Ben (BicycleBenUK)

@ben.fiets.uk

1372 Followers 891 Following

Introverted advocate/blogger on UK active travel. Self-employed podcast editor. Also sustainable public transport, nature, environment, Holland. Sometimes spins vinyl, dabbles in ham radio, badly plays piano. 📍 Nuneaton, Warwickshire 🌎 fiets.uk/links

Overgrown bridleway, the path obscured by all the foliage
A robin with its beak full of old grass on its way to build its nest. It's standing on the back of an old wooden garden chair. Behind it is green ivy.
A comparison of an urban street with no trees, with another that is tightly lined with mature trees. The former shows temperatures ranging from 36 to 50 degrees Celsius; the latter shows 18-26 degrees Celsius.
Screenshot of BBC News article thumbnail: "Boy, 2, seriously hurt as car crashes into nursery..."
ReformUK Warwickshire statement: "Safeguarding Children and Ensuring the Neutrality of Warwickshire's Libraries "In the last week, a number of Warwickshire residents have pointed out to me that libraries in our county have been promoting contested gender ideology. I thank the residents who've brought these cases to me and share their concern. As taxpayer-funded institutions, Warwickshire County Council's libraries should be politically neutral, family-friendly, and not seek to embolden political ideologies. These are highly-charged and polarising issues and should not be taught to children as pure fact. These are fundamental principles for the Reform UK administration in Warwickshire. "To combat this trend, my administration will begin work on a comprehensive policy to strengthen neutrality, increase safeguarding, and provide parents with peace of mind that their children are not being told to believe one set of political ideas over any other. This policy will cover not just o...
Scanned copy of a train ticket: One Day Travelcard, standard class, off-peak. Issued and valid on 05 Sep 2004. Between Chelmsford Essex & London Zones 1-6. Price £12.60.
Still extracted from a video of an overnight thunderstorm, showing a fork of lighting stretching down from the sky to behind a line of trees. The picture has a blue hue where the lightning lights up the sky. It is shot through a window with visible raindrops.
Tracking History (all Tuesday 26 May 2026): 10:50 Scanned into storage in our Nuneaton Service Centre 05:58 Outfor delivery today 16:50 Item received by DX and awaiting route scan (Due for delivery by Tuesday 26 May 2026)
BBC News homepage thumbnail: "Watch: Dozens of light drones crash into harbour in Sydney"
Extract from The Guardian Live Blog: "Starmer says planned fuel duty rise for September to be scrapped, and hauliers to get 12-month road tax holiday. "Kirsteen Sullivan (Lab) asks about the cost of living. Starmer says he can today announce a 12-month holiday for hauliers on road tax. And he says the government will not go ahead with the planned increase in fuel duty." https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/may/20/keir-starmer-wes-streeting-labour-leadership-kemi-badenoch-pmqs-conservatives-reform-uk-politics-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-6a0d949e8f085b51400a567a#block-6a0d949e8f085b51400a567a
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Extract from The Guardian article: Police are investigating an incident where a man was run over by a van after a group of people were taking down union flags put up by Raise the Colours campaigners in Birmingham. A man, in his 30s, suffered a broken leg that required surgery. He remains in hospital after the incident on Thursday evening in the Birmingham suburb of Stirchley, police said. "The van failed to stop at the scene but was recovered on nearby Prince Road and is now being examined," a statement from West Midlands police said. "We are viewing CCTV and social media footage as we work to identify the full circumstances of what happened." The Guardian has spoken to three witnesses and residents in Birmingham who said they were at the incident on Thursday evening - two of whom have given statements to the police.
Letter to Jodie Gosling. Full text available here: https://fiets.uk/2026-05-11/letter-to-mp-the-uks-electoral-system/
'Det Ch Insp Ruby Burrow said there was no indication at this stage of any ongoing threat to the wider public and asked for witnesses to come forward. "This was a serious incident which will have caused concern in the community," she said. "We believe an argument has taken place in Arnold town centre and this has resulted in a car being driven at a group of people. "We know five people were injured but we'd still like to hear from anyone else involved. "Any witnesses who were in Arnold Market Place, or the wider town centre area around this time, should also get in touch."'
