Skip to main content

Tall tale

A UK council has built a new underpass that boosts safety by allowing cyclists to avoid having to cross a busy road. However, health and safety concerns within the council have resulted in signs also being posted requesting cyclists to dismount due to low headroom
February 22, 2012 Read time: 1 min
A UK council has built a new underpass that boosts safety by allowing cyclists to avoid having to cross a busy road. However, health and safety concerns within the council have resulted in signs also being posted requesting cyclists to dismount due to low headroom. This is in spite of the fact that of the world's entire 6 billion human population only one man, 2.46m high Sultan Kosen from Turkey is actually tall enough for the route to pose a hazard. It is not known if Mr Kosen is keen to visit the underpass to see whether the underpass does pose a hazard to him, or indeed if he actually has found a bicycle large enough for him to ride.

Related Content

  • Road user charging, the way to highway investment?
    April 12, 2012
    Tough political decisions have to be made to ensure highway investment - *Dr Max Lay reports Our road systems and how we use them have changed dramatically over the last few centuries, and yet some problems persist and others reappear. For most of human history roads have been used by foot traffic and by cumbersome wagons hauled at walking pace. Roads were built to provide some obvious advantage in commerce or conquest. They were then grudgingly maintained by those who might gain some advantage from the
  • Developments in cycle way monitoring
    February 13, 2012
    A new cycle way monitoring system developed by consultant Cowi and laser electronics company Dynatest in Denmark adds a new dimension to monitoring local road networks. It is developed from standard road condition measurements but is specially tailored for the bicycle path and the particular ride conditions needed for cyclists. The need is growing as the bicycle lane becomes increasingly important around the world. In London a number of special bicycle "super highways" have been introduced, marking off bicy
  • Wrong time to end right turns?
    March 15, 2024
    Banning right-hand turns after stopping for a red light is gaining momentum in the US. But debate continues about whether it will result in fewer incidents between vehicles and alternative mobility users. David Arminas reports.
  • Crossing the line
    October 12, 2017
    A cyclist in the UK has been sought after a very close call at a rail crossing. The barriers had dropped and warning lights were flashing when the cyclist rode up on his bicycle. Rather than waiting, the impatient cyclist hoisted his bicycle over the barrier and attempted to cross. Another person waiting at the crossing shouted concernedly that the man should wait but received an earful of abuse in return. At that point a train passed through the crossing, its driver seeing the cyclist and sounding his horn