Plugged in to MP3 players, this new breed among urban cyclists is not just a nuisance, but a menace – mainly to themselves

Beware! There seems to be a new type of cyclist out there – not the Lycra lout but the iPod zombie. I must declare an interest as a keen cyclist, pedestrian, train passenger, driver and, indeed, iPod user. However, like drinking and driving, I don’t think iPods and cycling mix. On my bike, audible warnings are just as important as visual ones. Even if you can see what is in front of you, you have to hear what is behind you as you move out to avoid potholes or raised manhole covers.

Your personal stereo gives you personal music which may affect the way you ride. Research shows that loud, fast music can raise blood pressure and adrenaline, which might just tempt you to take chances.

I suppose most people see zombies as creatures staggering steadily forward towards their goal, undeterred and unharmed by all that is being used to try to stop them. But this new breed of zombie evolving on the roads of Britain is finding its way into road casualty reports.

With earphones firmly in, cyclists lose vital clues to what is going on around them. Those who have been brought up as part of the Walkman or iPod generation are absorbed in their music zone at home, on the bus or train, and even at work. People with hearing difficulties tend to compensate for their lack of hearing on the road – iPod zombies don’t.

It isn’t just the lack of hearing. People go into their own private cocoon and their thoughts wander. They do things they wouldn’t normally do outside the cocoon. 

The government THINK! campaign has warned of the dangers of pedestrians texting. The time has come for a campaign aimed at iPod users on the road.

Other common zombies are those who pace back and forth as they talk on mobile phones. In the office this is just a nuisance, but on the motorway hard shoulder this kind of sensory oblivion is downright dangerous with juggernauts driving by.

With 820 cyclists killed or seriously injured in the three months to June – a 19% rise on the same period last year – we need to do all we can to make cycling safer.

“Are you a zombie?” is a question for all who cycle, walk or drive.

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Global cruise company MSC is today announcing the launch of the world’s first fully fragranced, sensory branded ship.

The Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas opened today with over 75% occupancy booked for December and January. Outrigger’s second property in Phuket opened on time in an environment where many hotel openings have been delayed.

Slovakian airline Danube Wings will launch new flights to Poprad-Tatry Luton Airport, Manchester and Dublin next month.

From December 6th, the carrier will accommodate winter holidaymakers and skiers heading to the Tatry Mountains, an area fast becoming popular among ski enthusiasts.

Poprad-Tatry International Airport is just 15 minutes’ drive from the mountains and 50 minutes from Jasna, Slovakia’s largest ski resort.

This season, Jasna is home to the new, eight passenger Grand Brhliska gondola lift, which rises from the nearby Grand Hotel Jasna for 320 vertical metres.

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While remaining relatively unknown to British skiers, Slovakia has long been popular with winter sport enthusiasts in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

Poprad-Traty International Airport is the highest in central Europe for short and medium-haul flights, located 718m above sea level.

Cheap Flights and Travel News – © 2009 – Just The Flight

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The editor of Krakow in Your Pocket reveals some of the secrets of this elegant and atmospheric Polish city

Why visit …

Winter coats Krakow in frost and snow, making this picturesque city even more beautiful – if a tad cold. In December the main square is taken over by a huge Christmas market, with stalls selling warming bigos, a thick meaty stew, and grzaniec, Polish mulled wine. For something less traditional, try a performance at the Divine Comedy theatre festival (7-14 December 2009, boskakomedia.pl). But for a real party, be here on New Year’s Eve, when the main square hosts a free rock concert and fireworks light up the sky.

Check in …

Krakow mixes five-star glamour with more than 60 hostels, so there’s something for everyone. I’d recommend short-term apartment rental, which gives you extra space and privacy for the same price as a hotel. Try Red Brick, a luxurious 18th-century apartment block near the station (00 48 12 628 66 00; redbrick.pl; from £75 per night). If you’ve more cash, stay at the Hotel Stary, a gorgeous blend of modern and antique, featuring marble bathrooms, a subterranean pool and rooftop bar (00 48 12 384 08 08; stary.hotel.com.pl; doubles from £195 B&B).

