Parents care for their kids. Here is one who is trying to do everything right. He's bought the 4x4 for its extra safety. He's driving the kid to school, not walking. He's parked the car right on the keep clear markings on the corner outside the nursery school so the distance between car and school is least. All designed to maximise child safety.
Yet right at the last minute: gets the kid in the truck V054EVP out from the roadward side of the vehicle. On the corner. Now, a 4X4 is wide enough you probably can't reach across from the other side, but surely this dad takes their little one to nursery regularly, and would know what to do. You park the car in the same place it is now -the keep clear zone on the corner- but facing the other way. You just need a drive-to-school routeplan which pulls the car up outside the school with the kid's door on the pavement side -better yet, up on the pavement itself.
Just as Transport for London has a web site to plan walking routes, we need something that shows parents the safest way to drive their kids to their schools
Sunday 30 November 2008
DVLA at Work
Here in Clifton on a weekday morning, we see the DVLA road tax vehicle auditing the streets. With its cameras on every corner and a computer with a list of every car registration number and tax expiry date, it can detect when cars are untaxed. We've seen them at work in Montpelier, clamping untaxed vehicles.
In clifton, DVLA van BF06WKS is making sure that this keep-clear marked corner, and the associated pavement, are free of untaxed vehicles.
In clifton, DVLA van BF06WKS is making sure that this keep-clear marked corner, and the associated pavement, are free of untaxed vehicles.
Saturday 29 November 2008
Fresh Winter Mud!
It's been a bit dull out there recently -no good rainfall since August, leaving mud conditions in Ashton Court/Leigh woods a bit boring. Summer mud that was collecting into ruts
But here in Bike! is someone bringing the good news that with this week's rain, we've got fresh winter mud to get out and enjoy
The CX races begin at 10:30 am for the sprogs, later for juniors and grownups out by the quarry. Conditions will be ideal.
But here in Bike! is someone bringing the good news that with this week's rain, we've got fresh winter mud to get out and enjoy
The CX races begin at 10:30 am for the sprogs, later for juniors and grownups out by the quarry. Conditions will be ideal.
Success!
On Monday in Oakfield Road, there was a car getting a warning note for parking on the pavement. Did it work? Was the car deterred.
Yes. On wednesday the car that was warned was not parked at this corner, instead the parking space was occupied by the city-pickup WX56GMO, one sporting a visible logo to build brand awareness from parking vehicles
And on Thursday, the rental car PB56XAS.
Neither of these cars were the one that received a warning note from the police. That car has chosen to park elsewhere, freeing up this corner to other vehicles.
Yes. On wednesday the car that was warned was not parked at this corner, instead the parking space was occupied by the city-pickup WX56GMO, one sporting a visible logo to build brand awareness from parking vehicles
And on Thursday, the rental car PB56XAS.
Neither of these cars were the one that received a warning note from the police. That car has chosen to park elsewhere, freeing up this corner to other vehicles.
Labels:
clifton,
corner-parking,
oakfield-road,
parking,
pavement,
ticket
Friday 28 November 2008
Crossing Markings
The author of this post may actually qualify for a disabled sticker. Certainly when the doctor finally got back to me on the phone 3 months after the MRI they spoke about "long term mitigation", which would seem to apply acceptance of the state . And to make up for not being able to walk or run around: you get to park almost anywhere. It means I know what its like to have to accept that things aren't going to get better, walking will hurt. And as for trying to cross roads in this city -if you can't run, forget it!
Because walking across roads in the city for disabled people is so hard, this driver is forcec to park on the keep clear approach lines of a (light controlled) pedestrian crossing on a busy road. These lines are not there to improve traffic flow, they are to provide a safe view of the crossing to approaching cars. One might think, therefore, that parking here would endanger pedestrians. Clearly the driver of this car does not think so, and we must respect their judgement.
Because walking across roads in the city for disabled people is so hard, this driver is forcec to park on the keep clear approach lines of a (light controlled) pedestrian crossing on a busy road. These lines are not there to improve traffic flow, they are to provide a safe view of the crossing to approaching cars. One might think, therefore, that parking here would endanger pedestrians. Clearly the driver of this car does not think so, and we must respect their judgement.
Thursday 27 November 2008
Cycling across traffic -when the council expects it
The much feared Muller Road/Shaldon Road "Lights of Death" junction isn't sporting any lights today. Not for bicycles coming off the St Werburgh's path, a path due to be uprated over the winter (the path's closure warning signs are up, incidentally).
Normally bikes get a green light after oncoming traffic have had 15s of green, enough for all the vehicles turning right -who assume its a T-junction- to pull out. Some of these drivers get very upset about the whole thing. You need to look at the lights to left, on muller road, and pull out when they go red, before the oncoming cars react to green. It's not fun.
Today they are trying a new experiment. The lights have been turned off. All traffic is dropped to one lane at a time, which is cutting down on vehicle flow. Muller Road, the busy route from the M32 to North-West Bristol, is busy, as is Shaldon Road. Nobody is happy. When they get a chance to go, the cars take it.
Which makes crossing this road by bike kind of tricky. And on foot.
This crossing was actually funded as part of the safe routes to school program. Now it is fenced off half way, so if you run to the island, you will get stuck.
