Prof. Ian Walker
@ianwalker.bsky.social
Environmental psychologist: transport, energy, water, buildings. Motonormativity person. Head of Psychology, Swansea University 🏴. Charity trustee x2. My views
Guinness World Record for the fastest bicycle ride across Europe drianwalker.com
Guinness World Record for the fastest bicycle ride across Europe drianwalker.com
Pinned
Prof. Ian Walker
@ianwalker.bsky.social
· Feb 17
HOT RESEARCH NEWS!
Motonormativity ("car brain") is a bias that stops people making rational judgements about driving en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motonor...
Our new study shows where this bias comes from AND how it makes people think they're odd for supporting changes to the transport system 🧵
Motonormativity ("car brain") is a bias that stops people making rational judgements about driving en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motonor...
Our new study shows where this bias comes from AND how it makes people think they're odd for supporting changes to the transport system 🧵
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
“A year after the $1.1 billion overhaul,” which added a new lane each direction, “the 405’s rush hour drive times were a minute slower than they were before the workers broke ground. Five years later, traffic was worse at all times of day.”
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
A Tunnel to Transform Los Angeles
The ambitious Sepulveda Transit Corridor project — an automated subway line underneath Bel Air — aims to do something rare in LA: Get people out of their cars.
www.bloomberg.com
February 13, 2026 at 4:07 PM
“A year after the $1.1 billion overhaul,” which added a new lane each direction, “the 405’s rush hour drive times were a minute slower than they were before the workers broke ground. Five years later, traffic was worse at all times of day.”
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
I'm on the train and made the mistake of sitting 0.01 degrees from vertical
The Mohs Scale of Hardness:
Talc
Gypsum
Calcite
Fluorite
Apatite
Feldspar
Quartz
Topaz
Corundum
Diamond
GWR seats
Talc
Gypsum
Calcite
Fluorite
Apatite
Feldspar
Quartz
Topaz
Corundum
Diamond
GWR seats
February 13, 2026 at 7:46 AM
I'm on the train and made the mistake of sitting 0.01 degrees from vertical
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
NUDE ELON MUSK: The invisible clothes I'm wearing are a product of xAthleisure, which will roll out self-dressing outfits within two years at the latest
THE CREDULOUS PRESS: Fully Clothed Tesla Innovator Does It Again
THE CREDULOUS PRESS: Fully Clothed Tesla Innovator Does It Again
February 12, 2026 at 7:10 PM
NUDE ELON MUSK: The invisible clothes I'm wearing are a product of xAthleisure, which will roll out self-dressing outfits within two years at the latest
THE CREDULOUS PRESS: Fully Clothed Tesla Innovator Does It Again
THE CREDULOUS PRESS: Fully Clothed Tesla Innovator Does It Again
Happy PLR day! I just got a sweet £2.23 from a whole year of people borrowing my books from libraries
February 12, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Happy PLR day! I just got a sweet £2.23 from a whole year of people borrowing my books from libraries
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
“I’ve reviewed over 50 sticky toffee puddings” is an incredibly powerful way to begin a video
February 11, 2026 at 5:15 PM
“I’ve reviewed over 50 sticky toffee puddings” is an incredibly powerful way to begin a video
Something you don't hear said very often is how a chunk of your water bill is there just to clean up after farmers
When we trawled data on excess nitrate & phosphate pollution (key drivers of algal blooms) we found agriculture was the primary source in rural areas, sewage in urban areas. As Chowns says, to save our rivers, we need to tackle both.
share.google/bLY8yWL1AeIQ...
share.google/bLY8yWL1AeIQ...
February 11, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Something you don't hear said very often is how a chunk of your water bill is there just to clean up after farmers
One reason Greg's analysis here is so important is that it's a great example of how a proxy measure can become reified. It starts as "If we make it easy to move around, that'll improve how much access people have to things" and over time this morphs into MOAR CARS MOAR FASTER
Our argument is simple but radical: transportation policy should maximize access, not movement.
For a century, we’ve measured success by car throughput and speed. But that's only a means. The end is connecting people to destinations they value.
We've been measuring, then building, the wrong thing.
For a century, we’ve measured success by car throughput and speed. But that's only a means. The end is connecting people to destinations they value.
We've been measuring, then building, the wrong thing.
February 11, 2026 at 6:16 PM
One reason Greg's analysis here is so important is that it's a great example of how a proxy measure can become reified. It starts as "If we make it easy to move around, that'll improve how much access people have to things" and over time this morphs into MOAR CARS MOAR FASTER
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
Our argument is simple but radical: transportation policy should maximize access, not movement.
