REMEMBRANCE DAY 2014

Amazed to see that this day was marked in Beijing by Tony Abbott , PM of Oz , at a Memorial Venue
there!  For me it was an eye opener to see the Memorial Grounds that are shown in these photos !

Whoever was responsible for creating this Memorial, has done a really great job of reminding people of the DEBT that the Nation OWES our Fallen !




Going in " Harms Way " is an every day occurance for the Armed & Emergency Services , so it was good to see them represented at this Ceremony .

Every Nation has a reason to remember this day and Australia lost most of a Generation of the Young Men in the World War 1 Disaster .

Back then People were more likely to use a Bicycle for getting about the urban areas . It was only in the 1950s that there was a move to the personal  4 wheeled transport mode . Since then personal convenience has degenerated into Personal Selfishness , as demonstrated by the way so many  NOW regard the Cyclist !


HOW DARE the CYCLIST , get in MY way , as i have CHOSEN to leave the house/office at the last minute/LATE for MY Personal appointment/journey .

Wonder if those that marched off for King & Country , could have envisaged their Sacrifice , to ensure that WE live in a Democratic Country , would have led to so much SELFISH Behaviours of the Current Community ?  Are there any drivers out there that having SALUTED the FALLEN , have decided to be LESS SELFISH , as a way to mark THEIR SACRIFICE ?

The following excerpts below , demonstrate the current thinking in the Road Community , where SELFISHNESS is bounded by those enclosed in their Metal Box ( coffin on wheels ) violating the SPACE of those wearing normal clothes and even Lycra !

YES life was different in 1914 , a slower more considerate , Family/Community  Orientated way of LIFE .

2014 is a NIGHTMARE of people thinking THEIR Life is more important than their Neighbour , Family and Friends . HOW DARE anyone inconvenience ME , cause ME to lose SECONDS!  This is a CRIME Punishable by PERSONAL STUPIDITY , in too many cases . A driver getting out of a vehicle attacking another driver , is described as " Road Rage "!  Knocking a Cyclist off the bike with a vehicle , ONLY rates attention , IF , the Cyclist is KILLED !   Then it is a shrug of the shoulders by most , " Coming to them " is a remark of others , Policing Authorities filling out the paperwork , then moving onto the next incident !

Laughable that SKY TV and CNN , were describing the sinking of the Korean Ferry , with the loss of 300+ lives as an ACCIDENT !  INCIDENT , yes !  Accident , NO ! The sentence of the Captain to 36yrs in Jail and the Chief Engineer to 30yrs , certainly was no ACCIDENT !

Turning on the ignition of a Vehicle is NO ACCIDENT !  This is a decision to drive what amounts to a KILLING MACHINE , when not 100% supervised !  Yet each driver fails to spend 100% of their energy conforming to what they were taught , when they were seeking their Driver Permit/licence !

WHO is responsible for the slippage of Standards ?  Does it really matter ? The PROBLEM Exists and needs rectifying !

Emergency Services Personnel are trained to DRIVE at a certain Standard . When they are allowed on the roads to operate their vehicles in a manner , BELOW that standard , the Public notice and then EMULATE!

BETTER that those Emergency Services Personnel that were trained , revert to the Standard they were required to meet , then they can set out to INSTILL into the Public the Standard they showed , when seeking that piece of paper , they were so desparate to obtain when TESTED !

Entertainment follows , thanks to this link :

http://ukcyclelaws.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-laws-according-to-highway-code.html

Also easier to pass a single file column of cyclists as they aren't all swerving to avoiding hitting eachother, their attention is drawn to chatting, looking at eachother and constantly avoiding the accident they are about to cause with eachother.

Our local cycling club are hell bent on riding two abreast, on roads where two way traffic is just about manageable, they also insist on stopping and gathering at the apex of corners and blind crests, having a drink whilst the bike wobbles away from their one supporting leg uncontrollably.

This is great and I fully respect the guidelines/laws - unfortunately in my experience, the vast majority of those with a desire to cycle on our roads leave all common sense at home and treat their ride out in a similar vein to to local mothers union meetings on a Tuesday morning - paying zero attention to the road, no regard for other road users and carry with them an attitude that they can do no wrong whilst on a bicycle.

They are a danger to society, please ensure the cyclists are aware of the rules prior to having a go at the motorist. I pride myself at being a fairly competent driver, young enough to act and think quickly, but old enough to have a bit of common sense. Unfortunately when seeing cyclists (and I do apologise for tarring them all with the same brush) I know I will have to take some deep breaths and calm myself down due to the complete incompetence displayed before me. What they fail to realise is that being on the road is not like playing on a games console, there is no reset button and the vast majority of motorists simply do not care about the hobbyist cyclist who is delaying their daily commute - that is where it gets dangerous!!!



