I was happy as a European, to be seen as part of a team. Working together to keep our continent safe and thriving. As a member of the European Union there were hundreds of benefits.
Even unpacking my sons new car seat it dawned on me that many of the improvements in car safety were thanks to the EU.
Anyway, I'm trying to think of how we can improve this situation. Clearly there are massive swathes of people in the UK who have been treated with so little understanding and help to thrive that they have rebelled against the government and the system we have been part of for years. It frightens me that no matter what happens now, there will be huge unrest in our great nation. It has started already.
When I discuss my fears with my peers there are real worries that even if Article 50 is not triggered this will only cause (quite rightly) disgruntled voters to rebel further.
The system is broken, but one thing I would urge every remain voter to do, if you agree with compromise, unity and a fair view of the world, we must all pull together so that the extremes of our nation do not win. I for one will be continuing to support the Liberal Democrats, but I will be doing so more intensely and with great pride. I will do this in the hope that if we all follow them and support them, they can lead us back into the EU if needs be, or help us to find a balanced society in which everyone is treated fairly.
Please consider this and I apologise for not being the most articulate of people.
Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Thursday, 28 February 2013
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
The Helmet Debate
I recently had a very healthy debate with a friend about crash helmets.
I must admit my personal experiences have swayed my opinion greatly, but I try to point out to others, learning from mistakes isn't always the best way. Maybe learn from others mistakes, surely thats a win win, you've learnt but not made a mistake.
Anyway I digress.
Obviously everyone has heard about the terrible incident involving a cyclist near the Olympic Park during the 2012 Olympics, this was a tragic incident and as my friend quite rightly pointed out a helmet would unfortunately not have saved this poor mans life, but that doesn't make me feel any less strongly about the issue.
In the last 7 and a half years I have spent a total of 47 minutes on a bicycle without wearing a Helmet. For those 47 minutes I was filled with dread, not because I feared for my life, but because I feared for the lives of those that I love. I have therefore decided to share my very personal experience in the hope that it will make someone else think, and wear a helmet.
As a student I received a phone call from the police, my mother had been in an accident on her bike. As I raced the 350miles home to be with my mother and my family I travelled by train and by bike. The sheer stupidity that I wasn't wearing a helmet didn't even register.
It wasn't until my sister would not let me leave the hospital until I had a helmet, ironically my mother's which had been left at home, that I recognised the importance of wearing a helmet, not for yourself but the ones you love.
I am very grateful that my mother is now fine and apart from a few little character changes, she is herself and happy along with my father. But for a while there it was touch and go, and I cannot even begin to describe what it was to see her, looking very unlike her and for a long time acting very strangely.
The head and the brain are fragile and until you have experienced a head injury first hand it is difficult to comprehend that a single blow can change someone's whole character, even their eyesight. For our family it was the lesser known injuries and changes that were more difficult to digest, the 2 broken arms would heal, the fractures to the skull would heal, but the changes to personality and the loss of my mother's sense of smell were hard to gauge. Nobody was able to tell us if these were permanent.
The greatest fear I had was that this new mother, the post injury mother was not the woman my father fell in love with, it would be neither's fault if they no longer loved each other or even liked each other. It would be the fault of a blow to the head. Luckily my mother is left with only small reminders, she has scars, yes. She cannot smell anything and her glasses have a different prescription, but she is still my mother, she is back to normal.
I wear a helmet everytime I get on a bike, because I do not want to cause pain to those around me, I know there are dangers out there that I cannot protect myself against, but for the dangers I can I will try my hardest.
For my partner, my family and my friends I get the impression they like me because of who I am, maybe I should protect that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu4QzAIayTU
I must admit my personal experiences have swayed my opinion greatly, but I try to point out to others, learning from mistakes isn't always the best way. Maybe learn from others mistakes, surely thats a win win, you've learnt but not made a mistake.
Anyway I digress.
Obviously everyone has heard about the terrible incident involving a cyclist near the Olympic Park during the 2012 Olympics, this was a tragic incident and as my friend quite rightly pointed out a helmet would unfortunately not have saved this poor mans life, but that doesn't make me feel any less strongly about the issue.
In the last 7 and a half years I have spent a total of 47 minutes on a bicycle without wearing a Helmet. For those 47 minutes I was filled with dread, not because I feared for my life, but because I feared for the lives of those that I love. I have therefore decided to share my very personal experience in the hope that it will make someone else think, and wear a helmet.
