@tomthetortoise.bsky.social
What did the Romans ever do for us? 😉
December 11, 2025 at 12:27 PM
What did the Romans ever do for us? 😉
When it comes to driving many people seem to think making something a bit more difficult or even just having to pay for it is taking away "freedom" to do it.
December 5, 2025 at 2:44 PM
When it comes to driving many people seem to think making something a bit more difficult or even just having to pay for it is taking away "freedom" to do it.
Brilliant work as always, thank you.
Another thing that would be really good is a similar letter to help challenge trend of excessive ebike/battery bans in buildings/on transport etc. Norwich City Council even tried to ban storing ebikes in rented council garages!
Another thing that would be really good is a similar letter to help challenge trend of excessive ebike/battery bans in buildings/on transport etc. Norwich City Council even tried to ban storing ebikes in rented council garages!
December 4, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Brilliant work as always, thank you.
Another thing that would be really good is a similar letter to help challenge trend of excessive ebike/battery bans in buildings/on transport etc. Norwich City Council even tried to ban storing ebikes in rented council garages!
Another thing that would be really good is a similar letter to help challenge trend of excessive ebike/battery bans in buildings/on transport etc. Norwich City Council even tried to ban storing ebikes in rented council garages!
Yes, I choose to live in an area that should be really convenient for walking and cycling but is fundamentally not suitable for everyone to have a car. It infuriates me that the area then gets ruined for walking by parking on pavements etc. because people move there and won't accept that.
December 2, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Yes, I choose to live in an area that should be really convenient for walking and cycling but is fundamentally not suitable for everyone to have a car. It infuriates me that the area then gets ruined for walking by parking on pavements etc. because people move there and won't accept that.
It might actually surprise many of them to find out in advance.
I'm always amazed how some rural people will tell me at great length about all the difficulties like lack of busses as though I could never know because I live in a city. I know very well and that's why I live in a city!
I'm always amazed how some rural people will tell me at great length about all the difficulties like lack of busses as though I could never know because I live in a city. I know very well and that's why I live in a city!
December 2, 2025 at 10:24 AM
It might actually surprise many of them to find out in advance.
I'm always amazed how some rural people will tell me at great length about all the difficulties like lack of busses as though I could never know because I live in a city. I know very well and that's why I live in a city!
I'm always amazed how some rural people will tell me at great length about all the difficulties like lack of busses as though I could never know because I live in a city. I know very well and that's why I live in a city!
I heard of it on documentary about 20 years ago. Of course anywhere introducing it now will be called woke 😉.
November 28, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I heard of it on documentary about 20 years ago. Of course anywhere introducing it now will be called woke 😉.
So did I (or maybe a 15 min walk) and, wait for it... they were a fitness instructor there!
November 28, 2025 at 11:50 AM
So did I (or maybe a 15 min walk) and, wait for it... they were a fitness instructor there!
True.
You could also argue that for some people it genuinely isn't a choice where to live, notably children and teenagers. Though they often can't use cars so get doubly stuck without good public transport/active travel options.
You could also argue that for some people it genuinely isn't a choice where to live, notably children and teenagers. Though they often can't use cars so get doubly stuck without good public transport/active travel options.
November 26, 2025 at 6:16 PM
True.
You could also argue that for some people it genuinely isn't a choice where to live, notably children and teenagers. Though they often can't use cars so get doubly stuck without good public transport/active travel options.
You could also argue that for some people it genuinely isn't a choice where to live, notably children and teenagers. Though they often can't use cars so get doubly stuck without good public transport/active travel options.
That's an economical trade off for individuals to decide though: housing costs vs transport costs. Keeping driving artificially affordable skews this choice in a way that isn't fair to those who pay more (or make other sacrifices like living space) to live somewhere they don't need to drive.
November 26, 2025 at 4:49 PM
That's an economical trade off for individuals to decide though: housing costs vs transport costs. Keeping driving artificially affordable skews this choice in a way that isn't fair to those who pay more (or make other sacrifices like living space) to live somewhere they don't need to drive.
"Adding friction" isn't the same as forcing people to stop. It can just be removing support that was being given e.g. free on-street parking. Or making the car route the indirect one & public transport/cycling the direct options.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
November 24, 2025 at 10:31 AM
"Adding friction" isn't the same as forcing people to stop. It can just be removing support that was being given e.g. free on-street parking. Or making the car route the indirect one & public transport/cycling the direct options.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
We've added friction to buying cigarettes without banning them.
Yes, it's really silly. And as the national living wage has increased it has ironically affected more people, even just with pension contributions before they can even think of C2W.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
November 21, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Yes, it's really silly. And as the national living wage has increased it has ironically affected more people, even just with pension contributions before they can even think of C2W.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
It would be much fairer to provide grants for cycles that anyone can access.
Many people in full-time work can't use the scheme too because of the silly rules about salary sacrifice: you have to earn national living wage after the deductions (and your pension deductions). That needs quite a food salary.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
November 21, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Many people in full-time work can't use the scheme too because of the silly rules about salary sacrifice: you have to earn national living wage after the deductions (and your pension deductions). That needs quite a food salary.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
Another reason to reform the scheme rather than introduce a silly cap.
