New transport secretary needs a slap

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/jun/01/transport-secretary-motorists

If I ever see Philip Hammond driving round London, I'm going to ride incredibly slowly in front of him.

Sorry, just realised the date on this. Ignore me if this has already been posted...

Yep. Huge step backwards.

To be fair to him, I don't think that Guardian article is being entirely fair, it sounds to me like they have taken certain quotes and twisted it to their agenda, like all newspapers do.

When only 7 Tory out of 114 MPs supported our EDM (http://tinyurl.com/yjfwhmc) I'm not too shocked they chose this buffoon as their transport leader.

totally pisses me off how transport sec post goes,
the least attractive post in government, anything they do takes years to get going, and they are only in post 5 minutes anyway,
and not condoning this stupid twit ^^ either, HTFU D.a.f.t

Read the article and he has a good point in cyclists not looking around. I like the idea of variable speed limits. But then I think people should ride cycle, ride motorbikes and drive cars. That way there would be better understanding of each road user.

When only 7 of 114 MPs supported our EDM (http://tinyurl.com/yjfwhmc) I'm not too shocked they chose this buffoon as their transport leader.

I don't think he is particularly a buffoon. I am aware that you are campaigning for changes and improvements for cycling in london and I respect and applaud that, but your preconceptions about those now in power seem to colour your attitude. You may be more successful in getting some of the things you are campaigning for if you didnt have such disdain for those who have the power to actually change things.

Read the article and he has a good point in cyclists not looking around.

fuck that looking around is for losers. i prefer to serve randomly just to keep drivers on their toes - i like to think of it as a form of traffic management and speed control.

@Jimbo.
lets look at the track record and see shall we?
forgive our cynicism, but the evidence that investing in cycling works out on a cost benefit level has been around for more than a year (evidence cycling England)

we need leaders! people with guts, not these idiots who are in it for personal gain.

there are lots of us on here working directly on cycling projects, for charities, for social enterprises that have heard promises to improve the investment in cycling for ages, and yet there are still major hurdles to be overcome.

we are looking at major cuts in sustainability investments, which in the bigger scheme of it is peanuts ££££ compared to road building,

dont even start it please.

solid work m.f.

+1 don't even start jimbo!

I don't think he is particularly a buffoon. I am aware that you are campaigning for changes and improvements for cycling in london and I respect and applaud that, but your preconceptions about those now in power seem to colour your attitude. You may be more successful in getting some of the things you are campaigning for if you didnt have such disdain for those who have the power to actually change things.

the politicians say one thing, and do another.

leadership is by example in my book.

fuck that looking around is for losers. i prefer to serve randomly just to keep drivers on their toes - i like to think of it as a form of traffic management and speed control.

From experience I've been the one who ended up on my arse.

fuck that looking around is for losers. i prefer to serve randomly just to keep drivers on their toes - i like to think of it as a form of traffic management and speed control.

who are you serving mate? got any sea breezes? love them.

@Jimbo.
lets look at the track record and see shall we?
forgive our cynicism, but the evidence that investing in cycling works out on a cost benefit level has been around for more than a year (evidence cycling England)

we need leaders! people with guts, not these idiots who are in it for personal gain.

there are lots of us on here working directly on cycling projects, for charities, for social enterprises that have heard promises to improve the investment in cycling for ages, and yet there are still major hurdles to be overcome.

we are looking at major cuts in sustainability investments, which in the bigger scheme of it is peanuts ££££ compared to road building,

dont even start it please.

as a cyclist I think everyone who sticks up for the rest of us cyclists is great and I wish I did more myself. I get a wee bit put off when people go a bit overtly political as I see it, but i do get that sometimes you need people/leaders just to push and push to get change and improvement.

It looks like there are gonna be cuts in all depts other than Health and DFID and possibly schools so when the budget happens on 22 June it prob won't be amazing for cyclists. Sorry if I came across as ungrateful.....I do really respect the work that campaigners on here and outside do to make things better for cyclists.

What a non-story that is, a Grauniad rage at a an Evening Standard fawn. Yeah he looks like he's a pillock, but what did you expect? We'll miss Lord Adonis.

Well, we have a Cycling Minister and he's a libdem.

"Guardian's Helen Pidd - @helenandchips - interviewing Norman Foster, Minister for Cycling. http://twitpic.com/1x9exe "

100+ people on the MP/Lords Parliamentary ride yesterday - carltonreid got some video from V.Pendleton's bike :

"Have checked bikecam footage from Victoria Pendleton's handlebars. Looking good. Hope to have Parliamentary ride vid live tomorrow." I'll post the URL here when I see it.

Which way was the camera facing?!

Jebus, I thought for a minute it was THE Norman Foster, i.e. Lord Foster.

Which way was the camera facing?!

+1 We can only wish.

Well, we have a Cycling Minister and he's a libdem.

"Guardian's Helen Pidd - @helenandchips - interviewing Norman Foster, Minister for Cycling. http://twitpic.com/1x9exe "

100+ people on the MP/Lords Parliamentary ride yesterday - carltonreid got some video from V.Pendleton's bike :

"Have checked bikecam footage from Victoria Pendleton's handlebars. Looking good. Hope to have Parliamentary ride vid live tomorrow." I'll post the URL here when I see it.

Norman Baker is the fella is it not?

...You may be more successful in getting some of the things you are campaigning for if you didnt have such disdain for those who have the power to actually change things.

Possibly true! But I just can't throw my arms around a party that has showed us so little support. We got a great deal of support from the Lib Dems, Greens, Labour... it's a joke how little we got from the Tories. I do miss Lord Adonis. :o(

I'm basing my judgement on facts.

fuck that looking around is for losers. i prefer to serve randomly just to keep drivers on their toes - i like to think of it as a form of traffic management and speed control.

not sure why but this cracked me up for some reason.
I have nothing to add on the actual topic......

so, Hammond does his first radio interview since coming in post, it relates to the proposals to lower the level of alcohol in the blood that is acceptable to have whilst driving,
he tells us that "drivers who risk driving with high levels of alcohol in their blood might be less likely to commit the offence if there was a greater overall chance of being caught, and unconcerned about the actual level of alcohol in their system" (wow how astute) goes on to say any "decision on this needs to be made based on the limited funds available..........." (my rough quotes made at time)
youre already asleep arent you?
yes,
another one, another dullard making cuts, instead of allocating funds to projects that are relatively low cost, and have such positive results, like,
cycling investment.

• adjusts flat cap, gets down off soap box, lights roll-up*
  

"decision on this needs to be made based on the limited funds available..........."

Eddie Mair came out of that particular exchange looking like a tit, for my money. Although Hammond didn't expand on it, he did point out that annual tests between 50mg (proposed new level) and 80mg (current level) were about 48000 per year. If you take all the police time that charging those people would consume, it might well be true that deploying them elsewhere would save more lives than the number advanced by proponents of a cut, based on evidence from other countries which might not even be properly comparable with conditions in this country. If, for once, government ministers have started doing proper cost/benefit analysis instead of acting on flawed political impulse, we might be getting somewhere, and if Hammond is susceptible to these kinds of cost/benefit arguments, your pro-cycling arguments should have some traction with him.