As someone who was a keen swimmer until Covid hit, I’ve often thought it would be nice to have a pool. We know a couple of people who have them. Problem is, it would mean moving to somewhere that offered sufficient space (so, outside London, basically), and we don’t want to do that. Then, there’s the problem of having a pool that’s actually big enough for a proper swim, so at least 25m. Would obviously need to be a decent depth as well, so that’s a very large amount of earth that would need removing. Even once you’ve got past the cost of all that, there’s the cost and logistics of keeping it maintained; pool-owning people we know, say it’s a nightmare. And none of them have anything adequate; they’re just large baths to show off with. Utterly pointless really, unless you have youngsters who’d enjoy splashing about. Fortunately, the recent increased popularity of sports activities and fitness, means there are now lots more publically accessible pools that someone else has the cost and hassle of running. A lifetime of membership would still be a fraction of what a decent pool would cost.

Lidos are for Victorian perverts.

EG. It’s like drink driving.

It’s not.

Private security firms cannot issue fines, this is why parking infractions are now ‘charges’. The only people who can issue fines are councils (or companies acting at their direction) and courts.

In this case if someone is threatening a spot fine then it’s either a) on behalf of the council, b) unlawful or c) a lie.

I’m generally of that mind when it comes to ‘fines’. Again, I’m not 100% sure, but I don’t think that a private security firm has any power really to impose a fine on someone; I thought only a court can really do that? IE; if you are issued a fine and don’t pay it, it’s down to the issuer to take you to court (and then prove loss, damage/disturbance caused etc). Which might be a tad difficult, seeing as how you have to actually obtain someone’s details in order to be able to do so, and not even the police have the power to force you to give these up. So I’m really not sure what Rentacop can do, to be honest.

So it’s OK to help yourself to someone else’s property so long as they’re rich then? Guy down the road has half a dozen cars, he can’t possibly use them all at once so it’s OK if I take one of them?

You can argue the injustice and inequality of UK land ownership all you like and I’d absolutely agree with you, it’s shit that we don’t have access to this land and in many cases we surely should. But that doesn’t give you carte blanche to steal it.

The difference here, is that one example is actually stealing, theft as defined in law; the other isn’t. Because you’re not depriving the ‘owner’ of their property, or preventing them from accessing and enjoying, it. It is well worth looking at how private land was first obtained; invariably through force and extortion. So let’s look at it like this:

Imagine your bike gets nicked. Many years later, you spot your bike again; it’s changed hands many times, and the current owner had nothing to do with the original crime, and may well be oblivious to it, believing that they now ‘own’ the bike. The bike is still, technically, yours though. Translate this to much of the ‘ownership’ of land in the UK at least, and probably the world over, and we see that the land was originally obtained by means which we would now consider illegal. Definitely immoral. So whilst this is still little more than a philosophical argument, it does make a case for public access to ‘private’ land; in Norway, private landowners are in the minority, and most land is owned by the state, government institutions, and local authorities. ‘Allmenningsrett’ or ‘Everyman’s Right’ dictates that people have the legal right to access all land which is not cultivated or has animals grazing, that isn’t part of a military restricted area, or closed off for safety reasons etc. And obviously not that which is part of someone’s private garden, although if you have a couple of unfenced acres out of the back of your house, you might see someone take a shortcut. An attitude to land ‘ownership’, that is enviable.

My back yard is privately owned and I rarely set foot in it other than to cross it to put the bins out. Reckon it’s fair game to kick my back gate down and build a skate park in there cos I’m not using it?

That’s just silly, and you know it is. ;)

There are vast areas of the UK that are completely out of bounds to the general public as they are privately owned, a lot of the time by extremely rich people who rarely set foot on said land. Perfect example is a lot of the moors on the eastern Pennines, lots of it is owned by ….s who turn up in their chauffeur driven Range Rovers to shoot grouse for a few weeks a year and because of this no one else is allowed to ride bikes or horses at any time, this is ‘pure selfish greed’ by my definition

Their nationality/ethnic origin/whatever is irrelevant, plenty of home-grown ****s who ‘own’ land, but I agree with that 100%. It’s not farmland, responsible and careful use harms nobody, and restricting it’s access is just privileged selfish ****ishness.

Who is actually threatening fines? A private security firm? I’m not sure of the relevant law, but might it actually be an offence of some kind, to demand money, especially from children, for something I’m not sure even the park’s owners are legally allowed to do?

Good LBC article. More power to the kidz!