There have been some mitigation measures on Shaldon Road -cones- forcing one of the locals to park in the bus stop instead of their own house.
The reason for all of this is some electricity roadworks, work that has been slowly going down Shaldon Road over the months. It's been good work, with the road left in a nice state afterwards.
Enquiries were made of the very friendly site crew about why we cyclists were left without lights. Apparently someone in the council felt that we didn't need them. Because the traffic was down to single lane, it would be easy to cross. Easy maybe for cyclists whose knees work, cyclists who arent towing children and like cycling across traffic on Muller road because they like the adrenalin rush. But if you do want that experience, better to go to Ashton Court and have some mud fun, not seeing if you can outrace the transit van that has the green light on Muller Road.
Stephen Webster is the name of the council contact. I wonder, does he have an email address? Does he have scientific evidence to back up his theory that its OK for bikes to cycle across Muller Road traffic when its down to single lane?
Normally bikes get a green light after oncoming traffic have had 15s of green, enough for all the vehicles turning right -who assume its a T-junction- to pull out. Some of these drivers get very upset about the whole thing. You need to look at the lights to left, on muller road, and pull out when they go red, before the oncoming cars react to green. It's not fun.
Today they are trying a new experiment. The lights have been turned off. All traffic is dropped to one lane at a time, which is cutting down on vehicle flow. Muller Road, the busy route from the M32 to North-West Bristol, is busy, as is Shaldon Road. Nobody is happy. When they get a chance to go, the cars take it.
Which makes crossing this road by bike kind of tricky. And on foot.
This crossing was actually funded as part of the safe routes to school program. Now it is fenced off half way, so if you run to the island, you will get stuck.
There have been some mitigation measures on Shaldon Road -cones- forcing one of the locals to park in the bus stop instead of their own house.
The reason for all of this is some electricity roadworks, work that has been slowly going down Shaldon Road over the months. It's been good work, with the road left in a nice state afterwards.
Enquiries were made of the very friendly site crew about why we cyclists were left without lights. Apparently someone in the council felt that we didn't need them. Because the traffic was down to single lane, it would be easy to cross. Easy maybe for cyclists whose knees work, cyclists who arent towing children and like cycling across traffic on Muller road because they like the adrenalin rush. But if you do want that experience, better to go to Ashton Court and have some mud fun, not seeing if you can outrace the transit van that has the green light on Muller Road.
Stephen Webster is the name of the council contact. I wonder, does he have an email address? Does he have scientific evidence to back up his theory that its OK for bikes to cycle across Muller Road traffic when its down to single lane?
Labels:
lockleaze,
muller-road,
red-lights,
roadworks,
shaldon-road
Victimisation
There's a story in the local newspaper this week that someone in Bristol Parking Services was sacked for harassing a car, for ticketing it when legally parked. There are few details on this topic, as the other staff refer you the press office for more information.
With no information on that event, we can only talk about what we see, and here, on a university survey, there is clear evidence the BPS are persecuting a car. Its a weekday morning and this car is about to towed away. The tow truck has pulled up on St Michael's Hill.
Look, its only a single yellow line. There are some rules in small print -no loading 0800-0900, but this is 09:01, so the more relaxed "no parking" rules apply. Yet you can park everywhere else round here.
The tow truck driver clamps every wheel, then lifts the car onto its flatbed, nobody knows where they go after.
Why is this car being persecuted? What has it done to offend Bristol Parking Services? It is a vendetta!
With no information on that event, we can only talk about what we see, and here, on a university survey, there is clear evidence the BPS are persecuting a car. Its a weekday morning and this car is about to towed away. The tow truck has pulled up on St Michael's Hill.
Look, its only a single yellow line. There are some rules in small print -no loading 0800-0900, but this is 09:01, so the more relaxed "no parking" rules apply. Yet you can park everywhere else round here.
The tow truck driver clamps every wheel, then lifts the car onto its flatbed, nobody knows where they go after.
Why is this car being persecuted? What has it done to offend Bristol Parking Services? It is a vendetta!
Labels:
parking-services,
st-michaels-hill,
ticket,
towing
Well, that worked, didn't it?
Here's an interesting question. If Bristol Parking Services actually enforced parking issues, would it have any effect?
Oakfield road.Monday Nov 24, 08:41. The car T790JAD is parked on the corner -and is sporting a ticket.
Clearly it is being victimised for trying to park in anti-car Bristol. What will it do?
Tuesday, 08:51, Oakfield Road. The car T790JAD is parked on the same corner
Ths time: Further out.
Oakfield road.Monday Nov 24, 08:41. The car T790JAD is parked on the corner -and is sporting a ticket.
Clearly it is being victimised for trying to park in anti-car Bristol. What will it do?
Tuesday, 08:51, Oakfield Road. The car T790JAD is parked on the same corner
Ths time: Further out.
Labels:
clifton,
corner-parking,
oakfield-road,
ticket
Demi Drives: why?
Why do people have Demi-Drives? Here in Richmond Park Road, Clifton the answer is obvious, someone accidentally bought a vehicle too big to fit
It is always really annoying when you do that. You head out from the house in your Fiesta or your Peugeot 207, swap it for an extended cab 4WD pickup and when you get home what do you find? The driveway is too short! There's nothing else you can do except park with half of it out over the pavement. That or move to a bigger house, and with today's mortgage situation, that isn't easy, is it?
