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I don't see many multi-occupant cars around Shrewsbury yet, though queues do (subjectively) seem shorter than they were. Combining journeys? I thought only environmentally aware people did that. Everyone else jumps in the car without thinking... then moans about the cost. The cost of car use seems to be a total blind spot for most people.
However, until cycling becomes more attractive then most people won't bother. I think there are two big problems to overcome:
- many people see riding on the roads as dangerous. TBH I can't blame them, too many drivers are shockingly poor and dedicated facilities are pathetic. Using statistics will never overcome fear.
- cycling is still considered to be for those who can't afford a car. That's one reason why we get abuse etc - it's a status thing.
Train travel is too expensive to be an alternative. We considered going by train to see my parents in Bangor before Christmas. Driving 2 hours each way, costs <£25 in fuel. A return ticket for Mrs E, the 2 kids and me was £117. We'd have to get to/from the station at each end as well. Similarly, popping to Ludlow (40 mins by car) is £35 + a king's ransom to get into town on the bus. So we don't go anywhere on the train nowadays
as long as the interweb still works that is
is the money out there though handlebarcam?
Lots of it has been pumped in to the system but as far as I can understand banks are being forced to hold on to it as security against the bad debts they may or may not hold and also because the ratio of assets to loans they are allowed to make has been dramatically reduced - so they can't rack up a load more bad debts cos it turns out that lots of banks aren't actually very good at performing the basic functions of being a bank loaning out depositor's money at reasonable rate of return because they are way to clever for anything so boring.
This financial system is broken and it isn't going to get mended any time soon by the looks of it.
Fuel is likely to remain expensive and the longer it does so the more changes in behaviour we are going to see when it comes to travel and the longer the situation persists the more change we will see and the more engrained those new behaviours will become.
But then maybe that's just me, when it comes to world financial meltdown I'm a glass half full kind of guy
Bear in mind that we had a tough winter and a lot of people didn't drive much, I know I didn't and the family car remained parked for even longer periods than usual. Road conditions have not improved, despite what the DfT claims, as the number of potholes has increased.
The increased cost of oil has rather a lot to do with what's happening across North Africa and the Middle East at present. Yes, the oil will run out but there is still quite a lot of it. But the easy to drill oil has mostly been tapped. The money the bankers were passing around was largely an illusion, that's why we had a banking collapse.
Agree - very shaky. Plus I'm not sure that a sport run by Bruyneel and Vaughters is any better than one run by Pat McQuaid - they both complain that McQuaid is self-interested and not doing it for the good of the sport, but it seems they are behaving in a similar fashion.
This seems to be what they are doing, in a roundabout, grandstanding, big gesture kind of way. Which, to be fair, is a language the UCI speaks.
But the happy middle ground would be better representation of the teams and riders within the UCI - rider reps, team reps, manufacturer reps and independent (or at least existing UCI) bods all in there to decide how the sport should best be run. That would prevent teams/riders from complaining they had no say/didnt know of proposed rule changes and hopefully stop some of the UCI's more ridiculous proposals. Problem is, that would mean a democracy of sorts.
Not a big fan of gymnastics or diving then? Ice skating? Synchronised swimming?
Me neither
I thought that was TruthBot 2000.
Sweet jesus, no - please. Just, no.
The increasing scarcity of oil has been, until a couple of weeks ago, the only real cause contributing to this recession. Everything else was just the result of greed, stupidity and mismanagement, by bankers, governments and mortgage-borrowers. Of course, the developed world has now experienced real physical disaster, in the shape of the Japanese and New Zealand earthquakes, but whether that has as much effect worldwide as a few hundred bankers in New York and London in 2007 playing pass-the-parcel with bad debts, remains to be seen. At any rate, the money is still out there, somewhere. Perhaps when those that are currently holding on to it realise that things have got so bad that radically fewer people are driving to their offices and retail outlets, to give them their time and money, they will release some cash back in to the system. Either that or they'll hold on a bit longer, until the likes of Cameron give them, say, the roads instead of the forests, then they'll be able to rake even more money when the boom times do eventually return. Or they'll invest in China and leave the UK to rot. Anyway, much as I'd like to think it is the start of a cycling revolution, I doubt it. Small and/or local gains maybe, but on balance probably people staying home and sitting on their fat arses is more likely to be a bigger factor in reduced congestion.
All very well, but what happens when a sponsor pulls out? Team dissapears? Or a new team (Say Leopard) appears fom with a bunch of top riders? This works in football because the teams have many revenue streams (read a wealthy owner and Massive TV income) so the clubs have independant chairmen. In cycling theres nothing to stop Bruyneel and Vaughters being virtually sacked tomorrow if there sponsors pull out? Where would that leave the league? Of do Bruyneel and vaughters become - lets say - the league presidents...? Its like Alex Ferguson and Ansene Wenger running the FA, All very well until they both get the sack from there owners.
Built on quicksand.
Surely Bruyneel and Vaughters can achieve all they want by calling for a vote of no confidence in the UCI?
a.jumper - corrected now, thanks
alotoronic - I thought it was the lizard visitors in the remake of V that were going to do for us?
Maybe we should do a tinfoil hat review
I assume by "freestyle" they mean it is about the performance of tricks rather than getting around a course in the minimum amount of time? As far as I am concerned, if the results of a contest depend on scores assigned by a panel of judges, then it isn't a sport. Nor can it really be considered an art. It is whatever ballroom dancing is. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it isn't something that should displace yet more proper cycling events, which are among the few in the Olympics that can truly be said to combine physical strength, skill and tactics, to produce unequivocal winners.
As for skakeboarding, if the UCI got control they would presumably insist riders use the original skakeboard, as invented by Marty McFly in 1955.
The Mail must have been so conflicted.
Cyclists = bad
Motorists = good
More cyclists = good for motorists
Does not compute, does not compute... sparks, small explosion, smoke.
'cyling' is what Cylons do on a bike.
As anyone who followed the Battle Star Gallactica series remake knows, this means that they are amongst us and we can all look forward to be wiped out in a barrage of nuclear attacks.
Don't say you weren't warned.
Headline says cyling
Judging freestyle BMX, now there's a thing
Interesting, and in the Daily Hate too.
Why does Pat McQuaid have a job ?
I know the clocks went forwards but its still 3 days to 1st April!
If you can stand them up to dry them it's probably time to change.
Don't try drying your kit in the microwave, I once did this with some underware, due to bad laundry planning and running late, and had to put out an elastic fire.
I ride a Principia Ellipse SX and it really is the best frame I have ever used,so solid, and understated, Got a 56.5cm 2004 Rex frameset too but it's too big for me so popped it on Ebay...gutted! They are fantastic beasts!
loverly weather today, and the cake flow'eth. them 212km went flying by, kind of..
Sorry, needed to make changes tonight as i'm away all week and dont know if i'll have net access, but i made changes and now you have changed the riders, some of them are grey'd out
That was quick! Great stuff, thanks.
Dave's fault
shouldn't say that now