Dozens of protestors took to their bikes this weekend to call for changes to be made to Norfolk's "unsafe" roads following a number of cyclist deaths.

The group gathered outside the Forum in Norwich at around 11am on Saturday before setting off on a mass bike ride through the city to demand safer roads.

The bike ride was part of a national day of action organised by the Safe Street Campaign, which seeks to demand more action from policymakers to prevent serious injuries and fatalities on the country's roads.

The family-friendly event was also to commemorate the six cyclists who have died on Norfolk roads this year.

According to the group, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads on an average of every 16 minutes.

Dennis English, a 47-year-old IT security consultant who joined the cycle ride protest, said: "We need a transition away from cars if we want to address the climate crisis.

"We need more people to walk and cycle to reduce carbon emissions, but this won't happen if they can't feel safe on our roads."

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23825310.safe-street-campaign-bike-safety-protest-held-norwich/

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> Dozens of protestors took to their bikes this weekend to call for
> changes to be made to Norfolk's "unsafe" roads following a number of cyclist deaths.

> Dennis English, a 47-year-old IT security consultant who joined the cycle
> ride protest, said: "We need a transition away from cars if we want to
> address the climate crisis.

> "We need more people to walk and cycle to reduce carbon emissions, but
> this won't happen if they can't feel safe on our roads."

> https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23825310.safe-street-campaign-bike-safety-protest-held-norwich/

Straight out of cycling’s Little Red Book.

“The Little Red Book - or, to give its full title, Quotations from Chairman
Mao Zedong - contains 267 aphorisms from the Communist Chinese leader,
covering subjects such as class struggle, "correcting mistaken ideas" and
the "mass line", a key tenet of Mao Zedong Thought. Included is Mao's
famous remark that "political power grows out of the barrel of a gun".

Originally produced in 1964 by the People's Liberation Army - an early
version was titled 200 Quotations from Chairman Mao - it soon became a key
feature of the leader's personality cult. The Ministry of Culture aimed to
distribute a copy to every Chinese citizen and hundreds of new printing
houses were built in order to achieve this. Mao himself reportedly liked
its resemblance to books of quotations by philosophers such as Confucius.”

--
Spike

QUOTE: According to the group, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads on an average of every 16 minutes. ENDS

Any attempt to reduce this constant carnage is met with wailing and gnashing of teeth by "petrolheads" who want to be left alone to kill and maim to the tune of 26000 poor sods every year.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: According to the group, someone is killed or seriously injured on
> UK roads on an average of every 16 minutes. ENDS

> Any attempt to reduce this constant carnage is met with wailing and
> gnashing of teeth by "petrolheads" who want to be left alone to kill and
> maim to the tune of 26000 poor sods every year.

Way back in the 1960s, every bank holiday was followed by news that x
people had been killed in traffic accidents over the holiday period.

This went on for some time, until it was pointed out that a) there were
double the number of vehicles on the road at holiday times, and b) the
casualties were lower than a normal day.

The moral of this is that one should not accept uncritically any numbers
thrown out by a biased contributor.

In case you miss the point, some 800 people a year die from falling down
steps or stairs, but one hears nothing at all about that.

--
Spike

QUOTE: "We need more people to walk and cycle to reduce carbon emissions, but this won't happen if they can't feel safe on our roads." ENDS

The gammon don't like LTNs and traffic calming though.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: "We need more people to walk and cycle to reduce carbon emissions,
> but this won't happen if they can't feel safe on our roads." ENDS
>
> The gammon don't like LTNs and traffic calming though.

Using the IPCC’s own equation for calculating deltaT from the increase in
concentration of atmospheric CO2, and combining that with the UK’s
contribution to its increase in concentration (4%), we can find that

deltaT=1.42xln(1.04)

deltaT=1.42x0.04114

deltaT=0.0584degC

From which figure it it easy to see that if the UK went to zero emissions
(which is not ‘net zero’) and also absorbed all the CO2 it had ever
produced, at a cost of £(tens if not hundreds of trillions), the average
temperature fall of the planet would be an unmeasurable 0.06degC.