Get your bearings …

Take the rail shuttle from the airport to the main station, and follow the crowds through the underpass until you find youself in the beautiful and atmospheric Planty – a belt of greenery encircling the Old Town, where Krakow’s medieval defensive walls and moat once stood. Pass the baroque magnificence of the Slowacki Theatre on your left and you’ll quickly arrive at the few remaining remnants of Krakow’s ancient ramparts along Pijarska street, including the Barbakan fortress and Florianska Gate. The Florianska Gate officially marks the beginning of the royal procession route, leading down Florianska to the main market square, Rynek Glowny. With the towering St Mary’s Basilica in the near corner, the 14th-century Cloth Hall in the centre, and Town Hall Tower beyond that, entering the market square you’ve arrived at the pulse of the city.

Grab a snack …

For coffee and cakes in the Old Town, visit Jama Michalika (Florianska 45, 00 48 12 422 15 61; jamamichalika.pl) and see the incredible art nouveau interior and original artwork of this legendary pre-war hangout. The classy Chimera buffet bar (Swietej Anny 3, 00 48 12 423 21 78; chimera.com.pl) is a budget beauty in an elegant candelit cellar, with potatoes slow-roasting by the fire or try vegetarian food at Momo (Dietla 49, 00 48 609 685 775) in the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz – we love the sambar soup and chai tea.

Bag a bargain …

The Cloth Hall in the middle of the main square is the place for souvenirs: it dates back to the middle ages and today the stalls are packed with competitively priced Polish gifts like amber jewellery, carved wood and lace handicrafts. Also take a look around Kazimierz for antiques – particularly Jozefa Street and Plac Nowy. If in town on a Sunday, don’t miss the Hala Targowa flea market (Grzegórzecka 3, open 6am-2pm) for everything from war memorabilia to bric-a-brac.

Dine like a local …

For sheer magnificence, you can’t beat the Polish classics at Wierzynek (Rynek Glowny 15; 00 48 12 424 96 00; wierzynek.pl) – suckling pig, goose and wild boar – served to kings and princes since it opened in 1364. Kazimierz’s Szeroka Street gives you plenty of reputable dining options from Indian to old Jewish cuisine. Or forget the formalities and line your stomach before a big night out with a zapiekanka – served from the hatches of the nearby Plac Nowy roundhouse. These topped half-baguettes are Krakow’s best street food and make a filling meal for next to nothing.

Cocktail hour …

Krakow’s most atmospheric drinking district is Kazimierz, epitomised by the smoky candlelight and cracked mirrors of Alchemia (Estery 5; 00 48 12 421 22 00; alchemia.com.pl) and Singer (Estery 20; 00 48 12 292 06 22), or visit Omerta (Warszauera 3; 00 48 501 64 84 78; omerta.com.pl) to sample more than 40 Polish microbrews. In the Old Town, Florianska Street has an eclectic mix, with trendy photo exhibits at Pauza (Florianska 18/3; pauza.pl); incense-sticks and eastern ambience at Swieta Krowa (Florianska 16; 00 48 12 429 59 51) next door; and the absurd world of avant-garde art group Lodz Kaliska (Florianska 15; 00 48 12 422 70 42; lodzkaliska.pl) across the street.

Take it gently …

A stroll around Wawel Castle (wawel.krakow.pl) and the Vistula river banks is a must, and exploring the royal exhibitions can easily occupy an entire afternoon. Since you can’t walk a block in this city without passing a church, if you see only one, make it the the Basilica of St Francis (Plac Wszystkich Swietych 5), which has a stunning art nouveau interior. We’ll take the 20th-century collection on the top floor of the National Museum on Avenue 3 Maja (muzeum.krakow.pl) over the coveted Da Vinci in the Czartoryski Museum on Swietej Jana (muzeum.krakow.pl) every time, but the city’s best gallery is Bunkier Sztuki (Plac Szczypanski 3a; bunkier.art.pl).

Don’t leave without …

Visiting Kosciuszko Mound on Avenue Waszyngton (kopieckosciuszki.pl), a huge earthwork built in the early 19th century as a memorial to freedom fighter Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The views of the Old Town are fabulous.

• Krakow In Your Pocket is a guide to the city, available in bookshops and tourist information centres around Krakow. It’s also online at inyourpocket.com.

An Air France A380 superjumbo was forced to return to New York 90 minutes into
a flight because of a technical glitch.