"Why do riders refuse to use cycle paths?"

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Little yellow Brompton

A dark destroyer of biscuits!
Location
Bridgend
Paul Nero, the Managing Director of Exeter FM:

"SO I'm driving through the ridiculous 20 mile-an-hour system that's been designed to stop people going to Topsham when there's a decision to make. Should I knock this ignorant cyclist off his bike, blast my horn so that he is in no doubt about my displeasure, or slow down further so that the tailback that's built up between the rugby ground and the roundabout becomes longer still?"

Care to read on?
He has succeded in his aim, I had never heard of Exeter FM until this evening.
 

dawesome

Senior Member
I do like this quote, never seen it before:


Get a bike Mr Nero. Take heart From the Reverend Maltie:

"If I were not a man, I would like to be a bird. As I am a man, I do the next best thing, and ride a bicycle."


Join your colleague Mark and feel the love.”​
 

Rural halfwit

Well-Known Member
Location
Cambs (Fenland)
Nero bills himself as a Copywriter, communications consultant, broadcaster and author.
seems his Bio missed out his ability to spout brown trouser water of the finest quality.
 

dawesome

Senior Member
Monkey tennis! Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank!
 
OP
OP
briantrumpet

briantrumpet

Legendary Member
Location
Devon & Die
Well, I decided to write to the county councillor who takes a great interest in promoting Devon and Exeter as a cycling-friendly city. Oh, and I seem to have copied in the new editor of the Express and Echo and Mr Nero himself.

Dear Councillor Hughes,

The following article might have been brought to your attention:
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/riders-refuse-use-cycle-paths/story-14333677-detail/story.html

I'm glad to say that the comments are almost universally critical of the unpleasant sentiment expressed by Mr Nero (e.g. "Should I knock this ignorant cyclist off his bike, blast my horn so that he is in no doubt about my displeasure, or slow down further so that the tailback that's built up between the rugby ground and the roundabout becomes longer still?") Perhaps Mr Nero feels this passes as humour, though I'm not sure who will be amused by this - certainly not those who have been knocked off their bikes by a car, or those of us who find ourselves the targets of the occasional bullying motorist (of whom Mr Nero appears to be one). Such articles quickly gain national coverage - maybe that's what Mr Nero was hoping to achieve, but in doing so he is obviously prepared to sacrifice Exeter's image a a cycle-friendly city.

Anyway, I thought I should write to you for two reasons: firstly, I think it would be helpful if you could point Mr Nero in the direction of where he might find help to understand how roads can be safely shared by both cyclists and motorists. And secondly, I think it would be helpful if you could persuade the E&E to include a balancing piece to try to show that not all drivers are as intemperate and unreasonable as Mr. Nero, and that Exeter is a place where cyclists should not feel threatened by ignorant drivers.

I'll keep you a breast. No, sorry, I'll keep you abreast.
 

Baggy

Cake connoisseur
Well, I decided to write to the county councillor who takes a great interest in promoting Devon and Exeter as a cycling-friendly city. Oh, and I seem to have copied in the new editor of the Express and Echo and Mr Nero himself.



I'll keep you a breast. No, sorry, I'll keep you abreast.
Marvellous!
Having now though a bit more about that section of path and the 20mph zone for a moment...the bike path finishes at the point where the 20mph part starts, so Mr. ZNero really is talking out of his bumcakes.
 

HovR

Über Member
Location
Plymouth
This made me laugh out loud:

As a responsible citizen I slow down. I fume. And I add fumes. Slow-moving traffic wastes fuel and adds to carbon emissions. Idiots who ignore cycle paths should appreciate that future generations of children will drown as global warming wipes out Lympstone. And it's their fault.

Yes, it's the cyclists fault for the carbon emissions his car is producing. He can just keep on telling himself that. :laugh:
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
I shall be having breakfast with him next week. Should I broach the subject?
 
OP
OP
briantrumpet

briantrumpet

Legendary Member
Location
Devon & Die
Wow. A late night and 'shocked' response from the main man at Devon County Council. He said he probably wouldn't respond directly to such 'literary tripe' (better for reactions to come from the general cycling and non-cycling public), but that he would 'invite' the E&E to run a positive article on all the cycling achievements in Devon - it really is a good story (Coast to Coast, Tour of Britain, major investment in lots of good cycle infrastructure, etc.) that is worth trumpeting.
 
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