11 things we've learned this week

1. We've got brain freeze just thinking about this...

The inventor of a cycle helmet that he claims is the first to not only provide protection for the head but also actively cools the brain is seeking funding for the product on Kickstarter. Launching the campaign on the crowdfunding platform yesterday, CoolHead founder Sergejs Zelinskis said: “I’ve faced many race and training days alike when temperatures have reached dangerous highs, putting myself and other riders at risk. But doesn't pouring water on your head have the same effect tho?? 
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2. Consistency appears to be lacking in the British legal system when it comes to sentencing killer drivers

While we learned that one driver who killed a cyclist in a hit-and-run was jailed for 7 years, another was given a community order for causing the death of 74-year-old Peter Brown. While the two incidents involved very different circumstances, it's alarming how much sentences vary considering the outcome of both incidents was the same. 
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3. A wheelie worthy cause? Maybe not, but it will be impressive all the same...

49-year-old Kurt Osburn from California, who in 1999 spent 74 days riding across the United States to set a Guinness World Record for the longest bicycle wheelie ride, is getting back in the saddle to try and smash that record – and he is crowdfunding via Kickstarter to make his attempt possible. Yes there is more worthy causes out there, but just out of sheer curiosity we wish Kurt the best of luck...
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4. Australian road rage takes some beating

News of a cyclist being stabbed and also a huge rant from a lorry driver from our live blog has surfaced on the site this week. It seems Down Under is increasingly a scary place to be riding...​
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5. Should we be taking Malta's approach? You seem to think so...

Malta is to scrap its compulsory cycle helmet laws after finding that it hinders efforts to get people riding bikes and discourages uptake of bike-sharing schemes, reports Malta Today. A number of European Union member states have laws requiring children below a certain age to wear a cycle helmet, including France, which introduced such a law for under-12s last year. Is this a positive way to remove a barrier to leisurely cycling? Our commenters seemed almost unanimous. ​
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 6. Speaking of helmets...

A Coventry school which told pupils their bikes would be confiscated if they did not wear a helmet when riding to and from the school claims it has seen an increase in cycling. “Cycling to school is not being made more difficult, but it is being made safer for all,” said Finham Park assistant headteacher Chloe Buckenham. Interesting logic...
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7. If an emergency vehicle is heading your way, for god's sake pull over!

We see a lot of bad near misses on road.cc, but in this case it appears to be unanimous that the cyclist was in the wrong. If you hear an emergency vehicle, safely pull over so it can get past rather than continuing on, especially if approaching a junction or roundabout. ​
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8. You can never have enough velodromes

Although some commenters noted that better infrastructure should perhaps come before expensive new facilities, a world class velodrome in the middle of the country ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 doesn't sounds like a bad thing to us.​
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9. A pat on the back to Bradford Council

Campaigners who are fighting to prevent a disused railway tunnel in West Yorkshire from being permanently closed and want to see it host a cycle path have received the unanimous backing of Bradford City Council. It's hoped that the Queensbury Tunnel, which is 2,501 yards long and closed to rail traffic in 1956, can house part of a cycle route running from Bradford to Halifax. 
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10. What a worthwhile way to save time 

We just despair at some of our Near Miss of the Day appearances, and this one appears to defy any sort of logic in terms of time saved vs potential for disaster. 
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11. So this is where it all started!

The world's oldest bike was discovered in a barn in Buckinghamshire this week, thought to date back to 1819 and described as the "Holy Grail" of vintage bicycles. Suddenly, riding a steel frame doesn't seem quite so retro....
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