Downing street petitiion against road charging

[AndyBoyd]

Ah but I was also a happy cyclist North Wales, Manchester Oxford and London.

But I must agree it's Public transpoort and cyclist nirvana here in the flat lands

 

[Paul Chapman]

So it raises money - lets hope it gets spent on public transport.

For years and years the government has been taxing us to pay for "improved" public transport - but I'm still waiting for the bus

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[dedee]

Andy, I spent Xmas in Zeeland (Breskens) and several things struck me about cycling over there.
1) I did not see one "fashion" bike.
2) The cycle lanes actually went somewhere :shock:
3) Even in the coldest winds hardly anyone wore either hat nor gloves.
4) After 6 days or cycling to and from the local shops I still did not get the hang of those fixed wheel brakes - A bloody menace IMHO :lol:

Andy

 

[bugbear]

Andy, I spent Xmas in Zeeland (Breskens) and several things struck me about cycling over there.
1) I did not see one "fashion" bike.
2) The cycle lanes actually went somewhere :shock:
3) Even in the coldest winds hardly anyone wore either hat nor gloves.
4) After 6 days or cycling to and from the local shops I still did not get the hang of those fixed wheel brakes - A bloody menace IMHO :lol:

Andy

I *hope* you mean coaster (or back pedal) brakes.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/brakes1.html

Giving a visitor "fixed wheel" would be .... vicious.

http://www.fixedwheel.co.uk/

BugBear

 

[Paul Chapman]

Giving a visitor "fixed wheel" would be .... vicious.

http://www.fixedwheel.co.uk/

Thanks for posting that link, BugBear. I always rode a fixed wheel in my cycling days. Having been out of touch with the racing scene for many years, details of that ride by Chris Boardman, in 1993, when he broke the competition record for 25 miles on a fixed wheel in a time of 45mins 47 seconds had passed by me. What a cracking ride - I can remember the days when you were doing well if you got under the hour.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DomValente]

Money should not be an issue as they will build the Olympic games facilities on time and at any cost.

Yes, it will be at any cost, but they won't finish it all on time, at least not everything they have projected

 

[Anonymous]

Come to think the "knowing where you are" issue is completely overblown, after all we have had registration numbers on cars for a 100 years (?) and nobody thinks that is a personal liberty issue, or do they?

cheers
Jacob

Having a number plate is one thing, being constantly scruttenised by a govt satllite is entirely another. If the aim is to charge for road useage ok fair enough. But why then does the 24/7 big brother spy satellite scenario come into play; whats wrong with simple (and cheap) toll booth's like in France or the USA?? or is it just a convenient smoke screen to cover other more sinister govt superstate activities? Why do the govt feel such over riding need to watch all cars at all times?? I havent yet heard a single convincing explanation for this unprecedented nosiness apart from vague pseudo patriot act type apeal's to "the need for greater national security". I wonder if they will be able to use the satellite technology to imobilise cars being driven by awkward people? Or even use it to locate the vehicle and send a rocket to liquidate them :lol: :lol:

PS I hardly ever use a mobile phone except when my wife was ill, and do not have a satt navv. (wot's wrong with a map?)

 

[Scrit]

wot's wrong with a map?

I must admit that I've never felt the urge to strangle a map after it's directed me up yet another dead end :lol:

Scrit

 

[AndyBoyd]

I've lived here for 2 stints now for a total of 10 yeras and I'm still not used to the back pedal brakes ! My wife and kids do laugh at me.

Your right the dutch do cycle in all weathers - plenty of hats and gloves visible in my neck of the woods though.

And yes we do have cycle paths to die for, many apart from the roads and yes they all go somewhere are are continious

Having said that though I'm still a brit deep down

 

[bugbear]

Having a number plate is one thing, being constantly scruttenised by a govt satllite is entirely another.

Sadly, with the advances in optical number plate recognition they're more similar then you might be comfortable with.

