Still, everyone complains but I dont think for a second it will prompt anyone to change their ways and try to actually make a difference to the obvious climate problems we are creating for ourselves.

[quote]I quit fretting about this ages ago because on an individual basis there is absolutely nothing any of us can do about it.[/quote]

Not intending to start a climate change debate, just to say imo surely it’s only on an individual level that any of us can make a difference? Anything else would mean nothing changes and that’s a big gamble. Stop using cars if you can. Stop consuming as much pointless crap and non-repairable stuff with short lifespans. Don’t buy over-packaged or long-haul delivered food. Use your capitalist vote and support greener companies and products. If we all do some of those things there’s some change. Etc.

It’s hard to say what causes what when discussing climate and consumption, but it seems like a risk to say there’s no link / we’re helpless in the face of consumer desire and just carry on regardless. Much better imo to use it as a fair reason to re-examine our lifestyles and their impact.

(‘The Age of Stupid’ – a film with Pete Postlethwaite, worth looking up)

Yep, been itching to go up to Cannock but would just be irresponsible – the trails are in danger of being ruined – #prayforfrost. 🙂

So I’ll just sit here and eat and drink and put 3 stone on in a week instead.

PeterPoddy – Member

PP – To be precise pedantic to make a point, rain didnt kill him. Swollen river water did.

I suppose the swollen river happened because someone left a tap on?

Rain causes floods. Floods kill. No 2 ways about it.

This, for example, could have been a massacre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boscastle_flood_of_2004

What about the anthropogenic impact of building onto natural flood plains? or the huge destruction of porous ground that used to be able to hold a large quantity of these flood waters?

your rains cause floods, floods kill is very general 😉

Large areas of the trent valley around newark/lincs have now been under water for the best part of a month and shows no sign of going down. Primarily caused by Nottinghams new flood defences pushing all the water further down stream and compounding the situation here.

I do wonder if some of the land around here will ever be erm.. land again.

On a sad note.. Whilst out on the rescue boat, the amount of dead wildlife is devestating.

Slogging miserable; Slithering is fun!

I can’t argue with that statement, however I think I’ve had enough rain now, thanks.

Nice frosty month would be a lovely welcome change.

We abandoned yesterdays ride due to torrential hailstones followed by pouring rain. I’ve just reached that point where I’m completely bored with getting soaked on the bike. I’ve persevered, and had subsequent dousing’s all year. I’m really, really fed up with it now. The only dry riding I can remember was March/April. Which seems a very long time ago now 🙁

Not intending to start a climate change debate, just to say imo surely it’s only on an individual level that any of us can make a difference?

James it’s ****ing the wind, I think. If anything it’s worse than that because some people are naive enough to think if they bother to put a baked bean can in the recycler rather than the bin they’ve somehow done their bit to saving the planet so it’s all right then. The situation is far more grave than that.

Side issue: billions of people in India and China and elsewhere aspire to the living standards we in the west have had for decades, and they aren’t going to stop going for growth. And who can blame them.

The only answer IMO is a technological breakthrough. That may or may not happen I have no idea. Probably not.

Another ride abandoned today. I’ve had a stinking cold now for a few days since, and wanted to get out this morning, but yet another day of high wind & torrential downpours in Southampton means it probably wouldn’t be the best of ideas.

Annoyed I missed out yesterday, which seems to be the only sunny day we have had in the last few weeks.

Only a cold spell will save anything local now, everything is bottomless.

James it’s ****ing the wind, I think

It pretty much is in reality, but since I think we consume too much anyway, it’s not a bad thing in principle. And if we all took bigger steps, I think any noted change in consumption patterns would be a valuable message in itself.

aaaaaaand now its raining.

It looks pretty bad. Just seen two of every animal forming an orderly queue.

Once again it’s cats and dogs down here in Surrey.

The trick is to dress comfortably but then climb mostly on road and just descend off road and don’t widen the trails. Slogging miserable; Slithering is fun!

Am liking this description.

New event: enduroslither?

We abandoned yesterdays ride due to torrential hailstones followed by pouring rain. I’ve just reached that point where I’m completely bored with getting soaked on the bike. I’ve persevered, and had subsequent dousing’s all year. I’m really, really fed up with it now. The only dry riding I can remember was March/April. Which seems a very long time ago now

This. I’ve had the odd one or two excellent rides (Afan, Swinley)to keep me interested but I’m on the road more and more.

The difference between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ is only a relative measure of time. At some point, weather just becomes climate (tho’ I don’t think there is a consensus as to how long that is, is there?)

… Anyway, in reply, yes it’ll stop raining and quite soon too I’d think – I’m back at work at the end of the week, so you can [virtually] guarantee it’ll be dry, and sunny then.

😕

jameso – Member
And if we all took bigger steps, I think any noted change in consumption patterns would be a valuable message in itself.

The problem is that it’s always the few that seem to be trying to make the difference and until the they can convince the rest of the world (and I mean the whole world, not just bit of it) and especially large consumers of resources, not just he end users, it’ll make f*** all difference.

I try & do my bit, at some expense to myself but sometimes I just think why do I bother when no other fecker can?

