Are cyclists a danger to pedestrians...?

2008 statistics:

Cyclists: 237 crashes with pedestrians, 1 killed and 51 seriously injured.

Cars: 21,858 crashes with pedestrians, 332 killed and 4,570 injured.

So, which is the bigger threat?

Cycling events

With the weather finally starting to warm up, I've been putting together my cycling events calendar for 2010.

26th March - Friday Night Ride to the Coast (London to Brighton, overnight) - 55 miles
11th April - Friday Night Ride to the Coast (London to Southend, overnight) - 55 miles (and then back)
2nd May - Essex Countryside - 60 miles (and back)
9th May - Suffolk Sunrise 100 - 100 miles
16th May - Castle Ride 100 - 100k
28th May - Friday Night Ride to the Coast (London to Whitstable, overnight) - 69 miles
13th June - CTC TriVet - 100 miles
20th June - BHF London to Brighton - 52 miles (and back)
27th June - London Bikeathon - 54 miles
4th July - North Kent Bikeathon - 30 miles
11th July - Surrey 100 - 100 miles
18th July - BHF London to Southend - 54 miles (and back)
8th August - Suffolk Coast - 60 miles
27th August - Friday Night Ride to the Coast (London to Whitstable, overnight) - 69 miles
29th August - London to Hastings - 61 miles (and back)
5th September - Essex 100 - 100 miles
24th September - Friday Night Ride to the Coast (London to Southend, overnight) - 55 miles (and back)
26th September - North Downs Ride It - 65 miles
3rd October - Blenheim Palace Sportive - 100 miles
22nd October - Friday Night Ride to the Coast (London toWhitstable) - 69 miles

Want to join me?

Friday Night Ride To The Coast

I cycle. I like cycling challenges, which usually means long distance. And I like to be part of a cycling event. However, I'm getting on a bit and I'm overweight. And I don't like the ultra competitive, 'must have the right gear', Sportive events (although I have done some). On my bike, I've had most fun and met the best people, on mass participation events such as the various Bikeathons. I even enjoyed the London to Brighton ride (twice), even though it was far too busy.

So, it weas great to come across the Friday Night Ride To The Coast.

Once a month, under a full moon, between 50 and 100 cyclists of all kinds assemble under Marble Arch at midnight before heading towards the coast - Brighton, Southend, Whitstable and so on - to arrive in time for beakfast.

It sounds like it's organised in a very inclusive way, allowing for all levels of cycling ability and machine. With good company and a good breakfast to look forward to at the end, it could be just what I've been looking for.

Count me in!

Cirque Di Soleil

I went to see Cirque Du Soleil perform Varekai at the Royal Albert Hall the other day. I'd wanted to see it for some time, but had always baulked at £60+ tickets. Eventually however, Lastminute.com came up with a 'half price, best tickets in the house' deal, so we went.

A terrific spectacle, faultlessly executed and totally engrossing is how I would describe it. A truly successful refresh of a tired genre. And therein is the source of my slight disappointment. Whichever way you look at it, it's still just a circus, with a recognisable circus format. And definitely not worth £60 a ticket.

But if you can get £30 seats and fancy an evening of escapism, then put it on your list.

My New Garage

I'm having a new garage and workshop built. I've specified power (obviously), insulation, a pit, an RSJ above the engine bay end of the garage part (for hoist purposes) and an electric security roll door. Then in the spirit of collaboration, I asked some of my car friends on a message board what else I should have installed.

Here are some of the answers.....

42 inch TV, full stereo system and a bed.
Kettle
Carpet
Have it networked for PC.
Water
Lots of lights
Extraction
A bed
TV arial, lots of electrical sockets and a space to hang a punch bag!
A six foot paper mache model of Sigourney Weaver
Fridge, sofa, pole for the dancers
Beer
Microwave
Water supply, sink, and a urinal to get rid of the beer and tea......
Intercom (or walkie talkies) to communicate with 'er indoors.
Oh, and a car.

I'll let you kow when it's finished.

2010 cycling ambitions

I want to get my cycle miles up in 2010 so I have set myself a challenge. I am aiming to cycle 4,000 miles this year, not including Lands End to John O' Groats. If I do LeJog, then that'll be a total of 5,000.

As well as cycling to and from work, I will be entering several of the Friday Night Ride to the Coast runs and a few organised events. So far I am already registered on the CTC West Kent TriVet ride (100 miles), the BHF London to Brighton ride (54 miles - although I intend to cycle home afterwards), the London Bikeathon (54 miles) and the BHF London to Southend ride (again cycle to and from the start/finish, so well over 100 miles). There are several others I will enter nearer the time.

I will blog progress....

LeJog is looking unlikely as I don't have a partner to ride with and all the organised are now full up, so it may be that I have to put that off until next year. I will do it though.

Toyota woes

Reading all the reports in the media about the problems Toyota has with sticking accelerators reminds me of a very similar problem I had a few years ago with a Jeep Cherokee. Travelling down the motorway at speed, I noticed the car was getting steadily faster, even though I'd eased off on the accelerator. I braked, yet the car still seemed to rev and get faster as soon as I took my foot off the brake again.

We stopped, and I had a good look around the engine bay to see if I could see anything loose or missing in the throttle mechanism that would explain it. Nothing.

Fortunately, the Jeep was under warranty, so I called the recovery truck and the car was left at my local Jeep dealer and we were taken home.

The next day, I got a call from the dealer to say they had examined the car and could find nothing wrong. But they did notice that floor mat on the drivers side was resting on top of the accelerator peddle! Oh dear!

Of course. I'd cleaned the car the day before and must have put the mat back wrongly. I felt a fool.

So, Toyota. I suggest you ask owners to check the floor mats before recalling all those cars.