It is always really annoying when you do that. You head out from the house in your Fiesta or your Peugeot 207, swap it for an extended cab 4WD pickup and when you get home what do you find? The driveway is too short! There's nothing else you can do except park with half of it out over the pavement. That or move to a bigger house, and with today's mortgage situation, that isn't easy, is it?
Wednesday 26 November 2008
A ticket? Why?
Here's a BMW on Oakfield Road, Clifton, just opposite a nursery school. Its not blocking visibility of traffic turning left, and there is enough room for pedestrians.
The car is parked in front of a tree, so any pedestrian walking along here would run into the tree -this car is not making the pavement any narrower
Yet it appears to have a ticket. Why? What has it done?
Nothing -it's only a warning. False alarm. That's all right then. Clearly the car R455ORU will feel suitably victimised and complain about harassment.
Incidentally, this photo was taken in the morning; this is probably not a commuter. A resident? Forced to park on the pavement by all the commuters and shopopers blocking the road? Perhaps the alternative would have been to walk.
The car is parked in front of a tree, so any pedestrian walking along here would run into the tree -this car is not making the pavement any narrower
Yet it appears to have a ticket. Why? What has it done?
Nothing -it's only a warning. False alarm. That's all right then. Clearly the car R455ORU will feel suitably victimised and complain about harassment.
Incidentally, this photo was taken in the morning; this is probably not a commuter. A resident? Forced to park on the pavement by all the commuters and shopopers blocking the road? Perhaps the alternative would have been to walk.
Labels:
clifton,
oakfield-road,
parking,
pavement,
ticket
A ticket? In Kingsdown?
The var V004YGF is sporting a ticket this evening. This is such a rare event that it should be treasured by their owner, not resented.
Note that none fo the other cars on the pavement behind this car have a ticket? Why not? Because outside London, there aren't really any enforceable rules about parking on pavements. Pavements are for cars. There is in fact stronger legislation against bikes on pavement than there are for cars.
This car was unfortunate enough to choose park on the pavement by the double yellow line.
Note that none fo the other cars on the pavement behind this car have a ticket? Why not? Because outside London, there aren't really any enforceable rules about parking on pavements. Pavements are for cars. There is in fact stronger legislation against bikes on pavement than there are for cars.
This car was unfortunate enough to choose park on the pavement by the double yellow line.
Labels:
kingsdown,
kingsdown-parade,
pavement,
ticket
Clifton: Still rogue?
A week after the discovery of a car on the corner with its tyres cut in Clifton, here's a car one block away with one of its tyres down.
There could be some militant defender of corners and pavements running amok with a bradawl, terrorising pavement and corner parkers in the suburb. Alternatively, the car driver could be someone who punctured their tyre the previous day, parked the clio S751BGJ up on the pavement and will have discovered the state of their vehicle before the day's commute.
Given all the other cars on the pavement along duchess road, that is the likely option. Yet it is round the corner from the previous incident, which makes this part of town -the roads near St John's Road- somewhere to keep an eye on.
There could be some militant defender of corners and pavements running amok with a bradawl, terrorising pavement and corner parkers in the suburb. Alternatively, the car driver could be someone who punctured their tyre the previous day, parked the clio S751BGJ up on the pavement and will have discovered the state of their vehicle before the day's commute.
Given all the other cars on the pavement along duchess road, that is the likely option. Yet it is round the corner from the previous incident, which makes this part of town -the roads near St John's Road- somewhere to keep an eye on.
Labels:
clifton,
duchess-road,
flat-tyre,
parking,
pavement
Tuesday 25 November 2008
Not seen in in BRS: snow
This is a photo from Switzerland, not Bristol, but it's lovely enough it deserves linking to
We just get rain, and sometimes cold. Which may seem bad but it does imply good cyclocross conditions, and guess what's happening at Ashton Court this sunday? A Cyclocross Event, with an under 12 category for the little ones.
We just get rain, and sometimes cold. Which may seem bad but it does imply good cyclocross conditions, and guess what's happening at Ashton Court this sunday? A Cyclocross Event, with an under 12 category for the little ones.
Dropped Kerbs
Here in Lockleaze, the minivan M209XHW shows how the dropped kerb at a traffic island not only provides a safer route for pedestrians, it benefits vehicles too.
The wide dropped kerb lets the van slide straight up to the pavement and so park close to the wall, letting it park between the driveway in front and the pavement crossing behind. There is adequate room for pedestrians to one side; this is the shared space we've heard so much about.
The wide dropped kerb lets the van slide straight up to the pavement and so park close to the wall, letting it park between the driveway in front and the pavement crossing behind. There is adequate room for pedestrians to one side; this is the shared space we've heard so much about.
Monday 24 November 2008
Highbury Villas
The question of whether it is students that cause parking problems in the university area is interesting. The simple way to determine this would be to audit the streets, get the registration numbers and assume all cars registered outside the city's commuting footprint are student cars. That would require access to the central number plate database.
The alternative is just to collect the registration numbers in term time/outside term time and compare them, assuming that vehicles seen in more than one week in term time and zero times outside it are students. Thatwould be informative, but time consuming.