Ordered the DCF887 with 2x5Ah batteries, charger and case for £179.95*. Not bad. Flogging the spare battery, charger and case should recoup a few quid at least. I know a couple of people who use DeWalt stuff, so a spare battery is always useful to them. I can always pop the smaller battery on for quick jobs anyway, so it’ll be good to have the choice there.

*Toolstation. The 2x2Ah kit is actually a tenner dearer! Collection only, and Bermondsey! Still, it’s a bike ride.

From the link (The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers – no agenda there then).

Interesting that you’ve mentioned that. So I’ll throw your own words back at you; no agenda there, then.

do these legal observers have any credentials or do you just turn up and claim to be legal observers?

There is an entire internet out there, for you to do your own research, and enlighten yourself, but I’ll help you out a bit:

https://greenandblackcross.org/guides/what-is-a-legal-observer/

It really was as easy as just typing ‘legal observer’ inot Google. Really that easy. I will pick up one point I think needs clarification though:

“Legal observers are not:.. Lawyers”

They aren’t there in a professional capacity, but they can be actual lawyers, as well as from myriad professions. I personally know a few lawyers who have attended demonstrations as ‘legal observers’; some are barristers, and there’s even a QC or two in there. I also know a black cab driver who’s acted as a ‘legal observer’.

Does a high vis jacket make you a legal observer?

It’s purpose is to distinguish you as a ‘legal observer’, rather than a ‘protestor’, so that police don’t use powers meant to be used for protestors, on them.

Not surprising when

four legal observers from Black Protest Legal Support

Not all people connected with Black Protest Legal Support are people of colour. I know two who are very white. So there you go. It’s often not a good idea to make assumptions.

Not sure how the police are abusing the regulations when the regulations have banned gatherings for the time being, regulations that have gone through our democratic process.

Lots of confusion surround all this, not least from the police themselves, so I’ll forgive you for making that mistake. I’ll point you instead towards the recent High Court ruling on the matter:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/13/police-in-england-using-covid-lockdown-rules-to-halt-any-protests

“Police officers are using coronavirus regulations to break up socially distanced demonstrations even though the country’s largest police force has conceded in a landmark legal case that people have a right to protest during the current national lockdown.

The Metropolitan police admitted in the high court on Friday that it had discretion on how to respond to protests and it could not impose a blanket ban on demonstrations, after the force was challenged by the organisers of the planned vigil to remember Sarah Everard in south London.”

If you are genuinely suggesting what has happened recently in the UK with what has happened in Hong Kong you are seriously trivialising the issues in Hong Kong.

I’m not. I was merely pointing out that the BBC and other ‘mainstream’ media outlets have neglected to mention that ‘legal observers’ were attacked by police. Something that also happened in Hong Kong, which the western media reported on, extensively.

We’ve already seen that the police have lied about injuries to officers, during the protests, and we’ve also seen that it is likely that various media outlets have differing agendas when it comes to reporting facts. It really is worth pointing out that the Sarah Everard vigil was not in fact a protest, and had not been ‘organised’ by anyone as such, so police were in breach of the current emergency legislation.

I have heard it said that higher capacity batteries have a lower internal resistance so give more power.

But surely, 18v is 18v, right?

Seems you can get a 2Ah battery, which is the same size and weight as the 1.5 (which I think is just a OEM version they ship with budget packages). But I could get a kit with case, charger and 2 batteries, and flog off the case, charger and spare. If I can be bothered.

But i’d probably pay a tenner more and get the three speed model

Many thanks. I think that’s the one I’m going for. Now, the only dilemma is whether to get the kit with battery and charger, and have yet another big plastic box to have to find somewhere for/get rid of, or a bare unit and single battery. I prefer the smaller, lower capacity batteries, because not only do they make the tool a good bit lighter and easier to use, they are quicker to charge and I don’t really need many hours of use out of them. The 1.5AH one I have with my drill, I never use anywhere near it’s capacity. A spare charger might be useful though…

^Those.

Given this is STW and it’s a summer shed, I’d recommend as a minimum:

Half a dozen piles down to bed rock.

2m deep concrete foundations with a minimum for 60 sheets of rebar.

:D Minimum.

Police attacking legal observers:

https://www.haldane.org/news/2021/3/29/statement-condemning-the-mpss-arrest-of-four-legal-observers-on-16th-march

It’s quite disturbing how the BBC etc gleefully report on anti-democracy abuses by the Chinese authorities in Hong Kong, for example, yet are silent when similar happens here. It’s an extremely sinister and worrying move by police, to now target those who are there simply to observe that the law is adhered to, particularly by the police. One step closer to fascism…

Impact wrench will have a 1/2″ square tip for sockets for car stuff. You want a driver with a 1/4″ hex socket

As for models, brushless is better if you can find one at the right price. Other than that it’ll be about power and modes.