Pete: you have just replied with the stereotypical nonsense that people tend to come out with.

"Unfortunately when seeing cyclists (and I do apologise for tarring them all with the same brush)"

How is that any different from me saying "I dont mean to tar every car driver with the same brush but they all use their mobiles while driving, if not drunk, some on occasion grab kids off the street before raping and killing them".

You are talking utter crap and you know it.


If the road is such that two way traffic is just about manageable, you need to overtake using the opposite carriageway, just as if you were overtaking a car.

If your side of the road is not wide enough for a bike a metre from the road edge, plus the width of the rider, plus at least another metre of polite space then you will need to go into the oncoming carriageway when you can see the way is clear.

CONFLICT of INTERESTS ?

The following article clearly shows how BIG Business treats Cyclists !

WITH CONTEMPT !

Copied from the Blog Post , in it's entirety , as the poster expresses it better than i could hope to do :

  "  http://cyclelondoncity.blogspot.com/


Canary Wharf Finance Director must declare conflicts of interest before he chairs November's Transport for London committee that decides whether to fund Cycle Super Highways or not
Posted: 11 Oct 2014 04:11 AM PDT                Photo

Peter Anderson, FD, Canary Wharf Group PLC
Chair of TfL finance committee that will decide
on the Cycle Super Highway investment
This post is going to be a bit explosive. Please have a serious think about what I'm going to say.

This chap pictured above is Peter Anderson. He is the Finance Director of Canary Wharf Group PLC.

He is also on the Board of Transport for London. He is also Chair of TfL's Finance & Policy Committee. Bear with me on this. It's quite astonishing.

On Friday, the Guardian carried a story in which Canary Wharf Group admitted "it was behind the anonymous briefing" which was published first on this blog and in which, in my view, Canary Wharf Group sought to present a whole range of falsehoods and misrepresentations as fact in order to discredit Transport for London's Cycle Super Highway plans.

Another article in the Guardian states: "Another business lobbyist funded by Canary Wharf has toured the party conferences claiming, wrongly, that the superhighways will delay traffic in London by 6%."

Now, I would suggest there is a conflict of interests going on. It is at the very least inappropriate and I would like someone who reads this blog to have a serious think about whether it could potentially be more serious than that.

There is a piece of legislation called the Greater London Authority Act 1999 which sets out the governance of Transport for London. And the Act is pretty clear about conflicts of interest:



Peter Anderson has sat in TfL board meetings in which Cycle Super Highways have been discussed. Have a look at the video below - a TfL board meeting in February. Minute 4.30 onwards, the board is talking about the first stage investment in Cycle Super Highways. From minute 5.30, here is Peter Anderson talking about those Cycle Super Highways and finding ways to obfuscate: "is the impact [of cycle super highways] greater than the benefits?" he asks and suggests they might "need a redesign".  Here, at board level, is Canary Wharf's finance director going into minute details about segregated bike lanes. It is, in my opinion, rather unusual for a board meeting to discuss such intricate details as the position of kerb lines in the way that Peter Anderson is doing in this video. That raises eyebrows already.

What raises eyebrows even more is that we now know Peter Anderson's employer, on whose board he also sits, has been briefing against TfL's own cycle super highway policy (although we don't know when precisely Canary Wharf started to do that). We also know that, to date, Peter Anderson has never declared any interest in cycling and its relationship to Canary Wharf. You can see Peter Anderson's declarations of interest online.

So, that's issue number one.

But issue number two is more astonishing.

Peter Anderson is also the Chair of the TfL Finance and Policy Committee. This is the committee at which funding for TfL projects gets decided on. And if you look at the agenda for that Committee, you can see that on November 25th, Peter Anderson will be chairing the meeting that decides whether or not to fund the Cycle Super Highways. Look at Page 4 on the Forward Schedule from the last meeting, and it's staring right at you: Cycle Super Highways Programme will be discussed in the November meeting of the TfL Finance and Policy Committee, chaired by Peter Anderson.

In other words, the Finance Director of Canary Wharf Group PLC, an organisation which has been actively briefing against the Cycle Super Highways, is going to chair the Committee next month that decides whether or not to finance those very same Cycle Super Highways. AND, that Finance Director has not yet declared his company's activities or any interest in the Cycle Super Highways.

