I don't like living in England....

[ossie]

It is because I love this country that I expect it to be excellent.
I do not want to live anywhere else, but I am ready to criticise its failings in order to make it better.
It is because some people saw faults in the country that it was improved.
It is worth looking abroad to find out whether other countries do some things better.
For instance, I think we could improve road conditions for cyclists by taking a look at the Netherlands.

Agree. Coming back from the Netherlands / Germany fully loaded into Harwich is a fair reflection of how far we are behind the near continent.
'Beating' into a westerly to get out of town then hitting the 'quiet road / B1414 which in fact is like a race track with the school run mums, blind bends and commuter traffic.

Actually cycling on a daily basis here in the UK is so far removed as to be almost laughable. I get the cycling culture thing in the Netherlands but we could look at Germany. The problem is we are (having lived there in the 70's ) forty years behind. The simple ability to build a road and stick a safe route for cyclists next to it was part of the basics back then. That said there was never a press driven anti cyclist sentiment we see in this country. Any proposals for cyclists tend to be met with vitriol in the local rags and on social media.

[Ben@Forest]

Not having a dig at anyone, just trying to dispel a myth. It was in the Henley constituency. Some folk here seem to think that all Torys are uncaring and mean spirited but the people who did all the good charitable works locally were the Torys....

It's one of those ill-judged presumptions. For some years I worked with a woman who had done and did more for charity anyone I had ever met. And I don't mean giving money generously though I think she did, but giving her time. She did things like cooking Xmas dinners in shelters on Xmas day. Her workload in charity organising and doing was amazing and she had done so for 30 years. I also know that in 2015 she voted for UKIP - charity is not the preserve of those who see themselves on the 'right' side (or should that be left side) of the political spectrum.

[Ben@Forest]

Agree. Coming back from the Netherlands / Germany fully loaded into Harwich is a fair reflection of how far we are behind the near continent.
'Beating' into a westerly to get out of town then hitting the 'quiet road / B1414 which in fact is like a race track with the school run mums, blind bends and commuter traffic.

Actually cycling on a daily basis here in the UK is so far removed as to be almost laughable. I get the cycling culture thing in the Netherlands but we could look at Germany. The problem is we are (having lived there in the 70's ) forty years behind. The simple ability to build a road and stick a safe route for cyclists next to it was part of the basics back then.

This is partly because, in European terms, we have a lot of old roadside hedges, some dating back hundreds or years and some (though not necessarily roadside) dating back as far as the Neolithic. I am looking at a map of European hedge distribution right now which I cannot link, but basically England, Wales and Ireland (not so much Scotland) are massively represented. Places like Normandy and Brittany, parts of the Low Countries and Schleswig- Holstein are also well represented but once you get inland there's very little farm hedging away from the coastal areas of continental Europe.

If you want better cycling provision on small roads you either have to rip out hedges or build cycle lanes on the inside of them which will create more surfaced areas, more CO2 in their building and more disturbance to the ecology of a hedge butting right up against pasture land or the headland of arable land. It depends how much you see the countryside as for your benefit only or other species as well.

And a few years ago on the Women's Tour of Britain a Dutch rider (maybe even the winner?) was asked what she'd liked about the Tour - she said, 'The hedges - I want to take them home.....'. They're excellent against those beating winds......

[Vorpal]

Charity is poor substitute for support.

[Ben@Forest]

Charity is poor substitute for support.

I'd take the RNLI as it is (and the various other volunteer lifeboats) rather than being handed over to government. If it was handed over, there would be a review and any government would tell us they can do it all just as effectively with a third fewer lifeboat stations.

[Mike Sales]

This is partly because, in European terms, we have a lot of old roadside hedges, some dating back hundreds or years and some (though not necessarily roadside) dating back as far as the Neolithic. I am looking at a map of European hedge distribution right now which I cannot link, but basically England, Wales and Ireland (not so much Scotland) are massively represented. Places like Normandy and Brittany, parts of the Low Countries and Schleswig- Holstein are also well represented but once you get inland there's very little farm hedging away from the coastal areas of continental Europe.

If you want better cycling provision on small roads you either have to rip out hedges or build cycle lanes on the inside of them which will create more surfaced areas, more CO2 in their building and more disturbance to the ecology of a hedge butting right up against pasture land or the headland of arable land. It depends how much you see the countryside as for your benefit only or other species as well.

And a few years ago on the Women's Tour of Britain a Dutch rider (maybe even the winner?) was asked what she'd liked about the Tour - she said, 'The hedges - I want to take them home.....'. They're excellent against those beating winds......

So now we know why British cycle facilities are so lacking or useless!
It's hedges!
How does this problem apply to towns and cities?