BugBear

 

[greybeard]

There was an article in the paper (so it must be true!) in the last day or two (short term memory failing again - oh dear) that trafffic volumes in Central London are in fact rising again quite steadily - just as many folk predicted.
If it is true - and I've no reason to doubt it - I'm only surprised that it's taken this long.

This e-petition has been a topic of interest at work too - someone's done a great PR job on this! - for a couple of weeks now, so I went a-looking today to have a closer look at it.

Did you know that the total number of e-voters for this e-petition now totals nearly 1.5m? That's a very big number, especially when I tell you that the next most-voted currently running e-petition is one requesting that Inheritance Tax be scrapped, and that has a grand total of +65,000.

So, despite that 1.5m scream, given that Ministers have already admitted that road-charging will happen, it's just a matter of when and where...and no other pol party is likely to abolish something that raises pots of money so easily...maybe I should focus my attention on the I/Tax vote??

I also found myself almost strangely drawn to the e-petition requesting all roadworks be banned in Lowestoft.....ah, I see it's time for my medication, good night all

 

[RogerS]

There was an article in the paper (so it must be true!) in the last day or two (short term memory failing again - oh dear) that trafffic volumes in Central London are in fact rising again quite steadily - just as many folk predicted.
If it is true - and I've no reason to doubt it - I'm only surprised that it's taken this long.

The Times ran a feature ahead of the Western Extension starting next week. They did indeed report that congestion levels and long journey times were back to what they were pre-CC. They also predicted that these would get worse as a direct result of the W. Extension since anyone living in the W Ext could not only apply for a reduced congestion charge discount (90% IIRC) but then be able to drive in the original zone at no extra cost (previously they would have had to pay £8 like the rest of us).

Livingstone is said to be so concerned about this that he is talking about bringing forward his additional £25 a day levy on high emission cars (Band G).

The forms for applying for the residents discount only appear to allow one car per family. You also have to have the vehicle registered at the address in London. So, if you actually live outside London and are a weekly commuter (ie you drive in on a Sunday evening and maybe drive back on a Friday evening) then you are stuffed unless you want to register your car at a London address. But then if you do this, your car insurance will go sky high.

If the bus services were anywhere near reasonable then one might have some sympathy towards all of this but the simple fact is they're not...particularly at night. In addition, they got rid of the Routemasters which meant that you can no longer hop on/hop off. They then proceeded to remove bus stops and increase the distances between the remaining ones so that meant you were stuck on the bus, in the traffic jam going nowhere but unable to get off. Maybe it's a cunning plan to reduce this nation of fatties by making everyone walk everywhere!

And as far as the tubes go, forget it.

 

[Freetochat]

IMO what is not taken into account by the powers that be, is that in the majority of cases, car use is of necessity, yes also convienence, but people need to get to work. As to the congestion charges, yes they have an effect in the short term, but eventually the charges are covered by business. Commercial vehicle charges are passed on to customers, and private individuals build in their costs through wage demands.

If you want to reduce congestion, then it needs to start with planning policy as in the past when houses surrounded the factory or pit head. Shops were within walking distance as opposed to out of town complexes. Children went to local schools etc. etc.

Environmental progress and change needs a 'whole view' not piecemeal robbing.

 

[Anonymous]

There was an article in the paper (so it must be true!) in the last day or two (short term memory failing again - oh dear) that trafffic volumes in Central London are in fact rising again quite steadily - just as many folk predicted.
If it is true - and I've no reason to doubt it - I'm only surprised that it's taken this long.
snip

Probably true. If so I'd interpret it; a. they fell initially so it worked in the first place, b. it's time to put them up again.

cheers
Jacob

 

[RogerS]

Just got my email from Tony. Lucky I checked my junk mail folder because that's where my spamfilter had put it

 

[Paul Chapman]

Just got my email from Tony. Lucky I checked my junk mail folder because that's where my spamfilter had put it

Your spam filter clearly has a sense of humour :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DaveH]

Mine was put striaght in the spam folder, I only check the folder once a day and knew the email was coming that I found it. :?

 

[Nick W]

What, you mean you guys don't have Tony in your personal address books? :lol: