20mph for Bristol!!!

Bristol's residential roads to have blanket 20mph speed limit

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Read full article here 

WOW!

British Cycling responds to Labour's cycling policy proposals

"Maria Eagle MP’s proposals include a mandatory Cycling Safety Assessment for all future transport projects, a specific road budget allocation for cycling, a renewed commitment to cycle training, backing for Local Authorities on cycling promotion and infrastructure, national targets on accident reduction and a reversal of the trial of longer lorries on UK roads, together with new plans for the funding of urgent improvemelnts to HGV safety".     Click here to read in full

Kingfisher in the park

I saw a beautiful kingfisher perched by the river in Eastville Park today. I was looking down to the river from above and saw the irridescent blue stripe down his/her back. I flew off before I had time to get the camera out! (it wasn't the one pictured here).

Will look for it again.

Silver Convertable BMW reg ****** nearly ***** ** ****

Unfortunately a silver convertable BMW 3 series ****** *** without ******* and ********** as I cycled past today. I managed to take evasive action and just avoided being ******** into the ******* ****.

I turned and signalled to the driver to look (pointed at my eyes).

He decided to get out of his car and ******** me with *******, nice!

Police informed, have an appointment with them tomorrow.

Later I remembered seeing the same car last year, driver got out of car and ******* a pedestrian ** *** ***** At the time I took a pic on my phone as he drove away from the scene in case a witness was needed. Looks like it was the exact car in todays incident!!!

(photo taken last summer, 1/7/11, 20.00 after the driver of this silver BMW ****** a pedestrian ** *** *****).

This guy is obviously a ***** and a ****** to other road users.

Here is the full parliamentary debate on Cycling and Cycling Safety, today, 23/2/2012

Cycle Safety Phone-in

BBC Radio 5 Live had a phone in on Cycle Safety this morning, unfortunately interrupted by the studio fire alarm going off and an evacuation! You can listen to it here for the next 7 days.

The usual arguments came up; cyclists don't pay road tax (even though no one does!); cyclists need licences; cyclists shouldn't ride 2 abreast; cyclists shouldn't jump red lights ("RLJ'ing" I somewhat agree with this, it presents little danger to anyone, but it provides motorists with their biggest stick to beat us with, even though 3 or 4 times more injuries are caused by RLJ'ing motorists - and then the injury is usually to another road user, whereas cycling RLJ injuries are usually to the cyclist themselves).

One caller pointed out that London streets can convey 2000 cars per hour, but 14000 bikes per hour, thus cycling benefits everyone (we are even reducing congestion for motorists).

One taxi driver complained about the hordes of cyclists on Waterloo Bridge using the bus lane (as they are allowed). He said they held him up and he had to overtake 4 or 5 wide across the lane. Presumably he wants them to cycle single file in the gutter so he doesn't have to deviate from his line at all, providing his door mirror can miss the cyclist by 1cm.

I hate this assumption that many drivers seem to make that they must travel as fast as they can at all times. What's the rush? Did you set off too late? Okay, the taxi driver makes a living, but most probably he drives fast between one hold-up and the next. His average speed is unlikely to improve much for all this risk and fuel usage. (I do have some understanding of the issues, having worked as a motorcycle courier and a mini cab driver for a few years!).

On the few occasions that I use my car to travel around Bristol, I find my average speed is around 8 mph, on the bike it is usually around 11 mph, and of course costs a lot less!

Anyway, potentially a big day for cycling as Parliament debates it at 2.30

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Parliament Debates Cycling Safety Today! Watch here!

Today Parliament will debate Cycling Safety, you can watch it here on Parliament TV at 2.30pm.

The Times newspaper launched its Cities Fit For Cycling campaign following the serious injury of their reporters, Mary Bowers whilst riding to work.

Read about the campaign, read the manifesto pledge your support, write to your MP and spread the word on Twitter #cyclesafe

This campaign is so important that I have suspended my misgivings about the Murdoch empire, if only in respect of this issue.

Complemented on lights!

A car driver stopped me today to ask about my bike lights. I ride with them on in daylight to improve visibility and avoid those SMIDSY moments. He was most impressed (no, really), and asked what they were and where I got them.

Here's a picture of the lights in action

The one on the left is an Ultrafire 502b, it has an XM-L U2 led emitter, which is apparently the most efficient currently available. It runs on one 18650 Li-ion cell. It probably puts out around 400 lumens (just a guess). I got this just a few weeks ago from here. The one on the right is a Fenix L2D Q5, it runs on 2AA NiMH cells, it is rated at 190 lumens, I got it from here several years ago. The Ultrafire plus cells plus charger cost about £23. You can pick up the same light with an XM-L T6 (almost as efficient as the U2) for about £11 on eBay from UK sellers.

 

On the rear I use a Smart Superflash 1/2 watt, it runs on 2AAA NiMH; they cost around £12

Cyclists: mainstream or sub-culture?

This is an interesting article discussing urban cycling in Copenhagen, where it is considered to be a mainstream form of transport, and comparisons with other countries such as the UK where cyclists are seen as a sub-culture.

http://goo.gl/7J1IH

Another day another dog, or 5

Cycling through Eastville Park (on a shared path, part of the Frome Valley cycle route) I saw a dog walker with 5 unleashed dogs of various sizes. They were all over the path, one running right in front of my wheel (I was moving very slowly fortunately). The dog walker made no attempt to keep them under any control.

I proceeded on my journey but then one came running up to me barking loudly, it nudged my leg with its nose; it didn't bite fortunately, but I had no reason to know that it wouldn't bite.

The dog walker came past and asked if I was alright, I said "not really, your dogs aren't under control"; she replied "it didn't bite you, did it?" (in a rhetorical tone, rather than one enquiring after my health). I said "how do I know if your dogs will or won't bite when they run at me barking?" She walked off mumbling something about being a dog walker, I presume it is a job as she has 5 dogs!

Whilst I like dogs and I am a dog owner too, I do not believe it is really acceptable to let your dogs run and bark at walkers, runners and cyclists. We don't know if they will bite until they do, or hopefully don't. I am sick of dog owners assuring me "she won't hurt you" after they have scared the life out of me and nearly had me off the bike!

The walker, with 5 uncontrolled dogs in Eastville Park:

Come on dog owners, tell me what you understand about the concept "under control"? Really, tell me . . .

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 UPDATE
I found this on the government web site:

Out of control dogs

Contact your local dog warden service

It is an offence to allow a dog of any type or breed to be dangerously out of control:

What is 'out of control'?

Your dog is dangerously out of control if it:

• injures a person, or
• behaves in a way that makes a person worried it might injure them - 

Anyone can report a dog and their owner to the police.

If you are found guilty of having a dog that's out of control you may face a fine of up to £1000 and/or imprisonment. You may also not be allowed to own a dog in the future.

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Our dog Daisy (known to her friends as DayZee)

  

what is this blog about?

This blog is about my experiences as a cyclist in Bristol, UK; Britain's first "Cycling City" and home of Sustrans.

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I commute by bike, I cycle for exercise and sport, and I cycle for leisure. I cycle on the road and I do mountain biking. I enjoy cycle touring. I am riding my first sportive this year (Tour of Pembrokeshire).

I am a car owner / driver, I do pay VED (not a tax for the roads, roads are funded by ALL taxpayers), I just choose to cycle rather than drive whenever possible. It is cheaper, cleaner for the environment, healthier, faster (in a city), easier to park, enjoyable, and sometimes scary.