If Peter Anderson is to chair this meeting my belief is that he needs to immediately:

a) Declare the extent to which lobbying by Canary Wharf Group PLC, and their appointed lobbyists, at political party conferences over the last 45 days have targeted TfL plans for 'Crossrail for bikes'

b) Declare the extent of lobbying by Canary Wharf Group PLC, and their appointed lobbyists, to its tenants over the last 60 days that have targeted TfL plans for 'Crossrail for bikes'. (It is interesting that Deloitte, a big 4 accounting firm has declared support for 'Crossrail for bikes'. KPMG, which is a tenant of Canary Wharf Group, however, has not).

c) Declare what contact and communication Canary Wharf Group PLC, and their appointed lobbyists, have put on London First to make statements about TfL's plans for 'Crossrail for bikes'.

d) Declare what contact and communication Canary Wharf Group PLC, and their appointed lobbyists, have put on the Federation of Small Businesses to make statements about TfL's plans for 'Crossrail for bikes'.

e) Declare what contact and communication there has been between Canary Wharf Group PLC, and their appointed lobbyists, with HM Treasury in the last 60 days that have made reference to or pertain to TfL's plans for 'Crossrail for bikes'.

f) To what extent George Iacobescu, the CEO of Canary Wharf Group PLC is using personal funding and contacts within the Conservative Party and specifically with George Osborne to impact the TfL's 'Crossrail for bikes'.

If this is not a clear, inappropriate and incorrect failure to declare conflicts conflict of interest, I don't know what is.

TWOfer ? No just disappear !

Tuesday is my shopping day so it is a westward ride to Schwaz . Several roads to
choose after Weising but to get there requires a ride up a short incline that finishes with a traffic island . With this being a 70kph zone , the traffic island was installed to control traffic coming over the crest of the climb , since in the westward direction there is a Bus Stop on the right and the ebtrance to the Trading estate on the left . Passing the traffic Island opens up some space , but if you move over then you run into the kerb at the exit of the Bus Space .

Holding your line means being in the centre of the lane . In any language that is the correct position           People Mover at a Halt after trying to leave
 to be in a ONE LANE ROAD !  But there is
 room to sneak through if you are that STUPID ,
 SELF Centred Motorist that thinks " What you get away with is OK !" . Just such a moron , driving the " Decalled Company Vehicle", did just that this morning . In failing to give me necessary room , the Legal requirement of 1M +1Cm/Km Safe Pass doesn't exist in his peanut size brain , he forced me to brake hard as he scraped against my wind jacket and left me facing the kerb stones that project into the roadway . Since his company is located in the next village , he will have passed this way , at excessive speed on a regular basis . Yes i was about 30kph and he was following at 70kph , but since when did he have the right to touch me as he passed?

From this point the road is on a decline and i have the ability to get to a fast pace , so that the 600M to the roundabout , that he was waiting at , was quickly achieved . Knocking on his driver window , got the " Why are you here " look . When asked if he knew he hit my jacket , i got the " So what "!  Told that the Polizei post was around the corner , he agreed to meet there . Silly me , he fled onto the Autobahn entry , where i have no access on a Bike .

On arriving at the Polizei , i am met with " You have been here before "!  Yes because POLIZEI have the same Computer & Radio Service throughout the Tirol !  Details come first , even though the matter was urgent . WHY intercept a " Rogue Motorist " when the Polizei can get around later in the day to looking for the plate number on the Traffic records . YOU the cyclist have had YOUR trip interrupted , but God forbid causing a Motorist inconvenience ?

On leaving the Polizei Post , i turn right down the hill to join the B171 to Schwaz . It crosses the River Inn and the Main Trans Austria Rail Lines . Some distance past there is a gradual turnout for traffic exiting onto the B171 . Before reaching this , i hear the air brakes of a Truck . this is a Profi Driver , he knows where he is going and he respects other vehicles , especially Bikes . On entering the slip road , i am aware that he is also using what amounts to a One Lane roadway . Signalling him to pass , i then see the rear trailor pass wide , so i touch my helmet in  " Salute " , not often you see considerate Truckers . On seeing him flash his hazards then             Profi trucker was driving a similar Unit                signal left turning , i find a " People Mover coming                                                                                         alongside . He also has seen the left flash so decides to pass on the right . BUT , i am in his way , so regardless he moves right causing me to have to go right also . This is not enough for him , so he crosses the RHS white line and i am on the RHS of him , now bouncing along on the gravel & grass .

Just then he decides it is a good idea to put his RHS front wheel flasher on , to warn that he is turning right ?  I on the other hand am trying to stay upright whilst braking . His brakes and road contact are a lot better than mine so that when he comes to a stop , still on the white line , with the Truck & Trailor alongside , i slam into the rear of his vehicle . I land on my feet , thankfully , but the bike finishes on it's LHS in the middle of what is ONLY NOW , the right lane .  When he tries to drive away , i bang on the Rear Window and take hold of his Windscreen wiper , after about 5 metres he decides to wait . When i open the door , he starts to speak German , after all it is an Austrian Plate on the vehicle . When challenged he replies in English , apologies become an offer of paying for the damages . He offers to call the Ambulance , but i am bruised and breathless , not Dying and there are No Broken Bones . So he calls the Polizei who wander along from a Kilometre away as if they have all the time in the world .

