around the time of
the london mayoral elections, we were all in the pub one saturday night in mayfair. at about 2am, we left the pub and staggered aimlessly about looking for a taxi.

suddenly there was a flash of white blond hair and treble chins and this bike sped past us. my friend kerry's head shot up and she stiffened.

"was that..." she breathed reverently, and the next second she was off. now, ordinarily a drunk girl in high heels has no chance of outrunning a bike, but luckily for kerry, the cyclist had stopped at a red light at the end of the road*.

"waiiiiiit!" she howled as a shoe fell off. surprised, the cyclist turned around as kerry panted up to him.

"I LOVE YOU BORIS!!" she yelled, "I REALLY LOVE YOU BORIS!"

to his credit, boris didn't turn a hair.

"thank you, thank you very much," he purred, and sailed off on his merry way. smooth. you'd think girls say that to bo-jo every day of the week, which i find hard to believe!


* (which legal requirement he is now trying to remove from the law as he seems to think cyclists are above it, but that's a whole different story...)
( rachelswipe with a fork, Sat 18 Apr 2009, 10:43, 6 replies)

scary
Genuinely didn't realise that Boris was trying to remove it!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Sat 18 Apr 2009, 11:09, closed)

I knew that Boris was daft...
But the requirement to stop at red lights kind of stops cyclists getting erm... killed?
( jim_bob can herd cats., Sat 18 Apr 2009, 11:17, closed)

four people
Were killed in the first four months of this year, 3 of them by HGVs turning left at lights -- and two in two days, 2 weeks back. Better by far to be out in front (or round the corner having turned left) than moving off at the same time as other traffic. Turning right through red is the norm in many US states, so I understand, and in France. I see no reason that system couldn't work here -- that's all Boris is thinking of, AFAIK.
(Exiled Youth [witty comment], Sat 18 Apr 2009, 22:47, closed)

Last week while crossing the road at Trafalgar Square
"It's a red light you moron!"

I was gesticulating with a copy of "Mountain Bike Rider" at the time.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Sat 18 Apr 2009, 13:03, closed)

Isn't he a bit of a swordsman..
on the side though? He probably does get it quite often.
(Dangerous Disco Trev Isn't my real name, Sat 18 Apr 2009, 13:43, closed)

It's only for left turns
And pedestrians will have priority.

And like Exiled Youth says, a very high proportion of cyclist fatalities are caused by left-turning HGVs (which is why you will never find me going up the inside of one of the bastards).
(Capo, Sun 19 Apr 2009, 6:35, closed)