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^^^ that, and getting rid of apps like facebook, twitter etc, and any apps that rely on advertising, and eventually deleting accounts that aren't healthy (facebook in particular).
This worked for me and i think i have the balance about right.
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^^ +1 for grayscale. I made that change some time ago and it made a big difference. It helped managed usage - I still think I benefit from a smartphone (compared to not having one), but with grayscale it feels more like a useful tool than a wasteful obsession.
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^ well usually the aims are to eliminate rat running (i.e. no motor through traffic) and disincentivise local resident car trips in favour of walking or cycling.
A v v quick look and this appears to work around odessa. I'm sceptical of one way streets in principle but I presume they will be one way except cycles. And it should only be local car/van traffic using those one way streets north of you.
If you don't drive you'll probably find this is great.
If you do drive and cycle you'll also probably find it great. It will mean your house is still accessible by car but the route(s) you take will change and will become much more limited - via dames road only.
Reducing local residents' car access and "mobility" is the contraversial bit. Your neighbours who drive but don't cycle will kick off at having more inconvenience added to their already stressful driving environment in London. They will say car trips will be displaced to other roads making congestion worse and they will say their car trips will get longer and therefore they will be polluting the neighbourhood more. All their complaints will miss the point that because road capacity for cars will decrease and car trips will be disincentivised, then overall trip making will change and there will be more walk and cycle trips as a result of the scheme.
I can show you around Islingtons low traffic neighbourhoods if you ever around quietway 2 around the canal east of Angel - St Peters LTN and Canonbury East LTN
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Sorry to hear about your accident and hope you get back on a ride soon.
But no rush. I took a bad fall in a similar way a few years ago, and after three months of crutches I found i enjoyed a slower pace - not all the time, mostly on shorter rides round town - so as part of my recovery i ended up getting this bike out of the shed and found i really enjoyed it inbetween longer rides https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/313211/#comment13956369
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It means there's no longer any through-routes within the traffic cell bordered by southgate, baring, new n, essex, balls pond.
Heres a map trying to show these changes:
https://www.islington.media/resources/a-map-showing-where-the-work-in-canonbury-east-will-take-placeAs i mentioned, i think the map and islington comms could do with being clearer.
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Bit of a long report from Islington's "people friendly streets":
Good to see Islington install their second low traffic neighbourhood this week, in Canonbury East (i.e. west of De Beauvoir, east of Essex Road). This joins up with their first in St Peter's near the canal which went live in early July, and eliminates through-motor-traffic along the short section of Quietway 2 in the borough. I took my friends on an unhurried car-free ride starting with a coffee at De Beauvoir Square, down to Tottenham Court Road and enjoyed a stroll in car-free Soho - new to cycling they loved it.
In St Peter's, I've seen more families and kids out on bikes enjoying the space that has been unlocked with only a few bollards. Earl of Essex, Duke of Cambridge, Pophams all very enjoyable, as is the Narrowboat, as will be the Island Queen (when it reopens) and fingers crossed for the Bill Murray.
Prioritising these two areas in Islington for low traffic neighbourhoods is probably a small part of the legacy of the quietways programme. In principle the programme was deeply flawed for lots of reasons, however with continued activism in the years since, the council is now moving on from the indirect, incoherent route-based white-paint approach on residential streets. Evolving it into an area-wide approach now eliminates through-traffic in neighbourhoods, disincentivises short car trips, and unlocks space for walking and cycling for local people.
I hope the pace of change continues in spite of protests: 25% car ownership in the borough should mean this is an easy win and a voter winner once the majority can experience the benefits and see it for themselves.
The usual anti crowd are up in arms with weekly protests outside Islington town hall - swelled by some in the taxi lobby - which suggests the council is doing something right. It is difficult for me to gauge public opinion among all residents, but as far as I can tell, the word on the street is generally "this is OK isn't it, no big deal, I never liked the rat-running traffic going past my home" - at least I hope that is what most people are saying because that is what I hear when I talk to people.
