Search found 1141 matches

by toontra
26 Mar 2024, 11:31am
Forum: Electrically assisted pedal cycles
Topic: Not pedalling
Replies: 48
Views: 2891

Re: Not pedalling

simonineaston wrote: 26 Mar 2024, 10:41am This all makes for a high risk working environment one way and another.

So think of that next time you’re tempted to order a burger on deliveroo.
In London there have been many cases of delivery riders being mugged and stabbed (sometimes fatally) for their bike/phone/cash. A tough life indeed.
by toontra
26 Mar 2024, 8:40am
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Cycle bus for Angus school
Replies: 2
Views: 170

Cycle bus for Angus school

Good news from Scotland. Newtyle has started a "cycle bus" for kids to get to and from school. Let's hope the idea catches on.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/an ... s-success/
by toontra
25 Mar 2024, 9:18am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Anyone ordered anything from Decathlon lately?
Replies: 12
Views: 717

Re: Anyone ordered anything from Decathlon lately?

I had a similar experience while touring in France. The cassette had come loose. A Decathlon mechanic took off the back wheel, tightened up the cassette & checked everything else was OK. No charge.

Decathlon staff in every branch I've been to are superb - knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. I'm lucky to live within cycling distance of a store so I usually click and collect.
by toontra
21 Mar 2024, 10:55am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: State Pension
Replies: 258
Views: 20664

Re: State Pension

pete75 wrote: 21 Mar 2024, 10:47am It's not benefitting wealthier people, it's not affecting them.
It's increasing the disparity between the wealthy and the poorest - in effect benefiting them comparatively.
by toontra
21 Mar 2024, 10:11am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: State Pension
Replies: 258
Views: 20664

Re: State Pension

pete75 wrote: 21 Mar 2024, 9:40am Do you really think they have any deluded thoughts they may win the next election?
That's not the point. The point is they've brought in tax policies that will benefit themselves and their funders/influencers at the expense of the least well off. It's not a vote-winning exercise - it's a final pay-off to themselves. An incoming government would have to reverse these policies.

Whether the electorate will punish them for it is another question.
by toontra
19 Mar 2024, 6:53pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Just how long will it take to turn this ship around?
Replies: 103
Views: 2923

Re: Just how long will it take to turn this ship around?

reohn2 wrote: 19 Mar 2024, 6:31pm Baroness Jones on the state of the nation and what's caused it in a 4.53minute nutshell:- https://youtu.be/AQx-jWkmWsU?si=tzypsQeMGNjZ7mtM
Sorry for the YT link, but she's spot on!
Very hard to argue with any of that. Succinctly sums up the last 45 years of UK politics - and I include the Blair years in that. Nothing I've heard from Starmer/Reeves gives me any hope that things will improve under a future Labout government - just toying at the edges for fear of antagonising the fat cats - the people actually in charge (of stuffing their own pockets).
by toontra
19 Mar 2024, 3:46pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Should the BBC be privatised?
Replies: 121
Views: 4867

Re: Should the BBC be privatised?

the snail wrote: 19 Mar 2024, 3:25pm
Psamathe wrote: 16 Mar 2024, 5:36pm ...BBC seems an exception where you pay AND still get the ads!

Ian
Netflix do that too.
Ian's talking about "commercial" ads. BBC don't do that.

Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky etc are all revising their no-ad service and either forcing ads on you or charging extra on top of the monthly fee for ad-free.

Let's face it, the future is advertising, ever-increasing amounts and increasingly targeted. That's what tech runs on. The BBC is a relative haven of sanity and I am happy to pay for it.
by toontra
19 Mar 2024, 9:27am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Just how long will it take to turn this ship around?
Replies: 103
Views: 2923

Re: Just how long will it take to turn this ship around?

All the signs are that a Starmer gov, even with a large majority, is going to disappoint those hoping for a major change in UK politics. There are clear signs of a shift away from radical policies (e.g. green agenda) towards the right, and Rachel Reeves is already buttering up and accepting large donations from the usual lobby groups - e.g. gambling.

Combined with the dire financial state that will be inherited, I'm afraid the best that can be hoped for is a change in morality - i.e. fewer dodgy Tory MP's - but not much else.
by toontra
16 Mar 2024, 9:12pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Should the BBC be privatised?
Replies: 121
Views: 4867

Re: Should the BBC be privatised?

