Search found 2401 matches

by blackbike
11 Sep 2017, 10:37pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Dooring Cyclists
Replies: 22
Views: 6115

Re: Dooring Cyclists

The government is never going to punish motorists severely for anything as drivers have votes.

Riding well away from parked cars is the best solution for dooring.

The government should revise and improve its cycling campaigns to make it very clear to cyclists and motorists that cycling in the middle of the lane is acceptable, legal and sensible.
by blackbike
9 Sep 2017, 6:49pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Religion(sorry)we've been debating politricks and I..
Replies: 167
Views: 7507

Re: Religion(sorry)we've been debating politricks and I..

I don't believe in god.

But I don't mind others doing so.

If people want to believe that Jesus or Allah are gods and that Elijah and Mohammed are their prophets then I don't have a problem with that.

But they have no evidence for their beliefs.

None whatsoever.

And they need to realise that.
by blackbike
9 Sep 2017, 6:39pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Corbyn to be PM within 6 months?
Replies: 353
Views: 19792

Re: Corbyn to be PM within 6 months?

I wish Mr Corbyn well.

As a Conservative voter I am not at all impressed with the party's current performance.

Mr Corbyn is the ideal opponent during difficult times.
by blackbike
9 Sep 2017, 6:34pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'
Replies: 21765
Views: 849517

Re: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'

One day closer to Brexit.

Good to see that a hard Brexit is becoming more inevitable by the day.

I hope the anti-Brexit protesters had a nice day out in London today.
by blackbike
7 Sep 2017, 2:17pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'
Replies: 21765
Views: 849517

Re: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'

kwackers wrote:It was always going to be the case that brexit would be a **** up.
It was always going to be the case that when it was the EU would be blamed, this was always going to be the standard 'get out' clause for supporters of brexit.

The thing is, if you're a supporter of brexit you can't get out of it that easily. You were told the EU wouldn't make it easy, you were told they would need to dissuade other countries from leaving and so we couldn't expect any special treatment.
You were told all this and yet chose to leave so the problem isn't what the EU are doing - it's that you made the decision with the foreknowledge that they would do this and still chose to leave.


Yes we chose to leave.

And we are leaving.

What's the problem?

Do you think people who voted leave expected the EU to accept our decision without disappointment, anger and obstructiveness?

We knew exactly what would happen.

In recent years we have seen how the EU has dealt with referendum decisions it didn't like.

But it has met its match this time.

The British people won't be bullied into reversing their decision.
by blackbike
7 Sep 2017, 2:11pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'
Replies: 21765
Views: 849517

Re: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'

Things are progressing satisfactorily.

It is going to be a hard Brexit.
by blackbike
6 Sep 2017, 7:45pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: In the clear
Replies: 0
Views: 679

In the clear

No grounds for disciplinary action" against former Rotherham Borough Council bosses over abuse scandal

What a surprise.

http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/ne ... _23716.htm
by blackbike
4 Sep 2017, 11:56pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'
Replies: 21765
Views: 849517

Re: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'

German EU bureaucrat calls our Brexit decision stupid.

<b>....in Brussels the influential chief of staff to the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, called the vote for Brexit “stupid”.
Martin Selmayr used a conference in Brussels to say: “Brexit is bad, and it’s a stupid decision.</b>

Wonderful stuff.

Insulting people who disagree with your views is a sure fire way to damage your own cause as both the Remain referendum campaign and Hillary Clinton found out last year.


https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... t-predicts
by blackbike
3 Sep 2017, 6:11pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'
Replies: 21765
Views: 849517

Re: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'

I think the EU's negotiators come across as arrogant and authoritarian.

They should remember they are talking to a country that is walking away from their organisation because its people don't want to remain members, not a country which is in receipt of EU funds and needs to keep Brussels sweet.

To me it is obvious that the EU's staff are simply out of their depth when dealing with people who don't exhibit servility and who don't show them the utmost reverence and respect.

The organisation should hire skilled negotiators who have experience of tough talks between equal partners. Their current people sound like pompous, poor schoolteachers who demand obedience and are appalled and shocked when they don't get it.
by blackbike
3 Sep 2017, 1:43am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Cycling Proficiency Certificate
Replies: 14
Views: 5805

Re: Cycling Proficiency Certificate

My home town in suburban Manchester had a cycle rally for schoolchildren which involved a ride around the area during which you were marked for riding skills and adherence to the highway code.