The car club in Norwich definitely gets special treatment with where the designated bays are. And whilst it may work in your home city where you're all signed up and know the system what happens when you visit somewhere else?
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
November 20, 2025 at 9:46 AM
The car club in Norwich definitely gets special treatment with where the designated bays are. And whilst it may work in your home city where you're all signed up and know the system what happens when you visit somewhere else?
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
Interestingly the taxis here are generally well-driven too though.
They can help people avoid owning cars altogether though, by covering odd occasions when one is useful, which has a lot of benefits. It's a bit like a car club but with somebody else doing the driving.
November 19, 2025 at 10:41 PM
They can help people avoid owning cars altogether though, by covering odd occasions when one is useful, which has a lot of benefits. It's a bit like a car club but with somebody else doing the driving.
Yes but you can tackle that by rules about the kind of bikes people can buy rather than the value, so a £7k cargo cycle that can carry two children and shopping would be allowed but a £7k carbon fibre racing bike totally impractical for commuting would not.
November 18, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Yes but you can tackle that by rules about the kind of bikes people can buy rather than the value, so a £7k cargo cycle that can carry two children and shopping would be allowed but a £7k carbon fibre racing bike totally impractical for commuting would not.
Or compared to fuel duty cuts and freezes, which benefit affluent people who drive more in bigger cars.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
November 18, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Or compared to fuel duty cuts and freezes, which benefit affluent people who drive more in bigger cars.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
Bizarrely eco subsidies seem to get more bad feeling for not being as progressive as we'd like than subsidies for polluting things.
And amazingly some people will drive miles and miles to reach a leisure activity and feel that this journey is somehow more important than somebody riding a cycle for leisure, because they are "trying to get somewhere" and the cyclist is just out enjoying themselves.
November 15, 2025 at 3:14 PM
And amazingly some people will drive miles and miles to reach a leisure activity and feel that this journey is somehow more important than somebody riding a cycle for leisure, because they are "trying to get somewhere" and the cyclist is just out enjoying themselves.
Things like the energy price cap and fuel duty cuts/subsidies can also disproportionately benefit the "middle class" because they use more fuel and energy. It seems there is much more anger when Green policies aren't as progressive as we'd like than there is with polluting policies.
November 14, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Things like the energy price cap and fuel duty cuts/subsidies can also disproportionately benefit the "middle class" because they use more fuel and energy. It seems there is much more anger when Green policies aren't as progressive as we'd like than there is with polluting policies.
And the techno fixes don't even work with domestic gas boilers, so even if we get limitless clean nuclear power, we'll still need to electrify domestic heating.
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
And the techno fixes don't even work with domestic gas boilers, so even if we get limitless clean nuclear power, we'll still need to electrify domestic heating.
A similar thing to me is saying "We want people to be able to drive when they need to but have the choice to cycle when they can." So many good cycling advocates still talk about driving as a "need" and cycling as a "choice" when it can often be the only realistic option for people.
November 8, 2025 at 2:15 PM
A similar thing to me is saying "We want people to be able to drive when they need to but have the choice to cycle when they can." So many good cycling advocates still talk about driving as a "need" and cycling as a "choice" when it can often be the only realistic option for people.
And there are practical reasons as well as financial ones some people can't have a car/drive such as parking, all the maintenance and documentation to arrange, and being able to even access the places you need to (e.g. narrow roads and paths).
November 8, 2025 at 2:01 PM
And there are practical reasons as well as financial ones some people can't have a car/drive such as parking, all the maintenance and documentation to arrange, and being able to even access the places you need to (e.g. narrow roads and paths).
What we really need in the world is "AI peas with added protein."
Probably added pea protein 😉
Probably added pea protein 😉
November 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM
What we really need in the world is "AI peas with added protein."
Probably added pea protein 😉
Probably added pea protein 😉
One small mercy is that Land Rover have at least made them relatively rounded. The motorcycle equivalent, the BMW GS, has big square section aluminium panniers to add on with very nasty looking corners and even nastier looking hooks to strap stuff on with, but a nice rounded cutout for the exhaust.
November 5, 2025 at 12:53 PM
One small mercy is that Land Rover have at least made them relatively rounded. The motorcycle equivalent, the BMW GS, has big square section aluminium panniers to add on with very nasty looking corners and even nastier looking hooks to strap stuff on with, but a nice rounded cutout for the exhaust.
It's to resemble racks that used to bolt to the sides of old Defenders and "Series" Land Rovers (forerunner to them) to carry extra fuel cans etc. on expeditions across deserts etc.
November 5, 2025 at 12:50 PM
It's to resemble racks that used to bolt to the sides of old Defenders and "Series" Land Rovers (forerunner to them) to carry extra fuel cans etc. on expeditions across deserts etc.
It depends on the trip, but always involves coffee. And I'd never tour on a bike I couldn't ride to work on. In fact, there is something nice about going away on your day-to-day workhorse bike.
November 4, 2025 at 4:14 PM
It depends on the trip, but always involves coffee. And I'd never tour on a bike I couldn't ride to work on. In fact, there is something nice about going away on your day-to-day workhorse bike.