Archives for 2010
Boris Johnson’s Cycle Superhighway hits the road
And so, the first evidence of Boris Johnson’s remarkable cycle plan emerges with the test of blue tarmac outside Tooting Bec station. Whatever you say about the whole cycle super highway idea – and I say it’s possibly not a very good one since it seems to be a Grand Projet rather than a way to increase ridership for all citizens – blue roads will be a key part of the Mayor’s legacy. London Cyclist has a more considered and positive response.
I am curious about how the blue path is expected to work (but not curious enough to read the TfL website carefully*). In particular, it will be interesting to see the psychological impact of a continuous blue streak across junctions. Will some less experienced cyclists take this as an implication that they have right of way, and sail through traffic lights? We shall see. Blue tarmac plus red blood equals purple road, which will be pretty.
*I’m a completer finisher so did have a careful look in the end and read that:
The selection of the blue material followed customer research with end users and benchmarking across Europe, where the blue finish is used extensively.
Where cycling infrastructure currently exists on a Cycle Superhighway, it will not be resurfaced immediately, but will be upgraded as part of TfL’s usual maintenance programme. This represents the best value for money approach.
As a researcher I’d be curious to see the research, but blue does look nice. Note, however, that this will not be a seamless blue strip for many years.
If ever.
365: And finally…
Sorting through these photos, I’ve just realised that my 365 project ends today!. A whole year of photos taken of, about or during each day. When travelling to places new it’s been a breeze to find something to shoot; when spending weeks in the office it’s a lot harder. There are a couple of gaps that I need to go back and fill (whole sets of trips to the Olympic Stadium and Normandy), which I’ll update in the next few days, but aside from that I’m done.
So it’s appropriate that the last picture should be of one of the greatest constants in the past year: The Selkirk Pub Quiz. After dozens of mid-table performances 2010 has been a great year so far, with two firsts and a second place. That’s almost fifty free bottles of beer! If that’s a metaphor for the next 365 days then the future’s looking pretty good.
365: Train describer cretinery
Much discussed elsewhere, Tooting Bec now has its own spectacularly misplaced next train indicator. On the plus side (i) I think it’s temporary, (ii) I stand at the south end of the platform so this doesn’t affect me and (iii) the southbound platform now has an indicator too. Tooting Broadway, here I come!
365: Two little boys had two little toys
Although I suspect they couldn’t have afforded this lot.
365: The sun does sometimes shine on London
Particularly here, on Mount Street Gardens.
365: Steamin’
I don’t know how you chose to spend your St Valentine’s Day, but much of mine was spent truding for 19+ miles around South West London. Glad I didn’t get stuck on this fresh tarmac, roadrunner style.
365: Miga the Mascot
Is Miga male, female or simply a spirit? These fridge magnets and a matching book mark were the only things worth buying in the official Olympic outlet. The rest was tat – expensive tat, of course, but with an over-reliance on man made fibres.
365: Quatchi the Mascot
Here’s Quatchi – I’m not sure that ear warmers are the traditional dress of Canadian native peoples, but I’d be excited to be proved wrong.
365: Sumi the Mascot
In honour of the Vancouver (and Whistler!) 2010 Olympics, three Olympic mascots as currently stuck to my fridge. Firstly, Sumi – a cheery little fella.
365: Shite Photoshop
I suspect there’s a whole Flickr group for this type of abomination. The old Tower Records/ Virgin / Zaavi store on Picadilly Circus is being reopened as, so far as I can tell, a high end jumble sale. The hoardings indicate just how good it’s going to be. Admire how the graphic artist has combined a picture of the BFI Imax, some stock photography of people crossing an (American?) street, and some careful distorting of a neon sign.