Screenshot of a BBC News article: Man critically injured after car hits pedestrians One person has suffered life-threatening injuries after a car crashed into five pedestrians in a town centre in Nottinghamshire. Nottinghamshire Police said an "argument" was believed to have taken place before a red Vauxhall Astra struck a group in Market Place, Arnold, at about 01:10 BST on Saturday. The driver, believed to be a white man, abandoned the car and left the scene. Police added counter terrorism officers were not involved in its investigations and there was "no indication" of "any ongoing threat to the wider public".
come on kids, get off screens and go outside! -Get off the road it's for cars -Don't ride your bike on the sidewalk you'll hurt someone -Take your headphones off it's dangerous -Stop being so loud you're disturbing people -Don't just loiter around -Go to the park but calm down there's little ones -Don't walk in large groups it's kind of scary -Are you on the bus alone - where are your parents ROVÉLO CREATIVE
Pie chart showing the share of the 19 seats up for grabs in the local election for Nuneaton and Bedworth: Reform: 78.9% (15) Green: 10.5% (2) Labour: 10.5% (2) Conservative: 0% Lib Dem: 0%
Column chart for Nuneaton and Bedworth local election results comparing parties before and after the poll: Conservative: 0 (-7) Green: 2 (+1) Labour: 2 (-8) Lib Dem: 0 (-1) Reform: 15 (+15)
Extract from The Guardian live blog, headlined "Starmer says he intends to lead Labour into the next election". A line in a quote from Keir Starmer is highlighted, "...we won a landslide victory in July 2024. I led our party to that victory. That is a five year mandate to change the country." He continues: "Yes, there are difficult conditions. The inheritance was terrible. The international context is very, very difficult. But we need to inject that hope and convince people that things can and will get better. And that's why in coming days, I'll set out the further steps that we will take." Asked if he would stand as PM at the next election, Starmer replied: "Yes. There's a five-year term I was elected to do. I intend to see that through." https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/may/07/elections-2026-local-scotland-wales-reform-green-labour-conservatives-live-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-69fd9b5a8f08beea73b772be#block-69fd9b5a8f08beea73b772be
An image of the globe against a back background, a butterfly perched on the left. Accompanying the image is the text: '"I'm only one person. What can I do?" said 8 billion people..'
Facebook post with the author's name, source group, and timestamp redacted. Post reads (sic) "Has the town centre officially been transformed into a play ground at the he weekend?" Accompanying is a photo of the road by Nuneaton town hall, a quiet street open to cycles and other traffic. It's a nice day and about 10 teenagers are there with their bicycles, hanging out and causing no problems.
Screenshot from CrashMap focused on the A5 with the Drayton Lane junction to the north west, and Woodford Lane junction centred. The latter shows 40 orange and red markers indicating that number of slight and serious collisions at the junction (no fatalities in this period fortunately). The Drayton Lane junction shows four slight and severe incidents. There are two further slight collisions on the A5 east of the Woodford Lane junction. All incidents involve motor traffic; no cyclists or pedestrians.
One of Gail's prints in an A4 frame standing on a window sill behind a record player, with vases of tulips either side.
A local Labour Party door leaflet focusing on the bottom panel which reads "LABOUR: WORKING HARD FOR" - the sentence is not completed.
A white Toyota parked entirely on a footpath, with the offside two wheels on the edge of a playing field. The road is marked with double yellow lines and traffic can be seen queuing on that road.
