Tack attack: Cyclists puncture as drawing pins strewn across popular south London cycle route

Perhaps it's a meme (in the classic sense of an informational/cultural virus-analogue rather than a kewl picture of a kitten), and that parish councillors are particularly sensitive...

Maybe the mentality is that:

health professionals = heroes and people

cyclists = villains and non-humans

With no overlap

My wife and I cycled along that road, southbound, less than an hour before. She is an NHS doctor.

I was about to post something similar. All they have done is ensured cyclists are now congregating on the pavement outside of lots of houses and sweating and touching walls and such. 

I struggle to interpret your post.

I reckon that's gone through an algorithmic translator from another language.

I think they meant:

I passed that road a couple of hours later.  I don't understand the actions of people who are fighting to save their own lives whilst in isolation then going out of their way to put other peoples lives in danger.

(or alternatively, they're a really badly written bot...).

brooksby wrote:

other peoples lives

If you're going to be pedantic...

srchar wrote:

brooksby wrote:

other peoples lives

If you're going to be pedantic...

I don't know - is that being pedantic or is it being specific and clarifying the purpose of the sentence? 

other people's lives....if you're really going to be pedantic

I did think it was a bot.

I did read it wrongly then as I thought it was (another) attack on cyclists,  moaning that cyclists were going out of their way to be adjacent to people fighting for their lives.

hirsute wrote:

I did think it was a bot.

I did read it wrongly then as I thought it was (another) attack on cyclists,  moaning that cyclists were going out of their way to be adjacent to people fighting for their lives.

You might be right - I might be being too generous...

Front tyre goes down suddenly, rider makes unexpected dismount, injury varying in severity from bruised ego to fell on a load of thumb tacks to death... I guess.

I've had loads of punctures over the years. I've had tyres go to nothing in 15- 20 seconds. I've never felt in danger of anything as a result.

Not concrete blocks as such, but a front blowout at speed with a car close passing......= Serious Accident.

I have read about blowouts where the whole tube explodes due to the valve, inner tube pinch, sidewall failure. I'm not clear how a simple sharp could have the same effect, otherwise none of us would risk cycling surely ?

In most cases a simple sharp would not. However we are talking about multiple "simple sharps" and also a metal head stuck in the tyre which would also reduce traction as well. 

Anecdotally on blowouts. I had a big blowout the other month where the tube came through a split in the sidewall and pinch flatted instantly. I was travelling at 25mph on a flat section of road but it was luckily the back tire which is more stable so retained control. If it had happened on the front wheel it might have been a different story though. 

Google is such a useful tool.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/...

At what level of potential lethality in booby traps do you draw the line?

I don't think a peleton at 60kph is really equivalent to the suburbs here. No doubt people are travelling 20m apart or so as per roadcc guidelines.

I have had glass, stone, bit of metal I've even ended up with a screw in my tyre. If you really think the risk outcome is that high then it surely it is best to avoid cycling as getting a puncture is a given.

Your argument seems to be that punctures cannot lead to serious injury. I have found one article in 30 seconds on Google that demonstrates different.

TdF may not be exactly the same, but have you considered that the injuries caused by crashing as a result of punctures in the normal course of cycling by normal people with normal bike handling abilities simply go unremarked and certainly unreported? Also the differences in puncturing a tubular or tubeless compared to what can be quite a more immediate failure of a tube.

But to answer my question. What level of potential lethality in a booby trap is acceptable to you? Especially at this time where most people are being super careful not to add strain to NHS A&E departments?

Hmm, yes, things should be kept in perspective.

Intent to cause criminal damage maybe?

The definition of Criminal Damage: The Criminal Damage Act 1971 classifies criminal damage as: 'A person who, without lawful excuse, destroys or damages any property belonging to another, intending to destroy or damage any such property, or being reckless as to whether any such property would be destroyed or damaged. '

Or obstruction of the highway?
Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 says that “if a person, without lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstructs the free passage along a highway he is guilty of an offence”. The penalty for this offence is a fine and not imprisonment.

I'm not a lawyer so am not sure whether the conditions here could be met - I just did a quick google search or two. Wonder if Mark Hambleton would have a view?