I've not paid much attention to the 15 minute city concept but when you read this you think what's not to like? I think it's already happening to some extent, there's a lot more work and social activity in a short walkable space in our neighbourhood than there used to be. I'd like to see this development continue. The traditional village is the ideal human settlement. It's quite a conservative idea in many ways, odd that people on the right resist it; it makes me wonder if there is a corporate AstroTurf element to the opposition.
What's not to like is the possibility of politicians and pressure groups from '15 minute cities' trying to impose the concept on other parts of the country where it is impossible for it to work.
A possible example being the increasing number of roads being narrowed to create cycle lanes. Cycle lanes which never seem to have any cyclists cycling on them.
The “empty cycle lanes” meme has been debunked many times using traffic counters in various places. Cycle lanes look emptier than traffic filled roads because bikes take up much less space.
Cycle lanes also take lots of traffic off the roads making it more pleasant for drivers, as do buses. This really comes to a head on rainy days when commuters keep their bikes at home and drive, because the roads are much more choked.
I live in an area which has cycle lanes, there's a cycle lane about 100m from my house.
I drive through my neighbourhood and I walk through it. Everyday.
I see vehicles, I see walkers.
Almost every minute there will be vehicles and walkers going past me.
But it can be weeks, even months, before I see a cyclist.
Now cycle lanes might have their places in inner cities and university towns.
But in other parts of the country the only thing they achieve is to widen the area people have to walk on.
That sounds like one that may not have the network connected yet.
We have early bits of infra in a small number of places at my end of Ashfield, starting with the places where collisions have a record of putting people in hospital, and the Ashfield Independents are weaponising it in those terms.
Complete with labrador-denied-sausages level whining about proposed schemes, demanding changes 'to save the trees' and similar that will leave wheelchair users on horrible 3ft wide pavements. But they don't give a damn about marginalised people whose lives they make difficult as long as they get the votes - similar happening currently with the Lib Dem Council in Windsor and Maidenhead acting like Home Counties Tories with their PSPO renewal.
Elsewhere they are promising to cut down trees to create more parking in green lung verges on 1930s garden estates.
We're probably 20-30 years behind eg Manchester and Leicester - totally car-brained.
I think the contrast between London / Paris and UK / France (for example) is probably overblown by the Guardian's desire to have a go.
There are pros and cons to the Paris programme, especially where it is rough around the edges as it expands, but they started late and feel they need to catch up.
I've just spent a few days in France. It has to be said the urban fabric, and transport, in general in mid-France is looking in a lot better condition than here at home.
Wonderful food and beautiful ladies too, as always.
We go to Brittany for a week of food and wine most years, and the quality of the public realm, the roads, the town centres really puts the UK to shame. The roads are like glass for the most part and every year they seem to have replaced even more of the old stock. I much prefer driving in France to here, despite the fact I have a RHD car! Cycle paths are great, too. It’s almost as if sustained public investment is a good idea.
Indeed. I did a lot of driving this week too, almost from Calais to the Midi.
Quite a few road tolls, but motorways and a and b-roads generally in much better condition than here. On the downside, a few ruder drivers, but always the consolation of better food at service stations, and often impeccably dressed mademoiselles greeting you.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
When a lady calls you mate, it indicates that she doesn't find you attractive, or that she wishes to indicate that she doesn't. Which isn't the same thing.
That's fair enough, as the woman I know who uses the term most often is a lesbian.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
A very stark warning for those tempted to vote for the party.
Yep, best just stick to the reliable competent Tories who’ve left the country in such great shape after 14 years.
Great swathes of the private sector are however very much looking forward to a change of government.
Basically he says voters resent most governments particularly when they are in power for a long time.
On the subject of reform of public services can Labour do worse than the Tories? It seems that every public service from Criminal Justice to the NHS, to the Armed Forces to Universities is providing a less than satisfactory service. In the NHS we have record numbers of staff but the Tories have mismanaged so thoroughly that productivity is worse.
I am no Starmer fan and do not support Labour's top down statist approach, but the Tories record on the Public sector is so lamentable that Labour should be able to improve upon it.
Reading books is the biggest threat to the American way of life according to the Trump crowd. The war against librarians continues as Louisiana makes it a criminal offence to join the American Library Association
Actually the law has yet to pass - but it might, as a similar measure only narrowly failed in another state. Many such bills are have regularly been put forward by the GOP in the redder states as performative measures, which have no chance of passing. That has changed recently.
The article describes librarians as among the most trusted professionals, but they are also one of the least scrutinized professions. Librarians and library services can pretty much do what they like, without anyone ever questioning their professionalism. The result of this is that university library services in the UK have almost stopped buying BOOKS, and some are even throwing out the books that they still have. Almost all new books added to university libraries in 2024 are EBOOKS not books, You usually cannot find new books on the shelves on astronomy or machine learning, as they are nearly all in digital form now. This change has been done without announcement or consultation with students or teaching staff, who in many cases still prefer books to ebooks (if they were asked).
Research has suggested that most students learn more effectively from books than from ebooks. However, in CILIP (the library and information association) it is highly fashionable to buy ebooks and not books. Librarians keen to progress their careers have stopped buying books, and they are escalating withdrawals of existing physical books. University managements are looking the other way, because they TRUST the Heads of Library Services (who as librarians are EXPERTS whose judgements must be accepted), and they do not want to confront the dogma of librarians that ebooks are better than books. Vice Chancellors also do not want to consult with students, so their views are discounted even though physical books that are in demand are often unavailable as there are not enough copies.
It is high time for responsibility for managing library services to be removed from librarians, who are technical experts in information and cataloguing but not in education, and given back to Councillors and university academic boards and governing bodies who are ultimately responsible for providing library services.
The library profession is not a regulated profession. You do not need to be a qualified librarian to work in or to run a library. The library profession should be recognised for what it is: a group of people with technical skills in library systems. It should not be assumed that librarians are interested in books or in reading or research, just because they work with books. Librarians have too much power in libraries, and the interests of readers and students are being excluded.
Umm isn't this really about costs? Surely ebooks are multiple times cheaper than physical ones? Whether people learn best from physical books is also an area that needs MUCH MORE research.
Can people using electric mobility aids use cycle lanes?
No, not asking for a friend; I’m being assessed for such an aid later this month.
These are my comments, which I hope help.
This is something organisations such as Wheels for Wellbeing, for whom I'm a volunteer, campaign on - cycles (standard and non-standard) to be mobility aids for disabled people who choose to use them as such, and a coherent set of laws. Rather then the current f*cked up dog's breakfast we have.
The simple answer is that a Class I or Class II scooters (to 4mph) is called a Pavement Scooter, which are not technically allowed to travel on the carriageway. A Class III Scooter (8mph and lights) is technically a motor vehicle allowed on the carriageway, but has a 4mph 'Pavement Mode' which you can use on the pavement.
In practice you should be OK in cycle/mobility tracks (which is the name for those not on the carriageway) and mobility lanes (which are on the carriageway). In 90% of circumstances it will be fine and people will happily go round you and will be very considerate, but I would avoid high volume fast cycle-tracks (eg CS6 through Chiswick) as where these exist the footway is likely to be high quality too, and on-carriageway painted cycle lanes as you will be at risk from dangerous, dozy or distracted idiots driving motor vehicles.
You will also find that people who "just have to do .. whatever" will generally not even think about your needs or rights, or the law, when it comes to blocking drop kerbs, pavements etc. We have to be quite tactical with that.
"Mobility" is perhaps better language than "cycle", as all groups in the field are more and more recognising that all active travel modes have similar needs and issues.
I'll give you chapter and verse if you like on the legal detail, but it is boring.
In terms of access rights you have all the same ones as a pedestrian, and service providers have a legal responsibility to deliver you the same access as anyone else. Think of yourself as a disabled or elderly pedestrian - you are at the top of the user hierarchy and everyone else has a duty of care to protect you.
I won't spin off into my hobby horses, however do not be surprised to find yourself barriered off from footpaths where you have a right to go; such discrimination is just routine everywhere at present. It can be challenged but people will fight you tooth and nail because of Schrodinger's Motorcyclist.
Does the controller of Radio 4 or any of his friends/colleagues read PB? If so would you note that removing Tweet of the Day (90 seconds of birdsong just before 6 am) is a terrible decision. Instead it should be sacrosanct and used at other times of day as well. The one thing BBC radio is not short of is time. (Of many memorable moments the best of all was the Great Northern Diver).
Can people using electric mobility aids use cycle lanes?
No, not asking for a friend; I’m being assessed for such an aid later this month.
These are my comments, which I hope help.
This is something organisations such as Wheels for Wellbeing, for whom I'm a volunteer, campaign on - cycles (standard and non-standard) to be mobility aids for disabled people who choose to use them as such, and a coherent set of laws. Rather then the current f*cked up dog's breakfast we have.
The simple answer is that a Class I or Class II scooters (to 4mph) is called a Pavement Scooter, which are not technically allowed to travel on the carriageway. A Class III Scooter (8mph and lights) is technically a motor vehicle allowed on the carriageway, but has a 4mph 'Pavement Mode' which you can use on the pavement.