To put that in terms closer to home, bicycles will contribute nothing to
this exercise. Neither will heat pumps, Exported-pollution Vehicles (EVs),
15-Minute Cities, wind farms, solar farms, and the rest of the ‘green
agenda’. Keep this in mind when those people speak on it, whose jobs depend
on keeping the population frightened.

--
Spike

QUOTE: According to the group, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads on an average of every 16 minutes. ENDS

Well worth it for the gammons' right to ignore the HC at will.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: According to the group, someone is killed or seriously injured on
> UK roads on an average of every 16 minutes. ENDS
>
> Well worth it for the gammons' right to ignore the HC at will.

They learned that from watching cyclists get away with it.

--
Spike

QUOTE: Dozens of protestors took to their bikes this weekend to call for changes to be made to Norfolk's "unsafe" roads following a number of cyclist deaths. The group gathered outside the Forum in Norwich at around 11am on Saturday before setting off on a mass bike ride through the city to demand safer roads. ENDS

Were the poor gammons "trapped" in their homes when this event was held?
That's their usual cry.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: Dozens of protestors

…and protesters too, perhaps .

--
Spike

On Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 9:45:14 PM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
> QUOTE: Dozens of protestors took to their bikes this weekend to call for changes to be made to Norfolk's "unsafe" roads following a number of cyclist deaths. The group gathered outside the Forum in Norwich at around 11am on Saturday before setting off on a mass bike ride through the city to demand safer roads. ENDS
>
> Were the poor gammons "trapped" in their homes when this event was held?
> That's their usual cry.

QUOTE: A GLASGOW resident has been left feeling trapped in his own home due to the disruption caused by the world cycling championships taking place in the city. ENDS

Told you!

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 9:45:14 PM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
>> QUOTE: Dozens of protestors took to their bikes this weekend to call for
>> changes to be made to Norfolk's "unsafe" roads following a number of
>> cyclist deaths. The group gathered outside the Forum in Norwich at
>> around 11am on Saturday before setting off on a mass bike ride through
>> the city to demand safer roads. ENDS
>>
>> Were the poor gammons "trapped" in their homes when this event was held?
>> That's their usual cry.
>
> QUOTE: A GLASGOW resident has been left feeling trapped in his own home
> due to the disruption caused by the world cycling championships taking
> place in the city. ENDS
>
> Told you!

Let’s hope no-one needed an emergency ambulance.

--
Spike

Concerns have been raised by some Cockenzie and Port Seton residents who were "trapped in their homes" as the Scottish Half Marathon passed through the village.

The race – held on Sunday, September 24 – started at Meadowmill Sports Centre, continued onto Longniddry and close to Gosford House, before finishing at Musselburgh Racecourse.

Entrants ran west along the coast road through Cockenzie and Port Seton, with some roads in the area closed for several hours.

Some residents posted on social media that they were "trapped in their homes" and raised concerns over how emergency service access would be maintained.

One resident said: "No problem with the race itself but I had to hunt online for information about road closures which was very unclear.

"There were no signs on the roads about road closures that I could see, just no parking.

"Every route out of Port Seton was blocked except the one via Meadowmill which was gridlocked for an hour."

Another said: "I agree it raises money but surely the route could be planned so that there is at least one route in and out of the village.

"If an emergency vehicle had been required it could have been disastrous."

However not all residents were negative about the event.

One said: "Yeah it’s a nuisance and we all like a moan, but it raises hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities. I think there are more serious issues to discuss than these events which happen once or twice a year.."

The village's community council has now confirmed that it is to meet with the event organisers and East Lothian Council to discuss the "impact on our village, its residents and businesses".

A spokesperson for Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council said: "Following the Scottish Half Marathon and Poppy Scotland Cycle, both of which passed through our community at the same weekend, members of the community council will be meeting with the organisers, GSI Events and East Lothian Council to discuss the impact on our village, its residents and businesses.

