Amazing empty skies this weekend...
ScottieP
Posts: 599
With the great weather this weekend - not a cloud all weekend and the ash from Iceland, we've had two days of no commercial flights over where I live ... and the difference was amazing. We live near-ish to Gatwick and there are always planes or vapour trails somewhere in the sky.
I kept looking up most of the weekend - and thought it was a bizarre treat to see an empty sky all day each day.
Of course it would have been driving me nuts if I was trying to get somewhere, but as I wasn't I thought it was tremendous.
I kept looking up most of the weekend - and thought it was a bizarre treat to see an empty sky all day each day.
Of course it would have been driving me nuts if I was trying to get somewhere, but as I wasn't I thought it was tremendous.
My cycling blog: http://girodilento.com/
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Unless that certain part that you needed for your bike was stuck in cargo en route from eg Frankfurt or MilanM.Rushton0
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or your business depends on airfreight.....0
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or you start getting hungry and the shops are empty....0
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Sorry the glass is half empty rather than half full for you guys. I thought it was amazing, but know we'll be back to normal soon enough, so I'm enjoying the moment. It's like a solar eclipse not something you see everyday.My cycling blog: http://girodilento.com/0
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I'm with ScottieP on this.
If our society can't cope with a couple of days/weeks without airplanes then its broken.0 -
I live under one of the Stansted stacks and although you can't hear them, we have noticed the absence of large planes. We still get light aircraft from Stapleford flying over, but the lack of jets is great.0
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your right.. iv never seen such totaly clear sky's before...its awsome!I like bikes and stuff0
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jugglingphil wrote:I'm with ScottieP on this.
If our society can't cope with a couple of days/weeks without airplanes then its broken.
No, it's just the society we've created. If you live in eg the Outer Hebrides that lifestyle will be different to one in Surrey. We live in a Western society that accepts/demands things happen now and air travel/freight speeds this demand. I'm sure someone on here will give a better explanation. No doubt you get frustrated when your computer loads slowly or crashes but there was a time when email/bike forums didn't exist. Can you manage without your computer for a week or two?M.Rushton0 -
Interesting article written by Libby Purves in The Times today about this very topic.0
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I agree, it has been bloody lovely. I rode down the A4 past Heathrow on Sun and the roads were deserted, my missus drove on the M4 and there was little/no traffic. We're on the flightpath and the quiet has been delightful.
As for food/services etc etc - food is 2% by air and I can live without Kiwi fruits or loganberries flown in from Africa. Parts etc - well, very little bike parts are by air, so that's not a problem.
I have had mates stuck abroad and they've had real adventures getting back (some have just stayed out there).
I realise for many it is a real inconvenience and for some it is even worse than that, but for me, it has been thoroughly enjoyable...http://www.georgesfoundation.org
http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/0 -
My wife will be happy - she lives - and we used to live - right under the flightpath. she's always get awakened at around 4.30/ 5.00 am by the planes though I can sleep through almost anything.
Scientists will like it too - the last time they got to study an atmosphere free of planes was in September 2001 - though i guess the presence of volcanic ash might not be ideal.
I'm pleased to have a bit more peace and quiet - but tbh it's made little difference to me this time, not much in the way of aircraft fly over Welling, except the bleeding police helicopter..0 -
It's not a glass half full scenario, because there's plenty more shit than good stuff.
Peace of quiet comes at the cost of potentially jobs, inflation (if it continues), disruption, general costs to other companies, individual stress.
It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
But oh well, at least we have a little peace and quiet. :roll:0 -
I was talking about this kind of thing on a ride yesterday.mrushton wrote:No, it's just the society we've created. If you live in eg the Outer Hebrides that lifestyle will be different to one in Surrey. We live in a Western society that accepts/demands things happen now and air travel/freight speeds this demand. I'm sure someone on here will give a better explanation. No doubt you get frustrated when your computer loads slowly or crashes but there was a time when email/bike forums didn't exist. Can you manage without your computer for a week or two?
