Britain lagging behind

pblakeney

In Britain, we produce the Nissan Juke.

Low Trumps win!

And we don't even own the company...........

Lookyhere

I cant say whether the uk is falling behind compared to mainland Europe but it is definitely washing away, highways chiefs say uk roads need 400m spent just for the damage caused by the winter rains and lack of mtce over many years, the gov has offered 5 or 6m.
Cornwall alone requires 2m, its not just the pot holes, but once you get past trunk roads, our A and B roads are literally falling to bits, unclassified roads are becoming tracks.
With even further cuts in council grants, freezes on council tax, its time for us all to buy CX and 29ermtb bikes

BelgianBeerGeek

Brassknocker has a point about autobahns. I have fond memories of exiting the autobahn, which was constructed of slabs of concrete with a gap between each slab, and going onto a cobbled slip road. Which after about 30 metres made a 90 degree turn. Hilarious in the wet, or snow and ice.

I always though the cloverleaf intersection was a good idea, though.

mallorcajeff

Saying about how slow things are in the uk the one that always got me was how it took a year to repair some rivets in the hammersmith flyover? China could build an airport in the time we had to knock a few rivets into a bridge.

Airport expansion is virtually impossible because we might upset a squirrel. Shame as the uk was once a leader

pinno

@Pliptrot

Where the hell were you when I needed you?:

viewtopic.php?f=40088&t=12954402

I like this. A thread that meanders between a host of opinions and ideas and cannot stay on track (pun intended).

Immigration? Adds value to our economy.

HS2 as an example of muddling through - probably but is it actually necessary?

pblakeney

Thank you Mr. Pinarello for resurrecting this thread as I had missed this response.

pliptrot wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

I have done rather well out of my work ethic and you would now consider me to be at least one "class" above where I started. Opportunities exist for those willing to make the effort.

Whatever that means.....there are 22% of 18-24 year olds in the UK who would disagree with you. People need a choice, and if they don't have that -and they don't- something is wrong. However, I think your use of the term woeful to describe Britain is way off the mark. If you think anywhere else has a lesson for us in efficiency and motivation, go and live there and report back after a while. You will be surprised. Britain is a great nation, the British the greatest people on earth, but we are led - and always have been - by clowns and idiots. Oddly, every time somebody moves up a class (whatever that means) they leave common sense and decency where they came from - perhaps because they need the space for all that greed.

I work with quite a few 24-30 year olds that would disagree with you. Is there that much discrepancy between 18-24 and 24-30 year olds? I also see a lot of lack lustre people of all ages. I insist that there are opportunities for those willing to make the effort but that effort is more than some are willing to make.
And that is part of the reason as to why this Country is lagging.
For your information, I have lived abroad, which was the effort I was willing to make as there was an opportunity to do so. That did widen my experience, and views on this Country. It was also a place that I learned about efficiency and motivation. Why did I come back? Because it was easier to start and expand a business due to lack of competition.

You know nothing of my common sense, decency or value of greed; so your comments are crass and negligible.

mr_goo

I think that the governments initiatives to encourage private enterprise are working really well. Unemployment down and tackling youth unemployment...................

just so long as we all want to stack shelves, flip burgers or aspire to the holy grail of jobs and become a barista.

God forbid but the only way to regenerate the UK and Western Economies is for a major world conflict.

pblakeney

Mr Goo wrote:

I think that the governments initiatives to encourage private enterprise are working really well. Unemployment down and tackling youth unemployment...................

just so long as we all want to stack shelves, flip burgers or aspire to the holy grail of jobs and become a barista.

God forbid but the only way to regenerate the UK and Western Economies is for a major world conflict.

The primary way to success is not to rely on the Government.
Anyone stacking shelves, flipping burgers or becoming a barista is not in private enterprise, unless they own the business.

slowmart

[/quote]
The primary way to success is not to rely on the Government.
[/quote]

Nail on head.

Though success is relative as how do you measure success? Longevity and or quality of life? Materially? Or by your loved ones and friends? Or collectively? Businesses need super stars as just as much as someone to clean the place after hours. I put my career on hold as i wanted to have breakfast, lunch and dinner with my wife and daughter until she started school. I consciously made that choice and have no regrets.

Bevan would turn in his grave given the state of the Welfare state. What was meant to be a safety net for the most vulnerable is bastardised into a life style choice for the lazy and stupid.

