The Third Leader: Cycle of life

Safety helmets off and a cheery ring of the bell to the bicycle, adjudged by Radio 4 listeners to be the most significant technological innovation since 1800. A fascinating thing, the bicycle, and not just because of the remarkable accoutrements, often in garish colours, that accompany it. A vehicle for physical economy and social emancipation, highly conducive to thought. Sartre was a keen cyclist, as was De Beauvoir, though not a very good one. D H Lawrence was a fan; T E Lawrence should have stuck to his.

Safety helmets off and a cheery ring of the bell to the bicycle, adjudged by Radio 4 listeners to be the most significant technological innovation since 1800. A fascinating thing, the bicycle, and not just because of the remarkable accoutrements, often in garish colours, that accompany it. A vehicle for physical economy and social emancipation, highly conducive to thought. Sartre was a keen cyclist, as was De Beauvoir, though not a very good one. D H Lawrence was a fan; T E Lawrence should have stuck to his.

An interesting choice, too, receiving almost 60 per cent of votes despite competition from more obvious advances such as the internal combustion engine and the internet. And a very welcome one in the Third Leader Department, where we campaign tirelessly for a more imaginative and less literal approach to the questions, challenges and functions of existence (thank you, Jean-Paul).

But the battle is far from won. Apart from the bicycle, the Radio 4 responses proved just a little locked into the world of the clunky and the hard-driven, although we did enjoy the two votes for the venetian blind, "because otherwise it would be curtains for the entire human race." (Thank you, Tim Hutty, Sheffield, and GT, South Wales.)

So, in a bid to stimulate further debate, here are our 10 submissions: 1. The patio heater. 2. The speed camera. 3. Fish and chips. 4. The automatic tea-maker with integrated alarm and radio. 5. Vesta curries. 6. The ukulele. 7. The Hostess trolley. 8. The keys that beep when you whistle. 9. The postal vote. 10. The off switch. Thank you. And a final thought: did you know that the tin-opener wasn't invented until 48 years after the tin?