Sam Wakeling
@samwake.bsky.social
Loves streets. Make them safe. Set them free. Sheffield. Abolition.
Works at Living Streets.
Free free 🍉
🔗 sam.wakeling.me
Works at Living Streets.
Free free 🍉
🔗 sam.wakeling.me
The more you have, the less you know it.
The only people more likely than not to understand where their income places them in the UK distribution are those with incomes in the lowest fifth.
The only people more likely than not to understand where their income places them in the UK distribution are those with incomes in the lowest fifth.
November 26, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The more you have, the less you know it.
The only people more likely than not to understand where their income places them in the UK distribution are those with incomes in the lowest fifth.
The only people more likely than not to understand where their income places them in the UK distribution are those with incomes in the lowest fifth.
For a century people being endangered on our roads have been told they are the problem.
This from 1927.
This from 1927.
November 26, 2025 at 2:56 PM
For a century people being endangered on our roads have been told they are the problem.
This from 1927.
This from 1927.
Waymo say safety is urgent.
What if they’re right?
How to reduce road danger as fast as we can? So many things we could do, with trivial tech we have now:
Speed limiters
Lower speed limits
Remove cut-through traffic (LTNs)
Retrofit safer road design.
Faster, cheaper and simpler than promised AVs
What if they’re right?
How to reduce road danger as fast as we can? So many things we could do, with trivial tech we have now:
Speed limiters
Lower speed limits
Remove cut-through traffic (LTNs)
Retrofit safer road design.
Faster, cheaper and simpler than promised AVs
November 26, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Waymo say safety is urgent.
What if they’re right?
How to reduce road danger as fast as we can? So many things we could do, with trivial tech we have now:
Speed limiters
Lower speed limits
Remove cut-through traffic (LTNs)
Retrofit safer road design.
Faster, cheaper and simpler than promised AVs
What if they’re right?
How to reduce road danger as fast as we can? So many things we could do, with trivial tech we have now:
Speed limiters
Lower speed limits
Remove cut-through traffic (LTNs)
Retrofit safer road design.
Faster, cheaper and simpler than promised AVs
This is the only glacier I’ve been lucky enough to see in person. In 2010 it still reached around the corner.
November 24, 2025 at 10:25 AM
This is the only glacier I’ve been lucky enough to see in person. In 2010 it still reached around the corner.
Good morning to everyone using the A57 in Sheffield this minute:
17 cars
31 pedestrians
17 cars
31 pedestrians
November 21, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Good morning to everyone using the A57 in Sheffield this minute:
17 cars
31 pedestrians
17 cars
31 pedestrians
Sheffield city centre from the 9th floor 🌈
November 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Sheffield city centre from the 9th floor 🌈
“When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist”
November 19, 2025 at 10:26 PM
“When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist”
The traffic capacity might be reduced somewhat (though left turning should get easier flow) but given the amount of collisions that happen here, safety comes first, right?
(And reducing peak traffic capacity on the ring road should have benefits of reducing pollution and noise by limiting demand)
(And reducing peak traffic capacity on the ring road should have benefits of reducing pollution and noise by limiting demand)
November 19, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The traffic capacity might be reduced somewhat (though left turning should get easier flow) but given the amount of collisions that happen here, safety comes first, right?
(And reducing peak traffic capacity on the ring road should have benefits of reducing pollution and noise by limiting demand)
(And reducing peak traffic capacity on the ring road should have benefits of reducing pollution and noise by limiting demand)
A quick experiment to see how Sheffield’s notoriously dangerous University Square roundabout might be made less terrifying - to drive on.
All arms get a direct left turn still, while the circulation is brought to one lane. Except the NW Walkley arm, exits don’t need any merging.
What do you think?
All arms get a direct left turn still, while the circulation is brought to one lane. Except the NW Walkley arm, exits don’t need any merging.
What do you think?
