If people won’t change their attitudes to public transport then electric cars will help. As richc said, power stations are more efficient, especially if they are sited locally to conurbations and minimise transmission losses.

Have a look at a project called Better Place (that might be wrong). They use a replaceable battery pack model to remove the charging problem. It’s very interesting!

While I think about it I have a great book with a chapter about cycle touring up here. I’ll have a look for the title…

Tomintoul – Cock Bridge – Ballater would be a great ride on a road bike.(Actually why have’t I done that yet?!) Then cut north of the north Deeside Road through Tarland etc.

Google Latitude does maps and links in with the GPS. http://maps.google.com/m I believe

davidr how are you supposed to know if they are abandoned or not?

You don’t. I was pointing out that there are often several reasons that there may be bags of dog crap left lying and not all dog walkers are “dirty bas turds”.

Much in the same way that it would be wrong to class everyone in a car as a bike-hating nutter.

Does she leave a sign next to it? Ask her to keep hold of it it will keep her hands warm for a while.

That’s just being provocative and insulting. There are idiots in all walks of life. Apparently this includes cyclists.

These abandoned bags may not be actually be abandoned you know.

My mother’s dog has a terrible habit of crapping 5 minutes into a long walk so I’ll pick it up, bag it and stash it somewhere so I can collect it and bin it on the way back. Rather that than carrying a bag of crap around for a couple of hours.

Ski, you know the soldiers, I know many who fly to and from work just like those who lost their lives today. Aberdeen is a very small place so some mutual respect would be appreciated.

Big Dummy, is that a dig meant specifically at those in the caring professions or is it meant for anyone who does work for the good of the community?

I think PR is the way forward. More parties represented, better debate, not just the two major parties scoring petty points. My wife is a Kiwi and she is impressed with the way it works over there.

Cheapest HP laserjet costs about £80 I think. Rock solid, no ink cartridges to dry out and a £40 toner cartridge will do you a couple of thousand prints

Write a letter? You have his address and it’s much less likely to get overlooked or binned by a PA.