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“Allowing cyclists to ignore 20mph zones makes a dangerous situation so much worse”: Mr Loophole calls for “kamikaze cyclists” to be forced to adhere to 20mph speed limits and wear number plates; The great garish TT helmet poll + more on the live blog

Did anyone hear some rumours about a new time trial helmet design? I could have sworn I saw something… Anyway, Ryan Mallon’s back with more helmet (I mean cycling) news, views, and nonsense on the Tuesday live blog

SUMMARY

05 March 2024, 09:08
“Allowing cyclists to ignore 20mph zones makes a dangerous situation so much worse”: Mr Loophole calls for “kamikaze cyclists” to be forced to adhere to 20mph speed limits, amid renewed call for cycling number plates

After yesterday’s blog – and its focus on the “plagues of two-wheeled vermin” swarming around Box Hill, at least according to one oddly furious, tuba-playing student – reminded us that vicious anti-cycling invectives can cut across the generations, we’re now diverting our attention back to one of the anti-cycling OGs, ‘Mr Loophole’ himself, Nick Freeman.

> Bizarre ‘Young Reporter’ anti-cycling opinion piece by schoolkid bemoans “plagues of two-wheeled vermin” on Box Hill, making them late for music lessons 

It’s been a while – over three months in fact – since Freeman, a lawyer famous for obtaining not guilty verdicts for celebrities charged with driving offences, last popped up on our timeline, calling for cyclists to be required to fit registration plates on their bikes, or be subject to speed limits, and penalty points… And not so much on phone use behind the wheel, but you get the point.

Mr Loophole bicycle number plate debate (Jeremy Vine on 5)

> Mr Loophole makes renewed call for cyclist number plates, but gets shut down by Jeremy Vine show panel

But this week, he’s back doing what he does best, appearing in the Express to complain about “kamikaze” cyclists dangerously “overtaking and undertaking” motorists in new 20mph zones “with impunity”.

The widespread implementation of 20mph zones, Freeman says, is a “contradiction in terms” because it doesn’t apply to cyclists – who are constantly zooming about at over 20mph of course (now, don’t bring up time trials, okay?).

Oh, and he also slotted in his personal favourite – arguing that any legislation to require cyclists to adhere to speed limits “will lack teeth if cyclists remain anonymous”, and that any road traffic law which “applies to motor vehicles apply to cyclists and e-bikes too.”

All the hits, then.

Mr Loophole two abreast cyclists video (Twitter/Nick Freeman)

> “We warned that voting for these parties would lead to anti-car measures”: 20mph speed limit plan to “really encourage more cycle journeys” slammed as “nuts” and “extremely worrying”

“There is so much fanfare about how roads with 20mph limits will be so much safer,” Freeman said in the Express. “But how on earth can cyclists safely share road space with cars on 20mph roads when those on bikes don’t have to observe the limit?

“How can you have a speed limit which claims to protect all, yet which doesn’t apply to certain road users? It is a contradiction in terms.

“Because of this disparity, we see legally compliant cars crawling along at 20mph while kamikaze cyclists dangerously undertake and overtake these vehicles with impunity – because there is no law to stop them from doing so.

“How on earth is this supposed to advance the cause of road safety?”

Ah yes, that classic dichotomy – a motorist travelling at 20mph is “crawling along”, while a cyclist riding at the same speed is “dangerous”. Might want to think that one through a bit more, Nick.

> "Far more pleasant for walkers and cyclists": 20mph speed limit analysis hailed "astonishing", with drivers' journeys just 45 seconds longer

And it’s not just those pesky kamikaze cyclists motorists have to be worried about in the 20mph zones.

“At present drivers in a 20mph zone are constantly having to focus on their speedometer which is a distraction in itself,” Freeman adds.

“But they also have the additional responsibility of looking out for kamikaze cyclists. It’s such a dangerous situation and one the government either overlooked or didn’t consider when drafting legislation for bikes and cyclists on our roads.

