malumbu

Please avoid personal attacks. As March says with legal electrical assisted pedal bikes, the power cuts out before the bike hits 20 mph. There are numerous posts about illegal e bikes, a separate subject. You shouldn't confuse legal with illegal. https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/electric-bike-laws Useful reading, road legal e bikes electric assistance cuts out at 25 mph

Thank you for your heartfelt post, based on your real experience. I'm a technical person who has worked for the last 13 years in sustainable transport, including working with Highways Engineers, and analysts. I've seen good government - both Labour and Tory, in my area but disappointment in Sunak's desperate and futile driver first policy and sadly Starmer's backtracking following the 'who really cares' Uxbridge result. But I am generally sick to the back teeth of people knocking professionals, particularly those like me who are passionate about making the world a better place. It's like football fans always know better than managers Although the worst thing about this thread is the title Ps those parking in bus lanes winds me up, and I recall one car near to sacred Heart on Camberwell New Road that cumulatively added 100s of hours to bus times. I understand that TfL left cars clamped as a deterrent rather than towing them straight away.

Jumpers for goalposts.

I'm more worried about Trump generally, although I understand that he is dismissive of the European cautious attitude to AI. Newsnight had a rare interview with the two Abba boys and showed them a composition by AI based on Abba's songs. Benny said it was nothing like them. I thought otherwise....

Thinking further we have a serious matter about pedestrian safety yet there is a reference to clowns. @Penguin can you change the title please?

What is difficult about being aware of other road users? It should be second nature. You've just argued for more cycling infrastructure if you think it is better segregating cyclists and motor vehicles. I could say that it is difficult cycling when you don't know what a driver is likely to do. Fortunately I can usually anticipate when they don't check their mirror, blind spot, signal and or are on their phone I could say that it is difficult cycling when you don't know what a driver is likely to do. Fortunately I can usually anticipate when they don't check their mirror, blind spot, signal and or are on their phone

This thread has the most annoying title. I learned long ago that if you want to debate you avoid facetious statements. In particular as some may not agree with the original statement. It's the sort of thing Trump would say.

Specific points From my understanding if you challenge a penalty notice you should be allowed to keep the discount if you are unsuccessful I've not challenged one for years (it was Bromley), the outcome was my concerns were reasonable but Bromley had acted within the regs/powers and I was duly allowed to pay at the discounted rate. But is it worth the time/hassle? Particularly as pointed out above you are not in a good position. General comments Fair and proportional. You could argue that this is neither, but you would have to take this up with government Discretion - how much discretion should the enforcement officer have given you? You could complain to Southwark but I'd expect a one liner back. And again to government. There is a general point on resources that most things have been cut back - environmental health, planning, trading standards and highways, so it is difficult to engage with an individuals in government even if you can get contact details. I've gone through LinkedIn and gone high level for example on rogue traders but still not got a response. A few years ago I'd occasionally report builders working outside acceptable hours, tried this recently and found that the team was half the size - even worse if you contact HMRC who were wonderfully helpful in times gone by. That's a fact of life not a complaint. Having said that the TFL Oyster people are great. I believe that fixed penalties are too high in London but best thing to do is avoid them so I am much more cautious than I was maybe twenty years ago when I would have gone off on one. I do have a massive bee on my bonnet about the lack of enforcement after normal hours and it is open season to park on pavements, double yellows and the like. And also that enforcement officers concentrate on the streets with the most return, which is understandable of course, but it pees me off when people park on the zig zags on Forest Hill Road. I once reported a potential crime on Perry Vale, threatening to two police officers doing nothing in a car that I was going to damage cars parked illegally due to an event at the Banqueting House. They told me it was nothing to do with them. Cheers...... I've gone into Lounge territory.

This is a bit disingenuous, firstly this is a forum where we can share opinions and secondly views like mine are often supported by reports and data. There is a lot of reactionary stuff on the transport part of this forum and an awful lot of complaining. At times some of us try to provide some balance.

Not a lot to say in the issue but what makes you so knowledgeable about highways to call professionals clowns? Why not enquire of TfL about the time this is taking. You could offer your professional services.

