Applespider

If it's any comfort, I had an infestation of large dozy flies about 10 years ago that lasted a couple of days and they've never come back. I assumed at the time that it must be a dead thing even though there was no smell but it may have been cluster flies.

I don?t think Forest Hill is that comparable as they (along with most other stations) have peak outbound in the morning and peak inbound in the afternoon. Denmark Hill?s morning peak mixes both in and outbound passengers. So unlike other stations where they can switch the gates to help the flow, it just ends up as a melee. The crazy thing is that it?s really only for an hour or so a day and the rest of the time, it?s fine. If you could rely on trains being on time, you could try a better staggering of trains so you don?t have five arriving within minutes of each other in that peak hour?

Tweet or drop an email to one of the London beekeeper clubs or associations and they will be able to give advice. That?s what a friend did when she had a swarm appear in the garden and they were really helpful.

There?s a fault in underground cable. Fix expected after midnight. Though they originally said fixed 7-8 when they thought it was simpler. http://ukpower.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/mobile-fault-map?postcode=SE233DS

Elphinstone's Army Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > DKH is the only station which arbitrarily > announces platform changes with 2 minutes to spare 2 minutes - you were lucky. There are times they've announced a platform change as the train pulls in with a queue already on the stairs/bridge. There is generally a quiet spot on the bridge between 3-4 where you can stay out of the way. I feel very lucky that I had an early meeting this morning and was there at 8 for a change. A second entrance will help but the frustrating thing is that if you go back to when the works were happening, there were countless comments on here about how the plans simply wouldn't work. An extra entrance (or two) only really has to be open/manned at peak times - 7.30 to 9.30 and then 5 til 7. Outside those times, it feels a lot like a potentially dangerous scrum. Having a few extra screens around the place might also be useful - at the moment, the only info boards are to the side as you go through the barrier, yet another thing to slow progress through that entrance hall.

This link supports both rendelharris and DulwichLondoner - https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/cyclists-make-up-70-of-blackfriars-bridge-traffic-a3409351.html so perhaps to a certain extent they are both right. It says that at peak times, over 70% of traffic at Blackfriars is now cyclists (e.g. outnumbering other road-users) and that it has added 10-15 minute delays along the length of the Embankment for motorists (I'm not familiar enough with that route to know if it's private motorists or whether it includes bus lanes). I do use Vauxhall Bridge (by bike and by bus) and the changes there (going southbound) have impacted both groups on the approach to the bridge as the phasing of the main Embankment/Bridge lights really isn't optimised for either group. The difference on a bike, is that it's easier to hop off and get around a delay/red light. Which is one reason why when you're sitting in a queue of traffic, you rarely see the cycle lane full - it tends to be flowing far better.

Thank you Robin and Mick. Much appreciated. It?s good to hear people care. The community venue sounds appealing but potentially costly as might be hard for it to pay for itself. How short is the remaining lease mentioned? I?ll keep an eye out for future events on it.

I wasn't able to make the meeting yesterday. But I would be interested to know what was discussed if anyone on here did go? Or if there are likely to be any follow-up meetings?

The water was flooding down the South Circular earlier so not surprised. Seemed to be at a similar spot to where there have been leaks in the past.

I can give the link but there?s a ?unique? code on it. Not sure whether the code is unique to each card or unique to the location

?there have been pink tabarded TFL people handing out postcards at the Court Lane gate this week. It has a code to fill in a TFL cycling survey about your route, how safe it feels and generally how much you cycle. The code ?knows? it was handed out at Court Lane so perhaps the more ?local? survey completions, the better. If you?re going in the direction, or have seen them but not stopped yet, I thought I?d give a heads up. I won?t hold my breath on any more TFL cycling funding as a result though!

At one point there were plans to make CNR part of CS5 which currently spits cyclists out near Oval where some blue paint switches to green after a junction. There are scattered bits of cycle lanes and bus lanes all along that road along with quite a few cyclists and often a lot of queuing traffic. It's one reason why it's not my preferred route. I'd agree that it's an attempt to warn drivers that there are likely to be a fair number of cyclist between bits of actual cycle provision but I doubt it has any legal status.

We don't often have nights warm enough to sit outside - I believe that's why people have fire pits to help warm up on those evenings when there's a slight chill in the air. But when the temperature is in the 20s at 10pm, I think people should be warm enough without the fire! And on cooler nights, neighbours will probably have windows closed and not care.

