malumbu

I like the permanent closure, and I am happy to walk to a bus stop. I've acknowledged that there will need to be a solution for those with mobility issues etc. But this is just some personal views, I am not campaigning either way and will accept what ever comes out of it. My main issues were those who parked on the double yellows, causing congestion as buses couldn't get past. They were I expect simply lazy drivers who couldn't give a fig, and I was disappointed about the low level of enforcement.

Lots of issues here, of which I think I have alluded to most of them. The lack of discretion. On all camera operated controls none! I've learned from my mistakes, but was grumpy when I got a FPN for pulling in too early for a left turn on the South Circ (I appealed, but was just in the bus lane, it was a close decision on VAR), for forgetting that an empty Brixton Road at 7.10 on a Saturday morning the bus lane still applied, and that Xmas Eve is not a bank holiday (congestion charge). So two out of three was me being forgetful, two out of three I was gaining no advantage over the traffic, but three out of three were correctly applied. But the system does not distinguish between a simple mistake as opposed to a serial offender. Conversely I have been let off speeding three of four times in my life when stopped by the police for speeding, being totally contrite (difficult as this can be seen as sarcastic), and that has been a useful reminder. A second point is driving standards as a whole. You pass your test as a teenager and can maybe drive for another 70 years without further training, apart from the possibility of a speed awareness course if you get caught. As someone with advanced cycle training, some further driver training and additional motorbike training, jeez there is some poor driving skills out there. And the lack of indicating.... In the 80s we got pulled up by the fuzz and my driver friend was questioned - I was trying to mouth 'mirror, signal, manoeuvre at him'. In deed, yes, we were pulled up for not indicating. Haven't the police got better things to do? In those days there were far more, and in many police authorities they would pull up the bad driver. Not necessarily a bad thing to do, but not part of modern policing. Anyway take it on the chin. Revenues from traffic enforcement are tiny compared to the council budget as a whole. And slow down, read the road ahead, anticipate, and we will all get on a lot better on the roads.

I did some safer parking outside school a few years ago, it was an organised parents' campaign to dissuade inappropriate parking, for about a week. We got a bit of grief early on and then those particular parents stopped parking irresponsibly. It was a gentle reminder and a leaflet rather than anything more confrontational. After day two or three, some would come up to their usual irresponsible parking space, and then look embarrassed and drive away. It was a sizeable minority if that makes sense. Of course once our kids had moved on the same problem happened all over again.

Good call on the substances Spartacus, but not sure who will be safer to get home afterwards, the cyclists or the drivers. A few cyclists may be aggressive to pedestrians, but the number will be low and I doubt if they do this all the time. Occasionally I get peed off with one too many walking out in front of me not looking/on their phone and I will yell, normally because I've had a bad day. Again it is fairly rare. I've also shouted at other pedestrians when I am walking doing sudden things as they have to check their phone and I expect virtually all drivers have had similar experience. It's just the knee jerk response that gets me, and the same arguments are trotted out every time. They come out on various threads on this forum, cyclists don't pay this that and the other, they are not insured, registered etc etc. It's all rather backwards, if I can make the leap from petrol head to tree hugger then others can too. Spartacus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think Malumbu, the reason is because cyclists > are often aggressive towards car drivers and > sometimes pedestrians. > > I think the only answer is an in person meeting > when it's safe to do with a big bowl of a > hallucinogenic type tobacco product that everyone > can participate in to come to a joint consensus on > how everyone can all use the road together > > May not work but what a meeting it will be and the > munchies after will support a local business for > days 🤔

I see these regularly on my journeys https://roadsignsdirect.co.uk/tsrgd/reminder-drivers-traffic-enforcement-cameras-are-use-879 but understand that by law they don't need to go up. Let's face it, we should all know the highway code, speed limits and the like, so not really sure why people are complaining. If some entitled rrrs blocks a box junction or is across the lights, I expect most of us wont have a lot of sympathy if the driver gets caught. My younger me would rant about this sort of thing, and I got done in a 30mph area on a speed trap years ago. Me to copper - it's a duel carriageway, away from houses, in must be 40mph. Copper - no sign, 30mph. But as said I've grown up since then. There's an adult conversation about enforcement, warnings vs fines, and the size of fines. Many law abiding motorists think it is unfair that they make a slight mistake, yet know of others who couldn't give a fig, and get away with it. The authorities do not want to demonise decent people. But straying into box junctions? That's just poor driving.

