As more and more high rise buildings are being built in London, the City will have to face more and more lightening strikes.
And, as cyclists, we will get the brunt of this too, unlike ‘protected motorists’.
These tall buildings are messing around with nature.
The ‘Age of Stupid’ again!
Further to crapwalthamforest.blogspot.com’s post on the ‘brainy bunch’ at TFL endorsing a camoflague clothing range at Evans for cyclists:
“Evans customers who are “daily cycle commuters, who they don’t classify themselves as cyclists, they’re just normal Londoners getting to and from work”.
Apparently,
“The gear from bspoke is perfect for these people – something that is functional and fashionable both on and off the bike. We’re predicting strong sales as this range really does fill a big gap in the market.”
As some cyclists don’t consider themselves as cyclists, even though they regularly cycle on London’s toxic roads, these ‘non-cyclist cyclists’ would rather not be seen at all, with colours of black and beige. It makes sense doesn’t it? They want to get run over as well?
Evans say their clothes are ‘functional’: The Highway Code recommend ‘you should wear appropriate clothes for cycling’ …. which helps others to see you in daylight or poor light”. That’s why this cycling shop is endorsing ‘black’. Hello? Anyone at home?
I still can’t get over ‘black’, and blasted beige is awful too, plain, dreary and gets superfilthy easily and on a muggy day or any day for that matter, it merges into the dull urban landscape of London. If you want to feel depressed, wear beige! Of course beige will discourage other people from taking up cycling too. I can imagine anyone saying ‘Wow, what a fabulous beige jacket you have?’.
With my own jackets I get compliments all the time from non cyclists and cyclists alike.
Evan’s jackets don’t even have any pattern on it either. These are the types of clothes you can get in Petticoat Lane, although, perhaps worse than that, at least they will have a choice of colours!
When I ‘don’t want to look like a cyclist’ I choose bright feminine jackets, bright pink and black/white for example. If it rains, I throw on a stylish pac-a-mac which can be seen miles off by motorists, and yes, some are nice. But black (worn often with black trousers) and beige? You are kidding. They are better off going to Top Shop to a buy at least, a colourful jacket.
I can’t be sure that these cyclists, who don’t want to look like cyclists, will want to wear any fluorescents either. I was like that myself but you can still be stylish and look good.. so don’t go to Evans, unless you want to get mowed down by a motorist. And what will the judge say when you get run over, cyclist wasn’t wearing bright coloured clothing in poor daylight….?
And the prices of a bulky beige Womens Angel Jacket
RRP £129.99!!!!!
For that dosh you could get loads of jackets in different colours too. What a rip off. How many cyclists can afford that, particularly in a recession?
Write to them at: http://www.evanscycles.com and http://www.bspoke.cc.
Here is a cherry tree opposite a house in Leyton. Destroyed, with no sign of replanting – and no one seems to bat an eye lid. Spring is approaching but for this little tree there will be no spring.
Along London Bridge:
A souless landscape, devoid of colour, that tourists photograph the
Tower of London from. This landscape looks exactly the same through Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. It is seasonless. Dreary. The colour of gravestones. There are no benches for tired tourists, who have walked a lot round London either. This is no place for the Slow Movement. There are no artists with their paintings pinned up on the bridge. No place to sit down. It is a hostile environment. The noise is deafening with all the stinking jugganaughts going by that tourists and commuters cannot hear each other talking. It is all about ‘rushing to the trains’. The air is filthy and you get views of yellowing pollution over the Tower of London. There are no cyclists as you can see.
Here is yet another London heading for Desertification landcape. Another treeless landscape. Just look at those those box like buildings at the end of the ‘highway’, a few large trees would make the place much more pleasant. But no, urban planners don’t want trees there – but the people do.
I couldn’t believe it.
I saw one of these ‘Change for Life’ Anti-Obesity signs along Bow Road, one of the most dangerous roads in East London. In fact, I hardly saw a single cyclist there because it is so dangerous. Not only are there regular fatal accidents by regular motorists but even the police crash on this road.
Ironically the Campaign says you will ‘live longer’.. yeah, sure on the Bow Road.
The road is unfit for cycling.
But no, Boris wants another university in Stratford (even though there already IS one. It’s called the East London University).
Is this way way of making just one Super University, a ‘cost cutting’ exercise?
From the London Evening Standard:-
“PLANS for a university on the site of the London Olympics will take a step forward next month with the launch of a viability study backed by London Mayor Boris Johnson.
It is hoped that a top British university will agree to establish a campus in the Olympic Park as a flagship legacy scheme.
