Get cycling in London - but get off our roads

Interesting leader in The Times last week, pointing out the rise in bike accidents on Britain's roads, but the need to get people cycling (so we don't all drown under the rising Thames or turn into piles of blubber). The solution? Lot's of cycle lanes. Lots of comments helpfully point out the error of this view, although the two white vans and minicab who tried to cut me up today have begun to get me thinking along those lines...

Read more at Velorotion.

No Applause at the Royal Opera House

A bit of high culture for Bromdinium: Rhapsody and La Sylphide ballets at the Royal Opera House (in the cheap seats of course). All well and good (esp. the second act of La Sylphide). But, on arriving found a notice on the front doors of the Opera House: "No Folding Bikes". Thought this would be the case, so came via the Tube.

Yet, on leaving saw some ballet-goers picking up a case from the cloakroom. Shame they won't take Bromptons, even in a case.

Bearskins

One of the risks of taking the road that runs along St James's Park (Horseguards), apart from the nerve jarring road surface, the dodgy lights at night and tourists acting like lemmings, is running into the marching band, with their currently controversial bearskin hats. No traffic means no bikes... but looking at the bayonets, I guess it makes sense, let alone the Sousaphone...
Wonder if they scare the Pelicans in the park?

Prince Charles - or the problem of bikes and cinemas

There's a lot to complain about cinemas in London, not least the cost. You can count on setting aside at least a tenner to watch most films; even more in Leicester Square. The Prince Charles Cinema is an exception, packing us in at £1.50 - £4.50 for not-so-current films (think in-flight movie or DVD material). It's always a bit of a crush, and the floor downstairs is raked down not up - very odd.

But, even more than most cinemas, no room for the Brompton. The solution, if you don't leave it behind: the nearby NCR carpark by Trafalgar Square reputedly has a relatively safe cycle park, under the watchful eye of the security guard. Just watch out for the Sound of Music sing-along.