Disqus - Latest Comments for WestfieldWanderer

Re: Save our cyclists: Clamour for flood of avoidable road deaths to be stemmed

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:02:55 -0000

Rather than introducing new legislation perhaps more rigorous enforcement of existing traffic laws (across the board, of course) might be more beneficial.

Re: Save our cyclists: Clamour for flood of avoidable road deaths to be stemmed

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 04:20:42 -0000

Most people have 3rd Party Liability insurance through their household cover. The ABI state that most policies apply when cycling. Worth checking.

Re: http://westfieldwanderer.tumblr.com/post/2624467189

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 05:15:15 -0000

Yup. Agreed. All it takes is a basic level of fitness and a few gears and most Bath hills are manageable on a bike. The rest are easily walkable. ;-)
You have a "Kieler"? Not heard of that make before. Did you have to import it yourself?

Re: The City Cyclist: Preaching to the choir

WestfieldWanderer — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 07:38:07 -0000

Of course you can do a week's shopping for a family of four by bike. I've done it.
http://bit.ly/9yHoKM
Where there's a will, there's a way.

Re: UPDATED: Van driver throws juice bottle at cyclist for “not paying road tax”

WestfieldWanderer — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:34:00 -0000

What I'm about to say will doubtless make me as popular as a pork pie in a synagogue, for which I make no apology. Never, never, never tackle an errant road user about their behaviour. You will NEVER be able to hold a rational discussion. Back off and forget it. OK, so the van driver is a complete and total tosser, but the subsequent aggravation after the van pulled out was self-inflicted by the cyclist's actions. I know we've all been there; the adrenalin is up and when we're frightened and angry it's difficult to bite your lip and forget about it.
My granny used to have a great proverb: "Never argue with an idiot; he'll only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. And a bystander will not be able to tell which one is the idiot."

Re: Strict liability: why it’s a life-saver

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:17:38 -0000

Thanks. So, Britain is actually one of FIVE European countries. As you say, none of them are "big hitters", but one of them still thinks so... ;-)

Re: Strict liability: why it’s a life-saver

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:45:31 -0000

Which are the 4 European countries that don't have the Strict Liability law, apart from Britain, that is?

Re: ‘Road tax’ rage set for April

WestfieldWanderer — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:52:26 -0000

Good news for me. Tax on my car goes down from £120 to £90...

Re: Photo Caption Contest

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:46:49 -0000

Umm... bread, milk, butter...
Hey, that's Jed Clampett I've just passed...
...cheese, cereal...

Re: ‘Road tax for cyclists’ proposal kicks up stink, again

WestfieldWanderer — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:16:39 -0000

Excellent idea. I'd carry a (superficially authentic looking) tax disc on my bike so that when the next bullyboy yells the usual rant at me I could then point *smugly* at the "tax disc", smile sweetly and ride away.

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

WestfieldWanderer — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:29:24 -0000

"Straw man" argument, if there ever was one.
Double standards, Michael?

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

WestfieldWanderer — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:06:22 -0000

There's no straw man argument here. I've made it clear that I am not taking sides. I just don't like the single minded "I'm right, you're wrong and there's nothing you can do about it" attitude from certain factions.

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

WestfieldWanderer — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:38:02 -0000

So, what you are saying is that you have never ever had another driver use his vehicle in a threatening and bullying manner towards you? What planet do you drive on, then?
I think that most of us can cite plenty of instances where we have been subject to bullying and intimidation on the road, both while on a bike and in a car. I can also cite instances when, as a pedestrian, I have been treated in the same way as a cyclist, so I'm not taking "sides" here.
Stones... Glass houses...
Carlton, point them at the story where you where carried along on the bonnet of a car by an angry driver. Or, maybe not, they'll only try and swing the blame on you for "being in the way".

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:08:47 -0000

The way I see it is that the only personal direct benefit anyone gets from paying tax is that one doesn't get locked up for non-payment. Forget about it being "our" money. Forget about individually getting "value for money". Once it's paid over it belongs to the state. The state can then spend it how it chooses without further reference to anyone - except every four years or so at the ballot box, perhaps. Get our heads around that principle and the whole VED v. road-tax affair is just so much hot air.
Another thing, even in the highly unlikely event of a bicycle tax being introduced there would still be that hard-core of cyclist haters; nothing would change, because, apparently, some people need a pet hate figure for some reason (the daily tabloids make a living from creating and vilifying hate figures); perhaps it makes them feel better about themselves, I don't know...
...and I don't care. I am going to continue cycling - and driving - regardless.
And I suggest we all have more important things to do with their lives than bickering around in circles getting very boring and nowhere with petty semantics.