“The number of accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians is increasing exponentially – which is why there is an urgent need to legislate to ensure cyclists obey the speed limit.

“Roads with a 20mph limit are already causing massive congestion whilst motorists are distracted by the constant need to brake. Allowing cyclists to ignore the limit simply makes a dangerous situation so much worse.”

Number plate

> "Dangerous" cyclists "entirely unaccountable" and should have number plates, argues former Met Police chief

And don’t worry, he’s about to mention number plates now.

"Any legislation will lack teeth if cyclists remain anonymous,” Freeman says of the means of clamping down on ‘speeding’ cyclists. “They must be required to display a form of identification – say a registered tabard or registration plate – and have a licence or insurance.

“Otherwise it is hard for those who break the law to be caught. In other words, make the same road traffic law which applies to motor vehicles apply to cyclists and e-bikes too.”

Of course, Mr Loophole has been a longstanding proponent of cycling number plates – to no great effect – with his 2021 petition on the issue limping across the 10,000-signature threshold for an official response from the government, only to be decidedly rejected by the Department for Transport (a stance consistently repeated since then).

But, sure if this latest campaign fails, he can always get a job as a ‘young reporter’ at This is Local London, right?

05 March 2024, 10:37
2024 Jonas Vingegaard Tirreno-Adriatico TT helmet (@vismaleaseabike on X)
The great garish helmet poll: What classic sci-fi inspired, aero gains hunting, style-be-damned time trial lid is your favourite?

In what I’m now suspecting to be a calculated move, designed to take the attention away from rival Tadej Pogačar’s otherworldly, fear-inducing ride at the weekend, Visma-Lease a Bike and Giro’s startling new helmet design has dominated discussion in the cycling world – for better or worse – over the past 24 hours.

> Is Jonas Vingegaard’s latest time trial helmet one step too far?

But considering the trajectory of helmet design – both in time trials, and increasingly worryingly, on the road – in recent years, should we really be surprised when a team rocks up with something more closely resembling what a bored child might draw at the back of class than your standard, mid-noughties pointy-tipped aero lid?

So, ahead of today’s team time trial at Paris-Nice – when we’ll be treated to the sight of those helmets, and their illustrious, aesthetically questionable predecessors, all lined up in a row of seven, like they’re about to invade an alien planet – I thought I’d run a small poll.

Of all the mad TT helmet designs of the past few years, which is your favourite?

Stefan Bissegger UAE TT (GCN+)

Is it the OG of mad, bad out-there design, the POC Tempor?

Geraint Thomas gilet (Eurosport/GCN+)

Or Kask’s ski goggle-esque visor, with oversized wings (and superfluous gilet as an optional extra – thanks, Geraint)?

Florian Senechal 2022 Tour de Frane (GCN)

Or maybe it’s Spesh’s groundbreaking bucket and snood combo?

Uno-X's Sweet Protection helmet at Volta ao Algarve (Cor Vos)

Though maybe your loyalties lie with the helmet that walked so Visma could run: Uno-X and Sweet Protection’s mega flared bumblebee look and bonkers middle vent (for some reason)?

2024 Jonas Vingegaard Tirreno-Adriatico TT helmet (@vismaleaseabike on X)

Or has Giro’s “innovative” – and one sole rider in the top 20 of a Tirreno TT achieving – design stolen your heart?

2024 Bahrain victorious Rudy Project tt helmet

Or maybe, just maybe… it’s Bahrain-Victorious and Rudy’s new winged effort, cruelly overshadowed by their Visma counterparts yesterday?

Of course, your choice can be made based on aesthetics, aero capabilities, or just that you prefer your time trial helmets to be as mad as possible. Get voting!

Loading...

05 March 2024, 16:28
The people have spoken – and they’ve told the helmet designers and aero nerds to rein it in a bit

Who needs wind tunnels, months of engineering and testing, and the real-world results of a Paris-Nice team time trial, when you have the views of a smattering  of road.cc live blog readers?