Nice. So; from DeWalt’s very extensive range, which one?? I want something that will last, obviously, so not the very cheapest, but it’s not for daily use either, so not a full on ‘pro’ model. 18V, so I can swap the batteries if need be. Don’t need multiple batteries either.

But look at it. It’s horrible and I’m a bit sad to see it moved into this role.

What on earth are you talking about? That’s a fantastic bike, that. Simple, utilitarian, capable. Far more useful than some über skinny racer, or a 30lb+ full suspension behemoth ;) .

The mis-matched rims are an issue though, for sure.

Forgetting which tools for a moment; the most important thing will be trying to prevent tools from disappearing. Having been involved with similar projects, this was always a bigger issue than anything else really. Kids are kids; those in PRU/Exclusion type situations are invariably from economically deprived backgrounds, so without wanting to judge (I come from such a background myself), theft will be an issue. More often than not, it’s just so they can have a set of allen keys to do work on their own/mates bikes really, things like that. So it might be a good idea to set aside part of the budget, to supply each pupil with a mini set of bike tools that they can keep as a ‘reward’ for doing the course. I think the basic Park folding pocket hex key sets are like £5 or less, at trade. Give each pupil one at the start, and then it’s their responsibility to look after it. That way, they’ve already got something for ‘nothing’ as it were, and might be less inclined to pinch (in my experience, it’s more about the opportunity rather than a real need). The main aim of the course should be about teaching skills and helping people gain a sense of individual responsibility, and self worth. And the key, vital element for any such course to succeed, is that the kids have FUN. So even if they don’t learn much, if they’ve gained a bit of self esteem, and personal responsibility, and had FUN, then that’s a massive positive in their lives.

Good luck; it won’t be easy, but it might be a lot of FUN.

Yes an impact driver will have much much better chance of success.

Oh that’s marvellous. I only wish I’d bought one in a set, when I bought my drill last year or whenever it was. I’ll get a DeWalt, because that’s what my drill is, and I can swap batteries, but which one?? There seem to be loads just in the DeWalt range! And what’s the difference between an impact ‘driver’ and a ‘wrench’?

Do I need a Festool?

Quick slight hijack; I have some decking that could do with being taken up, and cleaned out underneath. I tried undoing one of the screws earlier, after carefully picking out the dirt that had accumulated in the head, and my 18V drill couldn’t shift it, and rounded off the head. I’m just wondering if an impact driver would be a better tool for that job, or would it just do the same? Yes, I know better quality screws should have been used, but I didn’t install the decking. I’d really rather not have to drill every single one out…

Er, the Highway Code. Rule 160.

“Rule 160
Once moving you should

keep to the left, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise. The exceptions are when you want to overtake, turn right or pass parked vehicles or pedestrians in the road”

This appears to only apply to public highways. I’m curious about what ‘rules’ apply to other places people might ride bikes, such as canal towpaths, bridleways, forest paths etc. As far as I am aware, there are no such rules. Happy to be enlightened though.

I’m so pleased it’s finally back under way. Excitedly told my wife; she couldn’t have given me a more withering look.

Just bunnyhop the next pothole you come across. Problem solved

I did once ‘brake test’ the idiot sitting right on my wheel. But then I felt bad for him almost losing control and crashing. Fortunately, he didn’t, but I wouldn’t do that again. Much rather pull over and let them past, than do something deliberately that might cause them injury. He didn’t get back on my wheel again though.

Hmmm… seems this isn’t about me.

No; it really is all about you. You’ve been on that mission from the very start.

Bottom line here is that you aren’t really prepared to listen to anyone else’s opinions, and believe your own to be the only ones that are valid. You crack on mate; we’re not the ones busting ourselves over a few quids worth of scrap.

Perhaps you reread the post?

I tried, but all I found was a thread where you were talking about how horrid your childhood schooling was. Kind of answered a few questions, to be honest. I hope that one day, you’ll find the space to be able to accept that you might not have all the answers after all. I wish you all the best.

