“Many may consider this to be a vote loser, but I think it’s a vote winner”: Insurance for cyclists debated by Lords, and quickly shut down as “utterly ridiculous”; Drivers told “leave the racing to Pogačar”; Crows attack cyclists + more on the live blog

The month of May keeps throwing one curveball after another, as this Tory government (on its way out, some would argue) seems quite intent on legislating laws for cyclists.

The ‘dangerous cycling bill’ was first agreed to be passed by ministers in the House of Commons last week, amidst severe backlash and criticism from cycling and walking charities and campaigners, and then disregarded after PM Rishi Sunak decided to call a general election on the 4th of July, leaving the Lords with not enough time to pass the bill and make it into a law.

Debate on cycling in Parliament today where people called for insurance, reg numbers and much more for cyclists.
I said everyone should obey traffic rules but many more people are hurt or killed by drivers than bikes & that these demands would cost billions and be unenforceable. pic.twitter.com/je2W5bfoov

— Ian Austin (@LordIanAustin) May 23, 2024

And now yesterday, another hot topic — insurance for cyclists was debated in the House of Lords, with Lord Hogan-Howe expressing his feelings about why it should be legislated. He said: “Over the last 20 years injuries of pedestrians hit by cyclists have drastically increased — more than doubling. Every day, we see people ignoring one-way signs, going across pedestrian crossings, through red lights and across pelican crossings while pedestrians are on them.

“Cyclists are not even governed by speed limits in the way that motor vehicles are. Has not the time come for the Government to consider insurance to compensate people for the damage that cyclists can cause, and for registration marks to identify those who have committed an offence and deter those who might?

“Finally, where a cyclist commits an offence and has a driving licence, their licence might be endorsed with points for the offences which they have committed as a cyclist. Many may consider this to be a vote loser, but I think it is a vote winner.”

Fortunately, there was hardly in agreement with Lord Hogan-Howe. Lord Davies, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, replied saying that “dangerous cycling puts lives at risk and is completely unacceptable” and “cyclists are required to comply with road traffic law”.

> Grant Shapps: Cyclists should have number plates, be insured and subject to speed limits

However, he added that the government had considered mandatory registration and insurance for cyclists as part of a comprehensive review in 2018 and decided against it “as the cost and complexity of introducing such a system would far outweigh the benefits”.

I wonder if the government had already reviewed the proposal in 2018, why did former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps raise the issue again in the summer of 2022, leading to his now-infamous backpedalling, a U-turn so sharp and quick that it would put the best bike handlers to shame.

The issue of bike insurance also came up in the news on Sunday, as the Spanish city of Zaragoza launched an ordinance that could make it mandatory for cyclists to have an insurance and carry that with them at all times, with the police having the power to stop anyone and ask them to show it. Even children learning how to cycle would legally be required to have an insurance.

> “Pure bile and prejudice”: Cyclists slam local government’s proposal to introduce “mandatory bike insurance” and urging cyclists to “encourage overtaking” in Spanish city

Meanwhile, a number of other Lords were also in agreement that introducing a mandatory insurance for cyclists would be detrimental and not cost-effective, the feistiest of responses in yesterday’s debate came from Lord Ian Austin of Dudley.

“My Lords, this is utterly ridiculous,” he said. “Everybody using the roads should abide by the rules, but the figures bear out that many more pedestrians are hurt by drivers than by cyclists. Frankly, every day I see cars jumping red lights, speeding and going across pedestrian crossings, and the police are not able to enforce all of those at the moment.

“The best way to make our roads safer is to get more people on bikes. That would improve the environment and public health. Is the Minister not completely right to say that this will cost a fortune, be incredibly complex and massively bureaucratic and, as the noble Lord, Lord Hogan-Howe, knows better than anybody, with the pressures that the police are already under, be utterly unenforceable.”

“Hear, hear,” the chamber echoed in unison.

With the maglia rosa all but confirmed (unless someone manages to overturn a 7-minute late, anyone willing to bet?) Tadej Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates decided to finally let up and let the breakaway have their day, and it was Andrea Vendrame from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale who was able to reap the benefits, with a stunning 30km attack en route to Sappada.

