A female cyclist was saved by a community patrol boat on the Grand Western Canal in Devon after falling off under a bridge.
In Your Area report that the woman - a nurse in her 60s - fell off after hitting the brakes while cycling underneath East Manley Bridge near Tiverton on Wednesday afternoon, and was transported back to the basin by the patrol boat before going to hospital.
A spokesperson for the Grand Western Canal rangers said that cycling under the canal bridges was prohibited, and the incident highlighted the need to heed the signs along the canal path route: “We are sorry to hear about this accident but are pleased to hear that the community patrol boat was able to help the lady", said the spokesperson.
“It does highlight the importance of following the instructions on the signs at the bridges. The canal rangers will always speak to any inconsiderate cyclists we meet failing to take due care at bridges, but we do have to fit this in around a very demanding workload just keeping on top of the basic maintenance of the country park.
“Unfortunately within any user group there always seems to be a minority of belligerent and inconsiderate people who think only of themselves; whether it is cyclists riding dangerously, dog walkers failing to pick up their dog’s mess, speeding boaters or anglers leaving rubbish and discarded tackle.
“The latest approach reflected in the new signage at the bridges is to try and get cyclists to appreciate the dangers they pose to others if cycling under the bridges - especially more vulnerable towpath users. We will back this up by speaking to the cyclists we meet, explaining to them the dangers posed by cycling under the bridges where this is prohibited.”
While there is no countrywide law that prevents cycling under canal bridges in the UK, the Canal and River Trust advise cyclists to exercise caution and respect local by-laws.
Their guidance says: "Remember that pedestrians have priority. If you encounter oncoming pedestrians or cyclists beneath bridges, give way to them and be extra careful at bends and entrances where your visibility may be limited. It’s a different pace to cycling on the roads.
"While the majority of our waterways are open to cyclists, please keep an eye out for ‘no cycling’ signs along the way. You may need to dismount where needed and use common sense in busy or restricted areas, recognising that pedestrians have priority."
SØREN!!!🎉🏆
What a mega effort from @kraghsoren to win the stage after another brilliant tactical display from the guys in the finale!🙌🏻#KeepChallenging#CreatingMemoriespic.twitter.com/9QvuHnzOt2
— Team Sunweb (@TeamSunweb) September 18, 2020
A perfectly executed attack from the Dane and Team Sunweb nets him his second stage win of the 2020 Tour de France - full report here.
🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen is increasing the gap with just over 5km to go!
L'écart continue de grandir pour 🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen à 5km de l'arrivée : 52" ! #TDF2020pic.twitter.com/eBLRstoLsn
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) September 18, 2020
The audacious attack has paid off, and Anderson is clear with 2km to go. He doesn't know the time gap so he's still going full gas, but he'll be relieved to find out he's about a minute clear very soon.
💪🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen goes alone! He managed to open a 35'' gap.
💪🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen attaque ! Il a 35'' secondes d'avance ! #TDF2020#TDFunitedpic.twitter.com/7sUjbC7Yam
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) September 18, 2020
Can the powerful Dane hold on? His lead has grown to about 40 secs at the time of writing after taking advantage of a hesitant peloton.
As we reported earlier this week, a leaked email from a would-be UK customer of the German retailers said that Rose would no longer be shipping bikes to the UK for 'legal reasons'; and they've now clarified the reasons in a full statement.
Rose say:
As some of you have already noticed, we recently had to discontinue the assembly and shipping of ROSE bikes for the UK. This was a difficult decision for us, so we want to take some time to explain it to you.
In the UK, bicycles are constructed differently than in the rest of Europe: The market standards and laws in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland clearly convey that the front brake lever must be mounted on the right-hand side of the handlebar and the rear brake lever on the left-hand side. For the rest of Europe, it is the exact opposite.
With the technical complexity of our bikes increasing, we are facing the ever-growing challenge of being able to offer affordable ROSE bikes with a high level of quality and safety. And because we want to shorten our delivery times for our customers, this summer we decided to gradually shut down the configuration of bikes, so that we are able to maintain our usual standards. Installing the brake cables and brake levers on the opposite side would require the type of special solution for the UK that we simply can’t realise right now.
We want to be able to guarantee each and every ROSE bike rider that they are sitting on a safe bike and keep the same level of quality. As soon as we are done with the transition in our production and get more clarity about the future of doing business with the UK, we will look for a long-term solution. Because we hope to soon be able to offer our bikes again to the UK and its vital market.
Until then, you can still find our bikes on www.rosebikes.com and in our stores in Germany and Switzerland. We’re hoping for your understanding.
On the Rose Bikes UK website it's no longer possible to buy full bikes, with just parts and accessories for sale.
🇫🇷 #TDF2020@Poesti_92 was taken to hospital after he was stung from a bee and had an anaphylactic reaction. but he is already feeling better again. Our team doc had him just on the phone and we can confirm nobody has to worry anymore. but thank you for all our support!
— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) September 18, 2020
Thankfully it looks like a speedy recovery, with Bora-Hansgrohe's team doctor taking the sting out of the bad news by confirming no one should be worried for Pöstlberger's health... phew!
🇫🇷 #TDF2020
unfortunately @Poesti_92 had do abandon the race due to that incident.— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) September 18, 2020
The unfortunate Austrian is not hive-ing a nice day at all, after his team Bora-Hansgrohe reported that he was forced to abandon on stage 19 after taking a bee sting to the mouth.
The 28-year-old was treated while he was still moving initially, but eventually had to dismount and head to hospital after suffering a suspected allergic reaction.
Pöstlberger will be in pain both physically and mentally after bowing out just two days before the Tour arrives in Paris, having got through the tough days in the mountains; it also means that Peter Sagan will be without an important teammate as he looks to wrestle the green jersey back from Sam Bennett.
Hopefully Pöstlberger's recovery will be speedy, and he'll be back on the team buzz soon (sorry).
Durham Police (that's the Durham Region in Ontario, Canada) have released an image of a suspect (above) who is accused of injuring two cyclists and a pedestrian by tripping up the cyclists with a telescopic camera pole.
The two female victims who were on bikes reported that they observed a man walking on the Whitby Waterfront trail, 'yelling' at cyclists as they passed him. The suspect then extended his camera pole into the path of the cyclists which struck one of the victims' bikes, causing the two to collide. Two pedestrians were also hit by the bikes, with both cyclists requiring medical treatment and one of the pedestrians suffering minor injuries.
The suspect, described as 50-60 years of age and around 5"10 tall, left on foot without stopping to assist his victims - investigators are still trying to identify him.
Chaired by MPs Ruth Cadbury MP Selaine Saxby, the government has launched a consultation on changes to benefit active travel. One of these is establishing a hierarchy of road users into the Highway Code, which would "ensure that those who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others"; which sounds similar to the 'presumed liability' laws throughout most of Europe - the UK is one of only four countries that doesn't have such a system in place.
Other proposed changes include:
- Drivers and cyclists will have to give way to pedestrians waiting to cross a side road or junction
- Introducing clarifying existing rules on pedestrian priority on pavements and that drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road
- Establishing guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists or horse riders, and ensuring that they have priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead
Cyclists should be encouraged to take up the primary position, and drivers educated about safe passing of cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists. New Rule 163 - at least 1.5m at <30mph, at least 2m at >30mph to prevent injuries, fear & intimidation @RogerGeffen@allpartycycling
— Leigh Day Cycling (@LeighDayCycling) September 18, 2020
Speakers so far have included Roger Geffen of Cycling UK, who has proposed that cyclists should be encouraged to take up the primary position. He also says new rules should be made on safe passing distances "to prevent injuries, fear and intimidation", suggesting a distance of 2 metres for drivers passing cyclists at over 30mph.