Screenshot of a poll on the Daily Mail website. "Should Britain rejoin the European Union?" "Yes - better for the economy": 71% (11188 votes) "No - stick with Brexit": 21% (3340 votes) "Closer ties, not full membership ": 6% (959 votes) "Not now": 2% (236 votes)
Photograph of the Orion spacecraft as it begins to move behind the moon relative to Earth. The moon is illuminated to the right side of the image and just above the lunar limb is the crescent of a setting Earth. This photograph is taken using a GoPro Hero4 camera fitted to the spacecraft's Solar Array Wing (SAW). The Orion is prominent to the left of the frame. Image from NASA (images.nasa.gov).
The Orion spacecraft "Integrity" moving behind the moon, itself shaded in darkness except for gentle illumination to the right. The crescent Earth is a tiny object to the immediate right of the moon, about to be obscured as the spacecraft continues its flyby. Image is a screenshot from NASA TV on YouTube
Screenshot of NASA's image gallery at images.nasa.gov, filtered by "Orion" and showing only images (i.e., no videos). There are pre-launch pictures mixed in with photos taken from inside Integrity (the Orion spacecraft) while in space.
View from the Orion spacecraft's Solar Array Wing (SAW) showing the spacecraft with numerous engines on the left side of the image, with an opposite SAW extending out. To the lower right of the image is the Earth, showing as a small crescent in the blackness of space. Image is a screenshot from NASA TV on YouTube, showing a mission elapsed time of 3 days, 14 hours, 52 minutes.
Extract from the Argos Catalogue Spring/Summer 1995 showing a Praktica AG-800D 35mm compact camera. Described as including 3-way electronic flash, red-eye reduction, auto fill in/off, flash ready LED, auto focus, DX coding, date back facility allows date to be printed on photographs, motorised advance and rewind, includes case and lanyard. £36.99
View from Berkeley Road, Boars Hill near Oxford in 2002 on a compact film camera. The city is barely legible in the distance as we overlook rolling fields and trees on a nice day.
Roadworks approaching a junction. Motorists are provided with a "Single file traffic sign" and traffic light control. In the distance, red plastic railings are crossing the pavement and left side of the carriageway. There is no bypass for pedestrians
A metal cart with a pole to the right forming temporary pedestrian crossing control equipment. The cart is placed on tactile paving and there is a degree of restricted space behind.
Orion SAW (solar array wing) camera view of a crescent Earth - NASA TV screenshot. Artemis II mission. 02 April 2026, 11:36 BST.
Artemis II liftoff - screenshot from NASA TV (YouTube)
Extract from The Guardian live blog at 10:34am today: Starmer declines invitation to tell drivers to use less petrol Q: [From Sky News’ Lucy McDaird] Do you think people should change their behaviour now, in terms of using petrol? Starmer says the government is monitoring the situation carefully. He says the best thing that could happen for petrol prices would be de-escalation in the Gulf.
Screenshot of the Travel Advisories Map from the US Department of State, zoomed slightly by me to increase clarity on Europe and Africa. Countries are shaded according to the advice level, from Level 1, "Exercise normal precautions" (blue) to Level 4, "Do not travel" (red). Much of central Europe is shaded yellow for Level 2; Eastern Europe is mostly shaded blue (Level 1), along with a few countries bordering the south of Russia (Georgia (level 1/2), Kazakstan, Mongolia). Canada and Australia are also blue, Level 1. The US of course doesn't rate itself, so it's unshaded and left white. Screenshot sourced directly from: https://travelmaps.state.gov/TSGMap/
Extract from Warwickshire County Council's press release, with the section marked by an asterisk at the start and end being highlighted for emphasis (i.e., not as published): "Mark Ryder, Warwickshire County Council's Executive Director for Communities, said: 'We are delighted to bring the Roll and Stroll month challenge to Warwickshire this May. *Active travel is a cornerstone of our commitment to creating healthier, happier, and better-connected communities.* Whether you are walking to the shops, wheeling through your local park, or cycling to work or school, every journey logged is a step towards improving your own physical and mental wellbeing. 'This fantastic partnership with Love to Ride makes building sustainable habits fun, free, and incredibly rewarding. I wholeheartedly encourage all our residents, schools, and workplaces to sign up, get moving, and enjoy the many benefits of active travel.'"
