Reckless cyclist caught by police on MOTORWAY

Is there no limit to the stupidity of some cyclists?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ajor-road.html

Ignoring the blaring siren and pouring rain, the Czech rider tears down the
busy road at great speed, before slipping past a white van.

But this rider is no Bradley Wiggins or Sir Chris Hoy, the rider is using a
technique called 'drafting' - using the slipstream of a van in front to
reduce the effects of drag.

QUOTE:
Bike shops in Birmingham, the British city perhaps perceived, rightly
or wrongly, as being most in thrall to the motor car, have reported
booming sales – up by almost 60 per cent in one case – as a result of
last weeks panic over warnings of a looming petrol shortage.

Petrol stations across the country ran out of fuel as motorists queued
to top up their tanks after Cabinet Ofice Minster Frances Maude
suggested people should keep jerry cans of fuel at home ahead of a
threatened strike by petrol tanker drivers. His remarks received
widespread condemnation for sparking unnecessary panic-buying.

Bicycle retailers in Britain’s second-biggest city have benefited from
the minister’s ill-advised comments, however, reports the Birmingham
Mail.

A spokesman for the country’s largest chain of bike shops, Evans
Cycles, which has a branch in Temple Street in the city centre, said
that sales of hybrid bikes last week were up by 57 per cent.

“There’s been a definite surge in cycle sales prompted by the prospect
of queues on forecourts,” he told the newspaper.

“Concerns about a fuel strike definitely seems to have pushed the
cycle option back into people’s minds and a spell of sunshine has
helped make the option even more desirable.”

Ryan Jones, bike sales manager at the Halfords store in Selly Oak,
commented:“We’ve seen an increase, particularly in hybrids, a kind of
mountain bike without suspension so it’s much quicker. It’s ideal for
roads and towpaths.”

He added: “It’s seasonal – we’re approaching a busy time. People are
also looking to get fitter, but the petrol situation has played a
part.”

Aziz Rehman, who owns Ladypool Cycles at Balsall Heath, also saw sales
rise, although the increase in his shop’s case was a more modest 10
per cent. “The price range has been between £100 and £300, mostly
hybrids with some suspension,” he revealed. “We’ve had a surprising
demand for bikes with racks so people can take laptops to work.”

Shaun Jones, manager of local bike shop Harborne’s Bicycles contested
the view that the rise he had seen in bike sales was due to the panic
over petrol, pointing to another cause.

“We’ve seen an increase, but it’s got more to do with good weather,”
he explained.

Those new cyclists who have picked up bikes in Birmingham over the
past few days would of course be well-advised to get their hands on
the Top Tube Map of the city’s off-road cycle routes that we flagged
up earlier this week – copies can be downloaded here.


http://road.cc/content/news/56293-pe...ham-bike-shops

--
Simon Mason

"Mr Benn" wrote in message
...

Is there no limit to the stupidity of some cyclists?

No.

On Apr 5, 3:07*pm, Simon Mason wrote:


Those new cyclists who have picked up bikes in Birmingham over the
past few days would of course be well-advised to get their hands on
the Top Tube Map of the city’s off-road cycle routes that we flagged
up earlier this week – copies can be downloaded here.

http://road.cc/content/news/56293-pe...ales-surge-bir...


Here is the Top Tube map for Brum.
I never realised it was so cycle friendly

http://road.cc/content/news/56207-to...e-cycle-routes

--
Simon Mason