Mike Rutherford in Saturday's Telegraph

Terry Duckmanton

http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9

After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
opposition.

The second paragraph reads...

"As we proved a few days ago, drivers have the clout to remove arrogant,
viciously anti-car councillors, mayors and other political activists
from office. All we now ask of their replacements is that we should no
longer be deemed public enemy number one. What's more, a better, safer,
fairer deal for drivers and their passenger is long overdue and must be
delivered. Or else… The frequently overlooked fact is that the vast
majority of people in Britain - more than 30million of us - hold driving
licences in one hand and voting cards in the other. Add to that colossal
group of a further 10million or so adults who can't, don't or are too
unfit/skint/old to drive but keenly occupy a passenger seat in a family
or volunteer vehicle, and it becomes apparent that the UK has more than
40million car users of voting age."

OK, so this was published in the 'Motoring' supplement, so one would
expect a pro motoring bias. I just can't believe that motoring
journalists are unaware that we cannot go on the way we are. Surely they
should be looking for ways to change the way we the public regard
private transport.

Terry.

Nick

Terry Duckmanton wrote:
> http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9
>
> After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
> The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
> pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
> opposition.
>
> The second paragraph reads...
>
> "As we proved a few days ago, drivers have the clout to remove arrogant,
> viciously anti-car councillors, mayors and other political activists
> from office. All we now ask of their replacements is that we should no
> longer be deemed public enemy number one. What's more, a better, safer,
> fairer deal for drivers and their passenger is long overdue and must be
> delivered. Or else… The frequently overlooked fact is that the vast
> majority of people in Britain - more than 30million of us - hold driving
> licences in one hand and voting cards in the other. Add to that colossal
> group of a further 10million or so adults who can't, don't or are too
> unfit/skint/old to drive but keenly occupy a passenger seat in a family
> or volunteer vehicle, and it becomes apparent that the UK has more than
> 40million car users of voting age."
>
> OK, so this was published in the 'Motoring' supplement, so one would
> expect a pro motoring bias. I just can't believe that motoring
> journalists are unaware that we cannot go on the way we are. Surely they
> should be looking for ways to change the way we the public regard
> private transport.
>

I think when you look at the statistics the voters are very much in
favour of traffic calming measures. I believe it is these pressures that
cause councillors to support such measures.

The motor lobby is very keen to impress on politicians how powerful they
are and to be fair they do seem to have disproportionate access to the
media but in the overall game I think they are losing.

> Terry.

Slark

Nick wrote:
> Terry Duckmanton wrote:
>> http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9
>>
>> After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
>> The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
>> pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
>> opposition.
>>
>> The second paragraph reads...
>>
>> "As we proved a few days ago, drivers have the clout to remove
>> arrogant, viciously anti-car councillors, mayors and other political
>> activists from office. All we now ask of their replacements is that we
>> should no longer be deemed public enemy number one. What's more, a
>> better, safer, fairer deal for drivers and their passenger is long
>> overdue and must be delivered. Or else… The frequently overlooked fact
>> is that the vast majority of people in Britain - more than 30million
>> of us - hold driving licences in one hand and voting cards in the
>> other. Add to that colossal group of a further 10million or so adults
>> who can't, don't or are too unfit/skint/old to drive but keenly occupy
>> a passenger seat in a family or volunteer vehicle, and it becomes
>> apparent that the UK has more than 40million car users of voting age."
>>
>> OK, so this was published in the 'Motoring' supplement, so one would
>> expect a pro motoring bias. I just can't believe that motoring
>> journalists are unaware that we cannot go on the way we are. Surely
>> they should be looking for ways to change the way we the public regard
>> private transport.
>>
>
> I think when you look at the statistics the voters are very much in
> favour of traffic calming measures. I believe it is these pressures that
> cause councillors to support such measures.
>
> The motor lobby is very keen to impress on politicians how powerful they
> are and to be fair they do seem to have disproportionate access to the
> media but in the overall game I think they are losing.
>
>> Terry.

I agree - they are even becoming a little 'naff' (lovely word!) and feel
rather old fashioned.

Graham

JNugent

Terry Duckmanton wrote:

> http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9

> After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
> The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
> pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
> opposition.

Do you mean "the opposition", or "the majority"?

Kenneth MacKenzie

> "The frequently overlooked fact
> is that the vast majority of people in Britain - more than 30million
> of us - hold driving licences in one hand and voting cards in the
> other."

Well according to http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=6, the
UK population in mid-2006 was 60.6 million, so I'm not sure why he thinks
"more than 30 million" is a vast majority.