In practice you should be OK in cycle/mobility tracks (which is the name for those not on the carriageway) and mobility lanes (which are on the carriageway). In 90% of circumstances it will be fine and people will happily go round you and will be very considerate, but I would avoid high volume fast cycle-tracks (eg CS6 through Chiswick) as where these exist the footway is likely to be high quality too, and on-carriageway painted cycle lanes as you will be at risk from dangerous, dozy or distracted idiots driving motor vehicles.
You will also find that people who "just have to do .. whatever" will generally not even think about your needs or rights, or the law, when it comes to blocking drop kerbs, pavements etc. We have to be quite tactical with that.
"Mobility" is perhaps better language than "cycle", as all groups in the field are more and more recognising that all active travel modes have similar needs and issues.
I'll give you chapter and verse if you like on the legal detail, but it is boring.
In terms of access rights you have all the same ones as a pedestrian, and service providers have a legal responsibility to deliver you the same access as anyone else. Think of yourself as a disabled or elderly pedestrian - you are at the top of the user hierarchy and everyone else has a duty of care to protect you.
I won't spin off into my hobby horses, however do not be surprised to find yourself barriered off from footpaths where you have a right to go; such discrimination is just routine everywhere at present. It can be challenged but people will fight you tooth and nail because of Schrodinger's Motorcyclist.
Part 2
Be aware of All Terrain Mobility Scooters (big wheels are the marker), which are far more capable and may be worth considering, and that one-wheel-at-the-front tricycle mobility scooters can be much more unstable on cross-falls (eg turning up a steep dropped kerb). Be cautious until you have learned. There's a whole scene of mobility scooter rambling, using mobility aids such as a Tramper. And many thousands of miles of off road paths and routes you can traverse - especially greenways and rail trails, but they often suffer from unlawful anti-wheelchair barriers. Local councillors will go to the gallows to defend these, as 2 votes from local complaining NIMBYs often count more than the actual law.
There are also increasingly mobility aids based on cycle technology (such as Mountain Trikes) which are perhaps not in your scope, and not always recognised as mobility aids yet. And a lot of people use e-Assist non-standard cycles such as tricycles as a mobility aid.
Using a mobility scooter you should get consideration as they are well recognised as mobility aids.
You may be surprised by how far mobility scooters can go - 10-30 mile range is quite normal. I have a couple in their 70s as tenants who both use scooters, and they quite happily go 2 miles to the big supermarket, but normally not 4-5 miles to the hospital. They can't go down off road routes as in my town all the paths and trails have anti-wheelchair barriers on them.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
A very stark warning for those tempted to vote for the party.
I haven't read it but does he suggest we all vote for the party of the elderly instead? I tend to see Mr Ganesh as a contrarian who's analysis is very good but conclusions are often odd. Makes for interesting commentary though.
No he is not advocating voting Tory. Just outlining where labour will be, the problems they face and how quickly the polls may turn. Viewcode has linked a non Paywalled version.
As was said about it at the time, it would have been cheaper to lower the ocean.
This is meant to be one of the reasons that a branch of ITV (like ITC or something) went out of the film business. They spent so much on Raise the Titanic and another film about The Village People, released just when disco had gone out of fashion, that they narrowly avoided collapse and went out of films.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
Reading books is the biggest threat to the American way of life according to the Trump crowd. The war against librarians continues as Louisiana makes it a criminal offence to join the American Library Association
Actually the law has yet to pass - but it might, as a similar measure only narrowly failed in another state. Many such bills are have regularly been put forward by the GOP in the redder states as performative measures, which have no chance of passing. That has changed recently.
The article describes librarians as among the most trusted professionals, but they are also one of the least scrutinized professions. Librarians and library services can pretty much do what they like, without anyone ever questioning their professionalism. The result of this is that university library services in the UK have almost stopped buying BOOKS, and some are even throwing out the books that they still have. Almost all new books added to university libraries in 2024 are EBOOKS not books, You usually cannot find new books on the shelves on astronomy or machine learning, as they are nearly all in digital form now. This change has been done without announcement or consultation with students or teaching staff, who in many cases still prefer books to ebooks (if they were asked).
Research has suggested that most students learn more effectively from books than from ebooks. However, in CILIP (the library and information association) it is highly fashionable to buy ebooks and not books. Librarians keen to progress their careers have stopped buying books, and they are escalating withdrawals of existing physical books. University managements are looking the other way, because they TRUST the Heads of Library Services (who as librarians are EXPERTS whose judgements must be accepted), and they do not want to confront the dogma of librarians that ebooks are better than books. Vice Chancellors also do not want to consult with students, so their views are discounted even though physical books that are in demand are often unavailable as there are not enough copies.
It is high time for responsibility for managing library services to be removed from librarians, who are technical experts in information and cataloguing but not in education, and given back to Councillors and university academic boards and governing bodies who are ultimately responsible for providing library services.
The library profession is not a regulated profession. You do not need to be a qualified librarian to work in or to run a library. The library profession should be recognised for what it is: a group of people with technical skills in library systems. It should not be assumed that librarians are interested in books or in reading or research, just because they work with books. Librarians have too much power in libraries, and the interests of readers and students are being excluded.
Umm isn't this really about costs? Surely ebooks are multiple times cheaper than physical ones? Whether people learn best from physical books is also an area that needs MUCH MORE research.
"By and large, reading on a screen encourages multitasking, a different form of attention, a different speed of processing'. And if people are skim, skim, skimming, she tells the Listener, 'and not going deeper to understand the complexity of issues, they will be far more attracted to false news or worse'. There is concern, she says, that digital media and the sheer volume of online information and communication invite the fast and shallow read. The result, she writes, is more and more young people not reading other than what is required, 'and often not even that: "tl; dr" (too long; didn’t read)'. (2018, October)"
There is a fair amount of literature on this and it seems to be that superficial reading and skimming is more efficient on screen, but deep learning and concentration is better on paper.
The problem the Tories have, is that whilst I can acknowledge the concerns some raise about Labour destroying productivity etc the Tories have destroyed productivity in the 14 years they have been in office. So saying Labour will do bad things doesn't really resonate with voters much anymore.
Does the controller of Radio 4 or any of his friends/colleagues read PB? If so would you note that removing Tweet of the Day (90 seconds of birdsong just before 6 am) is a terrible decision. Instead it should be sacrosanct and used at other times of day as well. The one thing BBC radio is not short of is time. (Of many memorable moments the best of all was the Great Northern Diver).
I'd far, far rather lose Thought for the Day.
TFTD is very patchy. Lord Harries is as good as Tweet of the Day, as is Angela Tilby and Sam Wells, and one or two others are OK. A number of others are best forgotten.
I've not paid much attention to the 15 minute city concept but when you read this you think what's not to like? I think it's already happening to some extent, there's a lot more work and social activity in a short walkable space in our neighbourhood than there used to be. I'd like to see this development continue. The traditional village is the ideal human settlement. It's quite a conservative idea in many ways, odd that people on the right resist it; it makes me wonder if there is a corporate AstroTurf element to the opposition.
What's not to like is the possibility of politicians and pressure groups from '15 minute cities' trying to impose the concept on other parts of the country where it is impossible for it to work.
A possible example being the increasing number of roads being narrowed to create cycle lanes. Cycle lanes which never seem to have any cyclists cycling on them.
The “empty cycle lanes” meme has been debunked many times using traffic counters in various places. Cycle lanes look emptier than traffic filled roads because bikes take up much less space.
Cycle lanes also take lots of traffic off the roads making it more pleasant for drivers, as do buses. This really comes to a head on rainy days when commuters keep their bikes at home and drive, because the roads are much more choked.
Sometimes they are empty, simply because they aren't connected to any other cycle lanes or off-road paths.
It's like building half a road bridge and complaining that no one is using it.
My favourite is when pavements are marked as cycle paths without any delineation between cyclists and pedestrians.
Can be quite alarming if it's adjacent to a busy road.
Problem there is if the pavement is only 4 feet wide, like the ones along our bypass where everyone is forced to cycle by the anti-wheelchair barriers on all the pathways in town, there's not enough room if it is divided in two.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
I would call a mate "mate" but I wouldn't call an acquaintance "mate" nevermind a stranger or someone waiting or working for me...
Indeed I do find it kind of annoying when in a social setting (say a bar) and someone I don't know calls me "mate"
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
A very stark warning for those tempted to vote for the party.
I haven't read it but does he suggest we all vote for the party of the elderly instead? I tend to see Mr Ganesh as a contrarian who's analysis is very good but conclusions are often odd. Makes for interesting commentary though.
No he is not advocating voting Tory. Just outlining where labour will be, the problems they face and how quickly the polls may turn. Viewcode has linked a non Paywalled version.
Although I don't have any greater insight into the future than Janan Ganesh, I strongly suspect he's wrong that people will hate the mollycoddled State. The next government will be very short of money to spend on even basic public services. The public will lament the state of those services, not that too much money is spent on them. And I don't think they will turn to the Tories to sort that particular problem out.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
In the far north west of England among the WWC and wider 'mate' is a polite usage, but is not addressed to women.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
A very stark warning for those tempted to vote for the party.
Yep, best just stick to the reliable competent Tories who’ve left the country in such great shape after 14 years.
Great swathes of the private sector are however very much looking forward to a change of government.
Basically he says voters resent most governments particularly when they are in power for a long time.
On the subject of reform of public services can Labour do worse than the Tories? It seems that every public service from Criminal Justice to the NHS, to the Armed Forces to Universities is providing a less than satisfactory service. In the NHS we have record numbers of staff but the Tories have mismanaged so thoroughly that productivity is worse.
