#CamRideHome on November 27th 2015

Join us on #CamRideHome this Friday for a leisurely social ride starting at 6pm at The Mill, Cambridge. Then a pint after to talk about anything worth a good natter about!

The Ben Hayward Cycles led #CamRideHome is to see the Christmas Lights and succumb to the joys of the season (without that tiresome "shop, shop, shop" mantra!).

Also, we'll go along a few useful links that help riders get through awkward places.




And here's the video of the route, with pictures along the way!

The Fairy Lights Tale Of Cambridge (Go HD see * below)

0:00 Leaving The Mill
0:25 Emmanuel College
0:54 The Grafton Centre
1:46 Mill Road
1:59 Petersfield
2:09 Parkers Piece Fair
2:38 John Lewis
2:50 Kings Street
3:22 St Johns
3:32 Trinity Street
3:44 The Guildhall
3:53 Sidney Street
4:00 Green Street


* How to go HD.

Pavement Parking, Costa Coffee Tax Dodging

Contents

• Pavement Parking
• Unloading Rules
• Costa Coffee Breaking the Rules
• Tax Dodging

Pavement Parking

I was very glad to receive a letter from our MP, Daniel Zeichner, saying he will support the Pavement Parking Bill when it goes through parliament in a couple of weeks time. It's long been the bane of people's lives that some people choose to place their personal property in a position that will endanger other people getting about. From wheelchair users and parents with children in buggies being forced into the street to just anyone wanting to walk down the pavement, this is a positive move.

It may, I hope, give the local police force a bit of a kick in the right direction. With their spectacular social media backfire on #BadlyParkedBike campaign, where they failed to understand that a aesthetically displeasing position of a bike (which were most of their tweets) is nothing like as dangerous as a badly parked car. They even got confused what it was their social media campaign was trying to do, with the right hand thinking something different from the left.

I suspect the big issue is that the simple prevalence of badly and dangerously parked cars is so much that the police cannot even consider trying to tackle it. It'd be tantamount to stopping bees visiting a local meadow with one officer and a dog.

That's not a bad analogy as many people would get angry about it as well. "Why are you trying to stop me (the bees)?", "Why shouldn't I do this (the bees pollenate)?". It's so part of our national subconscious to "let ourselves off" when we have to do it as there is no alternative. It's mostly we haven't thought about how easy the alternative is. And the below brings this into sharp focus.

Unloading Rules

Anyhoo, it is one particular form of pavement parking that this is about, the unloading van. And in particular, a look at one specific nearby international chain shop.

Now the rules for where to stop for unloading are different [PDF] from general parking regulation. You can, for instance, stop on a double yellow line for a short period of time. Although with some examples, you'd had thought all regulations are moot. They aren't.

Sadly, I've watched as local parking attendants laugh and chat with people stopped in cyclelanes, specifically banned by law as noted in the Freight Trade Association guide [PDF]. This despite their being a legal place for them to stop just 20 metres away.

So, looking at the advice from the FTA, they give specific places where you cannot stop (and by using that wording it's matching Highway Code implying it's illegal, not just to be avoided).

That last bit, "causing obstruction" and giving the example of near a junction. And "dangerous position" as well.

Costa Coffee Breaking the Rules

So here's a Costa Coffee lorry. Note they are unloading, near a junction. Precisely what the FTA guide says not to do. On top of that, can you see the traffic lights on the left side of the road (different from the red light on the right)? No, they are obscured by the parked lorry. Surely this would also fall into the category of "dangerous position"?

From Cambridge CycleStreets

This picture shows how close to the lights anyone needs to get before they can see them. Also, please note that this isn't a different picture of the same parking offence, it's a completely different time. As are all the photos below (note the Co-op shop past the green lights, it comes up later!).

From Cambridge CycleStreets

I do note that Costa Coffee are not the only abusers here, however they are the most frequent and use heavier vehicles than any others.

Another example. Again, no traffic light visibility to people on the road.

From Cambridge CycleStreets

And yet another example. Again, no traffic light visibility to people on the road.

From Cambridge CycleStreets

I think you get the picture now. Unlike anyone on the road.

From Cambridge CycleStreets

Now this would be bad enough, but it gets worse. Sometimes the delivery driver doesn't get all the way onto the pavement. Ah good, lots of space for people walking. But that's not an issue here, and rarely is.

What has become an issue is simply space for traffic to pass. The junction has two separate light phases: one for straight on, and one much shorter one for turning right.

In the picture below, the stopped lorry is sufficiently in the road space that with right turning traffic stopped, there is no room for the Cambridge sightseeing bus to pass. Forgive me, but I think the tourists were a little less likely to want to see stopped traffic outside an international chain shop than the jems of the one of the top tourist destinations in the UK. Just look at the queuing traffic!

From Cambridge CycleStreets

This really does tick the "causing obstruction" box!

Here's another example, this time small traffic can just get past. What happens when a bus or lorry turns up?

From Cambridge CycleStreets

Now, one thing that Costa Coffee might say is "Well, where can we unload?". Here's where. Just 10 metres away. Note the double yellows mean it should be clear of parked cars.

From Google Streetview

Sometimes there's a variance from the above examples of illegal unloading. Sometimes the delivery drivers go on the other side of the street, in the cyclelane. Again, this is illegal. It's noted second from bottom on the FTA guide above.

From Cambridge CycleStreets

Tax Dodging

So, why am I bringing up the concept of tax dodging. Well, it simply comes down to two factors.

First, a company like this knew that they needed to take deliveries, they knew that they'd have to take up space to make sure their business can keep running. Remember the Co-op shop nearby? They have set aside space for delivery. That cost them money. They accepted this as a reasonable cost of them doing business here.

Have Costa Coffee done anything similar? No. Maybe they couldn't get space in the planned development. But howabout co-ordinating with the Co-op and giving them some money to use the space they have set aside?

Second, and this is where the dodge really kicks in and cost us. It's estimated that pavement parked vehicles do around £3m damage in Cambridgeshire annually (so £200-300m in the UK). We all have to pay for that (or accept the bills for not fixing it) out of our local and national taxation. Costa Coffee have passed on their cost of delivery to us. Yes, our taxes are used to pay for Costa Coffee's delivery process.


Click on the square box bottom right to get full screen, well worth it!

Vibrant businesses help our city. I don't want Costa Coffee and/or their drivers to be punished. I just want them to behave according to the law, their Trade Association advice, and in a socially acceptable manner.

