malumbu

I keep seeing a thread 'missing cat', but you've been found. Not sure if all would consider that a good thing. Not a lot new happening .... When you back in Blighty?

Hmmm, millions of animals are killed each year to eat in this country. 10,000 animals (maybe many more) reared to be eaten by exotic pets, dissected by students, experimented on by cosmetic and medical companies. Why is this any different? Unless you have a vegan lifestyle most of us aren't in a position to judge. I've not eaten meat for years, try not to buy leather and other animal products as much as possible but don't read every label, and have to live with the fact that for every female chick bred to (unaturally) lay eggs for me to eat, there will be male that is likely top be slaughtered, ditto for the cow/milk machines - again unnatural. I wasn't aware that there was this sort of market, but there must be a demand for it and doubt if it is breaking any sort of law. Happy to be proved wrong on anything and everything.

What would I do about cyclists? The failed Tory manfesto commitment to train all kids was an excellent proposal. Public information campaigns aimed at all road users, rather than singling some out, to more considerately share the road, as TfL have done, is welcome too. As for crunching vehicles. I'd extend this to illegal ebikes, illegal e-scoooters (I think some local authorities have done this with the latter) but before that I would (a) legislate that the delivery companies move away from zero hours contracts to permanent employees and take responsibility for their training, vehicles and behaviour on the road. More expensive takeaways are a price worth paying for safer roads and proper terms and conditions (b) legislate to register all illegal e-bikes and scooters so that when they are found on the road the retailer takes a hit, and clamp down on any grey markets. If you buy an e scooter say from Halfords this comes with a disclaimer that it can only be used on private land with the owner's permission.

I know a lot of experts in the field and getting a franchise was a license to print money, that is why Virgin were so happy to spend lots of dosh challenging government ten years ago when they lost the West Coast franchise. This will not be overnight, rather than when the franchise has come to the end. Government had previously taking over the operator of last resort when some TOCs screwed up. Good, at last some clear blue water between the parties. Tories said they were going to do a halfway house, but I've not noticed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_British_Railways : "On 19 October 2022, Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced that the Transport Bill which would have set up GBR would not go ahead in the current parliamentary session.[15] In February 2023, Transport Secretary Mark Harper re-affirmed the government's commitment to GBR and rail reform.[16] The 2023 King's speech announced the progression of a draft Rail Reform Bill which would enable the establishment of GBR, although it has not been timetabled in the Parliamentary programme.[5] The Transport Secretary Mark Harper later told the Transport Select Committee that the legislation was unlikely to reach Royal Assent within the 2023-2024 parliamentary session.[17]"

Enforcement for both drivers and cyclists low priority for the police and our local politicians. Not my decision. I'd happily make those that don't know or bother with mirror signal manoeuvre, or cut corners, resit their test, but that would be 90 percent of drivers so would overwhelmed the system and lead to civil unrest. A more straightforward response would be to put the car in a crusher but that would be even less popular. I'll consult the old testament to see what else could be done

Birds have large broods as it is unlikely all their offspring will make it through to adulthood. Nature. Important to reduce unnatural predation such as rats.

Nope that will not address antisocial cycling, it is a token effort, hardly going to change society is it?