Helmet design poll

Though if the tech nerds are still desperate, of course, I know of a particular time trial look that is surely due a comeback and would keep the punters happy at the same time:

Well, they don’t call him the King for nothing…

05 March 2024, 15:48
Paris-Nice: UAE Team Emirates win the battle of the helmets, as late afternoon showers open up unexpected gaps during hilly team time trial

Now before we get to the results of this afternoon’s ‘first across the line counts’ Paris-Nice team time trial – the kind of modern cycling innovation lost in the recent news cycle – first things first. And no, I’m not talking about helmets.

During Eurosport’s coverage, I was shocked – shocked – to learn that Rob Hatch, while chatting about the online discourse surrounding Giro’s new, potentially soon to be outlawed helmet, pronounces ‘memes’ as ‘mayms’.

I don’t think I’ll ever recover.

Anyway, back to the racing, where UAE Team Emirates, and their slightly bulky but largely inoffensive helmets, took advantage of the lighter skies and drier roads during their hilly 27km trip around Auxerre to secure the win, 15 seconds ahead of Jayco-AlUla and 20 clear of POC-wearing EF Education EasyPost, catapulting Brandon McNulty into the yellow jersey.

A late afternoon downpour meant that the last few teams were forced to deal with some wet roads on the descent back into town, having a clear effect on the rankings, and opening up potentially bigger gaps than were expected between the GC favourites.

The rain appeared to have the biggest impact on Primož Roglič and his new Bora-Hansgrohe team, who despite crossing the first checkpoint in second, just three seconds off the pace (with the Slovenian drilling it on the front in what was then dry conditions), finished in Auxerre 54 seconds down on UAE, and in 11th.

Likewise, Remco Evenepoel’s Soudal-Quick Step team led the way at the first checkpoint with almost a full complement of riders, but were forced to settle for fourth, 22 seconds down.

While Ineos Grenadiers – who put Josh Tarling under pressure halfway through, so you know the pace was high – finished in fifth on the same time as Soudal, Visma-Lease a Bike continued their trend of putting in devastatingly average performances in their new helmets, finishing sixth, 38 seconds slower than UAE Team Emirates.

And the owners of the other new helmet on the block, Bahrain-Victorious? They managed tenth, 42 seconds down.

Maybe there’s something to be said about traditional designs…

05 March 2024, 15:11
2024 Visma Lease a bike Giro Aerohead 2.0
Uh oh, here comes the “in-depth analysis”: UCI says it will review helmet design rules following Visma-Lease a Bike controversy and trend for “ever more radical designs” – as Specialized snood set to be outlawed from April

And there it is.

Never one for waiting until the technological horse had bolted before shutting the regulatory door (promising to look into hookless rims “as a matter of urgency” only after Thomas De Gendt’s tyre exploded at the UAE Tour being one notable recent example of that fashionable lateness), the UCI has woken up, stretched, made a coffee, checked the morning papers and their coverage of Visma-Lease a Bike’s revolutionary helmet, and then decided to release a statement about it.

Promising an “in-depth analysis of the regulations governing the design and use of time trial helmets”, the governing body’s statement seeks to clarify its position amid “ever more radical designs”, noting that while Visma and Bahrain’s latest helmet looks are currently legal, they raise “a significant issue concerning the current and wider trend in time trial helmet design, which focuses more on performance than the primary function of a helmet, namely to ensure the safety of the wearer in the event of a fall”.

Oh, and while they’re at it, the UCI has also announced that Specialized’s infamous head sock will be banned from 2 April, in a move that will certainly annoy the Manchester City team of the early 2010s.

2024 Visma Lease a Bike Giro Aerohead 2.0 side profile (@vismaleaseabike on X)

Read more: > UCI to review design rules in light of Team Visma-Lease a Bike helmet and “ever more radical designs”

All these attempts by the UCI to clamp down on groundbreaking, slightly weird, and quite ugly tech – have I travelled back in time to the mid-1990s?