Since i have repeatedly reported Bad Driving Experiences at this Polizei post , i recognise both of The Inspectors / Constables . Immediately on exiting the police Vehicle the Female officer goes to the People Mover Driver . There she tells him that they know me , since i am always reporting Bad Driving . As the convo is in German , i am not following their interchange , but they inspect his vehicle for any damage , then remember that i am there . Hey there , i am the " OutLander Cyclist " , that nuisance that causes them to practice their quite acceptable English .

Eventually they get to me and it is like , "why are you once again causing us problems " ? The Woman is right in my face giving me what for , then she is complaining that i am spluttering . Yes when agitated i can be a splutterer , but you would think from the attitude that i was spitting in her face , trying to impress her ? i ask them to take photos of the scene , but this is not done until i refuse to move the bike . I point out the narrowness oof the road , asking them to photo approaching Trucks , with cars alongside . IF a car cannot get past a truck , then how can it squeeze between a Large Truck & Trailor and a Bike ?   Too hard for that to be understood ?

So YES , i am injured , so she decides that the Ambulance has to come . Having already refused the driver's offer , she has not consulted me . However she says i have to see a Doctor and tells me i cannot ride my bike any further today !  I then ask her if the P M Driver is able to drive and i am told " YOU have delayed him from his Business "!  Such a nice lady , i am the victim , i am not dead , so i can't ride my Bike , BUT , her Countryman having failed to KILL me , is allowed to leave after rendering details and documents !

Anyone heard of Ferguson , Missouri ?                         Yellow truck unable to pass car , which is about    There , if you are BLACK/Coloured ,                          where the People mover decided to pass me and 
 they will shoot you and leave you rotting in the street !   the original truck & trailor
 Here in Austria , you ride a Bike , you are interfering
 with the " LAW ABIDING Vehicle Driving CARELESS/Inconsiderate Citizens !  STAY at Home where YOU are safer !  Nearly every Polizei Officer i speak to , tell me they ride their Bikes in the Forest !

When the Ambulance arrives with Lights & Siren , i am interviewed with a less determined attitude . They listen to my explanation of what had taken place , even getting back out of the Vehicle to look at the places that i pointed out to them . When they tell me the Bike does not travel , i refuse to go to the Hospital . Fair enough , same happened in london in May 2014 and on the Tour de France in 2013 . I am then required to sign the " waiver/release form " . Now that i am not going to the Hospital , the Woman Polizei Officer tells me to walk to theit polizei Post . With a smile , she tells me that there is no room in the tation Wagon size vehicle .

They then pass me as i ride to the Polizei post in Strass . There  the Male Officer escorts me to their interview Room . Eventually a member of the " Piste Control section of the Polizei " arrives to ask as an  Interpreter . Eventually my " Statement/Report " is completed so that i am able to go see my Doctor . In arriving out of hours , he kindly sees to the Legal requirements , even though it interferes with his Personal Affairs ! Remarks to me that they recognise that I am an " Advocate for Safer Cycling " mean little when they report that there is few if  little reporting by other Cyclists . Fact is that every Cyclist i speak to , including Serving Polizei Officers , tell me that they consider it a cOMPLETE WASTE of their time !  They know that only if they go into an Ambulance , they will get less than the time of day , i can see their point of view , only too well , with my own experiences .

When Dublin Parliament provided their Gardai with the teeth to lock up those that " Text/Phone whilst driving " , after ONLY their second conviction , the Austrians regard that as a WASTE of Money , since it COSTS to have someone in the Pentitentiary . DEAD Cyclists are in no way able to complain !

On Sunday whilst at the Woergl Polizei Post , i discovered that the Traffic Violence visited upon me at a Roudabout in Woergl , last April , will not be persued , since I was NOT INJURED ENOUGH !

A Vehicle Driver breaks the LAW , causes Injury , BUT , it is NOT ENOUGH to take Money or Points from the drivers licence / feurershein , so as to encourage OTHERS to Comply with Austrian Driving Laws !
 Got it ! Put the Cyclist in a Coffin or Hospital Bed , then we will consider whether to deter Others from causing ANY Cyclist , DEATH or  Injury !

It is NOT the Polizei that decides on traffic Violence , it appears to be some Nameless/Faceless " Cyclist Hating " nonenity in the Tirol Government at  Innsbruck !