Foldable metalic blue walking stick held on the left side, looking down at my feet which are in slippers, walking on a laminate wood floor. The right foot is ahead of the left, roughly in line with the foot of the stick.
Child's 24-inch "Wild Bike" (red) on a servicing stand, focusing on the front fork where a v-brake can be seen. A very grubby, oily hand is at the front of the image.
The only mention of cycling infrastructure in Warwickshire County Council's Draft Council Plan: "Improve rural connectivity between our towns and villages with appropriate cycling infrastructure, that in is in keeping with the exsisting natural environment."
Clip from the Guardian article: "'We’ve eliminated the need for that Alexa-speak, such as "turn on bedroom lamp two", you can just speak naturally. Alexa+ knows you, your home, your family. And is available anywhere, any time, as life does not happen in a chat box.'" - Daniel Rausch, Amazon Head of Alexa and Echo
Looking down on a crutch to the left side of my body.
Range Rover parked fully on a pavement obstructing passage. To the left of the vehicle is likely under half a metre of space flanked by a brick wall. To the right is a busy road with double yellow lines. The registration is DJ11 UCH but spaced and disguised with a screw fitting to appear as DJ HUCH. Picture is sourced from one of three given on a FixMyStreet report, https://www.fixmystreet.com/report/9063401
Nuneaton's Weddington Walk - a paved shared use path along a disused railway line, flanked by trees, grass, and foliage with some trees starting to bloom. It's a nice, pre-spring day!
An abandoned railway station, shot close-up to the platform edge. Green ivy is growing along the edge of the platform; the track bed is a field of green grass. The station building is just visible to the left of the image. The entire shot is at a roughly 45 degree angle.
A tree alongside the River Anker strewn with plastic litter.
Photo of the BBC News Channel covering the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. In four onscreen text areas, the suspect is named simply as "Andrew".
Temporary fencing blocking access to cycle racks at a local supermarket.
Warwickshire County Council post on Facebook on Friday 13 February 2026: Pothole Update.- The last few weeks have been especially wet and rainy. All that prolonged rain speeds up wear and tear, meaning new potholes and defects are appearing much faster than we'd normally see. Be assured we are working incredibly hard to repair potholes as quickly as possible, and have committed extra resource to completing repairs. We know it's frustrating and appreciate the patience of everyone affected. Please continue reporting potholes at https://services.warwickshire.gov.uk/report-a-pothole/
Roland V-Drums PDX-8 mesh pad for an electric drum kit.
Close up of a bolt on a Roland PDX-8 mesh pad for an electric drum set.
Screenshot extract from the linked Guardian article: "Bryant said he didn't believe in global warming, and climate change was a 'hobgoblin' being used to scare people. 'This is just a wet winter. We've had wet winters before,' he said."
Comment on Facebook: "Depends did they have cycle helmets on? What I seen tonight was horrendous there was a lad on his bike pulling wheelies - no helmet - and doing it in the middle of the road. Next thing a bus came round the corner. That's not acceptable"
Screenshot of link information pulled through from a BBC news article shared on social media. "Pedestrian dies in Burnham-on-Sea collision. The road is now open again after being closed for several hours." A photo of the road on a normal daytime accompanies the text. Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl852le09do
Video still from "Grayson Place Phases 2 and 3" Nuneaton Labour video on YouTube showing a large, dark grey two-storey glass fronted building looking out over a brick-paved courtyard with a few benches. An exterior staircase to the right of the building covers bicycle stands (Sheffield Stands), very much tucked away and out of sight of the main courtyard.
A back garden in early morning half light showing a fairly light coating of show. The grass is poking through and the patio is quickly turning to slush.
Little Tykes red and yellow toy sit-in car for toddlers. Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/93qrdx/red_and_yellow_little_tikes_car/