tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1908326049266627082024-03-25T07:06:38.126-07:00Freedom CycleBingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-72082807227256610152024-03-16T08:02:00.000-07:002024-03-16T08:02:01.749-07:00Sunak and Johnson and their world of make believe<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">NUMBER 10 tried to hide a government report confirming that Low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) are popular and work well, encouraging
walking and cycling, according to Peter Walker in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Guardian</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, egg on the face of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s who is
claiming that LTNs are unpopular because they are unfair to motorists.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here we have further evidence of shenanigans from on high, twisting
facts to suit political agendas with, in this instance, the aim of winning
motor voter support ahead of the General Election later this year.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">10 Downing Street clearly hoped the report would support their case against LTNs.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When it didn’t Number 10 asked for the report to be put on a
shelf.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here are the nuts and bolts of it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The report found that from the four LTNs which took part in
the study twice as many councils supported them than didn’t.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It found that LTNs are effective in reducing traffic volumes
without causing any noticeable increase of traffic in surrounding areas.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sunak is claiming the report should have included more areas
so more voices could be heard, but you can bet he wouldn’t be saying this if
the report had found in favour of his claims.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And besides, he knows how these reports work – you take a
sample and extrapolate from there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Common practice and accepted as fair.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nearly 2000 people in four sample schemes took part in the
survey, finding 45 per cent in support and 21 per cent against.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The irony is that Sunak by making out motorists are being treated unfairly is opposing his own government’s support for
Active Travel, so making a mockery of his already flawed climate control agenda
which anyway is basically full of shit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It would seem that the campaign to discredit low traffic
neighbourhood schemes has probably been generated by politicians and the right wing media.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Breath-taking, isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet this example falls well below that of the greatest
political con artist of recent years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This of course is former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the
subject of a television<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">documentary series “The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Riveting stuff but keep the sick bag handy,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We knew the guy was a con man. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His endearing personality, the scruffy
schoolboy through-a-hedge- backwards haircut, the buffoon, the steady stream of
quips. He missed his true vocation, Stand-up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this program reveals the depth of his
deception in all its depressing detail, from people who worked with him and knew
him well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I recall first seeing Johnson in action, as the new London
Mayor when he opened the Redbridge Cycle Centre, the temporary <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>home to Eastway demolished to make way for the
2012 Olympic Games Park. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He was clearly very popular. He duly climbed onto a bike and
joined a mass of school children riding one lap of Indy Circuit finishing a
towering fourth among the little ones. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I can feel the form coming on,” he quipped to reporters. It
was typical of the easy going affable Johnson. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On another occasion at a river event he was
required to put on waders and step into the stream,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lost
his footing and fell in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Far from being flustered, he regained his footing and called
out: “Come on in, the water is fine.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These occasions were funny. But then there are the misleading
promises.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Remember this one? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As Prime Minister he declared he would build 40 new
hospitals when the budget would stretch only to one and five major repairs at
existing hospitals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Told that to make the roads safer for cycling would take as
much as £7bn, he proudly announced a few £mIllion instead – enough only for a
few cycle lanes in half a dozen towns instead of the £billions needed to lay down
full networks in towns across the nation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He quipped about “cycling down cycle lanes in
dappled sunlight”. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The danger was he left you with the
impression it would all be done.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But beneath the fumbling exterior there was a purpose to all
this – always to be the centre of attraction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His main purpose in life, the program reveals, was to be
liked, to get the top jobs; London Mayor, then PM, but with no clear idea on
what the jobs entailed. It was all a game. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The investigation for this TV feature brought into sharp
focus the damage he has done. As a journalist he is an entertaining writer. He
spent 30 years rubbishing the European Union exaggerating issues without so
much as checking his facts. Not his style.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It eventually cost him his job on one national newspaper, whereupon
another signed him up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His style is to bend with the wind, do whatever it takes to
further his own personal crusade.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This was never more evident that in the build up to the
Referendum in 2016.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The feature tells how despite rubbishing the EU he supported
the UK‘s EU membership and was all set to back Remain before changing horses to
back the Leave campaign. But it was a lie; he really hoped Britain would vote
Remain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clearly he was banking on gaining some political advantage
in this tactic!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then we saw his undisguised shock when leave triumphed,
followed by the political turmoil which would propel him into Number 10 when PM
David Cameron resigned.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cameron “Dodgy Dave” had permitted the Referendum believing that
Britain would vote Remain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now he quit – to leave the mess to someone else to clear up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Step forward Johnson who now had the job he’d always wanted,
but not the baggage that came with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But he felt this was his lifetime ambition and the priority became to
decorate his flat up in the roof.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He was faced with the task of, as he put it, “Getting Brexit
done” when, as revealed from those closest to him he had no clear idea of what
to do. His ensuing bluster and lies had driven a stake through the UK economy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All we need now to complete<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the farce is for the scruffy sod to stage a comeback, win over the
doubters with his engaging wit and smile (he is earning £m as an after dinner
speaker which says a lot about how many deluded types still support him).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the back of his mind is sure to be the germ of an idea to
become an MP again, and rescue the Conservatives in the General Election
everyone is certain they should lose.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Don’t bet against it!<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-21591310909752292432024-02-14T03:14:00.000-08:002024-02-15T15:20:22.094-08:00MANCHESTER EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CYCLING<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Manchester is cock-a-hoop at being chosen as the
first European Capital of Cycling in 2024 by ACES Europe. It is in recognition
of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manchester’s promotion of sport and
physical activity as a means of improving quality of life in the community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">ACES is based on Brussels and works in partnership
with UNESCO, the United Nations Education and Scientific and cultural
organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">In a nutshell, the organisation
is championing transport initiatives, such as Manchester’s, which tackle today’s most
pressing community needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">It is something other towns and cities need to copy, for it <span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">demonstrates how to create safer traffic conditions which will enable people to cycle and walk instead of driving local journeys.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The award celebrates the growing Bee Network of
cycling and walking routes across Greater Manchester, which has 1,800 route
miles planned in a bid to reduce car dependency.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">It is a few years since I featured Greater
Manchester’s plans for cycling lanes and routes, with photographs of the first
of the new <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cyclops</i> junctions,
featuring traffic signalled controls for cyclists, pedestrians and motor
traffic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbJq8gNM5p2Mcx2o1KyYICN6pt3xfexuV-0YQpuKfwrYuJjlJykIMxdZkuqC0Dstb8fYHJuCWnwpLWOcFuc5Fi8BUYOd_5eSIR5vh56E0CE-5QFocx7fD5n8UUwkT5ABtRKoMXD-5OSrVgif8r-waPn8-fXt8hxOpEskoFKGuCeMA4khyphenhyphenEZrbxQeI0aM/s6431/shutterstock_1529433452.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4344" data-original-width="6431" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbJq8gNM5p2Mcx2o1KyYICN6pt3xfexuV-0YQpuKfwrYuJjlJykIMxdZkuqC0Dstb8fYHJuCWnwpLWOcFuc5Fi8BUYOd_5eSIR5vh56E0CE-5QFocx7fD5n8UUwkT5ABtRKoMXD-5OSrVgif8r-waPn8-fXt8hxOpEskoFKGuCeMA4khyphenhyphenEZrbxQeI0aM/s320/shutterstock_1529433452.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)" style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cycle lane into Manchester featuring digital cycle counter display<br /> on Oxford road, Rusholme. </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The whole brilliant idea is the brainchild of former
Olympic champion Chris Boardman during his tenure as Cycling Tsar, working with
Mayor Andy Burnham. Many of the designs are based on Dutch methods, which are
among the best.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Their plans won favour with councils and local
residents across the Greater Manchester area, especially for those without
access to a car and those who would prefer to get about under their own steam.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(239, 239, 239); line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15.85pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 15.85pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Greater Manchester has paid
tribute to the many partners in their quest including<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span style="color: #7e7887; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">British Cycling, Marketing Manchester, Cycling UK, Manchester Active and
TfGM, as well as volunteers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span style="color: #7e7887; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">They plan mile after mile of new cycleway to be built from the Velodrome
and across the city.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span style="color: #7e7887; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The aim is to help build local cycling clubs in a move to provide access
to all branches of the sport, from utility cycling to sport and leisure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span style="color: #7e7887; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">This will certainly boost the confidence of the cycling
movement in the face of depressing news of a 5 per cent drop in cycling in
England last year, as reported by the European Federation of Cyclists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Further concern was caused by the government
slashing funding for its Active Travel Policy, plus what is now believed to have
been shit-stirring for political gain, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling for
an end to 20mph speed limits and vowing to allow drivers into low-traffic
neighbourhoods. He cannot do this for legal reasons, I read recently.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The Manchester award is a much needed boost,
recognising their commitment to cycling in the face of government indifference.
The development plans involve all 10 towns comprising Greater Manchester.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They include Trafford, Bolton, Bury, and City
of Salford - which I understand is doing a particularly good job laying down
cycle lanes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEies8vCs7-tO98Ogv6geABAYDxF_IxnDKOWDFhOJHpdZbbchcT3b4PqVtBZUUDDNFwin5J0fqlvn07Loh6k3is9e9nz2C5X2452xyER3X4YWv2m4WgZxNmcsYiXSZWnK5UtrSd0-d4xOSxeSKCuIxRH351jMOEGo0iDgWqlSPn9zXHS6Q8QYTEk2Snyqqc/s3804/shutterstock_2177499743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2613" data-original-width="3804" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEies8vCs7-tO98Ogv6geABAYDxF_IxnDKOWDFhOJHpdZbbchcT3b4PqVtBZUUDDNFwin5J0fqlvn07Loh6k3is9e9nz2C5X2452xyER3X4YWv2m4WgZxNmcsYiXSZWnK5UtrSd0-d4xOSxeSKCuIxRH351jMOEGo0iDgWqlSPn9zXHS6Q8QYTEk2Snyqqc/s320/shutterstock_2177499743.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Although I have no details of exactly how many miles
of cycle lanes and routes have so far been built across the Greater Manchester
towns, Salford provides a good example of the progress being made</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">with a number of routes/cycle lanes in place and others planned, as indeed do other councils across Greater Manchester.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Duncan Dollimore, Head of Campaigns at <i>Cycling UK</i>, is impressed. He told me: "</span><span face=""Gothic sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #26282a;">What I can say from my own experience of Greater Manchester, is that you’re now seeing good infrastructure – in some places. I think it would be fair to say that not all of the infra (sic) is fully connected yet – so you ride along a superb protected cycle lane, but at some point it comes to an end without connecting to where you want to go. That said, it’s easy to criticise that, but a start has definitely been made.</span></p><p class="yiv2500446440ydpc02517edyiv4368817574MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none;"><span face=""Gothic sans-serif"" style="outline: none;"> </span><span face=""Gothic sans-serif"">"There are more bike hire schemes, more cycle parking – and as a visitor to the city who knew it well years ago, I’d say it’s definitely going in the right direction."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span>Roe Green
Loopline</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:
This route, built on a former railway line, connects various neighbourhoods
including Roe Green, Little Hulton, and Walkden.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span>Linnyshaw
Loopline</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:
Another former railway line transformed into a cycle path, linking Linnyshaw to
other parts of Salford.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span>Tyldesley
Loopline</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:
A pleasant route for cyclists and pedestrians, running through Tyldesley and
beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span>Ellenbrook
Loopline</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:
Enjoy the wildlife and scenic views along this loopline, which passes through
Ellenbrook and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span>Port
Salford Greenway</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:
Connecting Salford Quays to Irlam, this greenway provides a traffic-free path
for cyclists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The <strong>busiest
cycle route, says Manchester, is </strong> the 8-mile <strong>Fallowfield
Loop</strong> along a former railway line. This connects Chorlton-cum-Hardy,
Fallowfield, Levenshulme, and Gorton and ideal for commuters and leisure
cyclists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-10300305554325884412024-01-28T14:55:00.000-08:002024-01-28T14:55:51.921-08:00Why Ljubljana's cycling policy shames UK cities<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Guess what? I have read something which cheers me up! Makes
a change from all the bad news which has me tearing my hair out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have read about grand cycling facilities abroad where many countries are taking steps to restrict car use. No, not Holland nor Denmark this time, the leaders in sustainable transport planning often written about in this column.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Instead, this time we go to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, who have shown what can be achieved. It gives you heart, proves that where there is a will transport congestion can be solved.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For this story I am indebted to Jim Densham’s feature in the recent issue of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cycle</i>, the excellent bi-monthly magazine
of national cycling organisation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cycling
UK</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The article, entitled: Less Traffic, More Cycling, describes
the author’s experience when he visited cycling friendly towns while on holiday
abroad, places which have successfully cut traffic congestion by creating safe roads in
towns for cycling and walking.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvuoe_SCOSwa9li8No80K_Zmrm0HFHoBYDQt6pWKvqImJd2bAh8oEKGq3QzE4JIb1tNDYHNs-ywJuTd6vzHKQvzCSuyIt3VujvG1SW2xeTiMquvE5zvNrQ4en16rLWOYFqIqXIhQBGwB5WyCnxEQDMgR0zmqjO4wzdB5ZzOudYu1GtNa8tqknViJq5zc/s6000/shutterstock_763566211.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3750" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvuoe_SCOSwa9li8No80K_Zmrm0HFHoBYDQt6pWKvqImJd2bAh8oEKGq3QzE4JIb1tNDYHNs-ywJuTd6vzHKQvzCSuyIt3VujvG1SW2xeTiMquvE5zvNrQ4en16rLWOYFqIqXIhQBGwB5WyCnxEQDMgR0zmqjO4wzdB5ZzOudYu1GtNa8tqknViJq5zc/s320/shutterstock_763566211.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He writes that last summer he visited Ljubljana (pictured above) where he
found a huge area of the old city is pedestrianised…”enjoyed by thousands of people taking in the
sights, buying from market stalls and food vendors, and relaxing in on-street café
seating.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But by contrast, 60 miles away in Trieste in Italy, he found the town was
throttled by traffic, with noisy, crowded streets, narrow pavements, the stench of
traffic fumes, cars and mopeds rushing about. Just like in the UK. It was a world away from the
capital of Slovenia.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Densham tells that Slovenia made changes following a “52 per cent increase in car use
between 2002 and 2012".</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So they came up with radical plan to limit motors and give
priority to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. Over 10 hectares – just
under 25 acres - of the city centre was pedestrianised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t sound much when converted to miles,
0.386 square miles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But that fact in itself reveals how little road space is needed to improve conditions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It can make a big difference.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Densham says it shows that huge challenges can be met in the
urgent need to restrict car use, and he also mentions the initiatives in Paris which
hosts this year’s Olympic Games. Barcelona, too, aims to put people before
cars. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He mentions Ghent in Belgium which seven years ago
introduced a city “circulation” plan to dramatically cut car travel in the
centre. The changes boosted cycle use from 22 per cent of journeys to 37 per
cent. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All of these fine initiatives show just how far the UK lags
behind. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO0a9XX2nxV_lEIT91F4b35djsn_CE8YadCtKSnoir9hlqnQ-a3nujgNAhzW8R2oaC5kX5lyhUzrnT3hQQDViAcs_XZ2c22TaiSfC7LP1rVuU94vg38RrfBqu62GmWa0YXIV6EHkCDWCa9oXLhI27lhOf_E-wyneHxgKUOu2AalvjQOl72y_xbUx79DXw"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO0a9XX2nxV_lEIT91F4b35djsn_CE8YadCtKSnoir9hlqnQ-a3nujgNAhzW8R2oaC5kX5lyhUzrnT3hQQDViAcs_XZ2c22TaiSfC7LP1rVuU94vg38RrfBqu62GmWa0YXIV6EHkCDWCa9oXLhI27lhOf_E-wyneHxgKUOu2AalvjQOl72y_xbUx79DXw" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i> Torquay's bonkers answer to overcoming a gradient on a cycle route</i><div><i> was to provide steps (see Blog June 2, 2022). </i></div><div><i> Do note, the above pic is not the Torquay masterpiece.</i><p class="MsoNormal">The author compares his experiences abroad to the reality of his