When I was a teenager my main hobby was electronics. I got into listening to music and wanted a hifi but couldn't afford a decent amp so I decided to build one. The process went something like this:-
Choose design from my collection of electronics magazines
Save my pocket money to pay for components
Write letters to companies requesting catalogues
Wait to receive catalogues
Scan catalogues for cheapest components
Fill in paper order forms and get my mum to write cheques for me
Post orders
Over the next couple of weeks the various parts would arrive
Assemble amp modules
Test modules
Fix any problems
Buy sheet metal and saw, file and drill it to make panels for case
Assemble case
Insert modules
Wire up modules
Final tests
I can listen to music on a decent system!
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Visit a few relevant websites
Tell mum that I want an iPod from website #3
Mum uses her credit card to order iPod on overnight delivery
Next day - I can listen to music on my new iPod!
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ColinJ wrote:
I was talking about this kind of thing on a ride yesterday.mrushton wrote:No, it's just the society we've created. If you live in eg the Outer Hebrides that lifestyle will be different to one in Surrey. We live in a Western society that accepts/demands things happen now and air travel/freight speeds this demand. I'm sure someone on here will give a better explanation. No doubt you get frustrated when your computer loads slowly or crashes but there was a time when email/bike forums didn't exist. Can you manage without your computer for a week or two?
When I was a teenager my main hobby was electronics. I got into listening to music and wanted a hifi but couldn't afford a decent amp so I decided to build one. The process went something like this:-
Choose design from my collection of electronics magazines
Save my pocket money to pay for components
Write letters to companies requesting catalogues
Wait to receive catalogues
Scan catalogues for cheapest components
Fill in paper order forms and get my mum to write cheques for me
Post orders
Over the next couple of weeks the various parts would arrive
Assemble amp modules
Test modules
Fix any problems
Buy sheet metal and saw, file and drill it to make panels for case
Assemble case
Insert modules
Wire up modules
Final tests
I can listen to music on a decent system!
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Visit a few relevant websites
Tell mum that I want an iPod from website #3
Mum uses her credit card to order iPod on overnight delivery
Next day - I can listen to music on my new iPod!
How would you know what's like to be a teenager now?0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:It's not a glass half full scenario, because there's plenty more shoot than good stuff.
Peace of quiet comes at the cost of potentially jobs, inflation (if it continues), disruption, general costs to other companies, individual stress.
It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
But oh well, at least we have a little peace and quiet. :roll:
So you get stressed out on other people's behalf? You really need to chill out about things that a) don;t directly affect you and b) you can't change; and stop worrying - you know it'll all be OK in the end...and you'll be happier, and you'll probably live longer.
Nightmare!!
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Porgy wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:It's not a glass half full scenario, because there's plenty more shoot than good stuff.
Peace of quiet comes at the cost of potentially jobs, inflation (if it continues), disruption, general costs to other companies, individual stress.
It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
But oh well, at least we have a little peace and quiet. :roll:
So you get stressed out on other people's behalf? You really need to chill out and stop worrying - you know it'll all be OK in the end...and you'll be happier, and you'll probably live longer.
Nightmare!!
I care for my friend who can't go to his own mother's funeral.
Glad you're not my friend!0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
Where? Is it not close enough to go by boat/coach/train?0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Porgy wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:It's not a glass half full scenario, because there's plenty more shoot than good stuff.
Peace of quiet comes at the cost of potentially jobs, inflation (if it continues), disruption, general costs to other companies, individual stress.
It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
But oh well, at least we have a little peace and quiet. :roll:
So you get stressed out on other people's behalf? You really need to chill out and stop worrying - you know it'll all be OK in the end...and you'll be happier, and you'll probably live longer.
Nightmare!!
I care for my friend who can't go to his own mother's funeral.
Glad you're not my friend!
So am I Mr stress!! 0 -
johnfinch wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
Where? Is it not close enough to go by boat/coach/train?
Vietnam...
(He's French...ish)0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:johnfinch wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
Where? Is it not close enough to go by boat/coach/train?
Vietnam...
Guess that answers my question then.
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Rick Chasey wrote:ColinJ wrote:
I was talking about this kind of thing on a ride yesterday.mrushton wrote:No, it's just the society we've created. If you live in eg the Outer Hebrides that lifestyle will be different to one in Surrey. We live in a Western society that accepts/demands things happen now and air travel/freight speeds this demand. I'm sure someone on here will give a better explanation. No doubt you get frustrated when your computer loads slowly or crashes but there was a time when email/bike forums didn't exist. Can you manage without your computer for a week or two?
When I was a teenager my main hobby was electronics. I got into listening to music and wanted a hifi but couldn't afford a decent amp so I decided to build one. The process went something like this:-
Choose design from my collection of electronics magazines
Save my pocket money to pay for components
Write letters to companies requesting catalogues
Wait to receive catalogues
Scan catalogues for cheapest components
Fill in paper order forms and get my mum to write cheques for me
Post orders
Over the next couple of weeks the various parts would arrive
Assemble amp modules
Test modules
Fix any problems
Buy sheet metal and saw, file and drill it to make panels for case
Assemble case
Insert modules
Wire up modules
Final tests
I can listen to music on a decent system!
-
Visit a few relevant websites
Tell mum that I want an iPod from website #3
Mum uses her credit card to order iPod on overnight delivery
Next day - I can listen to music on my new iPod!
How would you know what's like to be a teenager now?
Yeah ColinJ you're wrong. the process would be log in to Spotify; listen to music. 0 -
johnfinch wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:johnfinch wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:It's all a bloody big nightmare. I have a friend who's mother just died abroad, and he can't get there for the funeral.
Where? Is it not close enough to go by boat/coach/train?
Vietnam...
Guess that answers my question then.
He's halfway accross Europe on the train, trying to find an airport further east which can fly him there.
Late is better than never.0 -
anyway most people don;t need to fly to their mother's funeral abroad; and bad sh*t happens every day regardless. I'm going to enjoy the little bit of peace I have now - it'll probably never happen again.0
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ScottieP wrote:With the great weather this weekend - not a cloud all weekend and the ash from Iceland, we've had two days of no commercial flights over where I live ... and the difference was amazing. We live near-ish to Gatwick and there are always planes or vapour trails somewhere in the sky.
I kept looking up most of the weekend - and thought it was a bizarre treat to see an empty sky all day each day.
Of course it would have been driving me nuts if I was trying to get somewhere, but as I wasn't I thought it was tremendous.
Same here! I live in the Heathrow path in London and it's been a bliss the past few days.0 -
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I can't experience actually being one now because I'm too old but I do talk to teenagers and that's what the ones I've talked to are like. They want it, they want it all, and they want it now!Rick Chasey wrote:How would you know what's like to be a teenager now?
For example:
My nephew wanted a new phone. Company #1 could deliver it next day for £100. Company #2 could deliver it in 3 days for £70. He wasn't prepared to wait an extra 2 days even though he had a perfectly functional phone to use while waiting for delivery.
My niece's computer had packed up and I was sorting it out for her. After 10 minutes she was asking me how long it would take. After 15 minutes she was pacing up and down. After 20 minutes she left the room because she couldn't stand the delay any longer.
Obviously there must be some patient teenagers about somewhere but I don't meet many of them,
And I'm not picking on teenagers. Half the adult population is getting like that now too. Try and cross a pedestrian crossing during the rush hour and see how many people try to drive straight through you even though you are already halfway across.
A disabled man fell out of his disability scooter here and was sprawled across the road. Motorists were too impatient to stop to help him. They swerved round him and left him lying there.
It is the way of the modern world.0 -
Ha - I must admit, that's one thing I haven't tried yet though I do know people my age who love it.Porgy wrote:Yeah ColinJ you're wrong. the process would be log in to Spotify; listen to music.
I think that modern technology is fantastic. Even though I went on to do a degree in electronic engineering, I gave up electronics after I graduated. I used to build things because I couldn't afford to buy them, but fantastic stuff is so cheap now - why bother?0 -
An update:
Apparantly authorities are considering allowing a temporary lift on night-time flights in and out of Heathrow to clear the backlog of passengers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/ap ... ban-lifted
Then again, a new cloud is threatening to ruin all chance of opening the skies again:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/ap ... -transport0 -
In theory it could go on for a while. The ash eruptions of the volcano on the island of Montserrat, that eventually made the northern part of the island uninhabitable, began in 1995* and the volcano there is still spewing ash 15 years later.
(*like the Icelandic one it had been long-dormant before then).0