An East Lothian Council said: “East Lothian Council recognises that public events positively promote tourism, community development, social cohesion, civic and cultural identity and can enhance community life as well as benefit the local economy.

"Whilst value in a wide range of public events is recognised, the council also encourages event organisers to be considerate of those who may be affected by their event.

"To aid this, East Lothian Council chairs a Safety Advisory Group (SAG) process for public events.

"The SAG includes representatives from Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue and Scottish Ambulance Service and this multi-agency approach ensures that organisers of events plan for and then implement their processes in a manner that is safe for everybody involved with, and impacted by, the event.

"We welcome and encourage feedback from residents and the wider community regarding any impact experienced by such events as the recent half marathon as these help to inform the event organiser and can result in possible improvements to similar future events.”

A GSI Events spokesperson said: "Miles eight to 10 of the Scottish Half Marathon route passes through Cockenzie and Port Seton, coming from Links Road before turning right onto Viewforth, Wemyss Place, and the High Street, before joining back onto the B1348 towards Prestonpans.

"The route is directed this way to allow eastbound and westbound traffic on Gosford Road between East Lorimer Place and Park Road, and therefore an option for egress and access to continue whilst the runners are on the route.

"As per previous years, additional measures are put into place for access to the Links Road Garage, and Seton Sands Holiday Park.

"Over the years we have welcomed feedback from Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council and incorporated many changes with signage, access options, and changing the day of the event from a Saturday to a Sunday to name a few..

"We appreciate that road closures do cause inconvenience to the community, and we are, and continue to be, incredibly grateful for the support the communities of East Lothian offer to our participants as they take on their challenge, and we are proud to introduce participants to the beauty East Lothian has to boast.

"The event itself has raised over £2.5million for charity since its inception, and each year we are pleased to welcome local clubs ... who use the event to fundraise.

"Our social media posts are always full of praise for those who come out of their homes to cheer on and support the runners, it’s what gets them through, so again we extend our thanks to absolutely everyone in these strong, vibrant communities."

https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/23831627.cockenzie-half-marathon-left-residents-trapped-homes/

"If an emergency vehicle had been required it could have been disastrous."

Which is what I said.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/23831627.cockenzie-half-marathon-left-residents-trapped-homes/

--
Spike

Residents in Manchester say they have been stranded in their homes due to road closures around the city-region for the Manchester Marathon today.

The marathon event runs through the city centre, Hulme, Whalley Range, Chorlton and Trafford with races starting from 10.30am and going on until late this afternoon.

Due to the nature of the event, a number of road closures have been put in place but they have been met with frustration from residents who felt they would still be able to use diversions to get out and about.

Tom, who lives in Sale, was due to attend a wedding in Wolverhampton this afternoon.

Living just off Hope Road, which is being used as the marathon route, Tom said he thought he would be able to use other routes to get out and travel to the wedding.

“I am stuck with no diversion because of bad planning by the marathon,” he told the M.E.N.

“I thought there would be an exit somewhere so I could get onto the motorway to get to the wedding or even to get out of Sale.”

Tom has now been left unable to attend the wedding because he wouldn’t be able to get to it on time via public transport.

"I’m all for the marathon but I just think there’s been a real lack of organisation,” he added.

“I knew it was going to happen today but I wasn’t aware it was going to affect us so much. I expected there to be an exit somewhere so I could get onto the motorway to get to the wedding.

“I thought there would be diversions in place, residents need to have access out of where they live.

“I understand that road signs have been up for a while but there has been nothing to say that we would be trapped in and unable to leave.

“What happens if there’s an emergency and an ambulance needs to come up the road? I just feel it needs to be better organised.”

Another Trafford resident, who requested not to be named, says they have been blocked from getting to work in Salford since 1pm this afternoon.

"I left an hour and a half earlier for work than I usually would - it takes me 25 minutes to get there at the absolute most, even when United are playing," they said.

"I expected to run across a bit of a traffic and a few obstacles but I've literally seen ever single road block and closed sign on my way.

