Commuter diaries

It's unclear what is being proposed - just 20mph and traffic calming, or modal filters too?

All good and I agree with the drift but how does this actually work in an effective way? Phone use is *endemic* - because so many people simply don't see the issue with "just looked at my phone for a second" and we are all being *actively trained* to do this by the app sellers! In theory app, phone and vehicle purveyors could work together to help dissuade this, but the current system suits all and everyone can say "but we put a warning on our product and certainly don't force anyone to do anything illegal..." and point at the others. How do we change behaviour? It seems unlikely we can catch enough drivers with phones in their hands to do that (not because it's hard to spot, just having enough people to collect and process the evidence). If we sort that out we then have another constraint - making it stick. If a small fraction of those say "wasn't me, see you in court", as others note ATM the process is slow AND very expensive. Also given costs and limitations of road policing currently how would driving bans help? They're also minimally policed, and with little effective punishment?

@chrisonabike Moustache, please, we are in the UK after all!

@chrisonabike Tramway used to run to the top of Whiteladies then all the way along to Westbury

There really should be more crackdowns on phone use as the danger is well established by now. The six points and £200 fine for drivers who are caught should be effective but I think an instant one month ban as well as those would be a good thing as it would show drivers what they stand to lose.

Wow - some warm words and enthusiastic goals from the government about active travel https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/11/ministers-pupils-england-active-travel-school-cycing-walking-heidi-alexander Now, let's see some ACTION!

Is there any detection? Lots (most?) UK lights seem to operate on fixed cycles - and certainly cycle detection seems rare (and nothing like NL where there may be sensors some distance in advance to detect approaching bikes and see if lights can be changed so they're green when they get to them). There also seems to be a vicious cycle of "have to leave extra time after lights change because drivers keep rolling through *until* they've gone red", which is possibly self-catalysing / makes people annoyed if they *are* waiting but nobody is moving or crossing.

@quiff Yes think you're quite right but that's what causes the trouble for the unwary (like tourists, and me when I'm thinking of something else), approaching the lights from the other (Palace) side you can't see that the cyclists coming up from Parliament Square have a green light, so it's all too easy to assume that with the motor traffic stopped in all directions the cyclists will be stopped too, when they're not.

Getting up to the Downs? If it's in the summer can't people just catch a passing balloon? I'm slightly "EAPC cautious" but Bristol seems a reasonable use-case for them. Alternatively what about the council installing escalators - after all if it's hard to cycle up there won't you think of the pedestrians? "We are where we are" (why *wouldn't* you drive everywhere?) but I do occasionally stop to wonder how anyone got anywhere pre-car.

Very wholesome, but I found it difficult to imagine this happening in the UK. "Do you want a lift in my cargo bike?" "No, get away from me you weirdo."