The council could do better on communications. Providing the pros and cons is important - the average understanding of these types of schemes in the UK seems appalling; it seems difficult to communicate the benefits and the impacts without a decent one-to-one conversation, and sometimes even the english language is not on our side ("road closed"). When local residents who drive hear that their access will be maintained, they think this means that all the routes they use to access their property by car will remain the same - this is a source of conflict not well communicated.
As this programme of low traffic neighbourhoods rolls on and calms down over the next couple of years, I hope this means the borough can focus the big investments on busier roads, where they are most needed (as @Backstop says) - the sooner the better.
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I think this is a step up and a step change, and worth celebrating. Even if it is aimed at just getting the basics right.
Here are the links to the new documents (avoiding the trolls on twitter!):
Long-term cycling and walking plan:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycling-and-walking-plan-for-englandCycle Infrastructure Design Guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-120Highway Code Review consultation document:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-highway-code-to-improve-road-safety-for-cyclists-pedestrians-and-horse-ridersNow we can focus on more important matters, including securing more funding for active travel (perhaps as a proportion of overall transport budget, and health budget), and of course increasing the pressure to reduce the £27billion currently allocated in the roads "investment" strategy up to 2025, and reducing the level of motor traffic that would be induced by the resultant increases in road capacity.
But for now, this suite of documents should be welcomed by most planners, designers, engineers, and decision makers
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@DethBeard glad to hear the surgery went well and hope Murphy will enjoy being back home soon. That is a quick use of insurance - well done for getting it in place so early.
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@Oliver Schick thanks for the advice! Weirdly, "Otto" was on our list for new dog names - but looking at the photos there will only ever be space for one Otto on the forum.
@furious_tiles thanks very much - I have passed the message on as a warning but I think it is hitting deaf ears now that we have met a one week old puppy. Met the mum (more whippet) who seems switched on and very sociable, but only a photo of the dad (more beddlington x whippet) - very photogenic but can't test the intelligence!
@Stonehedge I hope all is now forgiven
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This thread is inspiring. After much thought, we're gearing up to take the lead and get a dog.
Members of our family and many of our friends have dogs, and i love them all, so i guess it was just a matter of time for us - really looking forward to it. Mrs Carey has plenty of experience and we both agree something like a whippet would be best for all. We are probably settling on a whippet bedlington cross we've seen.
Can any recommend any great books or resources for training? And to help me with what to expect in the first few months or years!
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^edit - not RoSPA, i meant PACTS: http://www.pacts.org.uk/2020/06/e-scooters-cool-but-where-are-the-benefits/
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Just found this thread - very interesting read. And i agree with Oliver, but look forward to more evidence on their use as time goes on.
I'm struggling to understand what problems e-scooter use is trying to help solve in our urban areas. E-scooters seem to be a consumable product rather than something which has a societal value. To that extent, i think i remember reading the RoSPA response to the recent govt consultation, which was a good summary of the pragmatic issues of e-scooter use in a uk context.
Oh, and a friend of mine recently got taken out by an e-scooter rider, while on his bike in barcelona where he lives. I don't know the details other than it was a side impact at a quiet, low trafficked intersection. Woke up in hospital, head injury, overnight stay. E-scooter rider was apparently fine and left the scene quickly. So yeah, e-scooters, not a fan at the moment.
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I agree! Although the common interpretation of this, for now, seems to help get support for such schemes from local people, who want less motorised through-traffic.
Other suggestions welcome - perhaps for another thread, or a new one!
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@Oliver Schick great to see you cycling past yesterday while I was hanging out looking at Islington's "first low traffic neighbourhood" I hope to get out for more rides, and keep an eye out for future forum drinks!
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Stolen bike recovered by the Met in Islington today. Missing its chain which is odd. Can't tell the make but they've tweeted a pic here
https://mobile.twitter.com/MPSFinsburyPark/status/1278362573625274368 -
On the statues, I watched this debate/discussion with Afua Hirsch and David Olusoga, and others, from 2018. Colston looms large. The debate to keep the statue in its place, made by the two white speakers, seems at best, tone deaf. I can't tell if they just "don't get it" or do, but simply can't prioritise or process what is important in society. I admire how David and Afua keep their composure at times.