"It's sad because you see people shouting and getting angry at the runners, which isn't very nice, because we're not frustrated with them.

"The thing that bothers me is the way it has been organised and the destruction it's causing. We cannot get out of Stretford or Old Trafford.

"I've been queuing stuck on Chatham Road since 1pm, I'm just sat out of my car watching the race because I can't do anything about it. We have no idea when it will reopen."

The resident said the road closures has led to them now being extremely late for work.

"Work weren't very happy about it but they understand the situation and know there's nothing that can be done," they added.

"But I work in machinery, so it's not like it can't be done.

"Instead of finishing at 11pm, I'm now going to have to stay an extra four hours because the work's still got to be done."
More than 40,000 people are expected to take part in the Manchester Marathon today (Image: Manchester Evening News)

Another resident, who lives by Barlow Moor Road in Chorlton, says he has also been ‘boxed in’ by the Marathon.

Martin, who has chronic fatigue syndrome, says he has difficulty walking long distances so has been unable to get food today due to the road closures.

“My frustration is not with the Marathon or the runners, it’s with the organisation of it all really,” Martin said.

“The situation in Chorlton is that we’re completely hammered in at the moment and we can’t get out. All of the roads are blocked off.

“I’ve not got much food in, so that’s been a bit of a struggle and I'm limited in terms of what I can do. I can’t walk or cycle long distances.

“Whilst I was out, there were lots of other people struggling. I saw two carers trying to get out to people in their homes to give them medication and they couldn’t get through because of the roads.

“I didn’t think it would be this bad - I thought there would be at least one route in or out.

“It’s been inconvenient for me but it could be a dangerous situation for others if there’s an emergency or people need medication.”

Organisers behind the marathon event said they had followed the 'best practices' in making local residents and businesses aware of how the event might affect their area.

Nick Rusling, CEO of the Manchester Marathon, said: "We understand that some people may be disrupted in their usual activities.

"However, we follow best practice in making residents and businesses aware of the impact of the event on them. 6 weeks out we send a leaflet explaining the extent of the road closures to all affected residents and 2 weeks out we put out advanced warning signs on the street, we also have a traffic line which people can call for advice.

"On our website, we have a live interactive map that shows the closures and details on timings which also includes the details on crossing points around the route (including in Sale and Chorlton).

"We ask anyone who would like specific email communications about road closures to leave their details with us too. We do also specifically reach out to local businesses and special groups (like carers) via the council and the NHS.

"The overall benefits of the event to Manchester are hugely significant, we inspire tens of thousands of people to get fit who raise millions of pounds for charity, but unfortunately, there is a one day impact on travel for some people, but we do our best to minimise this.”

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> Residents in Manchester say they have been stranded in their homes due
> to road closures around the city-region for the Manchester Marathon today.

“What happens if there’s an emergency and an ambulance needs to come up the
road? I just feel it needs to be better organised.”

and

“Martin, who has chronic fatigue syndrome, says he has difficulty walking
long distances so has been unable to get food today due to the road
closures.”

and

“Whilst I was out, there were lots of other people struggling. I saw two
carers trying to get out to people in their homes to give them medication
and they couldn’t get through because of the roads”

--
Spike

A mass bike ride was held in Norwich to protest about "unsafe" roads (Image: Dennis English)

https://www.edp24.co.uk/resources/images/17283155.jpg?type=mds-article-962

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> A mass bike ride was held in Norwich to protest about "unsafe" roads
> (Image: Dennis English)
>
> https://www.edp24.co.uk/resources/images/17283155.jpg?type=mds-article-962

All we need now is a similar campaign to make pavements safe for
pedestrians.

Guess which self-centred group will protest that…

--
Spike

QUOTE: Dennis English, a 47-year-old IT security consultant who joined the cycle ride protest, said: "We need a transition away from cars if we want to address the climate crisis. ENDS

Become a gammon and believe it's all a hoax - job done!