A splendid metal badge was awarded to people who passed for the first time and a bar was awarded for each subsequent pass.

Many people at my schools wore their cycle rally badges and bars on their school blazers.

The rally ended in the late 70s.

My old primary school now has a tiny bike shed which could hold about 10 bikes. There are rarely more than two in it. The old, large bike shed is now used as parking for two cars, and one of the two playgrounds is used as a car park too.

As well as the old big bike shed the two playgrounds used to be lined with children's bikes. Now there are none.
by blackbike
1 Sep 2017, 9:24pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: It is earnestly to be hoped - we love the Guardian!
Replies: 151
Views: 17462

Re: It is earnestly to be hoped - we love the Guardian!

PDQ Mobile wrote:
blackbike wrote:Not many people love the Guardian.

That's why it asks people for money at the end of every article.

The paper is a vanity publication of a bigger business empire which absorbs its huge losses.

Surprising in some ways, for you have very often posted about the fact that you are a liberal and tolerant person.
I would have said the Guardian is pretty liberal.

Still I guess the Daily Mail offers you some solace.


I am very liberal and tolerant. I'm an easy going type of chap who is never offended and annoyed by what others say just because I don't agree with them. I enjoy a frank and open exchange of views on all topics and I would never seek to inhibit the free speech or free expression of anyone else.

I don't know why you are surprised by my comments in this thread. I was simply pointing out some facts about the Guardian. I haven't criticised it.

The paper is effectively a propaganda sheet for the Scott Trust which can afford to cover the paper's losses using the profits from its other business activities.

I have no problem with that at all. People and organisations are entitled to use their money to push their political opinions and view of the world, and many of them do so.

I disagree with you when you say the Guardian is a liberal publication. In my opinion it is the exact opposite. Its opinion columns are full of articles calling for more state control, legislation, regulation and censorship. The comments made by readers often express contempt for the opinions and abilities of the average person.

That's not my idea of liberal.

The Daily Mail is a profitable publication. I don't pay it a penny.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Trust_Limited

https://www.theguardian.com/the-scott-t ... cott-trust
by blackbike
31 Aug 2017, 5:12pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Some people are more important than....
Replies: 7
Views: 970

Re: Some people are more important than....

TV news is a waste of time.

I rarely watch it because it is dumbed down, slow and dull, obviously aimed at the kind of slow-witted people who watch stuff like EastEnders and cake baking competitions.

I do not need a short video of a person filling a car up with petrol to accompany an item about petrol prices or a clip showing a policeman walking along a street to accompany one about crime.
by blackbike
31 Aug 2017, 5:05pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: downgrading with age.
Replies: 82
Views: 4839

Re: downgrading with age.

I've regressed to 8sp and bar end levers on my road going bikes as they are simple and are compatible with MTB chainsets which give lower gearing more suitable for my age.

There's no point buying the latest stuff when you are older as you go a tiny bit slower every year whatever you buy.

An advantage of getting older is how much longer cycling components last. As a young speedy rider I wore out drive trains too fast, wheels became buckled and spokes broke, luggage racks and mudguards disintegrated and even frames and forks sometimes fractured.

Now I have slowed down these things are not a problem at all.

I still spend heavily to keep my MTBs fully equipped with new XT equipment as slick, reliable gear changing in muddy conditions is still essential even though I am not going fast as in my XC racing days. Cheap road shifting systems are very good but cheaper MTB gears are not up to serious off road use in harsh conditions.
by blackbike
29 Aug 2017, 12:58pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'
Replies: 21765
Views: 849517

Re: ** The Brexit Thread ** - 'Brexit Means Brexit'

reohn2 wrote:But at least we'll have control over our sovereignty :?
The words "shambles" "little" and "england" spring readily to mind.......
Of course some peoples view may differ :?


Mine do.

I think Brexit is wonderful and I see no reason why the UK needs a parliament in two foreign countries to oversee our law making or why we need a foreign court to be the ultimate legal authority in our country.

The vast majority of the world's people live in countries which do not need such foreign interference in their domestic decisions and we are about to rejoin that majority.

Yippee!
by blackbike
27 Aug 2017, 5:41pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Should Nelson be removed from Trafalgar Sqr?
Replies: 34
Views: 2234

Re: Should Nelson be removed from Trafalgar Sqr?

AlaninWales wrote:Whataboutery again! :lol: :lol: :lol: I didn't realise there were so many Trump supporters here, echoing his warped views.



President Trump is quite a popular person.

That's how he got his current job.