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[Embattle]

Cycling growth in UK at risk of being left behind by Europe, experts warn

Bicycle sales down by a quarter on pre-pandemic levels and electric bike takeup also stalling after a boom

www.theguardian.com

Didn't most exercise things go through a boom during the pandemic.

 

[Scouse]

Didn't most exercise things go through a boom during the pandemic.

Ebikes went through a boom, and it's continung in Europe. But in Blighty it's dying - the biggest obstacle being that we're (rightly) really scared of roads.

Europe's gone a lot further with segregated cycle lanes, proper cycle infrastructure etc. etc.

Went out for a ride last week - nearly all offroad. Took a shortcut back through a section of the A5 though as I was knackered. Someone threw an apple at me.

It fucking sucks cycling in Britain - and entitled drivers are the problem.

 

[Embattle]

I cycled to work for 15 years, quite frankly I found bellends in and on all forms of transport.

 

[Scouse]

I cycled to work for 15 years, quite frankly I found bellends in and on all forms of transport.

Never had an apple thrown at me whilst walking, driving, taking the bus or on a motorbike.

 

[Raven]

To be fair, that's pretty funny.

 

[Embattle]

Never had an apple thrown at me whilst walking, driving, taking the bus or on a motorbike.

Must of been someone who knew you

 

[Scouse]

To be fair, that's pretty funny.

Not really. If it had hit me, it could well have taken me off balance/off my bike. And I've got a friend who's currently like this:

Spoiler

Ten broken ribs, completely overlapping clavicle, fractured pelvis.

It's not the first time I've had something thrown at me on a bike. And probably half my riding mates have had similar experience (@Tom? how about you?)

If we want the health and environmental benefits of increased cycling the first thing we have to do is properly fuck car drivers over - there's way too many entitled pricks in cars. And if there are other types of entitled prick, it doesn't really matter - it's the ones in motor vehicles that are fucking things up, nobody else.

 

[gunner440]

It fucking sucks cycling in Britain - and entitled drivers are the problem.

You should see the entitled cyclists over here. There are spastics everywhere (cars and bikes that is). I don't really remember much about cyclists when I lived in the UK but over here, when I almost get run over by cyclists at pedestrian / traffic light crossings who decide to be classed as pedestrians or vehicles when it suits them. Or when they ride 2 or more abreast in certain narrow and busy roads without following the rules. The law here states that they are allowed to ride 2 abreast but:

1. They need to be as close to the right edge as possible (they're not).
2. In the event that there is a traffic build up, they need to move to single file until the traffic behind them clears (they don't)
3. On low visibility roads e.g. roads with dips in them or sharp curves that obstruct vision they need to move to single file like in 2. (they don't).

Over here these cyclists are usually in groups (anywhere between 5-20) and that makes it impossible to overtake safely on a lot of the roads with only one lane in each direction. The ones that annoy me the most though are the ones who insist on cycling on the roads when there are designated cycle paths available. Apparently it's "not the same".

I used to have issues with cyclists before I came across something I find worse - electric scooters. Huge thing here at the moment. How kids under 18 are able to ride them on roads and have some of them going on busy roads and roundabouts is beyond me.

 

[Scouse]

They're annoyances @gunner440 - not deadly problems.

Look at the official stats link I posted and tell me why we should be focussing on anything other than motorised vehicles.

 

[gunner440]

They're annoyances @gunner440 - not deadly problems.

Look at the official stats link I posted and tell me why we should be focussing on anything other than motorised vehicles.

The stats make sense. I think there are inherent reasons why cars cause more deaths than bicycles but also, I understand it can be a bit skewed as well as car v car collisions are more likely to be tracked and measured due to the high likelihood of additional parties being required (police, insurers etc.) Bicycle v pedestrian less likely (or am I wrong in this assumption?)

I do think cyclists need their own infrastructure (I remember Milton Keynes having fantastic cycle lanes that took you around the town while being far away from the roads) and that in the event of shared road space, the cars will always be causing the higher amount of actual deaths due to higher numbers and the physics involved.

I think when there is potential for cars driving at speeds (legally) of 80km/h in the same space as bicycles (where the user may or may not know any rules of the road as no license is required) that weigh 100x less. travel at less than half the legal speed limit and where the rider's "protection" is rendered completely useless in the case of a collision with a car then it's just a recipe for death and unfortunately regardless of who is in the wrong, the cyclist will always end up on the "losing side".

 

[Scouse]

Bicycle v pedestrian less likely (or am I wrong in this assumption?)

All deaths get recorded m8. It's just that if you hit someone on a bike it's nearly always consequence-free.

What I do know is if you are unlucky enough to kill someone then in Blighty you really want to be in a car as you'll likely get a slap on the wrist.

 

[gunner440]

All deaths get recorded m8. It's just that if you hit someone on a bike it's nearly always consequence-free.

What I do know is if you are unlucky enough to kill someone then in Blighty you really want to be in a car as you'll likely get a slap on the wrist.

Yeah, that's what I mean. If a bicycle hits a pedestrian then I'd say the chance of a fatality is relatively low vs if a car hits a bicycle or pedestrian where the chance of fatality would increase a lot more (I assume). If it was just a bump (pedestrian and cyclist both get up, brush themselves off and continue on) then I doubt this stat gets recorded while even a minor car collision would be recorded due to the insurers involved I think.

And a slap on the wrist for manslaughter due to it being in a car? Really?!

 

[Scouse]

And a slap on the wrist for manslaughter due to it being in a car? Really?!

