Search found 106 matches

by TimP
3 Nov 2015, 1:38pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: UK better than France for cycling?
Replies: 52
Views: 2896

Re: UK better than France for cycling?

Why are people surprised that UK is not dead last in any and every survey? Why do people in UK love to say UK is useless? UK is much better than you realise. The grass really is not greener on the other side. I've cycled in countries from UK all the way over to Malaysia and even China (I've lived and worked in S. E. Asia for too many years now). I was in UK last month for a holiday and only managed a couple of rides but it was so good to be back on UK roads.
There are many areas throughout UK that are unbeatable for cycling with something for everyone from the flat roads around the Norfolk Broads to the grandeur of the Scottish Highlands. With UK being not being too big it is possible to sample a wide range of different roads and scenery types in one tour.
Compared to most countries that I have cycled in, UK roads are safe and in general cycle tourists are respected on the roads (we all know commuter cycling is a different matter anywhere). Ask people for directions and they help whenever possible. Overall it is a place to cycle where you are left feeling good about it.
by TimP
15 Oct 2015, 3:04pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Mixed feelings...
Replies: 7
Views: 1302

Re: Mixed feelings...

Phil Fouracre wrote:Yup, you can't fix stupid, whatever the mode of transport.

Darwin award fixes it eventually.
by TimP
15 Oct 2015, 2:55pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Woman found guilty of attempt to mow down cyclist with SUV
Replies: 98
Views: 6048

Re: Woman found guilty of attempt to mow down cyclist with S

That was assault with a deadly weapon - over 2 tonnes of weapon. She should do serious time and a life time ban on handling "weapons". Since she took the "weapon" with her it could be argued that it was pre-meditated (she bought an Audi Q7 in the belief she would always come off better than if she was in a sports car of the same value) and that would enhance any sentence a lot.

Sadly this latter part is unlikely to happen but as a Q7 driver she cannot claim poverty. Realistically there should be prison time since it has already been shown this was no accident, a life time ban, compensation to the cyclist and the owner of the damaged property, aggravated damages, lifetime driving ban, a fine and all court costs against her. A warning and community service would not suffice.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 6:41pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Help settle an argument
Replies: 117
Views: 12020

Re: Help settle an argument

Mark1978 wrote:A cyclist hating friend of mine shared this video

https://www.facebook.com/SpottedPompey/ ... 0/?fref=nf

Using it as an example of why cyclists are stupid / shouldn't be on the road etc because he moved 'out of the lane'

My reply was that his road positioning was entirely reasonable through the island and the car driver had no right to beep at him.

What's the thoughts of the assembled panel here?

Note I'm not talking about the falling off; which was entirely the cyclists own doing, but was the car driver right to beep?


Oh dear. In this case the cyclist did not look or signal before pulling out. (Highway Code: Mirror, signal, manoeuvre, so on a bike look behind you, signal and manoeuvre.)
The beep is fair in this case as it tells the cyclist he almost caused an accident and to be more careful next time. It wasn't a full lean on the horn in anger act, more of a beware beep.
If a car, bus, lorry, bike or van had pulled out in front of me like that without signalling and causing me to brake (then worry about being rear ended) then I too would hit the horn.
Where I cycle it is common for vehicles to really lean on the horn expecting us to abandon road even when riding solo and neatly near the side of the road. Such motorists do get something as they come past.

Overall we have to remember that just because we are cyclists does not automatically make us right. If we don't remember this then motorists will hate us even more and with justification. We don't need that.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 6:29pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Not even an 'are' you OK!
Replies: 29
Views: 9843

Re: Not even an 'are' you OK!

In this day and age of databases it is worth reporting. Even if nothing is done, should he be involved in another accident/incident it will be there in the database so the Police know what type of person they are dealing with, not believing the driver's claims of innocence so easily.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 5:56pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Car in bike lane gets moved by cyclist
Replies: 13
Views: 5551

Re: Car in bike lane gets moved by cyclist

mjr wrote:Picking up and moving small cars where the handbrake only held the rear wheels was a favourite sixth-form prank, but it used to take more than one person.


