Clive James on Cameron

[biking_fox]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7318138.stm from the BBC.

He makes a few interesting points, is it greenwash? or a genuine desire that more londoners should cycle?

And - can you think/work while cycling?. I know I can't - one of the reasons I commute is that the journey home clears the brain, and when I get there all thoughts of work have been worked out, and I can relax properly.

 

[Twenty Inch]

Thought it was a photo.

 

[Terminator]

Best to concentrate than to let your mind wander on work.

 

[gambatte]

Read it earlier today. My impression was that it was 1800 words wasted..

 

[yenrod]

>greenwash

What ...is that a Dulux colour ????

 

[biking_fox]

Greenwash - compare to whitewash

A whitewash is an "investigation" that leads to a safe conclusion without digging up any dirt, covering up any dodgy bits along the way.

Greenwash is something similar, a statement/action that purports to be environmentally friendly, but in fact is no more than an effort to be seen to be green, without actually taking any of the effort to actually be so.

hence Clive claims Cameron cycles because he wants to be seen to be green rather than because Cameron thinks it's the best way of travelling... ? I suspect Clie has a valid point here.

 

[Arch]

Yes, I heard it and thought Clive James was pretty much right - on many counts. I know you can use cycling time to mull over stuff, but I wouldn't want to be thinking too hard about anything in case it stopped me concentrating - esp not in a place like London. I'm afraid I think Cameron isn't doing himself any favours - even if he does cycle out of personal choice, that whole thing about having a car to carry his shoes and stuff suggests he hasn't looked deeply into the possibilities - how hard is it, people come here all the time to ask sensible questions like that... So anyway, non-cyclists think he's a hypocrite and we 'proper' cyclists (said with a certain amount of tongue in cheek) despise him for not going the whole hog...

 

[cupoftea]

The fact that he cycles at all is a positive. He has panniers on his bike, so I’d guess he’s carrying his own shoes, yes you’ve got to wonder where his security is, but the fact is he’s on a bike in London.

I think people knocking Cameron and Boris for cycling have more of a problem with their politics rather than cycling, and that OK.

When Gordon Brown talks about the transport system what does he know? When was the last time he stopped at a set of lights rather than rushed through?

When was the last time he drove himself? or tried to use the train and buy his own ticket?