I am no Starmer fan and do not support Labour's top down statist approach, but the Tories record on the Public sector is so lamentable that Labour should be able to improve upon it.
“Labour’s top down statist approach” sounds like something out of Liberal Democrat council minutes. Stems from the LD fantasy that public investment can be somehow delivered by a network of do-gooder community trusts. It’s utter nonsense.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
But it is gender specific, IRL, and for most people.
As was said about it at the time, it would have been cheaper to lower the ocean.
This is meant to be one of the reasons that a branch of ITV (like ITC or something) went out of the film business. They spent so much on Raise the Titanic and another film about The Village People, released just when disco had gone out of fashion, that they narrowly avoided collapse and went out of films.
On trigger topics for the gammonariti, I’ve just returned from a week’s holiday in west Wales. I was expecting to have to crawl along everywhere at 20 mph, but found that as in London the 20 mph zones were restricted to the most built up areas. And given the sharp curves and narrow lanes I often encountered, arguably more justifiable. What outrage against the motorist have I missed?
I would just comment that there are places where the integration between 20mph zones and the public work well and as far as I am aware it is accepted that around schools and busy areas these zones are sensible, indeed they were in place before the radical change of all 30mph to 20mph
The controversy continues, but Gething and his new North Wales transport minister are reviewing the policy in conjuction with local authorities and the public to reinstate some roads to their previous limits but also to review the cancellation of road building in Wales by Drakeford
I would just, on a point of order, enquire who you mean by 'gammonarati' as the concern about some of the road changes is expressed across the political divide and frankly is not that political as can be seen in the increasing likelihood of no conservative mps being reelected in Wales and the Lib Dems have been near extinction in Wales for quite sometime
The implementation by most Welsh councils has been poor. It's as though some would like to see the programme fail. I suspect much blame can be laid at the door of the Welsh Government's botched rollout. Don't forget Andrew RT Gammon was an advocate until the Uxbridge by election.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
A very stark warning for those tempted to vote for the party.
Yep, best just stick to the reliable competent Tories who’ve left the country in such great shape after 14 years.
Great swathes of the private sector are however very much looking forward to a change of government.
Basically he says voters resent most governments particularly when they are in power for a long time.
On the subject of reform of public services can Labour do worse than the Tories? It seems that every public service from Criminal Justice to the NHS, to the Armed Forces to Universities is providing a less than satisfactory service. In the NHS we have record numbers of staff but the Tories have mismanaged so thoroughly that productivity is worse.
I am no Starmer fan and do not support Labour's top down statist approach, but the Tories record on the Public sector is so lamentable that Labour should be able to improve upon it.
“Labour’s top down statist approach” sounds like something out of Liberal Democrat council minutes. Stems from the LD fantasy that public investment can be somehow delivered by a network of do-gooder community trusts. It’s utter nonsense.
There is, remarkably enough, a spectrum of options for managing the public realm in between “top down statist approach” and “network of do-gooder community trusts”.
Exhibit a: just about any other developed Western country. Even France, which is possibly the second most centralised and top-down country in Western Europe after Britain.
The UK’s over-centralisation and Westminster domination is not a feature only of Labour. It pretty much defines the conservatives too. Look at their approach to levelling up, which is essentially Santa dispensing goodies selectively and telling the recipients what to do with them. It’s one reason we could do with more regional parties.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
And the party of the elderly isn't using working people and the private sector as a cash cow right now?
Plus financial parts of the private sector using other parts of the private sector as cash cows by loading them up with debt. Isn't that roughly what's killing Thames Water? (That, and not doing enough actual investment for decades.)
Also the private sector using the public sector as a cash cow seems to have become more of a thing recently.
All the public sector money comes from the private sector , molly coddled and pretty crap at providing the services given the cash they get to boot. I see a bunch of them are for striking because they are asked to go in to work 2 days a week, unbelievable. Phone any public service and it as least half an hour before they leave their films to answer.
Apart from courageous Sole Traders, most of the private sector takes advantage of Limited Liability, which is a creation of the state.
On trigger topics for the gammonariti, I’ve just returned from a week’s holiday in west Wales. I was expecting to have to crawl along everywhere at 20 mph, but found that as in London the 20 mph zones were restricted to the most built up areas. And given the sharp curves and narrow lanes I often encountered, arguably more justifiable. What outrage against the motorist have I missed?
I would just comment that there are places where the integration between 20mph zones and the public work well and as far as I am aware it is accepted that around schools and busy areas these zones are sensible, indeed they were in place before the radical change of all 30mph to 20mph
The controversy continues, but Gething and his new North Wales transport minister are reviewing the policy in conjuction with local authorities and the public to reinstate some roads to their previous limits but also to review the cancellation of road building in Wales by Drakeford
I would just, on a point of order, enquire who you mean by 'gammonarati' as the concern about some of the road changes is expressed across the political divide and frankly is not that political as can be seen in the increasing likelihood of no conservative mps being reelected in Wales and the Lib Dems have been near extinction in Wales for quite sometime
The implementation by most Welsh councils has been poor. It's as though some would like to see the programme fail. I suspect much blame can be laid at the door of the Welsh Government's botched rollout. Don't forget Andrew RT Gammon was an advocate until the Uxbridge by election.
I am actually supportive of the objective but there are roads that simply should be returned to 30mph and it looks like Gething and Skates understands that
Can people using electric mobility aids use cycle lanes?
No, not asking for a friend; I’m being assessed for such an aid later this month.
These are my comments, which I hope help.
This is something organisations such as Wheels for Wellbeing, for whom I'm a volunteer, campaign on - cycles (standard and non-standard) to be mobility aids for disabled people who choose to use them as such, and a coherent set of laws. Rather then the current f*cked up dog's breakfast we have.
The simple answer is that a Class I or Class II scooters (to 4mph) is called a Pavement Scooter, which are not technically allowed to travel on the carriageway. A Class III Scooter (8mph and lights) is technically a motor vehicle allowed on the carriageway, but has a 4mph 'Pavement Mode' which you can use on the pavement.
In practice you should be OK in cycle/mobility tracks (which is the name for those not on the carriageway) and mobility lanes (which are on the carriageway). In 90% of circumstances it will be fine and people will happily go round you and will be very considerate, but I would avoid high volume fast cycle-tracks (eg CS6 through Chiswick) as where these exist the footway is likely to be high quality too, and on-carriageway painted cycle lanes as you will be at risk from dangerous, dozy or distracted idiots driving motor vehicles.
You will also find that people who "just have to do .. whatever" will generally not even think about your needs or rights, or the law, when it comes to blocking drop kerbs, pavements etc. We have to be quite tactical with that.
"Mobility" is perhaps better language than "cycle", as all groups in the field are more and more recognising that all active travel modes have similar needs and issues.
I'll give you chapter and verse if you like on the legal detail, but it is boring.
In terms of access rights you have all the same ones as a pedestrian, and service providers have a legal responsibility to deliver you the same access as anyone else. Think of yourself as a disabled or elderly pedestrian - you are at the top of the user hierarchy and everyone else has a duty of care to protect you.
I won't spin off into my hobby horses, however do not be surprised to find yourself barriered off from footpaths where you have a right to go; such discrimination is just routine everywhere at present. It can be challenged but people will fight you tooth and nail because of Schrodinger's Motorcyclist.
Part 2
Be aware of All Terrain Mobility Scooters (big wheels are the marker), which are far more capable and may be worth considering, and that one-wheel-at-the-front tricycle mobility scooters can be much more unstable on cross-falls (eg turning up a steep dropped kerb). Be cautious until you have learned. There's a whole scene of mobility scooter rambling, using mobility aids such as a Tramper. And many thousands of miles of off road paths and routes you can traverse - especially greenways and rail trails, but they often suffer from unlawful anti-wheelchair barriers. Local councillors will go to the gallows to defend these, as 2 votes from local complaining NIMBYs often count more than the actual law.
There are also increasingly mobility aids based on cycle technology (such as Mountain Trikes) which are perhaps not in your scope, and not always recognised as mobility aids yet. And a lot of people use e-Assist non-standard cycles such as tricycles as a mobility aid.
Using a mobility scooter you should get consideration as they are well recognised as mobility aids.
You may be surprised by how far mobility scooters can go - 10-30 mile range is quite normal. I have a couple in their 70s as tenants who both use scooters, and they quite happily go 2 miles to the big supermarket, but normally not 4-5 miles to the hospital. They can't go down off road routes as in my town all the paths and trails have anti-wheelchair barriers on them.
HTH.
Thanks very much. I’m rather torn ATM because in the small town where we live, as mentioned upthread, the pavements are not well maintained. I’m also concerned because my balance isn’t very good, and when I tried a scooter I felt myself falling over to one side, although everyone told me I wasn’t! I’m also concerned that I’ll find the one I’m recommended will be too awkward or heavy to get into our (quite small) car. However the place I’m going to for assessment isn’t commercially involved with any type of mobility aid vendor so we’re hoping for some useful information.
I've not paid much attention to the 15 minute city concept but when you read this you think what's not to like? I think it's already happening to some extent, there's a lot more work and social activity in a short walkable space in our neighbourhood than there used to be. I'd like to see this development continue. The traditional village is the ideal human settlement. It's quite a conservative idea in many ways, odd that people on the right resist it; it makes me wonder if there is a corporate AstroTurf element to the opposition.
