CycleClips 16 November 2012

View this email online.         CAMPAIGNING COMMUTING FORUM GROUPS OFF-ROAD TOURING       So far, 47 MPs have signed EDM 679 Get Britain Cycling. If yours hasn't, please write and ask them to do so. Dangerous times Road crash victims' charity RoadPeace held an open meeting on Tuesday about proposed Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance on prosecuting bad driving. This guidance has long been a bone of contention for both CTC and RoadPeace. Last time it was updated in 2007, we argued that it misstated the law on the distinction between ‘dangerous’ and ‘careless’ driving. But both the old CPS guidance and the latest draft revision both cite the pulling out of a side-road into the path of another road user as an example of ‘careless’ driving. We believe that, in virtually all circumstances, this is wrong in law. Now we are calling for a more rigorous interpretation of the law as it stands - namely, that dangerous driving should be charged as such, not downgraded to careless driving.   Gordon sees bright future for CTC CTC Chief Executive Gordon Seabright was profiled by Cycling Weekly recently. In the feature, he said: “One of the things I'm passionate about with CTC, and one of the things I love so much about the organisation, is that there is no right sort of bicycle, there's no right sort of clothes to wear while you're riding”. He added that cycling “is the most all-embracing of activities”.  He also discussed CTC’s new strategy, which centres around four main themes: Protecting cyclists; inspiring people to cycle; promoting cycling; and operating a highly effective organisation. The strategy sets out CTC’s direction from 2013-2020.    Shouldering irresponsibility? “Is this the most reckless man in Britain?” screamed the headline in ‘The Sun’ this morning, next to a photo of a rider balancing a child on his shoulders. Inspector Goodman of Derbyshire Police told BBC Derby that he and his colleagues were “amazed” by the man’s actions, adding: “clearly this is very dangerous." He called for the cyclist to get in touch so he could be given “some road safety advice.”  The incident sparked lively debate on Twitter, with some condemning the rider, with others saying that the police regularly ignore recorded incidents of dangerous driving - see item 1.   Victoria suspended Victoria Pendleton may have given up cycle racing but she’ll be back in the saddle this weekend. Despite swapping cycling shoes for dance slippers, she will make her entrance ET-style on Saturday’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ - by pedalling a BMX suspended from wires! She and her partner will then perform a paso doble to the Queen hit ‘Bicycle Race’ – presumably after dismounting from the BMX first!   Gee, that's cool! If Victoria’s stunt might seem a little risky, but it’s nothing compared to what the competitors faced in the recent Red Bull Rampage in Utah. Riders competed to find the best line and exhibit the greatest riding skills down a course they created themselves. The rocky terrain enabled them to undertake a series of breath-taking manoeuvres to impress the judges, as Britain’s Gee Atherton explains. Sadly, a big crash meant that he was not one of the winners.   New trail at Aston Hill is a blast If you fancy emulating Gee, why not try the new off-road trail at Aston Hill in Buckinghamshire? It’s not quite Utah but Surface to Air aims to replicate the legendary experience of Whistler’s A-Line trail with a string of jumps, berms and drops. The trail took a year to build and is rideable in all weathers. If you ride there regularly, you can join Aston Hill with a CTC membership.   The prizes now arriving on platform 1 This year’s winners of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) awards have just been announced. The awards are partly sponsored by CTC and Chief Executive Gordon Seabright was on the panel of judges. Prizes were given to South West Trains for customer service and Southport Cycle Centre was Station of the Year, amongst other winners. Brompton Dock Hire won an award for innovation.   Boris's bright idea London Mayor Boris Johnson may have come in for some flak recently for increasing the price of Boris bikes but he is in the news again today for more encouraging reasons: he has announced plans for a cycling supercorridor across Central London. He is also demanding that the Government changes the law urgently to make it easier for cycle-friendly infrastructure to be introduced in the capital.       Stop SMIDSY Bike Club Cycle Champions Follow us on Twitter Join us on Facebook CTC Holidays availability   If you have any feedback on CycleClips, please email publicity@ctc.org.uk. If you are a CTC member and you would like to subscribe to CycleClips, please email your membership number and request to membership@ctc.org.uk. If you wish to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click here. To view the CycleClips archive, please click here.

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