The WI on BBC Radio 6 Roundtable with Steve Lamacq

Yes, many of you will notice this isn't about cycling. Actually it's a bit closer than you may think.

Last year I had the luck of meeting loads of fantastic Women's Institute members as part of a project to knit little jerseys for the Tour de France visit to Cambridge. In February I had tweeted a picture of what Yorkshire was doing and bemoaned that the only thing that seemed to be happening in a city full of commuter cyclists was a few long distance cycle club rides. The BBC picked it up and suddenly I found myself with a project to run.

Key to the success was Jo, who asked me ot come along and pitch the idea to their WI AGM as a brief 5 minute fun piece before the serious meeting took place. Little did I know that the county chairperson was present and loved the idea so much that she took it to all the county's WI groups.

16 weeks later 400 volunteers had knitted 2000 jerseys that the council put up along the route and the local business development group helped get into shop windows along the way and in the city.

Anyway, on the way I also met Joanne who was full of boundless enthusiasm that sucked in many a volunteer and created a buzz of excitement all aroudn the project.

Both of whom have been shakers and movers in the WI, creating a slightly different* brand to the Jam and Jerusalem we all know. As such, they went on BBC Radio 6 Roundtable with Steve Lamacq last Thursday (12th November 2015) and had a wail of a time.

*And when I say "slightly different" I think that Steve summed it up perfectly when he said "I'm going to have a meltdown" in response to Joanne's current play list!

The WI on BBC Radio 6 Roundtable with Steve Lamacq

00:00 Intro
00:46 Cult Review
07:00 Daughter Review
11:14 Prodigy Review
14:01 Aurora Review
16:18 Santigold Review
22:10 Beans on Toast Review
27:32 Guy Garvey Review

Riding Hills Road at Night, Including the New Segregated Section

On Friday, the #CamRideHome trip included looking at the new Hills Road infrastructure. Here's a clip (at the bottom) showing the experience of riding Hills Road, from the Addenbrookes Roundabout all the way to the city centre end at Lensfield Road/Regent Street/Gonville Place junction.

One reason was to have a good look at the new segregated section, one of the early trials of this kind of infrastructure in the country. Not the first of course, but an interesting experiment nonetheless. Some will ask why are we experimenting when it's been done well for decades not very far away, why don't we learn from them, but there we go.

The idea of segregated riding is to encourage those who are not confident about riding with traffic and to get them off (shared-use) pavements to free them up for people walking. It's not really for those already riding, as they've already figured out how to deal with vehicles, although it does add a level of comfort that is beneficial.

from Richard Taylor's blog post

We start all the way down at the Addenbrookes Roundabout. Not the farthest limit of Hills Road, but a junction where the use of it by people riding does pick up a lot. It's an awkward start as it's difficult to use the shared-use path here. There are too many crossings to negotiate near the roundabout and no obvious way to getting onto it. There are side junctions from the hospital, although that can be a bit difficult to access.

Approaching the Long Road traffic lights is awkward whether on the shared-use path or on the road. I'm used to road riding and show what it's like with the left turning inside lane on a different light phase to those going straight on. I suspect any riders that the segregated section is designed to encourage will be on the shared-use path here. That entails crossing a road where the drop kerb position makes it very awkward to see if it's clear to cross from left turning Hills Road traffic. That's not very convenient.

Long Road Junction Approach

After the junction there's a bus stop. But the segregated section doesn't start until well after this. The original plans where to make this bit take riders away from buses, to encourage riders who don't like mixing with big vehicles. Clearly something has been lost here. It does seem that the original plans have been watered down.

And then, the new segregated bit! Woo hoo! Well, apart from the largish puddle right at the join. That needs more work as it's not been that wet recently, what will be the size of the puddle if it pours? And as it's at a road join, water will quickly get under the surface and make this a pothole.

The surface of the segregated bit is great. And it's fantastic that it's so wide, keeping single riders well away from traffic and allowing faster riders to pass. However, the kerb separation seems low and doesn't give much distinction between road and cycle section. I can imagine experienced riders will find this good to allow them to pull out ot turn right out of Hills Road. However, it's doesn't offer much feeling of protection from passing traffic, especially for those not so comfortable. And I can see that people driving may well stray into the segregated section to avoid being held behind right turning vehicles. Not really very segregated is it!

Then, the controversial bit, a floating bus stop. It works quite well from the perspective of someone riding. I did get the idea of taking it a bit slower but not having to scrub off loads of speed. True, the Dutch solution would not include the wiggle. I'm not convinced that detracts from the riding experience too much.

from Amanda Taylor's blog post

As far as bus users are concerned, I'd suggest that we look at the bus stops on Barton Road and Green End Road. They both have shared-use paths behind them, the former with quite a lot of bike traffic. We seemed to have coped with them reasonably well in the past. At least these new floating ones will clearly show where to expect people riding.

Barton Road Floating Bus Stop

Then, passing the end of Luard Road. The previous shared-use path had an unclear priority here with indications that both bike and crossing motor traffic should give way. Of course this results in "who's biggest wins". The segregated section definitely looks like the priority, a much better result. It'll be interesting to see how people in motor traffic respond, especially in rush hour.

Old Luard Road Side Turning

After just 1:27 on this 5:13 clip, the segregated section merges back in with a bus lane. This isn't exactly a very long section of Hills Road. The argument will say "well it's all we coudl do". But how will that help those riders with less confidence? They get to do a quarter of the trip along Hills Road?

If people are uncomfortable riding along Hills Road, I'm pretty sure they are just as uncomfortable in this section and especially over Hills Road Railway Bridge. This bridge has some of the highest level of cycle use in the UK (near end). I've certainly had quite a lot of unpleasant experiences here (video clip).

Hills Road Bridge Behaviour

At the bottom of the bridge, there's a similar issue to Long Road, having to cross left turning traffic. Or, more importantly, left turning traffic having to cross people riding straight on. At least the lighting phases are more in line with going both directions. Still expect experiences like the one above, people driving rushing to cut across people riding.

At Brookland Avenue lights further conflict is guarenteed. The exit along Hills Road has a pinch point to enable a central pedestrian island. There really isn't space to ride and drive next ot each other here. Confident riders will talk about holding primary/control position in the middle of the road. I'm not convinced that will be much encouragement for those less confident. And there is no alternative shared-use path here.

