Red light-jumping cyclist seriously injures woman

On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:32:10 -0800 (PST), Simon Mason
wrote:

snip


Last time I drove home from work it took me an hour - the longest time
on my bike has been 45 minutes when I was pinned back by a 60mph
headwind.



Oh dear - that memory problem yet again - and only a factor of two out.

As you have previously said:
================================================== =====================
I wish the wind would change direction soon. I'm fed up of doing a full day
at work and then facing a 12 mile ride into a 50 mph headwind. Last night it
took me 90 minutes to ride home, sometimes the gusts of wind slowed me down
to walking pace. I'm also arriving at work far too early, if only it was the
other way round!
================================================== =====================


Can we believe *anything* that you tell us?


--
Simple Simon Mason - who cycles at 25mph in 20mph limits just because the limits do not apply to cyclists.
This includes exceeding the speed limit past three schools. A total disregard for the well-being of vulnerable road users.
The actions of a true psycholist.

JNugent said
On 28/02/2012 09:59, kat wrote:
said
On 28/02/2012 07:07, Bertie Wooster wrote:

wrote:

A worker with whom I am well acquainted drives from an affluent
western suburb of Colchester to a workplace in Southend, five days
a week. Could you (or TC) beat his time and convenience over that
journey,
with you riding a bike?

So what does that prove? That a commuter car v bike challenge can
be manipulated in favour of the car?

What "manipulation" would that be?

His journey is a *real* one. And it is far from being the only such
journey. For years, I travelled 28.4 miles each way to work along a
similar
sort of route.
The "Top Gear" "commuter" challenge and your suggestion, are totally
contrived for maximum disadvantage to normal means of travel.

Besides, at peak times a bike/train option may be quicker for the
challenge you suggest.

Possibly (who knows? certainly not me), but the challenge is car v
bike.

I doubt it, for that journey, the train isn't direct, and takes
rather longer than one would expect to take by road, even at peak
times, and you still have to add in the bike bit each end.

Must one cycle along the A12 or can one take the back roads? :-)

You have to get round the Crouch Estuary (via Chelmsford Bypass and
the new replacement Rettendon Turnpike (Chelmsford - Canvey).

So A12 + A130 + A127/A13 (plus top and tail).

How about going via Tiptree - Maldon - South Woodham Ferrers and down to
Rayleigh? That'd be the back way. ;-)

I know we have detoured through some parts when the A12 has been closed.
Though not going to or from Southend.


--
kat
^..^

On 28/02/2012 22:08, kat wrote:
said
On 28/02/2012 09:59, kat wrote:
said
On 28/02/2012 07:07, Bertie Wooster wrote:

wrote:

A worker with whom I am well acquainted drives from an affluent
western suburb of Colchester to a workplace in Southend, five days
a week. Could you (or TC) beat his time and convenience over that
journey,
with you riding a bike?

So what does that prove? That a commuter car v bike challenge can
be manipulated in favour of the car?

What "manipulation" would that be?

His journey is a *real* one. And it is far from being the only such
journey. For years, I travelled 28.4 miles each way to work along a
similar
sort of route.
The "Top Gear" "commuter" challenge and your suggestion, are totally
contrived for maximum disadvantage to normal means of travel.

Besides, at peak times a bike/train option may be quicker for the
challenge you suggest.

Possibly (who knows? certainly not me), but the challenge is car v
bike.

I doubt it, for that journey, the train isn't direct, and takes
rather longer than one would expect to take by road, even at peak
times, and you still have to add in the bike bit each end.

Must one cycle along the A12 or can one take the back roads? :-)

You have to get round the Crouch Estuary (via Chelmsford Bypass and
the new replacement Rettendon Turnpike (Chelmsford - Canvey).

So A12 + A130 + A127/A13 (plus top and tail).

How about going via Tiptree - Maldon - South Woodham Ferrers and down to
Rayleigh? That'd be the back way. ;-)

I don't think it would be any shorter.