It's simpler just to collect some photos and make some random assertions without any data to back up the statements, that being how city planners appear to operate. Here then, is Highbury Villas, off St-Michaels hill, on a weekday. This area will not be in the CPZ, so whoever has discovered that it is a secret parking area will be able to continue to do so, possibly including the honda WU05UZR.
And here is the same road on a weekend. There is clearly a tangible difference in the number of vehicles trying to get on the yellow lines, as on a weekday there isn't a single free double yellow line to park on.
This is not within the proposed Kingsdown CPZ, incidentally, that ends on St Michael's Hill, directly behind where these photographs were taken. It will be interesting to see how more congested this street becomes after the zone is deployed.
The alternative is just to collect the registration numbers in term time/outside term time and compare them, assuming that vehicles seen in more than one week in term time and zero times outside it are students. Thatwould be informative, but time consuming.
It's simpler just to collect some photos and make some random assertions without any data to back up the statements, that being how city planners appear to operate. Here then, is Highbury Villas, off St-Michaels hill, on a weekday. This area will not be in the CPZ, so whoever has discovered that it is a secret parking area will be able to continue to do so, possibly including the honda WU05UZR.
And here is the same road on a weekend. There is clearly a tangible difference in the number of vehicles trying to get on the yellow lines, as on a weekday there isn't a single free double yellow line to park on.
This is not within the proposed Kingsdown CPZ, incidentally, that ends on St Michael's Hill, directly behind where these photographs were taken. It will be interesting to see how more congested this street becomes after the zone is deployed.
Labels:
CPZ,
highbury-villas,
st-michaels-hill,
university
Ashley Road improvements
The new contributor "AW" has promised to send us more details on the secret driving and parking tips of Ashley Road and nearby areas. That's handy, as a lot of the searches that come to this site are looking for "secret parking bristol" or areas inside Bristol, and we don't want to disappoint them. Their first contribution is some secret out-the-door restaurant parking, as modelled by the BMW W612TRX
At first glance, the large potted trees and similar street furniture may appear to be creating a pedestrian area. But they are really there to force pedestrians and bicycles in to the narrow bit right in front of the shops, leaving the widened pavement as a safe place to park a vehicle, safe from both pedestrians and passing cars. It is also well-lit at night, to help ensure your car remains secure.
At first glance, the large potted trees and similar street furniture may appear to be creating a pedestrian area. But they are really there to force pedestrians and bicycles in to the narrow bit right in front of the shops, leaving the widened pavement as a safe place to park a vehicle, safe from both pedestrians and passing cars. It is also well-lit at night, to help ensure your car remains secure.
Minor parking difficulties at Christchurch
A brief tour of Christchurch Primary school, Clifton. This will not be in any CPZ -that will be a few streets to the south. The lead campaigner in the "Keep the parking free" group lives nearby, so presumably this is the parking he envisages.
The school itself has a little handwritten sign up on the subject, which is new
It says "Please do not park police will ticket". Technically that's wrong. In English, "will" implies inevitability, unlike willen in German, which is more aspirational.
The police may ticket. Parking Services may ticket some parking violations, but not those related to parking on the school keep clear zone for which only the police have authority. The sign should be updated to state these facts correctly. Does it have any effect in its current form?
Well, there is is a space in front of the Smartcar KY58NJU, which, by parking half on the pavement leaves enough room for a golf to get by
The golf PY54JFG, which also makes sure there is enough room for passing cars when it pulls up at the school gates.
Other cars, such as WN07LPE appear more concerned about pedestrian access than protecting their wing mirrors, so park a bit more on the road in the keep clear zone right in front of the entrance. Far enough out to let people past, and slow down passing cars to 20mph.
When last discussing this school, the need to drop kids off by car came up, with readers commenting on how lazy children were now. Perhaps they are used to travelling by car because that is what they are used to, in which case the question is : why do so many now parents drop the kids off by car instead of walking them in? Increased wealth: two car households are now common, and increased workload: both parents working means that whoever drops the kids off have a limited amount of time between dropoff and work. Also, with more choice in schooling -the old "this postcode means that school" rule is gone -hence some kids have further to go. These parents have no choice but to drive, hence they have no option other than parking on the pavement, the keep clear zone or the school-no-parking area.
The school itself has a little handwritten sign up on the subject, which is new
It says "Please do not park police will ticket". Technically that's wrong. In English, "will" implies inevitability, unlike willen in German, which is more aspirational.
The police may ticket. Parking Services may ticket some parking violations, but not those related to parking on the school keep clear zone for which only the police have authority. The sign should be updated to state these facts correctly. Does it have any effect in its current form?
Well, there is is a space in front of the Smartcar KY58NJU, which, by parking half on the pavement leaves enough room for a golf to get by
The golf PY54JFG, which also makes sure there is enough room for passing cars when it pulls up at the school gates.
Other cars, such as WN07LPE appear more concerned about pedestrian access than protecting their wing mirrors, so park a bit more on the road in the keep clear zone right in front of the entrance. Far enough out to let people past, and slow down passing cars to 20mph.
When last discussing this school, the need to drop kids off by car came up, with readers commenting on how lazy children were now. Perhaps they are used to travelling by car because that is what they are used to, in which case the question is : why do so many now parents drop the kids off by car instead of walking them in? Increased wealth: two car households are now common, and increased workload: both parents working means that whoever drops the kids off have a limited amount of time between dropoff and work. Also, with more choice in schooling -the old "this postcode means that school" rule is gone -hence some kids have further to go. These parents have no choice but to drive, hence they have no option other than parking on the pavement, the keep clear zone or the school-no-parking area.