Brooklands Avenue Junction

The conflict is highlighted by the person driving the car on the right. As the phase continues, they edge into the ASL (an illegal move) simply so they can race past anyone riding and get to the pinch point first. This kind of behaviour really shows up the limitations of the ASL here.

Then the Station Road lights provide another pinch point. Recently this has been developed. I'm still at a quandary to work out what the objectives are with the development. The only thing that seems to have happened is to add a pedestrian crossing in. Like the Brooklands Avenue junction it's to an island with separate controls for both lanes. Neither are any kind of an improvement on the two sets of pedestrian lights just away from each junction. They've been there for years and cope with crossing the road much better in a single phase.

Old Station Road Junction (not changed much though!)

The big reason why this isn't helping is that it retains a central island where there is no need. That space could be much better used. The whole road layout aims to push people riding wide before bring them back into a narrow space. This is a classic case of poor infrastructure from a cycling point of view. Swinging to one side only brings conflict when trying to come back in. Drivers will be eoncouraged to speed through here, despite the curves. It's not enough of a swing to slow people driving down sufficiently and it's quite easy to exceed the speed limit.

Dept for Transport cycle training says to use the middle of the lane all the way through this junction in either direction. Sadly, this isn't something shared to those responsible for road markings, which simply confuses people driving when people riding avoid following them for their safety's sake. Yet again, this doesn't do anything for the less confident riders.

Finally, shared space with buses for the remains of the route up to the final junction. At least there's a sign of good cycle provision at the end junction with the first-in-the-UK advanced cycle lights!

In conclusion, it's great to see a bit of new infrastructure move the whole cycling process a bit further forward. However, I'm not convinced that with the low kerb separation and the shortness of the section compared to the full route is actually going to encourage those less confident about riding with traffic. I do see lots of compromises have taken place ot get this in place. Has it been a compromise too far? We'll just have to wait and see.

A Early Friday Evening Ride Along Hills Road (Go HD see * below)

0:03 Starting at Addenbrookes Roundabout
0:22 Approaching Long Road traffic lights
0:40 Left turn light phasing
0:55 New segregated section approach
1:20 Floating Bus Stop
1:45 Side Road Priority
2:00 Floating Bus Stop
2:22 Merging Back into Bus Lane, segregated section finished
2:55 Railway Bridge dodging left turning traffic
3:20 Car edging into ASL to beat pinch point
4:05 Station Road junction, lots done recently, nothing for riders
4:25 Sharing with buses again
4:35 Conclusions
5:00 First Advanced Cycle Lights



* How to go HD.

#CamRideHome October 30th 2015 - Hills Road Review

Join us on #CamRideHome this Friday for a leisurely social ride starting at 6pm at The Mill, Cambridge. Then a pint after to talk about anything worth a good natter about!

The Ben Hayward Cycles led #CamRideHome is to go along Hills Road and look at the newly installed infrastructure this October. I'm the temporary route guide for this month as Rob has been called away at short notice.

Also, we'll go along a few useful links that help riders get through awkward places.

Why Start Cycling

Much has been written recently (Guardian, BBC, others) about the legacy of the 2012 Olympic games and how sports participation increased in a couple of bursts to do with the games. Since it hasn't really gained much traction and is seemingly in decline.

This seems like it was all a waste of money and time. However, I'd argue there are some good things that came out of the Games, and possibly added to by the delights of the Tour de France being in Britain last year.

The very nature of the comment about people being involved in sport starts from the wrong premise. What we should be looking at is how many people have more active lives. This is not "sport". It's who chooses to do things using motor vehicles less and their own legs, be it riding or walking, more. Whether that's doing it as a way of getting around, or as a leisure activity, or as a race, it doesn't matter. Why are we only counting the last category? It's a perculiar British failure to see the full picture here.

I got involved in some of the legacy planning for the Tour de France in Cambridge. It was full of people talking about having a new cycle racing, about building up cycle clubs, measuring our sportiness, and many less, being slightly drowned out, trying to ask for better facilities for all. True, the former does have more substansive ideas and is less prone to "hidden benefit" syndrome, where no-one can monetise how it will help.

Into this mix I bring three stories about how some people I know went through this and created their own legacy. These three took up cycling in very different ways in different places.

Althea's Story.

Althea is from Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale, Yorkshire. A most stunningly beautiful dale. And with that goes some stunning hills and steep inclines to scare the chocolate off a Yorkshire Teapot.

I need to lose 4 stone and get fit. That’s the idea anyway. I tackled giving up smoking and won the battle last year – this year it’s about giving up food. Food and slothfulness. I’m a large-boned Yorkshire woman – I reckon I can kick slothful (walking to the post office involves a hike up hill and down dale with crampons and the Mountain Rescue Team on speed dial), but giving up food is going to be way more tricky. Drastic measures are called for.

I digress here but back in February, someone gave me a pattern to knit tiny jumpers for bunting for the Tour de France. Isn’t that a bicycle race in Europe? What’s that you say – it’s starting in Yorkshire this year? Really? Ok, I’ll knit 1. Then it got competitive and I knitted a nice round dozen. On my knitting journey, I got interested in the race itself. To be fair, I didn’t get a choice in the matter as my spare bedroom and those of my neighbours started being booked out with friends and relatives for the great weekend in July.


I used to cycle everywhere in my youth. It isn’t that difficult. I’ve cycled a tandem across the Golden Gate Bridge. Twice. Not that long ago either. Nobody pointed at my capacious bottom and laughed. Or if they did, it was only some skinny Californian on some joyless macrobiotic diet, and they did it quietly and politely. And who cares what they think anyway?

Not only that, but if I need an extra incentive, some kind person somewhere in the local planning office has given us a cycle track between Ripley and Harrogate and Knaresborough. The word on the street is it’s flat. On an old railway line. That sounds good. I smoked far too long to consider cycling up hills at my time of life.

So – off to Decathlon in Sheffield to get a nice cheap ladies bike with shopping basket and extra large comfy saddle, then to Halfords to get a cycle rack fitted to my Fiesta. Ready to roll. I won’t cycle the road between Pateley Bridge and Harrogate because it’s a nightmare to drive along, parts of it are so narrow and it’s infested with the world’s worst drivers – suicidal boy racers, rear-ending young women, crawling geriatrics who retired to somewhere pretty when they were 60 and are now wholly reliant on their cars to travel 15 miles each way to their Outpatients appointments at Harrogate Hospital, 30 years later. I kid you not. Then you’ve got the juggernauts which have started cruising this B road for something to do when they’re not driving side by side on the 2 lane sections of the A1. Cycling this road would be an exercise in expediting death. Where can I take my bike? Ripley in my car with my cycle rack.


