first mate

rch, out of curiosity approx how much CIL is there from the M&S development? Great idea to use it as a place to speak to Councillors and get back a local police presence. As you say, better than another coffee or burger chain, which is what we'd most likely get.

RH, Many using the Blue Badge scheme would say it is not fit for purpose. Someone can be elderly and have mild balance issues or arthritic joints, either making cycling problematic. However, even they would not necessarily be defined as disabled I would still support their use of a mobility scooter.

Well, I may be wrong but I see this could be an issue down the line. It is certainly something to think about. In my view the able-bodied should not use mobility scooters but defining the degree of disability is quite tricky. To return to the speeding issue, if I go out on a bike I am more likely to 'fordle' along (to choose another posters expression). Being made to feel I can only use cycle lanes if I am fit and able enough go at a speed that pleases those who are commuting etc.. is most definitely off putting.

rahrahrah, agreed.

RH, I had though mobility scooters are allowed into cycle lanes in Holland? With an increasing ageing population I'd have though mobility scooters will be on the rise as will campaigns to open up cycle paths to users. It is probably something that needs thinking about. If a significant amount of investment is being made to creating cycle ways then in the interests of equality of access, these other users should be considered. I am not sure access to pavements is a real solution.

I think some mobility scooters are allowed to go on the roads and so I'd have thought it would be in the interests of those users to allow them in cycle lanes.

Surely mobility scooters should have access to cycle lanes, otherwise how can they also get around safely? Obviously motorbikes and scooters for able-bodied have no business being in cycle lanes.

Are mobility scooters allowed into cycle lanes? The roadworthy type have a top speed of 8mph, I think. The notion that cycling slowly is dangerous and to be avoided confirms my suspicion that cycling in London is for young or fit people only.

I think going fast is an issue if the majority stick to a lower speed. It is not easy as a pedestrian, fellow cyclist or even car driver, to have eyes in the back of your head all the time, especially in low light. I have had some very near misses recently when I am suddenly aware of a cyclist whizzing by in the blink of an eye- going for the gap as it were- and thinking if I had deviated by a small amount a bad crash might have ensued. It reminds me a bit of skaters when you get the odd skater on ice hockey skates who insists on whizzing round at a reckless speed, weaving in and out of fellow skaters, glorying in their ability and skill to miss other skaters by a hair's breadth. "Going fast shouldn't be an > issue; it is entirely possible to cycle quickly > and safely. The vast majority obey the rules, but > as a previous poster mentioned, no one remembers > the ones who follow the rules. Just like the vast > majority of motorists don't run red lights or cut > me up - I just tend to remember the ones who do".

The issue, allegedly, is that the architects and developers have changed their minds a million times about details of the build and hence it has dragged on. Some of the utilities also have to now dig up the path to get the homes hooked up to stuff. It is pretty disgraceful though and reflects the way developers just use public footpaths and roads as they please for storage, even when there is often enough room to store materials on site...as in this case. I also wonder how the heck Southwark and planning have let them get away with this? Also no-one on site today (Sunday). You'd think the developer would be obliged to have people working as many hours as legally possible. I dread to think the impact all this had had on the poor shop owners.

Otta, yes low volume fireworks are the more social option. Save the big bangs for large organised events.

A small plea, can you let neighbours know your plans. Those with pets, especially pets that are terrified of frieworks, will be very grateful. DOvertheroad Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've longwondered who these annoying f$%**rs are > who let off rockets all night from their back > garden. And now I've realised - it's people like > me. People newly flush with kids. People for whom > Dulwich sports ground with the crowds, mud and a > buggy is a no go nightmare. This year I've shifted > from finding garden fireworks annoying and deeply > anti-social to....an adventure. And with apologies > to all of my neighbours .....this year, for one > night only, at a civilised hour, I plan to become > Back Garden Firework Twat. > > Specifically I would like to recreate a childhood > watching my dad nail a damp and uneventful > catherine wheel to our back fence whilst eating > economy sausages and waving a mini-sparkler. > > If you want to rant/moan about fireworks - use the > search to find all those old threads and go there. > For this thread I'd just like some advice...where > can I get some decent fireworks for some amateur > pyrotechnics? How much should I budget? Any tips > to avoid injuring anyone?

Many of Shakespeare's soliloquies and monologues it might be argued stand alone as great works of art and literature- Jacque in As You Like It "All the world's a stage; Portia in the Merchant of Venice "The quality of mercy"; Hamlet "To be or not to be" just for starters... rendelharris Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > *Bob* Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > A poem must convey everything just by words. > > > > The magic, indefinable element of a song is the > > symbiosis of words and music. > > > > IMO a song is a song and poetry is poetry - and > > the most successful forms of each are not > > interchangeable simply by adding music or by > > taking it away. > > By the same logic Shakespeare (had he not written > the sonnets etc) couldn't have won a Nobel as his > words are written to be spoken by actors? Is > drama not interchangeable with poetry, i.e. is it > susceptible of standing alone on the written page? > Then why not a song lyric?

Think Joni Mitchell possibly his equal lyrically and his superior musically.

rahrahrah, Agree about Cote- style over substance, had some dreadful meals there. Really hoped Chardon would remain a French indie. Seems like LL will soon be more chain than indie, with more burger and pizza joints than anything else. Shame. Saw Meat Liqour the other night and it looked more like nightclub than anything else.

RH think you are quite lucky if you can maintain those kinds of speeds in central London at rush hour. I do cycle sometimes so not speaking from a position of complete ignorance. A problem is that having got a degree of momentum cyclists do not want to stop- stopping and starting is extremely tiring, so they weave in and out and that creates other problems, especially if the weaving is fast. I have also noticed a number of cyclists kicking vehicles in their way.

Yes, I agree. RH! No beef with lycra at all but those who cycle at ridiculous speeds often wear it. Think BNG has a point and perhaps using a bike to communte is also viewed as the opportunity for a daily workout? Nothing wrong with that so long as personal timing and fitness goals are not made an absolute priority.

Sorry RH, I think speed cycling is a choice that people make quite consciously, just like speeding in cars. The speeder knows it is wrong and anti social but they choose it anyway because their mindset or immediate priorities allow them to justify it. Also think some, like boy/girl racers, just enjoy the buzz of speed and perhaps sense of personal fitness that goes with it- for the cyclist that is.

BNG Agree, cycling looks to be a young, fit person's option. You need fast reactions for sure, not least to avoid lycra speeders. I know in the past older cyclists have jumped in to say they have no issue, but, sorry, what I see in the roads daily both from car drivers, motorbikes and cyclists does not invite confidence.

So currently the chances of any cyclist being brought to book are almost nil, since speed cameras have no impact on their behaviour. As cycling increases I would think there has to be a means to penalise dangerous cycling, not least to protect other cyclists ( someone posted recently something to the effect that they did not use cycle superhighways as other cyclists stopped them cycling fast enough). BTW I feel exactly the same about idiot car drivers. In my view those who have driven cars/ vans or lorries recklessly will adopt exactly the same behaviour on a bike.

Perhaps there should be a means to prosecute cyclists for dangerous/ reckless cycling in the same way there is for other road users. Clearly identification is an issue. Many more people are now cycling so I guess incidences of bad cycling will rise. What happens in countries like Holland and Denmark? Are bad cyclists penalised or are they jyst better behaved?

Horrible to visit an infant school. Some children are terrified of clowns. Idiotic thing to do.

Wonderful.

So three chains/franchises replacing 3 indies? The hyperbole in that Spinach ad is ridiculous.

I am confused, is the burger chain replacing Le Chardon the restaurant or Le Chandelier the tea shop?