Driving
If you’re someone who follows the news and cares about road safety, chances are the Today programme left you frustrated more than once this week.First came a segment revisiting the case of Harry Dunn - the teenager killed by a driver who was not arrested and quickly fled the UK. The story rightly focused on police failures and the lack of justice for his family. But it missed something crucial. Harry’s death, while particularly high-profile, was not an isolated incident. On average, five people die on Britain’s roads every day. Families up and down the country are dealing with similar losses, often without the media attention or political outrage.A quick call to RoadPeace - the charity supporting families bereaved by road violence - would have revealed this. They would have pointed out that young people dying in road collisions is devastatingly common, and that road harm, unlike other public health crises, rarely gets the sustained attention it deserves.
The British summer has well and truly switched itself on. Temperatures are expected to hit 30 °C across much of England today, with yellow heat-health alerts in place until Sunday evening - a warning that the hot weather poses increased risks, particularly for older people and those with health conditions.That doesn’t mean we have to park up our bikes just yet, but it does mean the school run, the café ride or even the usual dash to the station might feel a little more like hard work. When the air turns thick and heavy, dehydration can sneak up fast - bringing headaches, fuzzy thinking, and the kind of slowed reactions nobody needs when navigating busy roads.
You’re halfway up an Alpine pass. The light is doing thatuncanny thing it only ever seems to do at altitude – bleaching the sky,crisping the edges of the world. The engine is humming in a deeply satisfyingregister. And then, in your ear:
"Do you think my panniers look too wide from theback?"
The intercom has spoken.
Once the preserve of professional motor racing crews and airtraffic control, intercoms are now acommon fixture among bikers on tour - particularly those heading to Europe withfriends. These devices promise convenience, safety, and an added socialdimension to your ride. But they also threaten something precious — the solitudethat make motorcycling so mentally restorative.
We don’t yet know why a man drove his car into a group of people this weekend, with devastating consequences. But we do know why he didn’t. Police were quick to confirm: this wasn’t terrorism. The suspect, a 53-year-old white man, was arrested at the scene. The prompt release of this information - unusually swift - was made to calm tensions and prevent unrest.
But what about the unrest caused by the act itself? A man drives into a crowd. People are injured. People are afraid. And then… silence.
This rare stretch of uninterrupted blue skies is the perfect time to ride – and recharge – with the sun.
We’re giving away a portable solar panel that turns every golden ray into energy for your phone, ipods, tablet or cycle computer. And with most of us basking in a rare spell of uninterrupted sunshine, there’s never been a better time to soak up the benefits.