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

WestfieldWanderer — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:59:07 -0000

So, when I'm out on my bike and refuel with a Mars Bar, paying 17.5% VAT...? (Don't answer that - just being facetious :-) ).
I don't think that the government is being anti-car at all, any more than they are anti smoker, or anti drinker. As I understand it they are using the taxation as a rather blunt (and somewhat ineffective) instrument to control demand. Nobody likes paying any tax and all of the above are taxes that can be minimised or even avoided with a little thought and effort. For instance I gave up smoking when they went over 25p (!) a pack after a tax increase; the price of a pint certainly curtails my consumption; I drive a car with a low-band VED and low fuel consumption and use the thing as little as possible. Natural born skinflint or minimising my tax liability...? Who cares... just a demonstration of why, for me, the taxation regime achieves what I see as its object

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

WestfieldWanderer — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 06:11:38 -0000

I have a neighbour who drives a G-Wiz electric car. The tax he pays on the vehicle is the same as that levied on a bicycle.
I have several friends who run pre-1973 motor vehicles. Zero VED.
Roads and bicycles pre-exist the car era. The public authority maintained roads of that time were of adequate condition to allow use of the bicycles of that time. The roads are still maintained at local authority expense so the extra expense caused by motor traffic should be quite rightly covered by those causing it. Pretty well all of the changes to the road system since the start of the car era have been of little or no benefit to non-motorised traffic. It could be argued that most of these changes have been a positive disadvantage to non-motorised traffic.
Ask yourself why in that period of time that no administration has ever seriously considered levying a bicycle "road tax".

Re: Is Air Travel Now More Trouble Than It's Worth?

WestfieldWanderer — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:26:02 -0000

"...If you like how the government runs Amtrak, just wait until they start running your healthcare system!..."
On a little island on the right-hand side of the herring pond there's been a state run healthcare system for the last 62 years and I can verify how excellent it is (don't believe the media); we had a state run rail system for 50 years which, for all its faults, was vastly superior to the corporate screw up that replaced it.

Re: Two Days Before Xmas

WestfieldWanderer — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:23:43 -0000

The best to you Marc.
And please keep the inspiration coming on this blog.
By god we need it here in Bike-Phobic Britain.

Re: “Why don’t you buy some fing road tax for that thing, you !”

WestfieldWanderer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:45:06 -0000

Perhaps MondeoPlonker might like to consider buying one the ever increasing list of vehicles that are subject to car tax Band "A".
Car Tax Band "A" is....
Zero.
Same as any low emission or zero emission vehicle.

Re: Cycling In The Netherlands, Facts vs Dribble

WestfieldWanderer — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:21:18 -0000

Vehicular cycling = 2% of journeys by bike.
Segregated cycling routes = up to 40% of journeys by bike.
So which is best?
Mmmm.
A difficult one...

Re: Kill Twitter postings?

WestfieldWanderer — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:19:52 -0000

What's Twitter?
'Nuff sed?

Re: Road rager thumps my pal

WestfieldWanderer — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:00:53 -0000

Very difficult under the circumstances I know, but I learned decades ago to just bottle it and say nothing at all. It's impossible to reason with a person who's behaving irrationally.

I hope it all works out for the best.

Happy Xmas...

Re: I’m kooky, I cycle

WestfieldWanderer — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:13:09 -0000

"Driving is boring and claustrophobic."

It is ever! I'm stuck with a 50 miles per day car commute. But it's either that or go back on benefits. I dislike driving more each day. Why people say that they enjoy driving is beyond me. Freedom? Nah! I'd rather wash greasy oven pans (I do that too - mug!). My heart only ever wakes up on Saturday morning with that glorious first turn of the pedals... Life becomes LIFE again.

Re: Bike to Work Book sampler

WestfieldWanderer — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:52:49 -0000

Yes, I'd repeat most of the comments the others have made and you have answered.

I was aware of being preached to the converted, though. I wonder if it is a tad too evangelical? Beware the invisible line between enthusiastic promoting and preaching. And no, I'm not sure where it is either!

Overall, I like it, though, and will most likely be a purchaser of the paper version when it comes out. Call me old fashioned, but paper always wins over electronic images...

Re: Should city cycling be promoted as slow or swift?

WestfieldWanderer — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:33:00 -0000

Tut tut!
You naughty boy... :-)

Disqus - Latest Comments for WestfieldWanderer

Re: Save our cyclists: Clamour for flood of avoidable road deaths to be stemmed

Re: Save our cyclists: Clamour for flood of avoidable road deaths to be stemmed

Re: http://westfieldwanderer.tumblr.com/post/2624467189

Re: The City Cyclist: Preaching to the choir

Re: UPDATED: Van driver throws juice bottle at cyclist for “not paying road tax”

Re: Strict liability: why it’s a life-saver

Re: Strict liability: why it’s a life-saver

Re: ‘Road tax’ rage set for April

Re: Photo Caption Contest

Re: ‘Road tax for cyclists’ proposal kicks up stink, again

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

Re: ‘Road tax’ mentioned in parliament by org that ought to know better

Re: Is Air Travel Now More Trouble Than It's Worth?

Re: Two Days Before Xmas

Re: “Why don’t you buy some f****ing road tax for that thing, you ****!”

Re: Cycling In The Netherlands, Facts vs Dribble

Re: Kill Twitter postings?

Re: Road rager thumps my pal

Re: I’m kooky, I cycle

Re: Bike to Work Book sampler

Re: Should city cycling be promoted as slow or swift?

Re: “Why don’t you buy some fing road tax for that thing, you !”