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I hope they can continue to push the racism and equality angle on this. Khan has an "opportunity" here to reconsider but I am being naive.
There remains massive ignorance and marginalising of the induced traffic argument even among professionals and their institutions, and insufficent notice of it at a policy level. But I'm not aware what processes can be used to stop this polluting and dangerous scheme from happening.
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Islington Council is stepping up a gear. Delivery of its first low traffic neighbourhood will start in July and be completed in one week. St Peters ward i.e. near the canal east of Angel and along the route of Quietway 2
More info here
https://www.islington.media/news/islingtons-first-people-friendly-streets-will-be-created-in-st-peters@Backstop this sounds like progress. I've been talking to officers a bit over the past few months, and I wrote to my councillors in St Peters last week calling for modal filters - i didn't expect such a quick response (!)
It broadly sounds like the right strategy - doing it over a large enough area of one ward to make a difference in traffic, doing it over a long enough period for behaviour change, and a focus on Quietway 2 where we all know its needed.
Its great to see action planned in July. Us enthusiastics, Islington Cyclists, LCC and Living streets etc will probably need to step up and be ready to get some positive stories in the local news etc on day one (to counter the inevitable backlash).
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Done -thanks for the links they are very useful. I urge everyone to have a go on these maps and add/like comments for the areas you know about. I know from experience that most councils won't act and won't deliver what is necessary (modal filters etc) unless there's a strong base of local support.
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From the Intercept on the 3rd June. Apologies if posted already
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The royal parks agency is fascinating and very frustrating. The way I see it, institutionally they see themselves as custodians of the parks, the former hunting grounds of kings, the private rose gardens of royalty, the meadows of central london. The idea of enabling cycling, a democratic form of transport increasing public usage of royal parks, is just not compatible with this. I don't think this view has changed and sadly i dont think it will change. The EWCS in Hyde Park was hard fought, but still no changes to kensington gardens and the "missing link" parallel to bayswater road. CS11 was a tangible opportunity, and even The Crown Estates Paving Commission had made positive moves towards this, but sadly TfL got that wrong with WCC.
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@Chak My understanding is that it is happening but lets wait and see for the quality.
@Backstop more good words here: https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/coronavirus-islington-set-for-low-traffic-neighbourhoods-1-6667067
Thats probably what youre talking about - a fee too many coulds and maybes! But it seems like now is the time to push for this. Im happy to hear plans for low traffic neighbourhoods, rather than liveable neighbourhoods - I've always found that last term a little too intangible.
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@Backstop Any ideas on how to encourage Islington Council to install modal filters and other interventions are welcome - I'm contacting councillors and officers, am hopefuly, but not for anything in the short term. oxo.
@inappropriate_bike, there's a few folks tracking changes - probably more non-London interventions, but here is a list of sources:
Google Sheets
A google sheet has been set up by advocacy groups which lists interventions being made -- sometimes with an local authority link, or a twitter post:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hSEchdxQ7X2bdPD8NBJva0-fLRSjAOCedMXtAhBJk3o/edit#gid=0
There is a column for whether a Traffic Order has been used, but we cannot rely on this information.Cycling UK
Cycling UK has created a map attempting to capture changes made across the UK:
https://www.cyclinguk.org/covid-19-safe-space-social-distancingSustrans
Sustrans has set up their “Space To Move” initiative, and allowing members of the public to capture views on interventions once implemented, to support ongoing discussions with local authorities:
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/space-to-move/Tactical Space, from The Future Fox
https://tactical.space/Cycle streets
An image library is being added to with photos of various infrastructure, including covid-19 measures:
https://www.cyclestreets.net/photomap/road/#4/56.02/-25.75
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Great slowing down today for a coffee and bumping into @Backstop on the regents canal. a lot has changed in the three years since the DD ride in 2017!