Petition demanding cyclists "display registration, pay road tax and have insurance" closes after six months... with just 353 signatures; Tadej Pogačar's pisstaking attack (and latest win); Strava adds feature; Hire bikes go missing + more on the live blog

Another cycling-related petition closed on the UK Government and Parliament website yesterday, this time demanding that cyclists are required to "display registration, pay road tax and have insurance". Now, these petitions run for six months, giving them approximately 180 days to drum up support and achieve the relevant threshold for a response from government or to be considered for debate in Parliament.

This latest one, however, won't be requiring either, attracting a signature total of... drumroll please... 353. That's less than two per day... or, as someone in the road.cc office suggested, probably about one signature for every similar petition on the government website at any one time...

It had asked for support to "introduce laws whereby":

1) bicycles have to be identifiable in order for enforcement to be able to take place where they are breaking traffic laws.
2) bicycles are subject to a road tax charge
3) bicycles have to be insured to utilise the public highway

The reason being?

Bicycles/cyclists have been given greater priority in recent changes to the Highway Code. With greater power comes greater responsibility. Currently there is no way to identify cyclists who flout highway laws and act in an inconsiderate or dangerous manner. Cyclists should also have to contribute towards the cost of the public roads through a road tax charge. Cyclists sometimes cause accidents and therefore should have adequate insurance in order to indemnify themselves and protect others. 

I'm not sure anybody will be losing sleep over this underwhelming shout from the people, the government having already definitively rejected a similar petition from Nick Freeman (Mr Loophole) in December 2021. That one, despite being pushed heavily on certain radio shows and in a few newspapers, still only just scraped across the 10,000-signature threshold for a government response, the Department for Transport quickly confirming what we all suspected... that there are "no plans" for such measures.

"The government considers that the costs of a formal registration system for cycle ownership would outweigh the benefits. The safety case for such a system is not as strong as that for drivers since, by contrast with motorised vehicles, cycles involved in collisions on the highway are highly unlikely to cause serious injury to other road users," a spokesperson said.

Tadej Pogacar is just a LEVEL above the rest 🙌

It's back-to-back stage wins at the 2024 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 💪 #VoltaCatalunya103 | @DiscoveryPlusUK pic.twitter.com/0KwVjbMOyk

— Eurosport (@eurosport) March 20, 2024

Boo! Boring! No 160km attack. No hiding in the bushes to fool the peloton. Just efficient, seemingly effortless climbing...

[Michael Crilly/Facebook]

"Cambridge's first dedicated tandem cycle lane," Michael told the good people of Facebook, providing the amusing photo as proof. Hey, at least the pothole got fixed...

> Pope Francis ditches Dogma — Pinarello gifted by Egan Bernal put up for auction... if you've got a spare €30,000

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip into the comments section here...

stevez123: "He actually loves the bike but it's hard to ride at speed with that BIG hat on."

fenix: "It's ok. Giro are working on the big hat problem."

Working on the big hat problem by at least making it a bit more aero (and Visma-Lease a Bike branded)...

Huw Watkins reckons he might be upgrading after finding out it didn't even come with Dura Ace. Those Ineos cheapskates. Although, as john_smith replied... God's surely a Campag fan...

henryb: "...something something religious dogma..."

Rendel Harris: "Surely his Holiness must ride a Genesis Croix de Fer?"

mark1a: "No sense in pontificating on stuff we don't know."

Creakingcrank: "Even the Pope doesn't enjoy that much mass."

And a personal favourite...

thax1: "Makes sense for the modernisation of the Roman Catholic faith. Ticked off women's ordination, married priests and same-sex relationships. Now they need to embrace the deep stuff such as disc brakes and fully integrated cabling."

marmotte27: "All progressive that I am, I'll lobby him for an en-cycle-ical on such traditional values as steel frames and rim brakes."

Obviously this is absolutely terrifying https://t.co/AhwTR2Jzl8

— Ned Boulting 🏳️‍⚧️ (@nedboulting) March 19, 2024

It's got me thinking about what cycling-related "defend the indefensible" Ned could get chucked his way should he make the top two... something to do with a certain Lance Armstrong and his victories being reinstated to the record books, I'm guessing...

A fundraiser has raised more than $114,000 for a cyclist's medical bills and to support his family after he was left in a critical condition fighting for his life after a saddle sore developed into the rare bacterial infection Necrotising Fasciitis, also known as the flesh-eating disease.

[Busto family/GoFundMe]

Ryan Busto's family updated the fundraiser to say that there have been some positive signs in the past week, his heart function improving to 47 per cent and a brief moment where he was able to open his eyes, "filling the room with hope and gratitude".

Busto will need further surgeries, but the family says that "while his medical team grapples with the intricacies of his case, they are amazed with his progress". The infection took hold during a cycling trip in San Diego after the cyclist developed a severe saddle sore.

"That turned into a life-threatening infection known as Necrotising Fasciitis, commonly referred to as the flesh-eating disease," the family explained.

"The week leading into his sickness Ryan was on a cycling trip in San Diego. He was training every day and had aspirations to race this year. During the rides he would be the first person to jump in the front and protect his teammates from the wind. He loves to ride and does it with the biggest smile. When he would get back from a ride he loved to celebrate with his friends with delicious food and a cold beer, laughing, smiling, and sharing stories about the adventures of the day.

"Ryan is well known for his generosity and selfless commitment to his friends and loved ones. We remain hopeful for Ryan's recovery, but the road ahead is uncertain. The strength and resilience he has shown throughout his life will undoubtedly fuel his fight for recovery. However, this journey will be arduous, and the support of our community is crucial."

There are many types of bacteria that can cause Necrotising Fasciitis, the NHS describing it as a rare and life-threatening infection that can happen if a wound gets infected. It needs to be treated in hospital straight away. Symptoms can develop quickly within a few hours or days, with intense pain around the wound, swelling and flu-like high temperatures and headaches also associated.