What's not to like is the possibility of politicians and pressure groups from '15 minute cities' trying to impose the concept on other parts of the country where it is impossible for it to work.
A possible example being the increasing number of roads being narrowed to create cycle lanes. Cycle lanes which never seem to have any cyclists cycling on them.
The “empty cycle lanes” meme has been debunked many times using traffic counters in various places. Cycle lanes look emptier than traffic filled roads because bikes take up much less space.
Cycle lanes also take lots of traffic off the roads making it more pleasant for drivers, as do buses. This really comes to a head on rainy days when commuters keep their bikes at home and drive, because the roads are much more choked.
I live in an area which has cycle lanes, there's a cycle lane about 100m from my house.
I drive through my neighbourhood and I walk through it. Everyday.
I see vehicles, I see walkers.
Almost every minute there will be vehicles and walkers going past me.
But it can be weeks, even months, before I see a cyclist.
Now cycle lanes might have their places in inner cities and university towns.
But in other parts of the country the only thing they achieve is to widen the area people have to walk on.
What’s so unique about those parts of the country that they can’t cope with cycle lanes? Do people not own bikes? Or could it simply be that the lanes are not properly linked in a meaningful safe network- same as how nobody walks in most American cities because they’ve not been properly designed for pedestrians.
There is a cycle lane near me - designed to take people down the main road to the station. The problem is it is a bloody big hill and the committed commuting cyclists into London (only 15 miles away) won't be going anywhere near the station, there are flatter more convenient routes!
Even worse when they put the cycle lane they narrowed width of the road by the bus stops which leads to congestion as people can't overtake when there is more than 1 bus. I suspect it was designed by a town planner looking at a schematic who never visited the area.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
I've not paid much attention to the 15 minute city concept but when you read this you think what's not to like? I think it's already happening to some extent, there's a lot more work and social activity in a short walkable space in our neighbourhood than there used to be. I'd like to see this development continue. The traditional village is the ideal human settlement. It's quite a conservative idea in many ways, odd that people on the right resist it; it makes me wonder if there is a corporate AstroTurf element to the opposition.
A lot of it is AstroTurf, but it only works by tapping into a couple of genuine fears.
One is that geometry hates cars and cars kill the concept. If you have enough road and parking space for most adults to drive regularly, homes, businesses and nice things end up too far apart. Hence the doom loop that leads to most modern British developments- provide sufficient space for cars and everyone ends up depending on them. To make the sort of walkable communities (that price signals show that people want to live in), there isn't really space for lots of cars.
Similarly, the standard British nice house (detached, two stories, largeish garden, double garage) is also pretty space hungry. To make 15 minutes work, you do need more terraces, mid rise and flats. Whilst they don't have to be crummy, too many of them have been shabbily built on the past.
So it's a concept that works better on practice than in theory. It also says to the generation that went all-in on cars "you rather messed up, and the freedom you went for isn't so desirable after all." Even if you don't say that bit out loud, it's strongly implied. My experience is that boomers (for it is they) don't like that at all.
(See also the "my car is essential and doesn't hurt anyone" stuff that accompanied ULEZ.)
Yes, 15 minute cities is really a very conservative urban idea, based on traditional housing of a century ago, rather than modern lifestyles. New developments in the style can work, but need to be appealing. Decent public transport and underground parking are key I think.
I like the idea of underground parking in theory, but do I trust a developer to design and build it properly, or would I expect a flash flood to destroy all the cars parked there as a near certainty?
See all the French towns that do this.
Geneva and Annecy (not to mention Montreux and Lausanne) even manage to build them right next to dirty great big lakes without them flooding.
I'm sure it's *possible* to do this properly, and I don't doubt that it *has* been done properly. I remember my grandparents had an underground car park beneath their block of flats in Vienna* in the 80s.
But between corner-cutting developers, incompetent and underfunded local authority planning departments, and the piecemeal nature of development (meaning a later development might easily channel floodwater into an earlier one), I do not trust in this being done properly in Britain or Ireland.
* They also had a tram stop in one of the blocks too, I think.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It is in certain regional vernaculars. I'm the same way that everyone in Edinburgh calls people "pal".
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Oh, has Sean flounced off again? I seem to have missed that! What's happened this time?
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
And the party of the elderly isn't using working people and the private sector as a cash cow right now?
Plus financial parts of the private sector using other parts of the private sector as cash cows by loading them up with debt. Isn't that roughly what's killing Thames Water? (That, and not doing enough actual investment for decades.)
Also the private sector using the public sector as a cash cow seems to have become more of a thing recently.
All the public sector money comes from the private sector , molly coddled and pretty crap at providing the services given the cash they get to boot. I see a bunch of them are for striking because they are asked to go in to work 2 days a week, unbelievable. Phone any public service and it as least half an hour before they leave their films to answer.
Apart from courageous Sole Traders, most of the private sector takes advantage of Limited Liability, which is a creation of the state.
The rhetorical division of public and private sector is just that, rhetorical. In reality there are large organisations and small organisations, highly regulated sectors and less regulated sectors.
Large organisations whether public or private are generally bureaucratic, process driven but benefit from economies of scale and market power. Small organisations can be nimble and creative and quicker to change, but often suffer from financial constraints, amateurism and poor processes.
I’ve only ever worked in the private sector but I can’t say my experience of engagement at work with publicly owned entities has been meaningfully different from my experience of private ones. It’s the same people doing the same sorts of jobs.
Thanks; one issue locally is that the pavements are so bad that one is safer on the roads. That’s in the town, of course!
I skirted that one in my comments.
In practice there is a difference between mandatory (solid line) and not-mandatory (dotted line) cycle lanes.
Most of them will be full of parked cars, anyway, and mandatory cycle lanes installed since ~2015 are not enforcible as that is when the Government messed up the law.
But no one will enforce, and no one will care, except in very unusual circumstances, anyway.
In practice if you are reasonable and careful, and take time to learn suitable routes, you should be OK.
I would not perhaps go so far as to run video cameras, but a Pass Pixi may be useful. I have one on my cycling jacket (I do run cameras) but it helps keep drivers slightly under control and a little wider.
If you find you want better visibility, there are products in the cycling arena - such as dayflash lights - which maybe good options. Ask here, and I could advise.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Maybe if we include Ayahuasca in the debate about Psilocybin, we could summon Leon.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Oh, has Sean flounced off again? I seem to have missed that! What's happened this time?
He was politely requested not to blitz every thread with AI posts. But he walked anyway.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Oh, has Sean flounced off again? I seem to have missed that! What's happened this time?
He was politely requested not to blitz every thread with AI posts. But he walked anyway.
I've not paid much attention to the 15 minute city concept but when you read this you think what's not to like? I think it's already happening to some extent, there's a lot more work and social activity in a short walkable space in our neighbourhood than there used to be. I'd like to see this development continue. The traditional village is the ideal human settlement. It's quite a conservative idea in many ways, odd that people on the right resist it; it makes me wonder if there is a corporate AstroTurf element to the opposition.
A lot of it is AstroTurf, but it only works by tapping into a couple of genuine fears.
One is that geometry hates cars and cars kill the concept. If you have enough road and parking space for most adults to drive regularly, homes, businesses and nice things end up too far apart. Hence the doom loop that leads to most modern British developments- provide sufficient space for cars and everyone ends up depending on them. To make the sort of walkable communities (that price signals show that people want to live in), there isn't really space for lots of cars.
Similarly, the standard British nice house (detached, two stories, largeish garden, double garage) is also pretty space hungry. To make 15 minutes work, you do need more terraces, mid rise and flats. Whilst they don't have to be crummy, too many of them have been shabbily built on the past.
So it's a concept that works better on practice than in theory. It also says to the generation that went all-in on cars "you rather messed up, and the freedom you went for isn't so desirable after all." Even if you don't say that bit out loud, it's strongly implied. My experience is that boomers (for it is they) don't like that at all.
(See also the "my car is essential and doesn't hurt anyone" stuff that accompanied ULEZ.)
Yes, 15 minute cities is really a very conservative urban idea, based on traditional housing of a century ago, rather than modern lifestyles. New developments in the style can work, but need to be appealing. Decent public transport and underground parking are key I think.
I like the idea of underground parking in theory, but do I trust a developer to design and build it properly, or would I expect a flash flood to destroy all the cars parked there as a near certainty?
See all the French towns that do this.
Geneva and Annecy (not to mention Montreux and Lausanne) even manage to build them right next to dirty great big lakes without them flooding.
I'm sure it's *possible* to do this properly, and I don't doubt that it *has* been done properly. I remember my grandparents had an underground car park beneath their block of flats in Vienna* in the 80s.
But between corner-cutting developers, incompetent and underfunded local authority planning departments, and the piecemeal nature of development (meaning a later development might easily channel floodwater into an earlier one), I do not trust in this being done properly in Britain or Ireland.
* They also had a tram stop in one of the blocks too, I think.
It’s an example of something routinely used with little fuss elsewhere being seemingly an exotic and impossible challenge here. In Macon there are underwater car parks right along the quais de Saône, a regularly flooding river. For that matter also along the same river in Lyon.