As a student I received a phone call from the police, my mother had been in an accident on her bike. As I raced the 350miles home to be with my mother and my family I travelled by train and by bike. The sheer stupidity that I wasn't wearing a helmet didn't even register.
It wasn't until my sister would not let me leave the hospital until I had a helmet, ironically my mother's which had been left at home, that I recognised the importance of wearing a helmet, not for yourself but the ones you love.
I am very grateful that my mother is now fine and apart from a few little character changes, she is herself and happy along with my father. But for a while there it was touch and go, and I cannot even begin to describe what it was to see her, looking very unlike her and for a long time acting very strangely.
The head and the brain are fragile and until you have experienced a head injury first hand it is difficult to comprehend that a single blow can change someone's whole character, even their eyesight. For our family it was the lesser known injuries and changes that were more difficult to digest, the 2 broken arms would heal, the fractures to the skull would heal, but the changes to personality and the loss of my mother's sense of smell were hard to gauge. Nobody was able to tell us if these were permanent.
The greatest fear I had was that this new mother, the post injury mother was not the woman my father fell in love with, it would be neither's fault if they no longer loved each other or even liked each other. It would be the fault of a blow to the head. Luckily my mother is left with only small reminders, she has scars, yes. She cannot smell anything and her glasses have a different prescription, but she is still my mother, she is back to normal.
I wear a helmet everytime I get on a bike, because I do not want to cause pain to those around me, I know there are dangers out there that I cannot protect myself against, but for the dangers I can I will try my hardest.
For my partner, my family and my friends I get the impression they like me because of who I am, maybe I should protect that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu4QzAIayTU
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
The Police
Brilliant! There are 2 kinds of cyclists that really really annoy me. 1. The fixie riders that think its fine to just whizz off the pavement onto the road and into my side, I understand that they like to go fast, but I will never understand the need to go fast an then brake all of a sudden. 2. The people that ride the 'Boris' barclays Bikes and have no road skills whatsoever. They swerve all over the road causing havoc.
This morning a wonderful thing happened, an example of both were annoying me on my way in to work, both went through the red lights at the cross roads before Southwark bridge, both got stopped by the police and fined.
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Flashing vs Solid
Hmmmmmm, which beam is better?
I like a mixture of both. I'm a rear flasher, but I don't go full frontal, I must admit though I notice cyclists more if they're flashing me :)
I like a mixture of both. I'm a rear flasher, but I don't go full frontal, I must admit though I notice cyclists more if they're flashing me :)
Monday, 22 November 2010
Crazy BMW
Well today my friends, I actually nearly died. Some of you may say it serves me right for cycling on the Shepherd's Bush roundabout, but I had my fluorescent jacket on, I had my lights on and I had run no red lights, I was quite clearly in the correct lane and very visible. Maybe the man in his BMW didn't see me because he was texting. Yes that sounds accurate.
May I ask a potentially stupid question?
I'm going to anyway. If it is illegal to use a phone whilst driving, why do people think it is better to text than ring someone? Is it because the phone is more or less out of sight? Is it because it is cheaper.
Answer peeps. Don't fucking text while you're driving, you'll kill someone and then you'll never be the same again, they'll be dead and you'll be guilt ridden for the rest of your life.
Rant over.
May I ask a potentially stupid question?
I'm going to anyway. If it is illegal to use a phone whilst driving, why do people think it is better to text than ring someone? Is it because the phone is more or less out of sight? Is it because it is cheaper.
Answer peeps. Don't fucking text while you're driving, you'll kill someone and then you'll never be the same again, they'll be dead and you'll be guilt ridden for the rest of your life.
Rant over.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Little action on the sun filled roads
Racerback tan lines and a dodgy knee, I did what all cyclists should hate on monday and decided to run into work instead, now my knees hurt. Silly.
The roads seem to fill up with Fair Weather Cyclists about now, its potentially the most annoying thing ever, because they behave like fish caught in a tide. No control or awareness at all.
Get off the roads!
I shouldn't say that I welcome all cyclists but I wish they were less of a danger to me, at this time of year I fear the Fair Weather Cyclist as much as I do the motorist.
Ah well the adventure continues...
The roads seem to fill up with Fair Weather Cyclists about now, its potentially the most annoying thing ever, because they behave like fish caught in a tide. No control or awareness at all.
Get off the roads!
I shouldn't say that I welcome all cyclists but I wish they were less of a danger to me, at this time of year I fear the Fair Weather Cyclist as much as I do the motorist.
Ah well the adventure continues...
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