When  a long serving Senior Polizei Officer can be out riding a bike , with his daughter on a Sunny Sunday, have a " smartassed Merc Coupe driver " come alongside and tell them  to get off the road , onto the Fussgangerweg , ONLY give that driver the finger , you can see HOW Pathetically lopsided the Tirol/ Austrian justice System has become !

These Blogs are just a few of those that think the Legal system ANYWHERE , is out of balance :

http://departmentfortransport.wordpress.com/2014/08/12/hand-me-my-gun-im-cycling-to-the-shops/

http://cyclingfront.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/the-cyclist-killer-bill-why-its-time-to.html

INCONVENIENT TRUTH !

Politicians are PROVEN LIARS as is all too often demonstrated by their utterances before Election , then failure to deliver after passing the line !  Problem is that people have no choice , but to vote for the person that they think is the " Least Obvious LIAR "!  Of course the voter could decide , as regretably so many do these days , and not vote and thus suffer the consequences brought on them .

Politicians have a self interest , survival ! Generally they will back any horse in a race , that will keep them in the running for another term of office .  There are some that have " Ethics " , but they are a rare breed !

Cycling has been praised  of late by " savvy shysters aka " politicians " . With people seeking to lead a healthy lifestyle , Cycling has come to the fore and is in some quarters regarded as the " New Golf "! It appears that many are rushing out to buy the Latest , most expensive Bikes , so as to impress their Friends & Colleagues . Bit of a pity that their Bikes stand outside the Coffee Shop or in the storage for longer periods than their purpose , usuage ?

With more cyclists on the roads , BIG OIL is getting concerned , their products already under threat from the " Environment Lobby " because of pollution , are busy encouraging drivers to treat Cyclists as " That bl##dy nuisance holding back the traffic "!  Regardless of the increasing numbers of Vehicles clogging the roads , thus traffic speeds declining to 14mph ( London average ) , Cyclists that generally pass stationary traffic , at upto 20+MPH are being targetted as the cause . That these Cyclists are generally the holder of Driver permit/licences , is totally irrelevant to the stationary & frustrated motorist !

Could it be that the Ire of the motorist , that they direct at Cyclists , is due to the feeling of despondency brought on by the knowledge that they are TOO LAZY to join those that have chosen to ride rather than sit?

Freedom of movement is available to ALL , provided that they can muster the Courage & Determination to join those already enjoying life and fresh air !  Getting out of bed in the morning has risks , it even requires making decisions . Walk to work and you will have to cross a road , perhaps ride in the bus or on the tube , even the Railways & Air Travel , pose a risk . Getting in the car poses risks with other motorists having had a bad experience  , either in the house or along the route , making contact with your paintwork . Various other factors will have influenced your attitude as you motor along , whether you live alone or in company , there are influences to your mood at the wheel . However in the vehicle , most people feel anonymoous , thus able to vent their frustrations on others around them .

Cycling is also influenced by the family environment , but as you exert energy to propel yourself along the road , rarely do you hold onto what has passed , since you will be so busy concentrating on the task at hand.  Increasingly experienced Cyclists are having to cope with hazards that did not previously exist , the careless motorist . In the past , motorists thought of driving a vehicle as a full time task , requiring 100% attention ! Not any more , it appears that " Multi Tasking " is the new Buzz Word for motorists !

 Not content with seeing the neighbouring stalled vehicle drivers filling their time with activity , most drivers are now copying their example . As Cyclists pass they are not surprised to see drivers Text , Phoning , reading the paper or a book , even applying make up . ALL these activities continue as the vehicle moves forward , until , Oops , another fender bender !  Of course these activities are prohibited by the Road codes in ALL Countries , but, are the authorities Policing this ? NO WAY , they would be run off their feet writing up the Fixed Penalty Notices ( FPN ) , of course they would also be solving the Budget shortfalls that the Poli.s are complaining are too large .

Whilst Policing Authorities are so busy ignoring the obvious , Cyclists are increasingly being hit in the rear , occasionally the errant motorist stops and takes responsibility . SMIDSY ! " Sorry mate , i didn't see YOU"! Guess !  They didn't LOOK !  Too busy " multi tasking " to pay attention to the road in front , since "Texting" is an absorbing task !  So funny to see a texting pedestrian walk into a lamp post , but no harm usually done since they have their hands in front of them , thus absorbing most of the impact ?   Bit different when the vehicle contacts the rear of a Cyclist !  Whilst Cyclists take a glance over their shoulder , before deviating from the straight line ahead , rarely should they have to look at the following traffic . Even if riding with a rear vision mirror , would a Cyclist be able to spot a hazardous vehicle persuing them , unless it was zig zagging along the road .

World wide Cycling Fatalities are SOARING , yet Politicians are treating those that Cycle as the agent of THEIR OWN DEMISE !  Victim bashing is so CONVENIENT !  They are not there to put their part of the story to the authorities !  With Prisons overflowing with Petty Crime Offenders , why add those that are GUILY OF KILLING PEOPLE to the pressure on facilities ?  Lives lost , cannot be given back ! BUT what about the Families ?  Children without a Parent , their quality of life DESTROYED !  Parents provide security , education and a quality of life that is removed in the blink of an eye by the  INCOMPETENCE  of an inconsiderate motorist .

Judges when sentencing a Motorist guilty of KILLING a Cyclist , tend to think that Society cannot afford to incarcerate , the LIFE IS GONE ! Left behind are children who LOSE ! A Partner who LOSES ! Society ALSO loses , the deceased is generally paying TAX , supporting a Family and contributing to THEIR COMMUNITY . Yet all too often , the matter is settled by a " slap on the wrist FARCICAL Sentence ! It should come as NO SURPRISE , that the Victim's Family walk away totally bereft of emotion ?  They endure the court proceedings hoping for the Judicial system to do it's work , yet they see their relative treated as if they are of NO CONSEQUENCE !

For me the ONLY WAY FORWARD , is for an Umbrella Organisation that draws in ALL COUNTRIES separate " Cycling Safety Org.s " , puts ALL their Needs/Desires into a COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE that is published WorldWide and works to implement that " Manifesto " and ADVERTISES it , so that Politicians in EVERY COUNTRY will know that WHEN the request is made , there is substance to back it up !  Each Country has it's Olympic Committee , each Country has it's National Cycling Org. , thus UCI already has the ability to influence the Country's Politicians !

How many Countries fail to send Politicians to an Olympic Event , unlee when making a Political Statement ?

UCI are working on many matters , creating an environment of Trust !  Due to thee stewardship of Mc Quaid  that was lacking before  Cookson was installed .  Whilst i have heard Brian speak on Cyclist safety and a TV Campaign such as Football runs on " RESPECT " is a way forward , LIVES are being lost DAILY !  Even Pro Cyclists such as Amy D. , are becoming the victim of Traffic Violence !

ACTION TODAY PLEASE !

HEROES ? Or are they Role Models ?

Media Hype is at an all time HIGH , as Athletes who competed at Sochi 2014 Olympics , return to their Home Countries . Some will display evidence of their successes , others will regale their families and friends with their experiences at the Olympic Events . Almost ALL will deserve aclaim , for a JOB well done . As was to be expected , WADA had their successes also , since the latest reports that i have seen , reveal the detection of at least 5 Athletes that failed to fool the Testing Protocols ?

Each Athlete that competed will have dedicated a large proportion of the previous 4 years to reach the required standard to participate . Some will have been to multiple Olympic Games , even fewer will have achieved a Better Medal than at their previous attempts and then there are those who did not reach the podium in either Winter or Summer Games , but were content with " It is not whether YOU Win or Lose , it is how you play the GAME ", as the mark of their participation .

To ALL ATHLETES , THANKYOU ! You provided 16 days of your best efforts and immense displays of Sportsmanship ! As to those " short cut B...s ", 4 years out of competition , is not enough ! Being chosen to represent your Country , then thinking you would suffer no detection , when you CHOSE to disgrace your colleagues and thus Disgrace your Country , deserves a LIFE TIME BAN ! No excuses will be acceptable when the tests are proven ! Dodgy Low life Lawyers will attempt to profit from your attempts to evade your responsibilities , but in the end we will be rid of YOU !

Certainly there can be the odd case , where a miscarriage of Justice will occur , but hopefully every Athlete is NOW taking their responsibilities seriously , in respect of ANYTHING they choose to use ? Alain Baxter , the Scottish Skier , that medalled in the Salt Lake 2002 Olympics , must rue the fact that he failed to check the WADA /USADA website before buying replacement medication in the USA . Forgetting his UK Prescribed medication , he rushed out to buy the " Same Name Product " in Salt Lake and thus suffered years of Heartache whilst he fought to prove " Mischance rather than deliberation " , losing the Medal , even though the placing was eventually restored . Had he thought to consult the USADA / WADA schedule , he would have noted that the US produced medication contained " prohibited substances "!  Will others make this mistake and seek the indulgence granted ? One hopes that this Lesson is now part of WADA Folklore and the Future Olympians will not seek to use this excuse ?

Each and every Athlete that aspires to be an Olympian , adopts a rigorous Training Regime . Just as YOU and I , set out to do the JOB for which we receive recompence . In doing these Jobs , some of us will achieve " Excellence "and thus , will be deemed " Role models " by our colleagues ? This is the same for Athletes in any Sport . They will reach the podium and others will aspire to achieve the same or better results and thus also be regarded as " Role Models " . This is what Sport is all about , Excelling in the face of Competition .  Such a shame that the Media confuse " Role Model " replacing it with " Sporting Hero " ?

In March , we will see the start of the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi .
Amongst the Athletes from all over the World , will be Athletes with a variety of Disabilities . During recent years , the number of Classes/Gradings of Disability have been reduced , thus there were less " Classes of Disability " at Vancouver 2010 , than at Salt Lake 2002 . The combining of several degrees of disability may have seen many outstanding Athletes retire from International Competition . It may also have reduced the numbers of competitors eligible to participate in the Para Games ?

Amongst those now competing will be Athletes that were born with Disability , those that found their original Life Style disrupted through Road Traffic Trauma or Industrial Incident , AND , those that served their Nation in " Harms Way " and now seek to serve once again on the Sports Field . Whether losing Limbs in Harms Way or by Civilian Incident , these Athletes deserve especial recognition for their rising to the challenge that Life has thrust upon them .

It would be harsh to deprive Alex Zenardi of the " Hero Acolades " heaped on him after his successes in
Handbiking at the London 2012 Paralympic Games . So also would it be , in respect of PierAngelo Vignati for his Successes in Sydney 2000 Para Games and Athens 2004 . Even Armin Zoegler , the Luge Olympic Medal Winner at each of his 6 Olympic Appearances , would refrain from accepting the " HERO " designation , when his Sporting Career is compared to Other Italian Paralympic Athletes , who served ITALY in " Harms Way ", then took up the challenge to serve their Country once again on the Sporting Field .

The examples used to illustrate my point are ALL from Italy and i use them , since i have met them ALL , at various Cycling and Winter Events . I have also met Aussie Para Athletes and i feel sure that the likes of Mike Milton , a Very Successful Para Athlete in the Winter Games and who now competes in the Summer Games as a Cyclist , would point to an Aussie Para Athlete who served in Harms Way , as a " TRUE Blue Hero " .  The USA will have many more candidates that will qualify for the Para Games after being rehabilitated from the various Mid East Conflicts that their Country has been engaged .

One thing you can count on though , the Media will be verbose whilst at the games , but a month or so later , try and see whether they recall more than the Medal Winners from the Para Games ? It would be interesting to look at their work and see to what extent they have associated with Olympic and Paralympic Athletes during the progress to these Games ?

" HERO " , is a description so often trotted out to describe " Role Models " , thus tends to devalue the efforts of those Exceptional People that TRULY deserve the Acolade ? Each Country' Armed Forces have a series of " Ribbons/Medals "that designate Theatre of Service or Feats of Courage . For me it is confusing to see Police wearing a Ribbon that was earned by service with the United Nations in a number of Actions ,
then see a Trooper with a chestful of Ribbons that were earned through Injury or Exemplary Bravery , mixed in with " Theatre Operations " Ribbons . Regretably the Highest UK Award , the Victoria Cross , tends to be awarded to a " Postumous Recipient " , as does the US " Medal of Honor " . Yet i feel sure each of these People whilst deserving the " HERO " designation , would tend to point to others that they would consider as " Heroes "?

No doubt the Media will continue to award " Hero Status " to Austrian Skiers and Aussie Footie Players , even though they are well paid for their work and efforts to be " Role Models "?

No one will take the time to tell me their thoughts on the subject , although i would be happy to hear from them !

Please take the time to visit and " LIKE " these projects :

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vision-ZERO-Worldwide/540123632761709

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BOJO ducks when " STOP KILLING CYCLISTS " seek ANSWERS !

Thanks to " StopKillingCyclists Action Group "

BOJO

has had to respond by Emailed letter to the NEEDS of London Cyclists !  Whilst the origin of this Email / letter was a Lady , Charlotte Cox , writing on her OWN Behalf , the activities of this GROUP has made it clear that his efforts to date , FAIL !

During the 2008 to 2012 period , more than 15500 Casualties were created in the LONDON , that he has a responsibility to LEAD ! The email/ letter returned to " Charlotte Cox " , reads like a " SMOKE SCREEN ", that would fool a child of 5yo . Certainly in HIS period of office , a 5yo was a Death on London Roads ! No doubt a minion in his administration was responsible for putting together this " Help me get to keep my job " effort ?

Please note that the content of the email / letter is removed from the " Stop Killing Cyclists " facebook page , the additions as we go through the paragraphs , are MY additions and i will add comments from others that are to the point !

Dear Sir/Madam

      No effort to read the letter carefully , or seek out the writer's gender ?