Just a plea for people not to light their firepits on these really hot evenings - or at least take a look around to see if your neighbours (for a few doors on each side) don't have their windows open. It's not really fair for them to suffer the choice of stifling in the heat or have their house stink of smoke so that you can have something pretty to look at while you sit outside.

natty01295 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ITs too dangerous for children to be on the > roads, > even with hi vis jacket, lights Since this thread started, I've spotted a few youngsters (8 or under) on the roads with their parents ahead/behind/alongside and have been delighted to see drivers being very patient, hanging back and giving them lots of room. Really good to see and perhaps reassuring to parents considering shepherding their kids on the roads. bkkmei, that's dreadful behaviour - not just the cycling at speed on the pavement but the swearing at kids. Without kids, I'd be tempted to stand my ground and make him slow down and ask politely while reminding him where he should be. But I appreciate with kids that might not be an option that you're comfortable taking. If it happens regularly at a similar time, I'd report it on 101. The police can decide whether it's a priority or not but if he ever does injure someone, at least there will be a record of his antisocial behaviour.

I thought the timetable was reducing the bus frequency? I hope I have that wrong.

Rendel, I cycled over Vauxhall Bridge today to find the concrete blocks have appeared over the weekend. And they are in the segregated cycle lane. You couldn't make it up.

Cape Verde Islands - still very underdeveloped but lots of sunshine. From recent photos I've seen, it looks amazing for kitesurfing. I'd say it's stark rather than stunningly beautiful. It's a longish flight tho. Elba is worth a visit. You need to switch flights or take a train/ferry from Pisa. Hiring a car puts lots of very scenic hilltop villages in your reach and some interesting beaches/ rock formations. And of course Napoleon's retreat.

As someone who is a target market for Zipcar, being able to leave it somewhere other than where it was collected from makes it hugely more appealing. If I choose to park it outside my house (or a friend's further afield) it is no different to other residents than if I was parking my own vehicle. Once scheme fully running, that space is likely to become free more quickly than if it depended on next time I needed to drive. What doesn't seem clear is how Zipcar will ensure one doesn't end up abandoned or how they deal with a majority ending up in the wrong place (i.e. multiple users drive into town on a Saturday evening but take taxis home. How do the cars get redistributed back to where suburbia want them on Sunday morning?) The hire bike companies have trucks to help them get bikes to/from hotspots. Are Zipcar going to end up with shipping drivers around to spread cars back out or move those which are 'abandoned' in an unpopular location?

Abe_froeman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Understood Rendel! > > I think given what has happened in the last three > months bicyclists are going to have to accelg > finding safer alternative routes if they cant > cross these bridges safely. It's for the greater > good. I suspect the barriers will be added to most bridges at which point alternative routes will be somewhat hard to find for cyclists. There's no other way for us to cross the Thames. On some bridges now, there are more bikes than cars at rush hour so perhaps we'll all have to think of the greater good and I hope most drivers will try to be more patient and avoid squeezing by riders on these narrower lanes. A sign or two like the use in roadworks to remind any others might be useful. Many of the pavements are also busy so even dismounting to cross isn't going to be easy. I was looking at the segregated path on Vauxhall Bridge and thinking that the little kerb isn't going to stop anyone determined to cross it and I am not sure it's wide enough for those concrete blocks. It is a pity that the barriers weren't put on the outside as rendel says. Then again, these are apparently a tactical solution so perhaps anything more permanent will have a bit more thought. It's worth the LCC calling it out as a danger just to ensure whoever is deciding on future plans is aware.

If there is a chance of it being in the house, might be worth getting a few friends over to have a passport hunting 'party' with fresh eyes? With particular attention to old handbags and their zipped compartments, taking out the drawers where she might have kept it in case it has fallen down back and any financial paperwork where it might have been used for ID?

BrandNewGuy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've regularly seen recently fledged birds > practising their flying skills from the Salvation > Army college tower on Denmark Hill and from the > top of the old church spire on the South Circular > by Cox's Walk. I can see the latter from my living room window. I now have a pair of binoculars by the window in the hope that I might just catch sight of them one evening. I knew about the ones at Denmark Hill but hadn't realised I had such nearby neighbours! Thanks for mentioning it.

BrandNewGuy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I wish the pedestrian lobby was as > vociferous as the cycling lobby, but I guess > there's not so much cash in it ? perhaps shoe > leather manufacturers could take up the cause.* > > * Unnecessary cynicism Pedestrians and cyclists should lobby together for better conditions. We would be stronger together when campaigning for improved junctions, traffic light phasing and for each group to have appropriate space. In cities, both groups should take priority, alongside public transport users, over private vehicles.

I am glad the poor cyclist is OK and hope his injuries aren't life-changing. Let's not speculate on blame until we have more information. However, I would say that I am a very careful cyclist and try to give large vehicles a wide berth wherever possible. I don't scoot down the side of them and if they stop beside or behind me, I move forward so that I'm not in their blind spot. But I've had a couple of close shaves with HGVs - both when their drivers chose to overtake me at stupid points on the road. On one occasion, if I hadn't heard the engine revving to accelerate and chosen to brake and stop, I'd probably be dead as the trailer's rear wheels would have swiped me off my bike. Just as there are reckless or naive cyclist out there, some professional drivers also leave a lot to be desired.

Congrats guzzler and zerkalo!