I wouldn’t underestimate how dirty this could get but I’m sure he’s ready for that.
Really hope he wins though

Looks like it will – could be 20 degrees+ so make sure you’re very well hydrated.
Good luck -it’s an epic 🙂

Early 21st century, post advent of social media and smartphones, not a good time to be an autocrat IMO – impossible to control the message that reaches the people and the outside world.
Unsettling for us all whilst the change comes through, but surely better for everyone in the end. Will hopefully lead to poor and developing nations no longer being held hostage to autocratic leaders nicking all their natural wealth…
Interesting times

If the BG is as powerful and elite as we’re told they are, why are they meeting in Watford of all places 😯

I have Montane and Pakajak
Montane is superlight, packs up well and keeps the wind out, and a light shower. But a bit baggy.
Pakajak I prefer. Being more substantial keeps the fit a little closer, will take a fall on the road without too much damage! and some nice finishing touches on the cuffs and round the neck. And cheaper although only showerproof

OP here: thanks Graeme, really helpful. That’ll keep me busy this weekend!

I’m not saying the NHS ’caused’ obesity! That would be insane!

I’m saying that it’s hard to claim the NHS has brought great benefits when the data demonstrates the UK is in a very poor state of health on 2 key measures: years of healthy life and BMI…

And that this worsening of health, along with an ageing population is going to overload the NHS, and therefore reform is surely necessary.

The only place you could suggest any causality IMO, is that care provided free at the point of need removes any incentive for people to look after themselves as they don’t directly connect their self-abuse with the financial costs of treating it…

If we’re 12th out of 19 rich Western countries in health outcomes (years of healthy life), and more people are overweight and obese than of healthy weight, what are the ‘stunning benefits’?

I don’t care what ‘people’ would agree or disagree with, I’m interested in the metrics and scientific evidence that demonstrates the ‘success’ of the NHS.

IMO the NHS debate is riven with propaganda and sentiment, which isn’t actually terribly helpful when we’re talking about life and death… Without an evidence-based debate we’re massively at risk of making the wrong decision about necessary reform…

decades of proving what a success the NHS has been, and the stunning benefits it has provided to the British people,

Any data to back up that assertion, rather than anecdote?

Here’s some evidence that we may not actually be very healthy at all…

UK 12th place out of 19 in Lancet Study

And from: In England, most people are overweight or obese

In England, most people are overweight or obese. This includes 61.3% of adults and 30% of children aged between 2 and 15. People who are overweight have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Excess weight can also make it more difficult for people to find and keep work, and it can affect self-esteem and mental health.

Health problems associated with being overweight or obese cost the NHS more than £5 billion every year.

Surely we need a kick up our ever-increasing backsides rather than “do what you like to yourself and we’ll patch you up for free” approach currently offered… removing sentiment about private vs state provision I really can’t see how the current setup is providing better health outcomes if year on year, the data shows our health getting worse…

I would have thought the good bike chains are recruiting right now.
Failing that, this book is great:

John Lees How to Get a Job You’ll Love

And good luck, it takes balls to make a big change in your life, lots of people chicken out…

Oh and re job satisfaction, I solved that one after getting signed off with stress which was entirely self-induced by wanting a brilliant job and not getting it – I’ve just stopped expecting too much from my job and I focus on getting happiness from all the other parts of my life instead…

I think you have to report a collision don’t you?
If he was at fault I personally wouldn’t accept his ££, but take it to the law – otherwise he’s kind of just buying his way out of proper justice… (not judging you for taking the cash, just thinking about not letting someone get away with hurting a cyclist)

My Soul runs best at c125mm which seems to be the sweet spot for a lot of people. IMO it’s not the BB height, but the head angle and responsiveness that makes 125mm feel right. Steering goes a bit slow when I have the forks at 140mm

Shall I go on or will that do?
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS

I might be being thick but I can’t find any definition on the World Bank site of what this covers? What like for like comparison is it making?

I’m not pro-privatisation particularly, just not convinced NHS is going to be the best way forward, especially is the UK population at large is making a heroic effort to stuff it’s face full of crap and make itself ill, without thinking about what this is going to cost the taxpayer…
+ we’re all going to be around for close to a century and I can’t imagine looking after all those doddery oldies being too cheap…

I know it’s the model we know and have grown up with, but who says it’s the best one for the UK given our current and future health needs and financial situation?
Why shouldn’t it be changed?

So what if we ditch the NHS? We’re not entitled to it, it’s just one model of many used around the world…

I wonder how many Brits ask themselves why no other country in the world has an NHS model. Anything to do with the fact it’s very, very expensive?

By offering healthcare free at the point of need you’re removing any incentive for people to look after themselves… which is neither good for the taxpayer who ends up paying loads, and also no good for the general public who end up not looking after themselves…

Maybe the country’s healthcare needs have changed since NHS was created in 1948 and we need a different solution? See ageing population and obesity crisis. If your tyres got a puncture, there’s no point ignoring it and riding on is there?

