SUV

Blocking the way entirely. This image shows a cycle lane in New Road in E1. Moreover SUVs represent a great threat to cyclists and pedestrians. They are much heavier than normal cars and "any injuries will be concentrated in the upper body due to the increased height of the bonnet above ground. [...] In the cae of a hit this leads to "impacts with the abdomen, thorax and head and so vital body organs will bear the brunt of the trauma and the victim will be killed or maimed."

BTW who needs a SUV anyway?

motor cycles

Blocking on all fronts

Giant Town Squadron

That's my bike. Not fully equipped though, I got another back roller and to red front rollers that can be attached to the low rider (that's also missing on this picture). Bought in Münster in 1997 it's still in a pretty good shape, don't you think?

Cycling in London

My bike is by far the most important investment I've ever made. I've started using it on a daily basis when I started uni in 1996. But only now, having lived in London for a year, I realise how important and comfortbale it is. It's maybe a personal thing: I just don't like public transportation. I don't mind trains for longer travelling, but I only use the tube when I need to go, say to the airport. Ok, and when I wear I suit four or five times a year. I love the freedom when I'm cycling. You don't have to wait for something to arrive you just go whenever and wherever you like. And it's healthy, guys. Especially after a long night out. It just takes a bit longer uphill...

When I came here I had no idea how the infrastructure would be and was delighted when I found it was pretty good (Münster is still No.1 though). I wasn't used to the cycle lane being part of the road. It is common in Germnay to have a pavement that's divided in a pedestrian and and biker part. I like the London type better and it's also safer. Despite being closer to the traffic and therefore being more vulnerable car drivers are aware of you as you are a road user - just a sthem. (Just looked the word up in a dictionary. The German translation is "Verkehrsteilnehmer". Well, much more comlicated, Amtsdeutsch...).

To be part of the club I joined the London Cyling Campaign. They also give you a liability insurance when you join - something most people in Germany have, but doesn't seem to exist in the UK. The LCC've really done a lot in recent years and conditions for cyclists have improved. Cycling has become popular. There are over 9m hits for "cycling in london"! Also the government promotes it. Also Ken's up for a ride.

There's also a downside to it. Or let's call it hassle with motorists. Although by far most motorists respect you and appreciate that you're weaker there are of course some morons. I pictured some below. Address unfortunately unknown ;-)

Käptn Picard Nachtrag

Bemerkenswert auch, dass die beiden folgenden Artikel im selben DLF newsletter (23. Okt. 2006) aufeinander folgten.

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Bayer-Tochter plant Stellenabbau und Verkäufe

Der Bayer-Konzern will bei seinem Tochter-Unternehmen "Bayer Industry Services" mittelfristig jede zweite Arbeitsstelle streichen. Von den derzeit rund 5.800 Beschäftigten an den Standorten Leverkusen, Dormagen und Krefeld-Uerdingen sollten etwa 2.300 durch Verkäufe in andere Unternehmen wechseln, wurde nach einer Aufsichtsratssitzung in Leverkusen mitgeteilt. Betroffen seien vor allem die technischen Dienste. [...]

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Wirtschaft wegen Abwanderung besorgt

Die deutsche Wirtschaft befürchtet, dass immer mehr junge und qualifizierte Arbeitskräfte ins Ausland abwandern. Die steigende Zahl der Auswanderer sei ein Alarmzeichen, sagte der Präsident des Deutschen Industrie- und Handelskammertages, Braun. Mit 145.000 Abwanderungen habe es im vergangenen Jahr die höchste registrierte Zahl seit 1954 gegeben.

Migranten

Es mutet schon seltsam an, wenn man dieser Tage Vertreter von Politik und Wirtschaft in Deutschland hört. Ludwig Georg Braun, DIHK Präsident, warnt vor einem "Brain Drain". Immer mehr kluge Köpfe kommen der Wirtschaft abhanden. Sie wandern schlicht aus. Entziehen sich dem deutschen Arbeitsmarkt. Unverschämt. 145.000 im vergangenen Jahr. Und ich bin einer von ihnen. Schuldig Herr Braun. Herr Braun sagt, die Politik sei schuld. Die "Standortbedingungen" seien in aneren Ländern viel besser. Andere Länder weniger Abgaben. Die Politik gibt den Schwarzen Peter zurück. Und die, die da bleiben werden schlecht ausgebildet.

Gestern berichtete ein Migrationsexperte von seinem letzten USA Besuch. Er sei der Überzeugung, dass dass das Land mittelfristig mehr mexikanische Einwanderer brauche, um seinen Lebenstandard zu sichern. Kongressabgeordnete teilten seien Ansicht. Lediglich der Präsident lässt den Grenzzaun erweitern.

Rosie

Well, here they are the patrons of my blog. Rosie on the right ...

Stan

... and Stan on the left.

Welcome note

Welcome to my blog. It has just gone live. They say that the Brits like to talk about the weather. And that it's always raining in London. Well, they're always up for a smalltalk which not at all a bad thing and the weather is a good thing to talk baout anyway. The rainy Britain - at least that goes for London - doesn't exist. In fact, London had more sunny days than Rome or Madrid. I since I've been here I can only remember getting really wet twice. Honestly. And I cycle to wrok every day.
That is not more than a myth. The same is true for the fog by the way

Don't really know why I start with stereotypes here, but a colleague of mine asked me what sterotype I would have for Brits. I just came up with one, but that's really a classic. We all know that Brits love to queue. It doesn't really matter what for - she even said that. I'm still investigating how many cash machines are there per head in this country, but in Germany you would never wait longer than, say five minutes or you never have more than three people in front of you. In London, I mean London, the financial centre of Europe, I have to queue all the time in front of an ATM. The worst I saw on a Thursday early evening, I counted 19 people in front of a HSBC branch. I didn't join them in queuing though...

From sterotypes to facts. Brits are the champions in energy wasting. No wonder that we pay about £50 a month in winter for gas. Isolation, double glazed windows seem to be foreign words in the UK...