At least it’s warm.

Stopped raining here (Leeds). There now appears to be a blanket of very high up, “blue” cloud……whatsgoingon?? 😯

its so bad, this is my homepage
http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

I try & do my bit, at some expense to myself

You’re one of 7 billion. Your bit is irrelevant. If your consumption dropped to zero tomorrow, it wouldn’t make any difference.

I guess the only possible way out** would be worldwide collective agreement on what’s fair and sustainable per person. My guess is for the gaps between the haves and the have-nots to close, the haves are going to have to wind back our standards of living by decades or even centuries, and for the have-nots to agree to stop there too.

It’s not going to happen.

** other than some not-yet-on-the-radar technology breakthrough.

It’s not going to happen.

… so forget about it and enjoy your life while you can.

mattjg – Member
You’re one of 7 billion. Your bit is irrelevant. If your consumption dropped to zero tomorrow, it wouldn’t make any difference.

Exactly my point. Why should I bother if no-one else CBA?

We should have the driest year on record as I’ve just bought a new whitewater kayak….

sometimes I just think why do I bother

I guess it’s only something we can judge ourselves on. ‘More is better’ is a simple progress trap. ‘I have enough’ is satisfaction. Just depends on how we define enough.

Back on topic – it’ll dry out, it has to. And when it does the trails will look different, new lines etc.

You’re one of 7 billion. Your bit is irrelevant. If your consumption dropped to zero tomorrow, it wouldn’t make any difference.

No. But if a quarter of us reduced our consumption by a quarter …

“if no-one else does why should I” is poor thinking imo. You should only do what you feel is right, sod what everyone else does. Change or apathy, it all starts with us.

Exactly my point. Why should I bother if no-one else CBA?

I wouldn’t say it’s a matter of ‘CBA’, more that there are still several billions who aspire to standards that most of us here would consider pretty poor.

But the end result is the same.

More is better’ is a simple progress trap.

True too. It’s a dead end eventually.

So are you lot assuming that if enough people reduce their consumption it will stop raining?

Back on topic – it’ll dry out, it has to.

It doesn’t though, does it? Its nature. So it doesn’t have to do anything. Least of all, what we tell it to do.

The way the experts are talking, what we’re presently seeing could be a permanent change in weather systems. This could be our lot from here on in

I really hope they’re bloody wrong. Because I don’t think I could cope with a repeat of this years weather being all we’ve got to look forward too 😥

“if no-one else does why should I”

Otherwise known as the ‘American’ response

At times today the weather here on the Irwell Delta has been biblical. I’m so thoroughly fed up with it and haven’t turned a wheel on the bike now for nearly 3 weeks. Just sick to death of the constant cleaning of my kit. Things have got so bad I’ve got the turbotrainer down from the loft 😯 .

Can’t bring myself to use it yet. Maybe tomorrow.

As Billy Connolly once said…

There’s not such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothes.

Same applies to bike set up and route choice

That said I wouldn’t mind some drier spells if only to save my washing machine 🙂

The way the experts are talking, what we’re presently seeing could be a permanent change in weather systems. This could be our lot from here on in

which experts and where?

in my experience people tend to have a very short term memory when it comes to weather…

TBH I’m just on a bit of a downer today and feel like the world hates me.

Had a quick look at XCWeather.co.uk just now and it’s trying to convince me the weather will be drying up for the next week or so from about now, so hopefully I might be able to get out on the trails next weekend 😀

I heard some weather’expert’ or other on the beeb news this morning saying they really don’t know what it’s going to do over the next few years but it’s likely to be one of 2 things – either a 2 year blip like that experienced in the mid ’50’s when the Lynton & Lynmouth disaster struck or alternatively it’s going to be like this pretty much permanently from now on.

Nice to know the ‘experts’ have a grip on it. 😉

I understand we are currently in an El Nino cycle, which means dry areas are rendered unusually dry, and wet areas unusually wet. It has been theorised that global warming is accentuating the effects of El Nino and it is likely to stay this way until the warm waters of the Pacific move westwards again.

It has been theorised that

it was also theorised that the world was going to end last week…..

jam bo – Member
it was also theorised that the world was going to end last week…..

Perhaps it is, just very slowly? 😉

dissolving?

Somebody remind me what the experts were saying earlier this year (yes it really was just earlier this year) when we were in the middle of a drought and there were hosepipe bans? In reality we’re just as likely to have an extremely dry 2013 as a very wet one – it all depends which way the butterflies fly in the rainforest.

“why should I bother if nobody else can be bothered’

Thats the sad reality of the majority’s outlook. Seems to me that most people are too selfish to do anything positive to try and effect some change.
What I cant understand is peoples blatant disregard for the future of their children and grand children, the legacy we leave behind will be theirs to endure, and the way we are going the future isnt bright.

But back to the original point, its still raining here and it sucks.

😆

edit: That was at Jambo’s last comment

Last night I finally dropped 30 odd quid for a mud tyre for the back of my Swift.

So this morning of course we have fine blue skies and 100% sun.

Thanks for taking one for the team, mattjg

How come the troll hasn’t been banned yet?