The first time, I went by myself and it was just great. Off road but on a largely flat, tarmacked path, all the way into Harrogate. I came back raving about it and as a result, got my husband, daughter, son-in-law and baby grandson all enthusiastic – we’ve since been out many times and it’s always great fun. Safe, great fun. I sing as I cycle, they pretend they don’t know me, and each time I go, I manage a bit further, or a bit faster. I haven’t lost any weight by the way. I can’t give up food, but I reckon that cycling is preventing me from having to undergo bariatric surgery. That has to be a good thing, right? However, I think the council needs to open up more of these paths if they’re going to encourage us to cycle more – at the moment, there aren’t nearly enough safe places to go with my bike.

Since writing this, Althea has really taken to riding. Still riding on quiet roads but she's started to conquer steeper and steeper hills and longer and longer distances. I cannot begin to say how proud I am of her joy of finding her ability. She is the first to say the only thing that held her back was her fear that somehow she couldn't do it.

Daniel's Story.

I know Daniel from the pub. You know that place of high sporting ideals, lean diets, early nights and early starts!

I travel everywhere by foot or public transport all the time. Which can be time consuming, if I had to travel somewhere that took a while to get to. The reason I decided to start cycling was, talking to people down the pub and we talked about the benefits of having a bike. Also it was a few months before the Tour de France stage came to Cambridge, so a lot more people were talking about bikes than normal.


My initial thoughts of having a bike was a little apprehensive as I have never rode a bike before. I did not know what sort of bike to buy because at the time to me a bike was just bike. I just wanted something to bike around Cambridge that would get me from A to B and didn’t cost the earth.

I started saving some money to put towards buying a bike, which by coincidence happened to be the day after the Tour De France passed through Cambridge. For a while it just stayed in the hallway of my flat, as I was slightly nervous about going out by myself. However I have now been out on my bike practicing a few times with a friend who has been teaching me. Despite not being on bike for a long time I now fell a lot more confident than I started. I feel with a bit more practice I will be able to start going out on small journeys such as to the shops, and then gradually go a bit further.


My concerns now would be going on the road. You have to be a lot more aware of everything around you. I also have concerns about using cycle lanes a few of them don’t seem that wide, and how close thing cars and buses get to people on their bikes.

Daniel travels further and further by bike and, ta da, has had his first fall! What is great about Daniel's spirit is that he immediately got up, dusted himself down, and got back on the bike. Again, a very personal spirit, although I'd suggest the positive experience of riding also helped in this return to riding.


From The Guardian, What makes Cambridge a model cycling city?

Sue's Story.

Finally Sue. I know Sue, as many others will, through BBC Cambridge Radio. She's interviewed me about cycling and the Tour dr France project #CamBuntingTdF several times in the past year or so. Sue lives in the country well to the south of Cambridge.

I started cycling as the organiser of the fledgling City of Cambridge triathlon sort of ‘dared’ me to give it a go, so I borrowed a friend’s hybrid to get some basic fitness, had a go at the Wattbike (a thing of torture) in the gym. I then took a big breath and bought a road bike … and all the kit and caboodle! I was also inspired by the inaugural Women’s Tour which came right past my front door this summer and the Giro D’Italia in my native Northern Ireland.

The biggest worry was how to handle the roads – I’m lucky in that I live in a rural area so I tend to cycle on less busy roads, and those well frequented by recreational cyclists but I needed to get road confident, learn how to clip in and out properly and safely negotiate even apparently quiet junctions. I also worry sometimes about the safety of being a lone cyclist and a woman out on the roads by myself but try not to get too hung up on that!

After starting I realised how it requires a very different style and level of fitness than running! But I’m up to a good level of fitness and confidence now. The, er ‘undercarriage’ discomfort takes a bit of getting used to, as well! I’m probably more often on my bike than out running at the moment, quite a change for me!

I found time the biggest hurdle. Working fulltime and often alone with a small child at the weekend, it’s just sometimes difficult to get out there. I invested in a pull along trailer so my son comes too.

The roads quality where I live are quite good, well lit and relatively safe. I do find it tricky in village situations, negotiating parked cars and the like. I’ve not cycled in Cambridge city itself but there are junctions I know I would be loathe to tackle – but my overall impression is that Cambridge is worthy of its cycle-friendly city badge.

I’m a keen runner anyway and I know the benefits of being outdoors and of exercise. I’ve found myself cycling around villages I’ve only driven through and it’s good to see the countryside in a very different way.

Sue continues to ride and run and did confess she'd got some lessons from Olympic Gold Medalist, Vicky Pendleton and, UK National Time Trail Champion, Michael Hutchinson. She loves her sporting side, which is welcome. As is all people who've worked out that challenging yourself makes you enjoy your life more. This could be in sport or could be just getting to the shops under your own steam where you thought it impossible before.

So when I think of legacy, I think of these three people. And the many more people challenging themselves it whatever way they can.

#CamRideHome July 2015

#CamRideHome is a leisurely ride around some of the more pleasant cycle infrastructure and cut-throughs in Cambridge, ending in a short pub stop to chat about the joys of the past month. It starts at The Mill in Cambridge every last Friday of the month at 6pm. Rob at Ben Haywards has been instrumental in getting this going and is the route source on their CamRideHome page.

The July ride took advantage of the evening sunshine to explore out to Milton Country Park, including going under the new underpass on Milton Road, strengthened to allow motor traffic down ot the new railway station. Returning back along the Cam enjoying the early evening mid summer sun.




A Relaxed Early Friday Evening Social Ride (Go HD see * below)

0:12 Setting Off from The Mill
0:25 Awkward manoeuvring down the cyclelane to get onto Regent Street
0:36 Park Terrace
0:55 Quite a busy Midsummer Common path
1:08 Cutter Ferry Bridge and Path
1:38 Pye Terrace
2:08 Onto old cycle infra
2:30 The new Milton Road underpass
2:56 Jane Colston Bridge
3:15 Milton Country Park
3:35 Careful riding!
4:12 River Cam and a bike change
4:55 Faster than rowing!
5:47 Fen Road and another bike change
6:03 Green Dragon Bridge, where it's perfectly legal to ride
6:22 Onto Riverside
6:45 Back under Cutter Ferry Bridge
7:24 Thompsons Street
7:45 Kings Parade
8:04 And yet more Peace, a pint!