November 19, 2025 at 10:35 AM
A quick experiment to see how Sheffield’s notoriously dangerous University Square roundabout might be made less terrifying - to drive on.
All arms get a direct left turn still, while the circulation is brought to one lane. Except the NW Walkley arm, exits don’t need any merging.
What do you think?
All arms get a direct left turn still, while the circulation is brought to one lane. Except the NW Walkley arm, exits don’t need any merging.
What do you think?
Mundane pedestrian grimness of the day: the main pedestrian route between Hillsborough centre, bus station, council drop-in centre etc, and the Jobcentre (I’m standing by the door).
Across a sprawling petrol station forecourt and no footway or dropped kerb.
Across a sprawling petrol station forecourt and no footway or dropped kerb.
November 18, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Mundane pedestrian grimness of the day: the main pedestrian route between Hillsborough centre, bus station, council drop-in centre etc, and the Jobcentre (I’m standing by the door).
Across a sprawling petrol station forecourt and no footway or dropped kerb.
Across a sprawling petrol station forecourt and no footway or dropped kerb.
Today we remember, with people around the world, those who have been lost to road violence and those whose lives have been changed forever.
#WDR2025
#WDR2025
November 16, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Today we remember, with people around the world, those who have been lost to road violence and those whose lives have been changed forever.
#WDR2025
#WDR2025
Look behind you?
“Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for luxury leisure.” Says govt source.
Will that apply to the £4bn a year in fuel duty freeze costs, which go to drivers on the highest incomes the most?
“Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for luxury leisure.” Says govt source.
Will that apply to the £4bn a year in fuel duty freeze costs, which go to drivers on the highest incomes the most?
November 13, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Look behind you?
“Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for luxury leisure.” Says govt source.
Will that apply to the £4bn a year in fuel duty freeze costs, which go to drivers on the highest incomes the most?
“Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for luxury leisure.” Says govt source.
Will that apply to the £4bn a year in fuel duty freeze costs, which go to drivers on the highest incomes the most?
As Cop30 again talks about 1.5C, here in Sheffield we haven’t failed to meet this “ambitious goal”.
Our decision makers refuse to even try.
When declaring an emergency, they did not set any target to meet 1.5C.
Our much more destructive carbon budget pathway is also being increasingly missed.
Our decision makers refuse to even try.
When declaring an emergency, they did not set any target to meet 1.5C.
Our much more destructive carbon budget pathway is also being increasingly missed.
November 10, 2025 at 12:00 PM
As Cop30 again talks about 1.5C, here in Sheffield we haven’t failed to meet this “ambitious goal”.
Our decision makers refuse to even try.
When declaring an emergency, they did not set any target to meet 1.5C.
Our much more destructive carbon budget pathway is also being increasingly missed.
Our decision makers refuse to even try.
When declaring an emergency, they did not set any target to meet 1.5C.
Our much more destructive carbon budget pathway is also being increasingly missed.
Clocks changing for winter is sometimes thought to be better for children having light to go to school in the mornings.
Perhaps it would be more valuable to keep better light in evenings. Children don’t just go straight to and from school. They play and get injured by traffic after school.
Perhaps it would be more valuable to keep better light in evenings. Children don’t just go straight to and from school. They play and get injured by traffic after school.
October 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Clocks changing for winter is sometimes thought to be better for children having light to go to school in the mornings.
Perhaps it would be more valuable to keep better light in evenings. Children don’t just go straight to and from school. They play and get injured by traffic after school.
Perhaps it would be more valuable to keep better light in evenings. Children don’t just go straight to and from school. They play and get injured by traffic after school.
Seen in a hospital.
Possibly a parable in here somewhere.
What do we plug into essential or non essential?
Possibly a parable in here somewhere.
What do we plug into essential or non essential?
October 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Seen in a hospital.
Possibly a parable in here somewhere.
What do we plug into essential or non essential?
Possibly a parable in here somewhere.
What do we plug into essential or non essential?
📕 With all that’s going on, I just want to share this act of craft and care.