For a century, we’ve measured success by car throughput and speed. But that's only a means. The end is connecting people to destinations they value.
We've been measuring, then building, the wrong thing.
For a century, we’ve measured success by car throughput and speed. But that's only a means. The end is connecting people to destinations they value.
We've been measuring, then building, the wrong thing.
February 11, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Our argument is simple but radical: transportation policy should maximize access, not movement.
For a century, we’ve measured success by car throughput and speed. But that's only a means. The end is connecting people to destinations they value.
We've been measuring, then building, the wrong thing.
For a century, we’ve measured success by car throughput and speed. But that's only a means. The end is connecting people to destinations they value.
We've been measuring, then building, the wrong thing.
After careful experimentation I can confirm that the question "Have you heard of Letraset?" has 99% information overlap with the question "Are you over 50?"
February 11, 2026 at 3:53 PM
After careful experimentation I can confirm that the question "Have you heard of Letraset?" has 99% information overlap with the question "Are you over 50?"
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
NEW: UK's "AR7" renewable auction was the biggest ever – more than 50% larger than 2024's record
AR7 = enough electricity to offset 3/4 of UK LNG imports
Labour's AR6+AR7, combined, contracted more GW than all other rounds put together
More: www.carbonbrief.org/...
AR7 = enough electricity to offset 3/4 of UK LNG imports
Labour's AR6+AR7, combined, contracted more GW than all other rounds put together
More: www.carbonbrief.org/...
February 11, 2026 at 3:14 PM
NEW: UK's "AR7" renewable auction was the biggest ever – more than 50% larger than 2024's record
AR7 = enough electricity to offset 3/4 of UK LNG imports
Labour's AR6+AR7, combined, contracted more GW than all other rounds put together
More: www.carbonbrief.org/...
AR7 = enough electricity to offset 3/4 of UK LNG imports
Labour's AR6+AR7, combined, contracted more GW than all other rounds put together
More: www.carbonbrief.org/...
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
Nothing to see here, just local parents moaning about being caught speeding outside their children's school...
We've a long hill to climb yet.
We've a long hill to climb yet.
February 11, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Nothing to see here, just local parents moaning about being caught speeding outside their children's school...
We've a long hill to climb yet.
We've a long hill to climb yet.
"School Streets" have become a thing to watch. Even the loudest high-traffic neighbourhood trumpets will mumble "Except outside schools, of course", but this ignores how (1) kids don't live next to their schools and need to get to the School Street safely and (2) kids go to places that aren't school
This is a good read about the idea of "Kids Streets" in #Birmingham & #Coventry. It's one thing to make the journey to school safer, but if we want our children to be able to travel independently and safely to sports clubs, friends' houses & more, we need to think bigger. #SchoolStreets #RoadDanger
New project aims to make it safer for kids to walk to school
West Midlands Active Travel Commissioner Beccy Marston and Road Safety Commissioner Mat MacDonald will deliver 'Kids Streets' with pilots in Birmingham and potentially Coventry in the coming months
www.coventrytelegraph.net
February 11, 2026 at 1:05 PM
"School Streets" have become a thing to watch. Even the loudest high-traffic neighbourhood trumpets will mumble "Except outside schools, of course", but this ignores how (1) kids don't live next to their schools and need to get to the School Street safely and (2) kids go to places that aren't school
So guess who just sent an email asking everybody to "think of your feet" rather than "think on your feet"
February 11, 2026 at 12:52 PM
So guess who just sent an email asking everybody to "think of your feet" rather than "think on your feet"
Does anyone have a rough but defensible estimate of how many vehicles per hour a UK dual carriageway might typically carry at peak?
February 11, 2026 at 11:37 AM
Does anyone have a rough but defensible estimate of how many vehicles per hour a UK dual carriageway might typically carry at peak?
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
And there's your side road zebras being possible in Wales from 11th March this year.
www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2026/35/...
www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2026/35/...
The Traffic Signs (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations and General Directions 2026
This Instrument amends the Traffic Signs Regulations 2016 and the Traffic Signs General Directions 2016, together titled the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (“the 2016 Instrument...
www.legislation.gov.uk
February 10, 2026 at 3:48 PM
And there's your side road zebras being possible in Wales from 11th March this year.
www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2026/35/...
www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2026/35/...
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
Very intesting-looking new literature review article on how to define minimum levels of necessary mobility doi.org/10.1016/j.er...
