Is it time for radicalism?

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reohn2
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by reohn2 »

PH wrote:The radical question is not how to change some peoples mode of transport, but why are we travelling so much anyway?
The UK follows the longest working day in Europe with he longest commute. Not that Europe is a shining example, but it would at least be a start. Despite a generation of amazing technological advance, I'm still expected to work the same hours as my father, why? Why are people travelling so far to work? Why do people need to consume so much? If we're not producing great wealth why are we putting so much effort in? If we are, where is it going :|
Don't get me wrong, getting more people to cycle rather than drive would be a good thing, but it's not nearly enough to stop us running into that wall.


Quite!
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reohn2
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by reohn2 »

snibgo wrote:
I think UK society is dysfunctional. We have become addicted to cars, and have adapted our society to the needs of cars, to the detriment of humans. This has been gradual but persistent over many decades.

Can we kick the addiction? Not easily, and not willingly. Without a massive incentive, we will become more dysfunctional.

My conclusion: we will grow more obese, more unfit, and die early through pollution and lack of exercise.


Exactly!

And unless we change it'll cost us dearly as a nation and individually,in health and wealth.
Of course,some will prosper as a result.............
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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reohn2
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by reohn2 »

Mick F wrote:There are no hills. Cycling on the flat is boring.


To post that is to miss the point by a mile!
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Mick F
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by Mick F »

:lol: :lol:
I know.
I was just being obtuse a bit.
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TrevA
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by TrevA »

PH wrote:The radical question is not how to change some peoples mode of transport, but why are we travelling so much anyway?
The UK follows the longest working day in Europe with he longest commute. Not that Europe is a shining example, but it would at least be a start. Despite a generation of amazing technological advance, I'm still expected to work the same hours as my father, why? Why are people travelling so far to work? Why do people need to consume so much? If we're not producing great wealth why are we putting so much effort in? If we are, where is it going :|
Don't get me wrong, getting more people to cycle rather than drive would be a good thing, but it's not nearly enough to stop us running into that wall.


Technology can be an enabler for good. Over 25% of the organisation I work for are now permanent homeworkers - able to log on to corporate systems and send and receive e-mail through their broadband connection. This wouldn't have been possible even 10 years ago. So that's 500 people who no longer commute to work, but work from the home office or dining room table. A good proportion of the rest are occassional homeworkers, including me. We also make great use of teleconferencing and webinars (web-based seminars), so no longer have to travel to face to face meetings.

It just needs a change of culture within an organisation to allow this to happen.

However, this way of working brings it's own problems - feelings of isolation and loneliness amongst homeworkers being one.
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Mark1978
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by Mark1978 »

Mick F wrote:
Mistik-ka wrote:
Mark1978 wrote:The 'road' below is about as wide as a single track road but is easily wide enough for two way cycling with room to spare.

Blimey, that looks like heaven! :D
No it doesn't.
There are no hills. Cycling on the flat is boring.


No variety is boring. Quite often on my rides it's hills or nothing, and *that* gets boring quickly too. In any case the point I was making was about ex-railway alignments and the likes, which are usually at cycling friendly grades, but that doesn't mean they are easy, there's one which I use for training because although it isn't very steep it's several miles of constant unremitting gradient, so is quite testing. Plus is one of the examples of a previous gravel path which has been tamacced and makes an ideal all weather surface.
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Mick F
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by Mick F »

Mark1978 wrote:
Mick F wrote:There are no hills. Cycling on the flat is boring.
No variety is boring.
I agree, I really do.

With hills, you get ups as well as downs, plus some flatter bits thrown in.
I can be slogging up a hill at 5mph and a few minutes later hurtling down the other side in excess of 30mph.
That's variety. :D
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by mjr »

Mistik-ka wrote:
Mark1978 wrote:The 'road' below is about as wide as a single track road but is easily wide enough for two way cycling with room to spare.

Blimey, that looks like heaven! :D

Except for the maintenance problem (thanks to the unique way it isn't funded by our government), West Norfolk actually does better than that in places - single-and-a-half track, so that cycles don't have to stop for motor vehicles accessing the few properties on the cycleway:
Image
If only every cycleway here was at least as good. :-(
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Mark1978
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by Mark1978 »

Actually single track roads are fairly good for cycling too as long as the traffic levels are low. Some level of motor traffic is good as it keeps the road swept. Too much and the road gets hostile to cycling again.
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by Mick F »

+1
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al_yrpal
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Re: Is it time for radicalism?

Post by al_yrpal »

Just cycling along is boring. I have done lots of day rides in Norfolk and Suffolk. There are no hills just slopes, but, there are lots of interesting and unusual sights to see, they are interesting.
Lots of single track roads around here. Out this morning it was awful. Motor vehicles go over the edges which are often banks and throw mud stones and tree debris all over the road. That, the puddles and potholes make it a bit of a nightmare. The only saving grace is that sat nav equipped cars and vans avoid them because they can't travel fast and get stuck leaving them clear for us. :lol:

Al
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