Olympic chiefs have asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to draw up plans for a college to make the commitment to the East End.
Talks have already been held with the Russell Group, which represents universities that receive two-thirds of research funding in the UK.
Universities thought to be interested in a move include King’s College, Imperial College and University College London. Loughborough University is also involved in talks.
Olympics chiefs are thought to favour a “federal” arrangement with several universities sharing the campus and specialising in sport and science. The Olympic Park Regeneration Steering Group, attended by government ministers, Mr Johnson and the leaders of the five Olympic boroughs will launch the study next month.
“There is space on the Olympic Park site and some of the housing that will be left after the Games could be used as student accommodation,” said a source”
Haven’t we got enough universities in London? What we don’t have enough of are prisons. Yes, why not make the Olympic Site ‘a Flagship Superprison’ so we can chuck in East London’s knife crime criminals, burglars, narcotics, dangerous drivers, drink driving footballers, politicians etc and muggers. If the prisons are overcrowded – we need more then. London wants to be safe.
The Olympic Site has bags of space for one. It could be an ‘Eco-Prison’ perhaps, something that’s practical (it houses crims) but actually benefits the environment as well as society. It could be a park/prison. Of course inside, it will be full of the usual prison-esque type ‘fittings’ but outside, the public can cycle or walk around and they can see justice being done. Londoners are sick to death of lawless people here being let off with a fine because the aren’t enough prisons, the judges’ hands often being tied.
These are the prisons in London – so we aren’t we ‘due a Stratford one’:-
(from H M Prison’s website):-
“Belmarsh
Brixton
Bronzefield
Feltham
Holloway (nearby where apparently Boris lives ref Wikipeidia)
Latchmere House
Pentonville
Wandsworth
Wormwood Scrubs”
It’s not enough.
You’d think this will please many Tories in their ‘chuck away the keys’ philosophy. Residents may not like it because it will be ‘in their back yard’ but many crims are from London so they need a place near where they live. Their relatives can visit them easily too. It is a very ‘convenient’ location.
So one day, we could have ‘Olympic Stratford’ Prison and we would be safe as houses. In Stratford, we could even leave our doors open and not worry. Women would go out out night and not fear for our safety. Cyclists could go in Sustran’s underpasses and not bat an eyelid. The gangs would all be incarcerated in the Olympic ‘Superprison’. Taxpayers may be happy particularly as Stratford people will be paying the hefty Olympic tax.
Then it could be an exhibition centre or a police museum and a drugs rehabilitation/education centre.
or one big environmental park, with lots of cycle paths with are lit and don’t have any scary underpasses.
but a uni, when we have loads.
Write to the Mayor with your idea: mayor@london.gov.uk
Who wants it to be a uni? If we have one, it means prisoners will be released early and they will be hanging round causing mayhem.
Here is a bit about Boris, who studied Classics in Oxford, under Higher Education in Wikipedia:-
Politics
“Higher education
Johnson stood for the February 2006 election of Rector of the University of Edinburgh, after receiving seven times more nominations than needed to stand.His presence as candidate caused an unprecedented turn-out and sparked an “Anyone but Boris” campaign. Protests included having drinks thrown over him at his first of two visits to the student body. Johnson eventually polled third of four, with 2,123 votes, behind 3,052 votes for journalist Magnus Linklater and 3,597 for Green Party MSP Mark Ballard. Johnson was quoted as having been pleased to mobilise the student body, but disappointed at the personal campaign against him as an “English top-up fee” Merchant.”
Posted in london2012, Sustrans
Just to prove that it is unsafe for cyclists with lawless motorcyclists around:
From the BBC (4/07):-
“Cyclist dies after road collision
A cyclist was killed and a motorbike rider was injured when they were in collision on an Essex road.
The riders were travelling on Star Lane, Great Wakering, when the accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon.
The pedal cyclist, a man aged in his 30s from Shoebury, Essex, was taken to Southend hospital where he later died from his injuries”
Again, this just took me a few seconds to find so there must be ‘stats’ somewhere.
Quite rightly, as Crap Waltham Forest’s blog said (see my Cycling in Waltham Forest’s link), Boris has even started to drive the car again.
As London’s roads are covered in thick ice, and not properly gritted, there is a risk of motorcyclists skidding making it even more unsafe for cyclists.
And then, if train companies, don’t have carriages for cyclists, not all cyclists can commute by train, unless they’re lucky to have a fold up. I haven’t seen Boris using a fold up so I bet he has a problem travelling part bike/part train. He is supposed to be encouraging more cyclists to get on their bike. I would have thought he would lead by example.