I know we have detoured through some parts when the A12 has been closed.
Though not going to or from Southend.

There's always the "old" A12 - but that goes through Chelmsford (well, OK,
there was a bypass of sorts before the current A12 route).

JNugent said
On 28/02/2012 22:08, kat wrote:
said
On 28/02/2012 09:59, kat wrote:
said
On 28/02/2012 07:07, Bertie Wooster wrote:

wrote:

A worker with whom I am well acquainted drives from an affluent
western suburb of Colchester to a workplace in Southend, five
days a week. Could you (or TC) beat his time and convenience
over that journey,
with you riding a bike?

So what does that prove? That a commuter car v bike challenge can
be manipulated in favour of the car?

What "manipulation" would that be?

His journey is a *real* one. And it is far from being the only
such journey. For years, I travelled 28.4 miles each way to work
along a similar
sort of route.
The "Top Gear" "commuter" challenge and your suggestion, are
totally contrived for maximum disadvantage to normal means of
travel.
Besides, at peak times a bike/train option may be quicker for the
challenge you suggest.

Possibly (who knows? certainly not me), but the challenge is car v
bike.

I doubt it, for that journey, the train isn't direct, and takes
rather longer than one would expect to take by road, even at peak
times, and you still have to add in the bike bit each end.

Must one cycle along the A12 or can one take the back roads? :-)

You have to get round the Crouch Estuary (via Chelmsford Bypass and
the new replacement Rettendon Turnpike (Chelmsford - Canvey).

So A12 + A130 + A127/A13 (plus top and tail).

How about going via Tiptree - Maldon - South Woodham Ferrers and
down to Rayleigh? That'd be the back way. ;-)

I don't think it would be any shorter.

I wasn't thinking of it being shorter, just that a cyclist might prefer it.
;-)



I know we have detoured through some parts when the A12 has been
closed. Though not going to or from Southend.

There's always the "old" A12 - but that goes through Chelmsford
(well, OK, there was a bypass of sorts before the current A12 route).

Oh yeah, the good old days. When the drive was more interesting!

--
kat
^..^

On 27/02/2012 22:22, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
OK - I'll offer two choices:

1 - I choose the route and Med chooses the vehicle; or
2 - Med chooses the route and I choose the vehicle.

If Med chooses the route, I choose a car; if Med Chooses the vehicle I
choose Pepys Estate, Deptford (SE8 3LN) to Canary Wharf (E14 5AB) at
7.45am on any weekday excluding bank holidays.

However, I am convinced that Meds will bottle from this most fair of
fair challenges.

Knowing that route, I think the challenge is easily as fair as the Top
Gear Kensington - London City Airport challenge.

Which was, lest we forget, won by a short-arse TV presenter on a bike
who didn't even take the quickest route.

Guy


I thought the tooth fairy won that, closely followed by father Christmas
& the Easter bunny?



--
Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a
legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a
vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton - Lancaster
University

"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...
On Feb 28, 7:20 am, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:
On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:07:27 +0000, Bertie Wooster

wrote:
On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:49:08 +0000, JNugent
wrote:

A worker with whom I am well acquainted drives from an affluent western
suburb of Colchester to a workplace in Southend, five days a week.

Could you (or TC) beat his time and convenience over that journey, with
you
riding a bike?

So what does that prove? That a commuter car v bike challenge can be
manipulated in favour of the car?

Besides, at peak times a bike/train option may be quicker for the
challenge you suggest.

Definitely is for me. Driving into work takes easily half an hour
longer than train and bike.


Last time I drove home from work it took me an hour - the longest time
on my bike has been 45 minutes when I was pinned back by a 60mph
headwind.

I thought it might save time last night by making a special trip to work in
order to drop off a tree trunk for my wood turning mate and to take a huge
IKEA bag full of tinned food so that we don't have to call in when we go
walking at Spurn on Friday. Big mistake - the 24 mile round trip took me TWO
HOURS.