Many years ago, I turned down a lovely Klein Adroit, because it had a massive proprietary headset system, rather than the then ubiquitous 1.125″. Looking back, it may just have been some fairly standard bearings, of a particular size; all the different brands used slightly different bearings anyway, so it wouldn’t necessarily have been much different to sourcing those. But it was just the proprietary nature, that put me off. But then, I’ve owned a Headshock Cannondale, and I think the older ones had a slightly different size to later models. But from what I’ve seen, the age of standardisation on bicycles is well over. I don’t think manufacturers really want you to keep a bike beyond a few years, they want you to buy a new one. So why use standard fittings?

Well are all under constant threat of violence

That’s like saying we’re all under constant threat of nuclear attack, or a deadly virus, or a piece of old space junk falling on us, or being hit by a bus, or…. Most of us just get on with our lives though. Being constantly fearful isn’t a good thing, especially in a society where violence is still statistically quite low.

Sure you can walk round with a sign round you neck saying “if you want my phone or wallet just ask”

That’s just paranoia now.

What else do you call your illogical view?

Please explain why you think my own view (strange, as I’ve not particularly expressed it here) is ‘illogical’?

Well, would you say breaking their ankle is proportionate?
I put in hours of cutting up 350kg of scrap to the sizes for maximum value and in the process broke my ankle… (as a few here already know)

I view that as a decent deal… when I get paid. Based on that why would I not accept a similar injury defending my property or expect the thieves to?

What the actual **** are you talking about now? Are you saying that thieves attacked you and broke your ankle? Or that you sustained the injury whilst dealing with your scrap?

Studies paid for to keep a passive population and biased towards the most serious.

Who needs experts, eh? As you’ve already decided what the outcome will be, clearly.

if the end result is hospital …. what is this, did I post on netmums by accident ?

This is just nonsense. Sexism thrown in for good measure? So anyone who isn’t the tough, hardman you claim to be, is somehow weak and ‘effeminate’? Something like that?

I fully expect to end up in hospital a few times a year as a result of biking accidents

Then I suggest you either learn to ride a bit better, or take up a less dangerous hobby. Seems like you actually enjoy putting yourself in harm’s way. Is it so you can prove yourself as a man, is that it?

Because your safety is in their hands. I will never allow anyone I do not know and trust to sit on my wheel and I have called folk out for it before

Exactly. I just pull over, and tell them to pass me or **** off. I can’t abide having some total stranger sitting right on my back wheel, especially on busy roads. So dangerous. **** roadies.

The worst thing for me is when you pass someone and they get all competitive and speed up. I had this two weeks ago, passed a rider who had pulled in for something, I slowed to pass some horses a few miles later and he came tearing past us all. I then caught and passed him at a junction, only for him to come past again huffing and puffing so I sat back for a few miles until he blew up. Needless to say I felt like a total hero.

Ooh I **** hate that. Go past me, no problem. Then, as I’m keeping to my own steady rhythm, they slow down, so I pass again, then repeat. And each time I pass them, I need to speed up just a little to be able to pull in and avoid being right out in the middle of the road. Really **** irritating. Also, a more ‘urban’ thing; people at lights, who make a point of elbowing their way through to the front of a ‘queue’ of cyclists, then when the lights change, wobble away really slowly, in a high gear, holding us all up. So we all have to then get past them. Only to then have them do exactly the same thing at the next set of lights. ****s.

Roland TR-808.

You are allowed to use a weapon of opportunity ie something you have to hand and so long as the violence is no more than needed to protect yourself a self defense defense works. this is why i have an antique ice axe hanging on the wall off my flat by the door ( along with various other antique implements)

Ok. For starters, you misunderstood the notion of what constitutes a ‘weapon of opportunity’. Deliberately placing a weapon (in this case, an ‘antique ice axe’) in place, in anticipation of violence, would fall somewhat outside of this remit. And you’ve just told the entire internet about this. A ‘weapon of opportunity’ is something that ‘just happens’ to be there; for example; if you were in a kitchen when attacked by an intruder, a ‘weapon of opportunity’ might be a kitchen knife or rolling pin that would legitimately be there. Of course a decorative antique ice axe might also be there legitimately, as would all manner of objects you probably wouldn’t be advised to carry openly in public. In a public place, a ‘weapon of opportunity’ might be a piece of wood just lying about, or a bottle, or anything really. Again, it would all be about proportionality; if someone is attacking you with a knife, a broken bottle might constitute a reasonable defence. Pretty tricky though. And it’s all dependent on the level of violence; using lethal force against someone who has already killed or seriously injured others, and means to harm you as well, could be simple self defence. Beating someone who just gave you a slap, unconscious and with serious injuries, is ‘unreasonable’. Physically restraining them until police arrive would be proportionate. So, it’s a very tricky and murky area, and many fall foul of it. But a good idea, is to not have weapons placed somewhere then tell the internet about it, I’d say.