* How to go HD.
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Daytime Bike Lights

This article appeared in Road.cc yesterday with a large variety of comments underneath, precisely why they write in this thought provoking manner!


So, should riders have a rear light on all the time? It would seem like a sensible idea, another bit of added safety measure, what's not to like?

I notice a lot of people answering "yes" in the comments section. And a number repeating anecdotal events "proving" it works. Or even go into bold and largely unproven statements. A number of these comments also give a clue as to the riders normal riding experience. It would look like a large number are hardcore road riders, likely to have a good road bike, wear lycra, use helmets, and buy in to all the gadgets you can get for the bike. That's their hobby, the part of their life on which they'll spend money.

What about the ordinary rider, one just going to work or school every weekday morning? One simply using a bike as their transport. Someone who's not likely to want extra stuff for their "precious machine". It's not their hobby, just a way of getting around. Their bike is subsumed into their overall style, not the other way round.

So, my thoughts....

There are two types of "compulsion" that have similar levels of effect, of trumping out any evidence-based decision making. Legal mechanisms is the obvious one, but also emotional blackmail is another less obvious and more insipid form. "Just do it", "think of your children", "it's for safety's sake" are all used in these arguments in a neat way of avoiding any real information about the effects of whatever it is being suggested. This additional "safety tip" fits into the latter.

The issue of the slippery slope, in this country in particular, is that we makes safety the responsibility of the victim and not the one responsible for creating the danger.

On QI, Jeremy Clarkson, no less, said the best road safety device was to remove all seatbelts and put a big spike in the middle of the car steering wheel. That way the driver would be so concerned about their own safety they'd never impinge upon anyone else's outside.

The same piece pointed out that whilst seatbelts made a great safety improvement on people in cars, it had a detrimental effect on those not in cars. More people were KSIed outside of cars as average speeds went up as it had less effect on those causing the higher speeds.

We keep lessening the risks for those responsible for creating the danger, not those facing it. And this has been happening on the roads for as long as they've been around, with each time it happens it goes though a process.

• Initial proposal. Proponents, sometimes with a benefit to gain (like Trek/Bontrager here), suggest a new thing. Some people see it as removing responsibility from the risk giver and challenge the safety aspect.
• Those with budgets (and something to gain) keep pushing it, and it gains traction against those who've nothing but their sense of the importance of "responsibility".
• Institutions take on the new idea and run with it. Eventually it ends up being legally or emotionally supported.
• Some years or decades later it's taken as read that the idea is an important part of safety, not to be ignored or challenged.

To illustrate this, how about the need for lights on bikes at night. This is a legal requirement and you'll find very few people across the whole cycle advocate spectrum that'll disagree with it.

However, when bike lights were first proposed, many riders opposed it. They had a simple reason: it was the responsibility of the driver to see where they were going and ensure that they were not going to drive into anybody or anything. They suggested it was the drivers responsibility to drive safely.

Then it was taken through the above stages. Now, no-one would fight it.

We do have a number of people ride around without lights in Cambridge. Whilst I'd never join them, when I drive at night, especially at 20mph, I do notice that if I'm paying attention to what I'm doing, then I do see them.

One of the biggest ironic statements from those with anti-cycle sentiments is:

• "Look at that bloody cyclist, no bloody lights, they'll never be seen."

Geraint Thomas Sports Crash and Helmets

Watched this and was duly worried about the man. The crash did look awful, slaming into a telegraph pole and falling head over heels down into a ditch. I expected there was potential for concussion, broken bones, deep wounds to the body, and so on.

from ITV Footage.

There was quite a wait whilst people tried to find out what happened. Also, sadly, there where no race cameras nearby on the road to show him getting back on, so we were left wondering even with the positive commentary.

from Bicycling.co.za.

Then, he appeared, cycling towards the finish, looking irritated and working hard not to lose time. I think everyone watching breathed a sigh of relief. He started joking during the post race interviews and seemed completely unscathed.

from The Guardian.

Then, I start getting this nagging feeling. And I realised this clip would be played over and over with all those helmet proponents screaming that it exactly supports their point of view. Looking through lots of the comments, I've managed to spot some stuff already appearing, surprise surprise, on the Australian websites.

Quite why a downhill race has any comparison to going down the shops is beyond me, of course. It's like saying driving around town is the same as racing Formula One.

Anyway, I'd thought I'd spotted something earlier, so I had a good look through the footage. Did the crash actually impact on the helmet?


It's difficult to see, but it really looks like the helmet didn't hit the telegraph pole at all. The point of impact looks to be the side of his neck and shoulder. At the time he's looking perpendicular to his direction of travel and the centre of the pole is clearly behind an upward facing helmet.

When talking about the accident later, words like "headbutted" where used. But this was clearly far from the case. I've no problem with Geraint using these words, it happened very quickly and it's very difficult to know what actually happened. Also, it's not far from a reasonable description. No-one would use the words "hit the side of shoulder and neck" when a good ole "headbutt" will do. Sadly, reporting of this word will conflate the "helmet saved me" story.

In conclusion, I expect a whole load of helmet support from the parts of the world that have low cycle use, like the Antipodes, UK, and USA, whilst completely ignoring the evidence. In fact, this whole story shows exactly why helmets are a sideline when it comes to safety.

Kings Cross to Cambridge - High Speed Rail

Doing the journey on the 13:15 on Sunday 12 July 2015, speeding it up 10 times and adding in the irrepressible Public Service Broadcasting's version of WH Auden's poem "Night Mail".

Just a small quick clip that shows the speedy exit through London suburbs, conurbations of Hertfordshire, and increasing rurality heading out towards Cambridge. I really love the way the view opens out the further along this goes, giving some stunning sky scapes and views nearer the end.

A Relaxed Sunday Afternoon Train Ride (Go HD see * below)

0:00 Leaving Kings Cross
0:12 Passing HS1 turning into St Pancras International
0:27 Finsbury Park
1:34 Going over Digswell Viaduct
1:51 Knebworth Station
2:00 Stevenage Station
2:18 Hitchin Station
2:23 Hitchin Flyover  built by Network Rail.
2:48 Baldock Station
3:08 Ashwell and Morden
3:25 Royston Station
3:53 Foxton Crossing and Station
4:16 Slowing for the Shelford Junction, joining both London lines to Cambridge
4:25 Great Kneighton development site, all these fields will have houses on them soon
4:35 Demolished Cambridge University Press old building
4:40 Cambridge Station


* How to go HD.