Yep. That's why it's so cynical and hypocritical that the Tories are making it easier to give custodial sentences to the the two cyclists a year involved in fatal collisions, when if you plough through someone on a pavement in a car without insurance, stoned out of your skull you don't go to prison. (Real scenario).

But dem cyclists eh? THEY JUMP RED LIGHTS AND DON'T QUEUE IN TRAFFIC JAMS!

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Any Freddies play the guitar?

I've had an acoustic-electric for a long time. I managed to play a few chords with it, then hurt my hand and never went back. Just picking it up again now and starting to play the old Rocksmith (2014) on it.

Any advice? Cool things I should look at?

Sorry Scouse, only just seen this.

I took up guitar about 9 years ago, aged 47, wish I'd done it sooner, but hey ho. I have played other instruments when I was younger so I had some idea of music theory, but not for years.

With regards to finger pain, you just have to get to the other side, it will get better, but there's only one way to get there, and that is to suffer temporarily.

As a hobby it can be a money pit, you'll always want one more guitar, and that's before the cost of amps and pedals. But budget priced guitars can now be amazing quality and value.

Youtube is very mixed as a resource, there is some amazing stuff, but a vast amount of dross. I'd recommend Justin Guitar for starters and then the likes of Paul Davids as you improve.

Best of all though is to find a real life teacher. The one thing the internet can't do is tell you what you're doing wrong and how to put it right. I found a brilliant guy near me and came on massively as a result. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Scouse]

I was thinking about a teacher @Rubber Bullets - not straightforward near me but deffo something I'll look at.

Any other resources you use? (You in a band btw?)

 

[Rubber Bullets]

We set up a band with a few work colleagues. We were epically bad, but it was great fun, and a really useful learning experience. We played a few open mics etc. Sadly all broke up with covid but it would be fun to start again.

Tbh I did start with Rock Guitar on my pc and that was fun too!

 

[Scouse]

Fuck you John Lewis:

John Lewis boss: Over-50s quitting the workforce fuels inflation

Boss Dame Sharon White says the government must think about how to get older people back into work.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Oh! We can't keep over 50's staff and we can't hire enough people! All businesses are like this!"
"What? We gave everyone an 8% pay cut a 2% pay rise! What's wrong with that?"

 

[Raven]

If nobody demands new wages each pay review, then employers aren't going to pay more. If you aren't paid right, move jobs or unionise.

As an aside, a benefit of Brexit is very low unemployment, a healthy job market and higher wages due to more choice for the employees. Firms that don't want to wake up to this will fall behind and disappear, they won't be missed. The flip side to that ofc is that we are struggling with a skills gap because, as fucking usual, it's all been done really half arsed, and we can't be bothered to fund real, useful skills, haven't done for years and don't appear to be planning on doing it any time soon. 5% on corp tax, ring-fenced for further, skilled, education. Edit, up to and including re-training.

 

[Tom]

It's not the first time I've had something thrown at me on a bike. And probably half my riding mates have had similar experience (@Tom? how about you?)

Goes with the territory, I've had all kinds of things thrown at me over the last 30 years or so. Usually water out a bottle. But I've sometimes managed to get my own back by catching bad drivers at lights and twatting their mirrors. They really don't like that. Fuck them.

Drivers often don't realise how hugely vulnerable to attack they are when stuck in traffic. That guy who close passed you and called you a faggot? What can he do at the lights, stuck in a queue, as you roll up alongside him with keys out? He's fucked. Completely fucked.

Also, this:


View: https://twitter.com/theeyecollector/status/1556686206703996929

 

[Scouse]

As much as I find it amusing (and I do, I really do) - it just makes the arseholes take it out on some other poor fucker

 

[BloodOmen]

 

[Raven]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXb0X_eM4sY

 

[Raven]

Argentina rate hiked to 69.5% as inflation hits 20-year high

The move comes as figures showed inflation in South America's second largest economy hit a 20-year high.

www.bbc.co.uk

Time to keep an eye on the Falklands again then.

 

[Scouse]

Argentina rate hiked to 69.5% as inflation hits 20-year high

The move comes as figures showed inflation in South America's second largest economy hit a 20-year high.

www.bbc.co.uk

Time to keep an eye on the Falklands again then.

$44bn "loan" from the IMF is really just indentured slavery.

 

[Embattle]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSD5ps9bLQ0

 

[Scouse]

The capacity issue is crap - if we're to live sustainably then we need to consume less - which means a reduction in freight.

Japan's high speed rail has been a spectacular economic failure despite it being a massive bonus to journey times - a benefit we barely get.

Despite bringing some of the bad things to the fore, it still feels a bit like an advert.

 

[Scouse]

Salman Rushdie stabbed in the neck.

Salman Rushdie is on ventilator and may lose an eye after attack, agent says – as it happened

Author has surgery after he was stabbed in the neck as he prepared to give speech in Chautauqua, in upstate New York

www.theguardian.com

 

[Scouse]

Not looking good tbh. He was "repeatedly stabbed" and I just watched the slowest walk to an air ambulance that I could imagine - like they're just chucking him on the meat wagon (they didn't even have the rotors going).

Edit:
Regardless - fuck Islam.

 

[Scouse]

And add to that - how the fuck does a fox get into a penguin enclosure?!

Edinburgh Zoo's oldest penguin dies in fox attack

The 35-year-old penguin was killed after the fox broke into its enclosure on Wednesday night.

www.bbc.co.uk

Incompetence. That's how!

 

[Wij]

Some balls:


View: https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1558220516720353286