Penguin: "which makes driving behind them that much more tricky" If you are not able to do this then you are not meeting minimum driving standards. You would fail your driving test, The Highway Code is generally not road user specific, a bike in front of you has priority whatever the speed, noting that slower road users may choose to move into a safe space to allow you to overtake, but are not compelled to. Like in the Scottish Highlands when those towing caravans would let you overtake, not so common nowadays and no doubt many of us have been on a single carriage A road with a massive queue behind a tractor, nervous car driver or car towing a caravan. You should only overtake the bike if there is enough room, which includes giving the bike around a couple of metres. Significantly less than this you could be stopped by a police officer and given a ticket.

You have all the information you need to appeal, I expect you have a receipt for the items and can demonstrate that they were heavy.

So do you also think that there should be no new cycle paths until cycling standards improve? It would be interesting to apply this to new roads! I feel a letter coming on to our MP

So your views are that until there is an improvement in cycling standards there should be no new cycle lanes. Thanks for your honesty. I suggest that you respond to the consultation appropriately It would good to hear your blueprint for achieving this - would this be cyclist or bike registration, or both? Would there be age limits? And what would you do if cyclists are underage - or would they be prohibited from cycling in public spaces? Would there be a cycling test? Would bicycles need to be MOT'd. What about people building their own bikes, including using parts from other bikes? What about grey imports? Enforcement - who will do this, police through existing powers, local authorities through new powers. Would this be self funding? And what about the upfront costs?

Brings dogging into mind. I understand that this is slang for exercising canines. People who own dogs are known as doggers. From another thread there is some concern over dogging and doggers in the area due the state of local footpaths and parks. Hopefully this will feature in an episode of Amandaland. As it did in the last series of Outnumbered, a rare treat as this was funnier when repeated over ten years later compared to first time round when it was a little tired. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03w7snk/outnumbered-series-5-episode-4 Compared to Amandaland very much understated I live in UDB ie Upper Dulwich Bottom. Now Up Dub.

So do you agree that there should be a cycle lane? If not, why not.

I am a highly experienced cyclist. I know many cyclists. I know the local roads. Why do you find it so difficult to comprehend that due to human physiology, the mechanics of bicycles and simple physics, the condition of the roads, traffic lights and junctions, and the number of other road users, it is difficult to maintain a speed over 20mph. Why are you more of an expert that an experienced cyclist? "According to data from Strava, the average cycling speed in London is around 22.5 km/h (13.98 mph), with most cyclists averaging a speed between 12-16 km/h when commuting, taking into account traffic lights and stoppages; this can vary depending on the specific route and cyclist ability." The former relates to a relatively small number of active cyclists going for a hack eg on a Sunday morning. No doubt into the quieter outer boroughs and beyond. The latter is what you will generally see - the masses of utility cyclists particularly commuting.

Let's not turn this into another anti-cycling thread

There is a general lack of appreciation about the safeguards, watch dogs and other ways that government looks to good return on investment, and accountability. Of course every new government comes in and says waste has to be reduced, efficiency increased, often with a tightening of purse strings. I'm talking UK here, But the US will surely have similar processes in place. Obviously things go wrong from time to time, and that is what tends to make the papers/socials rather than the things that go right. Foreign aid was cut from the target of 0.7% to 0.5%, following Covid, stats from two years ago are here (not a riveting read): https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-aid-spend-2022/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-aid-spend-2022

London roads are busy. Unless you travel mainly in the early hours you will rarely be in this situation. So total overkill. Disproportionate to the real hazard. This discussion appears to be fuelled by perception and for some dislike of cyclists/cycles. Not the real world. Where do you stop? Kiddies on balance bikes?

Portabello are an independent business that operate 18 pubs https://portobellopubco.com/our-story/ Not sure how this squares with Zetland Capital, who claim to operate the pub. Perhaps someone can explain.

How do you know how fast they are going? Are you a cyclist? I've done 10,000s of miles cycling and only down a steep hill with no traffic and a good surface could I possibly exceed 20 mph. A lot of histeria on this thread.

Ok trendy rather than successful!

Some days everything goes wrong, engineering works, diversions, signal failure, trespassers on the tracks, broken down trains/buses, cars parked on the bus lane etc etc. Always at the worst times. No answer I am afraid beyond checking your journey before you leave and return

Not sure why Brewdog is so successful, comes over as well marketed/Emperor's new clothes to me, and what is reported to be a horrid management culture https://www.punkswithpurpose.org/the-open-letters/an-open-letter-to-brewdog-on-behalf-of-current-staff/