Paris to Let Cyclists Skip Red Lights

A BBC Report appeared on the Europe side of it's website. It's bold headline is "Paris to let cyclists skip red lights", which just seems extraordinary. Hmm.

So who thinks that "Paris to let cyclists skip red lights" is the most important part of this story? Okay, it's bold and brash, but really there's something more important here.

Phrases such as "Paris, blighted by smog this year" actually lead to something different. London, funnily enough, has a worse problem than Paris.

Then things like "Paris is looking to triple the amount of bicycle journeys in the city by 2020 - ensuring people use bikes for 15% of all journeys." might make you think.

What is London doing? Well there's lots of new fancy bike lanes. Well, actually not. There's a few headline projects. There's nothing that'll take the percentage of people using bikes across London (currently around 2-3% as it's not just the central area) to anything like 15%.

So, along with the older news that Paris has put in place temporary bans on half the cars, the news here is that whilst Paris is working hard to enable it's citizens to get rid of the pollution that kills thousands, London is doing pretty much nothing. All because politicians here are scared of taking on the motor lobby.

Thus we die, again I say, in our thousands because people in awe of the motor car have a toddler trantrum when things don't go their way.

Hildersham Anti-Clockwise Circuit

I've often done this circuit as it can be a favourite, last minute afternoon ride. Sometimes I vary it (with photos) to avoid the slightly unpleasant hill to the back of Wandlebury (due to speedy traffic, not the incline).

Only this time, the variation became doing it anti-clockwise rather than clockwise. This did show me places where there are hills I didn't know about!




A Relaxed Sunday Afternoon Ride (Go HD see * below)


00:12 Cutting through to the Guided Busway.
00:20 On the Guided Busway, a great smooth surface.
00:55 Heading over the bridge to Addenbrookes.
01:05 An irritating bit of road riding. Why!
01:18 Bumping into Jim Chisholm on the Genome path.
01:55 Into Shelford.
02:11 And onto Stapleford.
02:24 Using the shared-use path out of Stapleford, the road environment is a bit harsh.
02:45 A slightly odd crossing, not ideal for riders.
03:10 A fete going on in Sawston!
03:37 Onto the Babraham path, again smooth and quiet.
04:16 Turning through a farm in Babraham onto the path south-east
04:39 A very difficult bridge over the A14. I know of people complaining they can't use this route.
04:55 A slightly unpleasant road. Very low traffic but often well over the speed limit.
05:10 Past Granta Science Park and onto the quiet road to the back of Abington.
06:08 Crossing the A1307 carefully to get to Hildersham.
06:42 After a disk failure I've turned left onto the path from Hildersham.
06:58 Onto Worsted Street which takes me all the way home.
07:45 Back over the A14. And yet more beautiful views.
08:40 Dogs come to play! I stopped to pet.
09:05 At the back of Wandlebury.
09:55 Peaking out the climb and back onto roads down towards town.
10:15 Some good downhill speed.
10:38 Chose the path, incorrectly as lights turned immeidately!
10:55 Hills Road mid transformation. A good change but I didn't know where to go.
11:25 Finally back over Hills Road railway bridge.



* How to go HD.

May 2015 #CamRideHome

#CamRideHome is a leisurely ride around some of the more pleasant cycle infrastructure and cut-throughs in Cambridge, ending in a short pub stop to chat about the joys of the past month. It starts at The Mill in Cambridge every last Friday of the month at 6pm. Rob at Ben Haywards has been instrumental in getting this going and is the route source on their CamRideHome page.

The May ride took advantage of the evening sunshine to explore out to Grantchester, especially as the route is blocked to rat running with the bridge closed. It was a balmy May evening, tee-shirts for some and fleeces for others!



A Relaxed Early Friday Evening Social Ride (Go HD see * below)

0:12 Setting Off from The Mill
0:23 Elliot shows off his signalling skills
0:55 Car pulls out in front, sigh.
1:22 TK Maxx lorry parking up, inches to spare!
2:42 "Daddy faster" as Elliot wants to "win"
3:27 A nice cut-through to Granchester Road
4:25 Bus!!!!
5:20 Green Man in Granchester, a few stop
5:30 Taking care on a narrow path
7:00 Back in Cambridge!
7:30 A naughty trick through ridiculous lights
8:11 Peace in the Valley
8:29 And yet more Peace, a pint!



* How to go HD.

Reach Ride - Monday 4 May 2015

The Reach Ride goes from Cambridge town hall to Reach, a village around 10 miles north east from the city. The goal is the Reach Fair which has been running for over 800 years since King John granted it a charter.

The Reach Ride has become a very popular ride amongst Cambridgeshire residents. People travel to Cambridge to do the ride from all over the county. The seat count reached over 800 again this year.

It's a good natured ride and is frequented by road racer types as well as families. The pace is aimed at the latter, so it makes it very welcoming across the widest spectrum of riders. It's great to see even quite young riders happy to take on the 27 miles round trip. When it's split into two, and with the promise of ice-cream and rides in the middle, it's a very attractive proposition!

And it's not only riders. That good humour extends across people outdoors. I don't think I've had so many smiles and friendly greetings when out riding normally. Yes, it happens, but rarely, for example, from single women out jogging or walking the dog. Perhaps it's one of those few chances we have to remind ourselves that normally people are good and we don't have to behave as if everyone is out to get us all the time.

There was a little confusion this year as the Mayor's cycle couldn't use the official route. This should really be seen as a little nudge that cycle-paths should be planned with all types of cyclist in mind. Not everyone is on two wheels. When I arrived on time for the proper start, everyone was already gone. And in trying to catch along the published route I managed to overtake main party quite early on!

As a result of trying to catch up with a group that was quickly behind me, I managed to have lots of time at the Reach end. I settled on exploring up through Wicken Fen and back round via Upware before the fair, then a brief rumble out to Burwell and back after lunch. I can't help feeling that some people, like myself, who may not have a great fascination for the actual Fair, might like to take a wander further up to Wicken Fen as a more official trip. I pushed it a little too far this time, managing a total of 47 miles. And "bonking" around 2 miles from home.