🔻 The final KM of stage 1️⃣9️⃣ for @AndreaVendra who finally wins again after nearly 3 years of drought! #GirodItalia

⏮ The @Continentaltire Ultimo Kilometro ⤵️#LastKm | #Continental #ContinentalItalia #SafetySponsorOfTheRoad pic.twitter.com/asWl123C65

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 24, 2024

Some amazing scenes there as the Italian rider high-fived his DS in the team car as he made his way to the finish line, after setting off his attack from the seven-rider leading group and then fleshing out his lead to more than a minute over the next categorised climbs.

The maglia rosa group, meanwhile, finished the race 16 minutes behind Vendrame, but no changes in the GC. Although there was a silly crash towards the very end by Geraint Thomas, who touched wheels with Antonio Tiberi in a moment of loss of concentration and hit the ground.

Thankfully, he was quickly back on the saddle, with Pogačar even slowing down in gentleman's move for the Welshman who currently sits third in the general classification.

E Thomas deu jeito de cair#giroditalia #GironoDSports pic.twitter.com/aSl357GvMq

— O País Do Ciclismo (@opaisdociclismo) May 24, 2024

In the wake of yesterday's debate in the House of Lords raised by Lord Lord Hogan-Howe about whether cyclists should have mandatory insurance or not, let's have a look at what the now cross-bencher lord and former chief of Metropolitan Police had to say a couple of years back.

It shouldn't come as a surprise, but Hogan-Howe has previously expressed his dislike for cycling. In 2013, in an interview with BBC Radio London, he said: “I’ve never been a big bike rider anyway but it seems to be that if you get it wrong, or the driver gets it wrong, the person that’s going to pay is the cyclist.

“It seems to me that there’s a lot of traffic and personally I wouldn’t (cycle). But of course some people don’t have the choice; economically it’s not easy you know.

“If you’ve got someone who can’t afford to take a car into the congestion zone - if they did, you can’t park it anyway. Some people, they’ve got limited money and they can’t pay for public transport. I understand why they take the choice. It wouldn’t be mine.”

> Met Police chief says he wouldn't cycle on London's roads but public transport costs mean some Londoners have no choice

I guess some things never change?

 

 

 

 

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At a time when organising cycling races in Britain seems to be getting more difficult than ever, with the Tour of Britain organiser pointing out the huge organisational, logistical and financial stress that goes into just getting a race on at all last year, it’s good to have cycling back here, thanks to the three-stage Ford RideLondon Classique.

> "It's at the limit now": Tour of Britain organiser highlights "enormous" costs involved, responds to critics who called route "dull"

Windows 95 or @RideLondon?#RideLondon | #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/OSjBVqluem

— Human Powered Health Cycling (@hphcycling) May 24, 2024

And the starting list is stacked, featuring Team SD Worx’s Lorena Wiebes who won in 2022 and Team DSM-Firmenich’s PostNL Charlotte Kool who triumphed last year, as well as the reigning world champion Lotte Kopecky.

Among the leading domestic names taking part are 2015 world champion Lidl-Trek’s Lizzie Deignan, who was third at last year’s race, plus current British champion Pfeiffer Georgi, as well as sisters Elynor and Zoe Bäckstedt.

Here it comes....and there it goes, the Ford RideLondon Classique cycle stage has been and gone through Buntingford. Thanks for all the support 🚴‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/b3G6oZMr2m

— Hertfordshire County Council (@hertscc) May 24, 2024

Today’s opening stage starts off at Saffron Walden and ends at Colchester. Stage two is 143KM long, starting and finishing in Maldon while Stage three is a 91KM circuit in central London, starting and finishing on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.

A "cowardly and callous" hit-and-run driver who killed a 15-year-old cyclist in 2021 and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison and a three-year driving ban has been jailed again for 22 months following his release having led police on a 100mph pursuit through 40mph zones in a stolen vehicle.

> "Cowardly" hit-and-run driver who killed teen cyclist jailed again after leading police on 100mph chase following release

A freeway in Slovenia yesterday. @TamauPogi #Giro pic.twitter.com/GCwYu9cBKu

— Várhegyi Beni (@MrVrhgyiB) May 23, 2024

Now that's a clever way to pipe down drivers looking to exceed the speed limits on the roads. Now only if this could be implemented in the UK? I've got a poll for you about which rider would you like to see...

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