home city of Glasgow, streets full of traffic. A visit there, he says, may leave
a bad taste in the mouth, literally.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Which can only get worse. Densham writes that government
predictions for England and Wales say traffic is to increase by up to 54
percent by 2060.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A grim picture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Elsewhere in <i>Cycle,</i> the various stories reflect on the huge enthusiasm
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cycling UK</i> to get Britain cycling
despite the setbacks. Setbacks such as government slashing funding for cycling; of plans</p><p class="MsoNormal">to allow traffic to enter previously restricted areas because Sunak thinks this unfairly punishes motorists.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">If Britain is good at anything it is dancing the Quick Step. They agree to funding cycling one moment, then slash the budget the next; one step forward, one step back. The Cycle Planning Quickstep.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The front cover of <i>Cycle</i> depicts a London city night scene and a huge
<i>Cycling UK</i> slogan on the side of a building declaring “Rishi, fight climate
change…don’t fuel it.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-15343964433735380212024-01-17T03:06:00.000-08:002024-01-17T15:45:40.072-08:00Sunak's pro driving policy prompted by conspiracy theory <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Recently I discovered the twisted logic behind Prime Minister
Rishi Sunak’s plan to do away with low traffic neighbourhoods in order to allow drivers free access them. Low traffic neighbourhoods were created to make them safer for
residents and to encourage walking and cycling.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You may have thought that creating traffic-free areas was more relevant than ever with the need to reduce traffic pollution in a bid to tackle
climate change.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But to hell with all that, says Sunak. We cannot punish the
motorist! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwsoT5bcwcyUMrwT-Kjtdyu5tBKq4-dh9LST2jDt6nx58paPBSFsaAj1WsCSoHen9qGVndBpsu7pzoTOsXWzUM3csyLvPHp6wyzrnsLgJ18cr6I-P-q5OQeu1gvR0ICMSKq5ByknpB2Dwha2M2M_Toe44cyfwv8Vs2TjlRBuXyklLmwZi9onYUTeze5T4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="5000" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwsoT5bcwcyUMrwT-Kjtdyu5tBKq4-dh9LST2jDt6nx58paPBSFsaAj1WsCSoHen9qGVndBpsu7pzoTOsXWzUM3csyLvPHp6wyzrnsLgJ18cr6I-P-q5OQeu1gvR0ICMSKq5ByknpB2Dwha2M2M_Toe44cyfwv8Vs2TjlRBuXyklLmwZi9onYUTeze5T4=w400-h149" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clearly, he is shit scared of losing votes in this year’s
general election and is turning current transport thinking on its head. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is not considering for a moment that taking
a stand to help reduce car dependency might instead work in his favour.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have since learned that Sunak’s decision, which flies the
in face of the government’s own Active Travel Policy, was based in part on a
conspiracy theory whipped up by ministers concerned about “15-minute cities”!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“15-minute cities”, explained Peter Walker in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Guardian</i> recently, is an urban
planning concept devised by France-based urbanist, Carlos Moreno.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is described as a broad planning concept devised for
people living within easy reach of schools and work places, for whom cycling
and walking would likely offer an attractive alternative to driving.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is all part of the world wide move to reduce car
dependency and reduce pollution which is killing people and one of the causes
of climate change which could<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ultimately
wipe us out. But who cares, says Sunak and cohorts, we can’t allow that, its
anti-motorist!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">According to Cycling UK’s research large numbers of people
would willingly switch to cycling for short journeys instead of always using
the car, if road safety was improved. It was not about forcing people to stop
driving, they have insisted! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Restricting vehicular access to certain neighbourhoods was
seen as vital to improving road safety, and this has largely been acceptable in
government circles for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
never the intention to force people to stop driving, but to restrict access and
bring calm to residential areas where children may play as they always used to
be able to do, and cyclists and walking becomes safer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The current problem has its roots in the 1960s, when car
ownership took off. The government of the day seized on this, with a policy to
encourage drivers to be able to go where they liked and when they liked. And
most drivers believe it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Trying to row back on that “promise” is proving a problem.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So now we have a government which has dropped all pretence
at supporting Active Travel and has become gripped by the fear drivers are
unfairly being targeted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Supporting this
belief are conspiracy theorists that see it as part “climate lockdown”, in
which, as Walker describes it “people are forcibly kept within their local
neighbourhood and not allowed to travel.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Walker reports a speech by Mark Harper, the transport
secretary, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>made to Conservative
conference in October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this bonkers speech
he describes 15-minute cities as schemes in which “local councils can decide
how often you go to the shops” – which was incorrect and never been proposed in
Britain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But we are where we are. Sunak – bidding to become our fourth
useless Prime Minster after Johnson, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">May and Truss – is set to scrap government guidelines to
local councils to install more 20mph speed restrictions, spreading the lie that
Active Travel policies intended to improve the quality of life are in fact “anti-car
measures”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-43170673191345623632024-01-01T11:41:00.000-08:002024-01-01T11:41:05.593-08:00Wishful thinking<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The New Year dawns and my wish are for more things to go
right than wrong in 2024.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So good bye to miserable, tension filled days. Welcome to
doing nice things, fantasy things, like those Facebook posts which report that so
is at the Pier Head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or so and so is in
Thirsk, having a beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they get a
100 likes and lots of fawning comments.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Or so and so is in the Bahamas – again. I admit to being
envious.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Are they lying? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I don’t think so. I think they are “blessed”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3zUc95hgxG5nCSkkgg6lt68rKzyBHW6eAfbYMGTI3lasKgoxLEP5Io0f9JoXSp8gl_EQfU70j4YNUG_sxRzRvbuN7G9nccwvad5-5O3V4x_CgVZFK9L964jmGjIz4IJiEC-r8LE0AKehN56o6ylUREmQg20An-ggA5k0Cc84GK1WiZzDwYP9zO0qcJ1I" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3zUc95hgxG5nCSkkgg6lt68rKzyBHW6eAfbYMGTI3lasKgoxLEP5Io0f9JoXSp8gl_EQfU70j4YNUG_sxRzRvbuN7G9nccwvad5-5O3V4x_CgVZFK9L964jmGjIz4IJiEC-r8LE0AKehN56o6ylUREmQg20An-ggA5k0Cc84GK1WiZzDwYP9zO0qcJ1I=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Wish you were here" by Pink Floyd. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We’re not blessed. We be carers and worn out with worry for
our room-bound patient.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And, like our dear daughter, we be house-bound - for years now - as a consequence,
like so many thousands of others. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Better days will see us all getting out there. I'm all for wishful thinking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I think we'll take Eurostar
to Paris, just for starters.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Official at check in: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorry
sir, the Chunnel is flooded, no services. There are thousands of frustrated
customers here, their holidays ruined.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What? I don’t give a toss. I do not wish to hear this.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let me speak to the driver.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi, there, can you get on to control; tell them who I am...
We wish to get to Paris, my family and myself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The driver calls control, gives them my name.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Control says: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If he’s
the train spotter who used to stand at Wigan North Western in the 1960s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad knew him. Good man. Good to go the
Paris. Never mind the flood. It’s only a few inches, drop the speed to 50.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turning to us
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hop in. Your wish is my command.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Zoom…300kph and Paris in two and half hours, taking a little
longer due to the flood in the Chunnel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No need for the snorkels.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the Gare du Nord, we lunch nearby at Restaurant <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Poo Poo’,
</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>across the road..<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What next? Oh, yes. What do you on a day trip to Paris with
so little time to take it all in?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You go to the one place which will confirm you were there
and no where else.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We take a cab to the Eiffel Tower, go the top 1000 feet up,
and admire the view in the setting sun. Then cab to the Gare du Nord and our
Eurostar which is still not running – they say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pardon, Mons</i>,”
says platform official.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Etes-vous observateur
de trains du Nord Western de Wigan?”<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Qui. I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Allez. Bon route.”<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are waved forward by our driver. Off we go, back to St
Pancras.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A dream trip.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And now how to deal with daily Hell of the self-service
checkout at my supermarket.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These newly introduced machines are meant to ease the pain
of shopping, but they don’t because they are likely to misread most of the
goods scanned.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shop with own Bag? The screen says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Place bag in position, orders the screen.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You scan in the first item.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Place your purchase in the bag, it says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I do so.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the third item the machine fails to register it in the
bag and tells you to put the fucking thing in the bag. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have done so, I say, but it takes no notice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Instead on screen message appears in red “Assistant coming”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Except they take a whole minute or more which is too long.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The assistant presses keys, juggles this, that, the machine relents.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am able to proceed to the next<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>item, number 4 of 15 and if its bad day the
machine will four more times stop and query <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>something or other, taking a dislike to the
bread, or the tomatoes, or whatever, the colour<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>of my coat: and each time it calls for the assistant. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is happening all down the line to other customers, all
now quietly seething.<br />
I seethe, but noisily.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WILL YOU GET RID OFTHIS HEAP OF JUNK!!!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know now how to take charge of the situation. I take my
cue from Richard, the big Aussie ex-firefighter who decades ago did a spell at
<i>Cycling Weekly</i> designing page layouts on screen. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whenever there was glitch and the page froze he would
exclaim loudly with Aussie expressions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then to my delight, remonstrate with the machine by smacking the computer
with the flat of his hand. This direct action would elicit a cry from the editor’s
office where Andy would call out. “OH, no…, that’s a few thousand pounds worth
of kit”!!!!!!!!!!!!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, at the first sign of trouble with the checkout shit heap
I smack it hard. Shoppers turn their heads in my direction.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">You bastard, I call out, raising my voice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It doesn’t always work. But satisfaction is guaranteed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">GET RID OF THEM, I tell the assistant and managers who come
running.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next day, we have a splendid take away frozen meal from
COOK. We have Beef Stroganoff – or as Sid, mishearing the waitress, once said: “Strong
enough for what, dear?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And from the wine cellar all good Face bookers have, a
bottle of Chateau Nuff Du Wot. Or was it Blue Nun?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The following day we’re in Bournemouth, watching the heaving
seas as waves crash onto the beach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then to the silence and grandeur of the Scottish Highlands,
oh, the majesty of those peaks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Off to Stockholm, to wander about the old town – Gamla Stan.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a parachute jump at Biggin Hill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Risky.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We go Nordic Walking with sticks over our local Surrey Hills
– always a good workout.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finish with a coffee in Mullins down the road, named in
honour of its long gone owner, identified on the Blue Plaque on the wall
outside: “This is the house of William Mullins,, a Pilgrim Father who sailed to
America on board the Mayflower in 1620. “<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wishing you all the best.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-34554785601895289482023-12-27T11:07:00.000-08:002023-12-27T12:38:00.782-08:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Windmills of my mind’<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMIYNuHSeu2erpZ0FaPnDtgR-k6PZHw5l1G5L8kXZzo9QUkCnmOGDWKnRn20rU2wEnZnm459va9n6YW3o7dDskrYla7BhsxMZP6CB4VaUWfnBQP1vGcyASjI53pdpXqM6FUlZ8YqSArCX_8LFoW-4flP08PHRUNae8N_Vs1GudFDlfe_ISsP4I_rs4ws/s3369/shutterstock_192396356%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2246" data-original-width="3369" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMIYNuHSeu2erpZ0FaPnDtgR-k6PZHw5l1G5L8kXZzo9QUkCnmOGDWKnRn20rU2wEnZnm459va9n6YW3o7dDskrYla7BhsxMZP6CB4VaUWfnBQP1vGcyASjI53pdpXqM6FUlZ8YqSArCX_8LFoW-4flP08PHRUNae8N_Vs1GudFDlfe_ISsP4I_rs4ws/w400-h266/shutterstock_192396356%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> F</o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">or this <i>blog</i> I have cherry-picked a number of short
stories from “Pedals turned in Anger” – my unpublished ramblings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Here goes.-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When
British riders won all three Grand Tours in one year. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">HOW did we get here? I often reflect upon this, now
I am now longer a roving reporter for Cycling Weekly. How did this sport
survive scandals and upheavals across the decades to become the leading cycling
nation in the world?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It really is – to use a tired cliché – rags to
riches story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And one which every bike
rider in the land took pride in and it still takes some getting used to. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Despite their image tarnished following doping
investigations this past decade, with accusations of sexism and bullying, British
Cycling’s stock rose again with home riders Grand Tour domination in 2018. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The unique treble in winning all three grand
tours – the Giro d’Italia, Le Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">With three different riders!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">No one saw that coming, did they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All three Grand Tours won by one nation!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This
was </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">a
stunning and unique feat no other country has achieved and one which, despite
the still simmering scandals embroiling Team Sky and British Cycling, puts them
among the world’s top cycling nations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The history makers: Chris Froome in the Giro;
Geraint Thomas in Le Tour; and Simon Yates, the Vuelta.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The marriage of success to failure<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Our cyclists are celebrated multi-Olympic and World champions. Three of
them have won the Tour de France – Bradley Wiggins once –Knighted for his
efforts - and Chris Froome four times, plus Geraint Thomas once.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Honours fell like confetti on British Cycling’s riders and top
officials.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Yet despite this celebration of our elite riders, the prospect remains
remote that the roads will ever be made safer for cyclists, be they sporting
cyclists or the tens of thousands of ordinary cyclists, too. The roads will
remain as inhospitable to cyclists as ever.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">The glaring failure of the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olympic 2012 legacy</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">No one had a bad thing to say about the London 2012
Olympic Games.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I enjoyed them immensely, especially the road
cycling witnessed in the flesh, but I had to make do with watching the track
from my armchair – all tickets sold out!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Even the man who built the banked track, Ron Webb,
failed to get a ticket!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But afterwards, post Games; there has been one
glaring failure in the delivery of the Olympic Legacy in the Queen Elizabeth
Velopark. Mountain bike racing, an integral part of the original Eastway
circuit ripped out to build the Games Village, never made it back. Mountain
bike riding did, let’s be clear, but on a track too narrow to allow racing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">MTB racing was “designed out” when the circuit they
put back afterwards was deemed unsuitable for competition!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>When an
Olympic hero phoned me!</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">At 426pm,
as I was having a coffee and meatball Panini at Café Ritazza, my mobile rang. <br />
<br />
“Hi,” I answered. <br />
<br />
“Keith, it’s Chris.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It was Chris
Hoy, the most famous Olympic champion in the UK that year, 2008.<br />
<br />
What a player. The MAN called me back! <br />
Earlier that afternoon I had hoped to collar him at the Manchester Velodrome,
but he simply did not have the time to speak with me. “Give me your number,
I’ll call you later,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I was
impressed. An Olympic hero phoning me? He had been in great demand by TV and
for dinners and shows since he had wowed us the Beijing Games. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br />
We didn’t have a good line. In one ear, booming station announcements. In the
other, our greatest Olympian.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It was a hasty
interview, not one of my best. Just a couple of minutes to see what he was
doing next.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br />
Is he riding the Revolution? (track meeting)<br />
<br />
“Yes.” <br />
<br />
In the last four months, taken up with public appearances and TV interviews and
shows followed by a much needed holiday, did he get to ride his bike?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br />
“Wednesday was the first time on the track. I took my road bike with me on
holiday to Thailand, so did a little road riding there.” <br />
