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Barry Mason of Southark Cyclists was at the inquest this week into the death of Meryem Ozekman, an experienced daily cyclist, a woman in her 30s, killed by a lorry on the Elephant and Castle roundabout earlier in the year.

Barry took a near verbatim record of proceedings. It makes for difficult reading. But as Barry says, I hope it helps a bit to make a difference out there.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southwarkcyclists/message/8188

The verbatim record is long but I'll paste here the Coroner's Verdict:

[INDENT]Here is my verdict from the bench. There were no defects to the bicycle or lorry. The road was fine. It's clear that the bike fell to the ground and under the tank. The wheel arch was marked by contact with the cyclist. On the balance of probabilities, the bicycle fell and
the rider fell for reasons unknown. There is no evidence of a collision.
It is not clear whether the cyclist was available to be seen. It is simply not possible to check all the mirrors all the time. It seems that the cyclist fell off her bicycle, and under the lorry.

It is clear then that no one understands what happened to this fit young experienced cyclist. Many of us are cycling now and this is a sad
reminder of the risks involved.

An accident is the consequence of an unintended act. In my duty as Coroner for this Inquest into the death of Meryem Ozekman at 2.50pm on 8 April 2009 at the Elephant and Castle roundabout by Newington Causeway, I, Dr. Andrew Hearns, do find the cause of death: Accident.

By reason that Meryem Ozekman fell off her cycle and was trapped under the wheel of a lorry. Verdict: Accident.

May I give my condolences to the family, many of whom are here today. I hope that today helps you to begin to rebalance your lives.[/INDENT]

Now gone.

Anyone heard back from Kate Hoey (Vauxhall MP)? I reminded her in my letter that at least two of the women cyclists killed by lorries this year were in her constituency. Haven't heard anything back and can't see her on the list.

Maybe because she has that job working for Boris on the Olympics she doesn't want to step out of line...

Here's the list of the 40 who have signed as of Wednesday 4 November 6pm:

Abbott, Diane
Bottomley, Peter
Meale, Alan
Slaughter, Andy
Cryer, Ann
Godsiff, Roger
Hopkins, Kelvin
Jones, Lynne
Corbyn, Jeremy
Taylor, David
McCrea, Dr William
McDonnell, John
Campbell, Gregory
Caton, Martin
Cook, Frank
Dismore, Andrew
Drew, David
Gerrard, Neil
Hancock, Mike
Vis, Rudi
Robinson, Iris
Simpson, David
Llwyd, Elfyn
Pugh, John
Dean, Janet
Thornberry, Emily
Sanders, Adrian
Harvey, Nick
Beith, Alan
Williams, Betty
Russell, Bob
Simpson, Alan
Jackson, Glenda
Mullin, Chris
Gidley, Sandra
Hamilton, David
Baker, Norman
Webb, Steve
Williams, Roger
Swinson, Jo

Many carrots, not enough sticks.

my 2p:

http://thebikeshow.net/tfl-draft-cycle-safety-action-plan/

I have a friend who was car-doored in south London resulting in serious knee injuries that will take many months to rehabilitate. Turned out the driver was an undercover policeman on a stake-out. She's gone to Russell Jones & Walker and they appear experienced and competent. As mentioned above and recommended by the CTC.

http://www.rjw.co.uk/ctc/ctc-members-welcome

Oh, and one small upgrade I missed from the original listing:

2008 - Deore XT derailleur.

If I were completing the upgrade process I'd probably go next for the crankset and the brakes, not that there's anything wrong with the stock stuff, but you know, once you make one upgrade, it's a slipperly slope...

When you have a bike check out this thread and come out for a ride.

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread2639-19.html

You know it! Time to get off those roads and into the mud. Can't wait.

But gotta trade the Bianchi because i just CANNOT buy another bike.

@knowthejo: Thanks! Would love to ride along the Loire one day.

I want an MTB for using exclusively off road, doing rides in the southeast, maybe get to mid-Wales sometime. So as light as possible, front suspension. I don't really know much about MTBs so I'm kind of relying on the perspective of whoever I'm trading with. Do they come in different frame sizes, I don't even know. I'm about 6'1".

My Bianchi Volpe 58cm/700c (tourer/faux-cyclocross bike) is being weeded from my Garden of Bicycles. This is because I'm now mostly touring on my Moulton AM7 or on my Dawes fixed wheel. And I think it's about time I had a go at mountainbiking.

The Volpe was bought new from the Missing Link Co-Op in Berkeley, California in 2001. It was about 900 dollars then. Since then it's not done huge service (around 3,000 miles I'd say, including a three week tour fully loaded over the Pyrenees & Massif Central last year). See: YouTube - A Bicycle Ride in France: August 2008 (part one)

I've made some upgrades to make it a great touring bike. As follows:

2008 - New rear wheel (Shimano Deore XT - super reliable)
2008 - New rear sprockets - 11-34. Very wide range, good for loaded touring/going up hills.
2008 - Nitto Randoneur handlebars
2008 - Nitto extra-long quill stem - I'm a believer in the word of Grant Peterson when it comes to bar height for long rides.
2008 - Dura-Ace Bar-End shifters
2008 - Brooks brown leather saddle B17 narrow
2008 - Pasela Panaracer Touring Tyres - 35mm - very smooth.
2004 - Front and rear pannier racks - Blackburn and Topeak respectively
2001 - Tange front fork
I'll even throw in a pair of Karrimor rear panniers!

There's a pic here:

Picture doesn't show the front racks, they're Blackburn low-riders.

I am not selling this bike. I want to trade it for a hard-tail MTB of approximately similar calibre/value. So if you've got one too many MTBs, and fancy taking to the hills on a tour, let's trade! I'm in Waterloo, SE1. PM me if you want to take a look.

Riding the Dunwich Dynamo? Got an iPhone? Then you might like to take part in this:

http://thebikeshow.net/audioboo-the-dunwich-dynamo/

Police have just confirmed that yesterday's fatality at Elephant and Castle roundabout was also a cyclist, not a pedestrian as previously reported.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/3827

thanks all. I'll be in touch shortly via PM.

I should also have mentioned that I'd be interested in talking to anyone who'd care to wax lyrical about any post-war Gillott that they might be riding. Ron learned his stuff at Gillott was the last master framebuilder working there when the company was sold and Ron started his own business under his own name.

So goes without saying that Gillott is central to the Ron Cooper story... and that many Gillotts were built by Ron. Ron told me he could recognise any of the 9000 frames he's built in his lifetime in a matter of seconds.

Would you black out my face and disguise my voice ?

I feel certain you have a great face for radio.

The next seasons of The Bike Show is going to feature a fairly substantial show on Ron Cooper, arguably one of Britain (and the world's) finest framebuilders. It will be based around a series of interviews I'm doing with Ron, but I'd also like to talk to people who ride his bikes.

Do you ride a Ron Cooper? If so, would you be willing to talk about it for the radio? Would need to be based in the London area.

Reply or PM me if Yes.

Asceticism = horse-shit.

I thought I caught the smell of transcendent/metaphysical shit when this thread started.

I think Tynan must have been bitten by a Buddhist as a child.

don't know if anyone can get ARTE - German TV - but there is a feature on the Tweed Run this evening:

http://www.arte.tv/de/2495254.html

No Bike Week will soon be upon us. It is an experiment in [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism"]asceticism[/ame] and an attempt to subvert the tired notions of government-sanctioned “Bike Weeks” that take place from time to time.

Here’s how it works. You - a regular cyclist - vow not to ride a bicycle, tricycle, unicycle or other pedal-powered mechanical contrivance from 23.59 on Sunday 8th March for seven full days and nights. You may ride again from 00.01 on Monday 16 March. During this period, which you might like to think of as a “bikefast”, you will keep a record of how you manage to get around, how you’re feeling, what’s going through your mind from one day to the next. Your expectations, frustrations, unexpected pleasures, unbearable torments…. whatever they may be. The best way to do this is using a voice memo function on a mobile phone, or other recording device. Failing that, a pen and paper will do. The results will be compiled into a No Bike Week feature on The Bike Show.

I am inviting all those taking part to be my guest a “Last Supper” on Sunday evening, 8 March, somewhere in central London, quite possibly at my house. If you don’t live in London or even in the UK, you can still take part. We will find a way to connect with you. If you’d like to join the brave souls who have already agreed to take part, please get in touch by email bikeshow@resonancefm.com.

I can only assume that you idea comes out of never being forced off your bike...

On the contrary, I have been forced off the bike on several occasions, but this is a much a mental test of 'can I manage a week' as anything else. If forced off the bike I have no choice. The tough thing is going to be seeing that lovely bike standing in the hallway and passing it by as I walk out of the house to go and ride on the Tube... so maybe yes, a touch of S/M, but all in the cause of self knowledge.

Online listen again for eternity:

http://thebikeshow.net/bicycle-polo-and-no-bike-week/

Thanks to all!

Jack

taking a cyclist and a person who travels by public transport and swapping their commuting transport - is much fucking closer to an idea.

Yes, that's a neat approach. I give you my bicycle for a week and you give me your travelcard. Nice.

what more, there's a handful of us who commute 11 miles to and from place of work, imaging what happen if we have to walk, that´d take hours!

I wouldn't suggest that walking is the only alternative to cycling. Whatever it takes to do the things that you do, but no bike for a week.

Will you have a nervous breakdown? Will your legs turn to putty? Will you be permanently late? Will you suddenly enjoy all that extra time for reading novels on the train? Will you start savouring the dirty sweaty bodily contact on the tube? Will you enjoy the slowness of walking for a change? I want to find out.

a no car week

But I ride a bicycle...

It's clearly raised some passions here, so I think it's something that will prove quite challenging.

I'll be announcing it on the broadcast on Monday night and we shall see what happens after that. Ultimately, what I'm looking for is about six to ten people who will take the plunge. Maybe it'll be dull and utterly predictable. Maybe something revelatory will happen.

I'm not urging anyone to do anything, just inviting people to consider...

No, it is a mistake to say 'there must . . . '.

Fair point. Refine to "there may well be..."

Did you see that film about the fella who ate only McDonalds for a month? Clearly an unwise and unpleasant thing to do. But interesting as a physiological experiment and made a great movie.

Most religions & cultures feature deprivation rituals of one kind or another. Jesus in the wilderness & Lent, Ramadan, Sabbath, vision quests, etc.

There must be something about 'going without' that helps in the process of greater understanding of oneself.

If that's the high concept, then the low concept is for No Bike Week to be a direct alternative to Bike Week, the somewhat stale and government-approved week of cycle advocacy activities that happens every summer. Instead of people being confronted with exortations to cycle, they would see what happens to people who give up for a week. The appaling side effects, the withdrawal, the DTs...the misery. I think this might be a much more novel way of putting the case, if the case needs to be put.