Secret Cliftonwood Parking

Everybody knows that there are no parking problems in Cliftonwood, and that is why its citizens recently rejected the imposition of a CPZ. However, what fewer people know is where the "secret" parking slots are - the ones that are normally free and you actually have to seek out. Here we see two cars demonstrating two of these slots - DY52OLC at the end of Randall Road, and NY54EWP at the bottom of Ambrose Road.

What these camera angles don't show is that both of these cars have bits of paper stuck under their windscreen wipers. They were probably from admiring local residents congratulating the drivers on locating these hidden parking spots, but we'll never know - sadly, the rain has rendered them illegible!

Concerned of Cliftonwood

PS: In the case of DY52OLC it could be to apologise for the fresh dent in the back right hand corner. Whilst admiring the honesty of the perpetrator, we say: next time, use indelible ink! Unfortunately, the wronged car owner will never know who you are.

The water remembers

Sometimes placenames are the only trace that old rivers existed. Who, in London, knows that Kilburn, Westbourne and Bayswater are both named after the same river, "bourne/burn", to use the scottish/celtic name?

Here in Bristol, lots of places have "Vale", "Down" and "Wood" in their names, to remind us of the valleys, the grassy downs and the woods that once existed, where now we have roads.

But water, it remembers. And here, November 2009, it reminds us.

This is Springfield Road, Kingsdown. Not a field, not any more

But today, the spring is back.

The water, it remembers.

Rain over Lockleaze

During this warm, sunny period, some people have been out cycling around Bristol.

FirstBus would like to remind people that this is an unnaturally dry week, and that only the week before it was horribly wet and miserable. Whilst walking to and from a bus stop may get you wet, you can at least shelter under the bus stop to wait for the rain to go away, and hence predict exactly how wet you will get on a journey.

FirstBus: less wet than cycling across the city. For most of the year.

Rain Work

If you drive to work in Bristol, you have no idea how long it is going to take. In your head, you have that "17 minutes", the fastest it ever took, some time at 7:15 in the morning during school holidays. That "17 minutes" becomes a goal, one you never quite see again, as instead you get to take that long getting through two traffic lights somewhere near Filton or the A4 towards Bath.
Not being able to predict arrival time means you have to set off early, or compensate for delays by driving extra badly.

If you take a bus, well, you not only have the same unpredictable journey time, there's no way to compensate once you run late. Which leaves the trains, walking and cycling. Trains support a few routes, while walking works well if you live near where you work. Only cycling offers long-distance travel with predictable journey times.

Unfortunately, in exchange for that predictable journey time , you gain a different bit of uncertainty: how wet you will be when you get there. And today, with agressive showers running across the city during the morning, there was a lot of uncertainly.

Here is Saint Andrews roads and the park, all shining in the sun, but shining because of all the surface water, standing out against the black clouds of the next shower.

Still, some people seemed to be out enjoying their ride. You just have to accept that although it is mid-August, hence technically "summer", a waterproof is something you need to wear. At least at this time of year, once your legs get wet, they don't get too cold.