In any case Bupa is in one hell of a mess – seriously falling profits, so it’s not like there’s some kind of secret mission to change the model to private insurance, cos that ain’t working either…

tbh, they’re not that much of a problem IME, you just sit ahead of the green box.
Mobile phones while driving, accelerating through orange/red, close passes and left hooks are far more dangerous to people cycling in London..

If the obesity crisis was the fault of ‘the system’ then we’d have 100% obesity, surely?…
Obesity and people being overweight, combined with the ageing population are going to ruin the country…the increased costs for running the NHS + reduced productivity will overshadow any economic growth we can muster…
It’s about time someone put some figures to it and spelled it out to Joe Public. After all, it’s perfectly possible to live healthily if you make good choices…

Taxing unhealthy food doesn’t appear to work when it’s been tried but maybe people who eat badly and don’t do any exercise should pay a % of any resulting medical treatment? Politically unpopular maybe, but I’m not too happy that a chunk of my taxes go towards paying for healthcare which wouldn’t have been needed if the individuals had put a bit of effort into looking after themselves…

There does seem to be a trend at the moment to pull out for an overtake without actually checking the road is clear.

I’m surprised I’ve not seen a head-on collision yet, I’ve seen a few close ones… I am rather shocked at the lack of risk assessment and ability to think through the consequences of their actions…

Then again, I could say the same about the RLJer in Croydon who came very close to being hit when, as well as going through a red light, made the schoolboy error of not looking for traffic coming through the green light either. Maybe he was blind?

Panaracer Rampage 2.35 on F&R at the moment…
It would certainly be cheaper to change tyres only 🙂

2 abreast is safer – more road presence, legal and makes a given number of cyclists easier to overtake because the overall length of the group is shorter.
It’s also more efficient – and was how club cyclists were riding before most of today’s drivers’ grandparents were even born! Certainly before cars came into mass usage in the UK after WW2…

The levels of ignorance apparent in the anti-cycling lobby are quite shocking.

On the other hand, with significantly more people riding, much more local and national political attention being paid to growing cycle use, social media giving us a voice against people like Emma Way, AA changing the way they teach new drivers to be cyclist-aware, and now even Jeremy Clarkson appearing to throw in the towel, it does feel like the momentum is beginning to turn and the antis are being seen as the ones who are out on their own…

One technique for avoiding wet roots is…. only ride when it’s dry 🙂

Another which works for me is popping a small manual over them. Or when they’re off camber, go in high.

One benefit of riding with flats is it’s easier to dab through them too!

well the 2 largest quality bike “chains” in the UK are really struggling to find competent mechanics and sales staff because of their poor terms and conditions (minimum pay with no holiday, temporary contracts and no training)

I suspect ecommerce isn’t helping here. Bricks and mortar are fighting to keep costs to a minimum so they can compete on price, and wages are frequently one of the biggest costs in a retailer.

Mind you, Evans service was bad even in 1995 when they had about 5 shops in London and I bought my first MTB – patronising kids who assumed I knew nothing…

20% staff turnover tells you a lot. It means even the people who work there are rejecting the company…

If they’re not recruiting and retaining people who care about a) bikes and b) helping customers, then they’re stuffed.

If they’d rather be somewhere else, then your staff will neither keep your customers happy, nor be advocates for the brand…

A few years ago I saw a display bike with the forks on backwards. They’ve no chance if they’re putting bikes together that dangerously and no-one spots it…

Just wait til 2018, once 650b is passe they’ll be back to flogging 26

I hope so – this wholesale changing of standards is daylight robbery…especially if manufacturers refuse to support the massive installed base of 26 bikes on an ongoing basis.

I want to put some lower rise bars on my hardtail, which is only 3 years old and it looks like I have to get a new stem as well, just because the industry’s decided to change its standards, and stop supporting the old ones, which riders were perfectly happy with…

Not putting a ladder in might discourage people and keep the numbers down, and therefore make it safer, of course…

Personally I’d get checked over at the walk-in – they can confirm what the injury is, and that there’s nothing more serious which you might miss until it gets more serious

Crystal Palace TV towers

If they’re too used to take them back, get them onto classifieds and use the cash towards something else – badly fitting road shoes IME have to be got rid of – you spend a long time pedalling and faster than MTB and therefore putting a lot of power through your feet – and if shoes don’t fit it hurts, and likely to lead to injury.
I have superwide feet – G fitting. Shoes that don’t work for me are Diadora, Adidas, Shimano and Sidi (standard fitting)- they all seem to be built on a narrow last.
Shoes that do are Specialized. All my riding shoes are Specialized and I’ve never had sore spots or pain from them. Hard to find on sale, but with a single physio session costing £40+, it seems worth it to me…
I can also recommend Superfeet insoles. Not that cheap (£30) but give a really solid base for your feet – much better than the standard insoles…and they’ll last for years and years

Anyone else keep clicking on the BBC video link just to keep it in the top 10 videos being watched?