Many years ago when i used to work in factory all the older guys mid forties and older all seemed so bitter, jaundiced and cynical. From my perspective it was if these guys had just woken up and smelled the coffee and realised all their dreams and ambitions had passed them by and this was it. This was their lives with no significant improvement in sight. That and the miners strike with whole communities swept away by economic pressures ensured I would strive to ensure i would define my life by my actions and decisions.

One of the few things to get me from 0-60 is a comment " your lucky to do/have". Yep the harder i work the luckier i am. Nothing comes easy, luck plays a part and not everyone wants to tread the path. The perception of risk and reward are highly subjective with the same situation providing different views and outcomes dependant upon the individual. The common theme is most people are too busy earning a basic living than focusing on how to make real money. As for the bollocks of moving up in class WTF?? I still have the same friends from 30 years ago. Money doesn't make you an arsehole. An arsehole is an arsehole with or without money. It just amplifies the condition :roll:

The calibre of politician reaching high office has diminished, why? Arguably because of press exposure and the need to be whiter than white which has given us the present crop of low achievers and political cowards.

Is Britain lagging behind, no its a marathon not a sprint and we have faced darker times than these and will do so again and measure the protection and employment laws which protect our colleagues. OK the latter are too biased towards the employee but i would say that but put that measure against workers in China or Thailand.

As regards infrastructure, time is more precious than ever and the work place is evolving at a faster pace then ever before but where i used to have client meetings numerous times a day these have dropped away replaced by email and conference calls which are more effective and efficient for getting results. I accept that face to face has a high value but when you have to deliver so much time really is the most precious resource.

Lookyhere

Slowmart wrote:

Is Britain lagging behind, no its a marathon not a sprint and we have faced darker times than these and will do so again and measure the protection and employment laws which protect our colleagues. OK the latter are too biased towards the employee but i would say that but put that measure against workers in China or Thailand.

As regards infrastructure, time is more precious than ever and the work place is evolving at a faster pace then ever before but where i used to have client meetings numerous times a day these have dropped away replaced by email and conference calls which are more effective and efficient for getting results. I accept that face to face has a high value but when you have to deliver so much time really is the most precious resource.[/quote]

I understood very little of what you ve just written but that those last 2 pargraphs? wtf is that about? since when does a CC/email produce a good decision re an infrasture project? as the employment law bit...no idea what you mean.
If the uk experiences much more rain fall, a CC is all you ll be able to do, the place is slowly washing away, there is no money to repair our crumbling roads and coast lines, meanwhile the only way to incentivise the wealthy is to increase salaries and reduce taxes but for the middle income and below, it is squeeze them lot more, makes sense doesn't it.

rodgers73

I thought one of the motivations behind HS2 was to allow more trains to run on the same length of track as the current system is reaching capacity. It isnt all about getting people to Birmingham 8/12/20/whatever minutes faster.

slowmart

Lookyhere wrote:

Slowmart wrote:

[/b]
I understood very little of what you ve just written but that those last 2 pargraphs? wtf is that about? since when does a CC/email produce a good decision re an infrasture project? as the employment law bit...no idea what you mean.
If the uk experiences much more rain fall, a CC is all you ll be able to do, the place is slowly washing away, there is no money to repair our crumbling roads and coast lines, meanwhile the only way to incentivise the wealthy is to increase salaries and reduce taxes but for the middle income and below, it is squeeze them lot more, makes sense doesn't it.

The point is was making was the nature of business is changing. Face to face meetings aren't needed and technology not railway lines will help growth. During the last downturn many large businesses banned non essential business travel
much of which was train based. Certainly in the past the railways and motorways helped facilitate the economic growth but now incremental increases in hard infrastructure will only provide marginal benefits. West midlands toll road?

Early comments on the thread proported how effective other economies are. The comparison i was making was take a broader view and include employment law and protection?

As for the comment about taxes and the so called middle classes are you a public sector employee?

VTech

Slowmart wrote:

Lookyhere wrote:

Slowmart wrote:

[/b]
I understood very little of what you ve just written but that those last 2 pargraphs? wtf is that about? since when does a CC/email produce a good decision re an infrasture project? as the employment law bit...no idea what you mean.
If the uk experiences much more rain fall, a CC is all you ll be able to do, the place is slowly washing away, there is no money to repair our crumbling roads and coast lines, meanwhile the only way to incentivise the wealthy is to increase salaries and reduce taxes but for the middle income and below, it is squeeze them lot more, makes sense doesn't it.

