PeckhamRose

I'm going Thursday.

Anyone got the figures for how many people actively do not believe? Does that make us in the top five? ie. four religions and one actively saying there is no such thing?! BHA are trying to change the way the question will be asked in the next UK census. Quite right too!

But it is so much easier and vote-catching picking on motorists - all motorists - well, all except the ones who will never listen anyway - than concentrating on pedestrians who will not take responsibility for themselves. And I am a pedestrian too!

It really is a matter of riding or driving at a speed appropriate to the circumstances, which may exceed 20mph but is not in itself inappropriate. ANd this is my main gripe. We are having our ability to learn common sense and use that common sense, slowly taken away from us by these blanket laws which affect everyone yet - ss people have said above - don't make us better drivers. WHat happens when we suddenly find we are now on a stretch of road in a geographical area called Lambeth or Bromley? We shall just get back to 30mph and drive as safely there. I hate that so many people think most road users are dangerous. They'er not. It's all so arbitrary and serves no real purpose other than making the unelected council officers feel all powerful.

mattham you say it is bad when us motorcyclists take the cyclists box at the lights. Well, here is another example of how the different London boroughs really should come together and have one rule for all boroughs. Because in Newham motorcyclists are allowed to share the front of the traffic lights box with the cyclists. Motorcycle deaths are going through the roof AFN? What is your source? There has simply not been the carnage all the cyclists feared would happen, since us bikers were allowed in the TfL bus lanes. There was never going to be. It is not as if we were never allowed in them anyway before January 2009, because many bus lanes are only operable as bus lanes on the times they say on all those bloody signs we have to keep looking up to read, thus taking our eyes off the road. Bus lanes are often not 24/7 or 7am to 7pm, and so many bikers have shared the bus lanes with the cyclists since they started. And yes I too often smile and make way for friendly cyclists. Why do we have to see one another as enemies? That's politicians' jobs. We just want to get from A to B.

mattham you say it is bad when us motorcyclists take the cyclists box at the lights. Well, here is another example of how the different London boroughs really should come together and have one rule for all boroughs. Because in Newham motorcyclists are allowed to share the front of the traffic lights box with the cyclists. Motorcycle deaths are going through the roof AFN? What is your source? There has simply not been the carnage all the cyclists feared would happen, since us bikers were allowed in the TfL bus lanes. There was never going to be. It is not as if we were never allowed in them anyway before January 2009, because many bus lanes are only operable as bus lanes on the times they say on all those bloody signs we have to keep looking up to read, thus taking our eyes off the road. Bus lanes are often not 24/7 or 7am to 7pm, and so many bikers have shared the bus lanes with the cyclists since they started. And yes I too often smile and make way for friendly cyclists. Why do we have to see one another as enemies? That's politicians' jobs. We just want to get from A to B.

Been riding safely and sensibly and calmly and at 30mph for 25 years Sean, and I am not damaging / killing anyone on the roads. How do you wish to change my behaviour? (!!) Since road humps, specially the bike friendly ones that cars swerve into my path to get round, and since chicanes and other daft ideas, I would say it is not necessarily the motorist it is the reactionary highway council officers who are my biggest threat. When discussing traffic lights Southwark said it is a Transport for London issue, yet Southwark is free from TfL to carry out all the other dangerous ideas.

Been riding safely and sensibly and calmly and at 30mph for 25 years Sean, and I am not damaging / killing anyone on the roads. How do you wish to change my behaviour? (!!) Since road humps, specially the bike friendly ones that cars swerve into my path to get round, and since chicanes and other daft ideas, I would say it is not necessarily the motorist it is the reactionary highway council officers who are my biggest threat. When discussing traffic lights Southwark said it is a Transport for London issue, yet Southwark is free from TfL to carry out all the other dangerous ideas.

Oooh thanks there giggirl!

Oooh thanks there giggirl!

It is so confusing how to deal with and think about the police as an organisation. I agree with Brendan about the control aspect. And yet when I attend Police Ward Panels, they report their problems openly as to how to deal with crime and the underfunding and so on. In a way 'it' (the institution) is a bit like the NHS, in that there are individuals in the NHS who really should notbe allowed near sick people, and far too many managers in both outfits.

It is so confusing how to deal with and think about the police as an organisation. I agree with Brendan about the control aspect. And yet when I attend Police Ward Panels, they report their problems openly as to how to deal with crime and the underfunding and so on. In a way 'it' (the institution) is a bit like the NHS, in that there are individuals in the NHS who really should notbe allowed near sick people, and far too many managers in both outfits.