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: Dennis English, a 47-year-old IT security consultant who joined
> the cycle ride protest, said: "We need a transition away from cars if we
> want to address the climate crisis. ENDS
>
> Become a gammon and believe it's all a hoax - job done!

Using the IPCC’s own equation for calculating deltaT from the increase in
concentration of atmospheric CO2, and combining that with the UK’s
contribution to its increase in concentration (4%), we can find that

deltaT=1.42xln(1.04)

deltaT=1.42x0.04114

deltaT=0.0584degC

From which figure it it easy to see that if the UK went to zero emissions
(which is not ‘net zero’) and also absorbed all the CO2 it had ever
produced, at a cost of £(tens if not hundreds of trillions), the average
temperature fall of the planet would be an unmeasurable 0.06degC.

To put that in terms closer to home, bicycles will contribute nothing to
this exercise. Neither will heat pumps, Exported-pollution Vehicles (EVs),
15-Minute Cities, wind farms, solar farms, and the rest of the ‘green
agenda’. Keep this in mind when those people speak on it, whose jobs depend
on keeping the population frightened.

--
Spike

On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 11:47:59 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
> QUOTE: Dennis English, a 47-year-old IT security consultant who joined the cycle ride protest, said: "We need a transition away from cars if we want to address the climate crisis. ENDS
>
> Become a gammon and believe it's all a hoax - job done!

This year is the hottest on record though.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 11:47:59 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
>> QUOTE: Dennis English, a 47-year-old IT security consultant who joined
>> the cycle ride protest, said: "We need a transition away from cars if we
>> want to address the climate crisis. ENDS
>>
>> Become a gammon and believe it's all a hoax - job done!
>
> This year is the hottest on record though.

No it isn’t, you’ve misread something.

This was the hottest September since 1895.

Keep in mind that there are four measures of planetary temperatures. These
are:

- the surface thermometer network (GHCN)
- mathematical modelling (‘the models’)
- measurements from balloon flights
- measurements from satellites.

The first two agree with each other and show relentlessly-rising
temperatures.

The second two agree with each other and do not show rising temperatures.

Would you care to speculate which pair of these you have never heard of?

--
Spike

On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 4:23:45 PM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
> On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 11:47:59 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
> > QUOTE: Dennis English, a 47-year-old IT security consultant who joined the cycle ride protest, said: "We need a transition away from cars if we want to address the climate crisis. ENDS
> >
> > Become a gammon and believe it's all a hoax - job done!
> This year is the hottest on record though.

2023 is on track to be the hottest year in human history.

The announcement, from European scientists on Thursday, was hardly suprising after record-breaking heat this summer in the northern hemisphere, and an off-the-charts September.

“This extreme month has pushed 2023 into the dubious honour of first place - on track to be the warmest year and around 1.4 [degrees Celsius] above preindustrial average temperatures,” Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said in a statement.

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/2023-heat-record-global-warming-b2424135.html

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> 2023 is on track to be the hottest year in human history.

> The announcement, from European scientists on Thursday, was hardly
> suprising after record-breaking heat this summer in the northern
> hemisphere, and an off-the-charts September.

It was hotter in 1895…when CO2 was 280ppm. Why?

> “This extreme month has pushed 2023 into the dubious honour of first
> place - on track to be the warmest year and around 1.4 [degrees Celsius]
> above preindustrial average temperatures,” Samantha Burgess, deputy
> director of the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said in a statement.

‘Pre-Industrial’ refers to the 200-year-long Little Ice Age. What the
planet is doing is returning to normal, to when Greenland was, well, green…

99.7% of scientists have not explained what causes this 200-year change
from hot to cold; the rest are sitting on their hands.

But ask yourself the question when heat moves from one continent to
another, such as from Africa to Europe (which happens several times a year)
what happens to Africa? There’s only so much heat to go round, and when it
moves from one place to another it isn’t necessarily replaced by more heat.

HTH

> https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/2023-heat-record-global-warming-b2424135.html
>

--
Spike