Hey, we don't make the rules...
I could not agree more! pic.twitter.com/sDPPK7nngR
— Cybergibbons 🚲🚲🚲 (@cybergibbons) September 26, 2022
Oh go on then, if I have to...
Have a good weekend everybody! Ryan will be back with Monday's blog so at least you get a break from me...
One more for the road?
Reaction time...
"Cyclists ride over the roof": Vigilante cyclist's graffiti attacks on cars blocking bike lanes and pedestrian crossingshttps://t.co/4g3sZ53vt7#cyclingpic.twitter.com/xQpU53SxhT
— road.cc (@roadcc) September 30, 2022
PRSboy suggested they do vigilantism better on the continent...
"One of this tucking a passive-aggressive note under the wiper. I recall in Sicily watching a disgruntled homeowner pour the contents of a tin of gloss white paint over the windscreen of a car who's driver had parked across a garage entrance. Even better, I watched the fall-out when the owner returned later, after the car had spent the day baking in the Sicilian sun."
chrisonatrike commented: "Finally a correct use of 'vigilante'!
"If you wanted to make a criminal damage charge less likely (not sure — maybe still applies?) would a non-permanent medium like lipstick work? Or is that too easy to remove with windscreen washer?"
There's a decent thread on criminal damage, in the comments (the thread is in the comments, not the criminal damage...*goes back and adds a coma after 'damage'*)...
hawkinspeter said: "I saw some post this morning (can't remember where) that compared the pros and cons of letting down tyres vs spraypainting a message onto SUVs. I'm now thinking that spraypaint is the superior tactic — it doesn't affect the functionality, so those emergency SUV journeys can still be made and is likely a lot more permanent and more annoying to the owners."
Specialized has hired a former Nike vice president in a chief marketing officer role, with the aim of "engaging and inspiring millions of new and existing riders". David Schriber, who spent 14 years with the sports giants, was announced by Specialized's new CEO Scott Maguire.
> Liam's Custom Specialized S-Works Aethos — Staff Bikes
"I am confident that there is no better marketer in the world for the Specialized brand at this moment than David. He will lead us to engage and inspire millions of new and existing riders, delivering on our purpose of Pedaling the Planet Forward," Maguire said.
"His cultural awareness and digital marketing capabilities will be an incredible combination with our deep focus on innovation."
The UCI has announced the RideLondon Classique will be part of the Women's WorldTour calendar next year... on the condition that the organisers stick to the requirement of live TV coverage for each stage.
> UCI downgrades RideLondon Classique due to "unacceptable lack of respect" for teams and riders
During this year's race only the final stage was broadcast live, a breach of the UCI rules for WorldTour races.
"As the organiser has provided evidence of contractual commitments to broadcast all stages of the race live on TV in 2023, the RideLondon Classique is back on the calendar for the world's most prestigious events in women's cycling," the UCI said.
Next year's edition will take place from 26 to 28 May.
Seems quite a few people have the same screenshot...
— The Department of Parks & Recreation 🦌 (@ldnparks) September 30, 2022
Snap! pic.twitter.com/zqsY4ZTHuD
— Kentish Town LTN (@KentishTownLTN) September 30, 2022
@MikeyCycling et al
Oh dear
How sad
Never mind pic.twitter.com/w8OI0hpWQ8— Stephanie Anne Calvert (@StephAcalvert) September 30, 2022
Who knows if the account actually belonged to a taxi driver or just an internet provocateur...anyway, since the tweets no longer exist, here's what earned some disciplinary action from Twitter...
Message to cyclists:
If you cycle towards me, in my lane, I will not stop. If you do it in your own lane, close to the line/on it, I will not give you space and I will not stop.
If you get run over, you only have yourselves to blame. I have a dash cam, you will be reported.
Charming. There really are some lovely people out there...
A couple more before I grab some lunch (Google Translate informs me the above means "dunce of bitumen")...
And this: Sunday I park like a stick (apparently) although I'm guessing manche might mean something slightly less suitable for a family-friendly blog...
FaMiLy FrIeNdLy BlOg
Snake Pass, the busy A-road connecting Manchester and Sheffield that earlier this year was the centre of a storm over cyclist access, has closed to all road users again. It has been shut all week, but we were holding off reporting it while waiting for Derbyshire County Council's response to our enquiry about whether it would, once again, be closed to cyclists too.
> Snake Pass protest: Cyclists reclaim car-free route
From the silence, we're guessing yes, as it was in the spring, cyclists will not be allowed to ride up. The closure from Monday 26 September for four weeks is so an investigation into the cause of a landslip can be carried out.
Back in February the road was closed to traffic after being damaged during heavy storms. Following many cyclists visiting, to make use of the car-free route, the council controversially closed it to all users.
Anyone up that way been able to ride up this week?
Over in France there's a vigilante spray painting 'educational' messages on drivers' vehicles when they block cycle lanes or pavements...
"Live to annoy the annoyers"...
The self-named "masked vigilante on a crusade against bad motorists" uploads videos to YouTube on the Cinquante Euros channel, and shares pictures on social media as @50_euros.
Learn French easily with cars as a blackboard !
➡️ « Cyclists, ride over the roof »#yplacpic.twitter.com/t8tWaDsXR6— 50 Euros (@50_euros) September 27, 2022
Learn French with cars as a blackboard !
OK this one is rather easy. The side reads « and pedestrians too »#yplac#LearnFrenchWithFiftypic.twitter.com/jw5P6MsTxt— 50 Euros (@50_euros) September 29, 2022
They've even got some of YPLAC's stickers...
> Bike lane van driver gets 'you park like a c***' sticker
500 of these beauties can’t wait to cross the Channel with me 😈 #yplacpic.twitter.com/xAl9ZtDyEU
— 50 Euros (@50_euros) September 27, 2022
No change up in the Wild West Derby. pic.twitter.com/jx3qlLFQne
— Bad Parking (@BadParkingLpool) September 30, 2022
We've covered this gem before...
Strong "Plumber makes it big" vibes here. https://t.co/rlQoIpv1wP
— The Emperor of Herentals (@27inchwheel) September 30, 2022
So many people have fallen for this 🤦♂️😂 https://t.co/GFKCVFmM0j
— Tim Bonville-Ginn (@TimBonvilleGinn) September 30, 2022
Please say this isn't a foray into cycling fans replicating 'football twitter'. Cue 13-year-old keyboard warriors with Remco as their picture spamming 'announce Remco', 'ratio' and generally being incredibly annoying...wow, I've never felt like this much of a grumpy old man before...(PS. if you've got no idea what any of that means, good, keep it that way)...
Let's pick up where we left yesterday's live blog...
We've been in touch with councillor Joe Hanson to seek clarification on his comments that painted cycle lanes worked "extremely well"... even though the now-installed wands between the road and the infrastructure keep getting knocked down by drivers travelling too close...
— Cycle Liverpool (@CycleLiverpool) September 29, 2022
Here we go...
"This is the first complaint I have received from any of my constituents in relation to parking on Vauxhall Road. So is it unreasonable to suggest that I should not gather evidence to present to council of this complaint?" he told us.
"Also I have evidence of the damage these wagons are doing to the cycle lanes. I have received many complaints from residents and businesses in the area about how these bike lane were introduced and their usage, and there is a genuine concern for the safety of those residents who use the bike lanes, something that I have raised with Liverpool City Council.
"We have a massive amount of heavy goods wagons heading along Commercial Road, Vauxhall Road and Stanley road, the main gateways into the dock road system which runs 24 hours a day."
I'm going to say that nobody here is doubting the damage heavy goods vehicles are doing to the cycle lane wands, that's pretty clear from the pictures. What a lot of people are questioning, including us in our email, is why returning to painted infrastructure would be safe for cyclists if the current cycle lane keeps getting damaged by vehicles?
Anyway, on with the rest of the day...