Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

vivatifosi wrote: »

I have to park about 1/2 mile or so (depends on how close I can get) from where I work. .

Eh?

I once sold 3 businesses because I (and customers) couldn't park outside the door.

I walk 3 metres to my car most mornings - and then drive to numerous sites we have and park outside their door, or within 10 metres at most.

The rule of thumb in my industry is 90% of the time "no parking no viability" and the exceptions are ultra-prime city centre sites with parking nearby.

I would refuse a job where onsite parking was not available.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

zagubov wrote: »

bikes and cars don't share roads well.

Quite.

Bikes should be banned from roads.

I spend a lot of time in Europe where bikes either have their own lanes (with scooters) or get to use a designated edge of pavements.

Cyclists are closer to pedestrians than cars/trucks in terms of vulnerability and speed so pavements are where they belong.

Doozergirl

Oh, TRAMPOLINE!

Lydia, I suggest growing your hair. And a motorbike .

The growing hair thing works. I can even curl
The bottom of my hair and wear a hat, or tie it up at the gym and let it down again. I think the cycle helmet would work for a few miles. If it rains you can alter pattern.

The other option could be running. Probably safer than a bike. Depends on the load you are carrying though. Again, you can always alter your patterns.

Being flexible whilst trying to establish a routine may keep you fit, healthy in mind and body and still allow books to be carried on certain days.

The bus company have altered DD's route for next year after just one year of her being there. It is ridiculous. The benefit is that I have now learned the route that can be shared between public transport and me in the car but makes no sense if you were just looking for a public transport route. PT is less than half the price of the school bus and gives her total freedom (once we've allowed it!). I looked at the public buses servicing school, looked at the routes and a possible meeting place that serves us both for time and ensure she doesn't have to change service - yet.

DS needs to be in a car very quickly after Spetember. Are you in similar position? Perhaps your DS can also help DD out soon? My plan is that DS is self sufficient but will need to help occasionally with DD as a pay-off for the massive insirance premium that I will lumber.

zagubov

Doozergirl wrote: »

Oh, TRAMPOLINE!

.

I remember the video you're talking about! :beer:

There were some trees down in some streets in my commute to work. Some roads have been badly blocked. A downside of having a "leafy Surrey" address

Pyxis

michaels wrote: »

I suspect that despite the headlines there are so many more cyclists in London that deaths per mile are almost certainly no greater than anywhere else in the country and possibly that the pollution breathed whilst cycling is more dangerous statisitcally than the accidents.

I just watched a show with Trevor Phillips on catchup (channel 4 thusday 9pm) and learned more about uni 'safe spaces' which I has only been peripherally aware of. It seems to be about prescribing what opinions students can here to avoid offending anyone. When I went to uni it was all about gathering as many views as possible and learning to differentiate between them and students were trusted to do that as part of their learning. Now it seems only consensus views are permitted and all debate is proscribed. Sometimes I wish I had never read Orwell.

Yes. I can remember a time when Student Unions were castigated FOR debating contentious issues.
It seems to be the complete opposite now.

SingleSue

And there was Joe looking forward to being able to have debates at uni....he's not a snowflake and likes to discuss/explore all viewpoints, even contentious ones.

We're actually in Lincoln right now for the offer holder day, he still likes it here.

LydiaJ

GDB2222 wrote: »

I would be worried about the safety aspects of cycling, but I live in London where there is an awful lot of traffic and we regularly hear about cyclists being killed. People who cycle to work are apparently quite happy, according to the newspapers.

I suspect cycling is nowhere near as dangerous here. This is a provincial town - hence the infrequent buses. I could do almost the entire journey on a combination of quiet back streets and cycle tracks across parks etc.

GDB2222 wrote: »

If I had to park .7 miles from work and had a lot to carry, I might invest in a shopping basket on wheels.

I have recently got DD one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DOBAVKU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Perhaps I should get something similar for myself.

Doozergirl wrote: »

Lydia, I suggest growing your hair. And a motorbike .