Interesting thoughts, but my points were misconstrued so I apologise for not making them clearer. Obviously I live in Southwark and I go work all over London as well as working from home. I ride for the wonder of it, and I ride for business. My point is that Southwark is just one small geographical area, and it is just so futile for so many millions of trucks lorries vans cars and so on who - when all they want to do is go from A to B - are faced with yet another set of rules for this relatively small area. If London wide had one set of rules, as I made the point about USA - it would be simpler and fairer and safer, since everyone would know those rules and you'd need less signage that changes each borough you come to. Today for example, riding down Peckham Rye. Was riding safely and aware of surroundings, concentrating, aware of people and other cars. Realised I was riding safely at 29mph yet come next year they've made a criminal out of me. I am concerned at this, that they are punishing everyone. And it is a punishment, because it is unnecessary. Yes as above why 20mph? Why not 10mph?

I once found my Nan's Warninks Advocaat. Drank the lot when she went out to bingo. House!

He shall be well fed... to the DOGS he apparently despised, one hopes.

The Southwark Council Road Safety Plan Consultation from Southwark's webpage link. This is the PDF file itself which is very big to download. Since they asked us nicely, I wrote a lengthy document with my thoughts and opinions and ideas. A reply arrived today from Simon Bevan, Head of Planning and Transport, and with the solicitation "Dear Sir/Madam", thanked me for my comments and the 2 page letter includes this paragraph: "The majority of responses supported the idea of 20mph limits throughout Southwark, although there was some concern about how these are currently delivered and enforced. The council is investigating better ways to achieve speed reduction and make our roads safer and will continue to strive to become London's first 20mph borough. This includes working with the police to deliver better levels of enforcement, further engaging the community, monitoring existing 20mph zones and exploring the use of new technology." Here are my thoughts: 1) Southwark is one borough on a plot of land in London. Many road users going from A to B will pass through Southwark and have a whole new load of road signs and rules to read and thus take their eye off the road / cyclist / pedestrian whilst taking in information. I believe it would be better if all boroughs in London had one rule for the whole of London's roads, and stopped trying to make political points and macho-posing amongst one another. Councillors and the chiefs within them have a far too greater sense of their own importance and it is all unnecessary. The whole of the USA has pretty much one rule, with a comparative few differences between entire states! Yet in this tiny plot of land called London we have 33 boroughs all making up new rules. All I wanna do is go for a ride! 2) Many accidents are caused NOT by speed (this is supported by evidence on insurers and police statistics), but by people using mobile phones, or driving lorries on the offside so they can'tsee what is overtaking them, by pedestrians behaving stupidly etc. Not all road users are bad irresponsible road users. By "forcing" everyone to do 20mph, maybe the surrounding boroughs will suffer because many may choose to drive alternate routes on their way through. 3) One of the points I made was about bad phasing of the far too many unnecessary traffic lights. After ALL they said and did and asked and talked about they (rightly) whined there was nothing they can do as traffic lights are under the Transport for London remit. So what is the point of all that! 4) It's a money making scam! We should be able to demand major council tax decreases with all the money they'll make fining people for doing a reasonable safe speed that happens not to be 20mph! Email your comments to: [email protected] and [email protected] himself the Head of Planning and Transport. Over to you lot!

Asda do self scanning. Got away with some nice stuff too, I have. Inadvertently too ofcourse. "Place item in bagging area."

Cynical dais indeed.

Fair post. I did stop and read the entire thing, and I did think about it. I did think about the person who typed it and the effort it took and the time, and the sort of person whose life had been, and how they interpreted what they saw and felt. I did think about it. And thought about the life they are living now and how their experiences have changed and how they can only see the bad things and all that. But just because someone is old does not mean their racist opinions are to be "tolerated" by everyone else, does it?

Has she risen yet? Or is there no God?

Billy Joel.

HonaloochieB: "PR"?? Wow. No, really. Wow. But yes, you could.

I saw one such sheet on the window of Tina's Hairdressers on Grove Vale. Lots of racism stuff so I casually amended it. Next day it was all torn down!

Opinions over? Here's some advice. On Thursday 4th June at the Harris Sports Academy school at 7pm is the next Police Ward Panel. Come along and tell the panel what has been going on. Police, SCPOs or SPCOs or whatever they are, Community Wardens, indeed the whole Safer Neighbourhood Team, along with local residents and youth group leaders, as well as some kids themselves, turn up and talk about what is going on in the area at the moment. The meeting happens every two months. You hear what is going on and you TELL them what is happening that they (police and CWardens and SPCOs) tell you what is happening. Nilesh, the postmaster at the Forest Hill Road Post office is the chair of the panel. Look forward to meeting you there.

Reading the above posts - what an education. One of mine was drinking several of many pints too many of Westons scrumpy at the Phoenix and Firkin when it was the Phoenix and Firkin, and I was so sick for two days after, I could not even eat apples for 3 years, let alone drink cider. Still can't drink cider. I mean hurling sick at the walls type hangover sick. Know that one?