[Mike Sales]

Charity is poor substitute for support.

I'd take the RNLI as it is (and the various other volunteer lifeboats) rather than being handed over to government. If it was handed over, there would be a review and any government would tell us they can do it all just as effectively with a third fewer lifeboat stations.

It is a pity the NHS is not charity funded then, as medical care was before the NHS began.

[Ben@Forest]

This is partly because, in European terms, we have a lot of old roadside hedges, some dating back hundreds or years and some (though not necessarily roadside) dating back as far as the Neolithic. I am looking at a map of European hedge distribution right now which I cannot link, but basically England, Wales and Ireland (not so much Scotland) are massively represented. Places like Normandy and Brittany, parts of the Low Countries and Schleswig- Holstein are also well represented but once you get inland there's very little farm hedging away from the coastal areas of continental Europe.

If you want better cycling provision on small roads you either have to rip out hedges or build cycle lanes on the inside of them which will create more surfaced areas, more CO2 in their building and more disturbance to the ecology of a hedge butting right up against pasture land or the headland of arable land. It depends how much you see the countryside as for your benefit only or other species as well.

And a few years ago on the Women's Tour of Britain a Dutch rider (maybe even the winner?) was asked what she'd liked about the Tour - she said, 'The hedges - I want to take them home.....'. They're excellent against those beating winds......

So now we know why British cycle facilities are so lacking or useless!
It's hedges!
How does this problem apply to towns and cities?

Err - hence why 'partly because' and If you want better cycling provision on small roads

[Mike Sales]

So now we know why British cycle facilities are so lacking or useless!
It's hedges!
How does this problem apply to towns and cities?

Err - hence why 'partly because' and If you want better cycling provision on small roads

Most cycling is done on roads in towns and cities, and most need for safe facilities is there.

[Mike Sales]

Charity is poor substitute for support.

I'd take the RNLI as it is (and the various other volunteer lifeboats) rather than being handed over to government. If it was handed over, there would be a review and any government would tell us they can do it all just as effectively with a third fewer lifeboat stations.

I sail, and I think that the RNLI is a marvellous institution.
I am sure that the lifeboatmen are thankful that they are backed up by the government funded helicopters when necessary.
Nearly all lifeboatmen are volunteers who work at other jobs. It would be inefficient to have them standing by all the time doing nothing but wait for a shout.
Most other countries have, I believe, publically funded rescue services, usually the coast guard. I have not heard that France or the U.S.A. have poor rescue services.

[Cyril Haearn]

Polls have closed, gunboats are on the way home

I think l people should stop bleating, and learn to love their parentland, flag etc

[Mike Sales]

Charity is poor substitute for support.

There is a saying "As cold as charity".

[Oldjohnw]

Not having a dig at anyone, just trying to dispel a myth. It was in the Henley constituency. Some folk here seem to think that all Torys are uncaring and mean spirited but the people who did all the good charitable works locally were the Torys. A lot of the charitable work was to enrich the lives of the old and least well off, pensioners with a lot of clients from the council estate. Free transport to the local towns and large supermarkets carrying their shopping door to door, hospital visits, pub lunches, garden centre, National Trust properties, seaside, West End Lights, Christmas markets and every month a free afternoon tea in the village hall. The edge of the Chilterns is wonderful countryside and woodland with seas of bluebells at this time of year. You have the Thames to enjoy. 4500 footpaths in the Chilterns and 100s of natural bridleways in unspoit forests. I was sad to leave but had little choice.

Al

I’m not aware of anyone thinking that all tories are uncaring and mean spirited. No doubt some are. Many of us think that our present government is uncaring and mean spirited. It’s such a pity that you are determined to take comments and change them to something they were not. Like saying people didn’t think it wrong for the French to do what they did, but failing, when asked three times, to provide the evidence.

[mjr]

it was their parliament that is threatening to cut off electricity supplies

No, it was one minister, their Sea Minister, who (as normal for France) is not a current MP.

[mjr]

This is partly because, in European terms, we have a lot of old roadside hedges, some dating back hundreds or years and some (though not necessarily roadside) dating back as far as the Neolithic. [...]

So now we know why British cycle facilities are so lacking or useless!
It's hedges!
How does this problem apply to towns and cities?

Err - hence why 'partly because' and If you want better cycling provision on small roads

So if nothing better can be done (such as tarmacked Ray Lane, close one end of the B road and repaint as wide advisory cycle lanes with no centre line) then put the cycleway alongside the A120. They didn't hesitate to flatten the hedges when last widening that. Is it only cyclists who are not allowed to even move hedges in England?

This is what frustrates me about England: it has become a "why you can't do" nation lately, instead of a "can do" country.