Listening to Nicky Campbells phonein this morning I heard too many cyclists defending themselves for not stopping at traffic lights and too many motorists citing their behaviour as evidence that cyclists are a menace.
There is no excuse. Cyclists should stop at red lights just like any other road user. The campaign Stop at Redis inviting cyclists to sign up on it’s website. On the site they offer a number of simple reasons why it makes sense.
It has two general aims:
To encourage cyclists to show courtesy towards other road users and pedestrians.
To encourage greater compliance with the laws of the road.
The most convincing argument for me is the one that reminds cyclists that they don’t need to jump the lights because they are already on the fastest mode of transport in town.
I’d forgotten how much I enjoy cycling through those villages on the edge of York Haxby, Wigginton, Shipton and Skelton. This morning they were bathed in sunshine in a gentler world – just a few miles out of the city centre.
I was on new pedals – the ones that my also new cycling shoes clip into. By all accounts, falling off is not unusual on the first few rides because you forget to disengage your feet before stopping. I didn’t fall off – this time – and so I’m bathing in a little bit of after ride glory.
SPD cycling shoes and pedals
It was a short ride today – just 12 miles – but I must keep it up as the better weather approaches. There will be a fund a raising ride again this summer. My thoughts are towards the Coast to Coast, probably over three days. I just hope it doesn’t rain as it did last year in the Yorkshire Dales.
Tornado leaves York Station. I was with my son, Warwick, who uses a wheelchair so I only had time to snatch a few hand held shots over the heads of the crowd. But it has atmosphere and captures the excitement of seeing this loco under steam and hauling at train.
Many thanks to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for making this day possible. If it makes money and pays off it’s debts it’ll be a miracle – but the joy of this first trip will be remembered fondly by many. We Brits are still able to match the engineering skills of a generation or two ago.
The chimney belching smoke and steam also reminded me that the golden age of steam never existed. It was without a doubt a coal black age.
January 31st is the day that passengers will be hauled by the brand new steam loco, Tornado. Built at a cost of £3m it will take members of the society that backed the project between York and Newcastle. I’ll watch it leave York but sadly I won’t be on board – not being a member.
Harrogate is the birthplace of CTC and members in the area would like you to support their campaign to get rid of an ancient bye-law banning cycling anywhere on the Stray, the 200 acres of green space in the heart of the town. The Council is holding a public consultation on proposals to permit cycling on a few key paths which are essential to complete the local cycle network, but opposition to any change on the Stray is strong.
Online responses to the consultation are urgently needed from cyclists who have a connection to Harrogate to support the Council’s proposals. The deadline is 15th December. For more details visit www.wheel-easy.org.uk
I remember this project being launched and thought it was a long shot to build a mainline steam loco from scratch. At that time they said it would cost £1million.
Today Tornado was unveiled to the press. So far it’s cost closer to £3million.
I heard about it today on Up All Night on 5Live when I couldn’t sleep at 4am! It has to be tested before it comes to York for painting in the LNER livery. Can’t wait to see it in action.
I’ve been coming here for years. These rocks carved put of the daleside by wind and ice are twisted into a moonscape that’s both fun and stunning.
They sell ice cream here too – so we watch the view licking our vanilla cornets and remind ourselves of visits made with our children over the years. “Do you remember being stung in your mouth?” I did and always will. The little National Trust shop wouldn’t let me have anti histamine cream from their first aid kit because it was only for external use only. I said I’d risk it and the sting in my mouth seemed to be dealt with by a generous layer of cream on my gum. Or perhaps it was the beer I’d just comsumed at the same Fell Beck pub we’d visited today that eased the pain. Who knows.
This is the last thought in a long technical article about fitness and cycling. Well worth a read – skip over the technical terms if you don’t know what they mean – there’s a lot in there about attitude to fitness and exercise that applies more widely to human life even if you never mount a bike.
Here’s the bike computer at the end of my ride. I’m back in
Grassington and completed 110 miles since leaving here yesterday. I’ve
also climbed the equivalent of two and a bit Ben Nevis’s.
I feel good and apart from the odd light shower it’s been fine from
Malham.
I must put in a word of thanks to my bike. Not a puncture or a squeak
all the way round.
Thank you everyone who donated to sponsor this ride on behalf of
Palestinian Young People coming to the Riding Lights Theatre Summer
School next month. There’s still time to donate. The site remains
active for some time yet. www.help.co.uk/ridingbike
Despite the cliff face out of Settle, the ride to Malham has to be one
of the highlights of this tour. No rain, a back wind and all that
limestone scenery. In the village a cream tea at this cafe.
Now I’m on the home run – about 15 miles to Grassington. Then home by
car.
There are only 3 motivating factors that change human behavior; pain, fear or ambition. Which button do you want to press?