The growing hair thing works. I can even curl
The bottom of my hair and wear a hat, or tie it up at the gym and let it down again. I think the cycle helmet would work for a few miles. If it rains you can alter pattern.

The other option could be running. Probably safer than a bike. Depends on the load you are carrying though. Again, you can always alter your patterns.

Being flexible whilst trying to establish a routine may keep you fit, healthy in mind and body and still allow books to be carried on certain days.

The bus company have altered DD's route for next year after just one year of her being there. It is ridiculous. The benefit is that I have now learned the route that can be shared between public transport and me in the car but makes no sense if you were just looking for a public transport route. PT is less than half the price of the school bus and gives her total freedom (once we've allowed it!). I looked at the public buses servicing school, looked at the routes and a possible meeting place that serves us both for time and ensure she doesn't have to change service - yet.

DS needs to be in a car very quickly after Spetember. Are you in similar position? Perhaps your DS can also help DD out soon? My plan is that DS is self sufficient but will need to help occasionally with DD as a pay-off for the massive insirance premium that I will lumber.

Last time I had a lifestyle that involved cycling to work I had long hair - in my early 20s. I do agree that would solve the helmet hair problem, but sadly I don't have either the face shape or the hair texture for long hair to look good on me. I look best in hair styles that include some body at the sides.

PT is not viable for DD. In the mornings it would mean a journey time of 90 minutes instead of 45. (At that time of the morning it would be about 30 min by car.) To get home after her club, there's one PT route that would take 80 minutes, and another that would only take 55 minutes but include 20min of walking - not something I particularly want her to do alone in the winter when it's dark by the time her club finishes, even if it isn't actually late.

I hadn't thought of getting DS to drive her. He turns 17 in October. I already have a driving instructor picked - a friend of mine - so we'll have to see how quickly he can pass his test.

Of course, by the time the new parking regulations come in, it'll be the end of the academic year, so by the time I need to get to work under the new circumstances, I'll be on next year's timetable. Perhaps the day(s) of the week when I have a later than usual start will not be the day(s) when DD has an after school club.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Eh?

I once sold 3 businesses because I (and customers) couldn't park outside the door.

I walk 3 metres to my car most mornings - and then drive to numerous sites we have and park outside their door, or within 10 metres at most.

The rule of thumb in my industry is 90% of the time "no parking no viability" and the exceptions are ultra-prime city centre sites with parking nearby.

I would refuse a job where onsite parking was not available.

I've always been able to park on site at every previous job too. This job, however, particularly fits my preferences and my skill set professionally, and is only 2-3 miles from home. I'd rather put up with the parking difficulties than work in a job that was a worse fit, or commute further, or live in a different part of the country.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Quite.

Bikes should be banned from roads.

I spend a lot of time in Europe where bikes either have their own lanes (with scooters) or get to use a designated edge of pavements.

Cyclists are closer to pedestrians than cars/trucks in terms of vulnerability and speed so pavements are where they belong.

I agree that the best option is a wide pavement separated into a cycling bit and a walking bit. Much of my journey to work would be a path of that kind that goes along a river.

GDB2222

It's only the safety aspects that would put me off cycling. Sounds like that's not a problem, so a nice cycle ride next to the river seems like a perfect way to get to work!

I don't have enough hair for helmet hair to be a problem for me, so I can only summon up limited sympathy on that score, I'm afraid.

I like the bag on wheels you bought DD. I would have thought a lot depends on how big the wheels are and how easy it is to pull. How do you choose that sort of thing online?

GDB2222

We have to get from London to Bruges for DS's graduation ceremony. Any suggestions for the best way to travel, please? Eurostar to Brussels and then taking a local train is the obvious way to go, but it's surprisingly expensive. Putting the car on the train is a lot cheaper but that leaves me having to drive 200 miles each way, which I don't fancy. Any suggestions gratefully received!

Nikkster

Congratulations Mas!