It’s like the US grappling with the epochal challenge of building “high speed rail” in California (not even that high speed).
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Oh, has Sean flounced off again? I seem to have missed that! What's happened this time?
He was politely requested not to blitz every thread with AI posts. But he walked anyway.
Seeing as he only seemed to want to talk about AI and his latest hotel G&T, the conversation has been better without him.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
Why would it be rude. Agree you would not use to a woman personally but very very common to use it in Scotland with all and sundry males.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
The Russian trolls certainly knew about Leon's pet issues and would stir him up accordingly. A seasoned right-wing journalist who wrote for various venerable publications, but also a bit of an eccentric - just the sort of person Putin's machine would be interested in. I wonder if there was some sort of grooming going on there.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
Why would it be rude. Agree you would not use to a woman personally but very very common to use it in Scotland with all and sundry males.
Not so sure, Malc. Mate to me is an English expression. As Lost Password said upthread, pal seems more common in these parts.
As was said about it at the time, it would have been cheaper to lower the ocean.
This is meant to be one of the reasons that a branch of ITV (like ITC or something) went out of the film business. They spent so much on Raise the Titanic and another film about The Village People, released just when disco had gone out of fashion, that they narrowly avoided collapse and went out of films.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
I'm surprised anyone has any conviction on what a Starmer government would look like.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
I'm surprised anyone has any conviction on what a Starmer government would look like.
Cowardly and fence-sitting, based on a Starmer opposition.
Does the controller of Radio 4 or any of his friends/colleagues read PB? If so would you note that removing Tweet of the Day (90 seconds of birdsong just before 6 am) is a terrible decision. Instead it should be sacrosanct and used at other times of day as well. The one thing BBC radio is not short of is time. (Of many memorable moments the best of all was the Great Northern Diver).
Should people be able to strike for the right to work from home?
They can strike, yes. I'm not sure how you would stop them.
sack the lazy gits
If you want a chuckle look at the very reasonable demands of the PCS, the union for that bastion of hard work and productivity that is the civil service.
All to be paid for by the productive side of the economy, of course
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
Why would it be rude. Agree you would not use to a woman personally but very very common to use it in Scotland with all and sundry males.
Not so sure, Malc. Mate to me is an English expression. As Lost Password said upthread, pal seems more common in these parts.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
The Russian trolls certainly knew about Leon's pet issues and would stir him up accordingly. A seasoned right-wing journalist who wrote for various venerable publications, but also a bit of an eccentric - just the sort of person Putin's machine would be interested in. I wonder if there was some sort of grooming going on there.
Should people be able to strike for the right to work from home?
They can strike, yes. I'm not sure how you would stop them.
sack the lazy gits
If you want a chuckle look at the very reasonable demands of the PCS, the union for that bastion of hard work and productivity that is the civil service.
All to be paid for by the productive side of the economy, of course
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Oh, has Sean flounced off again? I seem to have missed that! What's happened this time?
Should people be able to strike for the right to work from home?
They can strike, yes. I'm not sure how you would stop them.
sack the lazy gits
If you want a chuckle look at the very reasonable demands of the PCS, the union for that bastion of hard work and productivity that is the civil service.
All to be paid for by the productive side of the economy, of course
Should people be able to strike for the right to work from home?
They can strike, yes. I'm not sure how you would stop them.
sack the lazy gits
If you want a chuckle look at the very reasonable demands of the PCS, the union for that bastion of hard work and productivity that is the civil service.
All to be paid for by the productive side of the economy, of course
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
How is it rude calling someone "mate"? It's quite a normal thing to do. Although when I was growing up in Fife "pal" was more typical, eg "cheers pal" on exiting the bus. It's still predominantly a male to male salutation although I have heard women use "mate" to other women for sure, and it's growing more common. I quite like it, it's a good piece of egalitarian Anglo Saxon vocabulary to denote comradeship and thanks.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It is in certain regional vernaculars. I'm the same way that everyone in Edinburgh calls people "pal".
In certain Edinburgh milieus it’s actually ‘chap’.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
I'm surprised anyone has any conviction on what a Starmer government would look like.
I think that Reeves' Mais lecture has given us the best glimpse to date and Ganesh's piece is extremely similar to the critique that I wrote of it at the time.
We are going to have an (even more) active state with new quangos and partnerships seeking to boost domestic growth using public money. We are going to have a lot of frustration when people discover that the reason there is no money for public services is not because the Tories are evil but that we are living beyond our means. We are going to see a bit more domestic harmony in the short term (although surely even this government is not going to be stupid enough to allow the dispute with the junior doctors or train drivers to rumble on into the election) but very rapidly disappointment when the government starts to say no. Things are not going to magically change and our problems will seem just as insoluble as they are now.
In short, I think we will lose some of the lunacy such as Rwanda, but the world is going to look incredibly similar to what it is now. I genuinely hope I am wrong and that Starmer surprises on the upside. I just don't expect it.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
How is it rude calling someone "mate"? It's quite a normal thing to do. Although when I was growing up in Fife "pal" was more typical, eg "cheers pal" on exiting the bus. It's still predominantly a male to male salutation although I have heard women use "mate" to other women for sure, and it's growing more common. I quite like it, it's a good piece of egalitarian Anglo Saxon vocabulary to denote comradeship and thanks.
Maybe not rude, but I find it slightly discourteous when I go into a pub and some acne-covered young whippersnapper barman (always man) says "What can I get you mate?". I'm also not keen on being called 'mate' by people in professions I dislike, namely estate agents.
But then I'm a particularly grumpy old fella, so there's always that.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It is in certain regional vernaculars. I'm the same way that everyone in Edinburgh calls people "pal".
In certain Edinburgh milieus it’s actually ‘chap’.
As opposed to old chap, which is a euphemism for dick.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
Why would it be rude. Agree you would not use to a woman personally but very very common to use it in Scotland with all and sundry males.
Not so sure, Malc. Mate to me is an English expression. As Lost Password said upthread, pal seems more common in these parts.
Fairlie, I use both
I think it is an east coast/west coast split of which there are many. "Pal" is much more common in Dundee, Fife and Edinburgh, "Mate" more common in Glasgow and the surrounding towns in my anecdotal experience.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
How is it rude calling someone "mate"? It's quite a normal thing to do. Although when I was growing up in Fife "pal" was more typical, eg "cheers pal" on exiting the bus. It's still predominantly a male to male salutation although I have heard women use "mate" to other women for sure, and it's growing more common. I quite like it, it's a good piece of egalitarian Anglo Saxon vocabulary to denote comradeship and thanks.
Maybe not rude, but I find it slightly discourteous when I go into a pub and some acne-covered young whippersnapper barman (always man) says "What can I get you mate?". I'm also not keen on being called 'mate' by people in professions I dislike, namely estate agents.
But then I'm a particularly grumpy old fella, so there's always that.
I quite often get ‘young man’ to which I respond with some comment about defective eyesight!
I don't think I've ever called anyone 'mate' - even when mating.
Virtually universal in the Hackney when and where I grew up....or perhaps as commonly 'china' ( china plate = mate.) It wasn't gender specific either.
Mate seems to have taken over from Duck around where I live these days. Chief is used a lot as well.
Starting to be old enough to get called sir. Gladly take mate, duck or chief instead of sir!
I *hate* being called sir.
I've got used to it although the temptation to look over my shoulder to see if my dad is standing there hasn't quite gone away. I am slowly coming to terms with the fact I am my father (albeit not quite as smart). Sigh.
Can people using electric mobility aids use cycle lanes?
No, not asking for a friend; I’m being assessed for such an aid later this month.
These are my comments, which I hope help.
This is something organisations such as Wheels for Wellbeing, for whom I'm a volunteer, campaign on - cycles (standard and non-standard) to be mobility aids for disabled people who choose to use them as such, and a coherent set of laws. Rather then the current f*cked up dog's breakfast we have.
The simple answer is that a Class I or Class II scooters (to 4mph) is called a Pavement Scooter, which are not technically allowed to travel on the carriageway. A Class III Scooter (8mph and lights) is technically a motor vehicle allowed on the carriageway, but has a 4mph 'Pavement Mode' which you can use on the pavement.
In practice you should be OK in cycle/mobility tracks (which is the name for those not on the carriageway) and mobility lanes (which are on the carriageway). In 90% of circumstances it will be fine and people will happily go round you and will be very considerate, but I would avoid high volume fast cycle-tracks (eg CS6 through Chiswick) as where these exist the footway is likely to be high quality too, and on-carriageway painted cycle lanes as you will be at risk from dangerous, dozy or distracted idiots driving motor vehicles.
You will also find that people who "just have to do .. whatever" will generally not even think about your needs or rights, or the law, when it comes to blocking drop kerbs, pavements etc. We have to be quite tactical with that.
"Mobility" is perhaps better language than "cycle", as all groups in the field are more and more recognising that all active travel modes have similar needs and issues.
I'll give you chapter and verse if you like on the legal detail, but it is boring.
In terms of access rights you have all the same ones as a pedestrian, and service providers have a legal responsibility to deliver you the same access as anyone else. Think of yourself as a disabled or elderly pedestrian - you are at the top of the user hierarchy and everyone else has a duty of care to protect you.
I won't spin off into my hobby horses, however do not be surprised to find yourself barriered off from footpaths where you have a right to go; such discrimination is just routine everywhere at present. It can be challenged but people will fight you tooth and nail because of Schrodinger's Motorcyclist.