<br />
Chris, let’s talk about your second gold medal of the Games, in the team sprint
when you whacked the French. <br />
<br />
That gap which you let open as Staff screamed away on the opening lap of the
team sprint final, was that a problem? How much harder did you have to ride to
pull that back? <br />
<br />
His answer got tangled up with an announcement for a train to Crewe. I think he
said he held it, then accelerated to close it at the last moment, so when
Kenny, the man in front, swung up for Hoy to come through, Hoy was already
travelling at a higher speed. <br />
<br />
How many public appearances has Hoy made since Beijing? <br />
<br />
“Phew. Don’t know. I’ve had one day off,” he laughed. <br />
<br />
“The open-top bus ride in Edinburgh was probably the best – the Castle, Royal
Mile. There were 500,000 people turned out. It was amazing.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And they he had
to end his call. What a player. What a nice man. I was so taken aback I almost
missed my train.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Hinault
versus LeMond...1986</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Stage 18, Briancon-L’Alpe D’Heuz, 162.5 km.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My story in Cycling Weekly began: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“This was one of the greatest days in Tour history
as Bernard Hinault tried to take back the yellow jersey he regarded as his own,
from his own team-mate, Greg LeMond!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“Like two prize fighters the pair went in search of
the truth over the terrifyingly high Col du Galibier, where the snows never
melt and ice lines the roadside. Then over the Col du Telegraph, the Col de la
Croix de Fer, and finally up the famous 22-hairpin climb of L’Alpe d’Huez, to
complete the alpine “circle of death”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">On the descent off the Galibier, Hinault had dived
into the attack, and his prey, he said, was Zimmerman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as far I was concerned, he might lose
LeMond as well! Hinault plunged to a 20-second lead before LeMond seemingly
unaware of the danger, reacted after the prompt from Cabestany.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">LeMond took off, taking Cabestany with him, and, of
course, their big rival Zimmerman and they all joined Hinault.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Rendezvous
at first light</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Discovering the magic of the early morning TT</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This was early 1960s. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s very quiet. Not a sound. The sun has risen and
is edging above the eastern horizon, shafts of piercing light chasing away the
last of the night.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The two teenagers, recent recruits to the Merseyside
Wheelers, are to meet with club mate George Corfe, to ride out to their first
club “25”, at Lydiate, a few miles out of town. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s 5am
Sunday, and they wait as arranged, at the junction of Queens Drive and Derby
Lane, in Liverpool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh, but there is a just a tiny sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A light breeze sends fallen leaves and
newspapers rustling and tumbling across the empty wide dual-carriageway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Otherwise, absolutely still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No traffic. They whisper so as not to disturb<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">sleeping sparrows awaiting the coming morning
glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor the sleeping families in
nearby houses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">They look way back down the road, in the direction
from which George will come, to where the wide, empty road bends out of sight
400 yards away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">He’s coming!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They know it. Can’t yet see him but they hear him, or rather they hear
something they had never heard before. It was a sound destined to make them
slaves to their new calling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It is the faint hum of expensive lightweight
tubulars singing on the smooth tarmac. Music!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The distant figure of a racing man hoves into view,
alone on the wide, still empty road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
rides fixed wheel. His bike gleams. It is shod with the best silk racing tubulars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sunlight flashes off polished stainless
steel spokes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The pair push off as he nears; begin rolling in the
direction they must go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He glides
silently alongside, eases back just a bit, sits up and turns to his young
friends, “Orright?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>smiles George.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“Nice morning. Fast times today – we hope”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This was my introduction to the secret world of
the early morning club time trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-86459993952583024002023-12-04T10:58:00.000-08:002023-12-04T11:02:32.077-08:00King Charles, Rishi and Dodgy Dave all cop it for taking a jet each instead of sharing <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Scroll down for more on the headline story.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Otherwise, start with this mash mash of stuff.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To get us the mood,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>check out a<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>few amusing extracts
from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Devil’s Dictionary</i>, by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ambrose Bierce</i>, American journalist of
the late 19<sup>th</sup> century. Bierce set out to provide alternative
explanations in the use of language, to appeal to “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">enlightened souls who prefer sense to sentiment, wit to humour and
clean English to slang</i>” – as the late Miles Kington expressed in his
introduction in the 2003 publication by the Folio Society.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bierce wrote:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>POLITICS. A strife of
interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public
affairs for private advantage.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">PLAN. To bother about the best method of accomplishing an
accidental result.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">PEACE. In international affairs a period of cheating between
two periods of fighting.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">LAWYER. One skilled in circumvention of the law.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CYNIC. A Blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they
are not as they ought to be…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">To which may I offer <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Freedomcycle </i>blog perspectives.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DEPARTMENT FOR
TRANSPORT (DfT)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fact: DfT has never formulated a national transport policy
incorporating all modes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Speculates on future transport needs by dealing with each
mode as though others do not exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recent
achievements include making compulsory purchase orders on land and homes in the
path of HS2 then cancelling the extension to Manchester. Promises a national
cycling policy then underfunds it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
nothing better to do, moves desks and chairs around.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NATIONAL HEALTH
SERVICE.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">World first in long waiting lists. Systematically under funded
by a government which favour private health care. Already gone to private care - dentistry,
ear syringing, podiatry. Continues to offer little or no help to those suffering chronic health conditions such as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), hypermobolity Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (PoTS) and AUTISM.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Conservative party (not
worthy of capital letters)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Known for deceiving, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lying, dressing smartly, selling off
public utilities to their rich mates, milking the system, promising what they
cannot provide, creating a financial mess, under funding of the NHS, mental
health services, wrecking the country and then promising to fix it if
re-elected but with no intention of doing so.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BCF (British Cycling
Federation)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Not to be mistaken for Birkenhead Corporation Ferries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BCF (otherwise known as British Cycling) famous for being
top UK Olympic sports federation, infamous for selling their soul to the Devil
in a sponsorship deal with Shell, whose carbon activities and those of other
oil companies have contributed to 5bn deaths worldwide.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Backed by black gold they hope to deliver more Olympic
medals even as the podiums are lapped by rising sea levels. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>COP 28</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We’ll all cop it.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And so to the UN’s COP 28 climate conference last week focusing
on the big problem threatening life on earth, heating up of the planet caused by
burning carbon. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was a week full of contradictions</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQ5ZpfByTHm7T_PaMFYJX42XSWNTmO3GpO48dYxNIN2KmrQykhFPGTRpLLHaWG17e2wWmV1C97DgaZgPk84rVMvY3YGoRqsb_L1TMvsxorr4r7pCv0NQel5Mu13m07cKZUQ7YcX_V6NiFBltZ_jEyU1qk99DjKByFcwJ62R6f1YeSIhEuUj1QxmJv33A/s4896/shutterstock_1071778031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="4896" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQ5ZpfByTHm7T_PaMFYJX42XSWNTmO3GpO48dYxNIN2KmrQykhFPGTRpLLHaWG17e2wWmV1C97DgaZgPk84rVMvY3YGoRqsb_L1TMvsxorr4r7pCv0NQel5Mu13m07cKZUQ7YcX_V6NiFBltZ_jEyU1qk99DjKByFcwJ62R6f1YeSIhEuUj1QxmJv33A/s320/shutterstock_1071778031.jpg" width="320" /><br /></a><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The King, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary<br />were criticised for flying to COP 28 in three separate</span></i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">aircraft.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br />How odd that the host city was oil-rich Dubai which has increased oil production up to </span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.5million barrels a day? <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Very revealing that the main message from COP 28 is an agreement
by the rich countries to help the poorer nations cope with climate change, rather
than agree on how best to prevent it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
leaving the oil in the ground, say, for starters?<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And finally, how perverse that King Charles, Prime Minister
Rishi Sunak and new Foreign Secretary, the former PM Dodgy David Cameron, each took a
private jet to fly to COP28?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sheer hypocrisy
of it beggars belief and they have been widely criticised for burning three
loads of carbon instead of one. I suppose they’ll say they each travelled
separately for safety.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Heaven forbid anything untoward should happen to them up there. But if did no worries, there are plenty of goons willing to step into their shoes should their jet vanish through a portal into a future world where we would have no need of oil, Britain had rejoined the EU and there are cycle networks in every town and city.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Welcome to the future. We finish as we started, quoting <i>The Devil's Dictionary</i>, which defined the future as: "a period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true and our happiness is assured."</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><br />Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-91257100149146172462023-11-16T11:26:00.000-08:002023-11-16T11:26:49.906-08:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Dodgy Dave, who wrecked</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Get Britain
Cycling report, is back in town</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">For all those who take refuge from the noos by reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Facebook</i> posts by souls enjoying a meal
or boasting of their achievements, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>look
away now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The news this week does nothing to calm our nerves, as the headlines
screamed: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">David Cameron is back in
government</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Cameron! Or Dodgy Dave, as he became popularly known among the
downtrodden.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJ4XzDn6nl096sKvixxjWE5CBp3mD85bcOGkXhjBEGA-8iy0pYpG434BhL75uOB83TKunPnECOM7VYE-mYS6FR_P44mPthDSxloAB1wYJOElRf6hUzkqaYvnL7sfPagSB03dLuAsDxGT4w6TZ52npS-HivLjbfTOtCSt6BWBsK3uaPuTc3hWus7bITmk/s4478/shutterstock_407381419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3254" data-original-width="4478" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJ4XzDn6nl096sKvixxjWE5CBp3mD85bcOGkXhjBEGA-8iy0pYpG434BhL75uOB83TKunPnECOM7VYE-mYS6FR_P44mPthDSxloAB1wYJOElRf6hUzkqaYvnL7sfPagSB03dLuAsDxGT4w6TZ52npS-HivLjbfTOtCSt6BWBsK3uaPuTc3hWus7bITmk/w400-h291/shutterstock_407381419.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /><o:p><br /></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This is the man who as prime minister refused to fund the widely
acclaimed<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Get Britain Cycling</span></i><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> report in 2013. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had raised hopes by praising it but then refused
to commit government to implementing it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Which in my book confirms that cycling issues just don’t grab any
British government.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Instead Cameron passed the buck to Local Authorities where there was no
danger of anything coming of it. He surely knew the LAs</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">had neither the £billions needed nor, in most cases, the political will
to get on with the greatest cycling initiative ever. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p>T</o:p></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">he former prime minister of course is remembered chiefly for his controversial
Austerity measures which led to cuts in many public services and hardship for
poor families.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">This is the man who allowed a public referendum which resulted in Brexit,
and the UK leaving the European Union, something he hadn’t counted on.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Brexit set the country further back, from which the country today is still
struggling to recover.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">He disappeared for several years, surfacing in the Lords.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Now Lord Cameron slides back into the fray as Foreign Secretary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">His appointment by Rishi Sunak smacks of a drowning man thrashing around
and grabbing any flotsam in a bid to remain afloat, a strange decision considering
it was Cameron’s government which left the mess Rishi knows he must fix if he is not to lose the next General Election. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">This mishmash of double talk goes on at all
levels, with cycling issues one prime example. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It is 15 years since writing of the remarkable rise of British
cycling which first kicked off following </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">the hugely successful 2008 Beijing Olympics.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In the decade following I would occasionally pause
to ask myself the following.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Do I need to reappraise my brutal assessment of how British politics has
continually and willfully failed cycling this past half-century?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And the answer each time was no. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">So today I am motivated to look back once again at the utter failure of
the government to improve cycling conditions, which we felt certain would be
addressed as cycling success continued.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I called this, the Marriage of Success to Failure following the 2012
London Olympic Games, when British riders again scooped a multitude of medals,
following Bradley Wiggins famous victory in the Tour de France. What a marvelous
year, as thousands of new followers took up cycling.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Then we had the brilliant Get Britain Cycling Report – to be sidelined,
like many previous excellent recommendations - this time by Dodgy Dave.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Ditto post Rio 2016. Ditto post Tokyo 2020 Games. At each Games British
riders shone, but the success failed to permeate down to cycling transport
policy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Oh, government may say they want to invest in cycling, they do the talk. They’re
good at talking, putting up a few £billion before taking it back, slashing funding.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Despite tirelessly lobbying by </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cycling
UK</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">, the national cyclists’ organisation, funding remains woefully
inadequate for the government’s so-called Active Travel Policy to encourage
walking and cycling.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Such mismanagement of cycling policy serves as a perfect mirror for the
nation’s woes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">How fitting that this devilish blog should coincidentally run to 666
words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-73965957068364030752023-10-08T11:31:00.004-07:002023-10-08T13:11:07.922-07:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What has Rishi got against cycling? </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak’s cancellation of the Manchester
leg of HS2 fell short of pulling the plug on the whole wasteful multi-billion pound enterprise, critics complained
last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while that story from
Conservative Party Conference in Manchester grabbed the headlines, we cyclists
were more concerned that not a word
was said about improving cycling safety in the road upgrades promised.</p><p class="MsoNormal">His speech was all a load of soundbite cobblers anyway, not even discussed with his own cabinet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His announcement of rail plans for “Network North” in a
40-page prospectus was rustled up a hurry, according to Helen Pidd in <i>The
Guardian</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It illustrates, she says, “a
significant lack of understanding of the realities of transport in the north of
England.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It also hijacked some schemes already
announced, as if they were new.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His plans to do away with 20mph zones will make the roads
ever more dangerous and does nothing to encourage cycling, indeed will deter
people from cycling.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He has surpassed liar and conman Boris Johnson with inflated
claims painting rosy pictures of the future, relaxed measures to cut back on carbon levels which will weaken Net Zero aims, and all in the hope that the electorate will grant him a stay of execution in next year’s General Election which his party is
predicted to lose. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32GHNmUPSTw4yCpdoL_42rhn63AwXomyEzyE2RUDbbxuGHLbESxFz1pRP-CfmHlsNXN2XW-JmSHytxKWgJaXyjiuQxerx_h0qX9TRMvjMJudtfZxzEMhBKF140ucO7_G3otxI5Ae5TQMZBHaba96vPH6faiidIx4fJqyBzIx4yNAt6IdhHmT9zfAAz6g/s4608/shutterstock_2292755473.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4608" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32GHNmUPSTw4yCpdoL_42rhn63AwXomyEzyE2RUDbbxuGHLbESxFz1pRP-CfmHlsNXN2XW-JmSHytxKWgJaXyjiuQxerx_h0qX9TRMvjMJudtfZxzEMhBKF140ucO7_G3otxI5Ae5TQMZBHaba96vPH6faiidIx4fJqyBzIx4yNAt6IdhHmT9zfAAz6g/w400-h266/shutterstock_2292755473.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I wouldn’t bet on that, since politics now dances to the outlandish tunes demanded of the populist masses who gave us
the chaos of Brexit in 2016.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And that's enough of this blogging about all of that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It brings me to
this week’s big question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the
point of a blog?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just what are blogs about, other inflated views of the
writer. Who cares?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Curious things, Blogs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 344.95pt;">Short for log, apparently, as in
a diary for the keeping of. Keeps me occupied, it’s a distraction.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A blog diary is visible to all, of course, via the internet.
