"Touch my car again & I'll run you over": Taxi driver blocking cycle lane tells cyclist; Tory MP argues cycling spending shouldn't be government priority; Our fan mail; Kaitlin Armstrong trial date set; UK's busiest cycle crossing? + more on the live blog

This one intially came to our attention last week, but we've sat on it since then as the cyclist's footage of a separate incident (possibly coming to road.cc soon too) was subject to a court date and neither of us wanted to jeopardise the chance of getting a decent result, so their Twitter account went private.

Ultimately that case resulted in penalty points and a €300 fine despite the driver's solicitor's best attempts to suggest the experienced cyclist shouldn't have been on the road during rush hour.

Anyway, after that scene setting, here we are with this second incident...

Just a gentle knuckle tap and a hand gesture to push out of the bike lane brought out the very best in this professional driver. Corks finest. @IrishCycle @anneramsey740 @ShaneHoganD16 @conndonovan9 pic.twitter.com/YbTyDu9HSu

— Righttobikeit❤️Ukraine (@righttobikeit) November 2, 2022

Explaining it to road.cc, righttobikeit told us: "1. I was only alerting the driver he'd drifted into the bike lane. I wasn't that miffed about it

"2. I didn't stop to argue with him, I stopped because the BMW was worse and I couldn't pass which let to the confrontation

"3. I came back out of the bike lane (due to flooding/debris partially due to storm near mostly like that all the time) near the sharp bend ahead so I can maintain speed. I usually come out later but I figured the guy behind would box me in."

The shocking tap on their metal box had an enraging effect on the driver who, despite being calmly asked to move off the cycle lane, responded: "If you touch my car again I'll run you over".

Following another touch... "I'll give you a kick up the [...] you hit my car [...] I let a bus come up this way [...] you do that again I'll get out and I'll knock your head in, I'll knock your head in... I am threatening you. Get my number and go to the Garda..."

The events at the next red light speak for themself...

The murder trial of Kaitlin Armstrong has been set for next June following a judge dismissing two motions filed by the accused's defence team to stop certain evidence being used. The trial had been due to start last month but was delayed whilst judge Brenda Kennedy came to a decision on the motions. Kennedy concluded: "There was no evidence of any intentional disregard for the truth".

Armstrong's legal team had suggested some evidence should not be heard due to "factual errors" and "incorrect assertions" in the original affidavit, something the prosecutors now acknowledge too, but Kennedy decided the errors were unintentional and can be heard when the trial commences in June 2023.

Armstrong will stand trial having been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of gravel cyclist Moriah Wilson in Texas in May.

The New Yorker took a deep dive into events so far... and when I say 'deep' I mean 'go make a brew and take half an hour out of your day deep'... just the 8,500 words...but as comprehensive a look at what we know as you could wish to read...

It’s that time of year, folks – time for us to suggest some great Christmas gifts for cyclists, and if you really want to shell out, we've got some money-no-object ideas...

From a new pair of shades to... well, a whole new bike... here's what to buy the cyclist in your life if you happen to have won the lottery this year... (spoiler alert: it's not a 'I love cycling' mug with a punny caption)...

> Christmas gifts for cyclists 2022 — 20 money-no-object gifts for the cyclist in your life

Came back to my bike to find a bird on my chain. They did not want to leave my bike pic.twitter.com/IyWxJ5Hkyb

— Austin Whitehead (@maustinw) November 9, 2022

The replies are saying it's a waxwing so let's run with that... 

Is this the busiest cycle crossing in the UK? pic.twitter.com/Lqs05rdb5v

— Sam 🚴🌱🍻Ⓥ (@MCRCycleSam) November 10, 2022

road.cc Simon's encyclopedic knowledge of London informs me this one is on Embankment just west of Blackfriars Bridge, and the "key thing is that it is part of the set up where the two most popular routes in London meet — the EW Cycleway, which continues under the bridge, and NS which goes over the bridge and on towards Ludgate Circus."

"But vid was shot on north side of Embankment just to right of 'A1211' on the map, people switching NS-EW or vice-versa go up/down the bit marked 'Victoria Embankment'.

"Whether continuing eastbound along river or switching to NS though you have to cross the traffic lanes there (as EW switches from S side to N) compliance with traffic lights by cyclists is near as dammit 100 per cent.

"Classic example of 'build it and they will come'...(Much misquoted ... it's actually, 'If you build it, he will come')..." 

In the good ol' days I'm sure these would land at road.cc Towers scribbled across the back of an empty pack of smokes... 

Since we reported on the 'debate' surrounding the viral video of a driver continuing through a narrowing as a five-year-old cyclist rode towards him we've heard views from almost every possible angle: those, like journalist Mike Parry, who think the motorist should have stopped out of basic human compassion and it's irrelevant whether the child should have been on the road. Those, like Tory politicians Baroness Foster and Susan Hall, who (predictably) think the kid had no place on the road. And we've also heard just about every possible viewpoint in between.

> Should not be on the public highway riding a bike": Conservative politician weighs in on viral clip of driver refusing to stop for child

And so we arrive at our email inbox, refreshed and keen for another day of cycling news...

Whilst all the arguments point to the motorist being in the wrong. WHO PAYS ROAD TAX .....CYCLIST OR MOTORIST.
Surely  if cyclists are given rights of way then they should contribute by paying road tax...

It's those terrible kids again... not paying their taxes...

Maybe we'll get something constructive out of this next one...(*wishful thinking klaxon*)

Parent totally wrong to allow child on road.A busy road is not a nursery.Clearly the father is an attention seeker filming his son so he can be on TV.What an irresponsible WOKE.
Yes the driver should have stopped.And got out of his vehicle and taken child and bike off rd and called the police.

I'm starting to think someone's got more than one email address... anyway, that was just a bit of 'fun' for your Thursday morning, we won't feed the troll(s) again... strange the sheer anger at a five-year-old child riding a bicycle...