Labels:
christchurch-school,
clifton,
pavement,
school,
school-run,
signage
Sunday 23 November 2008
Think of the children
Its a common sight in the mornings: bored kids in the back of the 4x4, playing on the Nintendo DS while they sit in traffic jams. Some people say that things would be better if the kids got to walk or cycle to school. The people who say that are not small children.
Look at the expression on this girl's face. She's just had to come up Cotham Brow or Nugent Hill, both of which hurt enough as a grown up. As a child, pushing an overweight and underfit parent up, with nothing to look at but their shiny clothes, well, you'd be unhappy too.
Look at the expression on this girl's face. She's just had to come up Cotham Brow or Nugent Hill, both of which hurt enough as a grown up. As a child, pushing an overweight and underfit parent up, with nothing to look at but their shiny clothes, well, you'd be unhappy too.
Labels:
children,
cotham,
cotham-road,
cycling,
school-run,
steiner-school,
tagalong
Saturday 22 November 2008
Who parks in the University Quarter?
While discussing the Kingsdown CPZ last week, we asked "who parks in the University quarter"? We got a reply from bikerchick, who has some good insight on this, including
Later on in the day: same location: university vehicles.
R763FWS and the vehicle behind it are both, presumably in the day to day execution of their work, and forced to park on pavement due to all the students parked nearby.
As for the staff, well, you'd need a staff sticker to park blocking the bike shed, wouldn't you?
More research is needed.
Well, that's some interesting data we need to acquire. Here's woodland road, weekday afternoon. The van WR5WLP half in the bike lane: university vehicle. One van on the pavement: university vehicle.
From what I see on a day to day basis the majority of the cars parked around the University side of Clifton belong to students
I think we should be thinking of putting more pressure on the universities not to allow students to bring cars to town especially if they live in the surrounding areas, which they usually do.
I'm pretty sure that staff from universities just simply don't bother driving to work if they don't have a permit as they soon come to term with there simply isn't any space to park, which might explain why so many ride motorcycles-)
Later on in the day: same location: university vehicles.
R763FWS and the vehicle behind it are both, presumably in the day to day execution of their work, and forced to park on pavement due to all the students parked nearby.
As for the staff, well, you'd need a staff sticker to park blocking the bike shed, wouldn't you?
More research is needed.
A reader writes in
A message appears in the inbox
People have an optimistic expectation of privacy on the public road, especially of them, their house, their car, their family. Whereas in fact, as the recently Moseley trial shows, you only have a right to privacy if when, as the son of Britain's most well known fascist politician, a politician married in Joseph' Goebbel's house in Berlin, you engage in sex acts with prostitutes and speak in mock German accents while dressed in army uniforms in a private house. The streets are public and anything you do there can go into print, on TV or up on the web. We take pics and put them in our files. The government builds up a multi-petabyte filesystem logging everyone's mobile phone location and ANPR number plate information. Both activities are currently legal. Indeed, there is nothing but engineering issues stopping us building our own numberplate and telephone tracking infrastructure -though we have plans there.
The other thing to think about is: do you really want a confrontation? Does it help? Isn't it a bit dangerous? Why not take a pic of the back of the vehicle and the option to talk about it. without getting into an argument with the driver? That gives us the photo and you avoid getting in to an altercation. There is also the risk the driver is left in an even more unstable anti-bike state than before.
To conclude then: if you come across any member of the Moseley family having paid sex on a Bristol street: take the pic and sell it to the papers. If a car leaves you feeling unhappy on your walk, cycle or drive round town, photo the car discreetly, with plate and location, send it in.
On that topic, there's a new address for photos: bristol.traffic at gmail.com . Videos are welcome along with stills. What is important is entertainment value. Fights no, funny yes.
We've also heard that since the parking zone proposals came out we've drifted away from shallow entertainment to dull road theory things. Sorry. Shallow and entertaining will be resumed shortly.
"Hi, do you like to talk about driving as well as parking"Yes, it's just harder to photo.
"I was cycling back from UWE today [ed: Nov 20] the car P9 CAT cut me up on Shaldon Road and was abusive at the lights"It's hard for us to judge who was right and wrong. All we can say is that 'A car that may have had the number plate P9CAT seemed to have a difference of opinions about the rights of bicycles to Shaldon Road.' If we had a photo of the car we could less ambiguous about the car registration number.
"The car was a silver Renault Scenic and the driver was wearing a Bristol Council jumper".How about: 'the car appeared to be a silver Renault Scenic and the driver appeared to be wearing Bristol Council-branded clothing'. Which implies the driver may have been part of our Cycling City council, or may have have just had some of their clothes.
"He got very upset when I tried to take a photo with my phone".You do have legal rights here, but you have to be discreet about them. One trick that may work is to switch the camera/phone into video mode and record the conversation without pointing the camera at the driver, make it look like you are fiddling with the camera, but not actually taking pics. You could even point the camera towards the car without holding it up and looking like you are filming.
