it on the upper/middle classes of Bath getting a bit inbred and gradually inheriting worse and worse driving skills due to the type of drivers and cars you would see commiting the worst offenses. 

On the Laura Laker blog post about WMP last month, I posted a link where Mark Hodson did a vlogcast about the setup.

Him and Steve had been asked to do the mat thing at Pressers and Cycle shows and had agreed as they were regular cyclists themselves. However whilst at the Cycle show they were approached by cyclists stating that is all well and good but there is no enforcement so they decided to set something up. The first ones were from his own cameras (and one is pants shitting bad). Then they allowed some submissions from other people but were waiting for someone to challenge it in court to see if the judges would rule against that type of submission. Someone finally did and was told the video evidence was sufficient and ruled against the challenge. They then pushed for the other stuff like the portal etc but had to bring other officers in to try to process them as they were recieving hundreds to review. He didn't go any further though on why it is now being quietly swept under the mat.

Is that a reference to the proposed ESL?

I'm trying to understand why our Govt are getting so indignant about it - surely it's just a result of "market forces" and they always say they can't do anything to get in the way of The Market?

(disclaimer - I'm not a football fan)

Its only "Market Forces" when they have been invited to stick their snouts in the trough too.  Otherwise its faux outrage in order to court the Fan vote and/or secure a place at the trough.

Well the Gov is because of popularism which seems to be what they want, hence the 5 thousand u-turns they have done since he has been in power. 

It is harder to put into cycling terms but I would argue it would be like DQS, Ineos, and a few other of the big teams suddenly announcing they want to do their own racing series seperate to the UCI and with them setting their own rules on it and pocketing all the money. However they still then want to enter the grand tours and the classics but eff the smaller races that aren't as lucrative. And we are doing it because the the "future fans" want this and the "legacy fans" can just lump it if they don't like it. Oh and other world teams might get invited in but it will be our  choice and they don't get the same benefits we will get. 

Kissing cousin, Porsche.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-56809145
According to the BBC account, it was the car that did it, injuring the driver and passenger in the process.

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Just because of someone on here who drives an Audi and will get riled...... The Richmond park video is an Audi driver but can someone else confirm with the railing parking job whether that vehicle is also a product of Vorsprung Dork Technique as well? 

No, I think it's a Porsche Macan.   Might be a collaboration/joint project with Audi/VW though.  But whatever, it's a crossover which translates as a pretend off roader with go faster bits...because that's what buyers want 

well technically VW own both Audi and Porsche brands, so its a pretend Audi

The Macan is based on the Audi Q5, so they're (wall) kissing cousins.

Unfortunately I think it falls into the same bucket of road offenses as 80mph on the motorway ie only notable by the way in which its not usually enforced.

Bungle_52 wrote:

Re close pass : Did I hear this right? At 45s into the video did Sgt Jon Butler say that by not giving 1.5m you are comitting an offence of driving without due care and attention.

If that's true in the West Midlands why isn't it the case elsewhere?

I think that statement falls into the realms of opinion, and is yet to be tested in a court of law.

One hopes that's what he means - as he has mentioned the US style franchise system applied to cycling before. It could/should work for cycling, similar to how F1 works. It won't ever work for football....

So if a team like Ribble wanted to improve / progress they would have to buy Cofidis' franchise licence rather than do it on sporting merit!

Spot on, the US franchise set up is all about stabilising income so owners can take on more/cheaper debt and lenders/investors can plan how long it will take to get their cash back or can set up investment vehicles to allow long term investment by pension and life funds who like the certainty a closed shop provides. As a fan, the model does not appeal and it gives those at the top too much power on the say about which teams gets into the elite club.

The only thing I like about the franchise model is the draft system which, on the face of it, spreads talent across the teams each year. As to whether this would work in cycling who knows.

Not surprised Vaughters supports this, it's the way top level sport is managed in the US and probably seems normal. Can't see it being accepted in Europe as we fans love the underdog and the opportunity to win no matter how much/little cash you have.

Road.cc's report is misleading. It's not that they're using 'plain-clothed' officers - it's that they're using officers in both hi-vis and in normal clothes to demonstrate that it makes no difference - both get close-passed - so the complaint that this only happens because cyclists don't make themselves visible enough is baseless.

Absolutely. Cyclists at night, dressed in black and without lights are clearly visible.  We know this because some motorists keep telling us that's all they see cyclists doing.

We also know that some motorists just don't approach with the right mentality.  In a Bike Radar article (curently live on their front page about lane-keeping car tech), a quote from former police instructor, Reg Local (made up name), says:

• "My rule of thumb for [overtaking] cyclists is ‘plan to follow, look to pass'.  Most drivers approach cyclists with those plans in the wrong order. They plan to pass and then, often at the last minute, have to brake hard and end up close to the rear of the cyclist because of oncoming vehicles."

... or they pass too close.  Or just smite them off the road like the bugs they consider them to be.

Sometimes police officers in the brightest "I'm a cop" uniform you could imagine also get close-passed, and deliberate verbal and physical abuse from car to bicycle.  It can be on camera, and it can also fail on its way to, or in, court.  I've spoken to the officers to whom it's happened.

Sometimes the inter-modal hatred is just so strong that it overwhelms some car occupants to the point of insanity.  Or they just hate the police as well.

Drivers probably assumed it was was on those fake police dayglo outfits with POLITE on it, or just unobservant more likely.