This comes from the Conservative Party website:
“CUTTING CONGESTION
Our focus on improving public transport and providing people with viable alternatives to car travel will reduce congestion further.
MAKING LOCAL TRANSPORT GREENER
Labour are blackmailing councils into introducing local road-pricing in return for vital transport funding. We will liberate this money, and let councils use it to fund the green travel initiatives that will work best in their areas, such as projects to encourage cycling and bus use”
and Winter Cycling tips from the Transport for London website:-
“Cycle in all seasons
Don’t let adverse weather disrupt your daily cycle. If you commute by bike all year statistics show that you’ll only get caught in the rain 8 times.
So keep going this winter, and make sure you’re equipped to weather anything by stocking up on the items below.
Gloves – choose breathable waterproof materials, with padded palms, non-slip brake and gear change fingers.
Lights – Flashing or steady; halogen, LED or bulb; dynamo or battery powered; you’ve got plenty of options for when the days get shorter. Fit a white light at the front and red at the rear, and use rechargeable batteries if possible.
Cycling in winter is as easy and safe as it is in the summer months
Headgear – A thin ski hat or balaclava worn under your helmet will keep your head warm.
Bike rack and panniers – Fitting a rack and bag cover or panniers will help keep your clothes and documents dry, and take a weight off your shoulders.
Mudguards – Watch your back – and front – with a pair of mudguards. They’re inexpensive and can be fitted in minutes.
Footwear – Protect your work shoes from the not-so-great outdoors. Get some waterproof cycling shoes or overshoes for rainy days.
Waterproofs – Come rain, sleet or snow, stay snug, dry and warm by choosing waterproofs with breathable fibres.
Glasses – Cycle glasses will keep bits and bugs out of your eyes, and help with low sunsets.
Tools – Carry a spare inner tube, pump and tyre levers – and make sure you know how to use them!”
I suggest Boris gets on his bike again, dons a balaclava, cycle helmet and get out again and see what cyclists have to put up with the crap ice and lawless motorcyclists in bus lanes. He can download a special copy of the Tfl’s Winter Cyclists’ Leaflet (www.tfl.gov.uk).
After all, they say it is safe:-
“Cycling in winter is as easy and safe as it is in the summer months”
Dangerous motorcyclists and icy roads is stuff of Green fairytales, innit?
This email is in response to the appalling state of driving by motorists who were supposed to be fit for driving as they had ‘passed’ their test. I said that they were still unfit for the roads. I said they were, in fact, worse than beginners.
“Thank you for your email of 20.12.08. Apologies for the delay in replying, I have just returned after the Christmas break and catching up.
Driving instruction and the Driving Test both teach and promote safe and considerate driving to all road users. Under current legislation, once you have passed the Driving Test there is no further training or testing. This is an issue that we, together with other transport agencies are working on.Unfortunately, until further driving education is introduced and made mandatory, there are no further tests on your driving ability.
We will continue to work towards this and hope that this will help to
improve driving standards.
Thank you again for your comments.
Yours sincerely
Simon N Grater
Operations Manager
Driving Instructor Association”
Because of the extremely poor standards of the driving and all the deaths these people are causing, I think it is essential that all motorists have regular driving tests throughout their whole life. Ideally, every five years because they’re so sloppy.
I’ve been watching great vintage films from Youtube (BFIfilms) Check out Trafalgar Square and Bank and see how busy it is and look out for the chaos of the ‘speeding horses’ and the pedestrians trying to get through without any zebra crossings!
I was reading Crapwalthamforest’s blog and was annoyed that a car hit him. Typical stupid motorist.
Great that he took plenty of photos and gave us a good description of what happened along with some interesting info (but shocking) on ASLs. It could have been a lot worse.
I had a chat with a policewoman today:-
If cyclists get hit by a car, even if they don’t get hurt, they still must report it to the police.
I remember when I got hit… I didn’t bother as it was only a small thing but now I look upon it as a ‘warning’, so if they get reported, maybe, they won’t do it again. I was hit by a mother who was carrying a 8 year old child in the back. Their child needs to see law in action!
Also I think injury can mean ‘psychological injury’ ie PTSD, etc.
At least get them some points off their licence until they’re off the road.
At the weekend I saw a shop that had an American bike in London. The shop was called ‘Buddha on a Bicycle’. (Apparently they made up the name ‘after a dream’)
I have put the video of the bike on my other blog http://www.thevintagecyclist.wordpress.com or
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAaATHmx1I – A 1950s Roadster.
It looks great.
Velochick of South of the River 
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