The economy needs just-in-time deliveries

TruckerT

Did anyone hear the Radio4 PM story just now? The pro-cyclist said that if cyclists were to abandon their bikes and begin to use public transport, then the capital's transport systems would be unable to cope. Bullox!


The pro-transport guy asked whether the cyclist lobby would accept a relaxation of the London night-time HGV restrictions. The answer was No (people need to sleep, apparently - what about the truck drivers?). If trucks are to be banned by night as well as by day, then the economy is doomed.


TruckerT

Generali

I'm not sure why people like to whine about cyclists. We use less road, pay more taxes and are healthier than car drivers.

michaels

I believe at least two (Edit it was 3) of the recent fatalities were hit by...buses, better ban those too during rush hour - oh yes and at least one of the others was late in the evening well outside the proposed ban time....but lets not let the facts get in the way of a good story

Loughton_Monkey

custardy wrote: »

only 3 posts,not bad
So to be clear. Licensing means anyone with this licence will travel within the word of the law?

????? Who said that???

No. As for car drivers, licensing helps to take the 'killers' off the road so that they can't do any more damage!

TruckerT

Generali wrote: »

I'm not sure why people like to whine about cyclists. We use less road, pay more taxes and are healthier than car drivers.

It's not really about car drivers, it's about logistics/distribution/manufacturing/gdp etc etc


TruckerT

Loughton_Monkey

wotsthat wrote: »

There's no minority - we're all like that.

So we have a full confession at last! I had you down as marginally more responsible.

wotsthat wrote: »

There's no better feeling than coming to a set of lights on red and taking a left turn anyway. You can almost feel the seething resentment of the motorists in the queue behind. Occasionally an old codger will drive past shaking his fist and we exchange cheery waves.

Remember, I may (one day) be that 'old codger'. My fist will probably have one finger vertically. There's a new device available to fit hidden air guns behind the front grill. Perfect for cruising behind an offending cyclist and firing hard pellets of elephant dung up your jacksie....

wotsthat wrote: »

I cycled to work for many years before changing jobs. I can honestly say that I can't recall a single near miss with a motorist. Now though it seems to be every time I go out, doors being opened without looking, taking a left turn directly after coming past me, turning right as I approach from the opposite direction. Volume of traffic is probably higher but driving standards are lower. I'm 6' 4" have two lights on the front (one strobe/ one continuous) and the same on the back - my luminous jacket may as well be an invisibility cloak.

All those actions are generally deliberate.

wotsthat wrote: »

I find that young women are most likely to not see me. Boy racers go too fast but at least seem to spot cyclists. The most considerate are truckers.

As you get older, you'll find that young women are increasingly prone not to look at you. The only exception, I find at my age, is in bars in Thailand. But then again, I am probably mistaken that they are, indeed. 'young women'.

As an oldie, though, I'll freely pass on my 'infallible' chat-up line for you to save until you get as old and ugly as myself.

You simply take a handkerchief from your pocket and utter the immortal line "Does this smell of chloroform to you?"

CLAPTON

michaels wrote: »

I believe at least two (Edit it was 3) of the recent fatalities were hit by...buses, better ban those too during rush hour - oh yes and at least one of the others was late in the evening well outside the proposed ban time....but lets not let the facts get in the way of a good story

I understood the general figures are that about 50% of the cyclists deaths involve collisions with lorries although lorries only comprise 5% of london traffic

michaels

CLAPTON wrote: »

I understood the general figures are that about 50% of the cyclists deaths involve collisions with lorries although lorries only comprise 5% of london traffic

Probably true but the current media frenzy is as the result of 6 deaths in 10 days in London. Of these at least 3 were collisions with buses and at least 2 of the remaining 3 happened at times outside of the periods when it is suggested HGVs should be banned.

cells

London needs more roads, Ideally underground

They spend £15B on cross rail when a lower figure could build an equivlant 'cross road' underground and reduce surface traffic significantly

Imagine for instance

J25 on the M25 to Crydon linked by an underground 'motorway': 20 miles stright road with junctions at say southbury, (A406/Great Cambrid road junction), Dalston Kingsland, Old Street, Elephant & castle, North Dulwich, Crydon

What would be a north to south trip of 2 hours if you are lucky and 25-40 miles through some of the most congested roads would become a 20 minute trip through a dedicated underground motorway.

It would also greatly improve surface traffic as each car or HGV that used the link is one less on the above ground network.

Four such motorway tunnels would allow stright fast movement between
North - South
West - East
North East - South West
South West - North East

There are over 2 billion car Journeys a year in London doing ~30 billion miles.

These four underground tunnels would reduce the number of total miles (as a north south trip goes from 39 miles to 21 miles) overall and would reduce greatly the number of overground miles. Total surface miles could drop by as much as 5 billion.

vivatifosi

cells wrote: »

London needs more roads, Ideally underground

Imagine for instance

J25 on the M25 to Crydon linked by an underground 'motorway': 20 miles stright road with junctions at say southbury, (A406/Great Cambrid road junction), Dalston Kingsland, Old Street, Elephant & castle, North Dulwich, Crydon

These four underground tunnels would reduce the number of total miles (as a north south trip goes from 39 miles to 21 miles) overall and would reduce greatly the number of overground miles. Total surface miles could drop by as much as 5 billion.

That sounds great. Boston is much better to drive in following the Big Dig. An express road into central London serving the airport would be good too. I guess for us that CrossRail is the palatable solution though, given the Big Dig was so expensive and a much smaller project.

Is there any other project on this scale?