Well - available to those who bother to look.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It begs the question, why would anyone want to look at what
a blogger is writing, such as this blog?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I write one because after reporting for Cycling Weekly for
many years I cannot kick the habit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I like to record my thoughts, my reaction to the news and
goings on. It’s like running the Hoover over my brain. Maybe, in my subconscious, I am writing to meet a deadline, to get a story out there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I like to hammer out stories on my laptop to the recorded
background sound of the rat-a-tat of typewriter keyboards (remember that old
technology?) which I play to get me in the newsroom mood. Includes the
stressful strains of subs howling in protest at grammatical blunders. And
shouting, from time to time…. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hyphens, dear
boy, hyphens. </i>(Fond memories of Sid Saltmarsh, a really excellent sub,
pouring over copy, fag stuck to his bottom lip while listening to a horse race
on the radio. I well recall his anguished cry of rage as his fancied horse was
overtaken. “Oh for Christ’s sake, piss off Piggott.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And I like the idea that a few people may follow the blog. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No idea what they make of it. But it’s become obvious to me
that readers prefr cheerful celebratory stories and will steer clear of doom
laden stuff about, for instance, the shit about the Tory Party Conference, or Climate
Change, things like that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Or the recent blog about how DuPont, sponsors of the Tour of
Luxembourg, poisoned the world with a toxic chemical found in many every day
products. Very few bothered to read that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve replaced all my
Teflon pans, by the way, with pans with stickers on them proclaiming them to be
PFOA free.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the biggest spikes recently was recorded for my
observations of one of the biggest and exciting upsets in the sport when a
well-liked domestique upstaged the team’s two champions in a Grand Tour.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">American Sepp Kuss won the Vuelta d’Espana despite being
attacked by his two teammates, Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic, both of them
hot favourites and winners respectively of this year’s Tour de France and Giro
d’Italia. But when Kuss took the overall lead in Spain on stage eight with a
healthy overall lead that upset the applecart.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That was a great story, and we were so pleased for Kuss who
has wowed us all with his powerful riding in the service of those two talented riders
helping to set races up for them on countless occasions. And yet they weren’t
so big as to want to return the favour. Until pulled into line by team orders.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And so Kuss won. Bravo.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That blog netted over 800 hits in one day, with close on
5000 registered that same month.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Doesn’t compare with those blogs with several thousand
followers – blogs about cupcakes, knitting, mending bikes, for instance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The dive in readers occurred the week after the “Kuss surge” when I
posted the truly depressing and horrifying story of how Tour of Luxembourg
sponsor DuPont had, over the years, poisoned almost everyone on the planet
with a chemical they knew to be toxic but nevertheless used in the manufacture
of many products you and I use, from cooking ware to shower-proof clothing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Very few clicked on the blog to read about that. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly, people get
enough depressing news across the media without being assaulted by a blog of
horrors. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is also reflected in the many posts to <i>Facebook</i>, which
invariable are all about happy times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And why not?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I'm envious of those posts from people on
some swell holiday, or having a great time with family at some post restaurant
with photographs of the meal they are about to be stuff into their gobs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is the downside of Facebook for many people out
there, with no family, or with issues which all but halt social activity of any
sort.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I suppose we’ve all been ensnared “social media”, posting stuff and hoping for “Likes” . Has it become a drug? </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I sometimes wish I could kick the habit. But then again,
<i>Facebook</i> groups, especially those from people all sharing caring duties can be
a blessing, for shared advice and support.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is the good bit of <i>Facebook</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So too for those in the throes of life threatening
illnesses, sharing their concerns online helps when sometimes complete
strangers respond.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And there are cycling groups, specialist interest
groups, all good fun, sharing information and history and photographs. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That’s what <i>Facebook</i> is, or pretends to be while storing our data, it's a place to hide from the everyday
shit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I do wish there could be more comment on current
affairs, such as the utter and complete mess this country is in, courtesy of
the Conservative Party. Or, if it’s a Tory supporter with his or her head up
their own arse, they may like to say how wonderful the Tories are doing, how
their share values in the water companies have made them rich never mind the sewage being wantonly poured directly into rivers and the sea.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do not fear. It turns out that Rishi will be moving out of Number 10 now he has won a one-way ticket to Rwanda, the first prize in our
competition <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vandal of the Year</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“<i>And away</i>….” as comedian Bob Mortimer would say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>That is the title of his autobiography, a laugh
from start to finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recommended as the
perfect antidote to all this nonsense. Not my blog - the goings on!</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Allez.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-6706768109057617262023-09-27T13:10:00.007-07:002023-09-28T00:14:37.816-07:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial Black","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cycle race sponsor DuPont manufactured the toxic chemical found in Teflon and other water-resistant products<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">CYCLE racing has a troubled history of doping, as we
know. Riders taking dangerous chemicals to assist them in their
work. Today the sport insists doping is not so nearly as widespread as before.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But given this history of chemical abuse in cycling, how ironic that a sponsor associated with the sport is chemical giant, the American company, DuPont, based
in West Virginia. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">You may be aware of the dark side to this company. I
wasn’t until recently. This astonishing and alarming story was only revealed in all its gory details a few years ago after
lengthy litigation spanning two decades. It tells how DuPont manufactured a toxic
chemical knowing it to be a health risk, and which has ultimately killed people. The record
states it has made its way into the blood stream of every person on the planet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBsOBJ-6AS45SzNDp6DA8tmLBwqvDHU0yOPMRn5MaZ7I7ChDVvzYdEKbsMN_0_rx5Q6NelryK3g9ihXzlRRvdNSq0R25twby8jb4q90JC9CPaM84OoB0bVkgO_A0eLaVluJAUOECbuvbkuCDQhnJTVmNve-bwDJetOEeJpcNxlmLegTvELLg8i0UT8x4/s6720/shutterstock_2034886118.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBsOBJ-6AS45SzNDp6DA8tmLBwqvDHU0yOPMRn5MaZ7I7ChDVvzYdEKbsMN_0_rx5Q6NelryK3g9ihXzlRRvdNSq0R25twby8jb4q90JC9CPaM84OoB0bVkgO_A0eLaVluJAUOECbuvbkuCDQhnJTVmNve-bwDJetOEeJpcNxlmLegTvELLg8i0UT8x4/s320/shutterstock_2034886118.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Non-stick Teflon (left) non toxic (right)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Some might ask if this case is any worse than the
health risks from burning oil and there are millions of vehicles, factories out
there burning the black gold.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The big difference, though, insofar as oil is
concerned, is that it was nearly a century after oil was first used in the automotive
industry (1859, in the USA, I believe) before the risks became known. So this was
in the 1960s and yes, you guessed it, oil companies kept quiet about it! Shush.
Money to be made.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">They probably would have kept the lid on it had they
known from the beginning!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">However, if there is a distinction to be made it is
that DuPont knew the health risks when first making PFOA, kept quiet and went
ahead anyway. Money to be made.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As bad as each other. We’re all fucked, if the truth
be known. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyway, back to the DuPont story which really has
pissed me off given that they boast to making stuff to make our lives easier
and healthier.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">There are three aspects to it, the exposure of
employees to the chemical PFOA, the dumping the toxic waste into the water
supply and onto the land and using this chemical in a wide range of water-resistant products used world-wide.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This
from<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The Conversation: </i><span style="background: white; color: #111111;"><i>By 1989, many DuPont employees were
diagnosed </i></span></span></b><i><span style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">with </span><strong><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">cancer and leukaemia</span></strong></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>.
Yet while these events were detailed in internal corporate documents, the media
only reported the toxic spills in 2000. In 2001, a class action lawsuit was
filed on behalf of Parkersburg residents. On February 13 2017, DuPont agreed to
pay US$671 million to settle the case.</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">*<span style="background: white; color: #666666;">The Conversation is a network of </span></span></i><a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=Non-profit%20journalism%20wikipedia&form=WIKIRE"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">not-for-profit
media outlets</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> publishing news stories and </span></i><a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=Research%20reports%20wikipedia&form=WIKIRE"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">research
reports</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> online, with accompanying expert opinion
and analysis.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I became aware of this scandal recently after
watching the true life film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Waters.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #111111;">Dark
Waters is a 2019</span><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> American legal thriller
film</span></strong><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> directed by Todd Haynes and written by Mario Correa and
Matthew Michael Carnahan. The story is a dramatization of lawyer Robert
Bilott's case against the chemical manufacturing corporation DuPont. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">After many years DuPont was eventually forced to settle over 3500 personal injury claims arising
from the leak of poisonous waste products into the water supply in West
Virginia.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The day after watching this disturbing film, <i>Dark Waters</i> I turned on the
television to watch a bike race and </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">caught sight of the finish line banner. It has the name
DuPont writ large upon it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Hell, I thought! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clearly, the scandal which is revealed in terrifying detail
in the film, has barely touched DuPont, as though the story belonged to a
parallel universe. And here they are, few years down the line with a stake in sport, what we might call
a “green washing” arrangement. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But it won’t ever wash with the people of West
Virgina who took the major hit from this company’s work. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">For this is a tragedy in human and also animal terms
- one farmer lost his entire herd of cattle poisoned from drinking contaminated
water. The farmer, Earl Tennant, discovered his cattle were dying. He was sure
they were drinking contaminated water from a creek on his land and he was proved right. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tennant wanted answers and so lawyer Rob Bilott took
up his case and was shocked at the sheer scale of this scandal which has reached
far beyond West Virginia.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">He wrote a book about it, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exposure: Poisoned Water Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s 20-year
Battle against DuPont</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This book was the story behind the thriller I saw recently - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Waters - </i> and the documentary, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Devil We Know</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The chemical at the centre of this is called perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA) –
also known as C-8. It is called a “forever chemical” for it will last forever
in the environment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The film gets to the nitty gritty. This chemical is
used in the production of Teflon and other stain and water resistant products.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The story revealed how PFOA is linked to serious
diseases such as kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid
disease and pregnancy-induced hypertension.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Bilott says that a small group of people …. “coordinated
the intentional manufacture and release of a lethal poison that had special
properties that meant, once released into the world, it would be inevitable
that it would make its way into the blood of virtually every person on the
planet, even babies in their mother’s womb, and stay there, like a ticking
bomb.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Here is DuPont’s mission statement. “…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to create sustainable solutions essential to
a better, safer and healthier life for people everywhere.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Net sales last year were $16.7bn, up 16 per cent on
the previous year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">(The Organic Consumers Association tells the story in lurid detail<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><a href="https://organicconsumers.org/devil-we-know-how-dupont-poisoned-world-teflon/" style="font-size: 12pt;">'The Devil We Know:' How DuPont Poisoned the World with Teflon - Organic Consumers</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">)</span> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-26851330994300478762023-09-20T02:55:00.001-07:002023-09-20T02:55:14.216-07:00ALL HAIL KING SEPP<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The bare facts will record how American Sepp Kuss won
the 2023 Vuelta a Espana leading Jumbo-Visma to a historic triumph in being the
first team to win all three Grand Tours in one year. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">And that Kuss rode all three!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The team topped it off <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by taking the top three positions overall in
Spain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiefMXYRHc4wNuMGQwqHEfxE-0aaN2X18GuoZjkqbRgpUqNffm7XBq6tyYRdHUPVO84lit95q_3gFpPfmkzg9DW1njEoI1yx3T692T_CmEbunf8gijzZ9qT_LpThd9bRipc7V0Wmx18LyVWtuWKPTKWxbJETjGfMJBneY0Vfi4044dhHQ3tTxADrcou3U/s4004/shutterstock_2197256861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4004" data-original-width="2669" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiefMXYRHc4wNuMGQwqHEfxE-0aaN2X18GuoZjkqbRgpUqNffm7XBq6tyYRdHUPVO84lit95q_3gFpPfmkzg9DW1njEoI1yx3T692T_CmEbunf8gijzZ9qT_LpThd9bRipc7V0Wmx18LyVWtuWKPTKWxbJETjGfMJBneY0Vfi4044dhHQ3tTxADrcou3U/w266-h400/shutterstock_2197256861.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sepp Kuss, winner of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The story gets even better when we take into
account the intrigue concerning what appeared to be devious plotting to deny
Kuss that victory when both Roglic and Vingegaard, turning their pedals anger,
attempted to wrest the red jersey from him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was a story which rocked the sport in the final
week before it all came good in the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">For wasn’t that the most magical moment when Jumbo
– Visma’s Sepp Kuss, the American super domestique, upset the hierarchy – Jonas
Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic - to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>emerge
as the new star of the decade. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">His meritorious victory in the Vuelta in Madrid was
achieved despite their best efforts to oust him!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">What a controversy, as he put their noses out of
joint, the two men he has faithfully always served. For he had helped Denmark’s
Vingegaard to win of the Tour de France in July, a month after helped Slovenia’s
Roglic take the Giro in May.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">What an outrage then when this pair attacked Kuss
when leading them in Spain, trying in vain to take the red jersey off him in
the closing kilometers over two successive days including the toughest of mountain
stages in the final week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvodSR17dIFhVMCevp4LxcDFI7SQa6fMJ5NMz48ujwKVif1oAzoj1yoE4Jsnhziy6eBIbeEcIEIWusAYEfbV5BEV1OwQY1k8tYrkskHvxxwGj2K0cWNr2WSfw8vvp7HB2ARmdFeQ45Yngxv_6Te7iiLQU_TtA38S-WIbK0U9gB7XFNnP786ap-pX5Zofc/s6000/shutterstock_2363020961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvodSR17dIFhVMCevp4LxcDFI7SQa6fMJ5NMz48ujwKVif1oAzoj1yoE4Jsnhziy6eBIbeEcIEIWusAYEfbV5BEV1OwQY1k8tYrkskHvxxwGj2K0cWNr2WSfw8vvp7HB2ARmdFeQ45Yngxv_6Te7iiLQU_TtA38S-WIbK0U9gB7XFNnP786ap-pX5Zofc/w400-h266/shutterstock_2363020961.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sepp Kuss in the red jersey of race leader.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">So what was going on in the private confines of the
Jumbo team bus? Where was the show of solidarity to back their new star?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Clearly, the original Jumbo plan was to have either
Vingegaard or Roglic go for top overall honours. As proven Grand Tour winners
that’s what was expected of them. And Kuss was to be the mainstay, helping pave
the way, as he had done so often in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">So perhaps when Kuss surprised and took the overall
lead on stage 8, they saw him as “caretaker” of the jersey. They expected him, the
“lessor” rider, to slip back in due course leaving the gate open for the “top”
guys later in the race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But what if he didn’t fall back. What if he began
to look like a winner himself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which is
exactly what happened. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had they even
considered a change to the script?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">We all knew that Kuss had it in him to try. And
this year my gut feeling was that he had it in him to win.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
watched him pace those two guys for kilometer after kilometer in the past, burning
himself out before peeling off as they launched their efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Was there a team discussion about the possibility
that one day he might just be better than those two? And if this should happen would
the team change strategy and support him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It doesn’t look like it. More like the team was
going to leave the riders to sort it themselves, man on man, as Roglic said. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Whatever, clearly Vingegaard and Roglic held to the
belief that the race was theirs to fight for, even as Kuss looked more and more
the champion with a substantial margin over them both and worth defending.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The pair of them clearly had invested a lot of
mental energy as well as specific training to carry out the team’s wishes, for
one of them to take the race. We must not overlook that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">So focused were they on their quest, they failed to
see, or didn’t want to see, that the world had changed around them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">And so they went about their business, failed to recognize
that the time was right to repay Kuss for his years of service – including in
both the Giro and Le Tour this year, where he worked hard as a pace setter on
the steep slopes, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>chasing down attacks
from others, so that they didn’t wear themselves out, perhaps weaken themselves
before they chose the moment to push on themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But that counted for nothing. To hell with all
that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">And so they attacked this usurper who had had the
temerity to find himself ahead of them on general classification.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">They would put him in his rightful place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s their domestique, right. Hang him out to
dry, set the GC to rights. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Vingegaard tried first on hilly stage 16 to Bejes, when
he attacked with just under 5 kilometers to go, leaving Kuss on steep slopes
averaging 9 per cent for the last 4.7 kilometers and he took a comfortable win.