Did I say that? I'm not sure why adults cycle on the pavement beyond the odd short cut, for a few metres, and even then walk the bike if there are people on it. I don't condone unsafe riding. I don't feel the need to go on about it, feel it gets disproportionate coverage when there are other issues, and that there is a sense that from some "oh the poor motorist" and "its all those cyclists fault" that the "poor motorist is being victimised". I could post dozens of stories of dangerous driving that have affected me, I see it every day, but don't feel the need, and would of course have to balance this with the fact that most road users happily share space. I've asked some good questions about how you address 'antisocial cycling" but nobody has offered any answers - as this is a forum I'd be keen to understand. The Old Street enforcement is pretty rare and I doubt whether this will make much of a difference unless the police role this out wider. They wont. There is no political will. I've been stopped by the police cycling maybe three times in twenty years, twice to invite me into the cab of a HGV as part of a safer cycling campaign, and once as they were doing security marking. I've seen plenty of dangerous driving in plain view of police officers, more often than not illegal ebikes and food delivery riders. Interesting reading a MPS FOI on cycling enforcement, 52 FPN in 5 years for cycling on pavements, therefore either it hardly happens or it is a low priority https://www.met.police.uk/foi-ai/metropolitan-police/d/september-2022/fixed-penalty-notices-issued-cycling-offences-london-january2017-august2022/ Row Labels 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Grand Total Cycling on footway 358 258 297 460 552 174 2099 Pedal cycle - contrave traffic sign 4 74 246 158 66 548 Pedal cycle - contravening automatic traffic signals 2445 2445 Pedal cycle - contravening constable on traffic duty 3 1 4 PEDAL CYCLE - CONTRAVENING DIRECTION GIVEN BY POLICE CONSTABLE / TRAFFIC SURVEY 3 1 1 5 Pedal cycle - contravening traffic signs 72 72 Pedal cycle - contravening warden on traffic duty 1 2 3 Pedal cycle - failing to stop for a police constable 17 11 16 18 24 10 96 Pedal cycle - lights not conforming or lit during hours of darkness 65 80 93 122 90 31 481 Pedal cycle - riding where prohibited 4 12 1 17 Pedal cycle - unauthorised passenger 1 2 6 6 3 2 20 Pedal cycle - without lights being fitted 8 6 2 9 13 4 42 Ride a pedal cycle on a footpath / causeway by the side of a road made / set apart for the use of foot passengers 9 16 14 13 52 Ride a pedal cycle on a road and fail to comply with the indication given by a traffic sign/light 3548 5893 4490 4751 2324 21006 Grand Total 2970 3928 6392 5369 5607 2624 26890 Just noted an error in my assessment of the data, will anyone notice it? Doubt it!

Good to hear that it is being used

In the great scheme of things running a red light is less serious than hand held mobile device or excessive speeding ie beyond that where a speed awareness course is usually the penalty. Many drivers run red lights, many traffic lights do not have cameras. It feels like many are either pretending that motorists do not regularly break the law or that it is trivial.

I had a look on Google for commitments by the major parties to address 'antisocial cycling' but couldn't find anything. I expect we will hear more in coming months, judging by the anti cycling sentiment of the Tories, Reform and the 'odd' independent running for London Mayor. Sunak has already made it clear that he is anti public transport, anti environment and pro driving. To remind you of the current manifesto: We will support commuter cycling routes, so that more people can cycle safely to work and more families can go out together. We will create a new £350 million Cycling Infrastructure Fund with mandatory design standards for new routes. We will extend Bikeability – cycling proficiency training – to every child. And we will work with the NHS to promote cycling for healthier living. They will fail on the latter but I hope that most of you agree that getting kids to do it right will reduce some of the issues people are articulating here. Funny how you look back with some nostalgia to Johnson and Gilligan. Well on cycling, and the environment, in any case. And some pretty revolutionary stuff on social prescribing - encouraging and supporting active travel rather than tranqulisers: "more personalised care – linking GPs with wider forms of community support, such as social prescribing, could allow care to be more personalised which would help reduce the need for people to have more expensive, invasive medical treatment" https://www.gov.uk/government/news/patients-to-receive-better-care-as-nhs-and-social-care-systems-link-up

Go to a busy junction which doesn't have cameras and you will see one, two or three cars running the light after it has changed. The one by the Rye is a typical one, frustrating for those that don't have a right filter so limited chance to manoeuvre before traffic comes from the other road. I sense that some are so concerned about bikes that they have a distorted view. Has anyone looked at government policy on poor cycling standards? Information campaigns? Training? Enforcement? I have other priorities although big issues with illegal e bikes, lack of training for Uber riders etc and the need to get them properly employed with fair terms and conditions. As they can sell on their jobs, and Uber etc have no responsibility for those that take over, we will get a serious injury between a food delivery rider on an illegal e bike sooner or later where there is no responsibility beyond the rider with limited finances.

