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Counting up London's 'no cycling' signs; Dirty Sanchez star completes 10 Ironman triathlons in ten days; Dylan Teuns suffers bizarre gardening accident; Cyclists burn 40 Cream Eggs a day at the Tour de France + more in today's Live Blog

All today's news from the site and beyond.....
01 August 2019, 15:28
Driver using mobile (CC licensed image by lukys1:Flickr)
Driver who filmed crash acquitted because he wasn’t 'using' mobile as an 'interactive communication device'

In August 2017, Ramsey Barreto filmed the aftermath of a road traffic collision on his phone as he drove past. A police officer spotted him and pulled him over.

The BBC reports that he was charged with ‘driving a motor vehicle while using a hand-held mobile telephone.’ This seems fair enough – except that Barreto then successfully appealed, arguing that "he wasn't using it to communicate".

The regulations refer to using, ‘a hand-held mobile telephone or other hand-held interactive communication device,’ and the judges decided that the inclusion of the word ‘other’ works to confine the meaning of ‘using’ to phones being used ‘for an interactive communication’ function.

This is clearly a massive nonsense. Not only is using a mobile phone to film something while driving incredibly dangerous, it also creates a host of other bizarre distinctions.

Writing in The Spectator, Matthew Scott points out that it means that operating a phone to play recorded music is not ‘using’ a phone, whereas doing so to stream music probably is.

Emma Patterson, whose law firm took up Barreto's case, points out that a driver filming using their phone could still be prosecuted for driving without due care or dangerous driving.

"We think the law will change very quickly," she said. "In the meantime it's very likely that police officers that pull you over for fiddling with mobiles are more likely to charge you for driving without due care.”

01 August 2019, 15:03
Whitecross Road, Hereford (via StreetView)
Hereford council to remove unauthorised 30mph road markings because they might distract drivers

Whitecross Road is notorious for speeding.

Full story here.

01 August 2019, 14:57
Today's #ImOldEnoughToRememberWhen hashtag - a great excuse to post random vintage bikes

What's your fondest bike-related memory of yesteryear? 

01 August 2019, 14:35
A fine use of resources

Apparently Wandsworth Council lead the way with erecting 'no cycling' signs, with an astonishing 6,996 across the borough. Are there any bare lamposts left? 

01 August 2019, 14:02
Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas after Tour de France Stage 20.PNG
"We're going to have some questions about leadership" says Geraint Thomas about prospect of lining up at next year’s Tour alongside Chris Froome and Egan Bernal

Ineos could field three different Tour-winners at next year’s race.

Full story here.

01 August 2019, 13:53
Bob's 'road tax for cyclists' petition's being checked to see if it meets standards

There'll be five angry signatories if they do decide to pull it...

01 August 2019, 11:39
Bradley Wiggins (via Eurosport)
Comedy Central commissions "non-scripted entertainment series" hosted by Bradley Wiggins

Gods of the Game will see contestants up against well-known British athletes in various sporting challenges.

Full story here.

01 August 2019, 11:17
Remember Pritchard off of Dirty Sanchez? He's just completed a continuous Deca triathlon, or ten Ironmans in ten days...

For those who don't recall, Dirty Sanchez was a mid-2000's 'stunt show' set in the valleys in which the subjects harm themselves in various ways and film the evidence - a Welsh Jackass, if you will. 

About five years ago, one of the stars of the show Matthew Pritchard had an epiphany after struggling with alcohol addiction and mental health issues, subsequently going vegan and even bagging his own vegan cooking show on the BBC. He also got well into fitness, and started doing ultra-endurance triathlon and cycling events. 

His gluttony for punishment ramped up to another level recently as he lined up for Deca UK, competing in the continuous event where participants have to complete ten Ironmans, with the clock running continuously. Pritchard finished in 248 hours, 42 minutes and 30 seconds yesterday evening, swimming 24 miles, cycling 1,120 miles and rounding off with a 262 mile run. 

The event was won by Mark Dodgson, who finished in a mere 235 hours, 20 minutes and 12 seconds.  

01 August 2019, 11:10
Deceuninck Quick-Step release epic video recapping their hugely successful 2019 Tour de France

Three stage wins, and a certain Frenchman keeping hold of the yellow jersey for 14 days in total and subsequently making the entire Tour equals a very memorable three weeks for Quick-Step, and now they've packaged it all in video form for your enjoyment. 

01 August 2019, 11:07
The new Cervelo Aspero rolls in for testing
Cervelo Aspero Side

Unfortunately for road.cc staffers the off.road.cc gang have bagsied this one, and you can read all about the juicy tech details over on off.road.cc right now

01 August 2019, 09:52
Lyft halting San Francisco e-bike scheme after two bikes caught fire

Last week we reported how a dockless Lime e-bike caught fire while someone was riding it in New York. The firm claimed that the incident came about because someone had tried to tamper with the lock.