February 10, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Very intesting-looking new literature review article on how to define minimum levels of necessary mobility doi.org/10.1016/j.er...
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
Why do drivers bang on about cyclists wearing hi viz and helmets when they can't even avoid poles that have lights on them? If they can knock over a metal pole then a helmet won't do much.
July 27, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Why do drivers bang on about cyclists wearing hi viz and helmets when they can't even avoid poles that have lights on them? If they can knock over a metal pole then a helmet won't do much.
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
Was ready to have gripes about this but as I watched every one I thought I'd have was addressed
- Talks about wind not just solar ✅
- Brings up fossil fuel + industry ✅
- Brings up politics (AND HOW) ✅
Worked 8 years in renewables advocacy: this vid is one of the best I've seen. 10/10 easily
- Talks about wind not just solar ✅
- Brings up fossil fuel + industry ✅
- Brings up politics (AND HOW) ✅
Worked 8 years in renewables advocacy: this vid is one of the best I've seen. 10/10 easily
February 10, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Was ready to have gripes about this but as I watched every one I thought I'd have was addressed
- Talks about wind not just solar ✅
- Brings up fossil fuel + industry ✅
- Brings up politics (AND HOW) ✅
Worked 8 years in renewables advocacy: this vid is one of the best I've seen. 10/10 easily
- Talks about wind not just solar ✅
- Brings up fossil fuel + industry ✅
- Brings up politics (AND HOW) ✅
Worked 8 years in renewables advocacy: this vid is one of the best I've seen. 10/10 easily
Reposted by Prof. Ian Walker
It really shouldn’t take over four minutes to cross a whole junction!
How long should it take to cross a junction?
In suburban London it can take a while, like crossing the junction of Christchurch Road and Merantum Way to walk between two neighbouring shopping centres. Is it acceptable to let pedestrians wait this long?
@londonls.bsky.social
@willnorman.co.uk
In suburban London it can take a while, like crossing the junction of Christchurch Road and Merantum Way to walk between two neighbouring shopping centres. Is it acceptable to let pedestrians wait this long?
@londonls.bsky.social
@willnorman.co.uk
February 10, 2026 at 5:52 PM
It really shouldn’t take over four minutes to cross a whole junction!
It is always a good day when I manage to drop this picture into a talk
February 10, 2026 at 6:28 PM
It is always a good day when I manage to drop this picture into a talk
Does anyone have a photo of one of those UK dual carriageways where pedestrians are expected to scurry across? If so, could I possibly get a copy to use for a talk?
February 10, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Does anyone have a photo of one of those UK dual carriageways where pedestrians are expected to scurry across? If so, could I possibly get a copy to use for a talk?
Sometimes you just have to sit down and thrash out a good old Venn diagram to get your thoughts clear
February 10, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Sometimes you just have to sit down and thrash out a good old Venn diagram to get your thoughts clear
Astonishing how Microsoft employ all those software engineers and none of them know the code to remove "-UsrGrp" from a string when printing to the screen #teamsisshit
February 10, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Astonishing how Microsoft employ all those software engineers and none of them know the code to remove "-UsrGrp" from a string when printing to the screen #teamsisshit
Any good dealer knows not to get high on their own supply
"In 2025, Norway produced around 106 million cubic metres of oil – around 1.827 million barrels per day – the highest level of production since 2009" www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/58...
"In 2025, Norway produced around 106 million cubic metres of oil – around 1.827 million barrels per day – the highest level of production since 2009" www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/58...
While in the rest of Europe we celebrate a gradual transition from fuel burning to electric transport I think that Norway can say that box is nearly ticked
“In January just seven petrol cars sold, just 98 new diesels were registered, alongside 29 hybrids”
evpowered.co.uk/news/just-se...
“In January just seven petrol cars sold, just 98 new diesels were registered, alongside 29 hybrids”
evpowered.co.uk/news/just-se...
Just seven petrol-powered cars sold in Norway in January 2026 as Tesla leads market
Despite a downturn in December last year, the EV market in Norway is thriving as Tesla continues to dominates the market.
evpowered.co.uk
February 9, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Any good dealer knows not to get high on their own supply
"In 2025, Norway produced around 106 million cubic metres of oil – around 1.827 million barrels per day – the highest level of production since 2009" www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/58...
"In 2025, Norway produced around 106 million cubic metres of oil – around 1.827 million barrels per day – the highest level of production since 2009" www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/58...