London

According to an e-mail I received today, "Sales of bicycles in London
have climbed since Thursdays bombings as workers look for alternatives to
public transport, the capitals biggest cycle retailer said."

I don't know the source for that quotation, but I don't doubt that it's
authentic. Terribly, horribly, unspeakably sad that the bombings
happened, but there might be tiny glimmer of silver lining if it leads to
a few more people on bikes.


Bill


__o | The bicycle is the noblest invention of mankind.
_`\(,_ | -- William Saroyan
(_)/ (_) |

wrote:
According to an e-mail I received today, "Sales of bicycles in London
have climbed since Thursdays bombings as workers look for alternatives to
public transport, the capitals biggest cycle retailer said."

I don't know the source for that quotation, but I don't doubt that it's
authentic. Terribly, horribly, unspeakably sad that the bombings
happened, but there might be tiny glimmer of silver lining if it leads to
a few more people on bikes.



I don't think that there can be a silver lining from such a heinous act
as this.

On a radio interview over NPR today, Mike Rice, who is a
representative for England's largest bicycle distibutor, confirmed what
is said in the first post.
He said that for the last two days, bicycle sales in the London region
have jumped beyond any previous level. Many shops are sold out and I
imagine that any used bikes that are advertized (excuse me, advertised)
would sell quickly. Rice said that lightweight, folding bikes were
especially popular. He indicated that they may have to raid the stock
of other European countries to meet the demand. He acknowledged that
people who commute through London traffic might have more risk of injury
than they would from terrorist attacks.
However, there's a new large zone in London, where most motor vehicles
are off-limits, at least during business hours. This would be great for
cyclists. Some Londoner will describe this more fully. This might be a
good time to open a new bike shop in England.

Steve McDonald

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 22:10:20 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:

I don't know the source for that quotation, but I don't doubt that it's
authentic. Terribly, horribly, unspeakably sad that the bombings
happened, but there might be tiny glimmer of silver lining if it leads to
a few more people on bikes.

It's just Londoners doing what they have always done: getting on with
life. Tubes down? No cabs to be had? No hotel rooms? Grab a bike.
Come winter (come next week, probably) those bikes will be back in
sheds. Remember, a lot of people working in the city are paid
six-figure salaries, the cost of a bike is nothing compared with the
inconvenience of being stuck in town.

Terrorism has been a threat at some level or other in London for all
my adult life. British railway stations do not have litter bins, and
there are periodic recorded announcements that any unattended packages
are liable to be removed without warning. When I was younger it was
the IRA; they gave warnings, but their bombs were technically
sophisticated and enormously powerful. This lot are more after
headlines and deaths, but at least the bombs are amateurish. Thank
God the IRA never managed to detonate a bomb in one of the deep tube
lines.

For what it's worth, in 1975 there was a train crash at Moorgate
station in which 29 people died and 70 were injured, and in 1987 a
smoker dropped a match at Kings Cross Station starting a fire which
killed 31 (again mostly commuters on the Underground). The pieces
were picked up and life moved on.

The last victim of the Kings Cross fire was only identified in January
2004.


Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"Let’s have a moment of silence for all those Americans who are stuck
in traffic on their way to the gym to ride the stationary bicycle."
- Earl Blumenauer

"catzz66" wrote in message
...

I don't think that there can be a silver lining from such a heinous act as
this.

Couldn't agree more. Too bad the UK doesn't have a death penalty to deal
with the perpetrators.

Cheto

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 01:43:52 -0800, "Cheto"
wrote:


"catzz66" wrote in message
...

I don't think that there can be a silver lining from such a heinous act as
this.

Couldn't agree more. Too bad the UK doesn't have a death penalty to deal
with the perpetrators.

Cheto


The 4 perpetrators were suicide bombers.

What are you going to threaten them with now?

wrote in message
...

The 4 perpetrators were suicide bombers.

What are you going to threaten them with now?

I'm fairly certain there were more than four people involved in planning and
carrying out these attacks. They deserve to die.

Cheto

Cheto wrote:
wrote in message
...


The 4 perpetrators were suicide bombers.

What are you going to threaten them with now?


I'm fairly certain there were more than four people involved in planning and
carrying out these attacks. They deserve to die.


While they may *deserve* to die, you need to remember that the UK is a
civilised country, and that civilised countries don't use government
sactioned murder to deal with their problem residents.

W

"Cheto" wrote:


wrote in message
.. .

The 4 perpetrators were suicide bombers.

What are you going to threaten them with now?

I'm fairly certain there were more than four people involved in planning and
carrying out these attacks. They deserve to die.

Another impassioned plea from a disciple of The Culture of Life??

g

"The Wogster" wrote in message
.. .

While they may *deserve* to die, you need to remember that the UK is a
civilised country, and that civilised countries don't use government
sactioned murder to deal with their problem residents.

While you may consider them "problem residents", I consider them mass
murderers of innocent people. I hope they are hunted down and killed as
quickly as possible. And I'm sure there are many in the UK who agree with
me.

Cheto