No, but good that it is… keep the story alive. Even if she’s not charged with anything, the whole affair is a great way to get cyclist safety into the national consciousness…

I’ve also noticed that if I give a cyclist lots of room the driver behind me often does too. Driver education by stealth

This is true. Monkey see, monkey do. Not that I’m calling people monkeys, but there’s a social ecosystem on the road, which comes down to what is acceptable amongst peers. The best you can do is lead by example.

Spot on. Psychologists will tell you that we all seek to adhere to social norms. Lead by example, whether as a pedestrian, driver and cyclist. The rest we have to leave up to the campaigning groups, legislation and education…

There are a few things which are beginning to make traction now which can only help…
Carlton Reid popping up everywhere whenever there’s a ‘car tax’ story
Driving schools are including how to drive round cyclists in their training (see Roadcc)
Our ability as a community to kick up a media storm a la Emma Way, and to make our voices heard.

Slowly, I think we may be beginning to make progress…

If she ends up without the Police charging her for anything then our legal system has failed IMO. Failed to protect cyclists from callous behaviour from people when they drive. There’s laws discriminating against people for race, sexuality and gender… so surely such principles still stand in law for discrimination against a person’s chosen form of transport?

Whatever the facts of the matter, tweeting such a nasty message and the way she appears to be trying to manipulate the message going out to the general public/build a case to suggest she wouldn’t get a fair trial… suggests she’s not psychologically fit to be in charge of a car… and we need a clear message sent to society and other drivers who don’t care about others, that this behaviour will no longer remain unpunished…

I’m planning on riding both days over the weekend, I hope I get to do so in peace…

Driver is a muppet for her actions and the tweet.

Cyclist is a muppet for his actions afterwards, his story appears to change and his comments on her facebook page were quite pathetic. Did he come off or not, how do you go over a car bonnet, remain upright and not fall off? He should have kept schtum and held the moral highground. As it is, he has lost a lot of credibility and doesnt appear to have a good lawyer to help him regain any.

I predict she will now be being briefed by an expensive lawyer courtesy of her employer and receieve a caution from the police. Cyclist only has himself to blame that she does not recieve any greter penalty.

If this comes to pass then the whole affair will be a travesty of justice. Just what do you have to do to a cyclist to receive any kind of punishment?

Given the style and content of what she said in the interview and previous (apparent) driving behaviour, there seems to be something unsettling about her personality… along the lines of lack aggressive and lack of empathy…
I do hope the CPS and Police are aware there’s likely to be deep manipulation on her part in an attempt to get away with this… and will spot her games

There’s no remorse in that video. Just expressions of self-pity. I don’t think she’s normal. To boast about something like this, then have the story go global as it has, to be suspended and have your whole future in doubt, and to react without any apparent feelings of guilt… well I hope she has her licence taken away and is given a full psychological test before she’s allowed back in charge of any kind of road vehicle…

I like to think you’re right that we could do something, but tbh, similar anti-prejudice campaigns that have seen success (sexual and racial equality spring to mind) haven’t come about from the ‘victims’ changing their behaviour.

AFAIK the change has come from a multi-faceted and sustained approach – from government legislating, enforcing the legislation and general pressure on changing cultural and societal norms. It’s taken decades too…

I’m like Bails – I ride 100% legally but still get harrassed and close to being hospitalised. I get harrassed when I drive too – there’s nothing rational we can tackle here, it’s hatred and anger based on a selfish sense of entitlement and jealousy because driving these days is such a frustrating experience.

Even if every person on a bike was a paragon of virtue with regard to cycling legally, with helmet, high vis and lights, we’d still be on the receiving end of vitriol…

If the anti-cyclist brigade were rational, you wouldn’t get silly little girls boasting to the whole wide world that they’d come close to killing someone… this has got to be one of the biggest social media facepalms for a long time 😯

Those Dockers look good – who does those on the high street? I could do with trying out a couple of different sizes…

Carlton Reid for PM! Or Mayor of London when Boris leaves to be PM 🙂

He really is a one-man campaign, doing more for correcting the anti-cyclist myths than all the ‘official’ campaigning organisations put together, IMO

I hope the Police throw the book at her and her employers too. Does she have no conscience?
We need some kind of psychological element to the driving test.

I’m also interested in the point DDG make about Google serving up results tailored to you, which means right wingers get right wing news sites and left wingers get left wing news sites, in response to the same search.
That’s polarising and likely to lead to entrenchment/extremism rather than debate. Without realising it, people who use Google as their main source of information will be Ghetto-ising themselves.
It;s a slightly false picture as I suspect few people use Google search as their sole source of news – more likely go to new sites they already know and agree with (and physical newspapers). But still not sure that’s healthy in a democracy

Maybe spend less time on STW in work time, and go home at 5:30 every night 🙂