taper

I think cyclists can go both ways on this stretch. There's a sign at the Holly Grove end isn't there? On the wider issue, it's pedestrians I really loath. I think cyclists and car drivers should unite in common cause against them, the cotton clad Nazis.

"Why would you want to send your children there?" I wouldn't and I can't in good faith (as it were). So I'm ruled out of sending my child to 1/3 of local schools. Is that right, particualrly when the better schools do tend to be faith schools (7 out of the top 10 performing primaries in Southwark are faith schools)? I happen to think that, as with hospitals, state schools should exist to serve all children equally according to their need. I've never understood why people baulk so much about selecting according to ability, but most seem relaxed about selecting according to a parent's faith. I know some schools like St Johns are pretty relaxed about this, but schools such as St Anthony's have hair-raising selection criteria. It genuinely leaves me aghast. We need an entirely secular education system.

Doesn't the evidence show that when the nature of fath schools' intake is taken into account the "better results" are shown to be related to that rather than any sort of divine intervention? I think the extistence of faith schools is the most reprehensible aspect of our education system. Something like 1/3 of southwark schools are allowed to discriminate on the basis of a child's parent's religion.

Agreed. Who's giving him more coverage? The Daily Mail's role in this lunacy is worse if anything than Wakefiled's

Ruth Off topic a bit, but as you're doing the London Marathon you might be interested in this thread where a few of us are gathering to provide moral support as the nights close in and the weather worsens. http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,542380 I'm integrating into my training my thrice weekly hauling of my daughter in a trailer up Camberwell Grove and Herne Hill. LM should be a doddle after that.

i use a trailer like that. But not sure I'd want to use it for a child that young. Your kid is safe in a trailer, but they do feel very distant from you. Not sure they're suitable for a child less than 2. The Hamax seats that fix on the back are very good. All you need is a contraption that fixes on your frame (the bit under the seatpost). You don't need a rear rack.

What routes do people take on their long runs? I tend to do a circuit between a mix of local parks - so Ruskin, Brockwell, Dulwich, Belair, The Rye, Burgess and sometimes Kennigton Park. When I got up to very long distances the last time around, I found that mixing up the surfaces really helped with the pain.

Fantastic! We have a support thread. I upped my long run by five minutes last Saturday. I need to shed some weight though. And get a new Garmin as mine's gone dead. I did it in under five hours last time, which was good for a fat bloke. But this time round, under 430's my goal.

I managed to get in on the ballot. Did anyone else? If so, we ought to set up a support thread on the EDF. I ran it a few years ago and spent a rather tough winter plodding around the streets of Peckham and Dulwich, culminating in a 20 mile epic which took me from Peckham to Herne hill, Dulwich and then Deptford; all in horizontal sleet. So really looking forward to the next six months.

Kids on Lyndhurst Grove tend to go to Lyndhurst Primary. And most seem to love it.

Meat Wagon and Ganapati will both be at tomorrow's Warwick Wingding. Much more besides. Full details on this thread http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?6,523488

I'd never heard of the term Irish Twins. It clearly has derogatory roots. But the term seems to have passed into common and non-offensive useage to the extent it has become the name of a website offering support to people with children born within a year, also a book and a film. So not at all like gippo and paki, which remain offensive.

I'm a passive-aggressive secularist. I'm quite sullen about the lack of separation between church and state in this countyr.

There was a case recently where a woman died because she had penetrative sex too soon after giving birth. I think before about 4 weeks, there's a heightened risk that air bubbles can pass (across the womb wall?) into the blood stream.

Keano77 This is an entirely legitimate set of issues to flag in the Drawing Room. Hitler youth, red shoes, etc would belong in the Lounge.

For the Wingding see here http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?6,523488 South West Peckham's social event of the year.

Further investigations have suggested the tube strike is responsible for the number of cylists out this morning. Part-timers. Pah. Also, I've learnt there are various areas where you can and cannot cycle on the river path, but that there is no path-wide ban. The position on pavement cycling in general is rather complex and there's no outright ban. See here - http://www.bikeforall.net/content/cycling_and_the_law.php for the full skinny

Question for fellow cyclists: Is the Southbank Thames path between Tower Bridge and blackfriars now open to cyclists? I recall southwark or the Mayor or someone had banned it. But this morning when I was down there were a lot of cyclists using it.

We should start o list of all those vehicles cyclist need to keep a special eye ut for. Registered minicab drivers top of mine, followed by delivery drivers, anyone driving a modern Mercedes, and then ohter cyclists. There's a special place in cyclist hell for people with tinted windows too, but that's probably generic to all road users. Oh and Ruskin private hire and Clarkes buses.

Waynetta You should credit your Top Tips.

Popbitch reckons Rob da Bank lives in East Dulwich. This inspires the following rather amusing tirade: . He lives in the nauseating hellhole that is East Dulwich these days. A place where a smoking pregnant woman can warrant a 14-page thread of hand-wringing. Not saying we have a PB day out, but... honk 13:07, arf, barf, reply Dulwich a mere sneer away from Camberwell spank_daley 14:22, arf, barf, reply i don't even need to click the link to know what that is. *bodenmummyface* deidre 14:16, arf, barf, reply oh mah dayzz that's a hoot - I'm quite pleased that the majority are telling her to mind her own fucking business though glitterkitty 14:14, arf, barf, reply Jesus Christ.....whoever thought people had so much time to write endless drivel on a webmong board...Oh mrbradsteen 13:23, arf, barf, reply

If Dick Gaughan was involved in the "chat" then no licence on Earth should limit the great man.

I like the Harris school. Agree on Peckham Library though

"I also dislike the public service unions, for they kept quiet, when the private sector was being savaged by the recession, now their members are affected they speak up." A union's role is to speak for its members. Some unions, Unite in particular, cover employees in both public and private sector. I've heard the story about the Temp so many times it must be an urban myth.

I'd add Ruskin Private hire to the list of commercial carriers to watch out for. Also I think The Mayor, to his credit, now forces really bad and dangerous drivers to put a round stickers in their back window bearing the legend "Registered Mini Cab driver"; so they're worth looking out for.