05 March 2024, 14:41
Jasper Philipsen cruises to Tirreno-Adriatico sprint win ahead of Tim Merlier

It may not have been the most straightforward of opening road stages to Tirreno-Adriatico, courtesy of the litany of pinch points, crashes, and spots of argy-bargy during the run-in to Follonica, but boy did Jasper Philipsen make it look oh so easy.

After a series of crashes, one of which saw Chris Froome awkwardly hold his wrist, and an ill-timed mechanical for Mark Cavendish, Soudal-Quick Step’s in-form sprinter Tim Merlier decided to take matters into his own hands by divebombing into the crucial final corner with 250m to go.

Unfortunately for the big Belgian, the presence of Uno-X’s rapidly fading lead-out in that very corner ever so slightly robbed him of the speed required to carry his surge to the line.

Merlier continued to carry out his tactical plan, however, but soon became resigned to acting as an impromptu, if very fast, lead-out for Alpecin’s double denim-clad Philipsen, who burst clear for a comfortable first victory of the season, as Merlier clung on for second, a lightyear behind in sprinting terms.

Meanwhile, even further behind the nonchalantly explosive Philipsen, a sea of calm amid the chaos, Biniam Girmay took third – but the spot of bumping and barging with Axel Zingle, and Girmay’s clear deviation across the Frenchman’s line, has prompted the commissaires to relegate the Eritrean. Cycling VAR working quickly and effectively – who knew?

05 March 2024, 14:25
Let the hyperbole flow: More groundbreaking tech news as Look unveil “lightest power meter pedal on the market”, as Rapha releases its “fastest ever jersey”
2024 Look Keo Power pedal - 1

> Look’s new Keo Blade Power is “the lightest power meter pedal on the market”

Rapha Pro Team Aero Jersey hero

> Rapha unveils "fastest jersey" it's ever produced as part of latest Pro Team collection

Well, they’re not going to say their shiny new product isn’t the lightest, fastest, coolest thing ever, are they?

05 March 2024, 13:57
grinduro wales promo pic.PNG
Gravel series Grinduro offers free entries to those affected by bike industry lay-offs

As lay-offs continue to hit the struggling bike industry, especially in the wake of Mike Ashley’s purchase of Wiggle, gravel series Grinduro has come up with a “small gesture” to those recently made redundant – by offering them a free entry to any Grinduro event.

“As we all know, the bike industry has been hit by hard times recently. Many of those good folks have been on the receiving end of a redundancy notice. Some of our closest friends who have previously staffed booths at Grinduro events in the past are unfortunately now out of work,” Grinduro, established in 2015 and now owned by UK-based Northern Consultancy Co., said.

“As a small organisation, we wish we could do more to help than just send them virtual hugs. So, we did some thinking. What can we do? Many of these guys and gals have stood on booths on their weekends, watching others ride, no doubt wishing they were out there too on their bikes.

“It’s a small gesture, but Grinduro wants to say thank you to those industry folks recently made redundant by offering them a free entry to Grinduro. Any Grinduro.”

grinduro 2017 Russell Burton7.jpg

Laid-off industry workers can claim their free ticket for any Grinduro event – with the series set to visit Germany, France, Italy, the US, and Japan this year – by emailing industry [at] grinduro.com, and providing proof of their involvement in the cycling industry by sharing a business card or a LinkedIn profile, and a rough date of when they were made redundant.

“We don’t wanna be nosey, but you can bet someone will try it on for a free ticket,” the series said. “We look forward to seeing you on the trails and the dance floor!”

05 March 2024, 13:23
“A great result for our enforcement teams”: Cyclist ordered to pay £500 for riding bicycle through town centre

In yet another episode in the long-running battle between the local authority’s “zero-tolerance” policy and people riding bikes in Grimsby’s pedestrianised zones, a North East Lincolnshire councillor has hailed a “great result for our enforcement teams” after a 60-year-old cyclist was fined and ordered to pay £500 after breaching a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) by cycling through the town centre.