People have an optimistic expectation of privacy on the public road, especially of them, their house, their car, their family. Whereas in fact, as the recently Moseley trial shows, you only have a right to privacy if when, as the son of Britain's most well known fascist politician, a politician married in Joseph' Goebbel's house in Berlin, you engage in sex acts with prostitutes and speak in mock German accents while dressed in army uniforms in a private house. The streets are public and anything you do there can go into print, on TV or up on the web. We take pics and put them in our files. The government builds up a multi-petabyte filesystem logging everyone's mobile phone location and ANPR number plate information. Both activities are currently legal. Indeed, there is nothing but engineering issues stopping us building our own numberplate and telephone tracking infrastructure -though we have plans there.
The other thing to think about is: do you really want a confrontation? Does it help? Isn't it a bit dangerous? Why not take a pic of the back of the vehicle and the option to talk about it. without getting into an argument with the driver? That gives us the photo and you avoid getting in to an altercation. There is also the risk the driver is left in an even more unstable anti-bike state than before.
To conclude then: if you come across any member of the Moseley family having paid sex on a Bristol street: take the pic and sell it to the papers. If a car leaves you feeling unhappy on your walk, cycle or drive round town, photo the car discreetly, with plate and location, send it in.
On that topic, there's a new address for photos: bristol.traffic at gmail.com . Videos are welcome along with stills. What is important is entertainment value. Fights no, funny yes.
We've also heard that since the parking zone proposals came out we've drifted away from shallow entertainment to dull road theory things. Sorry. Shallow and entertaining will be resumed shortly.
Labels:
datacentre-state,
lockleaze,
road-rage,
shaldon-road
Friday 21 November 2008
Middle of the Road
This is early evening near Somerfield's on St Michael's Hill, pencilled in as part of the Kingsdown CPZ. A zone in which it is promised that there will be short-stay parking provided for the shops, so that you can nip in and out of the local supermarket with ease. Currently there is 1-hour-max echelon-parking zone in front of the supermarket (echelon parking is Dept of Transport speak for sideways parked; it is very dangerous to bikes and not advised). Because parking times aren't enforced, its a park-all-day zone for everyone and the nearby taxi firm. What to do if you want to shop? Especially given there is no cycle parking here.
This car, P455GBD has shown what to do. Just stop in the middle of the road. Yellow line rules apply to the side of the road. They even apply to pavements.
But the middle of the road? Unlikely. If that was the case you would not be able to have roads which have yellow lines on one side only. Indeed, its possible that you will still be able to park this way once the CPZ gets deployed.
Middle of the road parking area it is, then.
This car, P455GBD has shown what to do. Just stop in the middle of the road. Yellow line rules apply to the side of the road. They even apply to pavements.
But the middle of the road? Unlikely. If that was the case you would not be able to have roads which have yellow lines on one side only. Indeed, its possible that you will still be able to park this way once the CPZ gets deployed.
Middle of the road parking area it is, then.
Labels:
CPZ,
kingsdown,
parking,
st-michaels-hill,
yellow-lines
Cycle Infrastructure
There is now a fairly long Department of Transport document up online on "Cycle Infrastructure Design"
It covers when to/when not to segregate bikes from other road traffic, how to do safe cycle facilities, etc.
Two obvious failings
It covers when to/when not to segregate bikes from other road traffic, how to do safe cycle facilities, etc.
Two obvious failings
- No awareness of mountain bikes. Not only do things like A-frame motorbike barriers get in the way, a lot of their cycle speed calming measures are just a form of entertainment to a mountain bike in a hurry. Hopefully the Bristol Trails Group won't see their recommendations about track surface, minimum distance from trees, etc.
- Roundabouts (p58). The document acknowledges their danger, especially those with left-feeds, and discusses how bigger radius roundabouts (e.g. St James Barton, St Pauls/M32 and Lawrence Hill roundabouts) allow cars to get up more speed and are more dangerous. But a key suggestion is "not generally recommended on cycle routes.". Given the data they cite on roundabout design, surely we should be considering -if cycling is to be considered a legitimate form of transport- whether roundabouts should still be being built. After all, if unmanned level crossings are being withdrawn for safety reasons, why can't we have a "no new roundabouts" policy. It may seem ambitious, but round-is-bad.
Thursday 20 November 2008
Real victims of the CPZ
Here's a business that is going to suffer from the new CPZ/RPZ, as it is in Oxford Street, between Cotham Road and High Kingsdown, on a dead end to cars, through road to pedestrians. It's the local garage.
MOTs, engine repairs, brakes, etc: they do it. Reasonable pricing and because it is local, you don't have to drive over the city for vehicle work. But its in the zone. Which means the street outside that they managed as a parking area for vehicles not in active repair are going to be restricted to zone members only. This isn't good -something needs to be done for such organisations otherwise everyone ends up driving to chain garages in St Philips instead.
Given the zone is going ahead, it would seem timely for the residents to come up with a proposal to migitate the damage here. Something like a small number of temporary visitor permits that they can move from car to car. This garage is part of the community. Also, by taking the edge off such things, they will eliminate the stories that will come out against the program.
MOTs, engine repairs, brakes, etc: they do it. Reasonable pricing and because it is local, you don't have to drive over the city for vehicle work. But its in the zone. Which means the street outside that they managed as a parking area for vehicles not in active repair are going to be restricted to zone members only. This isn't good -something needs to be done for such organisations otherwise everyone ends up driving to chain garages in St Philips instead.