Don't understand why so many people feel that any thread involving roads is a reason to have a go at cyclists. The world has changed since 1982, I've managed to change too.

a. The cameras there are to enforce the law, some drivers don't obey them b. Stephiroth is just emphasising the point, I expect. Although for some drivers I'd crush their cars. Maybe the only whay they will learn c. Do we really need another thread about 'Southwark hating motorists' and d. If I feel like that why am I even contributing....

Temperature varies according to wind direction and amount of sun. Really difficult to get right. Set the thermostat at 18.5 some days too warm, some days too cold.

I'm happy to help, gardening, small building work, cycle maintenance. Is this what the thread is about? Similarly enjoying all these threads. Rocks, what do you think?

District heating/combined heat and power is something that other countries seem to do much better. Sweden had very high insulation standards 40 or 50 years ago, at a time when the UK was still building houses with single glazing. I've also been impressed by their district heating. You can argue they have the space, lots of lovely biomass to burn from the timber industry, but we were doing this 90 years ago at Battersea Power Station using the waste heat. This is all from memory so please do correct me!

I'd like to know more about this and views of others. So this is when an immovable force meets an unstoppable object. Both hardline traditional/extreme authorities. But asymmetric that one side has vastly superior technology and is effectively propped up by the US. Aggressions by both sides are looked on as war crimes. Death and destruction will be much greater in Gaza. There seems to be no middle ground or compromise from either side, which I expect has popular support. Personally Israel should withdraw from occupied territories (and meet all the UN resolutions), remove settlers and try to build some bridges with their Palestinian residents. Their human rights record is something not to be proud of. But I can still not rationalise this when their is an extremist regime in Palestine. Sorry this is all a bit simplistic, and I should read up on the subject (beyond Wiki) but perhaps others can explain things to me objectively. I visited Israel in the late 90s meeting Palestinians and Jews, staying with both groups. Jerusalem was one of the most amazing cities I've been to, the old city was a medieval melting pot. I understand new developments have blighted the City somewhat.

I do worry about the demographic that post on this sort of issue - it appears rather luddite and full of conspiracy theories. The smart meter makes it easier for both you and company to take readings and therefore monitor use. Combined with a Home Energy Display Unit this gives a visual of your real time use, both for electricity and gas. We are all encouraged to use less energy for our own pocket, energy security and the environment. Climate change is real and the UK is hosting the next big international conference (COP) in Glasgow later in the year - so expect some major announcements by our Prime Minister at this time. The display units are quite fun, and may or may not encourage you to use less. At the least you can see them woosh up when the kettle is on, so you may stop overfilling it. Bit of a cock up when the first generation were not transferable when you changed supplier. So no conspiracy theory, something that will be encouraged post Brexit, and technology should be your friend. Do have a quick read up on the subject: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/consumer-guide-understanding-energy-meters-ofgem/smart-meters-guide-your-rights PS this reminds me of a friend - "you wont get me in one of those self driving vehicles" - my response "fine, you wont have to" and at a later time they were saying how wonderful the parking assist was on their vehicle and how once you use it you can never go back to manual parking.

Things were better when the nobility and bishops ran the country, they knew what was best for us, we didn't have the masses, and particularly women, voting. A facetious post of course but the current proposals do feel this way a little.

The media had it in for Corbyn, and the media has helped boost the current Prime Minister's ratings. Whilst many people no longer watch TV news, or read the dailies hard copy or on line, stories will get recycled through social media. Not that that was the reason Labour were so poor last week, but it has helped cement the PMs brand over huge swathes of the country. Just a factual posting, rather than excuses.

So apart from concerns for some bus users due to age, carrying heavy shopping, young families and the like and we in agreement that making Rye Lane vehicle free is a good thing? Quietways are a TfL initiative, good things too, but can't see how one be introduced to take bikes away from Rye Lane.

Jazzer what Britain needed was cross party working to sort out the Brexit deal, and cross party working last March to properly tackle Covid.

It would be good to have your views Jazza, as you may have posted clickbait!

Sadly can't see an obvious way of rerouting bikes, perhaps an high level cycle route! Other imaginative suggestions welcome.

It would be helpful if rather than resorting to criticising Southwark - there are 1000s of posts already about the LTN - we could be more constructive. I tried to do that late last night. For example are there backways that could be opened up to keep bikes away from Rye Lane. Can buses get any closer to the station? Are there ways of assisting those with difficulties walking and/or heavy shopping to the nearest bus stop? The continual criticism of Southwark, whether justified or not, is tiresome. Look ahead please.

