Cycling on Radio 4 this afternoon

[Tim Hall]

Did any one else hear "The Energy Gap" this afternoon? The producers
have taken a family of four in Burton on Trent and are trying to get
them to live on the energy budget of a family in a city in India.
Apart from having to turn off the central heating with snow on the
ground,they're also trying to cut down their car use - they have two
cars.

The husband runs a cafe nearby, so cycled to work (nearly got knocked
off by the presenter who was cycling alongside him)

The wife walked to work in the next village. Annoyingly distances
weren't mentioned.

Then a representative from Sustrans was brought on. She'd used bike
and train to get there from Bristol, demonstrating just how easy it
was.

She then took some of the family for a ride on the local NCN (54 I
think). During this segment not only did she describe it as "Traffic
Free Route" she also mentioned the lack of vehicles.

ARRGH! What does she think bicycles are?



Tim

 

[Nick Kew]

Tim Hall wrote:
> Did any one else hear "The Energy Gap" this afternoon?

Yes. Distinctly unimpressed with that and the earlier episodes.

The producers
> have taken a family of four in Burton on Trent and are trying to get
> them to live on the energy budget of a family in a city in India.

A *rich* family in India. Car, teenagers have mopeds, proper house.
I'd feel terrible if I used as much as them.

> Apart from having to turn off the central heating with snow on the
> ground,they're also trying to cut down their car use - they have two
> cars.
>
> The husband runs a cafe nearby, so cycled to work (nearly got knocked
> off by the presenter who was cycling alongside him)

That was probably dramatic effect

> The wife walked to work in the next village. Annoyingly distances
> weren't mentioned.

The walk sounded nice, too.

> Then a representative from Sustrans was brought on. She'd used bike
> and train to get there from Bristol, demonstrating just how easy it
> was.
>
> She then took some of the family for a ride on the local NCN (54 I
> think).

Noise of continuous *heavy* traffic. Ugh.

And a bunch of utterly bogus reasons for not letting the teenage
daughters cycle four miles to school.

--
Nick Kew

 

[John Hearns]

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 19:39:11 +0100, Tim Hall wrote:

> Then a representative from Sustrans was brought on. She'd used bike
> and train to get there from Bristol, demonstrating just how easy it
> was.
>
> She then took some of the family for a ride on the local NCN (54 I
> think). During this segment not only did she describe it as "Traffic
> Free Route" she also mentioned the lack of vehicles.

What lack of vehicles?
A CAR came up behind them on the Sustrans route, while they were
doing the interview. She had to make some excuse along the lines of
"Ah, well, there needs to be some improvement in signage so that car
drivers know not to drive along the cycle route"

 

[John Hearns]

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 19:39:11 +0100, Tim Hall wrote:

> D
> She then took some of the family for a ride on the local NCN (54 I
> think). During this segment not only did she describe it as "Traffic
> Free Route" she also mentioned the lack of vehicles.
>
Wha