@tomthetortoise.bsky.social
"Adding friction" isn't the same as forcing people to stop. It can just be removing support that was being given e.g. free on-street parking. Or making the car route the indirect one & public transport/cycling the direct options.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
November 24, 2025 at 10:31 AM
"Adding friction" isn't the same as forcing people to stop. It can just be removing support that was being given e.g. free on-street parking. Or making the car route the indirect one & public transport/cycling the direct options.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
Yes, it's really silly. And as the national living wage has increased it has ironically affected more people, even just with pension contributions before they can even think of C2W.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
November 21, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Yes, it's really silly. And as the national living wage has increased it has ironically affected more people, even just with pension contributions before they can even think of C2W.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
Many people in full-time work can't use the scheme too because of the silly rules about salary sacrifice: you have to earn national living wage after the deductions (and your pension deductions). That needs quite a food salary.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
November 21, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Many people in full-time work can't use the scheme too because of the silly rules about salary sacrifice: you have to earn national living wage after the deductions (and your pension deductions). That needs quite a food salary.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
The car club in Norwich definitely gets special treatment with where the designated bays are. And whilst it may work in your home city where you're all signed up and know the system what happens when you visit somewhere else?
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
November 20, 2025 at 9:46 AM
The car club in Norwich definitely gets special treatment with where the designated bays are. And whilst it may work in your home city where you're all signed up and know the system what happens when you visit somewhere else?
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
They can help people avoid owning cars altogether though, by covering odd occasions when one is useful, which has a lot of benefits. It's a bit like a car club but with somebody else doing the driving.
November 19, 2025 at 10:41 PM
They can help people avoid owning cars altogether though, by covering odd occasions when one is useful, which has a lot of benefits. It's a bit like a car club but with somebody else doing the driving.
Yes but you can tackle that by rules about the kind of bikes people can buy rather than the value, so a £7k cargo cycle that can carry two children and shopping would be allowed but a £7k carbon fibre racing bike totally impractical for commuting would not.
November 18, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Yes but you can tackle that by rules about the kind of bikes people can buy rather than the value, so a £7k cargo cycle that can carry two children and shopping would be allowed but a £7k carbon fibre racing bike totally impractical for commuting would not.
Or compared to fuel duty cuts and freezes, which benefit affluent people who drive more in bigger cars.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
November 18, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Or compared to fuel duty cuts and freezes, which benefit affluent people who drive more in bigger cars.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
And amazingly some people will drive miles and miles to reach a leisure activity and feel that this journey is somehow more important than somebody riding a cycle for leisure, because they are "trying to get somewhere" and the cyclist is just out enjoying themselves.
November 15, 2025 at 3:14 PM
And amazingly some people will drive miles and miles to reach a leisure activity and feel that this journey is somehow more important than somebody riding a cycle for leisure, because they are "trying to get somewhere" and the cyclist is just out enjoying themselves.
Things like the energy price cap and fuel duty cuts/subsidies can also disproportionately benefit the "middle class" because they use more fuel and energy. It seems there is much more anger when Green policies aren't as progressive as we'd like than there is with polluting policies.
November 14, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Things like the energy price cap and fuel duty cuts/subsidies can also disproportionately benefit the "middle class" because they use more fuel and energy. It seems there is much more anger when Green policies aren't as progressive as we'd like than there is with polluting policies.
And the techno fixes don't even work with domestic gas boilers, so even if we get limitless clean nuclear power, we'll still need to electrify domestic heating.
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
And the techno fixes don't even work with domestic gas boilers, so even if we get limitless clean nuclear power, we'll still need to electrify domestic heating.
A similar thing to me is saying "We want people to be able to drive when they need to but have the choice to cycle when they can." So many good cycling advocates still talk about driving as a "need" and cycling as a "choice" when it can often be the only realistic option for people.
November 8, 2025 at 2:15 PM
A similar thing to me is saying "We want people to be able to drive when they need to but have the choice to cycle when they can." So many good cycling advocates still talk about driving as a "need" and cycling as a "choice" when it can often be the only realistic option for people.
And there are practical reasons as well as financial ones some people can't have a car/drive such as parking, all the maintenance and documentation to arrange, and being able to even access the places you need to (e.g. narrow roads and paths).
November 8, 2025 at 2:01 PM
And there are practical reasons as well as financial ones some people can't have a car/drive such as parking, all the maintenance and documentation to arrange, and being able to even access the places you need to (e.g. narrow roads and paths).
What we really need in the world is "AI peas with added protein."
Probably added pea protein 😉
Probably added pea protein 😉
November 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM
What we really need in the world is "AI peas with added protein."