Given the zone is going ahead, it would seem timely for the residents to come up with a proposal to migitate the damage here. Something like a small number of temporary visitor permits that they can move from car to car. This garage is part of the community. Also, by taking the edge off such things, they will eliminate the stories that will come out against the program.
Council Parking Strategy
We have discovered the council's parking strategy. It's not a secret, what is surprising is there actually was a strategy. One that places priority on parking enforcement in the "outer zone" -that's the non-revenue earning parts of the city- to : avoid obstructions to traffic flow, to avoid road safety hazards and to maintain journey time reliability for buses. No mention of bike paths. no direct mention of safe pedestrian crossing. Just traffic flow. Interesting
Most ironical statement of the report is the risk assessment on page 8:
[Photo: End of CPZ on St Michael's Hill. For anyone doing hill-climbing training, this is the turnaround point and a time for rest before repeating the climb. The two buildings on the right are scheduled for replacement by something more grandiose in the University plans. ]
Most ironical statement of the report is the risk assessment on page 8:
The City Council's effectiveness as a Transport Authority is at risk in the absence of a comprehensive and coherent Parking Strategy.Yes it is.
[Photo: End of CPZ on St Michael's Hill. For anyone doing hill-climbing training, this is the turnaround point and a time for rest before repeating the climb. The two buildings on the right are scheduled for replacement by something more grandiose in the University plans. ]
Wednesday 19 November 2008
Not affected by the CPZ
DIY Mudguards
Now that winter is here, mud conditions are looking excellent, but they do make the bike -and you- dirtier
Someone in the bike shop had this little home-made mini-guard for front suspension bikes out of an old inner tube.
It looks like you take one old tube, slit it sideways to make it wide, then wrap it down from the crown to the crossbar of the lower fork bits and back up again, with cable ties to hold everything in place.
Whether it is any use or not is not known to us. Proof -with photos- that it works welcome. It probably stops some of the water the wheel lifts up from going into your face, but that's about it. It is cheap if you use a punctured inner tube with too many patches to be considered worth repairing again, and should adapt to the suspension nicely. Worth a go.
Someone in the bike shop had this little home-made mini-guard for front suspension bikes out of an old inner tube.
It looks like you take one old tube, slit it sideways to make it wide, then wrap it down from the crown to the crossbar of the lower fork bits and back up again, with cable ties to hold everything in place.
Whether it is any use or not is not known to us. Proof -with photos- that it works welcome. It probably stops some of the water the wheel lifts up from going into your face, but that's about it. It is cheap if you use a punctured inner tube with too many patches to be considered worth repairing again, and should adapt to the suspension nicely. Worth a go.
Tuesday 18 November 2008
Pavements: not just for big cars
One fact that is showing up in our photo database is that big cars that are hard to park end up taking most advantage of the double yellow line and keep clear facilities of this city. And well they should. By leaving these areas free of smaller cars, it leaves space for the larger ones, so allowing the city to accomodate many types of vehicle.
But that does not mean that pavements are for big cars only, as shown by this Matiz WF02SHG up on Shaldon Road, which has managed to get further in than the nearby cars.
Or this SmartCar HN02KRX on the opposite side of the road, which is also taking advantage of the lowered pavement.
Why do this? Because it reduces the chances of your vehicle being scraped by other vehicles. Accordingly, the distance on the pavement you park is driven not by how wide your vehicle is, but by how much you value it. The more you value it, the further on the pavement you get, until eventually you are fully on the pavement. It's not just about protecting your car, it's about making a statement about how much you care about it, one for everyone else to see. It says "my car is more important".
Bristol: we love cars, but mostly we loves our own car.
But that does not mean that pavements are for big cars only, as shown by this Matiz WF02SHG up on Shaldon Road, which has managed to get further in than the nearby cars.
Or this SmartCar HN02KRX on the opposite side of the road, which is also taking advantage of the lowered pavement.
Why do this? Because it reduces the chances of your vehicle being scraped by other vehicles. Accordingly, the distance on the pavement you park is driven not by how wide your vehicle is, but by how much you value it. The more you value it, the further on the pavement you get, until eventually you are fully on the pavement. It's not just about protecting your car, it's about making a statement about how much you care about it, one for everyone else to see. It says "my car is more important".
Bristol: we love cars, but mostly we loves our own car.
RTA at the harbour
Chris Hutt mailed this in: "This is from this evening 5 pm down outside the Museum of Bristol. A female cyclist has come off when crossing the rails where the points are. She and her husband are staying at the caravan park at the other end of the floating harbour, visiting Bristol (perhaps encouraged to cycle on the basis of the cycling City news?). Injuries turned out to be minor and she was eventually able to walk away"
The Evening Post recently had a two page special from some visitors to the city staying at the same caravan park, complaining about the bikes cycling along the mixed-use bits of the harbour. Perhaps this week's will have some other visitors, complaining about the quality of those mixed use bits of the harbour. The underlying problem is that railway tracks are slippery in the wet, and you really need to cross them at right angles rather than slide up alongside them -that drops you: hard, but according to Chris, fixable. The ongoing building works don't help as they constrain the route, and then there is the car access and parking which is viewed as essential to retain, forcing cyclists and pedestrians into a limited bit of the route -the place where things go wrong. And there is no north-of-harbour alternative yet.