I'm not sure you can consider BBC radio in isolation. Without BBC TV the BBC radio stations wouldn't exist.

Personally I don't begrudge the license fee. I'm in the fortunate position of being able to afford it, and I can't ABIDE commercials. I find them insulting to the intelligence to the point I won't watch live commercial TV. I "record" anything I want to watch so I can FF through the ads.

I've enjoyed and learnt so much from BBC radio over the years that I suffer the promos without too much bother. They are in a totally different league to the utter dross you're subjected to on commercial radio.
by toontra
16 Mar 2024, 12:20pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Should the BBC be privatised?
Replies: 121
Views: 4867

Re: Should the BBC be privatised?

Psamathe wrote: 16 Mar 2024, 12:09pm Ads (of any type) are of no interest to me so makes no different if those ads are for perfume, washing powder or other completely different genre broadcast programs.
True - and annoying. But with commercial broadcasters you get all this self-promotion stuff plus the paid ads.

On ITV the average length of a programme occupying a half-hour TV slot seems to be around 23/4 minutes. That's a lot of rubbish to have to sit through. The BBC fares a lot better in this respect - just a couple of promos at the start and then unbroken viewing.
by toontra
16 Mar 2024, 12:09pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Witnessing the end of the NHS
Replies: 213
Views: 18567

Re: Witnessing the end of the NHS

Same here (London). Was told a painful growth on the underside of my big toe is probably a large verruca - go and see a private chiropodist. It's been there for 8 months now and I've tried every kind of DIY remedy. From what I can establish this is likely to require several treatments and cost several hundred pounds.

This is on the back of paying for private surgery for an inguinal hernia which was growing at an alarming rate and causing significant pain and preventing me from doing any kind of exercise or manual work. NHS waiting list? - 12-18 months.
Cost - £4,300

I've been paying for all dental work for many years.

I'm of pension age yet seem to be paying for all my recent medical requirements myself.

What NHS?
by toontra
15 Mar 2024, 2:34pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Noisy freehub - quieten with grease?
Replies: 35
Views: 1481

Re: Noisy freehub - quieten with grease?

Took the springs & pawls out and gave everything a good clean. I was right in that they looked never to have been serviced since new - horrible dark gritty stuff. Reassembled using a moderate quantity of Superlube grease as recommended above and happy to report a vast improvement. I'd say the noise is reduced by 30%, to the point where it's tolerable. Engagement still seems instant. A few road tests at freezing and below temperatures should confirm there is no risk of sticking.

Thanks for all the advice!
by toontra
15 Mar 2024, 9:34am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Non-standard Bikes on Trains
Replies: 32
Views: 1391

Re: Non-standard Bikes on Trains

It really beggars belief that they introduced these carriages which will be with us on many inter-city services for decades hence.

Useless for non-standard / wide-tired / wide handlebar and carbon-rim wheel bikes. If you're lucky enough to have a bike that actually fits over the hook you then have the physical task of getting it up there, which will also rule out many people.

Not to mention the distinct possibility of the locker being full of luggage or another bike already there that takes up too much space, or bikes without reservations taking in your slot.

Then the problem I often face of a bike being already on the "inner" space but no ticket showing where they're getting off. What do you do? Put yours on the outside and hope you get off before them or risk someone man-handling your bike so they can get theirs out?

One can only assume that the system was designed either to:

1) Take up the absolute minimum possible space for economic reasons

2) Positively deter people taking bikes on trains

Or most likely a combination of the two..
by toontra
14 Mar 2024, 7:51pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54865

Re: The "Royals" Thread

Pebble wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 6:23pm If you want to pick on someone, have a pop at Katie here, could this be the 345th time she has been caught without a licence?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/a ... rance.html
No one seems to be complaining that her appearance and photos may have been altered, a lot
Forgive me for not wanting to click on a link to the (Kate-worshiping, Megan-demonising) Daily Mail, but I assume you're referring to Katie Price. Not sure how that relates to what we're talking about.
by toontra
14 Mar 2024, 6:02pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54865

Re: The "Royals" Thread

thirdcrank wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 5:59pm Just to show I'm paying attention, I'll mention that I think you meant to write "veracity."
Indeed :lol: