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Sunday 4th March TUAG: Turn-Up-And-Go

Nothing planned in advance: turn up early if you want a coffee and to talk about where to go. Group should (!) be ready to leave at 10am.

As of Saturday afternoon the temperature is rising (a bit) and Sunday should be a few degrees above freezing. So if anyone wishes to venture out……do take care on roads that will still have snow and slush around. Remember you are responsible for your own safety and making sensible decisions about where to go.  Looking forward to warming days very soon!

Meet: McDonalds near Tally Ho, North Finchley N12

Time: from 9.30am for coffee and planning – leave at 10am.

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SUNDAY 18th February – Any sign of Spring?

We will go in search of early signs of spring around the lanes of south Herts. Lunch will be at the Black Horse in South Mimms. Weather permitting, there will be stop for tea in the afternoon

Meet:   10am Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley N12      or        10.30am outside Waitrose, The Spires, Barnet – Stapylton Road entrance, by the bandstand

Ride leader: Talia Ross

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‘Dockless’ cars for Barnet?

At a time when neighbouring boroughs are bringing in dockless bikes, Barnet is consulting on the car equivalent instead: https://engage.barnet.gov.uk/floating-car-clubs

They are called ‘Floating car clubs’ and work in a similar way to dockless bikes:

  • A nearby car is located via a smartphone app.
  • It can be reserved and driven within a defined area.
  • The car can be left suitably parked at the destination.

Will this actually reduce car ownership?  Or will it increase car use for those who don’t own a car and would otherwise walk, cycle or use public transport?

The consultation closes on 27 February. It’s an opportunity to ask why Barnet is not consulting on bike sharing schemes.

Dockless bike schemes are spreading into Outer London: Urbo bikes are in Waltham Forest and coming soon to Enfield. Why not Barnet? Have your say at https://engage.barnet.gov.uk/floating-car-clubs

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Using TfL’s on-line Healthy Streets tools to improve streets for cyclists and pedestrians

By Lucy Saunders

On Monday 5 February, 7.30 – 9pm at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street N1 2UD

All London borough campaigners welcome – no booking necessary.

Lucy Saunders is a public health specialist who developed the Healthy Streets approach and its 10 Indicators for TFL. She has now taken the lead in developing a set of tools to ensure the approach is used when new schemes are proposed. The idea is that TFL will require boroughs to use the Healthy Streets checklist to get funding. This could be transformative.

This session is aimed at helping campaigners across London to understand how they can use the on-line Healthy Streets tools that have been developed at TfL. Local activists will find them useful when pressing London boroughs to submit well thought out, high quality Liveable Neighbourhood Programme bids and in assessing the likely effectiveness of any other road and public realm schemes they are drawing up.

Useful links:

Guide to the Healthy Streets Indicators

My summary of the Guide to the Healthy Streets Indicators

Healthy Streets Check for Designers

My summary of the Healthy Streets Check for Designers

Small Change, Big Impact

Read more at https://healthystreets.com/

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January 2018 Meeting

Thursday 25th January: I remember 2017……. your best rides and holidays

We will start the first meeting of 2018 by looking back to where we went in 2017! A small number of members have been press-ganged volunteered to tell us about their best cycling trips of 2017 to give us ideas of where to go in the new year. Come along to hear all about it – or even chip in with your own experiences. All welcome.

Meet: 8pm Carey Hall, Trinity Church Centre, Nether Street, North Finchley N12

 

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BARNET CYCLISTS’ BEST BIKE BOOKS As compiled at the November 2017 meeting

ANWB Netherlands Cycling Atlas ISBN: 9789018040420  All of the Netherlands’ cycle routes in one spiral bound volume.

Cycling in Amsterdam and the Netherlands Eric van der Horst  The Very Best Routes in the Cyclist’s Paradise

Touring Bikes Tony Oliver ISBN: 978-1852233396  Unusual to get a book that concentrates just on touring bikes

The Rider Tim Krabbé  “Nothing better is ever likely to be written on the subjective experience of cycle-racing.”

It’s All About the Bike Robert Penn  The Pursuit of Happiness On Two Wheels – the search for the dream bike.

Tour de France – Legendary Climbs Richard Abraham ISBN: 978-1780977904  Coffee table book with inspiring pictures

The Man Who Cycled the World Mark Beaumont ISBN: 978-0552158442  From free-spirited childhood to breaking free and following his dreams.

Put Me Back On My Bike – In Search of Tom Simpson William Fotheringham A Yellow Jersey Cycling Classic – available on Kindle

France en Velo: The Ultimate Cycle Journey from Channel to Mediterranean – St. Malo to Nice   Hannah Reynolds and John Walsh

Land’s End to John O’Groats – The Great British Adventure Phil Horsley ISBN-13: 978-1904207269   Spiral bound guide

Nicholson’s Guide to the Grand Union Canal  Until a decent cycle guide to canal towpaths is available this will do the job 

Life Cycle – Around the World in 80 Years Clive Williamson  The author has a lifetime of cycling around the world.

The Man Who Loved Bicycles Daniel Behrman ISBN-13: 978-0061203503  The memoirs of an autophobe.

Effective Cycling John Forester   ISBN-13: 978-0262516945  An updated edition of a classic handbook for cyclists from beginner to expert.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Robert Pirsig ISBN: 978-0099786405   OK, not ‘proper’ cycling book but it does have two wheels

Jupiter’s Travels Ted Simon  Again motorbikes – four years around the world on a Triumph

Frank Patterson any of his collections of line drawings

Coppi: Inside the Legend of the Campionissimo (Rouler)  Herbie Sykes  ISBN: 978-1408181669   A picture book

England’s Thousand Best Churches Simon Jenkins ISBN: 978-0713992816  For inspiration on where to visit on your bike rides

You might need to hunt around for some of these titles. Current ISBNs given where known. Search on Amazon for second hand and Kindle editions.

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Taming Hostile Streets

Islington Town Hall, 14 December 2017, 6.30 pm

London Assembly Member and Islington Councillor Caroline Russell will talk about her report for the London Assembly Transport Committee which is to be published on 4th Dec. The report looks at how the Mayor can tackle main roads that are hostile for walking and cycling and make them into healthy places where it is a pleasure to get around on foot and by bike.

For more information: see  https://www.london.gov.uk/current-investigations/walking-cycling-outer-london-junctions

All are welcome Free drink and nibbles.

Please RSVP to dfharrison1138@gmail.com or walkislington@gmail.com