I remember way back as a student we picked up a Citroen and put it between 2 large concrete bollards - only about 2mm from front and rear bumpers to the bollards so no possibility of manoeuvring out as a driver. Those around were all in on it so it cost the driver quite a number of drinks to get it carried out again. (3 people to put it in but "needed" 10 to get it out again (so 10 drinks)

We were outdone by another faculty where they carried a car away from where it had been illegally parked - down steps into an underpass. I never did see how the owner got that back out.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 5:49pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Car in bike lane gets moved by cyclist
Replies: 13
Views: 5551

Re: Car in bike lane gets moved by cyclist

kwackers wrote:Cycling near Trafford Park this evening I spotted a lorry parked up on a shared bike/ped path completely blocking it (and by lorry I mean an artic with trailer!).


Hope you moved it like in the video :lol: :D :lol:
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 5:48pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Proper use of an A Gate
Replies: 25
Views: 7224

Re: Proper use of an A Gate

pwa wrote:I think the catalogue term for the A-frame things is something like "motorcycle inhibitor", if we are being picky.

Sadly they are also wheelchair inhibitors.
In the case shown in the photo the wheelchair is the only thing blocked (hard to manage curbs). everything else will clearly go round in the roadway thus putting themselves in danger and maybe causing accidents. It is a case of being worse than useless.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 5:44pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Pride comes before a fall
Replies: 82
Views: 10711

Re: Pride comes before a fall

The fat commuter wrote:
TonyR wrote:
The fat commuter wrote:..... but in my opinion he was looking for trouble by pursuing the motorist and the police may see it that way too.


Sorry but there is no excuse for physical assault and there should be no place here for victim blaming either.


There is no excuse for assault - that's why I said that he should show the footage to the police. But, at what point should one realise that continuing with an argument is not a good idea? The cyclist caught up with the car (as others have mentioned, he put other road users at risk by doing this - but that could look worse due to the editing). He said what he had to say - fair enough, many of us may have done the same. The driver gives a load of abuse and then drives off - only for the cyclist to have another go. Any sensible person would have let the driver drive off and call it a day. The driver therefore stops and gives more verbal abuse - then drives off, parks up, returns and tries to grab the camera. He then walks off back to his car. The cyclist then has another go at the motorist - the motorist is actually driving off when the cyclist laughs at him. That is when the driver goes after the cyclist proper - and comes a cropper.

What started off as a tiny fracas could have ended up with many lives being ruined there. We have seen recently that some car drivers do arm themselves with knives. I'm not saying that the driver in this instance had one but had he actually caught up with the cyclist, who do we think would have come worst off? There is a time when you say that enough is enough. For me, I may have chased after the driver but, after receiving a load of abuse I'd leave it there - it's simply not worth it.

The above doesn't excuse the assault, btw. (Is grabbing a camera an assault)?


yes, grabbing the camera is assault. More than one celebrity has been charged or threatened with charges by Police for grabbing paparazzi cameras and that is when the cameras are being shoved in the celebs faces, not when they have to lunge forward to grab it.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 5:38pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Pride comes before a fall
Replies: 82
Views: 10711

Re: Pride comes before a fall

Mick F wrote:IMHO, it wasn't a close pass anyway! :lol:


Look at the total width available, not how far the car appears to be away from the cyclist. Camera angles are deceiving. The total width at the point of passing is only about 4 feet more than the width of the car. Allowing a bit of space between the car and parked cars means no more than 3 feet max for the cyclist in total - that is in total, parked cars on left to moving car with the cyclist in the middle, not 3 feet from the bike to the car. That is way less than should be the case.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 10:10am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Fitting bike in a car
Replies: 48
Views: 4623

Re: Fitting bike in a car

old_windbag wrote:Hi. I'm currently driving a 13yr old car ( vectra B ) that may be mechanically in a bad way. This was following the MOT emissions test which I personally feel is not mechanically sympathetic to older engines, but thats another subject. This car comfortably accepts my bike with front wheel off and seats down. If I have to change my car then I'd be looking at either a Mk7 ford fiesta( aston martin style grill 2013- ) or ford focus 2013- . The focus should accept a bike similarly to the vectra but its disadvantages wrt the fiesta are lower fuel economy, higher insurance group and small amount of VED. The fiesta clearly can take a bike with both wheels off and seats down but does anyone know from owning one if it will take a bike wth only front wheel off, or is it too small ( this is a bike with mudguards on as well ). With mudguards it means even with both wheels off you still have the same length to push in even with rear wheel out and front fork has limited rotation due to mudguard.... they work for their role but are a bl**dy nuisance in this circumstance. I'm not keen on mounting a bike on a rear/roof rack and a bike bag/case means having to un-torque stem etc plus mudguard issues again.
So any info from focus/fiesta owners who do put bikes in and also the type/size of bike would be appreciated. If I can save the vectra that'll be good but if not these two models are the cars that interest me.