Hopefully an upbeat thread - there's a lot of negativity about cyclists but do share your positive views and stories. I was asked about the stats on cycleways - I wouldn't normally post anything from the Mail but the first 3/4 of this article are very positive: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13163631/Londons-cycle-lanes-QUADRUPLED-Sadiq-Khan.html And nice infographics. Total length of cycleways are 360 km a small fraction of the London road network, Johnson went for the grandiose cycle superhighways with some road space lost to segregated cycle lanes (not a lot in total length but these are the schemes often referred to by those less happy) From my experience Khan's new routes have tended to link up quiet roads, that were often already closed to through traffic, with the occasional shared off road section such as around Millwall FC. There's a family cycleride along the newly completed Cycleway 4 next Sunday https://lcc.org.uk/events/lll-cycleway4/ huge cycles, penny farthings and reverse pedaling bikes are not compulsory!

It was a little militant when it started 30 years ago but morphed quickly into a celebration of cycling. Very much a rebel but not sure of its cause at the beginning. I'm putting up a separate thread on the joy of cycling as this one is to discuss ULEZ, although it feels like it's all been said.

Saying cyclists are the most antisocial people in London isn't helpful. Nor is the Standard referring to cyclists as lycra clad louts Yes we can have an adult conversation. But emotive knee jerk nonsense is not going to achieve this and just plays into the hands of those wanting a manufactured culture war

Sorry to hear and glad you and hopefully bike OK and doesn't put you off cycling. Please do inform the police even if that sounds a waste of time. Do consider going to the Motor Insurance Bureau, the slush fund set up by insurers for untraced/uninsured motorists.

Incidentally 360 km of cycle network in London vs 20,450 km of normal roads.

Government did not actively promote diesel cars. I have had to refute this many times on this forum. People bought diesels as they liked them. The industry reacted by making more models. The common rail injection system introduced in the late 90s made them much more like petrol cars than tractors to drive, with better low end torque and fuel economy. Vehicle excise duty was rightly based on carbon emissions, as climate change is the biggest concern. Its a piffly amount compared to the savings in fuel and maintenance for high mileage/long distance drivers who drove diesels, compared to a petrol equivalent. If you want to blame somebody blame the motor industry for not doing more to reduce emissions, gaming the standards (ie doing what they needed to meet standards knowing that this was not delivered on the road), and providing better information for purchasers. Or the international standards organisations for getting their test procedures wrong. Ironically the VW emissions scandal has led to far more realistic test procedures and the latest diesel cars are far cleaner than previous models. Successive governments should have provided better consumer information but wanted to be technologically neutral. That could be applied more to the coalition government onwards where it was known the Euro 4 and Euro 5 that were introduced in the mid 00s and early 10s to address the problem were failing to deliver cleaner air in terms of nitrogen oxides (they were successful in reducing particulate matter). The simple messages should have been - driving up and down the motorway all day, diesel may be best, small journeys around town - petrol. Or drivers in urban areas who mainly did short journeys for not buying Fiat Cinequcentos (Top Gear reviewed city cars about ten years ago and finished the programme with a street parked with these as they were by far the best). But we are where we are and well done to Johnson for proposing the ULEZ and Khan for delivering it.

What a sweeping statement and gross generalisation. What do you base this on (a) a dislike of cyclists (b) your casual observations? Rather than demonise a significant number of people consider how we can get on better together. There is too much conflict in society egged on my nonsense alarmist articles in papers like the Standard.

Johnson screwed TfL over. COVID compounded this. I'm a regular user of public transport and generally happy. I have my moans but tend to pick these up with TfL or my MP. I can't remember the last time I drove a journey under 2 miles. I don't think of the convenience it may provide, assuming I could park, but the harm it presents. I'm pleased that the current Mayor has taken further measures to discourage some car journeys. And recognise some of the good the last one did, despite his many failings. I'm disappointed that the current PM is the first one publicly pro car since Thatcher, but he will go (not soon enough). I went on the wonderful 30 year ride and party for critical mass on Sunday, in central London, having been there 30 years ago at the first one. It was wonderful to celebrate the large increase in cycling since I moved to London.

The revolution will be televised but I expect it will be in the States following Trump's conviction and the the extension of a ultra low lethal weapon zone from the murder hotspots to mid town America. Three to five years replacement? If you are talking about leasing, I though that that was even shorter, but the house of cards will have to tumble sooner or later.