I managed to get several clips, and did manage to do several passes of the (smaller) group on the way back. Faces are always good on these rides, please tag yourself!

Click here to see the map bigger.





Slightly Lonely Journey There  (Go HD see * below)

0:11 A few people still at the start mopping up.
0:45 The normal jam under Victoria Avenue completely missing!
1:25 Relief at the first signs of a group.
1:40 Not a very big group though, huh?
2:25 Newmarket Road Park & Ride, some more groups, but not moving, huh?
2:30 Small discussion about ride. I continue.
3:25 A few stragglers at Quy, where is everyone?
3:40 Last rider? Unbeknown to me, I'd already passed the main group!
4:20 Bottisham centre.
5:05 Swaffham Bulbeck centre. Empty roads!
5:33 Road cyclists pass.
5:50 Swaffham Prior centre.
6:07 Closed Roads! Although this proved a little unreliable.
6:50 Reach Fair!


People on the Way Back (Go HD see * below)

Apologies for the sound track, it just seemed so appropriate!
0:11 Final look at the Fair
0:30 An awful lot of parked cars for a closed road?
0:43 A car, even more strange for a closed road!
1:11 Road Closed sign. Ignored by a lot of drivers. Illegally.
1:30 Nice to pass lots of riders after the mornings mix-up!
1:50 A good look at the front riders, face on!
2:30 And back to passing the group again
3:20 Another look back at the riders coming past.
4:15 A couple heading to Waterbeach, needing to walk some of the way.
4:40 And into Lode.
5:10 And the main Quy Road, nearly back up to the front.


Wicken Fen and Upware Circuit (Go HD see * below)

0:11 Leaving Reach heading north then east to Wicken Fen.
0:50 Some riders! Hmm, and a car on a closed road
0:54 Camera fail, restart at first junction.
1:35 Bridge over Reach Lode. Very nice!
1:49 Rejoined proper track
2:20 Very awkward bridge, I had trouble with just a little day bag.
              This is a barrier to quite a few riders, I expect.
2:55 Main part of Wicken Fen, lots of riders! Ely people coming to Reach Fair?
3:00 With space available and people walking and riding, a bit more path width?
3:45 Another camera stop to look up route round horrible A1123 road.
4:45 Pretty rough track, probably not good in winter.
5:00 The Upware road! 3 of 7 car passes were not good.
              This is the alternative to the problematic Wicken Fen bridge?
6:00 Upware! Always seemed so fantastically distant
6:45 This is mapped as an unclassified road, not a track!
7:30 Back on the NCN11 cycle-route.
7:45 Road Closed being ignored by drivers, again.
8:10 Pulled in to let a car pass.
8:30 Lots of non-local parked cars
8:40 To the cycle parking!


Burwell Short Circuit (Go HD see * below)

0:11 Bit confused by cyclists coming towards me on this side of the road!
0:13 And car on the other side?
0:18 Ah, all becomes clear, walking/riding one side, cars managed on other, very good!
0:24 Driver doesn't really understand road controls, can't go up to it!
0:35 Dip out into car space as none coming.
0:43 End of control section, take back road to Burwell.
0:50 Quite a few people walking and riding from Burwell.
1:03 And a driver!
1:12 Onto a back track up the Burwell Lode.
1:28 Burwell centre.
1:41 Turn back towards the Burwell Lode.
1:50 And back onto the back road back towards Reach.
2:05 Lots more people walking down the path, some the same as before!
2:11 Dad pushing young daughter learning to ride, Excellent!
2:21 Back to the road control.


Return from Lode (Go HD see * below)

0:11 Last big cluster of people, going forward
0:49 Bottisham centre.
1:10 And back towards Quy, be good when the Lode-Quy cyclepath is done!
1:15 Got caught by another faster rider, good chat along the way!
1:28 One of the fast little groups.
2:02 Road crossing in Stow-cum-Quy.
3:10 Newmarket Road Park and Ride.
3:45 Road Crossing in Fen Ditton.
4:40 Back to Riverside.
5:00 My final bit on the main route, I bonked after this!


* How to go HD.

CamRideHome in March 2015

#CamRideHome is a leisurely ride around some of the more pleasant cycle infrastructure and cut-throughs in Cambridge, ending in a short pub stop to chat about the joys of the past month. It starts at The Mill in Cambridge every last Friday of the month at 6pm. Rob at Ben Haywards has been instrumental in getting this going and is the route source on their CamRideHome page.

The March ride was the first which occurs mainly in daylight. This year we explored some of the new developments to the south of the city in Great Kneighton. New paths are being added to link in with the Southern section of the Guided Busway.

Click here to see the map bigger.


I managed to get video footage until it was quite dark, co-incidentally as my battery failed (how to go HD*).

March 2015 Ride

All together a very pleasant little ride, aimed at the pace of the slowest and with a couple of beers and good chat afterwards. Who's up for April, when we'll be in balmy evening sun all the way?

* How to go HD.

Addenbrookes Quirky Cycle Provision

Addenbrookes does make a lot more provision for people riding to the hospital than most. But it should.

Addenbrookes is a health provider, it should be seeking to help people develop a healthier lifestyle. And it's in the city in the UK with the highest cycling levels. It's already got a good user base (15 times the UK average), although there still should be a lot more cycling in Cambridge and getting people comfortable with a great healthy transport alternative should be the standard.

Old Development

So, it's a little concerning that the provision is quite piecemeal. This is mostly down to sticking plaster solutions. Doing a little bit here, doing a little bit there, adding a bit here, changing a bit there.

Here I look at a couple of places in the centre of the hospital. This piecemeal approach is clearly shown by:

• stopping a shared-use route a few metres from the road it's going to;
• not signing the shared-use route because it doesn't go all the way;
• not putting enough cycle parking where it's needed;
• sticking plaster adjustments to old, unused routing;
• trackstand skills requirement to stick to cycle routing; and
• inconsistent signing all within a few metres.

The central experience

Of course this is in the middle of quite a lot of development. And there's a level of juggling about within tight spaces. I'd suggest the sticking plaster approach does nothing to help this. It's time someone took a big red pen to the layer-upon-layer map and drew a clean slate. I'd bet it'd work out better for all people coming to the hospital.

New Development

Now, wouldn't it be great if the planners would learn from their earlier mistakes and plan in cycleroutes rather than fixing it in later. Yep, that'd be great, it's a shame it's not happening.

