Olympic Games Lanes

Woah woah woah, does that mean something was vaguely well organised? Surely not.

There were some rozzers standing by the traffic lights in an olympic lane this morning. Me and about half a dozen other bikes came up the lane and stopped next to them on the red (i.e. we're standing in a lane, on a red, next to a pair of policemen).

They didn't do anything, I'm assuming that they've been told to turn a blind eye to bikes in lanes (or has anyone actually heard of people being fined yet?)

Not allowed to take tools in etc etc

I've been working at they cycle parking in Hyde Park, where the BT Live music event thing has been happening, and they're being similarly OTT about what you can take in (especially considering that it's an outdoor event). Nothing edible, no liquids (not even water, they have free 'authorised water distributors' inside), no tools, one guy even got questioned over why he had a bike helmet with him.

^^ bonkers, isn't it? Drives me mad. The total lack of reasoning that you can do - just abdicate all sense of control and self detemination to jobsworth automatons.

I've been working at they cycle parking in Hyde Park, where the BT Live music event thing has been happening, and they're being similarly OTT about what you can take in (especially considering that it's an outdoor event). Nothing edible, no liquids (not even water, they have free 'authorised water distributors' inside), no tools, one guy even got questioned over why he had a bike helmet with him.

Yeah that is what put me off going on Saturday.
If I go to an outdoor event I want to take my own decent cider or wine. I do not want to queue for 1 hour to pay £4 for a warm pint of Strongbow.
What a load of shit

Yeah that is what put me off going on Saturday.
If I go to an outdoor event I want to take my own decent cider or wine. I do not want to queue for 1 hour to pay £4 for a warm pint of Strongbow.
What a load of shit

+1

And speaking of Hyde Park and Olympic lanes. Has anyone tried cycling along the cycle path in the park that runs parallel to Park Lane recently.
I was forced to go up it last night. My word it was dangerous

Don't do it. Stay on Park Lane.

I've cycled that path a few times in the last several days. It has been a bit sketchy at times. Loads of oblivious pedestrians who can't figure out that there is traffic in both directions compounded by hordes of wobbling Boris bike riders who seem to think that it is better to swerve from side to side rather than in a straight line. At least there have been Olympic stewards with megaphones shouting at them all to 'mind the cycle path'. This could possibly be the most useful job they have done yet.

I Spent a fucking hour stuck in traffic on the A40 this afternoon because for some reason the outside lane under the Hangar Lane Grytatory is coned off. l am assuming that this is something to do with the games lanes but cannot for the life of me see any logic behind it. the only thing that it apparently does is hold up ALL traffic heading towards the roundabout.

^^^I had a terrible moment there a while ago, as pure rage filled me which wouldn't have been appropriate to let spew.

Riding south along the distinct cycle-path, it was obvious to me that a woman walking up ahead with her family, including several young children, were going to cross from the pedestrianised area right into the cycle space without looking. You can see things developing. They did just that, so I was slowing up well in advance. They were too busy talking to take note of anything else.

A certain collision was avoided. Had it not, I'd have ploughed straight into one of her young girls. First remark from the mother's lips was that I should look where I'm going. It was lost on her that because I actually had been, the danger was averted. But you can't argue with some people. Enjoying their day by attempting to ruin mine with her subsequent attitude is more important than admitting they'd made a mistake. A mother rightfully protecting her children couldn't swallow her pride and lose face in front of those who look up to her.

She got very rude and patronising, while the children began to laugh when they sensed she had the upper hand I allowed her to have, but all the while the irony of them, and her in particular, having not paid a blind bit of notice to their surroundings while only I had, so really the reverse of her accusation, mixed with blind fucking fury. I hate the world sometimes - even small injustices like that drive me batty. I kept my gob shut though. Later on that frame snapped while I was riding, so no karma for me that day.

Terrible stretch generally. Not enough space for anybody. Bet it's dire now.

Terrible stretch generally. Not enough space for anybody. Bet it's dire now.

It's truly horrendous. Tourists wobbling all over the place like they're playing blind man's buff. I've been sticking to the outer roads. Apart from the north carriage which is blissfully empty, although technically closed to everything but official vehicles, forcing the pedestrian path to be an unmarked shared path for cyclists and peds alike, which has led to some interesting encounters, the worst being a nodder bellowing "BITCH" in the face of a young japanese mother holding hands with her young child.

Boris bike riding responsibility has dived since they eased the hire rules. When it was the membership keyfob only, the users were enthusiastic, intrepid and responsible. Now you have any old Joe deciding that Boris Bikes give them license to act as cluelessly as they would have previously on foot, but just on a bike and often still on a pavement.

http://road.cc/content/news/62783-cyclist-killed-london-after-being-struck-olympic-media-bus

http://road.cc/content/news/62783-cyclist-killed-london-after-being-struck-olympic-media-bus

Yeah came here to post that.

Your man that crawled under the bus after him, fair play, heavy stuff!

That guy's account of what happened sounds horrific. A dreadful thing to happen, and to witness.

Wiggins is such a cunt.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/03/cycling-zil-lanes-for-bikes