Forum Replies Created
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Hmm! More things to worry about for poor drivers – “is that a nearby squirrel or an upside-down walrus at a distance?”
Of course – if they’re doubly mistaken and it was in fact an elephant seal that is their look out. (I love the notion of pinniped parking-enforcement, but a) it would only apply near the sea / docks and b) I suspect it’s not good for the seals / walruses. I can imagine the tabloid headlines if it became a thing).
It can be tricky to identify animals – remember, a sealion is just a seal without an electron.
chrisonabike wrote:
Note to others – according to the Internet “walrussing” has more than one meaning (I knew sealioning but thought I’d just check…)
Oops – I meant sea-lioning. However, maybe you’ve now learnt something about using the internet to look up words?
chrisonabike wrote:
This sounds a bit like “creationist science argumentation” – all the burden to “prove” is put on the opponent. Anything can be challenged – their motives, their background, something you think you read once on the internet. If they can’t explain it you win! If challenged yourself you just say they’re ignoring “alternatives”. You don’t need to prove anything yourself – they’re the ones trying to change something!Yeah, these counter-arguments verge on sea-lioning as on the face of it they seem like valid logical arguments (e.g. complaining of straw-manning) but are instead just trying to find any reason to not restrict traffic. I mean, they’re trying to question the link between high car use and childhood obesity, but without any counter-evidence or ideas. It reminds me of the type of arguments that climate deniers would use.
Also, the use of “correlation does not equal causation” which can be a valid argument, but we’re not just looking at a random correlation picked out of data – there are very good reasons to think that air pollution is increased by lots of traffic and there’s plenty of evidence that supports the causation hypothesis in this case.
‘Legitimate concerns of many
‘Legitimate concerns of many east Bristol residents are being dismissed’: https://www.bristol247.com/opinion/your-say/legitimate-concerns-many-east-bristol-residents-being-dismissed/
Hmmm – I have issues with those counter-arguments. They seem to be asking for specific data on implementing the scheme in east Bristol as similar schemes can’t be compared due to socio-economic differences, but without providing any counter-evidence or recognising that the EBLN is currently a trial which would gather specific evidence.
I don’t think it’s worth breaking down every point, but here’s an example one. “It also dismisses alternative ways to encourage active travel without imposing restrictive measures on motorists” – how exactly do you do that without it being just a performative change such as a bit of white paint standing in for cycle infrastructure?
Tory metro mayor candidate
Tory metro mayor candidate slams plans to close Park Street to through-traffic: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/tory-metro-mayor-candidate-slams-plans-close-park-street-through-traffic/
Steve Smith predicts that if the plans as part of improvements to the number 2 bus route go ahead, they will put jobs at risk by “hammering” the businesses along the road.Park Street has historically been one of Bristol’s most exclusive shopping districts but in recent years has lost much of its glamour.
Former councillor Smith’s dire predictions are not born out by studies from across the world.
Academic research has proved that “urban regeneration through pedestrianised spaces has shown to increase physical activity levels, reduce car dependency and improve economic activity”.
Evidence also shows that pedestrianisation generally has a positive or neutral effect economically, with shop vacancy rates five times higher on streets with high levels of traffic.
slc wrote:
Traffic management leading to congestion when the re-routed drivers prefer* to queue with their engines on, choking the school children and holding up the bus, is the worst thing in 60 years apparently.
I agree. Those drivers should all be fined until they pack it in.
*Adjustments? Frustrated drivers might be interested to know that when I pass through between 7 and 7.30 am, and between 6 and 7 pm, the roads are in my estimation no busier than they were before. No queue outside St Pats, just a few vehicles at the lights.
I don’t agree with Aelisha about choosing Barton Hill due to it not being predominantly white. The area around Beaufort Rd is mainly white, I think and we got chosen too. I would class our area as more middle class than Barton Hill.Avonvale Rd is problematic with traffic – that’ll be why it was chosen.
David9694 wrote:
Car crashes into lamppost in Spring Road, Southampton
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24909092.car-crashes-lamppost-spring-road-southampton/
Looks to me like they crashed into a “give way” sign
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/park-street-businesses-say-15m-9918896Independent businesses along one of Bristol’s most famous streets, which is subject to a £15 million transformation scheme, say the plans “will have a catastrophic effect” on the street. In January, Bristol City Council announced that Park Street could soon have a bus gate at one end and a bus lane at the other, closing the road to through traffic.
bikes wrote:
If Cycling UK aren’t helping you already, please start a GoFundMe for lawyer’s fees. I would like to see this story get more widespread coverage.
Seconded
Opinion piece on Bristol247
Opinion piece on Bristol247.com: https://www.bristol247.com/opinion/your-say/i-wondered-how-many-parents-actually-need-to-drive-to-pick-up-their-children-from-a-school/
It’s nice to see that other people hold similar opinions to ourselves about LTNs, though I’m not sure about this line which seems to encourage dangerous cycling and walking:
I often bump into people when I am walking or cycling which usually adds some joy to my day
Wrong thread – this is the car crashes into building thread, not the car crashes into tree one.It’s confusing when your house is a tree though
This is disgusting behaviour:
This is disgusting behaviour: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2egj8ezm0no
The route through Avon View Cemetery in east Bristol is only supposed to be used by hearses, maintenance vehicles or visitors with limited mobility.But drivers have been using the route regularly to avoid heavy traffic and bypass roadblocks within the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood scheme.
The cemetery installed bollards to block the road, but people have since driven directly over graves to evade the closure.
Three in hospital after car
Three in hospital after car crashes into tree:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yvdn63r76o
Presumably the three people were in the tree as there’s no mention of them being in the car
Well, it’s a victory for people power… unfortunately I think a mistaken one *. The problem (as Chris Boardman has noted) is that such failures tend to cause the council to retreat **. And “plucky locals defeat bureaucracy” is a story which may well inspire others (think about the vandalism of LTN / ULEZ signs and cameras, or the burning of planters…)* As slc has noted – it will be a burden to residents – if only slight, and if only temporary. That’s because all the other motorists, of course… and without making a start that will never change. Although as Dnnnnnn notes some of these stories stretch the boundaries of “inconvenience” or in the case specified “is that actually a real thing”?
** Oddly I’m not sure councils cave in so often when it’s driving infra, and getting blocked doing that in one place doesn’t seem to cause them to stop building driving infra in others. Apparently this only applies to “untested – well, untested here” active travel measures…
This does show the effectiveness of peaceful protest (unless you’re protesting against environment destruction in which case the UK will imprison you), but I don’t agree with their aims.
Ultimately, any change is going to bring advantages and disadvantages and unusually, this time the losers are drivers. I wonder what the percentage of supporters is for residents around Avonvale Rd?
I do wish the reporters would challenge some of the claims made, e.g.
“”If I need to get to [my friend] in an emergency, I’ve got to go the long way round and it could cost his life”.
From where to where is this journey? What emergency, life-critical care relies on one nearby friend – and why? What happens when the carer-friend isn’t nearby? And – if I was this friend – I’d want to know why the person I rely on to save my life isn’t prepared to risk a fine for driving through a bus gate*!
*which might also make the emergency response journey quicker by removing most traffic currently using that route.I’m sure she is genuinely concerned – like the disabled woman who claims she can’t get her regular-sized van down a street the bin lorries manage OK – but it does sound like she might just be – y’know – wrong.
I think that’s a problem in general with journalists – most of the time they’re just copying press releases or simply repeating quotes without doing anything deeper such as getting to the truth of the matter.
Where’s Hunter S Thompson when you need him? (Or even Spider Jerusalem)