What everyone is talking about this week: The problem(s) with cyclists

A colleague recently spotted an advert in a railway underpass in London’s Battersea. It was one of the classic ‘Kill your speed, not a child’ posters, except it wasn’t targeting drivers, but another specimen of our roads: the cyclist.

Cyclists have earned a bad reputation in recent years. Last month, a study by Thinks Insight & Strategy revealed that those in the City of London had been caught 10 times more often than motorists for running red lights this year. The same study also claimed that up to 52% of cyclists admitted to flouting the Highway Code. In the capital, the number of pedestrians dying in road collisions has increased by almost 25% year-on-year.

Although there are no statistics to suggest that this is due to bikes any more than cars or buses, the publican argument contends that cyclists are lawless, exploiting the fact that they don’t have a number plate to break the rules. The reality, however, is that our roads have not been properly designed to accommodate the growing number of cyclists that has emerged over the past 15 years, since Boris bikes were introduced in the capital and their electric counterparts became young people’s preferred mode of transportation.

Looking elsewhere may offer solutions. In Copenhagen recently, I was struck by the orderliness of the Danish streets, where cycling is immensely popular: 37% of commuters use a bike to get to and from work. Comparatively, cyclists account for only 4.5% of all daily journeys in London; yet in the City, where many have their office, they now make up 56% of all traffic during peak commuting hours.

Frustration is bound to ensue. I’ve been that person on the bus, watching the light turn green then red again as myriad cyclists and perhaps one or two cars are able to squeeze through during a 20-second gap, leaving us behind. As we wait patiently for the light to turn green again, certain that this has to be our moment, another dozen cyclists appear, taking position ahead of other cars and denting our chances of getting through the traffic lights at last.

The Danes have a neat trick to avoid such an issue: they keep their bike lanes separate from those used by motorists. In London, lanes converge: an island labelled specifically for cyclists is a common feature before major traffic lights, allowing those on two wheels to congregate en masse before drivers. This encourages cyclists to cut corners, knowing that they can get ahead of other vehicles as those are made to wait. In Copenhagen, there is no such choice: everyone has to queue.

Queuing is something we Brits are historically rather good at — and, contrary to the publican view, I see no reason why cyclists should be any worse at it than drivers. As ever, these things demand that we be patient: updating our roads will take time, but evolving these to be safer and easier to use is surely worth the wait.

Come up and smell the geraniums

It’s been a good summer for the brightly hued flowers, with lots of sun and a welcome bit of rain creating the perfect conditions. It should follow that the plant has having a moment: Bamford, the beauty brand and wellness spa, has released a geranium-inspired line of products, including a body wash, reed diffusers and a scented candle (£70 at Liberty), and chef Clodagh McKenna Herbert recently published a recipe for strawberry and sweet-geranium ice cream: 400g of the former and eight leaves of the latter. I’ve tried it: it’s excellent.

Gardeners’ note: geraniums need deadheading regularly to encourage continuous flowering.