Are we heading in the wrong direction?

Like many people, I like to cycle. I do it several times a week, and it’s something I love - it keeps you fit and you're also helping the environment. But if you have ever cycled through London’s city streets then no doubt you have stories of near misses, what-could-have-beens and perhaps reminders on your body that highlight the danger of cycling in London.
And you are still one of the lucky ones.

As you are no doubt aware, in the capital this month six cyclists have been killed.
It’s absolutely tragic, and highlights the needless danger that cyclists face. But their deaths should not go in vain. This should be a catalyst for change, for proper infrastructure to be put in place that gives cyclist peace of mind that when they are cycling in the city they are not accused of having a death wish.  But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Like many times when something tragic happens, rather than focus on the key root of the problem and plan a long term strategy that might not yield instant results, people of power look for the the short term and easy fix to the problem.
And this particular plaster comes in the form of lorries. According to stats, more than half of cycling deaths involved  heavy goods vehicles in the last four years.

Something obviously needs to be done, but all the talk seems to be about banning lorries in  rush hour. Obviously, any change is good change, but I hope more is being planned. Heavy good vehicles would still be present for large bulks of the day, and in even greater numbers if the ban on rush hour is put in place. What needs to be done is to put proper structures in place - like more cycle routes and ones that suddenly don’t place you in dangerous situations. It’s an absolute no brainer for me.

Safe roads for cyclists, Less congestion, a positive impact on  the environment and people’s wellbeing. It's not just London, obviously. There are dangers whenever you cycle. Myself, Laurence and Freddie had many near misses when we cycled across Europe (see pic, top).

We just have to be safe, and cyclists also need to do their part as well.

I’ve invested in BLAZE, which is a bike light that heavily increases visibility for cyclists. With a clearer understanding of the dangers on the road and better infrastructures in place, we could see a road system that is safe, environmentally friendly and is befitting of a city like London.

The Big Climb for Big Change

Trekking across the Arctic for three months in life threatening conditions, I really got to understand the human body and what it is capable of. It has helped me in everything I have done since to keep a positive mental attitude and keep things in perspective. It made me realize that when you think you have nothing left to give, your tank is still half full. In September, I attempted to summit Mont Blanc along with some of my closest friends to launch our startup charity Big Change Charitable Trust. The money raised from the event will be used to improve the lives of young people in the UK and you can see details of the projects we are supporting on the website. In the meantime, here is my account of our final day on the mountain.

Friday 7^th September, 2am

An overwhelming sense of adventure filled the air. Heading off into the dark abyss not knowing what we were to face was exciting. Were we to succumb to the altitude? Fall into a crevasse? Would the legs give up? Not knowing how tough it would be excited me. What I did know is that as long as you keep a positive mental attitude then you can always achieve more. I didn’t just want to get to the top, I wanted to do it with a huge smile on my face.

Crampons, head torch and ice axe at the ready we set off under the night sky up the mountain. 

 

We made it over the first dome and onto the next. Trudging through the snow, foot after foot in some sort of sleepy meditative state.  It was peaceful.

As we hit the brow of the Dome du Goutêr I was suddenly hit with an overwhelming realisation of what we were doing. It is so easy to get caught up in the details, the timing of things, kit check, body management etc. But when I walked over that dome I was awestruck. Above me towered the summit of Mont Blanc, standing like a timeless giant silhouetted in the night sky. The dull grey surface of it, glowing in the moonlight, a narrow snake like trail of headlamps slowly making its way up the steep face like a stairway of stars to the sky. The dull glow of sun pink rising on the mountains to our left, coating the frozen mountaintops in a warm blanket. It was incredible and in moment I was totally alive, in the present with not a care in the world. No leg ache or tiredness, just a full appreciation for nature and the world we live in. 

It drove me on step after step all the way to the summit and made me think of all the brave adventurers over time who have risked their lives to push our understanding of the world. The challenges people face in the world always come to mind when I am doing something like this and it always makes me put things in perspective: ‘So what if my legs hurt and I am exhausted? This pain will be short lived and soon enough it will be over’. This is not a luxury for a lot of people and the idea of that pushes me on to do my best. It is also what Big Change is really about: helping people overcome challenges however big or small they might seem and this climb really reminded me of that. Don't forget to check out the website and there are more pics on the Big Change facebook page

Big thanks to our sponsor and suppliers because without them this expedition would not have been possible:

Sponsor:

www.virginmoneygiving.com/thebigclimb

Suppliers:

Clothing from Bergans (www.bergans.com)

Accommodation from Hip Chalets (www.hipchalets.com)

Equipment from Grivel (www.grivel.com)

Boots from Scarpa (www.scarpa.com)

Sunglasses from Adidas Eyewear (www.adidas.com/eyewear)

Chamonix Tourist Office (www.chamonix.com)

Photos from Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)