Tom Crispin

On Sat, 10 May 2008 11:10:33 +0100, Terry Duckmanton
<terry@duckmanton.notthisbit.eu> wrote:

>http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9
>
>After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
>The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
>pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
>opposition.
>
>The second paragraph reads...
>
>"As we proved a few days ago, drivers have the clout to remove arrogant,
>viciously anti-car councillors, mayors and other political activists
>from office. All we now ask of their replacements is that we should no
>longer be deemed public enemy number one. What's more, a better, safer,
>fairer deal for drivers and their passenger is long overdue and must be
>delivered. Or else… The frequently overlooked fact is that the vast
>majority of people in Britain - more than 30million of us - hold driving
>licences in one hand and voting cards in the other. Add to that colossal
>group of a further 10million or so adults who can't, don't or are too
>unfit/skint/old to drive but keenly occupy a passenger seat in a family
>or volunteer vehicle, and it becomes apparent that the UK has more than
>40million car users of voting age."
>
>OK, so this was published in the 'Motoring' supplement, so one would
>expect a pro motoring bias. I just can't believe that motoring
>journalists are unaware that we cannot go on the way we are. Surely they
>should be looking for ways to change the way we the public regard
>private transport.

Take comfort from the fact that both Boris Johnson and David Cameron
are keen cyclists.

Ben C

On 2008-05-10, Kenneth MacKenzie <kwxm@inf.ed.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>> "The frequently overlooked fact
>> is that the vast majority of people in Britain - more than 30million
>> of us - hold driving licences in one hand and voting cards in the
>> other."
>
> Well according to http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=6, the
> UK population in mid-2006 was 60.6 million, so I'm not sure why he thinks
> "more than 30 million" is a vast majority.

Some of the 60 million are children who neither drive nor vote. Yes I
know that's not what he said but obviously what he meant.

Interesting graph. It would seem the grim reaper claims about 15% of his
total take on people's 61st birthdays.

news@mellis.me.uk

On Sat, 10 May 2008 12:26:01 +0100, Kenneth MacKenzie
<kwxm@inf.ed.ac.uk> wrote:

>
>> "The frequently overlooked fact
>> is that the vast majority of people in Britain - more than 30million
>> of us - hold driving licences in one hand and voting cards in the
>> other."
>
>Well according to http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=6, the
>UK population in mid-2006 was 60.6 million, so I'm not sure why he thinks
>"more than 30 million" is a vast majority.

I think he is only considering the adult population, as he said we
hold voting cards. The site above says that in 2006 approx 1 in 5 were
under 16, 1.5 million were 16 or 17, so that leaves about 46.5
million, therefore 30 million is a sizeable majority.

JNugent

Kenneth MacKenzie wrote:

>> "The frequently overlooked fact
>> is that the vast majority of people in Britain - more than 30million
>> of us - hold driving licences in one hand and voting cards in the
>> other."

> Well according to http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=6, the
> UK population in mid-2006 was 60.6 million, so I'm not sure why he thinks
> "more than 30 million" is a vast majority.

How many of the "60.6 million" are adults (well, at least over just 17,
YKWIM)?

How many of those are too infirm, aged or poor to make the holding of a
driving licence a reality?

It'd be astounding if the majority of the eligible age-range did not
have driving licences (and the figures - "more than 30 million of us" -
indicate that they do).

Nick Kew

On Sat, 10 May 2008 11:10:33 +0100
Terry Duckmanton <terry@duckmanton.notthisbit.eu> wrote:

> http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9
>
> After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
> The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
> pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
> opposition.

Whose hands?

That's some journo invoking the traditional model of democracy:
three wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.

But he omits the fact that most of those 30 million do NOT
subscribe to the motoring lobby agenda. As evidenced
anecdotally by "people we know", and statistically by
the complete failure of the "dump the pump" campaign,
*in spite of* millions-worth of media support from
newspapers and the likes of the BBC.

(remember, they abandoned "dump the pump" after two weeks,
and dropped the idea of a campaign involving the silent
majority of those 30 million. The blockades, some months
later, were a tiny band of thugs.)

--
not me guv

Terry Duckmanton

Terry Duckmanton wrote:

After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
opposition.

To which JNugent replied:

Do you mean "the opposition", or "the majority"?
------------------------------------------------

As a regular commuting cyclist I tend to regard motorists as "The
Opposition". I realise that "The Majority" is a much more accurate
description, but I feel that many who choose to use motor vehicles for
their daily commute do so without considering that life changing
alternatives may exist. For many motorists the problem of
".....being hammered by ever-rising fuel taxes, car taxes, congestion
taxes, taxes to use bridges and tunnels that are already paid for,
parking taxes, insurance taxes and so-called green taxes."
is relatively easily avoided by either walking or cycling to work. In
spite of this they continue to use their car and complain about the fact
that the roads are congested and they are being charged a fortune to use
them.