Why are the only 2 options a Fiesta and a Focus? Focus is good - and there is the estate version for throwing bikes in but the Fiesta, as good a car as it may be, is not good for cyclists. the seats do not fold flat. There are so many other viable options out there these days. If mpg is very important to you then consider the Skoda Roomster. Diesel and as much space as a garden shed! (Not the right car unless in tourer guise, but the 320D BMW is so efficient it doesn't pay road tax nor pay congestion charge!)

I currently work abroad so when in UK I hire a car. I ended up with a Fiat 500L on one trip 2 years ago. Do not confuse it with the Fiat 500. It is spacious - very spacious - enough for a load of bikes and I got 70mpg. Last Christmas I had a Fiesta - the super economical one but only got about 40mpg (I say only, I get around 28 with my own car). Last summer I had a Focus. It gave the same as the Fiesta, but was a better drive and more space and comfort. 3 years ago I ended up with an upgrade - a diesel Insignia - also around 65mpg overall. Very impressive and in reality the newer version of your current car. I do like the Fiesta but for cyclists wanting to carry bikes its not the one.
by TimP
31 Jul 2015, 9:29am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Putting 26in tires in a 700c bike
Replies: 20
Views: 2047

Re: Putting 26in tires in a 700c bike

Brucey wrote:the steering will be different (less trail) the gearing will be lower if the wheel is appreciably smaller, and whilst the bike may accelerate more quickly (with similar width tyres) you may be fractionally slower overall.

But... the rear wheel may not fit at all. An MTB will most likely be 135mm oln but a road-going machine could be 130mm oln instead.

cheers


Steering will be unchanged in terms of wheel base as it is determined by the location of the centre of the wheel (front fork ends to rear drop outs) - which remains unchanged with any matched wheel sizes, as does the contact point with the road vertically under that. The only impact of steering feel will be due to differing wheel weight (MTB wheels and tyres typically being 'chunkier' and therefore heavier). Depending on tyre and tyre pressure the feel may be sluggish on the MTB tyres that typically are softer, lower pressure and wider than road tyres.
by TimP
30 Jul 2015, 4:57pm
Forum: Racing, Olympics, TdF, Competitive cycling
Topic: Has anyone ever won green and yellow in the TDF
Replies: 33
Views: 4077

Re: Has anyone ever won green and yellow in the TDF

ukdodger wrote:
Brucey wrote:I think that both have been held by the same rider at the same time but perhaps not at the race finish*. I think the rider wears the yellow and the second place rider in the points gets to wear green.

* correction Merckx did it in '69, '71, '72. He did it in the Giro more than once too. Not 'the cannibal' for nothing....

cheers


I thought and I could be wrong that yellow is on time and green on points. So the most stage wins wins green.

So Merckx did win both in the same race?


Yellow is overall leader so even if you are also the current sprint king/hill climb leader you wear yellow and the second place in the sprint/hill climb wears that jersey.

Yellow for overall
Green for sprint
Hill climb often red polka dot but I have seen it be red in some races.
There can also be highest placed amateur/highest placed junior, even highest placed Asian in Le Tour de Langkawi. Races in many countries have variations but in international races UCI must sanction them.
by TimP
30 Jul 2015, 12:53pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Are the p******e fairies having a laugh?
Replies: 18
Views: 2204

Re: Are the p******e fairies having a laugh?

Check whether there is an issue next to the valve stem since when in the tyre the stem is under some pressure where it goes through the rim. Under pressure coupled with position being forced it may leak whereas when out of the tyre and at lower pressure it may be fine.
by TimP
30 Jul 2015, 12:43pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: cycling hoilday
Replies: 14
Views: 1708

Re: cycling hoilday

Keith1954 wrote:I have looked on-line at cycling holidays and training, they do not seem to offer much a bed, decent roads to ride on and better weather. I have looked abroad and in the UK at various times of the year. The one thing they all have in common is a high cost and in would seem low value for money.....
Any thought's.


To me the whole point of cycling is the ability to go where I want when I want and economically too. For this I do not need to go in some organised pre-packaged gig that is getting worn round the edges.
I'll do my own thing. Hardly James Dean roaring off on a motorbike but it is me enjoying country lanes.