You're in: York Planets trail dog's verdict on cyclists

The York to Selby rail trail - which features a must-see scale model of the solar system - also has an intriguing sculpture on the bridge over the Ouse, a couple of miles south of York, near Naburn.

It features a Dilbertesque man made of wire, fishing from the bridge, his bike laid down behind him. He has evidently just caught a train (geddit?).


What I only spotted recently, though, was that the dog accompanying him is clearly peeing on his bike.

I rather like this; it's an appropriate comment on how cyclists and our facilities are treated generally.


Such as here, for example, on the cycle track in the centre of York, near the Nestlé factory, yesterday.

The fencing on the edge of this building site collapses regularly, providing a nasty potential hazard for inattentive cyclists on dark evenings.

Unless, of course, it's more ironic wire sculpture?

More tall stories from Critical Mass

Another Critical Mass briefly reclaimed London's roads last night.

There was the usual ceremonial flypast of major landmarks, the now-standard handful of people on hire scheme bikes, the affable chitchat and catchup with bikey people you know - and the usual range of entertainment.



The guy with the dogs (?spaniels) in the cargo bike was there, for example.

Perhaps it could set a trend, with other people taking along pit bulls to defend themselves against taxi driver attack, or collies to round up stray cyclists.



They weren't the only livestock represented. There was also a selection of zebras: eight or nine, courtesy of the Hackney lot.

I never did find out what it was about, but it was a shame there weren't lion bikes too, chasing them and picking off the slowest.



And, thrillingly, there was the crazy guy on the double-decker bike. Glad to see he's wearing a helmet, which shows he is safety-conscious.



Obviously, stopping in mid-traffic on such unbalance is a bit of a problem, so he was thrusting his way through some very hairy-looking gaps. Don't try this at home.

Cambridge, cycling paradise? Rubbish!

Cambridge may be touted as England's so-called 'real cycling capital'.

But in fact its modal share of bike journeys is still low, as this photo proves. Despite the expensive riverside cycle path, only ONE person-journey is being made by bicycle, compared to TWO on a boat, FOUR in a narrowboat, and two cows occupying valuable space but carrying NO passengers.

Anyone trying to convince you that the town is some sort of 'cycling paradise' is clearly deluded.


And take this valuable Brompton, left outside the Co-op in Newnham.

It's not locked. Obviously the place is so full of thieves, bandits, brigands and cutpurses that locks are useless.

Instead, the owner has had to leave it with not one but TWO guard dogs, who viciously wagged their tails and tried to lick us when we approached.

Things are so bad there they've had to create a new website, Cycling Sorted, to cope with everyone's suggestions for improvements to the cycling infrastructure.

So, cyclists, avoid Cambridge at all costs. I'm grateful to be back in London, I can tell you.

Rover Safety? Walkies are easier by bike

Maybe it's the weather, but suddenly I'm seeing people walking their dogs on bikes everywhere.

Most of them pass too fast for me to photograph them. But this lass (right) - snapped on Morecambe promenade the other week - was happy to stop and model for me.

She often comes on her Brompton along with her partner, who has a Mezzo, and their two terriers Penny and Rosie for a bit of bracing Lancs air. With over five miles of traffic-free seafront tarmac and Lake fells views, it's a fine place to engage in some canine perambulation.


Clearly the hound/bike coupling is one that appeals. A couple of days after meeting the folding-bike dog-walkers, I cycled through York. The route into the city from the north (NCN65) passes this engaging weathervane (right).

Perhaps the chap in County Durham who was recently fined for walking his dog while driving his car could take a tip.

Pet project: Lambeth's dog streets

The inspiration for the bike-part street series, currently running on weekdays on this blog, came from this council poster (right) we spotted cycling round Kennington Park the other day.

It's rather fun. To illustrate the poster for council lost-dog services, someone had a great time taking pictures of inventively related road signs: Greyhound Hill, Barker St, Barking Road, Hounds[ditch something], Dog Kennel Hill, Wagtail Close, Isle of Dogs, Dog Lane, the Dog and Duck, Long Walk, Staffordshire St and Bark Place.

A fine bike tour for dog fans, and there must be feline equivalents out there - Cat Hill, Mews Place, Milk Yard and so on.

Don't know about ferrets, supposedly the latest celebrity pet, though.

Helmet? No thanks, I'm a dog

In case you haven't seen it, here's the cycling dog on YouTube that's doing the rounds.

Momo, the cycling dalmatian, appears in this 45-second clip - which seems genuine - for a Japanese TV programme.

The surtitles, as far as my rusty Japanese can tell, are:
1. Honto ni jitensha o koideru!! (genuine-ly-bicycle-[objective particle]-pedal: 'Actually pedalling a bike!!')
2. Jitensha ni noru inu Momo (bicycle-on-ride-dog-Momo: 'Momo [Peachblossom], the dog that rides a bike') (picture)

Momo may not look all that comfortable, but note that she is a Real Cyclist: no helmet, no lycra.