It’s now being reported that Lyft is to halt its e-bike hire scheme in San Francisco after two of its bikes caught ablaze.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are temporarily making the ebike fleet unavailable to riders while we investigate and update our battery technology," said a spokesperson. Full story over on eBikeTips

01 August 2019, 09:20
River Tyne (Rob Bishop-Wikimedia Commons
Campaigners call for new commissioner to tackle 'woefully underfunded' active travel in North of Tyne region

North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll has told Chronicle Live that he’s working to create a post of walking and cycling commissioner.

Driscoll has no transport powers, but campaigners say a commissioner could lobby for new, high-quality transport options to help people switch from cars.

"Sustainable transport is key priority for me and we're already working on it,” said Driscoll. “I have met with Chris Boardman and looked at the work they're doing in Manchester. I'm working with Sustrans, the sustainable travel organisation based in Newcastle, and with colleagues across the region to help us develop a really effective policy that is sustainable for the North of Tyne.

"An Active Travel Commissioner is one of the areas we will be exploring. The benefits of walking and cycling are obvious in terms of climate change, tackling obesity, general health and quality of life. As a keen cyclist myself, I am always happy to meet directly with groups to discuss ways we can work at a community level as well as supporting high profile events such as the Tour of Britain to promote healthy travel."

01 August 2019, 09:18
London cyclists at Hyde Park Corner (copyright Britishcycling.org_.uk).jpg
Government stats show more cycle investment is needed says road safety charity

Yesterday we reported on government figures that reveal there has been no growth in the number of trips being made by bicycle. In fact, since 2002, the number of trips being made has fallen by five per cent.

Joshua Harris director of Road safety charity Brake told the London Evening Standard that the results indicate more funding is needed.

“These findings reveal that most adults just don’t think it’s safe to cycle on our roads and more is clearly needed to be done to convince them otherwise.

“Whilst the Government’s actions to encourage more people to cycle and keep them safe are welcome, they must go further.

"We need slower, safer speed limits, greater investment in segregated cycle lanes and drivers who behave dangerously removed from our roads.”

01 August 2019, 08:06
Dylan Teuns won't be racing in San Sebastien due to a bizarre gardening accident involving a lawn tractor
lawn tractor

In a development straight out of a certain spoof music-themed movie from the 80's (although thankfully this one wasn't fatal), the Bahrain-Merida rider is unable to race the San Sebastien Clasica due to a "minor home accident" caused by a lawn tractor. In a statement, Bahrain-Merida said: "The unfortunate event happened to the Team Bahrain Merida rider while gardening with his garden tractor this morning at his house in Halen.

Dylan suffered a facial wound, that required 15 stitches in his forehead. Due to this and a bashed up face, unfortunately, he will miss the upcoming ‘Clasica San Sebastian’. All of us at Team Bahrain Merida wish him a speedy recovery!" 

Let's hope none of the other members of the team spontaneously combust, choke on someone else's vomit or are eaten by a pet python during the rest of their race preparations... 

01 August 2019, 08:02
19 vegan sausage rolls, 40 cream eggs or 132 Jaffa Cakes: calories burned per day at the Tour de France

Alex Dowsett calls for a revamp of his team's nutritional strategy based of these calculations...

01 August 2019, 07:56
Idiot calls for cyclist's road tax, idiot gets lots of funny replies

We don't want to give this cretin any more publicity than is necessary, but here's a selection of the best replies...

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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7 comments

Avatar
burtthebike | 5 years ago
2 likes

"Joshua Harris director of Road safety charity Brake told the London Evening Standard (link is external) that the results indicate more funding is needed.

“These findings reveal that most adults just don’t think it’s safe to cycle on our roads and more is clearly needed to be done to convince them otherwise."

Oh the irony!  Brake, the very organisation which has spent thirty years lying about the risks of cycling to convince everyone that it is incredibly dangerous so that they could promote helmets.  At least they didn't mention them this time, but then, they do have thirty years of disinformation to make up for.  Perhaps if they apologised and issued a statement saying that they were wrong I might have the tiniest shred of respect for them.

http://www.brake.org.uk/news/711-310811

Avatar
brooksby | 5 years ago
4 likes

Well, that Bob didn't do his research properly, did he?

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to brooksby | 5 years ago
4 likes
brooksby wrote:

Well, that Bob didn't do his research properly, did he?

I feel rather sorry for old Bob. In a time that will live in our collective memory as an Age of Considerable Stupidity he has just outed himself as The Stupidest Man in Britain.

if, that is, he is indeed a man.

https://youtu.be/G1QywDPkDjg

 

Avatar
HowardR | 5 years ago
1 like

".......behind someone that's just eaten 759 Brussels sprouts."

Hopefully there’d be a passing James Burke to capture the moment with some impeccable timing.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to HowardR | 5 years ago
4 likes
HowardR wrote:

".......behind someone that's just eaten 759 Brussels sprouts."

Hopefully there’d be a passing James Burke to capture the moment with some impeccable timing.

.

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

Top tip - do not try cycling behind someone that's just eaten 759 Brussels sprouts.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
2 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

Top tip - do not try cycling behind someone that's just eaten 759 Brussels sprouts.

Would inhaling the gas be classified as doping or can riders get a TUE for it?

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