Tuesday 6 March 2012

Are You On Your Cycle, Or Something, Lefty Ladies?

Bristol:
Cars could be banned from some of Bristol's roads to make way for cyclists on one day each week, an MP has suggested.

Kerry McCarthy said the idea had come from the Colombian ambassador, whom she had met as part of her work as a shadow foreign minister.
Oh, good grief!
Speaking to the Evening Post after the debate, Ms McCarthy stressed that if the idea was transferred to Bristol there would need to be extensive consultation with residents and businesses.
Which, no doubt, you’d then ignore?

I mean, it’s not really as though you yourself have given it much thought, judging my this extraordinary stream-of-consciousness quote:
"In Columbia, where it happens, it is in the context that some people are very nervous about cycling in the city centre with all the traffic," she said.

"Perhaps the idea could be tried in Bristol as a bit of an experiment.

"I wasn't putting it forward as a formal proposal, but I thought it was something that was worth looking at.

"Whether you would still allow buses and taxis would have to be worked out, as well as the impact on shopping if it was in the city centre.

"Or maybe people would prefer it to take place outside of the centre, in one of the more scenic areas.

"We'd also have to choose a day carefully – maybe a Sunday would work, or the August bank holiday.

"It would definitely be a nice thing to try – maybe over the summer holidays.

"We already close bits of Bristol for the half marathon, so I think this could have the potential to work as well."
Gah!!

Meanwhile, in Croydon:
The Green Party's candidate for London Mayor has suggested roads in Croydon should have a 20mph speed limit.

London Assembly member Jenny Jones said cyclists in Croydon had described the roads as 'dangerous' and the cycle routes as 'disjointed'.
Oh, for…

What’s wrong with them all?
She has recommended in a report that 20mph should be the default speed limit on all roads where people live, work and shop, in order to improve cycling in the borough.
And when idiot cyclists still commit hari-kari under the wheels of lorries, what then? The man with the red flag in front of all vehicles?

18 comments:

Curmudgeon said...

Brilliant idea. So how do hospital staff, police, firemen, train drivers and others providing 24/7 services get to work then?

Dr Evil said...

It would be a cycle thieves charter in Bristol.

Brian, follower of Deornoth said...

This'll be Kelly "Ballot Rigger" McCarthy, then? The one who belongs in prison?

Brian, follower of Deornoth said...

This'll be Kelly "Ballot Rigger" McCarthy, then? The one who belongs in prison?

Anonymous said...

Your psychotic uniformed acquaintances only have to be asked nicely to shoot the legs off unarmed cyclists.

Anthony Paul Grainger: executed by trigger-happy police. You must have missed that one, Julia!

Anonymous said...

Melv is bAck! Hurray! Shouldn't speed limits be increased thru Croydon and New Addington? Shouldnt anything these two miserable fruit bats say be ignored?

jaded said...

I'm not sure it's Melv as it could be his half-wit bum chum Rehill.They are both one trick ponies.
Here's a surprise for you-no one decent gives a shit when police shoot a thieving piece of scum who was just about to inflict misery on an innocent family.In fact it should be compulsory.
So you set about defending him,apart from his family you will be very lonely.

Jiks said...

"Cars could be banned from some of Bristol's roads to make way for cyclists on one day each week, an MP has suggested."

Can I suggest this ...person .. is an idiot? The roads, also known as the Public Highways, are there for everyone to use not just whatever group cretins like this are sucking up to this week.

If we could please have less, not more state interference in our lives I would be a great deal happier. I want to be able to ride to work as that is my choice. Many people choose a car, that is equally valid and none of my business let alone that of the likes of the aptly named McCarthy.

Dan said...

You know, speaking as someone who has commuted on a bike in heavy traffic, this idea is the biggest load of complete cobblers I have ever heard. It ranks way ahead of all the poxy while lines on roads which councils fondly imagine to be "bike lanes", and even gives some of the Warrington Cycle Campaign's howlers a run for their money (seriously, go have a look, some bike lanes are a hoot).

If you wear a bright yellow jacket or large amounts of yellow reflective stuff, have a bright rear light that (a) works, (b) is set to be very visible from behind and (c) is on full flashing mode, and ride sensibly obeying all traffic rules, then you generally do OK.

The further back cars can see you from, the more space you get. The less like a complete and utter tit you look, the more respect you get. In particular, sneaking up the inside of queues is asking for trouble and a faceful of car door, and running red traffic lights is plain suicidal. If you want to stay safe at lights, DO NOT got to the front of the queue. Stop three or four cars back and get right in front of the driver's side of a car, so the driver cannot fail to see you (and he won't be staring fixedly at the lights unless he's near the front).

Avoid buses and lorries; they're big ugly death-machines. Avoid taxis; they're mad, and especially avoid mini-cabs. Finally, avoid Leftie councils, they're the worst of all.

Anonymous said...

Dan, you speak much sense therefore the militant cyclist eco-lonns will disregard it and say you are oppressing them.

Derek Haslam said...

Britain is getting like Brazil. Shoot to kill squads and corrupt plod. Lousy weather though.

jaded said...

Rehill-I notice a few posts from you across different blogs just after 5.30pm.Is that the time the window-licking bus drops you home?

James Higham said...

I saw the two words "cycle" and "ladies" and thought you might be doing one of those types of posts.

Frankie said...

In Columbia... I would imagine that most people would not be cycling anywhere in a city where there is murder, mayhem, drunken violence and uncontrolled drug dealing, unlike Bristol... oh!

Frankie

JuliaM said...

"Brilliant idea. So how do hospital staff, police, firemen, train drivers and others providing 24/7 services get to work then?"

Since the policies are proposed by people of such monumental self-regard and disconnection from reality, that never, ever occurs to them.

"It would be a cycle thieves charter in Bristol."

The cycle sheds outside Southend Victoria station look like a mini Fort Knox!

"This'll be Kelly "Ballot Rigger" McCarthy, then? The one who belongs in prison?"

That's the one! The fact that she's still in place tells you all you need to know about the voters of her area, doesn't it?

JuliaM said...

"Anthony Paul Grainger: executed by trigger-happy police. You must have missed that one, Julia!"

No, I haven't, but there's very little mileage in a case of someone cleaning up after someone else's dog, is there?

And I think you mean 'the convicted criminal, Anthony Paul Grainger', don't you?

JuliaM said...

"Can I suggest this ...person .. is an idiot?"

You surely can! She has, after all, provided more than enough evidence...

"Finally, avoid Leftie councils, they're the worst of all."

Sound advice! ;) Ranter's right, though, such sense will drive the frothers nuts.

"I saw the two words "cycle" and "ladies" and thought you might be doing one of those types of posts."

I'd hate to disappoint... :D

"...a city where there is murder, mayhem, drunken violence and uncontrolled drug dealing, unlike Bristol... oh!"

Heh!

Anonymous said...

"Cars could be banned from some of Bristol's roads to make way for cyclists on one day each week, an MP has suggested.

Kerry McCarthy said the idea had come from the Colombian ambassador, whom she had met as part of her work as a shadow foreign minister."
In Colombia - it is not that many roads.
(I have been to Cali several times).
It is on a Sunday when there is less traffic than normal and it is a social activity. It is more as a social activity than enabling cycles to be used for getting to a to b.

So the MP obviously doesn't know what is talking about.