The Times Today (Friday)

Blue Meanie

Gosh, had to skim read that later half because I was only interested in someone correcting the use of the possesive apostrophe in MattC's sig. Alas, I got bored; can anyone point me to the the page where this was settled?

notsoblue

BigMat wrote:

Am I the only one here that actually finds MBC's contributions to this thread fairly rational? Fair enough the guy may have been a bit "extremist" on other occasions, but I don't quite get why he's being singled out for snide comments and put downs by certain posters on here.

I agree. I don't fully agree with how he presents his ideas, but they aren't bad contributions. Certain posters do seem to prefer it if threads get dragged off topic into ad hominem attacks.

jds_1981

Just reading through the tfl casualty reports (2009-2010)
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/project ... /2840.aspx
Counter-intuitively while the total number of accidents is going up, while deaths down quite a bit, and serious down by not so much. (While the number of 20mph zones and 'calmed' areas have gone up)
Perhaps then, a good proportion of the reduction in KSIs is through the trickle down affect of improved safety features in cars (for both occupants and pedestrians) and improved paramedic and hospital performance?

Blue Meanie

I've read the article and enjoyed the flame war.
I've ridden bikes in the UK, Nederlands, Portugal/Spain, France, Belgium and Germany and only ever had issues in the UK.
/trollmode on
I own a car and therefore pay 'road-tax', I simply choose to commute by bike. I have insurance via my road club membership and am a competant and qualified bicycle mechanic and maintain and keep my commuter bike within RVLR requirements. I don't RLJ when cycling or driving and have surprised a few motorists by stopping a 'roadworks' red lights, whilst driving a car or evem on occasion riding a bike.
In the past 20 years I've been in hospital once and court twice over 'incidents', yet I'm still alive despite riding without a helmet.
Cycling is not dangerous, traffic is. Yes, we're part of traffic; but the onus should be on the person weilding the more dangerous weapon.
If they would only allow me to cycle with a 9mm, I daresay I get my right of way. Motorists weild a deadly weapon, if I were to conform should I not be allowed the same?
/trollmode off

rick_chasey

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/b ... fe-inquiry

More stuff in the times I think yesterday. But since it's firewall, here's a Guardian blog about it.

He's saying what I've been saying. *woo*

sfichele

All of the cyclesafe stuff isn't behind the paywall.

survey
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3591064.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3590034.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3590021.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3591103.ece

Koncordski

Well if you want a chuckle then check out this survey for drivers advertised through a boring Telegraph article about motoring.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L9M2KKD

It's pretty funny, when will you give up your car, what annoys you most (congestion is a tickable answer, oh the irony) about your journey etc..

The option for what will you do if you can't/won't drive doesn't include any mention of getting on your bike, but question 18 asks what you would like the government to do. One of the answers is "Ban cyclists from certain roads." I sh!t you not. :roll:

mybreakfastconsisted

sfichele wrote:

All of the cyclesafe stuff isn't behind the paywall.

survey
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3591064.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3590034.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3590021.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3591103.ece

The driver who failed to notice Mary Bowers on her bike and left her in a vegetative state is in court this week:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cy ... 590080.ece

That's a heart-rending article.

Origamist

Lorry driver ‘was on phone’ when he hit cyclist Mary Bowers

A lorry driver who knocked over a cyclist was “too engrossed in a telephone conversation” at the time and then failed to put the handbrake on when she was trapped under his wheels, a court was told yesterday.

Petre Beiu had been using a hands-free mobile for ten minutes before his four-axle Lynch Haulage tipper lorry drove over Mary Bowers, a Times reporter who was cycling to work.

Witnesses described hearing “bloodcurdling screams” from Ms Bowers and seeing other people with “their hands in the air” as the incident unfolded.

Jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court were told yesterday that Ms Bowers, 28, suffered “life-changing injuries” and is still “ill” following the incident in East London on November 4 last year.

Babatunde Alabi, for the prosecution, said Mr Beiu, 39, initially denied to police having been on the telephone at the time of the incident, but later admitted it, saying he had been too “shocked” to confess at first.

Jurors heard that Ms Bowers, on a Raleigh bike and wearing a helmet, had stopped at a red traffic light in a cycle box, up to 4 metres in front of Mr Beiu’s lorry, which was going to turn left.

Ms Bowers, who was going to travel across the busy junction, was in front of him for between 10 and 14 seconds while stationary, jurors were told.

Mr Alabi said that the driver failed to check adequately to see the cyclist in front. “The defendant did not give her sufficient time to go ahead,” Mr Alabi said. “Instead, he turned into her path . . . Although she shouted out at the time, it appears that the defendant did not hear her. He did not stop until he was alerted to some trouble by other members of the public.”

One witness, Eammon Barrett, a taxi driver, said he then saw Mr Beiu “jump out in an absolute panic”. Mr Barrett added: “Then, unbelievably, the lorry started to move forward.”

In a witness statement read to jurors, Jamie Rudkin, a van driver, said he heard a “crunching” sound and then an “almighty scream”. As he ran towards the lorry, Mr Rudkin said that he saw the vehicle continue to move and shouted at the driver to put his handbrake on. “He had gone really white,” Mr Rudkin said of Mr Beiu.

Mr Alabi said that it was not a case where there was “sustained and continued bad driving”, adding that the lorry was travelling at a maximum of 10mph when it hit Ms Bowers’s bike. He added, however: “The standard of the defendant’s driving fell far below that which would be expected.”

Mr Beiu denies one charge of dangerous driving.

The trial continues.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cy ... 626607.ece

veronese68

That's truly horrible.