This post about Francis Crick Avenue from a little while back shows the usual approach of skimping on as much as possible. Despite having a clean slate and acres of space, cycle routes are squeezed in on roads  with drains, puddles, and rubbish. Not only that, the road is not designed to reduce speeds but encourages people driving to exceed the speed limit, thus making it really unpleasant on a bike. This seems to be a usual response to the hospitals roads. Other places realise that if you make straight roads speeding happens, if you make them twist and turn speeding doesn't. It has little overall effect on journey times, as it's simply rushing to the next junction, the real controller of average speeds.

One of the most damning indicators is on the new-ish Dame Archer Avenue which has a cycle route around the (pointless) lights (if you're on a bike*). This would seem good. But if there's space of a off road cycle route, why isn't it all the way long the road?

Again, routes from the hospital are good, but where the hospital has had control over the development the result has been very poor.


* Note that traffic lights are needed on a road to let two lines of motor traffic merge. If it were two lines of cycle traffic, would the lights be needed? No.

Bamburgh at New Year

At the New Year I was lucky enough to share a house with friends in the north-easterly town of North Sunderland, whose coastal area is the more famous Seahouses. This is the location of the great historic rescue by Grace Darling on the Farne Islands.

During our time there we had mostly great weather, including some windy, windy days (great for beach walks) and some fantastic sun-bathed days (also windy). I found the time to take 2 bike rides taking in the sites from this part of the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. as well as being more socialable and going on 3 lovely walks. Some of the photos and clips have captured a bit of this fantastic light.

Anyway, this is the area map, with a few details. Click here to see the map bigger.

Map includes my ride in blue, NCN1 in yellow, Bamburgh Castle, Seahouses Pier, Doddington Moor walk, and St Cuthberts Cave walk

The rides provided some stunning views. I took photos along the way as well as taking screen captures from the video footage. The clips and photos are below.

The walks on Doddington Moor and to St Cuthbert's Cave also gave some stunning views. Doddington Moor has a number of ancient Cup and Ring markings with some description here. St Cuthbert's Cave also is full of history as well as good views nearby.Visit Northumberland also says that:

It is reputed that the monks of Lindisfarne brought St. Cuthbert’s body to this place to rest for a short period in AD875 following Viking raids on the Island and the subsequent abandonment of the saxon monastery.

I've put all those photos here from those two walks, along with a windy beach walk to Bamburgh Castle and here are a few highlights (Google seems to be killing embedded pictures, sigh. Click the caption links underneath if they aren't there for you!).

St Cuthberts Cave

Doddington Moor

Seahouses Beach

Rides

The rides were fun, and the latter quite windy! I did the first one anti-clockwise and used the road along the sea between Seahouses and Bamburgh. This gave some fantastic views of Bamburgh Castle as I got nearer and nearer. It was marred a touch by too many close passes by people driving, I just didn't let that get at my enjoyment. Here are the photos from that.


The beach north of Seahouses, looking north


Distant View of the Farne Islands


Bamburgh Castle from distance


Bamburgh Castle from the edge of the village


Bamburgh Castle last distant view


Bike shadow


Bamburgh Castle close up


Bamburgh Castle close up


Bamburgh Castle close up


Bamburgh Castle from the village green

And here are some of the stills from the video footage.


Sea view from North side of Seahouses


Bamburgh Castle distant from south


Bamburgh Castle close up


Bamburgh Castle close up

Then, I made my way inland, catching NCN1 for a little while, then back south along some very frosty lanes. This. This gave an added excitement of taking it very carefully on slippy-looking surfaces. I skidded only once as I was stopping by stupidly turning the front wheel slightly too much at 5mph and sliding for a foot until I stopped. Also, picking lines through ice puddles avoiding going on surface that might crack or large lumps of broken up ice.


Bike Shadow


Icy Puddle


Slushy puddle and shadow

Here's the ride in full. There's no need to watch it all, unless you wanty a nice relax, I've linked places of interest below.

Maximise for HD & turn the sound up or down, depending on your preference!

The first ride

00:29 Seahouses
00:44 Coastal View
01:15 Bamburgh Castle Distant View
02:44 Bamburgh Castle View
03:45 Bamburgh Castle Close View
04:15 Bamburgh Village
04:55 Sunny Inland Route
07:03 Turning South
08:44 Icy Puddle
09:35 Slight Skid
11:15 Turning Back onto NCN1
14:11 Credits




Later Ride

Later on I got to do the route again, this time clockwise. There was a ferocious south-westerly wind and I wanted to get that bit out of the way first. It was hard just going along at 8mph! In this first bit I also found a farmer doing their traditional winter work of hedge trimming. They were good to stop for me to pass, although I pretty sure I picked up a slow puncture here.

Here are some stills from the video footage.


Tractor trimming

Once turning north, the wind had changed to being directly across me, hindering me by blowing me across the road. However, there was some great shadow pictures!


Bike Shadow

I also found a car behind me at one point. This is a narrow road and there really isn't space to just pass. The driver seemed to get this, possibly because I was quite a long way out from the hedge, controlling the lane. I didn't want to hold them up as it spoils both our enjoyment. So I found a good place, checking the road surface ahead for a good 100 yards, and pulled over signalling the driver to come past. All went very well!


Signalling Driver to pass


Car passing close but planned


Car passed fine

Finally, turning back towards the coast and Bamburgh Castle and I got the benefit of the wind! The road gave fantastic long distance views of the castle as it was going directly towards it. I decided to go all the way into the village to get the castle close up once more.


Bamburgh Castle distant from East


Bamburgh Castle close up

Finally, I turned back through the village and headed for the NCN1 route south towards North Sunderland, simply to avoid the sea front road with it's rushing drivers. It's longer distance and time-wise, but quieter and less hassled.

Maximise for HD & turn the sound up or down, depending on your preference!

The last ride

00:24 Onto NCN1 going south-west
03:15 Passing a Hedge Trimming Tractor
04:10 Turning westwards off NCN1
06:30 Earlier Skid Corner, Easier Now
07:35 Earlier Icy Puddle, Easier Now
08:35 Car Passing
09:35 Turning Back Towards Coast
10:25 Bamburgh Castle from the West
11:00 Bamburgh Castle Slightly Closer
11:15 Bamburgh Village
11:30 Bamburgh Castle Close Up
11:42 Back into Bamburgh
12:05 NCN1 Route Back to North Sunderland
16:00 Credits