The Evening Post recently had a two page special from some visitors to the city staying at the same caravan park, complaining about the bikes cycling along the mixed-use bits of the harbour. Perhaps this week's will have some other visitors, complaining about the quality of those mixed use bits of the harbour. The underlying problem is that railway tracks are slippery in the wet, and you really need to cross them at right angles rather than slide up alongside them -that drops you: hard, but according to Chris, fixable. The ongoing building works don't help as they constrain the route, and then there is the car access and parking which is viewed as essential to retain, forcing cyclists and pedestrians into a limited bit of the route -the place where things go wrong. And there is no north-of-harbour alternative yet.
Monday 17 November 2008
Cumberland Road Detours
Cumberland road is closed -emergency repairs to keep it out the river. Good thing this happens before BRT routes go in on top of it.
We are fortunate here to have an ever-growing set of correspondents, and are grateful for some pics from "Q" of the consequences.
As our correspondent says
Clearly these emergency roadworks on Cumberland Road, scheduled during a weekday, are a sign of how anti car Bristol is.
We are fortunate here to have an ever-growing set of correspondents, and are grateful for some pics from "Q" of the consequences.
I've been vastly amused (I work down there) at the number of vehicles that have ignored the road closed signs, driven half way along it, and then had to turn around because it really was closed. Not a problem on a bicycle, though.The cars are being diverted over Princes Street Bridge and then into the centre, which leads to a followon problem. How to get to the centre. Clearly the scale of the emergency is such that cars are being forced to use the buses only route, such as this car W932GSO appears to be doing
As our correspondent says
One knock-on effect, however, was that the traffic queue at the Marsh Street/Baldwin Street lights was slightly longer than usual, resulting in some interesting attempts by motorists to pretend to be cyclists instead and mix it with the busses on the centre. This chap was really given a hard time by First's Finest who really made him wait!.
Clearly these emergency roadworks on Cumberland Road, scheduled during a weekday, are a sign of how anti car Bristol is.
Labels:
bus-lane,
centre,
cumberland-road,
marsh-street,
prince-street-bridge,
roadworks
Smile, you're on CCTV
This bike rack is on Cotham Hill, outside Films@59 -I think it was something they had to put in to get consent on a planning application
It's popular, and has CCTV coverage to give your bike the illusion of security. There's even a sign on the window, "Smile, you're on CCTV" to remind people. Unfortunately, the staff tell us that when they've seen bike thefts/attempted bike thefts on the CCTV and called it in, nobody has bothered to come round. Which means even with CCTV coverage, your bike isn't safe here.
One way to make Bristol a Cycling City is not just make it somewhere where people feel safe to cycle around, but somewhere where you feel safe to leave your bike parked.
It's popular, and has CCTV coverage to give your bike the illusion of security. There's even a sign on the window, "Smile, you're on CCTV" to remind people. Unfortunately, the staff tell us that when they've seen bike thefts/attempted bike thefts on the CCTV and called it in, nobody has bothered to come round. Which means even with CCTV coverage, your bike isn't safe here.
One way to make Bristol a Cycling City is not just make it somewhere where people feel safe to cycle around, but somewhere where you feel safe to leave your bike parked.
John Carr's Terrace #2
First, a correction to the earlier post. John Carr's Terrace, behind the H&A, isn't part of the zone.
Even so this Brandon Hill back road isn't a great place to think about parking your car before heading down to the Hope and Anchor for a few of their fine beers. But it will end up surrounded by restricted parking areas, so it is handy to remember.
If the CPZ included an enforcement of those double and single yellow pavements, the parking capacity of this road would drops by half. Presumably every vehicle on the right hand side of this photo belongs to a household that voted against the plan. And everyone on the left, because the vehicles on the right would be trying to get into their area.
There's a price of staying out the CPZ area though: the cars don't get the option of parking on Jacob's wells road. By opting to retain the right to park illegally on the pavement by their house, they've lost the option of parking legally round the corner.
[photo by Chris Hutt]
Even so this Brandon Hill back road isn't a great place to think about parking your car before heading down to the Hope and Anchor for a few of their fine beers. But it will end up surrounded by restricted parking areas, so it is handy to remember.
If the CPZ included an enforcement of those double and single yellow pavements, the parking capacity of this road would drops by half. Presumably every vehicle on the right hand side of this photo belongs to a household that voted against the plan. And everyone on the left, because the vehicles on the right would be trying to get into their area.
There's a price of staying out the CPZ area though: the cars don't get the option of parking on Jacob's wells road. By opting to retain the right to park illegally on the pavement by their house, they've lost the option of parking legally round the corner.
[photo by Chris Hutt]
John Carrs Terrace
Chris Hutt visited his local proposed RPZ area to see what impact the zone would have on local life. This was a Sunday -the day the zone would not be live. Presumably, these pavement spaces will be open to anyone on those days
The rest of the week, only residents will be able to park on these pavements. The alternative: no parking on pavements, is too unthinkable to consider.
The rest of the week, only residents will be able to park on these pavements. The alternative: no parking on pavements, is too unthinkable to consider.
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