5 comments

1. It’s not very often that I laugh out loud at the computer when reading every page of a new website. ‘Once round the block’ is the rare site that actually achieves this with the bonus satisfaction of offering sound comment on cycling and its place in the modern world. Many thanks, keep up the excellent work…..Tom

   Comment by Tom on August 7th, 2010

1. Clear, logical and thought-provoking comments from someone who obviously ‘knows their onions’ – superb stuff! Risk-taking is a matter of fact and degree; it can also be an essential ingredient in what defines us as human beings. We should celebrate this, the choices that we make and our differences are vital. Long may the spirit of adventure continue is what I say, and it’ll be a sad day indeed when the freedom that cycling can provide, becomes compromised by the intervention of so-called ‘safety campaigners’. In the UK is appears to be a case of ‘four wheels good – two wheels bad.’

   You may be surprised to learn that a greater proportion of serious spinal injuries, in the United Kingdom, are caused by horse-riding accidents than by motorcycling. Ride a motorcycle and you will end up in A&E – it’s a common mantra! In reality a more likely route to your nearest infirmary comes courtesy of the annual family ski or snowboarding trip!

   Comment by John on August 20th, 2010

1. Thanks John – I couldn’t agree more.

   Unfortunately, it seems that ‘risk-management’ is something that’s gaining momentum in this country and is being bolstered by government sponsored propaganda to keep us all quiet, dispirited, unchallenged and averse to risk in any shape or form: Keep ’em dumb, fearful and controllable.

   I would go one further, and say that you’re more likely to suffer from serious injury from work-related stress, inactivity, boozing/smoking, eating one too many bargain buckets or by spending your free time watching ‘Britain’s Got The Next Celebrity Ice Brother Idol On Talent Street’.

   Comment by Cycle Climber on August 20th, 2010

1. Phil you’re a surly gobshi*e but I love you.

   There are loads of people in this fair capital city of ours who have bikes in the garage which they never ride, who have kids they don’t take out on the bikes because they’re too nervous – having the opportunity to get out on the roads in a relatively risk-free environment, to remind themselves JUST HOW MUCH FUN they used to have on their bikes when they were kids and to see 12, 10 even 6 and 7 year old kids cycling round as though it was normal – absolutely brilliant.

   Cycling has increased (if the made-up stats are to be believed) by over 70% in london between 2000 and 2007 – I bet the numbers are even higher now.

   Just because some people get into cycling through idealogically unsound, uncool and even corporate routes doesn’t mean they aren’t into cycling….

   And what about “risk management” – rather like the Met tell us about crime – the biggest risk of health and safety is the fear of health and safety itself. How many local councils or insurance companies have banned school trips on the grounds of health and safety? Virtually none. How many half-witted, should-know-better, I thought you read the Guardian not the Daily Mail Headmasters have banned trips because they *thought* it would be banned on health and safety grounds, without every having gone through a health and safety assessment themselves?

   We are the problem sheeple! You have nothing to fear but fear itself. Now in the words of Norman Tebbit – get on your bike!

   Comment by Leon on September 16th, 2010

1. Leo: You too are a surly gobsh*te (it’s a family website; and it’s good to keep my tourette’s in check), but i appreciate and value your comments all the same.

   I take your point; it is very important that kids / parents / anyone who hasn’t been on a bike for a long time should be encouraged to do so.

   My concern is for a mentality of “Daddy, daddy; I can’t wait to go out on my bike again soon” – “Ooohhh no son. You’ll have to wait until next year for the next organised-traffic-managed ride when it will be safe for you Timmy”, to develop.

   It’s more than likely that the cynic in me has started to take the upper hand, but I still think that there are issues.

   Don’t you find it somewhat ironic that Sky is trying to engender green and healthy credentials; a company that’s sole raison d’etre is broadcast media. TV and its soma-spewing banality has contributed more than most other things to a generation of obese, fearful and agoraphobic youth!

   I’m not against organised cycle rides in themselves. I only want to open the debate, and question the motives and ultimately the actual consequences of events like the Skyride. I’m sure some are very good, but I’m also strongly suspicious that many more are not.

   Comment by Cycle Climber on September 17th, 2010