It was suggested that Kuss had shown the first signs of weakness that day, but
if he did, it soon passed and he finished in 10<sup>th</sup> place, four
seconds behind Roglic. But Vingegaard had cut Kuss’s advantage to 29 seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Then on stage 17 – Kuss’s 29<sup>th</sup> birthday -
both Vingegaard and Roglic attacked one after the other and distanced Kuss once
again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">They cut loose in the final kilometers of the monstrous
climb of the Angliru to finish at the top where Roglic outsprinted Vingegaard
to win. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s described as 13 kilometers of hell, with an average gradient of 14 per cent, but with slopes of 20 per
cent for good measure!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Vingegaard closed the gap to Kuss to only eight
seconds and leapfrogged to second overall ahead of Roglic now third overall, who
cut his deficit on Kuss to 1 minutes 8 seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But Kuss wasn’t finished, taking third place on the
stage – a Jumbo-Visma 1, 2,3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he
kept the red jersey.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">However, the attacks by his two teammates caused
howls of <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">outrage across social media platforms and the press
took <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vingegaard and Roglic apart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It seemed to us that so inflated were their egos
they couldn’t bring themselves to return the favour. So wired were they in
their desire to win again they simply jumped ship, scarpered up the road, left
him behind. I wonder what Kuss thought at the moment?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">As it was they couldn’t take back enough time to
dislodge him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">And they reckoned without the reaction of cycling
fans across the world and the press who turned on them with a vengeance to
lambast their acts of selfishness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">We can only wonder what words the management had
for them that night. Whatever they said, clearly they told the pair of them
that Kuss was now the protected rider that they must fall in line behind him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It appeared to do the trick and the two rogues did as
told, made sure Kuss reached Madrid in Red.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">And they did that, although Roglic’s frozen smiles
told you all you needed to know about how he felt about it. Vingegaard did
genuinely look more relaxed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">History will recall when the new star first rose to
the top. It was on stage eight won by Roglic that Kuss, the team's best placed rider overall, took 7<sup>th</sup> place at 2sec, and rose to the top of the overall classification. He took the famous red jersey which would be his for the rest of race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">At that point, Kuss led the race by 43 seconds from Soler and
by one minute from Martinez in third. Roglic was 7<sup>th</sup> overall at 2-38
and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vingegaard 8th at 2-42.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">There you have the new pecking order for
Jumbo-Visma – or not!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The American had finally spread his wings as we all
knew he could, and he would hold the lead for the rest of the Spanish race even
as Vingegaard and Roglic closed up, moved up to second and third overall
respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Kuss had stood firm under attack from his very own
teammates and clearly showed he had the class to win a Grand Tour.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">So it was that the 29-year-old took the top step of
the podium in Madrid on Sunday evening, flanked by Vingegaard in second place
and Roglic in third.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was, in the end, a truly magnificent victory for Kuss and the Jumbo Visma team. Hail King Sepp.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="hgkelc"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #202124; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-30555608993927336242023-09-02T08:18:00.006-07:002023-09-03T15:51:35.674-07:00Ex-government minister encourages vandals to 'commit criminal damage' against traffic cameras<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium;">Science tells us that pollution is causing climate change and that transport is a major contributory factor warming the planet. And that this will lead to sea level rise. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium;"> Lancashire will become particular vulnerable and large tracts of land will become submerged within the next seven years. (Check out the <i>Lancashire Telegraph and Lancs Alive.</i>)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81wmVjZTo5bnBBd9x9zcPsPILADARLTnShIfzmDbY6ULGwUNBudTAs8AVsk0xieQX6WvY1xEfe-gyLJ4pxFtgPbHCZl4YPci8xGJ-85hSpNYHEliGv3drNy3cHhVEjWEtSR4VPnUviAvuTrLj0JSWZNV-wP18glssHzHg_902JNkWipDkwAsNUrormtk/s2987/shutterstock_415511977.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2433" data-original-width="2987" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81wmVjZTo5bnBBd9x9zcPsPILADARLTnShIfzmDbY6ULGwUNBudTAs8AVsk0xieQX6WvY1xEfe-gyLJ4pxFtgPbHCZl4YPci8xGJ-85hSpNYHEliGv3drNy3cHhVEjWEtSR4VPnUviAvuTrLj0JSWZNV-wP18glssHzHg_902JNkWipDkwAsNUrormtk/s320/shutterstock_415511977.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet the recent transport news leaves me reeling at the growing opposition to what the government is calling the "ruinous" race to net zero - to cut pollution. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The struggle to limit
pollution is failing as the Conservatives turn important issues into political football in the hope of boosting flagging support for their failed policies.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Worse, one former minister and the right-wing press are encouraging vandals to commit criminal damage to traffic cameras, as reported by <i>The Guardian</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Not only that but gains made in road safety are beginning to unravel which will only deter people from cycling which, as we know, is the recommended mode of transport for many short journeys currently made by car. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The government on the one hand reluctantly acknowledges
the need to cut pollution but on the other cynically, devises policies which will only
increase it, such as opposing schemes aimed at restricting the worst polluting
vehicles in towns by charging to enter Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is another government action which will also increase
traffic. This is the proposal to remove Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes,
which have these past 30 years, improved the quality of life for many
residents, and also made local roads safer for cycling. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">First off, though, ULEZ. To drive into these low emision zones will cost you if driving a vehicle not classed as low emission.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This scheme has caused an outcry among drivers and
the Conservatives have seized upon this to win votes by championing "poor" people who say they cannot afford to pay.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ULEZ was introduced by London Mayor Sadiq
Khan who wants to extend it to every London borough.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufm2qtrXZ0c-Yk2uoZ5Yp8Iv9JCh5flzOZj4iDNud0zSQeC1pWbiwRbsGx3jBq0bBnovMlz6wNjb83HSWgScLWgYY0bHiuvrZ7z0v5p7JAGq1o9BK2_2oz8RCqsl3uXH9XL5Ii1JpxiAqYtLtTHafFcvzEPearS6-Zjbf6aqSwwMu4bFggrRRHKtyUqg/s2862/shutterstock_2354236735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2862" data-original-width="1903" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufm2qtrXZ0c-Yk2uoZ5Yp8Iv9JCh5flzOZj4iDNud0zSQeC1pWbiwRbsGx3jBq0bBnovMlz6wNjb83HSWgScLWgYY0bHiuvrZ7z0v5p7JAGq1o9BK2_2oz8RCqsl3uXH9XL5Ii1JpxiAqYtLtTHafFcvzEPearS6-Zjbf6aqSwwMu4bFggrRRHKtyUqg/w266-h400/shutterstock_2354236735.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So desperate are the Conservatives to discredit the
ULEZ scheme, MPs have – unbelievably - resorted to encouraging vandals to attack cameras
at the zone entry points. Some 600 cameras of the 3000 needed to enforce the
new London zone have so far been destroyed!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So much for the self-styled “party of law and
order”!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>says <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Guardian</i> who ran the story on Friday last - written by Polly
Toynbee. She reminds us that “Stop Oil” protesters have been jailed for
criminal damage. Now we have MPs encouraging breaking the law to suit their
political agenda.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to Toynbee, Iain Duncan Smith, the former
Conservative Leader, is “openly calling for protestors to commit criminal
damage” by attacking ULEZ cameras!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the law and order tough guy, says Toynbee,
who points out that Smith<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">helped push through new anti-protester laws which
have resulted in two climate protesters being jailed for climbing onto a bridge
and disrupting traffic!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ah, Smith – such integrity. A man of the people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ULEZ was created in response
to serious health concerns over the worsening air quality which is estimated to
have caused 4000 premature deaths in one year in London.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So as well as contributing to climate change,
traffic pollution is also killing people. Not that the Conservative Party appear
to be showing concern. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The introduction of low emission zones is an attempt
to keep out the worst polluting vehicles by charging drivers £12.50 a day to
enter the zones. Many people and businesses operating on a shoe-string plead
they cannot afford to pay this and yet they cannot do without their vehicles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So that’s an issue which needs to be resolved.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But if you can afford to pay you may still pollute!
Doh.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What’s the point of that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its saying if you can pay you may continue to
pollute. Bollocks. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One good idea is the suggestion that drivers are
paid £2000 “scrappage” which would help towards buying a cleaner vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It should be noted that France has banned vehicles
which do not meet the new limits.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Britain’s way, however, is to turn this crisis into a
game of politics while people meet premature deaths caused by polluted air and,
in seven years’ time, by drowning as the sea floods their own homes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Khan is Labour, so the Conservative government are
opposing expansion of the zones in the hope of gaining brownie points over
Labour to curry favour with voters they perceive are turning against green
policies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It’s all about the ballot box and the cynical “need”
to secure the drivers vote in the next general election - a few years before the
seas start to roll in! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The government knows there is public support calling for
action to cut pollution to stave off the worst of climate change but they also
fear a backlash from people who do not want to face up to the reality of what
this might cost them – in the short term, that is; not using the car, for
instance. And vote them out of office at the next general election.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The other traffic issue concerns the Prime
Minister’s threat to take out low traffic neighbourhood schemes so he can say to drivers, look, I'm looking after you by finding more roads for you to use!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By doing so, this will allow through-traffic to once
more use residential roads as rat runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apart from benefitting residents these past 30 years since their
introduction, LTNs have also contributed to making cycling safer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Cycling UK, who urges us to write to the PM about
this, said last week: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Low
Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) are </span></i><a href="https://a2a0a98917b84ecca6f4be18141f2010.svc.dynamics.com/t/t/kOtbMRwxxp3BoNIoZCVLuPwQiig0HSZgJzaZJx4jEtwx/ZBLxpB4SxyxbYnFlyS8zVb2udTwuDRD5mhh4facgxTYx" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #007fae; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">widely
supported by communities</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">,
but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is listening to a vocal minority and has
announced a review that could put our quiet residential streets and safe cycle
routes at risk.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The government cannot be allowed to succeed in
taking out LTNs, say Cycling UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The government has already stood idly by as local
authorities removed pop-up cycle lanes installed during the pandemic. And this
year they have cut £millions from their own Active Travel Policy intended to
encourage cycling and walking because, in my view, they fear a real increase in
cycling will antagonise, yes - you are spot on – will antagonise motorists and
certainly the right wing press.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">And finally…</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Here’s the thing - the connection between pollution
and those heavy torrential downpours.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
science says that the billions of tiny particles resulting from burning carbon
(from traffic, homes, factories etc.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>are circulating in the sky above where they attract condensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This in turn increases cloud water vapour by
40 per cent. Which is then dropped in those sudden downpours which can cause
flash floods.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-15956476857730935892023-08-27T05:45:00.003-07:002023-08-29T02:42:59.736-07:00WORLD OF DIFFERENCE<br /><p><br /> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">What should we make of the first edition of the UCI’s
marathon Super World’s in Scotland held over 10 days earlier this month?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvUnwdKGtdyMFPH8pADJWlU0icb9K8BEgSk0kerQukwtlHcawCaVs3vgD4afEcHNqAC_VF4KWMZ5gQqA6H2elZTgS3W1GSD_MdhA4oraK4diT-Unv6-8vcEDHFXjBCJAK5ZbvciJx7WAUxvtgfNGgWe0B0r-SnRQYgtPWLNzfrTjs3bACw0iHEPHvP1k/s7728/shutterstock_2344960783.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4344" data-original-width="7728" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvUnwdKGtdyMFPH8pADJWlU0icb9K8BEgSk0kerQukwtlHcawCaVs3vgD4afEcHNqAC_VF4KWMZ5gQqA6H2elZTgS3W1GSD_MdhA4oraK4diT-Unv6-8vcEDHFXjBCJAK5ZbvciJx7WAUxvtgfNGgWe0B0r-SnRQYgtPWLNzfrTjs3bACw0iHEPHvP1k/w400-h225/shutterstock_2344960783.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">~<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">Tadej Pogacar on his way to the bronze medal in the <br />2023 Elite Men's World Road Race Championship in Glasgow.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp1cGLv2tCEvQNfrerheniEvVR7a4WameO-PnnOhcMLJlsEz-SDGrAdR4bgK04wERRAS0HYCVrErSa9960amZ3yUi6dBMmAHhs3oGTnRBPHMbeYXJwxdVKvR7x3t42TfCUauzYVKOlvnfay5khXuIH_bkJ4E2rA8QH4roMZG-jdDOr4Fle1djwnDridmU" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img data-original-height="4344" data-original-width="7728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp1cGLv2tCEvQNfrerheniEvVR7a4WameO-PnnOhcMLJlsEz-SDGrAdR4bgK04wERRAS0HYCVrErSa9960amZ3yUi6dBMmAHhs3oGTnRBPHMbeYXJwxdVKvR7x3t42TfCUauzYVKOlvnfay5khXuIH_bkJ4E2rA8QH4roMZG-jdDOr4Fle1djwnDridmU=w320-h180" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">This new format is to be held every four years, like the
Olympics.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Over 200 rainbow jerseys were awarded – that iconic and most beautiful of them all worn by the king
or queen of a particular discipline. In Scotland titles were decided on the road, track and in the para events, cross country, plus artistic cycling and cycle ball and I can't recall how many other events! Only <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cyclo-cross and gravel road were
not represented.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">My interest has always centred on endurance and sprint events, the rest don't hold my interest.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each to their own.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">You might imagine that combining so many events was a recipe for chaos yet it
appears to have been very well organised and entertaining. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Certainly there was controversy, particularly concerning the
extensive road closures leading to imprisoned residents complaining they were unable
to leave their own homes on their own wheels.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">But did this super cycling show cram in too many events? At the time it seemed there was too much
going on at once. Barely had one event finished before TV viewers were whisked away to the next - be it track, mtb, time trial, plus artistic cycling! Something for everyone. Not me, though. That last one's for the circus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">There was hardly any time to savour the outcome of some
events. TV missed showing the podium presentations for the Elite men's road race because it finished so late thanks to the climate change activists holding up the race earlier. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">For me, I have always rated the elite road races for men and women as the toughest of the championships, because of their sheer length and the pain that must be endured to be in with a chance.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">They have always climaxed the World's road race series, being held over consecutive days at the end of the program. But in Scotland they were split up, the Elite men kicking off the proceedings on the first weekend, with the women's title race held a week later. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Clearly, this suited the complex logistics of putting on so many disciplines.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">I understand that there was such a crowded track program medal ceremonies were held in back rooms unseen by the audience – so tight
was the schedule. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Shame, for </span>this robbed the riders of their moment of crowning glory
and also the crowd of the big occasion. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The greatest controversy and excitement was probably over the course for the new look Elite
Men’s road race which started from Edinburgh and finished in Glasgow. Some way down the course that morning we watched the
race being held up for nearly an hour by "stop oil" climate change
campaigners. But the big story was to come. When the race finally hit Glasgow after 120 kilometres, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> it was </span>transformed into a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> 10-lap "</span>criterium" which many riders said was too technical. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">This sent the field orbiting the city on a dizzying tight circuit
which included as many as 48 “turns” per lap. It was bit like long track speed
skating switching to short track for the finish!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Required two entirely different skill sets.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">It was unlike any previous World’s road race, where the
endurance needed to go the extra distance intended to kill all but the best,
now also demanded skills of a crit<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or ‘cross
rider<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with the ability to accelerate
again and again as they rushed into and out of the many <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>corners one after the other. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">And of course, two of the best in the world at ‘cross were
right in the thick of it Matthieu van der Poel and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wout van Aert, together with Tour de France marvel
Tadej Pogacar.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">And they turned it into the probably the most thrilling
title race we have ever seen. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Whether it was right or wrong to turn it into a criterium, many of the riders who were at first critical approved of it after riding it. It made a dramatic and exciting change.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">And it was pointed out to me, rather pointedly, that the three best men in the world dominated it anyway, as they most certainly would also have done on a conventional course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Van der Poel stunned us with his lone break to
take his first road rainbow jersey risking everything with an effort that put him on
the ground on one corner. He was back up in a second, hurt it was later
revealed, but with adrenalin coursing through his veins nothing could stop him from finishing the job.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">That other stunning piece of work, Van Aert took the silver
while Pogacar took bronze. All three of them have delighted us with their
brutal attacking riding in the classics and the Tours. And there they were, all together, doing the business in Scotland, tearing each other up, and distancing the rest. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">These three are worlds apart, as they demonstrated in
Glasgow. Perhaps they are from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">another</i> planet. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">You can read a full review of the ups and downs of
the 2023 super world’s on Cyclingnews.com.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-43005469481314741412023-08-15T11:32:00.002-07:002023-08-21T01:49:42.935-07:00BLAME JOHNSON FOR THE CLOSURE OF HOSTELS<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>LATEST BREXIT DISASTER
– 20 YOUTH HOSTELS TO CLOSE</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">BREXIT and the pandemic – but mostly Brexit - has led to
the sale of 20 Youth Hostels in England and Wales, it was reported last month. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This is the latest own-goal for those 17 million Leavers who
voted for the UK to abandon the European Union in 2016, the consequences of
which are still unfolding. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">There are many reports charting Britain’s fall to
impoverishment since then, which the Pandemic, the Russian war on the Ukraine and
inflation have added to.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The opposite view – that everything is now rosy since
turning our backs on Europe – is laid out in a wooly government report which has the hand of the liar and architect of Brexit ex-MP Boris Johnson all over it and seemed to me about as real as castles in the air.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">So, fair to say the closure of hostels is Johnson’s fault. By the way, it is reported that this silver spooned professional bull shitter has earned £1million from three
dinner speaking engagements since leaving office this year.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, leaving the EU has cost the UK £40 billion in
lost tax revenue and the benefits of trading as a member of the EU. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Despite the claim that the UK would no longer rely on the EU
for trade, the EU remains our main trading partner. However,
the cost of importing and exporting goods has soared because we no longer enjoy
the trading benefits that came with membership. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Complex bureaucracy to move goods across borders has replaced frictionless trade and resulted in a number of UK businesses folding.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Our economy is now 5.5 per cent smaller than it would have been has we remained with in the EU.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Now Brexit is impacting on one of the jewels of the British
tourist industry, the Youth Hostels Association (YHA), founded in England in
1930.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The YHA story broke a month or two ago in The Guardian with
a story by John Harris, and in the Telegraph and across social media.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Guardian learned from insiders how Brexit has hugely
reduced the numbers of school trips from abroad, so hitting a crucial part of
the Association’s revenue. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Since Brexit many foreign schools have found it too
difficult to negotiate the complex bureaucracy now in place to visit the UK since
the ending of free movement - a key proponent of the Leave campaign which
wanted to keep foreign workers out. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">As a result the YHA may have to shut a third of its 150 hostels.
There are 20 up for sale and 30 more listed as likely to go the same way. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It is hoped that buyers will want to keep running the
facilities as independent hostels, but it is feared many will be turned into
luxury homes. And that will be truly ironic, disgraceful, given that the movement was
originally formed to enable youngsters of limited means to escape the towns and
cities and discover the countryside.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“Youth” hostels? Its misnomer these days for the Association
has for years welcomed all ages and all nationalities through its doors. At one
time the rule was you had to arrive under your own steam - on foot, cycling or
canoe!<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUKJSvbPvJGcGiWewclxTXlVyY9SNaWPJxIqNhkjuo3LKbX20Y-2K1Xm8fpZ5ayKFu0SXMLEfNMHv7Ob1cNh_U39Pmq-P-vcccpkqh1PRjSa940mIt1RqhDkEf6YjY65YywuFO0cbvhCxFv33P5pjHnIK0sy9ZgzZr0PiQcCE59WU2dH9VfgeER-TaWQ/s7360/shutterstock_1167945718.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7360" data-original-width="4912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUKJSvbPvJGcGiWewclxTXlVyY9SNaWPJxIqNhkjuo3LKbX20Y-2K1Xm8fpZ5ayKFu0SXMLEfNMHv7Ob1cNh_U39Pmq-P-vcccpkqh1PRjSa940mIt1RqhDkEf6YjY65YywuFO0cbvhCxFv33P5pjHnIK0sy9ZgzZr0PiQcCE59WU2dH9VfgeER-TaWQ/s320/shutterstock_1167945718.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Falling attendances saw the Association relax this rule long
ago in a bid to boost visitor numbers and now hostellers no longer have to get a sweat
on and can arrive in cars and coaches. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This altered the dynamics of the hostel somewhat, as those
of us arriving tired but fulfilled from our exertions and requiring nothing
more than a good meal and the plain comforts of an armchair in the common room,
came face to face with “others”, who arrived cold and looking for
entertainment.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Yet the original spirit of the organisation still holds
good, “to encourage young people (<i>of all
ages</i>) to a greater knowledge, use and love of the countryside.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The list of hostels to go on the market include: Patterdale
in the Lake District, the Peak District village of Eyam, Poppit Sands in West
Wales, the Somerset town of Minehead, Cheddar in the Mendip Hills, Kington in
Herefordshire, and at Haworth, West Yorkshire.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Like many, I have enjoyed staying in hostels, mostly on
cycling tours over the years, enjoying the simple pleasures. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62BzIhxdnfc7WWI3Hvu5NWUMrPVytuvkr1AobC1i04dSW-tTb5Rr5xPuNAH3rBTBr9yoyfuJSSsUKVKAxRVHAQzjHtx_1VnEUB4MBJDGDewApfiUjo1vFLPpG2YXEW7l8gPyeaW_9S2XMN9o6D9H19LHTHJBYEfhOc4xp9OKWygKhqLE6rRGQGBdJrM8/s5614/shutterstock_1308378805.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3748" data-original-width="5614" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62BzIhxdnfc7WWI3Hvu5NWUMrPVytuvkr1AobC1i04dSW-tTb5Rr5xPuNAH3rBTBr9yoyfuJSSsUKVKAxRVHAQzjHtx_1VnEUB4MBJDGDewApfiUjo1vFLPpG2YXEW7l8gPyeaW_9S2XMN9o6D9H19LHTHJBYEfhOc4xp9OKWygKhqLE6rRGQGBdJrM8/s320/shutterstock_1308378805.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Castleton Losehill Hall Youth Hostel <br />in the Peak District National Park.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I stayed with club mates at Capel Curig in the heart of
beautiful Snowdonia in North Wales one December. That evening a thunderstorm
knocked out the power, and we sat up by candlelight telling each other ghost
stories.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We rode away the next morning on a light dusting of snow,
forked lightning streaking across the sky and thunder echoing off the mountains.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I spent a night at Slaidburn on the Lancashire Fells, where
I was the only guest and invited to share dinner with the warden and his wife.
They waived the usual requirement of overnighters, to complete a task before
leaving, sweeping the dormitory for instance.<br />
Or, as was the case in Castleton hostel, Derbyshire, where club mate Dave Davis and myself were landed with the washing up to spare youngsters in a school
party. The warden thought it unfair to expect kids, mostly aged about
10 and 11, to wash up heavy pots and
pans of porridge oats and dozens of plates and dishes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">At Abergavenny I was again the sole occupant and after a
hard days ride was perfectly content to take my rest alone in the common room
that evening, listening to the solitary and solid tick of the grandfather clock towering
in the corner.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">And two and half miles from home is Tanners Hatch, a
delightful old cottage on the edge of the woods reached by bridleways over the Surrey
North Downs. Tanners was graded simple with one dormitory for men one for women
at the time, although it looks to have been tarted up since then and is now
classed as a “one star hotel” with apartments. There is also camping. Back in the day you did your own cooking. The
toilet block was outside and there was only ice cold water to wash in.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">My family once spent an enjoyable night there with other parents and their children on a primary school nature outing. We listened to
wild life expert tell us about the creatures of the night, owls, bats and
badgers. We visited a badgers’ sett in the woods.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Our genial host was the warden, the late Graham Peddie MBE,
a remarkable and generous character who also ran Pit Stop for the homeless in
nearby Leatherhead.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Good times. <o:p></o:p></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-11528549733484716012023-08-11T10:11:00.001-07:002023-08-12T00:42:54.097-07:00Surrey Police took no action because of staff shortages<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">|I have now
rece<b>i</b>ved a response from Surrey Police to my complaint about their decision to
take no action against the driver who crashed into me (see previous blog).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I
specifically complained that the police had left it too late (over 30 days)
before obtaining CCTV coverage which may have shown evidence of the collision.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The tape was wiped after 30 days.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The
solicitors acting for me in my claim for damages tell me it is quite common for
the police to take no action in “minor” cases.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The email
responding to my complaint was sent to me from the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Investigating Officer, Professional Standards Department, </span>Surrey
Police HQ.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Basically
it says staffing levels meant they were unable to get hold of the CCTV coverage
in time, before it was wiped.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He
suggested </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I seek redress</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">through the driver’s car insurance for damages
and injuries as he stopped, apologised and exchanged details with me.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I was told that it may not have
been in the public interest to prosecute the driver for driving without due
care and attention as the CPS are equally limited in what resources they have
available to them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The letter confirmed the first letter
and said no further action will be taken, considering this explanation to be a
reasonable and proportionate response.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">They offered a sincere apology
and wished me all the best.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfkJRf8rlJ4LDy7Dhv6_9ZAMXpihUiMIy54is-N5R2CzAhejx_LqIOJXw751ijRR5eRzDmke3-BuPQOxi9B4Upp1bkmIvdx_HHqoJQRUeHkwVy__9gV2J0VOobw8XeRc4ik-RQd5CFa2h9LcktZN9tmExfB3SS0asZ94rzn15w3wup5OFrvrSrZQOYn4/s9504/shutterstock_1767404378.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6336" data-original-width="9504" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfkJRf8rlJ4LDy7Dhv6_9ZAMXpihUiMIy54is-N5R2CzAhejx_LqIOJXw751ijRR5eRzDmke3-BuPQOxi9B4Upp1bkmIvdx_HHqoJQRUeHkwVy__9gV2J0VOobw8XeRc4ik-RQd5CFa2h9LcktZN9tmExfB3SS0asZ94rzn15w3wup5OFrvrSrZQOYn4/w400-h266/shutterstock_1767404378.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I have responded to the
Investigating Officer, thus:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Dear Sir,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Thank you responding to my complaint.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Clearly I cannot expect the police to take further action if, as you say,
this minor road traffic collision case was dropped because of staff shortages
and case overload at the CPS.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">So much for the slogan once to be seen on the side
your vehicles: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“With you </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">making Surrey safer”.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But hey, no one died. Possibly due to staff
shortages in the Grim Reaper’s office.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Do excuse my bitterness. I do appreciate the
difficulty faced by the police over staff shortages. So many vital services are
adversely affected in this way, most notably by the NHS. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">My solicitors have paid the police fee to obtain details
of the driver’s insurance company and they expect to wait a few months before
they receive the information. Due to staff shortages, probably.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">How long does it take to press “copy” and “send”?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">A number of unexplained issues trouble
me. I would like to know if these were considered or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">According to the law negligence or
carelessness while driving which leads to a crash may merit a prosecution. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">If for no other reason than to,
hopefully, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>make the driver more aware of
his/her responsibilities in the future, in a bid to make hazardous road
conditions less so.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The disproportionate consequences of
“careless” driving cannot be underestimated yet are not taken into account,
except in extreme cases when the victim is either killed or receives
life-changing injuries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In my case I escaped with broken
hands, cuts and bruises and a battered rib cage, not to mention the shock to my
family where I am a carer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The driver who caused this has got
off scot-free. Although I imagine he may be troubled by the memory of what
happened and relieved that I walked.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I can never forget what happened.
After 66 years of cycling I can no longer go riding. I’ve been scared off the
roads.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">His apology to me while appreciated
might also be considered as admittance of guilt.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Among the actions considered careless
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are: “pulling out from a side road into
the path of another vehicle” – as more or less happened in this case. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Was he not concentrating? Was he in a
hurry?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Did the attending officers speak to
the people who kindly helped me while I awaited the ambulance? Did any of these
people witness the crash?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Was the driver tested at the scene
for drink/drugs?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Had he been using a mobile phone?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In short, just what was it that caused
him to drive his ton of metal into me? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I didn’t just fall out of the
sky!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Perhaps too many drivers are far too
laid back these days in cars which are too easy to drive. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I will sign off with this old news
story about a doctor in A&E who, sickened by the daily carve up regularly
served him, came up with a solution to help concentrate the minds of drivers, to reduce the risks they often inadvertently take.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">He </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">recommended cars be made of plywood and have a six-inch steel
tungsten spike fitted in the steering column.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: -6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-55778941023490083492023-08-03T02:28:00.006-07:002023-08-10T02:00:53.759-07:00SURREY POLICE - A GROSS DERELICTION OF DUTY<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Part 2 of this saga coming soon...how Surrey Police responded to this criticism</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Easter Sunday morning was the last time I cycled in the fresh air.
I was hit broadside by a car which swung across onto my side of the road.
Into my periphery vision, at speed, rushed a windscreen looming larger than life. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The bonnet seemed to go under me.
WHAM
I was struck by a weight, a force so great I cannot describe it. A force which reverberated through my entire body.
I am on the ground on swollen hands and knees….what the?
Lots of people all around me, helping me. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> An ambulance is coming, someone says. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> The police turn up. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Why did they bother? Pa</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCCzMzNvQ9KRMX4JrxMvNpwdm73zr5YaJOH0RG1M5Kio8sUmDfDhh2BTRhsqQT3lnEUrAHaX369uBLr6DFZZrPmS0qEo8DJkjUBRpjMepAst5SAEXEzW9q-1stp_UBxtBBqy62ZOrjh33aLC5AG8gKxp4ftRUUi-tluQUrw0NVLagzqC1zmL_2TRDo7A/s8688/shutterstock_1079082551.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5792" data-original-width="8688" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCCzMzNvQ9KRMX4JrxMvNpwdm73zr5YaJOH0RG1M5Kio8sUmDfDhh2BTRhsqQT3lnEUrAHaX369uBLr6DFZZrPmS0qEo8DJkjUBRpjMepAst5SAEXEzW9q-1stp_UBxtBBqy62ZOrjh33aLC5AG8gKxp4ftRUUi-tluQUrw0NVLagzqC1zmL_2TRDo7A/s320/shutterstock_1079082551.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The police let me down.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> Four months later I am shocked to learn from Surrey police that they will not be taking any action on this case….!
Did those people who came to my aid not see anything?
I discover that the police failed to take a look at available CCTV coverage before it was wiped! </p><p style="text-align: left;">I have accused them of gross dereliction of duty. A former officer tells me he is not surprised, he knows them as “Sorry Police”. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> My formal complaint is in the post….as follows… </p><p style="text-align: left;"> The Chief Executive
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
PO Box 412
Guildford
Surrey GU3 1BR
Dear Madam or Sir,
I am lodging this complaint in writing as well as via your formal online procedure because I have lack of faith in the IT system which managed to record an incorrect address for me. </p><p style="text-align: left;">This concerns RTA collision ref: 0196 SYP-20230409-0196, which details a collision between a car and myself riding a bicycle – I was hit broadside on by the vehicle swinging at right angles from one side of the road to the other, directly into my path and hitting me side on.
The Police have informed me no action will be taken in this case. </p><p style="text-align: left;">My complaint concerns what I consider to be a gross dereliction of duty in police enquiries into this collision, which took place on London Road, Dorking, adjacent to the ESSO filling station at 09.35 on Sunday, April 9, 2023. Easter Sunday morning. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I am in receipt of an email from a gentleman at Surrey Police HQ who signs it on behalf of the chief constable and he informs me that the CCTV at the garage was not checked by the officers and I quote: CCTV “was not checked by the attending officer as the manager was not present. CCTV for such premises has a sell-by date of 30 days, our unit picked this file up well over a month later by which time the CCTV had been wiped.” </p><p style="text-align: left;">He added, on behalf of the chief constable, that he was sorry if this is not what I wanted to hear.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> To which I will say, no, it is not what I wanted to hear. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Because of this inefficiency, possible evidence was lost.
I will add that Dorking police station is approximately 200 metres away from the Esso Garage. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> I received two broken hands, various grazes including a cut to the head – my helmet was smashed - and severe bruising to my rib cage. I am full time carer for my daughter and my injuries required me to employ professional care for some essential duties my role as carer demands. The bike escaped serious damage. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> The stress to my family is considerable.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> I will add I am a former competition cyclist with over 60 years riding experience who until that Sunday morning had never been in a collision. Fear of a repeat has obliged me to hang up my wheels.
At the very least the police owe me a full explanation as to why they have failed to give me justice.</p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-26331004488503436382023-07-29T05:26:00.000-07:002023-07-29T05:26:18.370-07:00GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF 'SYSTEMIC FAILURE' ON CYCLING PROVISION<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">With parts of the world going up in flames as a result of the
unprecedented heatwave<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>caused by climate
change, stoked by the burning of fossil fuels, it may seem churlish to raise the
matter of cycling issues again, as we all speed ever onward – by road and by
air - towards Hell. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TUY8n1vMUhbkbRFyOr8nfdJtCxMUN-IJMf-LYs9hpvHBK6sGGP4uRK_JrmfdA8QLtfcq9NDk86IvoatEQuAJyoO7s2z-wd8JiRuS_D5tqzFEI628wIoT0hOC_GM02VAxdxm4RtEgEfUwUu_jOlZUDkMFFD66iHmzkt4__JVwnERTfLZ8lnITQ4Z9KMM/s6000/shutterstock_1511497112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TUY8n1vMUhbkbRFyOr8nfdJtCxMUN-IJMf-LYs9hpvHBK6sGGP4uRK_JrmfdA8QLtfcq9NDk86IvoatEQuAJyoO7s2z-wd8JiRuS_D5tqzFEI628wIoT0hOC_GM02VAxdxm4RtEgEfUwUu_jOlZUDkMFFD66iHmzkt4__JVwnERTfLZ8lnITQ4Z9KMM/s320/shutterstock_1511497112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But hey, why not?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Especially as the National Highways has been accused of
“systemic failure” on cycling provision, as revealed in freedom of information
requests.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Admittedly, this is small beer compared to government
failings to follow through its policies to tackle global warming but it’s all
connected. Improving road safety for cycling is one way to reduce car
dependency, and so reduce pollution.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It’s not only the Conservatives wavering on imposing schemes
to reduce traffic, but Labour, too, and all because they fear losing votes at
the ballot box. This would seem to fly in the face of reports saying the public
will back action to slow down climate change.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nevertheless, government fears a driver backlash from people
who don’t want to stop driving.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The question to put to them is will they become cannibals and
start eating each other once the heatwave eventually causes crop failure.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, before we all start tucking in to our neighbours, here
is the latest revelations on government incompetence re: cycling safety.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">According to a report in The Guardian (28 July) by Laura
Laker, National Highways has spent £84m on 160 cycling and walking projects
since 2015, “but has stated via written questions and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fol</i> requests that it is unable to say exactly what it spent the
money on, or the impact of the investment on cycle use and safety”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOoTCcPhOyYzDxeELqQHSGj_B8-JES2mRhmOgQ7E3pgpjWfqBn9GMvZzd9lM_-tTD_4dX5pQcRp0hw7LZkvlIg5d8STfyqnvE2OTt9k42HGq4QhyU4KOLRejCCdBnWPmWjcrMqP-YYDTzsl9MmIrcW-NnwqpAJD-WFryFBBBIzkbR6xz3Uv3YuLyaGh9U" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="5504" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOoTCcPhOyYzDxeELqQHSGj_B8-JES2mRhmOgQ7E3pgpjWfqBn9GMvZzd9lM_-tTD_4dX5pQcRp0hw7LZkvlIg5d8STfyqnvE2OTt9k42HGq4QhyU4KOLRejCCdBnWPmWjcrMqP-YYDTzsl9MmIrcW-NnwqpAJD-WFryFBBBIzkbR6xz3Uv3YuLyaGh9U=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dangerous cycle lane through a bus stop in Kingston, Surrey.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We’ve known for years how government has failed to provide
the £billions necessary to meet their own targets of a 50 per cent increase in
cycling and walking. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">According to transport consultant Phil Jones, co-author of
the National Highways own cycle traffic design standards (CD195), the
government is “failing to meet the needs of the main active travel user
(cyclists) in rural areas.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That’s the killer
here, the Department for Transport has an excellent design guide, which is
largely ignored by traffic planners and they are allowed to get away it. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jones accuses National Highways of a “systemic failure” to
apply its own standards and says he knows from his own experience this is
leading to poor provision.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Such as creating shared use facilities on pavements with
walkers in built up areas where they were never intended to be because of
possible conflict at busy times of day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And what’s more, the government know this. Worse, they have
actively conspired to allow authorities to sidestep the official design
guidelines and lay down substandard, often dangerous cycle lanes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It appears that transport planners are using a loophole in
the National Highways own design guidelines which can result in poor cycle
infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know for a fact that Surrey Highways who have produced
some spectacularly bad cycle infrastructure claim that the Department for
Transport allowed for sub-standard – or less than perfect as they preferred to
say - works if planners were unable to follow the guidelines!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unable translates to either being unwilling to pay for or
unable to afford to do a half-decent job.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To back up my findings, the article quotes a minister for
transport, Richard Holden MP, admitting that it was not always applying CD195
on rural roads!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the biggest issues facing cyclists are the inadequate
crossing points on A-roads and motorways which make cycling perilous. It has
been like this for nigh on 80 years, since dual carriageways were first built
with cycle lanes down either side of them lacking rights of way at side roads
and no provision at major junctions or roundabouts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Allez.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-77787333842969138882023-07-14T04:13:00.001-07:002023-07-14T04:18:25.244-07:00AUTISM - 10 MADDENING TRAITS OF BEHAVIOUR<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I am going to attempt to explain Pathological Demand
Avoidance (PDA), as discussed by two eminent doctors in the field of autism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have clarified for us several traits of
behaviour we have come to recognise and this is extremely helpful and makes up
for our frustration in many ways, knowing this is common with autistic people and those with hypermobility Ehlers Danlos syndrome<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYSXieMzZhJF25D-9A9Fs815q_EzQgWoluHvK66fTJCxOi9-9wmEdVb6OaKr5Bpz0SwQYCdEJq25uE17l5GKRs1sOUJPTtvKopg-tXDMfF03B2jXy5HNLUwt6BEfWAr0m_fOKWFI-vGDJ4CkUB4NgrF6lSP6VQKbV1H6QOrPk2CEouA0_Zx9TDZbkKps/s6667/Shutterstock_374338339%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6667" data-original-width="6667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYSXieMzZhJF25D-9A9Fs815q_EzQgWoluHvK66fTJCxOi9-9wmEdVb6OaKr5Bpz0SwQYCdEJq25uE17l5GKRs1sOUJPTtvKopg-tXDMfF03B2jXy5HNLUwt6BEfWAr0m_fOKWFI-vGDJ4CkUB4NgrF6lSP6VQKbV1H6QOrPk2CEouA0_Zx9TDZbkKps/s320/Shutterstock_374338339%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Bear with me while I set the scene with an
illustration of the life of the chronically ill who have PDA, and the effect
this can have on the carers looking after them seven days a week, 356 days year
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- with only shopping and essential
appointments to break the stultifying routine. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This can involve as many as three specific tasks an
hour some days. TV breaks are constantly interrupted – thank goodness for the
pause button. A recorded feature film can take several days to get through.
Meals? You can be up and down and even when you are not you fear you might be
and so remain poised between mouthfuls.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Friends may know your situation and yet they don’t
really get it, being hard wired to think of illness as a two-week
inconvenience. When in fact some illnesses are life-long and life changing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Spike Milligan, the father of British comedy, famous
for writing the Goon Show for radio – he often left me helpless with laughter -
was also a manic depressive. He once wrote that “life was an illness for which
the only cure was death”. He trod a thin line between brilliance and insanity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As for carers, the sheer frustration and anger and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>guilt that comes with complaining about how
life has turned out was revealed by a comment on a Facebook forum offering support
for those in the same boat. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This was a woman caring for her housebound husband,
whose poor health makes many demands on her throughout every day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When friends told her<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">what a lovely holiday they had she reacted angrily:
“Thanks a lot for reminding me how shit my life is.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">To make matters worse, friends tell her she cannot
put up with that. “You must have a break; get away for a few days…...”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This is a mirror-image of what have to deal with, and
extends to hearing in great detail about family occasions our isolation
prevents us from taking part in.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It is all well meaning but unhelpful and serves only
to show how misunderstood long term health issues of loved ones often are, for
the sick person and their family under immense stress. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It is made more especially sensitive when we are
grateful to the same close relatives for their support, chauffeuring us to
appointments, spending a lot time on DIY about the house.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In our case, our daughter’s condition would be complex
enough without the added weight of autism – she has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
which results in weak connective tissue and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia
-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the slightest movement sends her heart
rate soaring and her blood pressure to plummet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">She ticks all the autism boxes and now suffers with PDA.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">These various conditions have left her in a poor mental
state with severe sensory issues – everything is too loud, too bright. She has
cut herself off from friends, the radio, television, and social media. Doesn’t
read. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Spends most of the day lying down in bed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But now and again she will laugh or chuckle when we
are attending to her, she will sometimes smile. Which makes it all the more of
a mystery as to why, how, she can bear to remain in that one room for years.
It’s simple, movement is too painful. And the world outside too demanding.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We know of others like this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Outside help in the form of social welfare can help
with personal care, but this interaction with strangers only raises the anxiety
still further and can be counterproductive so it can only happen once in a blue
moon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Autistic people we learn are very clever because of their
“neurodivergent” brains - as distinct from the rest of us - the “neurotypical”.
Autism has driven the Silicon Valley revolution!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The downside is autistic people are unable to
comprehend social behaviours considered typical by the rest of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they may shy away from group activities
because they can’t figure it out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 230.25pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Autistic people are
wired differently. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In trying to fit in, they will mask their feelings
in an attempt to act “normal”, which puts them under even greater mental stress.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And with this comes greater anxiety which is off the
scale. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Enter stage right, Pathological Demand Avoidance, or
Extreme Demand Avoidance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This means to avoid doing anything for yourself, or
to do as little as possible. And to get others to do things for you. The aim
being to remain in control, which they plainly cannot do in the neurotypical
world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; mso-outline-level: 3; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.75pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Professor Tony
Attwood and Dr. Michelle Garnett revealed 10 examples of this behaviour typical
of autism.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Professor
Attwood is considered to be one of the world’s foremost experts on Autism
Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Garnett is a clinical psychologist who has specialized
in autism for nearly three decades. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Here at 10 examples </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">of extreme behaviour typical of autism.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I am good at getting
around others and making them do as I want<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I seek to quibble and
change rules set by others<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I have a very rapidly
changing mood<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I am driven by the
need to be in charge<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I blame or target a
particular person/persons<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I have difficulty
complying with demands and requests from others unless they are carefully
presented<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I obsessively resist
and avoid ordinary demands and requests<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I ensure any social
interaction is on my own terms<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I know what to do or
say to upset particular people<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 15.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 15pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I am unaware or
indifferent to the differences between myself and figures of authority<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">People with EDS, it has been found, are prone to having PDA.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Not that the NHS cares.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most doctors remain ignorant of it. And some, flying in the face of
scientific research, even dispute it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The NHS will not engage with this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In response to a petition, the government says it has "no plans for a national service for diagnostic treatment forl hEDS (hypermobility Ehlers Danlos syndrome) or HDS (Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders).</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I very much doubt anyone with these conditions clapped for the NHS during
the pandemic. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">If you are fat or smoke, that’s a different story. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The NHS spends
between £4bn and £6bn on helping the obese and almost £5bn on smoking related
illnesses. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-4276472995225965982023-07-08T10:04:00.007-07:002023-07-09T09:34:06.564-07:00Dreams and a nightmare<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Dreaming again<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Woke up this morning
feeling fine</i> (apologies to Herman’s Hermits). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I learn that overnight a massive shift in transport thinking
has at last given the country the safe cycling conditions campaigners have
craved for over the past 100 years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was the first positive move to slow down climate change.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAFNDI5VEkzysmOZOD8IU03J7A_5doNWeCPbmWQK4WiihzFRkGQUcH7Xv9PMJ5WMyN3WCrFLtCT15bzORfNdP-d-N0COLKUpGME_eJz8y90-5kR0_0BqL8ibSW38cm0HcngqvxNn_yuT7u33QI7mWocZd3Xz1MGGwwN34pthSl-OH0qIFF1PTpFcNdJbA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="5250" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAFNDI5VEkzysmOZOD8IU03J7A_5doNWeCPbmWQK4WiihzFRkGQUcH7Xv9PMJ5WMyN3WCrFLtCT15bzORfNdP-d-N0COLKUpGME_eJz8y90-5kR0_0BqL8ibSW38cm0HcngqvxNn_yuT7u33QI7mWocZd3Xz1MGGwwN34pthSl-OH0qIFF1PTpFcNdJbA" width="320" /></a></div><br />We now have cycle lanes and routes and city wide traffic
calming which has seen a 50-per cent increase in the numbers cycling utility
trips, with many people now cycling short distances instead of driving. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wide cycle lanes with traffic controlled junctions and
roundabouts give cyclists and pedestrians right of way, in all cities, towns
across theUK.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Huge cycle parks for up 10,000 bikes, some in high rise
buildings others underground can be found in all towns and cities. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">How did this come about?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, it started with the invasion by Denmark who had been
itching for revenge since the British navy bombed Copenhagen in 1807. They did
this to sink the Danish warship fleet and so prevent Napoleon getting his hands
on it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Dutch – irked by the UK’s decision to quit the EU back
in 2016 – threw in their lot with the Danes invoking the spirit of their Viking
ancestors who history tell us had troubled us somewhat centuries before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The combined invasion force which sailed up the Thames met with
little resistance from the armed forces disarmed by defence spending cuts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A new Danish-Dutch government immediately set about reviewing policies to
tackle the UK’s dire economical mess.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All the public utilities, such has energy and water, were re-nationalised
and the UK re-joined the European Union with the immediate effect that prices
in the shops dropped.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cycling UK became embedded within the mess that is the
Department for Transport and given a leading role in transport policy, guided
by Dutch and Danish experts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shared car ownership
became the norm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Driving licences were
restricted to those with genuine need. i.e. No one. Well, far fewer than we see
today.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Priority was given to digging out the rot at the centre of
government and so all private schools were shut down, starting with Eton and
Harrow, the bedrock of the establishment culture which has furnished government
with selfish money grabbing silver-spoon types who have always shaped government policy according
to their own needs<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>rather than the
public good.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The education system received a huge financial boost to
raise the standards of education to provide equal opportunity for all. And so
did the NHS, with £billions given the service direct from oil company coffers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unlike the French revolution of 1789 when many of the elite
were sent to the guillotine, a more benign punishment was dealt out. Many who have backed conservative policy this past decade were
transported to empty housing in West Lancashire, vacated by their previous owners wishing to avoid imminent flooding from sea level rise caused by global warming .</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The new tenants were each given a pair of wellies to be going on
with.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, the serial offenders in the big oil companies and those in government
who actively campaigned against climate change science were harshly dealt with. They despatched to the
South Pole and left there on a melting ice floes to await their fate. Would the
polar bears get them before the water did? </p><p class="MsoNormal">We can all dream.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, back in real world Mark Cavendish has crashed out of the Tour de France on stage eight, with a broken collar-bone. Buggar. Here’s to
your 34 road stage wins in your remarkable Career,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cav, a Tour record.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Step forward the Yates twins – Adam or Simon – to further stir up the
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or better still, how about<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">British champion Fred Wright gets his maiden Tour stage win!
We need our spirits lifted. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-83348426075105449992023-07-02T11:10:00.002-07:002023-07-02T11:19:15.222-07:00Good times follow the bad<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The Tour de France Grand Depart from the Basque Country this
weekend paid homage to that region’s love of cycle racing, which is on a par to
that of bike mad Flanders. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But it also brings vividly to mind past political conflict
and violence which have led to bomb attacks on the Tour. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLY4rRk5zKnj7PtGhx0zPzqq5xudjqWbyEX1HPjbg1b4iUnpkuZIN4arrob9i5qt2z7uyvs7aMmITFjD9UEvjr1whWe6zWsfHWWPalAquTV1tFSDnpQYXZxOhu9rRZxGsXRBrEVTTW1ZIHVTfFrdAYlQCaJ3Toye21y41Kp_fF2k1aIlZqFeakX2AwHdA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1727" data-original-width="2433" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLY4rRk5zKnj7PtGhx0zPzqq5xudjqWbyEX1HPjbg1b4iUnpkuZIN4arrob9i5qt2z7uyvs7aMmITFjD9UEvjr1whWe6zWsfHWWPalAquTV1tFSDnpQYXZxOhu9rRZxGsXRBrEVTTW1ZIHVTfFrdAYlQCaJ3Toye21y41Kp_fF2k1aIlZqFeakX2AwHdA=w400-h284" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Basque Country straddles the western Pyrenees of Spain and
France and jealousy defends its autonomy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The violence in recent times came to head between 1959 and 2011 as The
Basque National Liberation Movement demanded recognition and separate national
identity to Spain.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And the Tour became a target as means of attracting publicity
to their cause.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I recall a taste of this myself. I’m sure this was the 1987
Tour when on the eve of the Bayonne to Pau stage a cache of arms was discovered
in a house on the route of the next day’s stage, leading to fears of an attack
on the race.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The odd thing is I learned first about this from my wife when
I phoned her while awaiting the stage results to drop. It was on the news.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Minutes later the press room was called to order for a major
announcement. And we stood there in silence, wondering what the implications
might be.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Extra security would be provided and I’m not sure if that extended
to the armed services or not.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nevertheless, they were anxious moments.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In previous yeas race vehicles had been bombed overnight –
there were no casualties. One of the vehicles was a press car belonging to
Britain’s TV commentator Phil Liggett.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the 87 tour I was sharing a car with Lig and Geoffrey
Nicholson and I recall on the morning of the stage crouching down to look
underneath the vehicle, for some device or other!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And though we made light of the whole thing, we remained
nervous and decided to stay in close contact with other advance vehicles, in
case in a solitary vehicle might attract attention. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The day passed without incident, thankfully. And we happily
concentrated on the day’s main story.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For the record the
stage was won by Holland’s Eric Breukink. Yellow jersey was Charly Mottet.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stephen Roche famously
won the final overall that year</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Tour is no stranger to protest, usually of the more
peaceful and, on occasion, amusing kind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Blockages by striking workers over job losses and trade
disputes were common.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was the articulated truck driven across the course to
block the road for the TTT at Denain in Northern France, forcing the cancellation
of the stage when over half the teams were still to complete the course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I saw this first hand because my car was hard on the heels
of the team which was suddenly obliged to brake hard by the police escort, who presumably
at that moment were told of the truck being driven onto the course just ahead
of us. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Very soon Tour officials descended on the scene. There was
nothing to be done. The race had been completed disrupted and the only course
of action was to cancel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I recall French farmers in the Alps protesting that price of British
lamb was undercutting their own! They underlined their cause in style, by
spreading a carpet of sheep droppings along the road for us to
drive over. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They targeted the convoy, allowing the riders through with a
cheer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I once heard a story – from a fellow scribe - about how the
mayor of a local town drove onto the course ahead of the race, intent on
playing lead car. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tour boss Felix Levitan
radioed his police chief and soon the mayor’s limo was surrounded by motards. He
thought this was marvellous. Until the motards deftly led him off course and up
a side road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And there was the nice story of the young moped rider who helped
the Tour to avoid a blockage of farmers in Belgium. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race had got wind this before the start
and the moped rider approached the race organisation and said he knew a route to
avoid the farmers. They consulted the map and agreed, and off went the lad with
the world’s greatest race and entourage following meekly behind for several
kilometres. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The farmers must have
wondered why it had gone so quiet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-50349293332042389512023-06-27T11:11:00.001-07:002023-06-27T11:25:27.562-07:00THE WRIGHT STUFF<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Can the new British road race champion Fred Wright now
make Tour headlines?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“I’d like to win a stage of the Tour,” said Wright,
after winning the British title in Cleveland last Sunday, his first ever pro
win!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The 24-year-old powered away from his breakaway
companions in the final kilometres for a decisive victory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And crossing the line, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>raised his arm in salute to the late Gino</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR-BE;"> <span lang="FR-BE">Madèr</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">,
his Bahrein – Victorious teammate who was killed after crashing in the Tour du
Suisse recently.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So why should Wright not win stage of Le Tour, which
starts from Bilbao in the Basque Country on Saturday?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll
surely be given his chance by his team, which rides in support of their GC
hopeful, Mikel Landa.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Wright is listed as a “puncheur” – a rider who can stay
away over rolling terrain, take short steep climbs in his stride. As he has
often demonstrated in daring breakaways.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Afterall the six-foot Londoner showed his potential in
taking 4<sup>th</sup> on a stage of the 2020 Vuelta. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In last year’s Tour de France he twice made the top
10 on stages, including a second place and 8<sup>th</sup> in the penultimate
trial.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">He’s also finished inside the top 10 in the two last
editions of the Tour des Flandres. So he’s in the ball park.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2022 Wright was 7<sup>th</sup> in F1anders, only
11 seconds behind winner Mathieu Van Per Poel. This year he was 8<sup>th</sup>,
in a small elite group 1-12 behind winner Tadej Pogacar.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Here is a rider we have seen so many times getting
in the day’s big break, only for the peloton to claw them back. Undeterred, he looks
to escape again and again in the big races.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The question is will taking the British title lift
him to the next level.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The answer is surely, YES.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Now he knows all that suffering can lead to
victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whereas before it was a dream.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">His time will come.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">*I
had no commentary and only sketchy on-screen information during the men’s
championship shown on the Discovery Channel watched on my laptop.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So
it was difficult to figure out which group was which. I guessed it was the lead
group simply because Wright was in it and they were all riding full on, whereas
other groups didn’t display quite the same drive.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Very
occasionally, the graphics showed kilometres to go. But mostly viewers were
left guessing as to who was in front and the order of the chase behind.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But
the top left of the screen did display the logo of British Cycling!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Didn’t
see any road signage depicting distance to go, either. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">At
one point a motorcyclist flew past in the opposite direction to the race – so much
for security!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As
luck would have it, Wright’s group avoided a brush with death because they were
riding<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on the left of the road at the time. Didn’t
see much of the police escort. Was there one? <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">All
