Cyclist damaged car because driver hooted

On Tue, 3 Apr 2012 05:20:13 -0700 (PDT), Simon Mason put finger to keyboard
and typed:

With the London mayoral elections exactly one month away, Sustrans has
accused Boris Johnson of being “intent on bringing the capital to a
standstill” following publication of the transport manifesto by the
mayor, who is seeking re-election.

[snip]

In recent months, Mr Johnson has been criticised by opposition
politicians and cycle campaigners alike for his determination to
prioritise smooth traffic flow above all else when it comes to
transport policy.

Not by Sustrans, though, who are accusing him of precisely the opposite.

Mark
--
Blog: http://mark.goodge.co.uk
Stuff: http://www.good-stuff.co.uk

On 03/04/2012 14:42, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Tue, 3 Apr 2012 12:56:20 +0000 (UTC), d
wrote:

On Tue, 3 Apr 2012 13:52:34 +0100
"Simon wrote:
"Simon wrote in message
...


“His proposals put the car right back at the heart of transport
policy, yet nearly half of Londoners don't have access to a car.
Expanding roads, ruling out congestion charge expansion and putting up
fares will only see more traffic on our roads.

"For all Boris's talk of getting more of us on our bikes there is not
a single commitment to additional funding for cycling or walking. It
seems that Boris is intent on bringing the capital to a standstill."

Why does walking need funding , is there a shortage of pavements?

There's a shortage of safe and free river crossings downstream of
Tower Bridge.

There's an absolute shortage of free river crossings downstream of
Runcorn/Widnes, whether "safe" or not. And it's over thirty miles the long
way round from the Bridge to (say) New Brighton.

The London Overground Thames Tunnel is charged;

So are the Mersey Tunnels.

Rotherhithe Tunnel is not safe;

Really? I've never felt at risk in it.

The Hilton to Canary Wharf Ferry is charged;

The what?

The Greenwich DLR tunnel is charged;

You mean you have to pay a fare to travel on the train? Is that just cyclists
or does it apply to everyone using the train?

The Greenwich Foot Tunnel is closed to people who can't negotiate the
200 narrow steps;

Or not closed at all and that's just hyperbole. Alternatiovely, you don't
believe in maintenance and prefer to run machinery into the ground, and hang
the safety consequences.

Pedestrians are prohibited from the Blackwall Tunnel;

So are bikes, aren't they?

The Emirates Air Line is not yet open;

Neither is the British Gypsum Teleport Link from Streatham Ice Rink to
Romford Dogtrack.

Both Jubilee Line Tunnels are charged;

You mean you have to pay a fare to travel on the train? Is that just cyclists
or does it apply to everyone using the train?

The Thames Barrier Tunnel is closed to the public;

You mean the service tunnel used for the operation of the barrier?

The Woolwich Ferry is safe and free but only open for limited periods;

When there's a demand for its services.

The Woolwich Foot Tunnel is closed to people who cannot negotiate the
200 steps;

The Woolwich DLR is charged;

You mean you have to pay a fare to travel on the train? Is that just cyclists
or does it apply to everyone using the train?

The Crossrail Tunnel is not yet open;

Neither is the Europa Route E5097 Istanbul-Dunstable.

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge is closed to pedestrians.

And, quite rightly, to cyclists. Though either category is permitted to hire
a vehiucle and be carried across on payment of a fare.

How about you A) stop reply to yourself all the time like some kind of
schizo and B) stop generally talking ********.

Oh - and on the subject of the Emirates Air Line, I noticed at the
weekend that the cable across the Thames had been hung.

Is there still nobody who will take me up on my wager that the cable
car will be taking its first public passengers before 21 June 2012?

Will they have to pay?

On 03/04/2012 17:18, Bertie Wooster wrote:

d wrote:
Bertie wrote:
d wrote:
Bertie wrote:

There's a shortage of safe and free river crossings downstream of
Tower Bridge.

Oh right, obviously a major issue.

For those who want to cross the river it is, yes.

Is it?

Unless you live on one bank and need to get to somewhere on the other
bank you'll be using some form of transport so I fail to see the problem.
In central london where people do walk across the river to get around then
there is no shortage of bridges.

Are you claiming there is no demand for viable pedestrian river
crossings between Tower Bridge and the QEII Bridge?

Yes, that's about the size of it.

"Demand" in the sense you are trying to use it does not mean the same as it
might have meant in the mouth of an armed highwayman.

"Demand" is an economics term of art. It means the quantity of a commodity
for which potential users are willing and able to pay. Estimating that at
£0.00-worth per century would be about right, unless the user is a railway or
road-vehicle passenger.

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge is closed to pedestrians.

I can't imagine too many people walking 20 miles out into essex to cross
the river even if it wasn't , can you?

South of the river, the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge is a mere 2 miles
from London (the political district). Even on the north bank it's just
3 or 4 miles.

The QE2 bridge is essentially in the middle of an industrial wasteland
so apart from perhaps employees at an oil storage depot wanting to walk
2 miles bluewater I'm afraid I'm at a loss as to why anyone would want to
cross the bridge on foot anyway. Perhaps their car has broken down?