This is about my right to not have to live my life under a constant threat of violence, pure and simple.

So do you feel you are under ‘constant threat’?

Your belief system seems to be that if someone wants to take something from you all they need to do is threaten you and that’s OK because that is your belief system.

Not at all. I haven’t posted anything at all about my ‘belief system’, so I’m curious as to why you would mention it.

belief system

Why do you keep talking about a ‘belief system’? Do you believe in a legal system as organised within a society by public consensus?

So I just let them steal because they threaten me?

No; people have already mentioned the use of ‘proportional force’ to defend your property and personal safety. You’re talking about the use of threats and violence, which may well be very disproportionate to the actual threat you may suffer.

Some people are vegan, it’s not my concern nor do I care until they start to tell me what I can and can’t eat.

Why on earth are you so defensive? What do vegans have to do with anything? Do you really not get why other people might think you have issues, based on your posts?

When your friends gang up on you.

Even without the massive media opposition that Corbyn suffered, Starmer is still unpopular. Perhaps the Starmerists can explain why.

Still; it’s good to see anti-Semitism has been completely eradicated from the Labour party.

https://jwa.org/blog/weaponization-antisemitism-naomi-wimborne-idrissis-suspension-uk-labour-party

Is how you maintain/fix the cells not a sizeable elephant in the room here?

The Van Moof bikes have their electronics and batteries integrated into the frame, but are apparently ‘removable for servicing’. Great concept, I’m just not a fan of the ‘one size fits all’ model. I’d like to see at least a few different sizes. Perhaps having such a structurally integral system, limits this though.

https://www.vanmoof.com/en-GB/s3?color=dark

Blimey, how bad are your feet?

Lol! Just a bit of hard skin on the heels. Nothing a quick pummice after my shower, didn’t sort out.

Wouldn’t the waves from other big ships, potentially cause it to become even more beached?

I miss polished rims… remember FiR?

Mavic M6 Oxygen? I eschewed a set of the more ‘desirable’ dark anodised M7s, for the shininess of the M6s. I later bought a set of Campag K2 rims, quite deep section for the tim, shiny polished finish, weighed about 100g more each, than less ‘sexy’ rims, but I didn’t care. It was all about the polished shininess. All rims and components seem to be either black or dark grey these days. I lament the demise of Shiny. :'(

Absolutely no confidence in law enforcement if this (from Gloucestershire Police Federation) is standard throughout the other forces in UK

‘We are not public servants’ and ‘policing by consent is not a duty’

A truly shameful attitude.

See here. The end result of accepting the Thatcher government instructions when they wanted to break the unions.

A perfect example of someone occupying a position of power, who really shouldn’t.

An interesting take.. anyone who doesn’t share your belief system needs serious counselling?

Stevextc; I think people are recognising signs of behaviour they find disturbing, in your posts. Which, from my perspective, seem to be far more about your need to assert your ‘manliness’ or whatever, than to actually engage with the wider debate. All you’ve done, is post your own opinions, but you’re not taking on board any other perspectives, such as the need to view matters using a far more encompassing lens than your own ego. You’ve talked about feeling the need to defend your property using violence, or at least the threat of it. And your willingness to inflict serious violence and even injury, on someone who might just be stealing some scrap metal or something. This isn’t about justice, in a broader, socially consensual sense, this is about you asserting your authority and power over others. You’ve effectively shut down any interesting discussion, by banging on about scenarios which may or may not be real, as a means of attempting to justify your own opinion. We get it; you need us to think you’re really tough and brave. But the question you need to ask yourself, is why do you need us to think that?

Keir Starmer. He has got off his arse and is trying to do something.

What, exactly, is he trying to do? Other than further damage the Labour party, and create more division in society? I’d be really interested in what you think he’s ‘trying to do’.

Wanting Labour to win a FPTP general election is not “supporting” the system we have, it’s engaging with it.

So; having a leader who is utterly useless and will not affect any significant change, what’s the point of that? It’ll just be another rich man in a suit, replacing another rich man in a suit. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose…

Can I just ask, though; if Starmer did become PM (unlikely, but you never know), what do you think would change in the UK? I think it’s more productive discussing that, than ‘yabbering on’ about what a bastard Corbyn is, etc.

We need major reform

And you think Starmer would achieve that?

Elections still really matter in the UK.

Why do you think this?

Why are you so angry with me?