Victoria_Street_West,_Grimsby_-_DSC07296.JPG

Read more: > Cyclist ordered to pay £500 for riding bicycle through town centre as councillor claims hefty fine is “great result for our enforcement teams”

05 March 2024, 12:54
And in truly shocking, abhorrent, earth-shattering pro cycling news…

Groupama-FDJ meetings taking place in English? Groupama-FDJ? FDJ, FDJ? The team of Marc Madiot, Thibaut Pinot, beautiful Tricolore national champs kits, and emotional roadside breakdowns?

In English? English?!

Thomas De Gendt’s right, we should all just pack up and head home.

The game’s gone…

05 March 2024, 12:31
Laura Kenny with Rio Omnium gold (Photo by Bryn Lennon, Getty Images via Britishcycling.org_.uk).jpg
Laura Kenny has “slim chance” of competing at Paris Olympics, says British Cycling’s performance director

Laura Kenny, Britain’s most successful female Olympian, has only a “slim chance” racing at this summer’s Paris Olympics, according to British Cycling’s performance director Stephen Park.

The 31-year-old gave birth to a second child, Monty, in July last year, and has not raced since the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Kenny is also continuing to train on her own, away from the rest of GB’s track endurance squad, and does not currently have the UCI points required for Olympic qualification, with April’s Track Nations Cup in Canada her last opportunity to secure a potential spot at the Paris Games.

> “Everyone thinks I’m absolutely mad, but if I don’t try I’ll never know”: Laura Kenny targets 2024 Paris Olympics return

“She has a slim chance of being in Paris,” Park told reporters at the Manchester velodrome today.

“The first challenge is for her to be in a position where she feels that she is going to be competitive, and therefore put herself and if you like put her hand up to be selected for events that will allow her to qualify herself as well as qualify in the team.

“Both of those are fairly significant hurdles because you need to be able to get to the right events on an individual level to qualify, and secondly she’s got to be competitive in a team that’s more competitive than it's ever been.”

Laura Kenny Alex Broadway:SWpix.com

(Alex Broadway, SWpix.com)

Nevertheless, Park says the five-time Olympic gold medallist is “optimistic” about returning to form in time for October’s world championships.

“The time is approaching fairly quickly where she’s going to have to be pretty clear as to whether she wants [to race at the Olympics], otherwise she’ll perhaps miss the opportunity,” GB’s performance director added.

“The first big piece is about her having the confidence, nobody knows better than Laura about what you need to do to win a medal in women’s track.

“I’ve got no doubt that if she decided that she was going to absolutely put her mind to it and felt that she was physically and mentally in the right place, she would do. [While] she’s getting herself back into that place, she doesn’t want to be in the situation where she is affecting the training of the others as well, she’s really conscious of the progress they’re making too.”

Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald win Madison gold in Tokyo (Copyright Alex Broadway, SWpix.com).JPG

(Alex Broadway, SWpix.com)

In November, Kenny told Team GB’s The Journey documentary series that she remained intent on securing her spot in Paris, for what would be her fourth Olympics.

“I obviously want to compete in the next Olympics,” she said. “I know everyone thinks I’m absolutely mad in saying that, but if I don’t try, I’ll never know.

“I would hate to be sat here thinking, ‘well I never even gave it a go, to see whether I could make it possible’.”

05 March 2024, 12:12
Breaking News: Visma-Lease a Bike time trialist crashes into building on London’s Oxford Street – Oh, wait…

Alright, I promise that’s the last one… Actually, I don’t promise anything.

05 March 2024, 11:39
Cycle lane parking in Belfast (credit - Dominic Bryan, Twitter)
Belfast still has just two miles of protected cycling infrastructure, report finds – despite majority of residents wanting to cycle more and drive less, as number of motorists in the city soars

It’ll come as no surprise to regular readers of this live blog that Belfast – a city where bins and parked cars clog up ‘protected’ cycle lanes, where the lack of change in cycling casualty figures over the past decade has been branded “shameful”, and where exasperated councillors plea with the government to devolve powers to them so they can “bloody” install some cycling infrastructure – boasts just two miles of segregated cycle lanes.