Perhaps it's just as well few people would want to walk across - as
they can't.

However, let us not forget that the London Loop has to take walkers
from Dartford to the Gravesend-Tilbury Ferry to cross the river - at a
cost considerably higher than taking a car through the Dartford
Crossing.

How much would it cost to drive a car from (say) Swanley to (say) Brentwood
and back, between the hours of 06:00 and 22:00?

Don't underestimate, and don't hesitate to ask me for more parameters if you
decide you need them...

On 03/04/2012 19:03, Mark Goodge wrote:

On Tue, 3 Apr 2012 05:20:13 -0700 (PDT), Simon Mason put finger to keyboard
and typed:

With the London mayoral elections exactly one month away, Sustrans has
accused Boris Johnson of being “intent on bringing the capital to a
standstill” following publication of the transport manifesto by the
mayor, who is seeking re-election.

[snip]

In recent months, Mr Johnson has been criticised by opposition
politicians and cycle campaigners alike for his determination to
prioritise smooth traffic flow above all else when it comes to
transport policy.

Not by Sustrans, though, who are accusing him of precisely the opposite.

Mark

Sustrans, like Transport 1890, Begg, Monbigot and a number of other similar
organisations, are a bunch of fruitloops whose essential view is that British
living standards are too high and ought to be drastically reduced.

No-one takes any of them seriously.

On Apr 3, 2:42 pm, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Tue, 3 Apr 2012 12:56:20 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:





On Tue, 3 Apr 2012 13:52:34 +0100
"Simon Mason" wrote:
"Simon Mason" wrote in message
...

"His proposals put the car right back at the heart of transport
policy, yet nearly half of Londoners don't have access to a car.
Expanding roads, ruling out congestion charge expansion and putting up
fares will only see more traffic on our roads.

"For all Boris's talk of getting more of us on our bikes there is not
a single commitment to additional funding for cycling or walking. It
seems that Boris is intent on bringing the capital to a standstill."

Why does walking need funding , is there a shortage of pavements?

There's a shortage of safe and free river crossings downstream of
Tower Bridge.
The London Overground Thames Tunnel is charged;
Rotherhithe Tunnel is not safe;
The Hilton to Canary Wharf Ferry is charged;
The Greenwich DLR tunnel is charged;
The Greenwich Foot Tunnel is closed to people who can't negotiate the
200 narrow steps;
Pedestrians are prohibited from the Blackwall Tunnel;
The Emirates Air Line is not yet open;
Both Jubilee Line Tunnels are charged;
The Thames Barrier Tunnel is closed to the public;
The Woolwich Ferry is safe and free but only open for limited periods;
The Woolwich Foot Tunnel is closed to people who cannot negotiate the
200 steps;
The Woolwich DLR is charged;
The Crossrail Tunnel is not yet open;
The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge is closed to pedestrians.

That is a shocking state of affairs for a capital city.
The Humber Bridge is open to cyclists and pedestrians and 12 out of 13 of
the crossings over the River Hull are open to cyclists and pedestrians as
well.

In fact 3 of them bar motor traffic from using them - the only one where
pedestrians are barred is a railway bridge.

--
Simon Mason

On Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:31:22 +0100, JNugent
wrote:

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge is closed to pedestrians.

And, quite rightly, to cyclists. Though either category is permitted to hire
a vehiucle and be carried across on payment of a fare.

http://dartfordtunnel.toolazy.me.uk/

On Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:31:22 +0100, JNugent
wrote:

Pedestrians are prohibited from the Blackwall Tunnel;

So are bikes, aren't they?

Cycling a moped through the Blackwall Tunnel is OK.
http://g.co/maps/an9k2

On 03/04/2012 20:14, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:31:22 +0100,
wrote:

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge is closed to pedestrians.

And, quite rightly, to cyclists. Though either category is permitted to hire
a vehiucle and be carried across on payment of a fare.

http://dartfordtunnel.toolazy.me.uk/

I am aware of the free transport for cyclists and pedestrians. It does not
undermine the truth of what I said. Cyclists (and pedestrians) are free to
hire a vehicle to carry them and their machines across the Thames at
Dartford/Thurrock. Many pedestrians do so every day.

On Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:31:22 +0100, JNugent
wrote:

The Greenwich DLR tunnel is charged;

You mean you have to pay a fare to travel on the train? Is that just cyclists
or does it apply to everyone using the train?

Cyclists are not permitted to take bikes aboard the DLR unless they
are folded and bagged.

On 03/04/2012 20:16, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:31:22 +0100,
wrote:

Pedestrians are prohibited from the Blackwall Tunnel;

So are bikes, aren't they?

Cycling a moped through the Blackwall Tunnel is OK.
http://g.co/maps/an9k2

So it should be.

Does a moped count as a bike in your world? Is it exempt from licensing,
taxation, insurance and roadworthiness requirements? Does a moped user not
have to obtain a licence and (eventually) take a test?