Until someone can explain to this unthinking majority that the
congestion problem is one of their own making, motorists will continue
to regard cyclists as a nuisance and vice versa.

Terry

Sir Jeremy

On 10 May, 11:10, Terry Duckmanton <te...@duckmanton.notthisbit.eu>
wrote:
> http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9
>
> The second paragraph reads...
>
> "As we proved a few days ago, drivers have the clout to remove arrogant,
> viciously anti-car councillors, mayors and other political activists
> from office. All we now ask of their replacements is that we should no
> longer be deemed public enemy number one. What's more, a better, safer,
> fairer deal for drivers and their passenger is long overdue and must be
> delivered. Or else… The frequently overlooked fact is that the vast
> majority of people in Britain - more than 30million of us - hold driving
> licences in one hand and voting cards in the other. Add to that colossal
> group of a further 10million or so adults who can't, don't or are too
> unfit/skint/old to drive but keenly occupy a passenger seat in a family
> or volunteer vehicle, and it becomes apparent that the UK has more than
> 40million car users of voting age."


I agree with every word and salute the author


> OK, so this was published in the 'Motoring' supplement, so one would
> expect a pro motoring bias. I just can't believe that motoring
> journalists are unaware that we cannot go on the way we are. Surely they
> should be looking for ways to change the way we the public regard
> private transport.
>
> Terry.


Are you some sort of communist? Of course we can go on the way we are,
any problems will be fixed by advances in technology.
No one is stopping you riding your bike and no one is going to force
me to give up my cars or my bike or force me onto a bus.

Geoff Pearson

"Terry Duckmanton" <terry@duckmanton.notthisbit.eu> wrote in message
news:wweVj.32094$yq6.10083@newsfe14.ams2...
> http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9
>
> After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness. The
> future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks pretty
> bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the opposition.
>
> The second paragraph reads...
>
> "As we proved a few days ago, drivers have the clout to remove arrogant,
> viciously anti-car councillors, mayors and other political activists from
> office. All we now ask of their replacements is that we should no longer
> be deemed public enemy number one. What's more, a better, safer, fairer
> deal for drivers and their passenger is long overdue and must be
> delivered. Or else… The frequently overlooked fact is that the vast
> majority of people in Britain - more than 30million of us - hold driving
> licences in one hand and voting cards in the other. Add to that colossal
> group of a further 10million or so adults who can't, don't or are too
> unfit/skint/old to drive but keenly occupy a passenger seat in a family or
> volunteer vehicle, and it becomes apparent that the UK has more than
> 40million car users of voting age."
>
> OK, so this was published in the 'Motoring' supplement, so one would
> expect a pro motoring bias. I just can't believe that motoring journalists
> are unaware that we cannot go on the way we are. Surely they should be
> looking for ways to change the way we the public regard private transport.
>
> Terry.

What page is it on - it doesn't seem to be in my Scottish edition?

Roger Merriman

Tom Crispin <kije.remove@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> wrote:

> On Sat, 10 May 2008 11:10:33 +0100, Terry Duckmanton
> <terry@duckmanton.notthisbit.eu> wrote:
>
> >http://tinyurl.com/4l9zb9
> >
> >After reading this article I was left with a feeling of hopelessness.
> >The future for cyclists in particular and the planet in general looks
> >pretty bleak in the face of so much voting power in the hands of the
> >opposition.
> >
> >The second paragraph reads...
> >
> >"As we proved a few days ago, drivers have the clout to remove arrogant,
> >viciously anti-car councillors, mayors and other political activists
> >from office. All we now ask of their replacements is that we should no
> >longer be deemed public enemy number one. What's more, a better, safer,
> >fairer deal for drivers and their passenger is long overdue and must be
> >delivered. Or else∑ The frequently overlooked fact is that the vast
> >majority of people in Britain - more than 30million of us - hold driving
> >licences in one hand and voting cards in the other. Add to that colossal
> >group of a further 10million or so adults who can't, don't or are too
> >unfit/skint/old to drive but keenly occupy a passenger seat in a family
> >or volunteer vehicle, and it becomes apparent that the UK has more than
> >40million car users of voting age."
> >
> >OK, so this was published in the 'Motoring' supplement, so one would
> >expect a pro motoring bias. I just can't believe that motoring
> >journalists are unaware that we cannot go on the way we are. Surely they
> >should be looking for ways to change the way we the public regard
> >private transport.
>
> Take comfort from the fact that both Boris Johnson and David Cameron
> are keen cyclists.

quite, and the said artical is a rant, which as rants often tend to only
a passing reasemblence to realility.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com