Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 10h

I would dispute the notion that few incidents have occurred. STATS19 data show that a lot of people have been hurt in recent years, a fair number seriously. bikedata.cyclestreets.net/collisions:f...

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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 12h

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Petition: Raise fuel duty in line with inflation to raise income for critical services

In 2000 fuel duty on petrol was 49p/litre. Since then, it has not risen with inflation, and currently sits at 53p/litre. We believe raising the duty to 93p/litre would raise significant revenue for th...

petition.parliament.uk

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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 1d

I saw this while scrolling and mentally processed it as a distorted cartoon depicting #Trump.

Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 1d

There can be no peace until there is a meaningful investigation into war crimes, whosoever committed them.

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Bob Downie @geomannie.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 2d

I'm just returning from a trip to #brussels. We found walking a pleasure as at virtually every junction was served by Zebra crossings. Vehicle drivers were very good at giving way to those on foot. The #uk doesn't have such crossings & the default is for […]

[Original post on mastodon.scot]

Urban street crossroads with painted Zebra crossings at each entry point.

Another urban street crossroads with painted Zebra crossings at each entry point.

Yet another urban street crossroads with painted Zebra crossings at each entry point.

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Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 2d

My colleagues & I have taken a huge gamble to set up @thenerve.news We’re trying to build a new independent publication from the ground up. Social media is our only distribution for now.

Sharing this article in your networks would make a huge difference. Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏

Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 3d

NEW: The British politician, his Russian intelligence handler & a Kremlin plot against the US & Ukraine.

My new piece about Nathan Gill and Nigel Farage for @thenerve_news in which we ask:

Why, even now, is no-one asking questions?

t.co/BUTtpK9C4S

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Kit Yates @kityates.bsky.social · 7d

Bit niche I think, but apparently this parking spot is reserved for female rock climbers.

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Rhianna Pratchett @rhi.bsky.social · 8d

Dad’s books are full of empathy, common sense, and a healthy suspicion of the powerful. But at its heart his work is also about how systems keep people poor while pretending it’s their own fault. So I hope Kemi’s taking notes as well as reading the jokes.

Paul Haine @paulhaine.bsky.social · 8d

Kemi Badenoch claiming Terry Pratchett as her favourite author is wild

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Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com · 10d

When newly-elected Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson started converting car lanes to bike lanes in 2009, pundits claimed it was political suicide. In 2018, he stepped down after three terms as the longest-serving mayor in the city's history. So what can this tale teach us about so-called "bikelash"?🧵

People of all ages and abilities ride bicycles on protected cycling infrastructure on the streets of Downtown Vancouver.

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road.cc @roadcc.bsky.social · 12d

Norwich Cycling Campaign claimed the sentence was evidence that "...killing a cyclist through distraction does not carry meaningful consequences."

"Distracted driving is deadly, and sentencing must reflect that reality": Driver who killed cyclist on dual carriageway after "flurry" of phone activity avoids jail

Shayne Hill was given a 12-month suspended jail term and a 12-month driving ban by Judge Anthony Bate after admitted death by careless driving in the 2022 incident that took Cheryl Tye's life

road.cc

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 13d

But I Am A Free Man On Sunday, painting by Clare Allan. Footpath leading to Kinder Scout, inspired by the 1932 Mass Trespass. #WomensArt #NorthernArt

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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 14d

I have watched his bit and the bit after Kuenssberg asks the question about 20 times and my ribs hurt.

Janey, Janey, Janey, still making me laugh from beyond.

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Jon Owen @anotherjon.bsky.social · 13d

"[Here's] everything you need to know about George Cottrell, and why - if you want the best for this country - how politics is funded really, really matters."

Alan Fresco @alanf.bsky.social · 14d

Another one of Farage's confidantes turns out to be a crook.

evolvepolitics.substack.com/p/nigel-fara...

Nigel Farage's key Fundraising Advisor is a convicted fraudster who's writing a book called 'How to Launder Money'

Farage's key advisor has a vast repertoire of misdemeanours to his name - including a criminal conviction for fraud, and involvement in organisations that broke electoral law during Brexit.

evolvepolitics.substack.com

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John Cusack @johncusack.bsky.social · 14d

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Bob Downie @geomannie.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 14d

1/n
Our group did a cool 120km cycle from Perth to #glasgow yesterday, taking in the locally famous 350m top over the Crow Road, unfortunately in heavy cloud and a stiff headwind. Using an early morning train is a great way to get yourself into new territory […]

[Original post on mastodon.scot]

Route map of A section of central Scotland showing path from Perth to Glasgow

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Dashed Lines @dashed-lines.bsky.social · 16d

Consultations in Glasgow and around Strathclyde - a write-up I did for @gobikeglasgow.bsky.social:
www.gobike.org/consultation...

Consultations: September 2025

Here’s a list of consultations going on in Glasgow and around Strathclyde (and one we missed…).

www.gobike.org

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Jon Owen @anotherjon.bsky.social · 16d

"Once hundreds of millions of people have died and the world’s started ending because of the fumes it’ll all be normal."