Part 2
Be aware of All Terrain Mobility Scooters (big wheels are the marker), which are far more capable and may be worth considering, and that one-wheel-at-the-front tricycle mobility scooters can be much more unstable on cross-falls (eg turning up a steep dropped kerb). Be cautious until you have learned. There's a whole scene of mobility scooter rambling, using mobility aids such as a Tramper. And many thousands of miles of off road paths and routes you can traverse - especially greenways and rail trails, but they often suffer from unlawful anti-wheelchair barriers. Local councillors will go to the gallows to defend these, as 2 votes from local complaining NIMBYs often count more than the actual law.
There are also increasingly mobility aids based on cycle technology (such as Mountain Trikes) which are perhaps not in your scope, and not always recognised as mobility aids yet. And a lot of people use e-Assist non-standard cycles such as tricycles as a mobility aid.
Using a mobility scooter you should get consideration as they are well recognised as mobility aids.
You may be surprised by how far mobility scooters can go - 10-30 mile range is quite normal. I have a couple in their 70s as tenants who both use scooters, and they quite happily go 2 miles to the big supermarket, but normally not 4-5 miles to the hospital. They can't go down off road routes as in my town all the paths and trails have anti-wheelchair barriers on them.
HTH.
Thanks very much. I’m rather torn ATM because in the small town where we live, as mentioned upthread, the pavements are not well maintained. I’m also concerned because my balance isn’t very good, and when I tried a scooter I felt myself falling over to one side, although everyone told me I wasn’t! I’m also concerned that I’ll find the one I’m recommended will be too awkward or heavy to get into our (quite small) car. However the place I’m going to for assessment isn’t commercially involved with any type of mobility aid vendor so we’re hoping for some useful information.
My further notes:
0 - 4 wheels might be a sensible choice. I'd say 2 wheels front and one at the back (like a Morgan 2 wheeler not a Reliant Robin), but I don't think mobility scooters are there yet.
1 - Some dismantle which may help.
2 - You can get devices which can help you load it into the car. Supplier can advise.
3 - Take the appropriate amount of time, and spend the appropriate amount of money to find out what will work for YOU, in YOUR circumstances. Don't compromise on quality or function for money unless you really have no option.
4 - Insist on having the one you are considering at your home for at least a couple of weeks, even if you need to hire it. You probably want it to be good at 80-90% of your requirements, and OK at the rest.
Test all your use cases. If it is not OK, try another one until you find one that is sufficiently suitable.
5 - You could change your car - things in the mould of eg Citroen Berlingo or Peugeot Partner are very practical. Or passenger versions of small vans can be good eg Ford Connect.
6 - Don't be afraid to change it if your needs change. I have a friend who started with an e-bicycle as his mobility aid, then went to the same with adult stabilisers as his balance skills reduced, and now uses an e-tricycle and a tadpole format (2 wheels at the front, one at the back) all terrain wheelchair.
The wheelchair is manic - does 12mph and goes anywhere, and it doesn't look like a tricycle so he doesn't get abused by Council Enforcement Officers telling him to pick up his mobility aid and walk. If he's on the e-tricycle, which does about 2mph in throttle mode, he gets bullied routinely by officials.
7 - On the ride, there should be options such as different types of more-ballooney tyres or a suspension-seat, or full suspension on some (prob. heavy).
8 - Are you getting all your possible benefit entitlements? eg Higher rate personal independence payment?
9 - Remember 3 wheels and cross-falls. I have numbers of friends who have tipped themselves over attempting eg to navigate "disabled pedestrian routes" around pavement-works.
10 - There are also devices available called "clip-on cycles" for wheelchairs, which convert a manual wheelchair into an e-assist tri-cycle. I'll reply and add a couple of vids.
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
How is it rude calling someone "mate"? It's quite a normal thing to do. Although when I was growing up in Fife "pal" was more typical, eg "cheers pal" on exiting the bus. It's still predominantly a male to male salutation although I have heard women use "mate" to other women for sure, and it's growing more common. I quite like it, it's a good piece of egalitarian Anglo Saxon vocabulary to denote comradeship and thanks.
Maybe not rude, but I find it slightly discourteous when I go into a pub and some acne-covered young whippersnapper barman (always man) says "What can I get you mate?". I'm also not keen on being called 'mate' by people in professions I dislike, namely estate agents.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Oh, has Sean flounced off again? I seem to have missed that! What's happened this time?
He was politely requested not to blitz every thread with AI posts. But he walked anyway.
Seeing as he only seemed to want to talk about AI and his latest hotel G&T, the conversation has been better without him.
The sad thing is he has a great deal to offer. But, his bizarre obsession with AI spam and endlessly dreary moaning about the weather crowded out any other debate, causing the forum to become deeply boring.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
I'm surprised anyone has any conviction on what a Starmer government would look like.
I think that Reeves' Mais lecture has given us the best glimpse to date and Ganesh's piece is extremely similar to the critique that I wrote of it at the time.
We are going to have an (even more) active state with new quangos and partnerships seeking to boost domestic growth using public money. We are going to have a lot of frustration when people discover that the reason there is no money for public services is not because the Tories are evil but that we are living beyond our means. We are going to see a bit more domestic harmony in the short term (although surely even this government is not going to be stupid enough to allow the dispute with the junior doctors or train drivers to rumble on into the election) but very rapidly disappointment when the government starts to say no. Things are not going to magically change and our problems will seem just as insoluble as they are now.
In short, I think we will lose some of the lunacy such as Rwanda, but the world is going to look incredibly similar to what it is now. I genuinely hope I am wrong and that Starmer surprises on the upside. I just don't expect it.
It's more than 15 years since Lehman Bros went bust followed by a decade of zero interest rates and QE completely unprecedented in our history. Yet no new ideas for how to run our economy have really emerged in that time. There are ideas on the fringes like positive money and a growing number who recognise the disaster in the housing market but nothing has percolated into the mainstream parties.
However we have seen recently a rise in wages combined with stagnant house prices and possibly even a boost in private investment. No doubt we'll soon be back to the bad old days but enjoy it while it lasts.
Discssing at @northern_monkey penis and a debate about the socially acceptable use of the term "mate" - All we need now is a Russian troll and @Leon telling us we're all going to be killed by AI within the next five years and it will be a classic PB Saturday...
The Saturday Russian trolls seem to be boycotting the site in unison with Leon.
Oh, has Sean flounced off again? I seem to have missed that! What's happened this time?
I see Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is suggesting the NHS could fund "magic mushrooms" as treatment for some mental health conditions.
How are we supposed to afford that has she not heard austerity Reeves telling us that there's no magic mushroom tree!!
Gets coat
There’s actually a serious point here which doesn’t deserve such a careless throwaway remark.
The potential curative mental health properties of Psilocybin is a genuine area of research. A psychiatrist friend of mine is researching it right now and, if you have not done so, you might try reading the best-seller 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake.
If I may say so, it’s fairly typical of the reactionary right to shout first and think later, if at all.
mate
????!!!
I know it might seem strange to you but some females inhabit this space.
TBF, 'mate' is regularly used as a non gender specific term these days. Watch a couple of episodes of Line of Duty if you doubt that.
It really isn’t though, not IRL.
It was in my last job, before I retired.
Firemen masculising everyone because most firefighters are… men.
Who knew?
Some real sourpuss party poopers on here, desperate to be offended by anything and everything.
I wasn’t offended by it. I just challenged the idea that it is common (or indeed polite) for men to refer to women as “mate”.
anything goes nowadays
It really doesn’t. I wouldn’t call a barmaid or waitress or indeed any woman “mate” even if she was indeed my best friend. For the most part, women don’t like it.
I wouldn't call a waiter 'mate', either. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless I was being deliberately offensive.
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
Why would it be rude. Agree you would not use to a woman personally but very very common to use it in Scotland with all and sundry males.
Didn't say it would be, malc. Just not something I'd normally use.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
I'm surprised anyone has any conviction on what a Starmer government would look like.
I think that Reeves' Mais lecture has given us the best glimpse to date and Ganesh's piece is extremely similar to the critique that I wrote of it at the time.
We are going to have an (even more) active state with new quangos and partnerships seeking to boost domestic growth using public money. We are going to have a lot of frustration when people discover that the reason there is no money for public services is not because the Tories are evil but that we are living beyond our means. We are going to see a bit more domestic harmony in the short term (although surely even this government is not going to be stupid enough to allow the dispute with the junior doctors or train drivers to rumble on into the election) but very rapidly disappointment when the government starts to say no. Things are not going to magically change and our problems will seem just as insoluble as they are now.
In short, I think we will lose some of the lunacy such as Rwanda, but the world is going to look incredibly similar to what it is now. I genuinely hope I am wrong and that Starmer surprises on the upside. I just don't expect it.
It's more than 15 years since Lehman Bros went bust followed by a decade of zero interest rates and QE completely unprecedented in our history. Yet no new ideas for how to run our economy have really emerged in that time. There are ideas on the fringes like positive money and a growing number who recognise the disaster in the housing market but nothing has percolated into the mainstream parties.
However we have seen recently a rise in wages combined with stagnant house prices and possibly even a boost in private investment. No doubt we'll soon be back to the bad old days but enjoy it while it lasts.
What we are really looking for is new sources of growth. This really ought to be technology or AI but the promises have so far proved a lot more spectacular than the delivery. We are being assured that our economy is going to be transformed within 5 years. We have been for at least 5 years now. It may well happen, one day. And fusion just might make energy cheap again. One day. But I wouldn't recommend holding your breath until it does.
Should people be able to strike for the right to work from home?
They can strike, yes. I'm not sure how you would stop them.
In the case of the ONS they already have the right to work from home 3 days a week. They are objecting to going to the office for two days a week.
If the jobs can be done remotely outsource them.
We tried outsourcing our jobs and the quality of output was so poor we went back to the UK and had a remote working policy. Has been much better.
So what. Our finance and payroll functions are outsourced and work very well.
BT outsourced much of their business and has now insourced it again after it being less efficient and providing a poor customer experience. Ditto Vodafone who outsourced networks and then insourced it again.
So for every one of your successes, there are many where it's been a disaster.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
I'm surprised anyone has any conviction on what a Starmer government would look like.
I think that Reeves' Mais lecture has given us the best glimpse to date and Ganesh's piece is extremely similar to the critique that I wrote of it at the time.
We are going to have an (even more) active state with new quangos and partnerships seeking to boost domestic growth using public money. We are going to have a lot of frustration when people discover that the reason there is no money for public services is not because the Tories are evil but that we are living beyond our means. We are going to see a bit more domestic harmony in the short term (although surely even this government is not going to be stupid enough to allow the dispute with the junior doctors or train drivers to rumble on into the election) but very rapidly disappointment when the government starts to say no. Things are not going to magically change and our problems will seem just as insoluble as they are now.
In short, I think we will lose some of the lunacy such as Rwanda, but the world is going to look incredibly similar to what it is now. I genuinely hope I am wrong and that Starmer surprises on the upside. I just don't expect it.
It's more than 15 years since Lehman Bros went bust followed by a decade of zero interest rates and QE completely unprecedented in our history. Yet no new ideas for how to run our economy have really emerged in that time. There are ideas on the fringes like positive money and a growing number who recognise the disaster in the housing market but nothing has percolated into the mainstream parties.
However we have seen recently a rise in wages combined with stagnant house prices and possibly even a boost in private investment. No doubt we'll soon be back to the bad old days but enjoy it while it lasts.
What we are really looking for is new sources of growth. This really ought to be technology or AI but the promises have so far proved a lot more spectacular than the delivery. We are being assured that our economy is going to be transformed within 5 years. We have been for at least 5 years now. It may well happen, one day. And fusion just might make energy cheap again. One day. But I wouldn't recommend holding your breath until it does.
That requires investment which people won't do if they think it better to speculate on asset prices instead. Rather than endlessly trying to incentivise the former it might be better to disincentivise the latter.
Should people be able to strike for the right to work from home?
They can strike, yes. I'm not sure how you would stop them.
In the case of the ONS they already have the right to work from home 3 days a week. They are objecting to going to the office for two days a week.
If the jobs can be done remotely outsource them.
We tried outsourcing our jobs and the quality of output was so poor we went back to the UK and had a remote working policy. Has been much better.
So what. Our finance and payroll functions are outsourced and work very well.
BT outsourced much of their business and has now insourced it again after it being less efficient and providing a poor customer experience. Ditto Vodafone who outsourced networks and then insourced it again.
So for every one of your successes, there are many where it's been a disaster.
British Gas outsourced a lot of their work, and they somehow managed to make their customer service even worse than it already was.
I don't think I've ever called anyone 'mate' - even when mating.
Virtually universal in the Hackney when and where I grew up....or perhaps as commonly 'china' ( china plate = mate.) It wasn't gender specific either.
Mate seems to have taken over from Duck around where I live these days. Chief is used a lot as well.
Starting to be old enough to get called sir. Gladly take mate, duck or chief instead of sir!
I *hate* being called sir.
I've got used to it although the temptation to look over my shoulder to see if my dad is standing there hasn't quite gone away. I am slowly coming to terms with the fact I am my father (albeit not quite as smart). Sigh.
I wouldn't mind being my dad, he still has his hair! I look in the mirror and see my maternal grandfather...
Should people be able to strike for the right to work from home?
They can strike, yes. I'm not sure how you would stop them.
In the case of the ONS they already have the right to work from home 3 days a week. They are objecting to going to the office for two days a week.
If the jobs can be done remotely outsource them.
We tried outsourcing our jobs and the quality of output was so poor we went back to the UK and had a remote working policy. Has been much better.
So what. Our finance and payroll functions are outsourced and work very well.
BT outsourced much of their business and has now insourced it again after it being less efficient and providing a poor customer experience. Ditto Vodafone who outsourced networks and then insourced it again.
So for every one of your successes, there are many where it's been a disaster.
British Gas outsourced a lot of their work, and they somehow managed to make their customer service even worse than it already was.
Sadly that's a symptom of outsourcing. The customer service experience is worse in almost every single way.
The only exception was BE Broadband back in the day had a very good team in Bulgaria.
I've not paid much attention to the 15 minute city concept but when you read this you think what's not to like? I think it's already happening to some extent, there's a lot more work and social activity in a short walkable space in our neighbourhood than there used to be. I'd like to see this development continue. The traditional village is the ideal human settlement. It's quite a conservative idea in many ways, odd that people on the right resist it; it makes me wonder if there is a corporate AstroTurf element to the opposition.
What's not to like is the possibility of politicians and pressure groups from '15 minute cities' trying to impose the concept on other parts of the country where it is impossible for it to work.
A possible example being the increasing number of roads being narrowed to create cycle lanes. Cycle lanes which never seem to have any cyclists cycling on them.
The “empty cycle lanes” meme has been debunked many times using traffic counters in various places. Cycle lanes look emptier than traffic filled roads because bikes take up much less space.
Cycle lanes also take lots of traffic off the roads making it more pleasant for drivers, as do buses. This really comes to a head on rainy days when commuters keep their bikes at home and drive, because the roads are much more choked.
The beauty of the cycle lanes debate is this:
Angry motorist video clips endlessly show them passing deliberately too close to cyclist then shouting at them for being on the road and not in the cycle lane. Angry motorists then complain endlessly that there are too many cycle lanes.
Isn't the simple truth that some people are impatient and have a base anger level that is bad for their blood pressure. Likely absorbing right wing media which makes them more angry. You can't make these people happy.
Which cyclists of a certain age and gender also suffer from. I’ve been sworn at by testosteroned-up Mamils on their way to work multiple times, usually for having the temerity to walk across the road in a traffic jam.
In Copenhagen or Amsterdam the worst you get from stepping accidentally into a cycle lane is an urgent ring of the bicycle bell as the commuters glide by on their sit up basket bikes. Much more civilised.
Like the motorists who like to do wanker sign at everything. Never understand where the pent up aggression comes from.
And an excellent piece from Janan Ganesh. Labour is the party of the public sector middle class as the Tories are the party of the elderly.
The dividing line in labours time in office will be less productive public sector, with ever increasing demands, versus the private sector which is seen as a cash cow.
Its what we have seen in Scotland over the last 10 years, a belief that the State can fix things and that profit is a dirty word, generated by exploitation. A shipyard is having trouble delivering an ever changing contract for a ferry? Nationalise it. After all, what can go wrong when the profit element is removed? Well, about 400 million things so far, it turns out, all of them pounds. Brace, this is coming big time.
That’s what worries me. Rachel Reeves strikes me as competent as does Bridget Phillipson , Wes Streeting and Pat McFadden but there are too many that seem to be just plodders who think a big state is the solution and I think it worsens with the new intake given their backgrounds seem to be from the big state/charity/NGO environment.
I don't think I've ever called anyone 'mate' - even when mating.
Virtually universal in the Hackney when and where I grew up....or perhaps as commonly 'china' ( china plate = mate.) It wasn't gender specific either.
Mate seems to have taken over from Duck around where I live these days. Chief is used a lot as well.
Starting to be old enough to get called sir. Gladly take mate, duck or chief instead of sir!
I *hate* being called sir.
I've got used to it although the temptation to look over my shoulder to see if my dad is standing there hasn't quite gone away. I am slowly coming to terms with the fact I am my father (albeit not quite as smart). Sigh.
I wouldn't mind being my dad, he still has his hair! I look in the mirror and see my maternal grandfather...
Comments
Quite a few road tolls, but motorways and a and b-roads generally in much better condition than here. On the downside, a few ruder drivers, but always the consolation of better food at service stations, and often impeccably dressed mademoiselles greeting you.
On the subject of reform of public services can Labour do worse than the Tories? It seems that every public service from Criminal Justice to the NHS, to the Armed Forces to Universities is providing a less than satisfactory service. In the NHS we have record numbers of staff but the Tories have mismanaged so thoroughly that productivity is worse.
I am no Starmer fan and do not support Labour's top down statist approach, but the Tories record on the Public sector is so lamentable that Labour should be able to improve upon it.
Good luck with your assessment 👍
https://www.gov.uk/mobility-scooters-and-powered-wheelchairs-rules/driving-on-the-road#:~:text=Cycle lanes are different from,powered wheelchair in cycle lanes.
This is something organisations such as Wheels for Wellbeing, for whom I'm a volunteer, campaign on - cycles (standard and non-standard) to be mobility aids for disabled people who choose to use them as such, and a coherent set of laws. Rather then the current f*cked up dog's breakfast we have.