Some people in London Fields are locked in we cannot come our own Borough. Bus Gate on BOTH END Richmond Road and Lansdowne Drive. This has seriously restricted our Freedom of Movement.This isn't Gaza Strip!!!
— Save Hackney (@HackneySave) September 17, 2020
I really hope that you mean that as a joke. A very bad joke.
— Billýflows (@Billflows1) September 17, 2020
It seems a small number of Londoners have reached peak panic mode over not being able to drive quite so freely around some of the most polluted streets in Europe, comparing Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes to war zones and genocide.
The above conversation is in reference to plans to start camera enforcement around planters installed in London Fields, Hackney. Cllr Jon Burke said: "We don’t want to make a penny from Hackney’s drivers, but initial monitoring of London Fields filters shows that camera enforcement is necessary at the Cat and Mutton bridge to discourage drivers from ignoring closure signs. Creating cleaner, greener streets for everyone isn’t an easy process, but with among the highest road casualty and air pollution rate in the country, it is an absolutely necessary one."
What the actual fuck pic.twitter.com/QOk6yMXyRy
— Hackney Cyclist (@Hackneycyclist) September 17, 2020
Yup, I think we may have hit peak tasteless with the anti LTN crew. But I'm not even sure of that. "I have to drive a bit longer round and I'm a nervous type" would have been a bit more appropriate.
— Simon Munk (@psimonk) September 17, 2020
An article from Wednesday's edition of the Ilford Recorder is also causing jaws to drop online, after a resident compared a LTN scheme in Barkingside to his father's experience as a Holocaust survivor.
Warren Grynberg told the Ilford Recorder: “It’s all come back to me, I’m terrified of being locked in.
“When I’m in the car and I see a road closed sign, I feel horrified.
“It may sound ridiculous to someone in 2020 but that’s how I feel as a second-generation Holocaust survivor.”
A joint statement from Barkingside Labour Councillors recognised residents''fears' but added: “We strongly encourage residents to take part in the public consultation exercise.
“This really will influence the final location of the closures. We have three months to develop a really good scheme for South Barkingside”.
New @TfL poll shows majority of people support their local LTN and only a small number are against. https://t.co/spIlfAv2V6
— APPGCW (@allpartycycling) September 17, 2020
As tensions continue to build over the sudden appearance of cycle lanes and planters to stop rat-running drivers, TfL have found that despite the noise, most people are still in favour of Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) schemes.
The representative survey of 1,007 Londoners found that 51% of people agreed with the implementation of LTNs in their local areas during the pandemic, and 51% also agreed that these should become long-term subject to consultation processes. Just 16% were against LTNs entirely.
In another survey with a representative sample of 914 people, 81% agreed that cycling and walking are good for London, with 67% agreeing that there has 'never been a better time to take up cycling'.
The furore arose when the bike that Primoz Roglic was riding on yesterday's stage was take by UCI staff to perform X-ray control, that involves dismantling the bike to check for possible mechanical doping.
Zeeman became incensed that the bike was damaged during the check, with the crankset needing to be replaced afterwards. In a statement from Jumbo-Visma, Zeeman said: “I got upset when the commissioner dismounted the crankset from Primoz's bike. We stand for a fair sport and that includes checks, but that must be done in a reasonable way. Despite that, I should have kept myself cool and approached the UCI commissioner in a more respectful way.”
The UCI say that Zeeman has been excluded for "intimidation, insults and improper behaviour of a team member towards a UCI member", and was also given a CHF 2,000 fine.
For the record, the check shown that the yellow jersey bike was in accordance with regulations. In their statement, the UCI added: "The UCI has made the fight against technological fraud one of its priorities to ensure the credibility of results, and calls on all cycling families (riders, teams and organisers) to join forces to ensure the reputation of our sport."
Zeeman will be allowed to "remain part of the Tour de France team" according to Jumbo-Visma, but will not be able to perform official functions within accredited areas for the final three stages.