Probably added pea protein 😉
Probably added pea protein 😉
One small mercy is that Land Rover have at least made them relatively rounded. The motorcycle equivalent, the BMW GS, has big square section aluminium panniers to add on with very nasty looking corners and even nastier looking hooks to strap stuff on with, but a nice rounded cutout for the exhaust.
November 5, 2025 at 12:53 PM
One small mercy is that Land Rover have at least made them relatively rounded. The motorcycle equivalent, the BMW GS, has big square section aluminium panniers to add on with very nasty looking corners and even nastier looking hooks to strap stuff on with, but a nice rounded cutout for the exhaust.
It's to resemble racks that used to bolt to the sides of old Defenders and "Series" Land Rovers (forerunner to them) to carry extra fuel cans etc. on expeditions across deserts etc.
November 5, 2025 at 12:50 PM
It's to resemble racks that used to bolt to the sides of old Defenders and "Series" Land Rovers (forerunner to them) to carry extra fuel cans etc. on expeditions across deserts etc.
It depends on the trip, but always involves coffee. And I'd never tour on a bike I couldn't ride to work on. In fact, there is something nice about going away on your day-to-day workhorse bike.
November 4, 2025 at 4:14 PM
It depends on the trip, but always involves coffee. And I'd never tour on a bike I couldn't ride to work on. In fact, there is something nice about going away on your day-to-day workhorse bike.
I grew up in the very, very Consetvative Salisbury and it had a blanket 20 limit across the whole centre by 2003. It often amuses me when new 20 limits are now considered woke and leftist.
November 4, 2025 at 8:14 AM
I grew up in the very, very Consetvative Salisbury and it had a blanket 20 limit across the whole centre by 2003. It often amuses me when new 20 limits are now considered woke and leftist.
This is why I found the car-brained objections to the new HC so remarkable. It was basically applying "traffic on the major toad gets priority" regardless of travel mode.
November 1, 2025 at 3:36 PM
This is why I found the car-brained objections to the new HC so remarkable. It was basically applying "traffic on the major toad gets priority" regardless of travel mode.
That's cool. I was just impressed enough that Dutch crossings had a big pad you could nudge with your elbow to activate them rather than poking a little button (not great for accessibility or when carrying heavy bags). And they didn't make you wait again to cross the second side of the road.
November 1, 2025 at 3:33 PM
That's cool. I was just impressed enough that Dutch crossings had a big pad you could nudge with your elbow to activate them rather than poking a little button (not great for accessibility or when carrying heavy bags). And they didn't make you wait again to cross the second side of the road.
That's not the full cost by any means though: Breckland are giving them a ready-built freehold car park. The actual overall costs would be massively more, especially when you include opportunity costs e.g. not being able to build housing, businesses, or anything there.
October 31, 2025 at 10:08 AM
That's not the full cost by any means though: Breckland are giving them a ready-built freehold car park. The actual overall costs would be massively more, especially when you include opportunity costs e.g. not being able to build housing, businesses, or anything there.
The phrase they need is "Is that a Brompton? I've been thinking of getting one myself." It will all flow from there.
October 27, 2025 at 9:49 AM
The phrase they need is "Is that a Brompton? I've been thinking of getting one myself." It will all flow from there.
We so need these in Norwich.
October 24, 2025 at 8:01 AM
We so need these in Norwich.
I'd settle for when they stopped spending money on miles of armaco barriers to stop drivers crashing into each other or inanimate objects 😉
October 22, 2025 at 4:12 PM
I'd settle for when they stopped spending money on miles of armaco barriers to stop drivers crashing into each other or inanimate objects 😉
It removes the easy planning objection of "not enough parking" is what they really mean. Which gets used almost universally because it is basically impossible to build sensible, livable housing with enough parking if everyone drives everywhere.
October 22, 2025 at 2:44 PM
It removes the easy planning objection of "not enough parking" is what they really mean. Which gets used almost universally because it is basically impossible to build sensible, livable housing with enough parking if everyone drives everywhere.
It's actually illegal already to leave your bin out in a way that obstructs the pavement, or to leave them out long after collection. Councils can issue penalties, albeit through a long process (www.gov.uk/guidance/hou...).
Of course many of us are concerned about both.
Of course many of us are concerned about both.
Household waste bins: when and how councils may issue fixed penalties
How and when local authorities can and cannot use fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for householders not complying with waste receptacle requirements.
www.gov.uk
October 21, 2025 at 8:51 AM
It's actually illegal already to leave your bin out in a way that obstructs the pavement, or to leave them out long after collection. Councils can issue penalties, albeit through a long process (www.gov.uk/guidance/hou...).
Of course many of us are concerned about both.
Of course many of us are concerned about both.