So maybe London is a festering pit of disease...

gtvlusso
gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
edited November 2010 in Commuting chat
What with errant super power mice raiding DDD's mansions, public transport users being ravaged by plague and the ever present threat of Saudi's in Audis. Not to mention housing benefit cap / poor people cleansing....

Who the cack would wanna live there!
«1

Comments

  • BigJimmyB
    BigJimmyB Posts: 1,302
    Ask any one of the 7.5 million who do!
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    Me :)
    FCN 4 PX SL Pro SRAM Red
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  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    Btw, this has been covered in a great deal of depth in this thread:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12737888
    FCN 4 PX SL Pro SRAM Red
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  • soundninjauk
    soundninjauk Posts: 333
    gtvlusso wrote:
    ...and the ever present threat of Saudi's in Audis.

    Aaaaaaaand it's in my head again.

    Thanks.
    FCN - 10
    Cannondale Bad Boy Solo with baggies.
  • davmaggs
    davmaggs Posts: 1,008
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • hatbeard
    hatbeard Posts: 1,087
    Wallace1492 wrote:
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....

    well at least we're nothing if not consistent. :lol:
    Hat + Beard
  • Cafewanda
    Cafewanda Posts: 2,788
    As one of the exploited I shouldn't laugh at HB's comment but I just had to :).
  • davmaggs
    davmaggs Posts: 1,008
    Admittedly that is more interesting than the twaddle that London haters usually come out with. I give kudos for the twisting of history, but sadly you would fail the citizenship test and would not get a visa.

    Roll on the Republic of London
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    I guess that getting disease ridden on the tube is near impossible with the strikes......

    It would be nice for Bristol to be the capital again.....but lets face it, we can't even get the whole "first city of cycling" right, even though we were given millions of pounds!

    As for London - did my time.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,410
    Wallace1492 wrote:
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....

    Same as most cities then. I think you'll also find that the slave trade ran mainly through Bristol and Liverpool, not that as a Bristolian I'm eager to claim that history.

    As for me, it's where the work is, and I sem to have found somewhere sufficiently far out to be able to kid myself that I don't really live in a city, yet close enough to commute by bike.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • russmcp
    russmcp Posts: 28
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    I prefer Sydney
    This fitness lark is getting addictive
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Wallace1492 wrote:
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....

    Shouldn't let that suffering go to waste then. :wink:
    _
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    rjsterry wrote:
    Wallace1492 wrote:
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....

    Same as most cities then. I think you'll also find that the slave trade ran mainly through Bristol and Liverpool, not that as a Bristolian I'm eager to claim that history.

    As for me, it's where the work is, and I sem to have found somewhere sufficiently far out to be able to kid myself that I don't really live in a city, yet close enough to commute by bike.

    +1

    As a Bristolian, it hadn't dawned on me what "Blackboys Hill" and "Whiteladies Road" might be connected to.

    And don't forget our long and distinguished association with tobacco.

    Still, now that slavery and 'baccy have gone, we have that great 21st century evil in Bristol instead - financial services :D
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    SecretSam wrote:
    Still, now that slavery and 'baccy have gone, we have that great 21st century evil in Bristol instead - financial services :D

    Financial services have been around as long as farming has been around...

    Speculation is hardly new either :P

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sea_Bubble
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania
    _
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    SecretSam wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    Wallace1492 wrote:
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....

    Same as most cities then. I think you'll also find that the slave trade ran mainly through Bristol and Liverpool, not that as a Bristolian I'm eager to claim that history.

    As for me, it's where the work is, and I sem to have found somewhere sufficiently far out to be able to kid myself that I don't really live in a city, yet close enough to commute by bike.

    +1

    As a Bristolian, it hadn't dawned on me what "Blackboys Hill" and "Whiteladies Road" might be connected to.

    And don't forget our long and distinguished association with tobacco.

    Still, now that slavery and 'baccy have gone, we have that great 21st century evil in Bristol instead - financial services :D

    *Damnit - now need a fine cigar......
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    gtvlusso wrote:
    SecretSam wrote:
    rjsterry wrote:
    Wallace1492 wrote:
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....

    Same as most cities then. I think you'll also find that the slave trade ran mainly through Bristol and Liverpool, not that as a Bristolian I'm eager to claim that history.

    As for me, it's where the work is, and I sem to have found somewhere sufficiently far out to be able to kid myself that I don't really live in a city, yet close enough to commute by bike.

    +1

    As a Bristolian, it hadn't dawned on me what "Blackboys Hill" and "Whiteladies Road" might be connected to.

    And don't forget our long and distinguished association with tobacco.

    Still, now that slavery and 'baccy have gone, we have that great 21st century evil in Bristol instead - financial services :D

    *Damnit - now need a fine cigar......