The simple answer is that a Class I or Class II scooters (to 4mph) is called a Pavement Scooter, which are not technically allowed to travel on the carriageway. A Class III Scooter (8mph and lights) is technically a motor vehicle allowed on the carriageway, but has a 4mph 'Pavement Mode' which you can use on the pavement.
In practice you should be OK in cycle/mobility tracks (which is the name for those not on the carriageway) and mobility lanes (which are on the carriageway). In 90% of circumstances it will be fine and people will happily go round you and will be very considerate, but I would avoid high volume fast cycle-tracks (eg CS6 through Chiswick) as where these exist the footway is likely to be high quality too, and on-carriageway painted cycle lanes as you will be at risk from dangerous, dozy or distracted idiots driving motor vehicles.
You will also find that people who "just have to do .. whatever" will generally not even think about your needs or rights, or the law, when it comes to blocking drop kerbs, pavements etc. We have to be quite tactical with that.
"Mobility" is perhaps better language than "cycle", as all groups in the field are more and more recognising that all active travel modes have similar needs and issues.
I'll give you chapter and verse if you like on the legal detail, but it is boring.
In terms of access rights you have all the same ones as a pedestrian, and service providers have a legal responsibility to deliver you the same access as anyone else. Think of yourself as a disabled or elderly pedestrian - you are at the top of the user hierarchy and everyone else has a duty of care to protect you.
I won't spin off into my hobby horses, however do not be surprised to find yourself barriered off from footpaths where you have a right to go; such discrimination is just routine everywhere at present. It can be challenged but people will fight you tooth and nail because of Schrodinger's Motorcyclist.
Be aware of All Terrain Mobility Scooters (big wheels are the marker), which are far more capable and may be worth considering, and that one-wheel-at-the-front tricycle mobility scooters can be much more unstable on cross-falls (eg turning up a steep dropped kerb). Be cautious until you have learned. There's a whole scene of mobility scooter rambling, using mobility aids such as a Tramper. And many thousands of miles of off road paths and routes you can traverse - especially greenways and rail trails, but they often suffer from unlawful anti-wheelchair barriers. Local councillors will go to the gallows to defend these, as 2 votes from local complaining NIMBYs often count more than the actual law.
There are also increasingly mobility aids based on cycle technology (such as Mountain Trikes) which are perhaps not in your scope, and not always recognised as mobility aids yet. And a lot of people use e-Assist non-standard cycles such as tricycles as a mobility aid.
Using a mobility scooter you should get consideration as they are well recognised as mobility aids.
You may be surprised by how far mobility scooters can go - 10-30 mile range is quite normal. I have a couple in their 70s as tenants who both use scooters, and they quite happily go 2 miles to the big supermarket, but normally not 4-5 miles to the hospital. They can't go down off road routes as in my town all the paths and trails have anti-wheelchair barriers on them.
HTH.
Saw it years ago. Cheesy but fun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can't_Stop_the_Music
That it's rude in many contexts (and probably intended as such when addressed to Heathener) doesn't change the fact that it's no longer gender specific.
From https://natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/reading-on-screen-vs-reading-in-print-whats-the-difference-for-learning
There is a fair amount of literature on this and it seems to be that superficial reading and skimming is more efficient on screen, but deep learning and concentration is better on paper.
Indeed I do find it kind of annoying when in a social setting (say a bar) and someone I don't know calls me "mate"
Israel's military says it has recovered body of a hostage from Gaza
The film I have seen by this studio is fantasy classic Hawk the Slayer - sadly they couldn't distribute it properly after the other two disasters.
Exhibit a: just about any other developed Western country. Even France, which is possibly the second most centralised and top-down country in Western Europe after Britain.
The UK’s over-centralisation and Westminster domination is not a feature only of Labour. It pretty much defines the conservatives too. Look at their approach to levelling up, which is essentially Santa dispensing goodies selectively and telling the recipients what to do with them. It’s one reason we could do with more regional parties.
ARTD is very poor as we both agree
I’m also concerned that I’ll find the one I’m recommended will be too awkward or heavy to get into our (quite small) car.
However the place I’m going to for assessment isn’t commercially involved with any type of mobility aid vendor so we’re hoping for some useful information.
Even worse when they put the cycle lane they narrowed width of the road by the bus stops which leads to congestion as people can't overtake when there is more than 1 bus. I suspect it was designed by a town planner looking at a schematic who never visited the area.
But between corner-cutting developers, incompetent and underfunded local authority planning departments, and the piecemeal nature of development (meaning a later development might easily channel floodwater into an earlier one), I do not trust in this being done properly in Britain or Ireland.
* They also had a tram stop in one of the blocks too, I think.
Large organisations whether public or private are generally bureaucratic, process driven but benefit from economies of scale and market power. Small organisations can be nimble and creative and quicker to change, but often suffer from financial constraints, amateurism and poor processes.
I’ve only ever worked in the private sector but I can’t say my experience of engagement at work with publicly owned entities has been meaningfully different from my experience of private ones. It’s the same people doing the same sorts of jobs.
In practice there is a difference between mandatory (solid line) and not-mandatory (dotted line) cycle lanes.
Most of them will be full of parked cars, anyway, and mandatory cycle lanes installed since ~2015 are not enforcible as that is when the Government messed up the law.
But no one will enforce, and no one will care, except in very unusual circumstances, anyway.
In practice if you are reasonable and careful, and take time to learn suitable routes, you should be OK.
I would not perhaps go so far as to run video cameras, but a Pass Pixi may be useful. I have one on my cycling jacket (I do run cameras) but it helps keep drivers slightly under control and a little wider.
If you find you want better visibility, there are products in the cycling arena - such as dayflash lights - which maybe good options. Ask here, and I could advise.
https://passpixi.com/shop/ols/products
It’s like the US grappling with the epochal challenge of building “high speed rail” in California (not even that high speed).
If the jobs can be done remotely outsource them.
All to be paid for by the productive side of the economy, of course
https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/pcs-launch-strike-ballot-over-pay-campaign
beware. honey. traps.
two. way. mirrors.
and. golden. showers.
74% of Power Generation by Renewables at the moment.
We are going to have an (even more) active state with new quangos and partnerships seeking to boost domestic growth using public money. We are going to have a lot of frustration when people discover that the reason there is no money for public services is not because the Tories are evil but that we are living beyond our means. We are going to see a bit more domestic harmony in the short term (although surely even this government is not going to be stupid enough to allow the dispute with the junior doctors or train drivers to rumble on into the election) but very rapidly disappointment when the government starts to say no. Things are not going to magically change and our problems will seem just as insoluble as they are now.
In short, I think we will lose some of the lunacy such as Rwanda, but the world is going to look incredibly similar to what it is now. I genuinely hope I am wrong and that Starmer surprises on the upside. I just don't expect it.
But then I'm a particularly grumpy old fella, so there's always that.
0 - 4 wheels might be a sensible choice. I'd say 2 wheels front and one at the back (like a Morgan 2 wheeler not a Reliant Robin), but I don't think mobility scooters are there yet.
1 - Some dismantle which may help.
2 - You can get devices which can help you load it into the car. Supplier can advise.
3 - Take the appropriate amount of time, and spend the appropriate amount of money to find out what will work for YOU, in YOUR circumstances. Don't compromise on quality or function for money unless you really have no option.
4 - Insist on having the one you are considering at your home for at least a couple of weeks, even if you need to hire it. You probably want it to be good at 80-90% of your requirements, and OK at the rest.
Test all your use cases. If it is not OK, try another one until you find one that is sufficiently suitable.
5 - You could change your car - things in the mould of eg Citroen Berlingo or Peugeot Partner are very practical. Or passenger versions of small vans can be good eg Ford Connect.
6 - Don't be afraid to change it if your needs change. I have a friend who started with an e-bicycle as his mobility aid, then went to the same with adult stabilisers as his balance skills reduced, and now uses an e-tricycle and a tadpole format (2 wheels at the front, one at the back) all terrain wheelchair.
The wheelchair is manic - does 12mph and goes anywhere, and it doesn't look like a tricycle so he doesn't get abused by Council Enforcement Officers telling him to pick up his mobility aid and walk. If he's on the e-tricycle, which does about 2mph in throttle mode, he gets bullied routinely by officials.
7 - On the ride, there should be options such as different types of more-ballooney tyres or a suspension-seat, or full suspension on some (prob. heavy).
8 - Are you getting all your possible benefit entitlements? eg Higher rate personal independence payment?
9 - Remember 3 wheels and cross-falls. I have numbers of friends who have tipped themselves over attempting eg to navigate "disabled pedestrian routes" around pavement-works.
10 - There are also devices available called "clip-on cycles" for wheelchairs, which convert a manual wheelchair into an e-assist tri-cycle. I'll reply and add a couple of vids.
However we have seen recently a rise in wages combined with stagnant house prices and possibly even a boost in private investment. No doubt we'll soon be back to the bad old days but enjoy it while it lasts.
Should he get bored enough IRL, he'll be back.
Just not something I'd normally use.
So for every one of your successes, there are many where it's been a disaster.
The only exception was BE Broadband back in the day had a very good team in Bulgaria.
"Dear" always feels a bit patronising, to both sexes.