Plus: Fold nightclub warned of risk of further deaths, confirmation that self-driving cars will add to the congestion on London's roads, old tube trains
RE Hampstead Heath: I was curious about how the current arrangements came to be and was looking into it this week.
It seems that the original preferred option was for Camden to run it, but didn't want to have to bear the cost of doing so. So City of London ended up being the fallback option.
A packed issue! Re: Waymo - as a cyclist, pedestrian, bus user and driver in London, who’s also used Waymos in California, from a safer driving perspective I’m enthusiastic. Much less chance of being hit by one of its cars, than by some of the capital’s less good / more aggressive drivers.
I’ll be interested to see who is responsible should an autonomous car be charged with a driving offence. And how it handles stray road cones. Predicting they’ll be some entertaining physical blocking of vehicles when they first become widespread in central London.
I welcome some disruption in London politics. My Labour-controlled borough is beyond complacent - though it wins at having the highest revenue from and number of yellow box junctions in the country. If councillors can’t be bothered to attend the meetings they are paid for, or respond to any questions, change is sorely needed.
Of course, Zack Polanski has much experience of flouncing from one party to another after failing to be selected for candidacy. That’s exactly what he did, leaving the Lib Dems for the Greens. I remember it well!
I went on the battery train yesterday by chance. A fine experience and, seemingly from all the mounted camera phones, YouTube gold apparently.
The reconditioned district line train is a lot higher than its diesel predecessor, which affords some much better views along the line, though it will create accessibility issues at some of the smaller stations between West Ealing & Greenford (presumably they’ll have to be upgraded if the pilot succeeds).
Honestly Fold is already fairly well setup to avoid people bringing drugs, and their staff is quite helpful to anyone feeling unwell. But the entry checks do mean people take stuff outside, and provide no opportunity to test the drugs first; ultimately this is a government policy problem.
Wow, Mr. Breast enhancement moves greenwards. Surely anyone with some kind of sense will have crossed out Mr. Polanski as a possible leader of anything, the local scouts or the Green party.
Anyone who think that this isn't a real issue has problems : men bossing women is the worst, but clearly there are others. Thinking isn't being hypnotized - or do you speak of your own experience?
RE Hampstead Heath: I was curious about how the current arrangements came to be and was looking into it this week.
It seems that the original preferred option was for Camden to run it, but didn't want to have to bear the cost of doing so. So City of London ended up being the fallback option.
Speech from Frank Dobson on this:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1987-04-10/debates/b4895eb7-9499-44a3-966f-bec8cd967c91/GreaterLondonCouncil(Abolition)?hl=en-GB#:~:text=That%20would%20be%20grossly%20unfair,to%20London%20as%20a%20whole.
A packed issue! Re: Waymo - as a cyclist, pedestrian, bus user and driver in London, who’s also used Waymos in California, from a safer driving perspective I’m enthusiastic. Much less chance of being hit by one of its cars, than by some of the capital’s less good / more aggressive drivers.
I’ll be interested to see who is responsible should an autonomous car be charged with a driving offence. And how it handles stray road cones. Predicting they’ll be some entertaining physical blocking of vehicles when they first become widespread in central London.
Although they’re quite good at doing it to each other without our help: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/08/self-driving-waymo-cars-keep-sf-residents-awake-all-night-by-honking-at-each-other/
I am very keen to see how they interact with cyclists, and somewhat nervous about it - I know how drivers act, waymo is an unknown.
I welcome some disruption in London politics. My Labour-controlled borough is beyond complacent - though it wins at having the highest revenue from and number of yellow box junctions in the country. If councillors can’t be bothered to attend the meetings they are paid for, or respond to any questions, change is sorely needed.
Of course, Zack Polanski has much experience of flouncing from one party to another after failing to be selected for candidacy. That’s exactly what he did, leaving the Lib Dems for the Greens. I remember it well!
I went on the battery train yesterday by chance. A fine experience and, seemingly from all the mounted camera phones, YouTube gold apparently.
The reconditioned district line train is a lot higher than its diesel predecessor, which affords some much better views along the line, though it will create accessibility issues at some of the smaller stations between West Ealing & Greenford (presumably they’ll have to be upgraded if the pilot succeeds).
Honestly Fold is already fairly well setup to avoid people bringing drugs, and their staff is quite helpful to anyone feeling unwell. But the entry checks do mean people take stuff outside, and provide no opportunity to test the drugs first; ultimately this is a government policy problem.
Odds for Manchester plumber by-election https://polymarket.com/event/gorton-and-denton-by-election-winner
Great to see the City speak up.
Wow, Mr. Breast enhancement moves greenwards. Surely anyone with some kind of sense will have crossed out Mr. Polanski as a possible leader of anything, the local scouts or the Green party.
Glad to see this is still the best mud people have to sling at Polanski.
But it's pretty muddy mud, no?
Maybe someone hypnotized you to think it's a bigger issue than it is
Anyone who think that this isn't a real issue has problems : men bossing women is the worst, but clearly there are others. Thinking isn't being hypnotized - or do you speak of your own experience?
How disappointing that waymo are initially pitching themselves as an elite service. I can play anything I like using my headphones in a cab
"Will waymo be using cars" is not the cutting journalistic insights I was coming to the column for TBF...
I think you missed the cuts