#motonormativity

Stephen Collins @stephencollins.bsky.social · 16d

Carl Benz has an idea

[Scene is a 19th century drawing room with a sign outside saying TRANSPORT INVENTORS CLUB. Inside, the German Engineer KARL BENZ is addressing a meeting of gentlemen about his new transport idea]

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KARL BENZ:
OK guys - you’re gonna love this

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KARL BENZ:
So it’s like, a box made of metal that goes at up to 120 miles an hour, yeah?

[Karl shows them a diagram of a car]

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KARL BENZ:
And your drive it down one side of the road, and the boxes going the other way go on the opposite side, so we don’t need to build two roads!

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OTHER GUY:
What’s down the middle?

KARL BENZ:
A white line.

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OTHER GUY:
So like, a white barrier…

KARL BENZ:
No a white line. Drawn on the floor.

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OTHER GUY:
And who’s piloting these machines?

KARL BENZ:
I was thinking: random members of the public.

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[Pause, the other guys all look with concern at Karl]

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OTHER GUY:
Karl are you OK

KARL BENZ:
No listen it’s fine

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OTHER GUY:
You know we’re worried about you, don’t you?

KARL BENZ:
No really it’ll work -

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KARL BENZ:
Once hundreds of millions of people have died and the world’s started ending because of the fumes it’ll all be normal.

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OTHER GUY:
Is that normal like the ‘commuter travel device’ you brought in last week which was just…

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OTHER GUY:
…an iron maiden fired from a catapult?

[The other guy displays a diagram of an iron maiden being fired from a catapult]

KARL BENZ:
THAT WOULD’VE WORKED!

[ends]

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Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 17d

“When you consider the ecocide alongside the genocide, you begin to grasp the totality of the Israeli state’s attempt to eliminate both the Palestinians & their homeland”

Hugely powerful from @georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Israel’s ecocide in Gaza sends this message: even if we stopped dropping bombs, you couldn’t live here | George Monbiot

Consider the annihilation of agricultural land alongside the genocide – and grasp the chilling totality of this attempt to eliminate all life, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

www.theguardian.com

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Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · 19d

A mass walkout of the UN General Assembly as Netanyahu prepares to speak.

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Good Law Project @goodlawproject.bsky.social · 19d

🚨 NEW: Starmer’s desperate rush for digital IDs is a recipe for repression

ID cards won’t reduce migration and will put trans rights at risk. But that’s not the biggest cost of Starmer’s half-baked scheme...
https://goodlaw.social/sa9h

Starmer’s desperate rush for digital IDs is a recipe for repression

ID cards won’t reduce migration and will put trans rights at risk. But that’s not the biggest cost of Starmer’s half-baked scheme, says Cat MacLean.

goodlaw.social

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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 19d

FFS
"True patriotism means choosing renewal for the common good rather than stoking grievances and seeking to divide."

Yup, that's him secured the #Scottish, #Welsh & #NI votes....

This is a full-on address/capitulation to would-be Reform voters. Well done. Is there an emoji for a slow hand clap?

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New-Cleckit Dominie @ncdominie.bsky.social · 20d

Quite an achievement by the BBC to write about this ash without mentioning the single most remarkable thing about it, which is that it's the last survivor of a row of trees that were there as early as 1857.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Tree of the Year honour for Glasgow's Argyle Street Ash

The tree defeated nine other contenders in a public vote to win the annual prize.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 20d

A very laudable goal for this fantastic volunteer run site. Please support if you can.

The Govan Stones @govanstones.bsky.social · 22d

🎉 We've hit 10,000 Facebook followers!

💲 Please help us raise £10,000 of crucial funding - Just £1 per follower would get us to our goal.

Thank you all so much for following, and for any donation you can make!

tghts.enthuse.com/cf/graveyard...

Graveyard Guardians: showcasing Govan's Archaeology and Natural Heritage

Govan Heritage Trust is hoping you can help us raise £10,000 for a project that will transform the future of the Govan Stones and Govan Old. We're raising money for a 2-year initiative that will showc

tghts.enthuse.com

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LadyFluffyOrca 📎 🇵🇸🇬🇧🇺🇦 @ladyfluffyorca.bsky.social · 28d

This is the best yet 😹😹😹

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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · Sep 15

A point I have made consistently about the roundabout that has the highest cycle casualty rate in all of #Glasgow
"motorway junction-style flares encourage drivers to maintain high speeds rather than slow down"
glasgowcycleman.wordpress.com/2022/11/08/d...

Deconstructing the Auldhouse Roundabout: Cycle Collisions 1999-2020

or Do You Feel Lucky Punk? It doesn’t need saying that cycling will always have its safety uncertainties and I wouldn’t usually focus on one particular bit of road infrastructure. All the same I ta…

glasgowcycleman.wordpress.com

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