Sustrans’ Walking and Cycling Index for 2023 has revealed that the number of protected bike lanes in Belfast has not changed in five years – despite the majority of the city’s residents being in favour of more segregated infrastructure and dealing with the car-dominance and pavement parking that defines Belfast’s streets.

> “If they can’t build cycle lanes, devolve bloody powers to us and we’ll do it”: Belfast Council slams Northern Ireland government’s “joke” delivery of cycling infrastructure – as just 2.8km of bike lanes installed in two years

In August, Green councillor Anthony Flynn was scathing about the government’s lack of delivery on its cycle network plans, which he described as “incredibly frustrating” and “ridiculous”.

“With £700,000 they have delivered 2.8 kilometres in the last two years. And on another project £245,000 on an active travel funding upgrade,” Flynn said.

“I am exasperated with that, to be honest. We had the Belfast Cycling Network Delivery Plan two years ago – there was an £11 million budget, and again we are left with little to no delivery, which is incredibly frustrating.”

Cavehill Road, Belfast (credit - Sustrans)

> No change in cycling casualties over 10 years in Northern Ireland called “shameful” by Cycling UK and should be “wake-up call” for decision makers

And according to Sustrans’ latest survey, thanks to this active travel inertia perpetuated by the political standoff at Stormont, active travel numbers have dropped by two per cent since 2021, while driving numbers have risen from 44 per cent to 51 per cent.

However, a third of those surveyed said they would like to drive less, while 47 per cent said they wanted to cycle more and 65 per cent said they would support more protected infrastructure in the city.

Meanwhile, in a result that will shock controversialists across the UK and on GB News, 77 per cent of Belfast residents said they’d also be in favour of the creation of 20-minute neighbourhoods in the city.

“In the 10th year of the Index, we are delighted to be able to spotlight the realities and ambitions of the people of Belfast regarding active travel,” Claire Pollock, head of Sustrans in Northern Ireland, said in a statement following the index’s publication.

“The responses to the independent survey show that the majority of people would like to see less car dominance and more active travel options available.

“Investment in such infrastructure would go a long way towards tackling physical and mental health issues, as well as cut carbon emissions in a cost-effective way which would benefit everyone living in, working in and visiting Belfast.”

New barriers vandalised on Belfast cycle lane (Steve Roy, Twitter)

> “Stop victim blaming”: Government’s New Year’s call for all road users to “share responsibility” for safety slammed, as new figures reveal cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists account for over half of all road deaths in 2023

The politician responsible for investing in this infrastructure, Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd, said he “welcomed” the report, and that “it is encouraging to hear that more people would like to get out of their car and make the switch to active travel journeys.

“I plan to turn that into a reality by investing in more and better active travel infrastructure. Infrastructure is the starting point for a more prosperous and productive economy; as well as a better quality of life for our communities.

“I want to create people-centred cities, towns and villages which look and feel cleaner and greener and that create a thriving, healthy environment where people can live, work, shop, visit and invest.”

If I’m honest, John, I won’t be holding my breath…

05 March 2024, 11:14
Cyclists slam council’s “biased survey” asking “how much of a nuisance and danger e-bikes” are to residents

A London council has been accused of running the “most biased survey ever” and “completely wasting time” on an anti-cyclist “PR exercise”, the backlash coming after the local authority shared a short online survey asking residents for their views on “how much of a nuisance and danger e-bikes and e-scooters” are.

2023 Volt Infinity-Shimano STEPS e-bike - riding 1

Read more: > Cyclists slam council’s “biased survey” asking “how much of a nuisance and danger e-bikes” are to residents

No biased surveys around here, anyway…

05 March 2024, 10:20
“It looks like discrimination”: Disabled cyclists’ campaign group calls relaxing of planning laws to allow bike storage units in front gardens “very worrying”, if larger designs for adapted cycles are not allowed

Some reaction to the government’s plans to relax planning laws to allow bike sheds in front garden, which disabled cycling charity Wheels for Wellbeing has warned could possibly lead to “discrimination” against those with larger, adapted cycles unable to fit within the planned permitted measurements:

Bike shed (Bluum)

> Disabled cyclists’ campaign group calls relaxing of planning laws to allow bike storage units in front gardens “very worrying”, if larger designs for adapted cycles are not allowed

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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111 comments

Avatar
grOg | 8 months ago
1 like

The issue with bike plates is that it would be easy to use a fake plate, as the usual method for plod to check for fake plates with motor vehicle plates is to see if the plates match the vehicle they are attached to; not so easy with bicycles that all look much the same; that said, electric assist bikes should be identifiable due to the proclivity of riders to use the power to exceed legal limits.

Avatar
Rome73 replied to grOg | 8 months ago
1 like

Cycles do have serial numbers stamped on the frame. So the police could ID the bike. Of course they would need access to a huge database - which someone would have to compile at great cost. Retailers would be against it as all it would do is add cost to the cycle. 

Avatar
D.Railleur replied to Rome73 | 8 months ago
2 likes

BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP wrote:

Cycles do have serial numbers stamped on the frame. So the police could ID the bike. Of course they would need access to a huge database - which someone would have to compile at great cost. Retailers would be against it as all it would do is add cost to the cycle. 

 

Carbon fibre bikes, have only a sticker. 

Avatar
wtjs | 8 months ago
7 likes

I see that some confusion has arisen over the pictures below, due to my inexplicit comments. In summary, I have shown the latest and first pictures of WU59 UMH, which is an easily locatable dangerous vehicle with no MOT or VED for over 6+ years, a failed MOT for dangerous defects 6 months ago. Lancashire Constabulary has refused to do anything about this, and Lancashire PCC says it's nothing to do with them despite regular PCC articles on social media praising LancsFilth for 'getting dangerous vehicles off the road' etc, my MP says 'complain to the police' and the police say 'we're not accepting any complaints from you about this vehicle'. There are loads of 'No MOT' vehicles in Lancashire, where the police ignore the reports. 

Avatar
HoarseMann replied to wtjs | 8 months ago
1 like

You would think the police would take some interest in the driver of this vehicle. Not least as it's seen regularly at a pub.

Avatar
wtjs replied to HoarseMann | 8 months ago
1 like

You would think the police would take some interest in the driver of this vehicle. Not least as it's seen regularly at a pub

Not with my experience of the hopelessly idle/ inept/ bent officers of Lancashire Constabulary, you wouldn't!

Avatar
john_smith replied to wtjs | 8 months ago
0 likes

Crikey. Sheer incompetence/laziness, or is there more to it than that? Motor belongs to the local mafia boss? Or the owner has compromising photographs of plod?

Avatar
Simon E | 8 months ago
3 likes

Quote:

they don’t call him the King for nothing…

No. THIS is The King.

//pezcyclingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/alfengers-king-shorter-920.jpg)

https://pezcyclingnews.com/interviews/time-trial-king-alf-engers-part-1-...

Avatar
levestane replied to Simon E | 8 months ago
1 like
Avatar
don simon fbpe | 8 months ago
7 likes

Quote:

“At present drivers in a 20mph zone are constantly having to focus on their speedometer which is a distraction in itself,” Freeman adds.

Fucking idiot!

Avatar
Pub bike replied to don simon fbpe | 8 months ago
1 like

"motorists are distracted by the constant need to brake"

Is this because they have their foot permanently pressing too hard on the accelerator?

Avatar
eburtthebike | 8 months ago
7 likes

".......complain about “kamikaze” cyclists dangerously “overtaking and undertaking” motorists in new 20mph zones “with impunity”."

To whom is this danger being caused?  Drivers? Pedestrians?  Definitely not the first, and I'm sure most pedestrians would rather be hit by a cyclist doing 25mph than a car doing the typical speed in a 20mph zone of 25+mph.

Avatar
mattw | 8 months ago
5 likes

On the criminal-defender Freeman, the Express quotes him thusly:

“The number of accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians is increasing exponentially – which is why there is an urgent need to legislate to ensure cyclists obey the speed limit."

Is this true?

I think Freeman may be having a flight of fancy, or just lying.

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to mattw | 8 months ago
4 likes

It's the 2nd.

Avatar
Clem Fandango replied to mattw | 8 months ago
3 likes

He's what's known as a lying piece of sh*t.

Avatar
the little onion replied to mattw | 8 months ago
1 like

He might technically be correct - it might be increasing exponentially. But at a very low rate from a very low value. So statistically worthless. 

Avatar
john_smith replied to the little onion | 8 months ago
0 likes

Or maybe a zero rate or a negative rate, both of which can be represented with exponential functions.

If four peds die every year, there is exponential growth. If four die in year 1, two in year 2 and one in year 3, that is also exponential growth.

Avatar
Steve K replied to mattw | 8 months ago
4 likes

mattw wrote:

On the criminal-defender Freeman, the Express quotes him thusly:

“The number of accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians is increasing exponentially – which is why there is an urgent need to legislate to ensure cyclists obey the speed limit."

Is this true?

I think Freeman may be having a flight of fancy, or just lying.

The covid enquiry revealed that scientists had to explain to Ministers - repeatedly - what exponentially means.  Maybe they could explain it to Freeman, too?

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dubwise | 8 months ago
10 likes

Why do you continually give that moron Freeman oxygen?

He is obviously not right in the head or a cyclist stole his girlfriend/wife.

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IanMK | 8 months ago
2 likes

The problem with the 30mph enforcement means that if you get caught going 36mph you will, as a first offence, be sent on a speed awareness course. Below that nothing! It's always up to 10% + 2mph

20mph is no different, so you have to be doing 25mph to be charged and even then it's likely to be a course. Mr Loophole knows this. He also knows it's rare to find cyclists going at this speed.

The evidence from Wales seems to be that drivers are now consistently driving at <30mph and that's probably enough to significantly reduce risk. I'm not a fan of 20mph zones. I would much prefer the 30mph was an absolute limit. The trouble is lawyers like loophole would be making more money arguing about the tolerance on speed cameras.

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Fursty Ferret | 8 months ago
4 likes

What I don't understand is why someone who is obsessed with using the basis of technicalities to get people off fairly serious crimes is so outspoken about other people not being convicted for stuff which is literally not a criminal offence.

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marmotte27 replied to Fursty Ferret | 8 months ago
2 likes

Petrolheads tend to be rightwingers, and that equals to hypocrite.

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OnYerBike replied to Fursty Ferret | 8 months ago
4 likes

I assume he primarily wants the free publicity, and thinks that this sort of stuff will endear him to his typical clientele (I imagine there is a correlation between commiting driving offences, and dislike of cyclists).

As a bonus, if he got his request, he would presumably expand his client pool further, as a result of cyclists falling foul of the new legislation and wanting legal advice.

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mattw replied to Fursty Ferret | 8 months ago
0 likes

He's a self-seving cynic aka lawyer.

Next?

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Tom_77 | 8 months ago
1 like

Quote:

The number of accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians is increasing exponentially

Is that actually true?

 

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Patrick9-32 replied to Tom_77 | 8 months ago
3 likes

It doesn't matter if its true, it makes people angry and that's all that matters. 

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john_smith replied to Tom_77 | 8 months ago
1 like

It's a fairly meaningless claim anyway. "Exponential" doesn't mean steep or rapid.

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IanMK replied to Tom_77 | 8 months ago
9 likes

This

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john_smith | 8 months ago
0 likes

I'd be all for banning those helmets. They look ridiculous. As far as I'm concerned they can ban "funny bikes" too. That kind of stuff is best left for triathletes.

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brooksby replied to john_smith | 8 months ago
2 likes

john_smith wrote:

I'd be all for banning those helmets. They look ridiculous. As far as I'm concerned they can ban "funny bikes" too. That kind of stuff is best left for triathletes.

Hmm: "best left for triathletes", you say?  Hmm…

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