From Newsgroup: uk.rec.cycling

On 24/08/2025 06:05 PM, Spike wrote:

JNugent <JNugent73@mail.com> wrote:

On 24/08/2025 02:02 PM, Spike wrote:

JNugent <JNugent73@mail.com> wrote:

On 23/08/2025 08:02 PM, Spike wrote:

In April this year, the Department for Transport confirmed it was seeking >>>>> to replace the 1861 offence [Offences Against the Person Act 1861] with new
criminal offences for cyclists under the governmentrCOs Crime and Policing
Bill. The proposed legislation would allow life sentences for causing death
by dangerous cycling, up to five years for causing serious injury, and >>>>> lesser terms for causing death or serious injury by careless or
inconsiderate cycling.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said the proposals would rCLupdate >>>>> legislation that is over 160 years old,rCY while Matthew Briggs, who has long
campaigned for such reforms, welcomed the move as rCLa victory for all the
families who have worked tirelessly through their unbearable tragedies to >>>>> have these laws changed.rCY

Excellent. labour legislation the majority can get behind. For a change. >>>> The last time was the ban on smoking in indoor places of resort (pubs in >>>> particular).

Critics, however, including former Olympic champion and Active Travel >>>>> Commissioner Chris Boardman, argued the focus is misplaced. rCLThis is such a
tiny minority. More people are killed by lightning, or cows,rCY he said last
year. rCLAnd that same thing [cycling] is joyous. ItrCOs good for society.

rCLAnd we put the focus on this minuscule, negative thing. Absolutely, >>>>> everybody should obey the laws of the road. But is this really the best use
of our time to be talking about this now?rCY

Yes!

<https://road.cc/content/news/cyclist-sentenced-after-crashing-pedestrian-pavement-315539>

It's "good for society" that tossers like Boardman hurtle along
footpaths, towpaths and pavements?

No! But itrCOs just as bad for tossers like Boardman, who unfortunately for >>> the rest of us are in positions of influence, to peddle their nihilistic >>> and dismissive attitudes to the fatalities caused by arrogant and
self-entitled cyclists.

If the fantasy of Vision Zero is ever to be attained - and itrCOs much
mentioned in cycling circles as a means of rCycar delenda estrCO - then the >>> carnage caused by cyclists will also need to be addressed. But one suspects >>> they havenrCOt rCylooked beyond the front axlerCO on this one. ItrCOll come as a
shock to them.

Does anyone with more than a quarter of a brain (or possessing a
chav-bike) agree with him?

ThatrCOs doubtful!

Did you notice the way in which that article mentioned the incident
involving brakeless cyclist Charlie Alliston and innocent pedestrian Kim >>> Briggs, without actually mentioning that she was killed by him? Perception >>> Management or whatrCa

Precisely.

And how annoying and insulting it must be for people bereaved by
criminal chav-cyclists for the deaths of their loved ones (almost always
pedestrians killed by chavs on fairy cycles) to read Head-Chav
Boardman's opinion that those horrific slayings were merely "minuscule,
negative thing[s]".

Quite. ItrCOs a shocking thing to have said publicly, even should he believe it privately. Frankly, he should rCyconsider his positionrCO and the do the honourable thing.

How likely is that?

He's just a chav-cyclist after all. He isn't expected to make sense.
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