Peter Clinch
@peterclinch.bsky.social
Getting about the outdoors on bikes, feet, skis & boats, working at NHS Medical Physics, worrying about the world in a leftish way, increasing doses of urbanism, searching for a Round Tuit around Dundee, Scotland...
To be fair I think most of us have probably say Celsius rather than Centigrade now, though apparently the Express still likes Fahrenheit temperatures in its weather forecasts.
November 18, 2025 at 8:46 AM
To be fair I think most of us have probably say Celsius rather than Centigrade now, though apparently the Express still likes Fahrenheit temperatures in its weather forecasts.
Did an NHS Quality Improvement course all about how to manage positive change. Good evidence-based stuff!
Our instructor pointed out that if you're only armed with carrots nothing is likely to happen.
My own reflection, if you're used to swimming in shit then having to swim in shit isn't a stick!
Our instructor pointed out that if you're only armed with carrots nothing is likely to happen.
My own reflection, if you're used to swimming in shit then having to swim in shit isn't a stick!
November 18, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Did an NHS Quality Improvement course all about how to manage positive change. Good evidence-based stuff!
Our instructor pointed out that if you're only armed with carrots nothing is likely to happen.
My own reflection, if you're used to swimming in shit then having to swim in shit isn't a stick!
Our instructor pointed out that if you're only armed with carrots nothing is likely to happen.
My own reflection, if you're used to swimming in shit then having to swim in shit isn't a stick!
Depends on your idea of "hideous", of course, but we got our daughter a VauDe one that converted between pannier and rucksack she didn't reject out of hand for using as a school bag when she was a teenager - high praise indeed!
Cycle 28 model if memory serves.
Ortlieb Vario is good but expensive.
Cycle 28 model if memory serves.
Ortlieb Vario is good but expensive.
November 17, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Depends on your idea of "hideous", of course, but we got our daughter a VauDe one that converted between pannier and rucksack she didn't reject out of hand for using as a school bag when she was a teenager - high praise indeed!
Cycle 28 model if memory serves.
Ortlieb Vario is good but expensive.
Cycle 28 model if memory serves.
Ortlieb Vario is good but expensive.
They've also driven demand for tanks by stopping making smaller cars. If I go to the Small Cars tab of the Ford (UK) website it has... no models.
November 17, 2025 at 9:39 AM
They've also driven demand for tanks by stopping making smaller cars. If I go to the Small Cars tab of the Ford (UK) website it has... no models.
Recumbents had already been banned from competition by the Luddites of Lausanne a couple of years earlier.
November 15, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Recumbents had already been banned from competition by the Luddites of Lausanne a couple of years earlier.
What is this "leftover" crumble of which you Earth-people speak? 🤔
November 14, 2025 at 11:07 AM
What is this "leftover" crumble of which you Earth-people speak? 🤔
Training is completely normal in NL, but of course we're looking at training to use sane infrastructure designed for normal people, not an assault course with a trip to A&E as a very real option.
November 13, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Training is completely normal in NL, but of course we're looking at training to use sane infrastructure designed for normal people, not an assault course with a trip to A&E as a very real option.
Councils bigging up cycle training is, I think, nothing to do with understanding cycling or having any concept of vehicular cycling: much like painting some lines on the road it's a relatively cheap way to tick a box, take a photo op with kids and move on to the Real Business of cars and more cars.
November 13, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Councils bigging up cycle training is, I think, nothing to do with understanding cycling or having any concept of vehicular cycling: much like painting some lines on the road it's a relatively cheap way to tick a box, take a photo op with kids and move on to the Real Business of cars and more cars.
Off to a Bikeability Scotland CPD day today. Most of Bikeability levels 2 & 3 sits on "Cyclecraft" as it is a genuinely useful guide to coping with roads as they are.
I doubt anyone at the CPD day (most/all of whom will have a copy) would prefer a VC approach to a Dutch one though!
I doubt anyone at the CPD day (most/all of whom will have a copy) would prefer a VC approach to a Dutch one though!
November 13, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Off to a Bikeability Scotland CPD day today. Most of Bikeability levels 2 & 3 sits on "Cyclecraft" as it is a genuinely useful guide to coping with roads as they are.
I doubt anyone at the CPD day (most/all of whom will have a copy) would prefer a VC approach to a Dutch one though!
I doubt anyone at the CPD day (most/all of whom will have a copy) would prefer a VC approach to a Dutch one though!
And yet... if in the meantime you have no choice but to share with motors and the local powers-that-be think a discontinuous half meter of gutter marked by paint is a "cycle facility", it's the best way to get about.
What it will never do is help cycling to grow into general transport for anyone.
What it will never do is help cycling to grow into general transport for anyone.
November 13, 2025 at 5:58 AM
And yet... if in the meantime you have no choice but to share with motors and the local powers-that-be think a discontinuous half meter of gutter marked by paint is a "cycle facility", it's the best way to get about.
What it will never do is help cycling to grow into general transport for anyone.
What it will never do is help cycling to grow into general transport for anyone.
To be fair to Vincent (which is hard, I know...), in his world they'll be on a bus. A magic bus that has all the advantages of their own bikes (like a stop right outside everywhere they ever want to go and a bus showing up at it any time they want to go there).
November 12, 2025 at 1:41 PM
To be fair to Vincent (which is hard, I know...), in his world they'll be on a bus. A magic bus that has all the advantages of their own bikes (like a stop right outside everywhere they ever want to go and a bus showing up at it any time they want to go there).