    Nah, think Bristol's Wills' factory only did fags - of the Woodbines/Capstan full strength variety
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    davmaggs wrote:
    Admittedly that is more interesting than the twaddle that London haters usually come out with. I give kudos for the twisting of history, but sadly you would fail the citizenship test and would not get a visa.

    Roll on the Republic of London

    followed swiftly by the melting of the ice-caps, the rising of the worlds oceans and seas, and then regrettably..the sinking, nay drowing no less, of the Republic of London!

    :wink:
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • SmellTheGlove
    SmellTheGlove Posts: 697
    Make it a place to swan about for a couple of anonymous years of wage slavery and you'll be disappointed; make it your home, it's a glorious place to live.
    "Consider the grebe..."
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    London is fantastic. I just couldn't live anywhere else in the UK - there's a fundamental difference in mindsets that would just frustrate the t!ts off me. (p.s. this isn't a vlaue judgement, just a "this is what I'm used to" kind of feeling)
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    biondino wrote:
    London is fantastic. I just couldn't live anywhere else in the UK - there's a fundamental difference in mindsets that would just frustrate the t!ts off me. (p.s. this isn't a vlaue judgement, just a "this is what I'm used to" kind of feeling)

    eeeeentersting...care to elaborate on the mindset difference?

    FWIW...I really enjoy london...never lived there right enough, but i do really like the place.
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Hmmm.

    I wouldn't like to live in London unless I had a country place to escape to.

    I'd happily live in Essex all the time were it not for the 2+ hour commute and the fact that my social life seems to revolve more and more around London.

    Damn it.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Wallace1492 wrote:
    davmaggs wrote:
    It is the greatest city in the world whether or not there is disease. What is more it should seize independence along with some costal counties (need ports).

    It has been built on the explotation and misery of others. In centuries gone by it was on the slave trade and the fortunes that the plantations brought in. More recently on stolen oil money from the Country to the north.....

    Glasgow and Scotland/the Scots in general benefitted HUGELY from the slave trade! What do you think funded those glorious Georgian stucco buildings in both Edinburgh and Glasgow? Those in glass houses etc etc....
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,629
    biondino wrote:
    London is fantastic. I just couldn't live anywhere else in the UK - there's a fundamental difference in mindsets that would just frustrate the t!ts off me. (p.s. this isn't a value judgement, just a "this is what I'm used to" kind of feeling)

    +1 Though when the spectre of kids comes a calling it might be time to shift out where they can have a nice garden - but who knows...
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
    The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]
  • gtvlusso
    gtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    Hmmm.

    I wouldn't like to live in London unless I had a country place to escape to.

    I'd happily live in Essex all the time were it not for the 2+ hour commute and the fact that my social life seems to revolve more and more around London.

    Damn it.

    Ah - the woman who has everything ;-)

    The social life is what I miss about my time in London - occasionally go back for a weekend. However, I enjoy my big garden and the disposable income that my kids hoover up in the South West!

    Glad DDD is not battling a 50ft rat!
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    There are very few cities in the UK that I would want to live in outside London. Possibly Bristol, Bath, Oxford or Cambridge, Edinburgh... May be Glasgow... But London just has everything, yes it has noise, pollution, rudeness etc but it also has museums, galleries, a massive broad range of pubs and bars (some that cost a fortune, some that are cheap), great food from all over the world and real variety of people and even after 10 years living here there are whole districts I have barely explored...

    I was raised on the edge of Luton, a 5 minute walk from broad expanses of green and countryside but I don't really miss it. It's not really that hard to get out of London anyway, thanks to green belt legislation, London hasn't extended as far as cities like Tokyo. I cycle out with my cycle club into the North and South Downs every weekend without much hassle
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • hatbeard
    hatbeard Posts: 1,087
    MonkeyMonster wrote:
    biondino wrote:
    London is fantastic. I just couldn't live anywhere else in the UK - there's a fundamental difference in mindsets that would just frustrate the t!ts off me. (p.s. this isn't a value judgement, just a "this is what I'm used to" kind of feeling)

    +1 Though when the spectre of kids comes a calling it might be time to shift out where they can have a nice garden - but who knows...

    who needs a garden when they can join a gang!

    it's not only social but they'd get to travel around london regularly as part of their turf wars. they'd also start earning money from their drug dealing and aggravated robbery nice and young so you wouldn't be on the hook for buying them the latest and greatest stuff so you can focus on buying more bikes.

    it's win-win all round.
    Hat + Beard
  • Cafewanda
    Cafewanda Posts: 2,788
    Who needs a garden in London when there are so many parks? :P

    Hat+Beard, you are so bad :lol:
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,410
    Cafewanda wrote:
    Who needs a garden in London when there are so many parks? :P

    Hat+Beard, you are so bad :lol:

    I think I'd get a stern talking to if I tried to plant my vegetables in Green Park :P
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    My sister lives in Hackney, and she hasn't been shot yet.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)

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