Spartacus

Today it was pre announced that the small metal n20 (nitrous oxide) canisters will be banned and possession will become a criminal offence. This is supposed to stop young people using it as a recreational drug however it will cause issues for anyone who owns a cream whipper or professional chefs. Are the government using a sledge hammer to crack a nut and if n20 possession is made illegal what happens to people who have it in a draw for making whipped cream. In fact with no real alternatives on offer does it make thousands of cream whippers* up and down the country obsolete ? Is there a better way of controlling it to stop misuse? * cream whippers is not a euphemism for some shady activity 🙄

Ebenezer are you being SarCastic?

Cashed up bought a 3 bed terrace near Lordship Lane for 75k in 1983 and sold for 900k in 2017 with no mortgage, so I saw the whole arc of gentrification and I have a lot to than ED for. Back in 83 it was a bit rough you had gangsters meeting in the Foresters Arms (now the Bishop) and a very mean vibe and an Irish estate agent selling Irish property on Uplands Road. I knew Reg the landlord of the Palmerston and the other pub up the lane towards the Plough that had live bands. I've gotta ask What the funk is an "Irish Property"

Whilst we have a good thriving local high street, there is the "online" effect where more sales are happening online making it harder for bricks and morter retail businesses to turn over enough to cover costs. This is also compounded with high retail rents and business rates for physical shops. The only way you can get or retain good local shops is by physically supporting them and reducing our reliance on online sales. Are you happy to reduce your online habit to ensure great local shopping ?

There are plans to return to the moon and build moon bases on it. As part of that plan Rolls Royce have just signed a deal to research how to build micro nuclear reactors to use on the moon. BBC News - Government signs £2.9m Moon base nuclear power deal with Rolls-Royce https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-64982477 Did nobody learn from that 1970s classic Space 1999 that nuclear explosions on the moon will hurtle it out if our solar system. We didn't head the warnings in contagion and we've also ignored the warnings from independence day. Mark my words life follows science fiction 😅

Ex You are not wrong with your assessment on the impact of social media. I'm talking more about television, cinema and printed media messages, rather than pure social media. I'll always remember the "scary" 1970s films to discourage children from playing on the railways or climbing electricity pylons. It's a bit like the lack of keep Britain tidy messages, which has resulted in litter everywhere and people getting fined for dropping it. If there is continous messaging then eventually it will start to sink in, as in your example with drinking and driving. Enforcement can be done in different ways, not just coppers on corners. For example PCSOs could be given powers to arrest / fine for some traffic infractions and the fines could sustain their roles. Problem is at the moment cars do seem to be the easy option to fine as they are tracable via their number plates so drivers do feel victimised. If fines were given to all road users for infringements then the cry of "cars are cash cows" would be muted but as it currently appears that cyclists are mostly not fined for breaking the rules then it's obvious why car drivers feel disadvantaged. The concept of stopping knife crime vs stopping idiots on the road is important and a balance needs to be found to enforce both and make the streets safe for all, guess that's something for very clever people to resolve (or people with common sense)

Mal You've raised a good question (don't let it go to your head) Better enforcement is required but better education is also needed. Remember tufty and the green cross code man telling us how to cross the road safely (or Alvin Stardust 😅) Remember the great "think once, think twice, think bike" campaigns Remember "Clunk cluck every trip" There is nothing of that memorable ilk today. We recently had a revision to the highway code but I bet not many know the new rules in detail. Where are the public education films to remind people of the rules ? Why don't we see them anymore? Whilst it's everyone's responsibility to know the rules, positive reinforcement messaging is still required. Whilst I also get the argument that we need to protect the more vulnerable on the road, the recent changes to the highway code have shifted the responsibility for pedestrians walking out into the road from the pedestrian taking care to "its the drivers fault" does the green cross code no longer apply ? The rules are there for everyone to follow but there is almost no positive engagement to remind everyone to abide by them.

Simple I would prioritise that everyone follows the rules of the road Cars stick to the speed limit /obay traffic signals Cyclists don't jump lights or ride on the pavement And pedestrians don't just step out in the road without observing the green cross code We all need to take action and not just play the blame game. It's not always as simple as some try to paint it and our individual safety starts with ourselves.