very confusing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-73359086100135245052023-06-21T04:38:00.000-07:002023-06-21T04:38:10.219-07:00Countdown to LE TOUR<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With the Tour de France <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>due to start next weekend, I
know some fans who will be hoping for a more exciting GC battle than they
considered was served up in Giro in Italy in
May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZst2eRLLcLLvZ0zhy6dV5B5OhpSKW1xbWqXjlKYmskOBVbdoeqlAvIdnG3QIi71_AiFvzja16I6DFOY2YIRABzDGWtBTCW-Ha8BbYvu4UOQI-rbpiQcQ-JXOQ0belUOZcDfjH5r-J4tuOkkNEn4UAJAXRsrX1PlCHjSSydmqmMAVM1cyPBR5iREBut8/s5458/shutterstock_1464822089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3115" data-original-width="5458" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZst2eRLLcLLvZ0zhy6dV5B5OhpSKW1xbWqXjlKYmskOBVbdoeqlAvIdnG3QIi71_AiFvzja16I6DFOY2YIRABzDGWtBTCW-Ha8BbYvu4UOQI-rbpiQcQ-JXOQ0belUOZcDfjH5r-J4tuOkkNEn4UAJAXRsrX1PlCHjSSydmqmMAVM1cyPBR5iREBut8/w640-h366/shutterstock_1464822089.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riders in Le Tour blasting through the streets of Paris</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I couldn’t possibly comment on that, being unable to
watch every pedal stroke on the box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I reckon I caught some key moments on what was a brutal route. Will Le Tour
match it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the Giro did provide the fireworks in the end,
when Slovenian Primos Roglic relieved Wales’ Geraint Thomas of the pink jersey in
that stunning penultimate stage, the brutal mountain time trial. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Permitting riders to change machines from tt bike to
road bike at the foot of the climb led to some unexpected drama.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First Roglic unshipped his chain and we thought here
we go; he’s capitulated just like in the Tour de France he lost in 2020 – but
no. He pulled himself together and rocketed the final kilometres. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was Thomas whom fate sacrificed, his strength
suddenly leaching out of him, and with it, the dream of victory as Roglic took
the honours by a handsome margin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Earlier, the race suffered torrential rain which led
to shortening of one key mountain stage, and also the loss of two top
performers, former winner Britain’s Tao Geoghegan Hart, and the Belgian world
champion Remco Evenepoele when in the overall lead. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geoghegan Hart crashed out and broke his pelvis on
stage 11 when lying third overall to teammate Thomas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas had stepped up to take the leader’s pink
jersey only the day before when overall leader<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remco Evenepoele relinquished it, forced to abandon with Covid.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With those two talented guys out the GC race lost
some sparkle. The same couldn’t be said in the battle for daily stage honours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No lack of excitement there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably there was Irishman Ben Healy’s heroic
50km break to a lone stage victory and Mark Cavendish’s thrilling sprint
victory on the final day in Rome.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The battle for top overall positions eventually came
down to three men, Thomas, Roglic and eventual third Joao Almeida, each
stalking the other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thomas valiantly defended his position through the
big mountains in the remaining stages until that unforgettable dramatic time
trial on the last but one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After the Giro came the traditional succession of
three smaller stage races ideal for preparation for Le Tour. In each of them a host of other
names got to work - in the Criterium du Dauphine, the Tour de Suisse and the
Tour of Belgium.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Criterium was dominated by 2022 Tour champion
the Dane Jonas Vingegard who seemed to do as he pleased. “Oh, gawd, I’m clear
again! Oh, well, might as well keep on going….”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Clearly he is on form to defend his Tour title with
this display, winning two stages and cruising to the overall win with studied
indifference. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sadly for the armchair fan, no one else got a look
in as Adam Yates took second overall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Probably reasoned it was no use busting a gut. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Save that for next month! “See you in the Puy
du Dom in July, Jonas!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Afterall, they are playing the long game in these shorter
stage races, looking for form rather than to keep me entertained by flogging
themselves daft.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We must always read between the lines.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And now here is another Dane on the rise, Mattiias
Jensen Skjelmose of Trek, 22, winner of the Suisse tour. It is his first World
Tour race win. Second overall was Juan Ayuso of UAE, winner of the final stage
time trial.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Evenepoele was second in the TT taking third
overall, while Skjelmose placed third in the TT.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Evenpoele also won the previous day’s road stage with
a lone breakaway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And let’s not forget another top Belgian, Wout Van
Aert, who took the points jersey in the Suisse Tour.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Suisse tour, however, will be remembered for the
tragic death of a national hero, Gino <span style="color: black;">Mäder</span> who
crashed on a mountain descent on stage five and who died from his injuries the
day after.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, the Tour of Belgium, providing another Tour
contender with a work out, Holland’s Mathieu Van der Poel who took overall
victory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Belgian race provided the usual cut and thrust
attacking and for added tension, the cross winds played havoc and split the
peloton asunder, always great TV.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last but not least there is Slovenian Tadej Pogacar,
unbeatable when on form.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Will he bid for his third Tour de France victory
after losing last year to Vingegard?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That may be a big ask, for he was been out of racing
for a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>long time since breaking his wrist
in the spring classic Liege Bastogne Liege and will have raced only twice
before Le Tour.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-35875137025181154312023-06-16T11:19:00.001-07:002023-06-16T11:19:45.435-07:00The tragedy of Gino Mäder <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The tragic death of Swiss star <span style="color: black;">Gino Mäder</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">on
stage five of the Tour de Suisse has driven all other cycling matters out of
mind. It strips back the joy we take from the sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Thrilling a</span>ction which, in a trice, turns into disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For his family, for his team mates, for his compatriots.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It serves as a stark reminder of the risks riders
often face when taking mountain descents at speed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mäder</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> 26, (Team
Bahrain-Victorious) and American Magnus Sheffield , 21, (INEOS) crashed on the
descent of </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Albula Pass 14 kilometres from the finish of the
stage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">We learn how both riders fell into a ravine. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mäder
</span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">was initially found to be motionless. Sheffield suffered a concussion
and soft tissue damage. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Both were flown to hospital where </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">the Swiss</span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> died from his
injuries the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The 6th stage of the Tour de Suisse did not take
place. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Instead, the pro field rode the
final 19 kilometres of the stage, as a “gruppetto” in honour of their former
compatriot.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A day of reflection. </span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">Gino Mäder won the
final stage of the 2021 Tour de Suisse. He also won a stage of the Giro and the
young riders’ classification of La Vuelta. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt;">RIP Gino Mäder.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-25427560233053949422023-06-13T02:47:00.000-07:002023-06-13T02:47:34.060-07:00They give money only to take it away<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Confusion
reigns over the government’s Active Travel Policy – or inactive, it seems to me
- following the £200m cut to the £3.8bn budget a few months ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Because
the government has since curiously decided to invest another £100m funding.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And so
the saga rolls on – giving out and then taking away. Been going on for decades,
and as a result there ain’t much to show for it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7XUU5O6sZOA9RdGKUKxK-C7NABZQeW2PMSx0VwwnSyJGr1YQM1Zf1aZPJPOg3la1aMKn9tuKLHWXfUucgaUHVKHT9L-XyrVMMNyzXUgZKRFAPrSyfHLQxIlztQH76I1P8UXi1otFdz2Il_Blft0srYe53dJGsEYBI6P_dU0TY9Hye4QN0m-knq0ta" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5556" data-original-width="5556" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7XUU5O6sZOA9RdGKUKxK-C7NABZQeW2PMSx0VwwnSyJGr1YQM1Zf1aZPJPOg3la1aMKn9tuKLHWXfUucgaUHVKHT9L-XyrVMMNyzXUgZKRFAPrSyfHLQxIlztQH76I1P8UXi1otFdz2Il_Blft0srYe53dJGsEYBI6P_dU0TY9Hye4QN0m-knq0ta=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This lack
of proper funding, says<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Cycling UK</i>, means,
“there is no way the English Government can meet its own target that 50% of
journeys in towns and cities should be walked or cycled by 2030.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Which
convinces me more than ever that England – the UK in fact - will never have
anything approaching a nationwide cycle network. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And yet
as the years roll by cycle lanes have been put down here and there by local authorities
and this <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>begs the question, just how
many miles are there, albeit not in the desired network form but rather bits
and pieces here and there, some of it quite decent but a lot of it dangerous
rubbish.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">They are
mostly rubbish because transport planners have little idea how to build a road
infrastructure for cycling. The excellent design guides produced by people in
the know some 30 years ago and accepted by the government are largely ignored
by chief planning boffins who think they know better.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And those
who would like to follow the guidelines find they haven’t the budget to do so. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">One
engineer I recently shared correspondence with – a UK Cycling member in fact -
told me that his profession remains largely ignorant of how to design roads for
cycling. And they don’t care to find out. Half a century of telling them what
is wanted and they still mostly do not know.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This
largely came about during the 60s era, probably, when car ownership began to
shoot up and government of the day saw fit to do everything it could to allow
drivers to go where they want when they want.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">And providing
for walking and cycling became an afterthought, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The difficulty
then became how to provide for peds and cycs without<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">taking
space from the car, space which should not have so readily been given up in the
first place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Very
often this means ripping entire junctions out and rebuilding them. Expensive
and not the preferred option. Although Manchester has bucked the trend with
their Royce Road junction. Although I’m not sure how much ripping out was
necessary here. But whatever, this is one smart junction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Active
Travel England has set out to do is teach local authorities how to go about
building routes for cycling.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">But as a
matter of interest, and perhaps as a measure of how shit this country is at
enabling cycling to play is part in staving off climate change, how many <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">cycle
lanes – the good, the bad and the ugly – are there?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">We don’t
know, that’s the answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I asked
Cycling UK policy Director Roger Geffen if he knew. He told me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">“The people best
able to make an informed guess at how much cycle provision we have in England
would be </span><a href="https://www.cyclestreets.net/"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">https://www.cyclestreets.net/</span></a><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">. They have been getting volunteers to
upload data on cycle provision onto Open Street Map, as this helps improve
their cycle journey planner.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">He said that he
hoped that a few years tie Active Travel England might have a better answer. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">He hopes they
will have data not just on how much cycle provision there is (and where), but
how much of that is good provision…. “how much of it is white paint (i.e. OK
for reasonably confident cyclists but no good for children etc) and how much of
it is actually worse than useless.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">Geffen says
Active Travel England are currently setting up a process for all local
authorities to upload data on what exists for cycling and walking, both on the
road network and off-road routes, classified by the type of provision that has
been made. The idea is to enable councils and others to make better-informed
decisions about where improvements are most needed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Then we may
know how much more provision is needed before we can say we’ve got the ‘World
class cycling network for England’ promised in the Government’s ‘Transport
Decarbonisation Plan’?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Well, the Dutch
network of protected cycle lanes is almost exactly a quarter of the length of
the Dutch road network,” says Geffen. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If
we want to have something equivalent for England, we have a long way to go!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I contacted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CycleStreets</i> to
ask them if their data extended to showing</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">how miles of
cycle lanes have been created over the past few decades<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">I said that
Manchester’s grand scheme had given me hope but I have no idea how much of
their proposed 1,500 mile network has been built. Not much, I imagine, given it
is costed a £1.5bn. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">CycleStreets</span></i><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"> replied to say that information remains had to come by and
quite complex to determine.<br />
For instance, cycle infrastructure often does not involve cycle lanes.<br />
For instance, they explained, low-traffic neighbourhood schemes create large
areas of<br />
much-improved cycling conditions but have no actual 'cycle lanes' at all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;">Nevertheless, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CycleStreets</i> has amassed a lot of
interesting statistics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.0pt;">CycleStreets</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.0pt;"> is a UK-wide cycle
journey planner system, which lets you plan routes from A to B by bike. It is
designed by cyclists, for cyclists, and caters for the needs of both confident
and less confident cyclists.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7404511562msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190832604926662708.post-35760756958635761572023-06-02T03:58:00.001-07:002023-06-02T04:06:03.530-07:00THE SMART LIFE<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The smart life<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The EDF engineer came to install Smart meters. All good, he
said, when finished.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just one thing, he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of a glitch at HQ no readings will be taken until next week
probably. So I’ve booked it in for an engineer to come out and make the
necessary adjustments to your meters so they link up.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you don’t hear anything call this number and he indicated
a number on the document he left me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After two weeks I called EDF to enquire when an engineer
would come out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">EDF advisor said OK, first though I need the account number.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now your full name and address and post code<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And email.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now, I need you to give me the GU number.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What is that? I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s the oojarkerpiff registration nonsense ref:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s on the meter he says. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">OK, I’m looking at the electric meter which is in our cellar
office but I can’t see the GU number.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It could me on the gas meter, he says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you go the gas meter?<br />
It’s outside the house I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m on my mobile so I can take you with me, I say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mind your head on that beam.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">OK, we are now going across the lounge. I am opening the front
door.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oh, bother, I’ve no shoes on.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Buggar, stocking feet on the patio.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Right, I’m at the gas meter now, I say, treading on something
slippery.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But there are folded garden chairs leaning on the gas meter
cupboard. Bear with me while I remove them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Right, I say, I am now opening the hatch to the gas meter.
It is has lots of numbers on it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But no GU number, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I need the GU number, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How about one of the numbers on the bar code, I say…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Can you take a photo of the meter and send it to me, he
asks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No, I say. That means I’d disconnect from you and lose you,
I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can’t handle these devices.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know he says, they are too clever by half.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Give me the bar code, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here it is, I say. 00-07-81-D7-00-04-90-22.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He reads it back: 00-08-….<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s 00-07.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks, he says. Then it goes 09-66…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It takes us three more goes to get it right.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">OK, says. 00-07-81-D7-00-04-90-22.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Correct, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do we have to do all this, I say. You have my account
number…my address, all the info; you know the new meters were installed, why you
need GU number.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I need it to authorise the authority for them to authorise
the request for an engineer, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It makes no sense, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Can you now do the same from the electricity meter, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">OK, we are now going all the way back into the house.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Across lounge,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Down the steps into the cellar.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mind that beam, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I remember, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We’re here, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is the bar code. There are in fact two bar codes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Which one do you want?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Doesn’t matter, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">OK, here’s one of them, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">00-09-44-87-D9-00-60009-24.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He reads it back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Is that it, I say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">~That’s it, he says.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I will send you an email today with the booking details.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I say, Well, let me tell you what you need to do now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go and make yourself a cup of tea and sit
yourself down in a quiet corner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cos that’s what I need to do.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He laughs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I laugh.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We hang up and I go outside of the house.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I open my mouth TO SCREAM…………..<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>but nothing comes out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Three days later still no email from EDF!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I phone them up………………….<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Bingershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15379673925799959997noreply@blogger.com0