London Cycle Hire

edit: i also replied it's you to oliver but thought i double posted to deleted it, but i didn't mean to - it's you.

reading their website i was thinking "this sounds like the ramblings of someone who has failed to get over a bereavement" and wiki bingo! "Brake was formed in 1995 by Mary Williams, following the death of her mother Sue Williams in 1992"

Brake need to fuck the fuck off, and stop presenting dodgy papers as fact.

and another gem of a pro helmet organisation is bhit (yup thier name IS for real0
http://www.bhit.org/

tries desperately to think of a joke that involves getting b's and s's mixed up

brake may be wrong about helmets, but several of these are sensible (if, taken together, a little over the top, perhaps..)
The road

• Speed limits are no higher than 20mph for villages and towns, and lower limits on residential roads.
  
• Traffic-free zones are in all communities so children can roam.
  
• Pavements and safe crossing places are on all community streets.
  
• Separate cycle paths are next to all road or rail routes.
  
• Bus services are in all communities, with links to train stations and times.
  
• Large trucks are restricted in all communities, by size and time and roads.
  
• Speed limits are no higher than 40mph for single carriageway rural roads, and 20mph for narrow country lanes.
  
• Speed limits are no higher than 60mph for two or more lane trunk roads.
  
• High speed rail is available for passengers and freight, for all long distance routes.
  
• There are restrictions on road use, when sustainable, safer transport options are accessible.
  
  

The vehicle

• Maximum engine capacity is limited to within the maximum speed limit.
  
• All vehicles are driven by sustainable power with zero emissions.
  
• Finger-print locks are on all vehicles, so only drivers insured and licensed to drive can do so.
  
• Speed limit activated speed limiters (ISA), limit vehicles to within the posted speed limit.
  
• Alcolocks and druglocks are on all vehicles.
  
• Seat belt locks are on all vehicles, preventing the vehicle being driven unless belts are fastened.
  
• Occupant crash protection measures are on all buses as well as all other vehicles, such as 3-point belts.
  
• Occupant and pedestrian safety design measures are required by law to latest, highest standards.
  
• Telematics are in vehicles to record driving style, distance and times.
  
• Compulsory qualifications are required for vehicle mechanics, renewed in line with technological developments.
  
• Vehicles must have compulsory servicing, in line with manufacturer recommendations on timing and standards. An on-board clock prevents a vehicle starting if a service date is missed.
  
• Vehicles can’t be started if the on-board computer identifies a safety critical defect between services.
  
• Safety-critical design problems are solved, such as temperamental wheel fixings on large vehicles.
  
  

The driver

• Compulsory road crash awareness education is in nurseries and schools for all ages, warning against driving.
  
• Driver licensing age is raised to above the teens, to allow for cognitive development.
  
• Driver licensing involves compulsory training by a professional over several years.
  
• Driver training focuses on hazard and crash awareness and prevention measures.
  
• Driver licensing requires mental as well as physical health assessment, to rigorous standards
  
• New drivers are banned from driving at night and on the fastest roads.
  
• New drivers are banned from carrying passengers other than their own family members.
  
• Health screening for eyesight and impairing medical conditions is required regularly for all drivers.
  
• There is regular compulsory re-testing of drivers.
  
• There is a ban on all levels of drink driving, with a trace element of no more than 20mg per 100ml of blood allowable
  
• There is a ban on use of any impairing drug while driving, legal or illegal.
  
• There is a ban on mobile phones and pagers of all kinds while driving.
  
• There is a ban on overtaking free-moving traffic, except on multi-lane roads.
  
• Sleep and journey break laws are in line with academic advice on required rest, for all drivers.
  
  

Enforcement

• Cameras on roads and in vehicles can identify vehicles, drivers, and any offences that can still feasibly be committed, such as red light running or mobile phone use.
  
• Large numbers of highly trained traffic police are armed with relevant detecting equipment, to patrol and identify offences that can still be committed.
  
• Traffic police have the power to seize dangerous vehicles and prohibit dangerous drivers.
  
• A highly resourced agency enforces company fleet safety, helping companies implement safety requirements.
  
• A crash investigation agency investigates and records crash numbers and causes and prevents future tragedies.
  
• Life bans are implemented for life-threatening and life-taking drivers.
  

Clearly they are not against killing people with bullet points though.

They are also against wealth, although they are probably too stupid to have worked that out. Why don't they just admit they things were so much safer before the invention of the wheel, and ban it?

(puts dress back in cupboard) The drag race is postponed since the hire bikes won't be available to the unregistered masses for a few months .

This from the Facebook page

*As i'm sure you are aware, the casual use for the Barclays Cycle Scheme has been postponed until 'later in the year'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11167089

The Cycle Hire Drag race will therefore also be postponed until a suitable date is announced.

Thanks!*

or just sign up to the scheme for 3 pounds... takes 2 mins, key arrives in under a week.

Browsing around as you do, I just stumbled on this picture - illustrates the scale of the redistribution problem I think

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bizarrebiking/4976373754/

On a serious note, if you are hospitalised after crashing on one of those them there hire bikes, don't you end up with a massive failure to return bill for the bike. Or do the ambulance crew dock it for you?

got given a flyer for a survey on the superhighways at kennington oval

www.accent-mr.com/BCSH7

edit: just took it, takes ten minutes, some dodgy questions and no spaces to put your own thoughts. but might win £100.

Clearly they are not against killing people with bullet points though.

Bullet points don't kill people, people using word processors kill people.

Almost got knocked down by a Boris Bike milk float with trailer whilst cycling up Great Eastern St this evening. The van was stationary at lights, but positioned so I couldn't filter up the middle. Then as the lights changed (with me directly to the left of the cab) the van pulled off and swerved left, forcing me towards the kerb and had I not nimbly evaded, would have taken me out with the trailer. As it was it clipped my shoulder and calf. Cyclist behind thought I was going to get taken out completely.

That was somewhat your own fault. Being inside of a vehicle on a crossing?

That was somewhat your own fault. Being inside of a vehicle on a crossing?

Yeah, admittedly I'm not entirely blameless in the situation, though his road positioning didn't leave me anywhere else to go.

You don't always have to get to the front of the queue.

You don't always have to get to the front of the queue.

You do when there's some cunt trying to drive up your arsehole.

Upset a Boris Bike pilot this morning by being TOO FAR TO THE RIGHT on that tiny strip of CSH crossing London Road for the roundabout bypass. Some drunken student in a top hat was weaving about in the lane and shouting so having moved around him I found myself right in front of a very wobbly and angry-looking BB user coming in the opposite direction. I did apologise and get out of his way without him having to brake or stop or anything but he was not placated. He'll be on that BB forum right now complaining about me, probably.

"That lycra brigade think they own the road! Terrible cyclists! So RUDE! So ignorant!"

:(

Wen Jian, I tend to wait a couple of vehicles back as the acceleration is less sudden when the lights change, making it easier to keep up with the traffic stream as it moves away. If you're not falling behind then you can stay in the centre of the lane, and move as part of the traffic stream. If you do find yourself unable to keep up with the traffic stream then you can move over to the left when it's safe to let people pass.
If you're at the front of the queue you'll always be "in the way", which coupled with "pushing to the front" of the queue is likely to annoy people more than the above technique, possibly putting yourself in more danger.

Sorry if that sounds patronising, it isn't supposed to be.

The other day:
Pushed to front of queue. Fraction of a second late getting going. Cunt in school mini bus behind me starts hooting wildly as I cycle and overtakes leaving piss all room. Then proceeds to drive at about 3 miles an hour because his lumbering fridge of a vehicle has to negotiate tight bends and speedbumps. He gave me the finger as I drove past. I saw him again about two mins later. He was visibly sheepish when he realised he had gained precisely fuck-all by acting like a ferociously pathetic tosser.

Edit: Just realised this has nothing to do with anything in this thread really. Please disregard!

brake may be wrong about helmets, but several of these are sensible (if, taken together, a little over the top, perhaps..)

Bollocks, most of those are wank.

a persuasive argument, nurse, and elegantly put...

I got a membership and started riding the bikes this week. So far I've just been riding around at lunchtime, no real purpose, just riding. I like to think it does a wee bit to increase the number of journeys taken on them which might improve the service as well as keeping them seen.

I've found pedestrians seem polite and friendly when you ding the bell at them when they're not paying attention. Drivers seem to give a bit more space to me on them although I've had the evillest of evil eyes from black cab drivers.

They're kind of fun to pootle around on.

Signed up too - got the key next day, I was impressed by that. I might use it on Monday because I need to get to a meeting in town which I can't bring my own bike to, and the tube strike will be on.