Brief cycling item on "Today"

[Dave Larrington]

Tony Raven wrote:

> Whereas metalled roads were built for cyclists (see work of CTC and
> League of American Wheelmen in the c19th) and later usurped by cars.
> Its is said that cars would not have been practical at the beginning
> without the metalled roads campaigned for by cyclists.

Indeed. One can then make the point that, were it not for the Noble
Bicycle, fashion victims would be driving Chelsea Tractors out of necessity
rather than choice...

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

 

[Colin Blackburn]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
> On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 20:28:04 +0000, Tony Raven <[email protected]>
> wrote in message <[email protected]>:
>
>
>>>Clichéd is right - same old "cyclists don't pay road tax" and "roads are
>>>built for cars" propaganda.
>
>
>>Whereas metalled roads were built for cyclists (see work of CTC and
>>League of American Wheelmen in the c19th) and later usurped by cars.
>>Its is said that cars would not have been practical at the beginning
>>without the metalled roads campaigned for by cyclists.
>
>
> That Winston Churchill was right.

Not again!

OT: I once went into a pub in Oxfordshire with some friends, on a
Sunday. The pub was busy with plenty of full pints and food being
served. I ordered a round and the landlord told me they were closed. I
looked around at the bustling throng and assumed he had a weird sense of
humour. I ordered again. He asked me if I remembered Churchill before
reminding me that they were closed and walking off. To this day I have
no idea what he was on about but we decided to patronise another pub
rather than have a patronising landlord.

Colin

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 07:14:58 +0000, David Hansen
<[email protected]> wrote in message
<[email protected]>:

>>Sorry, I debated putting in the original quote from Churchill in
>>opposition to the original road tax (back when the Road Fund was in
>>existence, albeit only paying a part of the cost of new roads)

>It paid part of the cost of road improvements. Much of this was work
>done on existing roads.

Yup. One fundamental flaw in the specious argument about road related
duties exceeding the current maintenance spend is that this neglects
the value of the commons. You might equally argue that because a
tenant pays for the maintenance of a flat it becomes theirs.

OK, I think the road owners' favourite party may already have taken
that one on board ;-)

Guy
--
"then came ye chavves, theyre cartes girded wyth candels
blue, and theyre beastes wyth straynge horn-lyke thyngs
onn theyre arses that theyre fartes be herde from myles
around." Chaucer, the Sheppey Tales

 

[Colin McKenzie]

David Martin wrote:
> "Jeremy Collins" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Mark McNeill wrote:
>>><URL:http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_cycling_200
>>>50214.ram>
>>>
>>>"If cycling is the most economical form of transport, why aren't
>>>cyclists more popular on the roads?"
>>>
>>>Clichéd motorists' opinions, a positive quote from TRL, and a nice little
>>>interview with Jon Snow. [...]
>>At least it was Quentin Wilson for the motorists and not Clarkson -
>>Wilson was open minded enough to say he'd have a go at cycling.
>
> And Quentin Wilson accepted the challenge to get some training and get out
> on a bike. One for our own Patrick Field to take on, maybe?

Apparently Cycle Training UK are doing it - result probably to be
broadcast next Monday.

And for those in the south-east, a BBC journalist is getting the same
training on 'inside-out', probably to be shown at 19.30 on 28/2.

All info second-hand, hence the probablies. Should be worthwhile
tuning-in to both.

Colin McKenzie

 

[Mark McNeill]

Response to Colin McKenzie:
> Apparently Cycle Training UK are doing it - result probably to be
> broadcast next Monday.
>

http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=5247

--
Mark, UK.

"We are all of us, more or less, the slaves of opinion."

 

[dkahn400]

Colin Blackburn wrote:

> OT: I once went into a pub in Oxfordshire with some friends, on a
> Sunday. The pub was busy with plenty of full pints and food being
> served. I ordered a round and the landlord told me they were closed.
> I looked around at the bustling throng and assumed he had a weird
> sense of humour. I ordered again. He asked me if I remembered
> Churchill before reminding me that they were closed and walking off.
> To this day I have no idea what he was on about but we decided to
> patronise another pub rather than have a patronising landlord.

The only thing I can think of is that it was drinking-up time and the
remark was a reference to the licensing laws which were brought in by
the Liberal government, of which Churchill was a member, during the
First World War. It's a fairly obscure reference if so. While Lloyd
George was keen to reduce public drinking Churchill was not noted for
his devotion to temperance, and it would not expain how you were able
to get served in a neighbouring pub.

--
Dave...