The point is was making was the nature of business is changing. Face to face meetings aren't needed and technology not railway lines will help growth. During the last downturn many large businesses banned non essential business travel
much of which was train based. Certainly in the past the railways and motorways helped facilitate the economic growth but now incremental increases in hard infrastructure will only provide marginal benefits. West midlands toll road?

Early comments on the thread proported how effective other economies are. The comparison i was making was take a broader view and include employment law and protection?

As for the comment about taxes and the so called middle classes are you a public sector employee?

Actually, now you mention it. HMRC also set guidelines on business travel and expenses to curb the overspend also which backs up your theory.
£26/day on average for a days expenses is a guideline.

I have also cut back on travel so only when its needed do I travel now. Having said that, I did get the virgin train to london just after xmas and it was fantastic, quiet, smooth and efficient. I would do it again over driving.

Lookyhere

Slowmart wrote:

The point is was making was the nature of business is changing. Face to face meetings aren't needed and technology not railway lines will help growth. During the last downturn many large businesses banned non essential business travel
much of which was train based. Certainly in the past the railways and motorways helped facilitate the economic growth but now incremental increases in hard infrastructure will only provide marginal benefits. West midlands toll road?

Early comments on the thread proported how effective other economies are. The comparison i was making was take a broader view and include employment law and protection?

As for the comment about taxes and the so called middle classes are you a public sector employee?

No unfortunately not, otherwise my former final salary pension would still be a valid retirement option.

Technology, is unfortunately going to lead to further unemployment, especially amongst the young.

Britain is old, it has crumbling schools, roads etc we havnt invested, infact the opposite, we ve paid homage to the financial sector and relied on the dubious proposition of "trickle down" this hasn't happened, the wealthy rely on the private sector and the tax breaks given them to do this.
the somerset levels would have the best drainage systems money could buy if blair/Cameron et el had their homes there.

Nothing shows the corruptness of the system more than the salaries paid to the chiefs of public bodies, how on earth can the CEO of a local council or a NHS trust, earn 250k + and who has allowed this to happen? the free market that what has happened.

yes there are opportunities but not everyone can or even could access them, otherwise who would collect your refuse, flip your burgers or push patients around on trolleys.

slowmart

Lookyhere wrote:

No unfortunately not, otherwise my former final salary pension would still be a valid retirement option.

Technology, is unfortunately going to lead to further unemployment, especially amongst the young.

Britain is old, it has crumbling schools, roads etc we havnt invested, infact the opposite, we ve paid homage to the financial sector and relied on the dubious proposition of "trickle down" this hasn't happened, the wealthy rely on the private sector and the tax breaks given them to do this.
the somerset levels would have the best drainage systems money could buy if blair/Cameron et el had their homes there.

Nothing shows the corruptness of the system more than the salaries paid to the chiefs of public bodies, how on earth can the CEO of a local council or a NHS trust, earn 250k + and who has allowed this to happen? the free market that what has happened.

yes there are opportunities but not everyone can or even could access them, otherwise who would collect your refuse, flip your burgers or push patients around on trolleys.

As you allude to the eye watering amounts paid to Chief Execs of councils, how about the same salary packages paid to Union Chiefs or Heads of Charities? The same unsustaianble approach is found in final salary pension schemes which simply aren't viable nor are the ridiculous charges levied by the pension providers. My earlier post was the changing nature of sue of our fellow citizens who have chosen the welfare state as lifestyle choice when the original thoughts behind the Welfare State was of providing a safety net the weakest and most vulnerable in our society.

One further point on pensions, for my sins I worked for a brief time in an ex Maxwell company and some of my then colleagues simply had their pension stolen. My point here is not to rely on a product or process which i could never personally agree with. The charges and being taxed on my own money never stood up even when i was 18.

It wasn't just the weight form the financial sector which unbalanced the economy, the whole focus on the "service sector" was ill thought out ultimately flawed.


That stated then you look at the position of the UK to the rest of the world and we measure relatively well.

pliptrot

pinarello001 wrote:

@Pliptrot

Where the hell were you when I needed you?:

Iraq. Made me more misanthropic than ever, which is one fringe benefit. Who can I piss off today?