A second-hand book seller seems to have made a one-off perfect easy-open wrapper by turning an old box of cat food pouches inside-out and shaping it around the book.
A second-hand book seller seems to have made a one-off perfect easy-open wrapper by turning an old box of cat food pouches inside-out and shaping it around the book.
October 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
📕 With all that’s going on, I just want to share this act of craft and care.
A second-hand book seller seems to have made a one-off perfect easy-open wrapper by turning an old box of cat food pouches inside-out and shaping it around the book.
A second-hand book seller seems to have made a one-off perfect easy-open wrapper by turning an old box of cat food pouches inside-out and shaping it around the book.
Quite a contrast between the British walk to school and the one in Czech Republic.
What differences do you notice?
What differences do you notice?
October 6, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Quite a contrast between the British walk to school and the one in Czech Republic.
What differences do you notice?
What differences do you notice?
Whose streets? Their streets.
October 1, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Whose streets? Their streets.
Great interview on how little children’s needs and play are considered in govt.
I’m reminded of the council playgrounds near us having the swings removed during lockdown. Some didn’t return for months or years.
While car parking which obstructed social distancing was barely touched.
I’m reminded of the council playgrounds near us having the swings removed during lockdown. Some didn’t return for months or years.
While car parking which obstructed social distancing was barely touched.
October 1, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Great interview on how little children’s needs and play are considered in govt.
I’m reminded of the council playgrounds near us having the swings removed during lockdown. Some didn’t return for months or years.
While car parking which obstructed social distancing was barely touched.
I’m reminded of the council playgrounds near us having the swings removed during lockdown. Some didn’t return for months or years.
While car parking which obstructed social distancing was barely touched.
2024 road crash data is out and I looked at child injuries in Sheffield.
56 children were seriously injured on Sheffield roads last year, higher than other recent years.
maps.dft.gov.uk/road-casualt...
56 children were seriously injured on Sheffield roads last year, higher than other recent years.
maps.dft.gov.uk/road-casualt...
September 29, 2025 at 9:35 AM
2024 road crash data is out and I looked at child injuries in Sheffield.
56 children were seriously injured on Sheffield roads last year, higher than other recent years.
maps.dft.gov.uk/road-casualt...
56 children were seriously injured on Sheffield roads last year, higher than other recent years.
maps.dft.gov.uk/road-casualt...
I visited Dudley and crossed this large junction, designed as hostile to human life (30mph, no crossings, many lanes, barriers), I felt very unsafe.
Later I learned that in 2023 a “woman in her 70s” (no other public reporting) was killed crossing here.
It’s still just the same.
Who’s next?
Later I learned that in 2023 a “woman in her 70s” (no other public reporting) was killed crossing here.
It’s still just the same.
Who’s next?
September 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
I visited Dudley and crossed this large junction, designed as hostile to human life (30mph, no crossings, many lanes, barriers), I felt very unsafe.
Later I learned that in 2023 a “woman in her 70s” (no other public reporting) was killed crossing here.
It’s still just the same.
Who’s next?
Later I learned that in 2023 a “woman in her 70s” (no other public reporting) was killed crossing here.
It’s still just the same.
Who’s next?
More detail and updates to 2025 are here:
ourworldindata.org/grapher/date...
ourworldindata.org/grapher/date...
September 22, 2025 at 7:47 PM
More detail and updates to 2025 are here:
ourworldindata.org/grapher/date...
ourworldindata.org/grapher/date...
I wrote about the place of our streets in conflict and making peace.
World day of peace is 21 Sept.
sam.wakeling.me/posts/peace-...
World day of peace is 21 Sept.
sam.wakeling.me/posts/peace-...
September 20, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I wrote about the place of our streets in conflict and making peace.
World day of peace is 21 Sept.
sam.wakeling.me/posts/peace-...
World day of peace is 21 Sept.
sam.wakeling.me/posts/peace-...