Let's finish the day with this video from Righttobikeit, the Irish rider documenting typical life as a cycle commuter. Today's clip is about red lights, a hot discussion topic on the old interwebs... although this one might be a bit of a twist on the classic ranty person complaining about cyclists riding through red lights because of 'safety issues', while also being very quiet about other dangers...
Question: Should cyclists stop for orange light?
Answer: it doesn’t matter. The driver behind will try take you out either way pic.twitter.com/YbWhUeNkbL— Righttobikeit 🇺🇦 (@righttobikeit) November 14, 2023
In fact, Righttobikeit says he "gets them daily at this stage" and "just rarely posts them". Case in point, number two...
I get them daily at this stage. I just rarely post them pic.twitter.com/gEghsA2hbM
— Righttobikeit 🇺🇦 (@righttobikeit) November 14, 2023
Surprise surprise though, some of the reaction to the video has centred around his riding, one person claiming he shouldn't have stopped as it was "unsafe to do so". "That's asking to get hit from behind. You should have proceeded through without delay. It's also unlikely the car could have stopped safely". I'm sensing a Schrödinger's cyclist: red light edition.
Thankfully that appears to be a minority view, plenty pointing out the driver being unable to stop is more to do with their own excessive speed and lack of stopping distance behind a vulnerable road user.
a) That's nonsense. That was a perfectly normal bike stop.
b) If the lad behind him couldn't stop in time, it was because he wasn't maintaining the requisite safe distance.— Jaïme Hyland 🚴♂️... 💙+💛= 💚 (@aggressie) November 14, 2023
Before any driverists get involved, amber means stop and it was "STOP" all the way back here. ✋ pic.twitter.com/SU4s7072wo
— Bob (@Cycling_Bob) November 14, 2023
Keen cyclist status pending...
> Anthony's London to Cambridge Cycle Ride for Ukraine
I'm now currently sorting through Australian crit racers and half the south of England to find the minister's Strava... what any of this means for active travel policy remains to be seen of course...
As the Guardian's deputy political editor says... "Sounds promising*"... the asterisk being that "this is in the context of a transport secretary and No 10 which are very anti-cycling, of course".
Wait a minute...
You mean this bloke...... pic.twitter.com/lTJB8KjLlQ
— RoadiesCycles 🏴 🇪🇺 (@roadiescycles) November 15, 2023
Ah, right, yep, okay... as you were...
In Queen Edith's this morning new Addenbrooke's - found lots of residents and commuters unhappy with the proposed congestion charge, but absolutely no congestion! Our message to @GreaterCambs is clear - drop this driving tax!
More on why below 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/hkVebiCtOa— Anthony Browne MP (@AnthonyBrowneMP) September 22, 2022
We are pleased to welcome Anthony Browne MP @AnthonyBrowneMP who has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Transport.⁰⁰#Reshufflepic.twitter.com/Gz4Ib1iQu3
— Department for Transport (@transportgovuk) November 14, 2023
It's fair to say the self-professed 'keen cyclist' title is often met with suspicion, especially when the person doing the self-professing has a sudden and particularly strong view on a cycling-related debate or, in this case, has been appointed as the Minister for Decarbonisation of Transport & the Future of Transport at the Department for Transport, a role under which active travel is well within their remit.
Are you actually a cyclist or are the words a hollow attempt to gain trust? Perhaps I'm overly cynical, but all remains to be seen as Anthony Browne — you guessed it, a keen cyclist according to his website — takes over the role from Jesse Norman.
In an out-of-date post on his website, Browne says "cycling has a significant role to play in tackling some of the biggest health and environmental challenges that we face" before going on to cite the now-cut active travel budget as proof of the government's support...
The reaction to the appointment has been mixed, Cycling UK saying it "looks forward to working" together and expressing a "hope that he'll support the policies and funding" that will enable people to choose to walk and cycle short local journeys.
"We hope the new minister will be able to re-establish the positive rhetoric on our transport options, and ensure we're maximising the economic, health and environmental benefits there are in having a sustainable transport network that facilitates choice in how we move around," Cycling UK's chief executive Sarah Mitchell said.
CamCycle, the campaign group for cycling in Cambridge, added that it hopes to see the South Cambridgeshire MP using his background in the city to "refocus government policies and funding on its ambitious cycling goals".
So what does the man himself have to say? Commenting on his appointment to the role that will require him to oversee electric cars, autonomous vehicles, active travel, e-scooters, sustainable aviation, and maritime and rail decarbonisation, Browne said he is "thrilled".
"I am thrilled to be appointed to this dynamic and challenging brief. Having worked closely with the government and others advocating for local transport projects like the A428 rebuild, I am excited to take on this packed portfolio," he said.
"Electric and autonomous vehicles, active travel, and sustainable practices in aviation and maritime are not just about technology; they’re about improving people’s lives and preserving our environment for future generations."
A brief scan of social media suggests the jury is still out on this one, one commenter saying they "could weep" and comparing putting Browne in charge of decarbonisation to "like putting Genghis Khan in charge of peace negotiations". Another less optimistic review below...
With his stanch support of private motor vehicle trips I can see no issue with @AnthonyBrowneMP appointment to Minister for Decarbonisation of Transport. Grim.https://t.co/V2yEiVukGx
— Cycling Dad (@CyclingDadUK) November 15, 2023
Let the fun begin...
I'm not going to pretend I didn't ask for this (or want this exact thing to happen), but the live blog comments section is under siege from X-rated place names that could have made it onto the Edinburgh lads' penis pilgrimage...