Hammerman, read this excellent article: https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/how-tories-new-direction-left-government-directionless-brexit-stories/ Bercow is right, but of course it doesn't make the slightest difference as we are out of Europe and it is only of interest to us remoaners to say 'told you so'. We are hopefully almost through Covid, but sadly 10,000s of lives could have been saved if there had been earlier action. The high risk game on the vaccine looks to have worked so need to be thankful for that.

I lobbied Southwark a few years ago about parking offences on Rye Lane. Whilst there was no vehicular access durinf normal times there were always numerous cars parked on the double yellow lines, causing large delays for buses. The Southwark red jacketed parking enforcement officers seemed to have no role in ticketing these drivers - I did question them one day and they told me that they were there to do some sort of traffic management. Odd. I did get some data on parking offences using an FOI and had a very good response, and there were a surprisingly large number of tickets issued, although this didn't seem to put off the illegal parkers. I posted the FOI response some time ago, probably on the lounge. But I think it is great that those cars have now been banned. My second campaign was on buses climbing the curb on the cycle route on the pedestrianised area. Making this into a precinct ten years and the rest ago was brilliant. Sadly the bus lane is a little narrow and when a delivery van is parked on the other side buses tend to move over and mount the curb, damaging it. They have totally ruined this, and lobbing in tarmac from time to time is no substitute. I tried to engage both with TfL and Southwark but got nowhere. I'd like the whole of Rye Lane to be made into a pedestrian precinct ie by laying down a new road surface, with different colours as necessary. Cycling through it is a bit crazy as many pedestrians do not look and wonder across the road. And all us cyclists should watch our speed, now it is car free. That is not an excuse for anti-cyclist posts, just an acknowledgement that the pedestrianised road is there to share. Stopped using the 363 and 63 for longer journeys due to delays around the Elephant when they did the gyratory a few years ago. That no doubt helps the flow of traffic entering from Camberwell direction but causes delays from Westminster/Blackfriars/Waterloo and going North down the New Kent Road. Tend to do 176 and 185 that I have used occasionally since the first lockdown. I'll walk or cycle to Peckham nowadays and still enjoy shopping there (Can you beat Khan's for the eclectic products and prices?? I'm looking forward to the next stages of regen.) As for buses for those less able than me? I wonder if some form of travellator would work from the new bus stops, I can't see some shuttle light rail type solution being affordable. Perhaps others could be imaginative and suggest other solutions beyond reopening the road to buses. I rarely drive to the shops. Most of my shopping is done on foot or bike - my guilty indulgence is getting the bulk stuff delivered. A friend who gave up their car on environmental/cost reasons considers that cabs/Uber are not a luxury but an occasional necessity when you have a big shop.

Japan has twice our population and less than a tenth of our deaths. They are obviously doing something right. We are opening up for live events. I really don't understand why we are questioning the Games going ahead, obviously with good hygiene, quarantine where necessary etc. India and the IPL is a (Modi) basket case. Let's assume that Japan isn't led by a similar leader to him, Trump or Bolsonaro.

We have short memories - do we remember how Blair was portrayed on Spitting Image, a school boy in-between Prescott in a boiler suit, and a horsey looking Beckett. Most were still grieving for John Smith. How much of Blair's ascendency was a very weak Tory government? It helps in establishing your Prime Ministerial credentials. Just a personal insight on the mid 90s What a really really hate is all these mixed messages on foreign travel. And the selective leaking to some of the dailies. Let's see what the spin is on all of this at 5 when the announcements are made about overseas roadmap.

I heard that the Italians have already surrendered. Sorry, I hate these crass stereotypes. I went to an interesting talk about WW1 once that talked about how well the French fought. Rather than this stereotype of WWII - and we choose to forget how important the French were in helping get the troops back from Dunkurque/Dunkirk.

Hi Pugwash, this thread is about cyclists crossing the road. Do start a separate one on cyclists running red lights. I wasn't going to post but cycled to the shops at school closing time. What a lot of awful drivers (not aimed at parents, but generally). Any free space on the roads and foot on the accelerator. I saw a mother and two kids cycling on the pavement and thought that if it wasn't for entitled motorists who don't care for other road users, these cyclists would not be on the pavement. Drivers not obeying the highway code far more dangerous the cyclists. Not that two wrongs make a right, so not excusing cyclists for hassling pedestrians.