Charlbury - cycle-hostile?

Sat 25 Mar 2006, 11:18

Igor - Thank you for your apology, which I am happy to accept, and for having the good grace to admit you were wrong with regard to cycling in Sheep Street. "Tone of voice" can be difficult to convey on a forum such as this so if I misunderstood your humorous intent then I apologise. Likewise I do not think I have been particularly aggressive on this topic: if you look back at my previous posts I think you would have to accept that my views have generally been very reasonable. However, I will react strongly if I feel I have been unfairly attacked or if someone espouses views that in my opinion are inflammatory or dangerous. If I have been a little over-vigorous towards you in the past then I apologise again, although I should point out that your attitude towards me has often been highly provoking!

Having said all of that, I really must take issue with you when you say that I am anti-cycling. As Kate has pointed out (and thank you for your support Kate!) I have displayed very strong pro-cycling views throughout my previous posts in this thread. Much as I hate having to blow my own trumpet, I set out below my cycling credentials as I see them:

1. I have cycled regularly (i.e. at least twice a week) for the last 30 years.
2. I own three bikes.
3. I have cycled roughly 10 000 miles in the last 4 years.
4. I have ridden more than 60 time trials in the last 4 years and helped to run several other cycle events.
5. I have completed four 50-mile cycle rides for the British Heart Foundation in recent years.
6. I am a member of both Didcot Phoenix Cycle Club and The Cycle Touring Club.
7. I have previously proposed the route of a potential cycle path in Charlbury on this forum.
8. I have recently compiled a list of 10 cycle routes around Charlbury which I understand Richard is going to display on this website in due course.
9. I have watched cycling on TV for over 20 years.
10. As a spectator I have attended a number of international cycle events over the years, including the Milk Race, track cycling at Manchester Velodrome and the Tour de France.

So ask yourself Igor, does that sound like the typical profile of a cyclephobe?

As I have said before, although I am strongly pro-cycling I am vehemently opposed to cyclists who I believe bring the activity into disrepute by cycling illegally, dangerously or antisocially. I have good personal reasons for this. Some years ago in London, I was crossing Oxford Street on foot when I was flattened by a cyclist who was cycling on the wrong side of the road. I had nearly a week off work as a result of my injuries and was still in pain from them several months later. Whilst living in Headington, I once had a contretemps with a cyclist who was riding his bike on the pavement on a Saturday morning when it was thronged with shoppers. When I criticised him, he threatened me with violence.

When I saw the cyclist in Sheep Street (and I don't know whether it was you or someone else), my concern was that a car travelling down Brown's Lane and then turning left could easily have hit him and he then wouldn't have had a leg to stand on, either legally or literally (joke!). I also believe that cycling on the pavement is potentially dangerous because although I am capable of jumping out of the way as a pedestrian, young children and, particularly, doddery pensioners may not be able to. I would have thought that given the high number of very infirm pensioners in Charlbury, cycling on the pavements should be a complete no-no.

Finally Igor, please do NOT stop cycling around Charlbury. I do it several times a week and whilst the traffic restrictions do sometimes cause me irritation they are not as bad as all that. I think we have to stick together as cyclists, maintain a visible presence on the streets of the town and raise our profile by cycling carefully and responsibly. Only then will we be in a position to change some of the cycle-unfriendly aspects of living in Charlbury.