The issue is with absolute comparisons is that in this case you are comparing grapes with the moon (relative sample size) so whilst it's factual it's not an accurate representation of the issue

Mal Thank you for posting Curiosity is gnawing away at me on two fronts 1. The comparison of deaths caused by cyclists vs. Cars is fascinating but lacks proportionality If the number of cycles on the road matched at all times the number of cars then what would the projected numbers be ? As it is, comparing the number of accidents caused by each (car or bike) is not a true comparison as statistically there are more cars on the road so you would expect a higher collision rate. What may be interesting is to scale the number caused by cyclists up to account for equal number of cyclists and cars to see what the real figure would look like. Given that they want to encourage more of us to cycle then will we see more cyclist caused accidents? 2. If a cyclists jumps a red light and causes an accident then who would be at fault? Arguing the car driver should have taken more care may not wash if the cyclists doesn't give them any opportunity to avoid the accident. Let's be Frank "All" road users should respect the rules of the road especially around lights and crossing which would negate the perception that cyclists are a law to themselves

Hopefully it goes hand in hand with a scheme similar to the one being introduced in Westminster where people will be fined for dumping bikes randomly. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64943801.amp

You may also want to widen the research to include those with mobility issues and carers as their views will very different to "seniors"

Are you two having a long distance bromance ?

It shows that the grass isn't always greener. Politicians from all party are rarely in it only for the good of the people and are all a very particular type of person to do their job. Regardless of who's in power there will always be cries of foul play and get them out because they did xyz. I suspect in 5 years time we will all be complaining about whoever wins the next election, its the cycle of things that's happened since we first had a parliament.

It's now three minutes past 11 on the 10th March Has anything happened?

It's going to be a non event On no its not Oh yes it is There are no current plans for drag Queen story telling so not sure why anyone is going at all but each to their own and maybe everyone turning up will buy a drink or lunch and make it a goldmine event for the owners 😀

You need to roll up one trouser leg, put on a cycle clip and give the sacred hand signal only used towards motorists 🖕 Then mutter the secret password phrase "everyone can cycle" and you're in 😅

I didn't see that one coming. I just knew someone would come up with that! It was predictable 😅

This response to a petition to "Carry out a review into Low Traffic Neighbourhoods" was posted yesterday (7th March) https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/632748?reveal_response=yes Government responded: The Department has appointed the University of Westminster to undertake an independent evaluation of active travel schemes funded in 2020/21, including low-traffic neighbourhoods. Responsibility for traffic management on local roads rests with the relevant local authority as they are best placed to consider how local needs can be effectively met. It is entirely a matter for individual authorities to decide on the nature and scope of policies. The Department is responsible for setting legislation and for providing guidance to local traffic authorities but has limited direct influence over locally managed roads. To help local authorities make safe provision for pedestrians and cyclists during COVID-19 and to mitigate the lack of capacity on public transport due to social distancing, the Department launched the Emergency Active Travel Fund (EATF). This funding was designed to help local authorities create an environment that is safe for both walking and cycling, allowing people to get around whilst maintaining social distance while also aiding longer term increases in walking and cycling along with the associated health, air quality and congestion benefits. Some local authorities decided to implement temporary LTNs as part of this programme. Many of these were made permanent as part of later funding rounds, where authorities considered that the schemes were working effectively. A number were also removed. In order to better understand the impact of this funding, the Department has appointed the University of Westminster to undertake an independent evaluation of schemes funded through the second tranche of active travel funding, including a deep dive into the impact of segregated cycle lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods. The results will be published in due course. The Department has been clear that traffic management schemes should always be developed through consultation and engagement with local communities. As a condition of receiving funding provided by Active Travel England ATE), all local authorities are required to undertake consultation, and monitoring and evaluation work, to ensure that schemes meet the needs of the local area and the people that live there. ATE is an Executive Agency of the Department, based in York. It was launched in August 2022 and is working with local authorities to develop and deliver new high-quality walking and cycling infrastructure schemes. Department for Transport I love the latter section that talks about the schemes must meet the needs of the local area and the people who live there, obviously a point that has conveniently slipped the councils mind as they are driving ahead regardless.

We are Council tax has been raised from April by almost 5% Yet the only service we get more off is parking controls and LTNs 😆

This is the problem "You don't agree with my scheme to reduce traffic that is actually causing problems (be it displacement or financial issues in the middle of a cost of living crisis) then you must be defamed and associated with the darker side of humanity." Personally in this situation, I think Khan is clearly demonstrating bullying tactics and as such should resign as its unethical politics.

BBC News - First class stamp price to rise to £1.10 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64840646 I'll leave it there but hopefully the increase will come hand in hand with a better service 😉

Sack him now The Mayor has gone too far with this clip from a people's question time which I believe was today. Inciteful language. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64833644

I was very disappointed this morning, expecting the Flying Pickets I got my copy of "Only You" out that just requires David Gittins signature on it to make it a full set of signatures but obviously the NUT couldnt afford them. Still I did get a photo

I think, Billy, that most of 2001 was setting the scene for the final 5 minutes. 😅