The TV weather forecaster believes in utilitarian cycling – and uses a big stick to teach others how to ride
I always check the weather before I go out on the bike. My three [primary school age] girls all cycle independently to school, and I tell them, “You will need your waterproofs today” or “You will have to take your gloves”. They used to pull faces but now, most of the time, they respect that I know what I’m talking about, that I am actually a weather forecaster! When they were younger and I’d pick them up from school on my own bike, I’d always be the one with the waterproof trousers on. Everyone else would just stare and make comments, but I would say, “Yeah, and? Look at you, you’re all drenched”.
Wind is the most important weather consideration for cyclists. Yet unbelievably, when the BBC changed to new graphics for its weather maps about 11 years ago, it said we didn’t need to show the wind strength or direction. The forecasters were like, “You’ve got to be joking!” So wind is back on.
I’ve ridden a bike since the age of five. I was the eldest of three and we always cycled to school or were out imagining we were characters from [’70s TV series] The Red Hand Gang, who all had Chopper-type bikes with tassels on the handlebars. I’ve ridden a tandem, which was exciting, although I did fall off because the person behind wasn’t very good.
Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av Cycling Plus.
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Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av Cycling Plus.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Air Apparent - Pollution hasn't gone away. It's still there in every lungful, even if we can't see it in the air or on the news. But there are reasons to breathe easier, thanks to pioneering projects using cycling 'citizen scientists'. Rob Ainsley took part in one...
The toxic effects of pollution have been known about for years. 'Just two things of which you must beware: Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air!' sang 1960s satirist Tom Lehrer.Over recent decades, though, pollution has dropped down our list of things to worry about, thanks to ominously capitalised concerns such as Climate Change, AI, Global Conflict, Species Collapse, etc. That doesn't, unfortunately, mean the problem has expired. Air quality often exceeds safe limits, with far-reaching and crippling effects on our health.
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