Thank you for writing to me. I share your deep concern about cycle safety in London. That is why I am spending almost £1 billion to provide for cycling, including two fully-segregated superhighways through the heart of central London, remodelling dozens of the most dangerous junctions, and a network of back-street “quietway” routes.

     Recent Media reports of underspending of allocated funds suggest otherwise :


It is why I have promised to upgrade all the existing superhighway routes, with fully or semi-segregated cycle lanes, and to complete all new superhighways to the same standards.

    Splashing around buckets of paint which failed to save the lives of several cyclists , resulting in            BoJo   "Victim Blaming "!


It is why I have plans to turn a number of outer London boroughs into “mini-Hollands”, with large amounts of money spent in relatively small areas to achieve dramatic and transformational pro-cycling change.

       Let's not ALL yawn at once !


It is why I have announced that I intend to impose a substantial and deterrent daily charge on any lorry which is not fitted with basic safety equipment, and why I am also studying time or place-specific lorry bans.

       Found a new way of raising FUNDS , have we ?


It is why I am using my planning powers to ensure that all new major developments and road schemes are cycle-friendly.

       Read the " London Cyclist Blog recently ? 


It is why I am paying for free cycle training for any Londoner, adult or child, who wants it; it is why I have appointed a cycling commissioner, making cycling the only transport mode to have its own dedicated representative in my senior staff; and it is why I am recruiting almost 130 extra staff to Transport for London to help deliver my cycling programme.

      Promises , Promises !


This is a massive programme of change, which dovetails very closely with what cyclists have been demanding, and I share your impatience to see it delivered. But at the same time, I have promised that we will do it properly, and that cannot happen overnight. If we made changes without working out what to do with the buses, the traffic, deliveries, parking and pedestrians, then we would risk repeating some of the problems of the past.

      BoJo , you HAVE NOT LISTENED to YOUR OWN STAFF , so why should we believe this ?

Nor will I make rushed changes in response to a tragedy which could inadvertently make things more dangerous for cyclists or other vulnerable groups, such as pedestrians – who get a great deal less media attention than cyclists, but are just as important to me. And I own only five per cent of London’s roads; on the others, I can proceed only with the agreement of their owners, usually the London boroughs. But real physical change has already started; our first fully-segregated cycle superhighway was opened in November last year.

      How many of the " Victims " you blamed for THEIR OWN Demise , occured in YOUR AREA ?

My heart goes out to the victims of these awful accidents and their families and I will do my utmost to learn the lessons from their tragic deaths. But in order to learn the right lessons, it is imperative that we establish the facts of what happened, and avoid jumping to conclusions before we have done so. We should not, for instance, automatically conclude (as so many have) that all or most of these deaths are the fault of the road design. Nor should we automatically assume (as many others have) that they were caused by bad or careless behaviour by the cyclists themselves.



      Having Coroners remind you of YOUR Responsibilities for earlier Deaths , is as GOOD Excuse for             doing NOTHING


It is my responsibility, and the responsibility of the London boroughs, to provide safer roads for cycling. But, as I have also said, all users of those roads must also take responsibility for using them safely. There is no solution any traffic engineer can devise which will remove that individual responsibility or completely end accidents and deaths.

       FIRST thing YOU have said , that i could agree with !


It is also, I believe, important to separate what are clearly particular problems in particular places, such as Bow roundabout, from the general picture, which is more encouraging. In 2002 there were 110 million cycle trips in London, of which 20 ended in death. In 2012, there were 180 million cycle trips in London, of which 14 ended in death. Over the last ten years, the cyclist death rate per journey in London has more than halved. Despite the terrible recent events, the number of deaths in London last year, 14, is the same for the whole of 2012.

       Don't think that 14 Deaths in 2013 , is an achievement ! " Vision ZERO " as in Portland , Oregon ,                multi years is an achievement !


I entirely understand why the recent horrific events have obscured these facts. But I am concerned that the all-consuming media and political focus on individual deaths may in fact harm, not help, the cause of cycling in London - by scaring away potential cyclists, and by giving succour to those who say that I and my successors should not encourage cycling as it is, in their view, unsafe.


       Thanks to Social Media , we , the Public are LESS EASILY FOOLED !

I am glad to say that I completely disagree with that group of people. I can assure you that cycling is, and will remain, at the heart of my administration. It is, and will remain, one of my highest priorities. These terrible events will only reinforce my determination to make things better for cyclists in London.

       Political expedience dictates your views ! No doubt being Mayor of London , will fill the time              until your  Ambitions of Prime Minister of UK , are close to realisation  ?


Thank you again for your concern.



Yours sincerely

        Was there any Sincerity