Cock Lane to Dick Place: Student cycling club completes 660km X-rated epichttps://t.co/rC3wchdMur#cyclingpic.twitter.com/4gPPTjuhUT
— road.cc (@roadcc) November 15, 2023
Let the immaturity begin...
kil0ran: "Could have popped down to the New Forest and ridden Sandy Balls to Fighting Cocks a couple of hundred times. Pub at each end of the segment (Cock to Balls on Strava)"
Fantastic.
Editor Jack was disappointed to see no visit to Bell End, the street his auntie and uncle live round the corner from... just off Mincing Lane.
chrisonatrike: "See you and raise you (aha) Cocking Lane, near Addingham. Surprisingly long, once you get on it."
Kapelmuur: "I used to drive through Wyre Piddle in Herefordshire, which sounded painful."
hawkinspeter: "Mrs HawkinsPeter and I once looked at a house for sale on King Dick's Lane in Bristol. It's a lovely old cottage but unfortunately far too small for us."
chrisonatrike: "I hope they didn't have a hard time in Penistone."
And mark1a reliably informs us that in Dorset there aren't so many phallic place names, they're more scatological instead...
Scatological. There's a word you don't hear every day. Top work everybody...
What's going on here?
Anyone ever been so deep in a bonk they've had to raid a takeaway for ketchup sachets?
In the interests of maintaining our reputation for the very highest levels of investigative journalism we've done some digging. How much Heinz ketchup would Jonas Vingegaard need to consume to win a Tour de France mountain stage?
Assuming we're aiming for the very highest level of carb intake, around 120g per hour, and assuming it's a five-hour stage... that's 600g of carbohydrate to consume. Per 11g sachet of Heinz ketchup Jonas will be getting a measly 2.6g of carbs, meaning to hit 600g he'll have to get 231 sachets down him (all without falling off his bike or throwing up on Wout van Aert). 46 an hour...
Excuse me while I take five to work out where I'm going to display my Pulitzer Prize.
We've been in touch with the Metropolitan Police regarding yesterday's story...
The force confirmed the car that stopped at the scene, and woman who offered helmet advice were police. Interestingly, the comment includes the claim the footage is "heavily edited" and calls for all road users to be "mindful and abide by the Highway Code".
You can read the full update and comment here...
Articulated fun (on two wheels) - Our @UrbanArrowcom& @carlacargo sailing along the new Rosendale Road cycle path with our bulk green waste bags pic.twitter.com/dW6e2DXghK
— Nightingale Gardens & Landscapes (@NightingaleGHS) November 14, 2023
Feel free to skip to avoid all Elon Musk mentions...
Why would someone stick their bicycle in a refrigerator? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/nHGSawuf98
— Christopher David (@Tazerface16) November 15, 2023
This post about the Tesla 'Cybertruck' is getting plenty of attention. What is a Cybertruck I hear you ask? Well, according to Tesla it's got "better utility than a truck with more performance than a sports car". (Apparently, punctuation doesn't exist in Elon's world)...
Anyway, this photo of the Spesh mountain bike unable to fit in the back, (and questionably stored for avoiding damaging your frame, might I add) got people chuckling, a few comments to the effect of 'you might as well save yourself the trouble of having to own and be seen using one of these by just riding the bike'. Just an idea... and you'll get no arguments from us...
The bike is really practical, driver can use it to finish their ride to work when the truck gets stuck on a speed bump.
— Support Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@neoblaque) November 15, 2023
The bike's the spare so he can get home when the Tesla breaks down.
— T-Rex Arms (@KathyMcQ1) November 15, 2023
— The Voice of Reason (@stophurtingusa) November 15, 2023
If we build safe cycling infrastructure throughout #Haringey, scenes like 👇will become the norm.
Let’s build segregated cycling lanes on main roads, keep speed limits low & support quiet streets.
These measures will enable people to switch from cars to bikes.
✨🌎🚲🚶♀️✨ pic.twitter.com/A8Aylylk6u— Francesca Savage 🚲💕 (@francesca_kms) November 12, 2023
Kudos at the ready...
Wallets too if you fancy applauding this monster day (and a bit) in the saddle with a donation to the University of Edinburgh group's Movember fundraiser, which has already racked up more than £5,000 for the charity through this amusing (but more than a bit barmy) ride.
In total, 667km from Cock Lane in London to Dick Place in Edinburgh, setting off on Saturday morning before eventually rolling back into the Scottish capital's phallic finish line on Sunday afternoon. Just the 28 hours moving time, 4,800m of climbing, 36 hours elapsed time, and 24km/h average. A truly girthy day out.
Speaking to MyLondon about the erectile epic, Alex Mutter said the idea came via a meme that was doing the rounds, showing the "ultimate road trip across the UK through all sexual innuendo-named places"... "we thought it was perfect for a Movember route so decided on Cock Lane to Dick Place to help raise awareness".
"When I've told people what we're doing, the main response I get it is people asking where are you staying along the week, that will be fun doing a week of cycling. We've had to say no we're going in one go, people don't get that we're going all in one go.
"Seeing two sunrises and two sunsets in one ride was pretty surreal. We were all very emotional, this group have done a couple of challenges together but this one seemed like something special.
"It was very emotional at the finishing line - we all knew it was the hardest challenge we'd done mentally and physically so seeing each other having finished it was really something special."
Chapeau... (cue the penis-related puns in the comments)...