Yup. Once our kids were competent/confident enough to ride to school by themselves rather than have an escort that's what they did, they got more independent and for us "the school run" ended once we'd got them out the door. Everyone ahead!
November 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Yup. Once our kids were competent/confident enough to ride to school by themselves rather than have an escort that's what they did, they got more independent and for us "the school run" ended once we'd got them out the door. Everyone ahead!
To be fair he's probably more used to BOAs...
November 10, 2025 at 1:12 PM
To be fair he's probably more used to BOAs...
Haven't actually had to do it yet. Suspect my attempt come the time may be as successful as this one, but without the grinning...
www.instagram.com/reel/DNXYDHJ...
www.instagram.com/reel/DNXYDHJ...
November 8, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Haven't actually had to do it yet. Suspect my attempt come the time may be as successful as this one, but without the grinning...
www.instagram.com/reel/DNXYDHJ...
www.instagram.com/reel/DNXYDHJ...
Just as GB news isn't about making a successful business of broadcasting news, it's nothing to do with actual votes for Reclaim, it's performative outrage to move the window of discourse further right.
If you've more money than you could ever use then cost effectiveness isn't an issue.
If you've more money than you could ever use then cost effectiveness isn't an issue.
November 8, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Just as GB news isn't about making a successful business of broadcasting news, it's nothing to do with actual votes for Reclaim, it's performative outrage to move the window of discourse further right.
If you've more money than you could ever use then cost effectiveness isn't an issue.
If you've more money than you could ever use then cost effectiveness isn't an issue.
Hence "For some values of Europe"... 🤷♂️
November 8, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Hence "For some values of Europe"... 🤷♂️
For some values of Europe... A large supermarket in the UK that doesn't have the vast majority of access by private car is highly unusual.
Folk do turn up by bike and on foot but they are very much the exception, with siting of the shops a major factor.
Folk do turn up by bike and on foot but they are very much the exception, with siting of the shops a major factor.
November 8, 2025 at 6:48 AM
For some values of Europe... A large supermarket in the UK that doesn't have the vast majority of access by private car is highly unusual.
Folk do turn up by bike and on foot but they are very much the exception, with siting of the shops a major factor.
Folk do turn up by bike and on foot but they are very much the exception, with siting of the shops a major factor.
To be fair, USA doesn't export much fossil fuel because it uses so much at home, so comparing exports doesn't mean much... But it doesn't alter the fact that the US could be making plenty selling the tech and not trashing its environment.
November 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
To be fair, USA doesn't export much fossil fuel because it uses so much at home, so comparing exports doesn't mean much... But it doesn't alter the fact that the US could be making plenty selling the tech and not trashing its environment.
I like a peak on my hat to keep snow/sleet/rain off glasses/out of eyes, makes things slightly less "interesting"!
November 7, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I like a peak on my hat to keep snow/sleet/rain off glasses/out of eyes, makes things slightly less "interesting"!
quid nulla ProspectusViae!
November 7, 2025 at 1:04 PM
quid nulla ProspectusViae!
At least in densely populated spaces the car club is potentially part of an answer here. Not only can it work out a lot cheaper but with pay per mile/hire one has a disincentive to use it unless you need to.
November 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM
At least in densely populated spaces the car club is potentially part of an answer here. Not only can it work out a lot cheaper but with pay per mile/hire one has a disincentive to use it unless you need to.
Yes, you're right, we absolutely need benchmark standard active travel infra.
However, I'd suggest that even with that universally available and with free cakes thrown in, your habitual "I'm going out somewhere and I'll drive, because that's what I've always done" punter won't really consider it.
However, I'd suggest that even with that universally available and with free cakes thrown in, your habitual "I'm going out somewhere and I'll drive, because that's what I've always done" punter won't really consider it.
November 7, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Yes, you're right, we absolutely need benchmark standard active travel infra.
However, I'd suggest that even with that universally available and with free cakes thrown in, your habitual "I'm going out somewhere and I'll drive, because that's what I've always done" punter won't really consider it.
However, I'd suggest that even with that universally available and with free cakes thrown in, your habitual "I'm going out somewhere and I'll drive, because that's what I've always done" punter won't really consider it.
What we actually need is to realise that irrespective of where they come from, having cars, particularly private cars, *dominate* our roads is really bad for us in a lot of places, a lot of the time. Cities especially.
November 7, 2025 at 9:51 AM
What we actually need is to realise that irrespective of where they come from, having cars, particularly private cars, *dominate* our roads is really bad for us in a lot of places, a lot of the time. Cities especially.
Sadly it appears to be the case (backed up by actual data, and is a basic of quality improvement methodology) that carrots alone are usually not enough.
The hardest part is breaking an existing ingrained cultural habit, so sticks (or "a war on the motorist" as it'll be termed) as well as carrots.
The hardest part is breaking an existing ingrained cultural habit, so sticks (or "a war on the motorist" as it'll be termed) as well as carrots.
November 7, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Sadly it appears to be the case (backed up by actual data, and is a basic of quality improvement methodology) that carrots alone are usually not enough.
The hardest part is breaking an existing ingrained cultural habit, so sticks (or "a war on the motorist" as it'll be termed) as well as carrots.
The hardest part is breaking an existing ingrained cultural habit, so sticks (or "a war on the motorist" as it'll be termed) as well as carrots.