I was envious of those on bikes.

--
Simon Mason

On 29/02/2012 14:08, Simon Mason wrote:


"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...
On Feb 28, 7:20 am, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:
On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:07:27 +0000, Bertie Wooster

wrote:
On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:49:08 +0000, JNugent
wrote:

A worker with whom I am well acquainted drives from an affluent western
suburb of Colchester to a workplace in Southend, five days a week.

Could you (or TC) beat his time and convenience over that journey, with
you
riding a bike?

So what does that prove? That a commuter car v bike challenge can be
manipulated in favour of the car?

Besides, at peak times a bike/train option may be quicker for the
challenge you suggest.

Definitely is for me. Driving into work takes easily half an hour
longer than train and bike.


Last time I drove home from work it took me an hour - the longest time
on my bike has been 45 minutes when I was pinned back by a 60mph
headwind.

I thought it might save time last night by making a special trip to work in
order to drop off a tree trunk for my wood turning mate and to take a huge
IKEA bag full of tinned food so that we don't have to call in when we go
walking at Spurn on Friday. Big mistake - the 24 mile round trip took me TWO
HOURS.

I was envious of those on bikes.

To whom are you replying?

On 27/02/2012 19:39, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:01:47 +0000, Dave - Cyclists VOR
wrote:

The challenge, before you started wriggling like a worm, was car v bike.
Its perfectly to clear to everyone that I don't ride a pushbike.

Then why the Devil did you make the challenge?

Doh. Are you really that thick?


I'm perfectly happy to drive the car, but clearly you lack the skill
or confidence to ride a bike.

I don't ride a bike because I'm not an overgrown schoolboy.

--
Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a
legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a
vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton - Lancaster
University

On 27/02/2012 21:21, Bertie Wooster wrote:


How about you on your bike, and he in his van, which, as you know, was the
challenge he actually issued? If it would help, I'd be happy to get involved,
especially in trying to ensure that the route did not confer unfair advantage
in the form of a short-cut on a motorway or anything analogous for the bike.

OK - I'll offer two choices:

Nice wriggle again Cwispin.

Just answer the question Mr Nugent asked "How about you on your bike,
and he in his van, which, as you know, was the challenge he actually
issued"?

How about it Cwispin?


--
Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a
legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a
vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton - Lancaster
University

The closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. The worlds media are
present, the band playing the National Anthem, the crowd proud and excited.

On the winners podium proudly stand the winners of the Olympic Wriggling
Event - Crispin in Gold position, Mason in Silver, Chapman in Bronze.

Boris approaches to present the medals, especially proud as Cwispin has
not only won the Olympic Gold for Wriggling, he has also broken The
British & Commonwealth Wriggling Record, The European Wriggling Record
and the World Wriggling Record as well.

Cwispins story is a real life 'rags to riches tale'. A nondescript
youth from Sarf London, with no job prospects or social skills, he rose
to world Wriggling domination by sheer hard work & continual practice.

A little known facet of his life is that he is also an accomplished
Bottler, ranked as Europes number one.

However as Boris is about to place the Olympic Gold Medal for Wriggling
over Cwispins head - disaster strikes. The podium collapses.

Boris is slightly injured, but fortunately three off duty policemen from
Hull, who came to cheer Mason on, are able to administer first aid.

An in depth investigation afterwards reveals that the podium, built by
Cwispin, Mason & Chapman from an IKEA kit was inherently unsafe.

Apparently Cwispin failed to 'read' the pictures in the instructions
correctly & Masons use of a 'torx drill bit' failed to do up the
fittings tight enough.

Chapman was cleared of any involvement in the bodged up build. According
to video evidence from Masons Joe 90 glasses, he just sat nearby hitting
himself on the head with a hammer & saying "it doesn't hurt. it doesn't
hurt".



--
Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a
legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a
vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton - Lancaster
University