Colin James

Yes I heard about this tonight, I understand it could be corroded grenades possibly  

Planning finally approved

The talk was booked sometime ago as part of the HCS ongoing programme. However members of the HCS noted your topic on HV and thought it a good idea for me to post the details of the talk to attract those interested to hear Derek Foxton.

Cool, I will try and make it.

The Hereford Civic Society have this lecture coming up soon.

city walls.jpg

 This is good, is this as a result of our article? 

I have been away on business for a few days however, please find today's footpath friends, look out for the one riding down into the subway even though there is a sign telling cyclists to dismount. 

Our subway friendly cyclist

Herefordshire Council’s central customer services team will move from Franklin House to the newly-refurbished Blueschool House, opening to customers on Monday 4 September 2017.

This evenings footpath cyclist...

Today's early morning criminal, this one is brilliant because this cheeky cyclist is even wearing a headcam to catch out other bad road users.

Can anyone justify this manoeuvre? 

Too horrible for words but well done to the forklift driver for his quick thinking and bravery.

 

Please drivers be extra careful this time of year. Farmers are working flat out and there are extra agricultural vehicles on the roads 

Indeed, quick decisions and very brave.

A man has died following a horrific fatal accident at around 10 pm tonight on the A49 Hereford to Ross Road just passed the Axe and Cleaver. 

A vehicle collided into the side of a tractor and trailer that was carrying bales of hay and coming out of a field, the hay subsequently caught fire, which is all that you can see in this photo. 

Emergency vehicles from both Hereford and Ross attended the scene and have been in attendance all night.

Photo courtesy of Colin Lewis

The road will remain closed for most of today while emergency repairs are carried out to the surface. There are diversions in place.

Friday morning at 0740 during the first part of the rush hour, this cyclist was riding on the footpath on the left heading north, then he dropped down from the kerb moving in between the cars, then he went straight over the road and mounted the kerb the other side almost collides with the other criminal cyclist coming along the footpath in the other direction. 

Then a few hours later heading north just at the Oval crossing I see this chap, clearly not going to bother using the crossing properly but then decides he is not going to get around the railings so now he will use the road, in the meantime, I will just guess what you are doing.

Later in afternoon at 2pm I had to go the other side of the city to collect some heavy goods and spotted this pavement rider at the same spot, this time on the opposite pavement near the Oval 

Virtually everytime I am out, I see this happening.

Colin, The guy at the Asda Roundabout sitting on his bike at the Crossing... that's a Pedestrian & Cycle Crossing, and he's doing nothing wrong.

Yes just read about that in the highway code. I have now removed this as I thought it was illegal, however, the riding on footpaths, ignoring traffic signals and junctions and riding without lights is illegal.

I missed adding this one from the other night but here is yet another cyclist thought it was okay to ride straight through this red traffic light signal on the narrow bridge.

We have a date! Sunday, October 1st, 0900-1600.

Tonight's criminals

Driving home tonight I passed two cyclists both on the footpaths and both with no lights. 

The first cyclist is a woman riding on the left footpath (coming towards you) just after the car passes the shop on the right, I have slowed the video down but you still may struggle to see her, so if you're struggling to see her so is everyone else...

The second cyclists you will see on the right-hand footpath (coming towards you) just after McDonalds, again you will have to look hard to spot him.

http://www.youtu.be/AIu_QYjXyIU

Ignore the timestamp on the video, it has not been set.

Spot on comments.

Cyclists have no regard for the Highway Code, the unwritten rules of the road and good manners.

After all it is as rare as hen's teeth to see a motorist jump a red light, enter a roundabout with no regard for any cyclist already on it, ignore the "yellow box", park on double yellow lines, park too close to a junction, drive too close to cyclists, force cyclists into the gutter, park across pavements or speeding. Not to mention pedestrians thinking it is quite reasonable to let their children and/or dogs wander across a shared cycleway with out any regard for those cyclists entitled to use it.

I say ban all cycling now and lets increase pollution and make a justification for a bypass 

I agree hence my original comment: 

Yes, I know motorists are often no better but I do hear the cyclist claiming to be the victim just a little too frequent   

Great idea.

 

Always thought that the magnificent woodpecker sculpture was in the wrong place in Whitecross Road and its new place across the road is even worse.

Should of been put on Newmarket roundabout

It was originally outside Bulmers, hence the location, not sure about the new location adjacent to Sainsbury's though.

A planning application has been submitted for the proposed erection of two plinths on the site of the Skateboard Park on Holmer Road Hereford to display sculptures and similar public art.

The sculptures would be no more than 4 metres in height, similar to the Woodpecker sculpture at Whitecross Road.

The exhibits will not exceed the plinth size of 2 x 2 metres. The sculptures and public art will be created by local artists and students from the Hereford Art College and will be unique to Hereford.

The idea is to change these sculptures every three or four months based on the same principle as the sixth plinth in Trafalgar Square London.

There are no plans to include any lighting. Information about the artists will be displayed in the boom box already on site.

Planning application P172296/F

Example below:

The Highway Code Does Not Apply to Some Cyclists Then?

While I am in total favour of promoting cycling where possible and encouraging motorists to use their bicycles for short trips, what I find very frustrating is when some cyclists think the law (highway code) does not apply to them, particularly when it comes to traffic lights, junctions, pedestrian crossings and footpaths.

I see cyclists virtually everyday jumping red lights and riding on and off footpaths to avoid red traffic lights and junctions. I saw a chap again this evening, no lights and texting while he was riding along the footpath.

Over the next few weeks, I will try and photograph/video each time I witness this happening using my dash cam or asking my passengers to gather the evidence when they are with me. I just want to record and highlight how often this is happening, I think you may be surprised. Yes, I know motorists are often no better but I do hear the cyclist claiming to be the victim just a little too frequent.

if they expect to be treated like any other road user, then they also need to abide by the same rules, they can't have it both ways!

I came back from Fownhope this evening with my Mrs and I could see this cyclist all over the place, coming through High Town, one minute on the road, the next on the footpath anyway, we were eventually sat at the Old Bridge waiting for the traffic lights to change when I noticed the same cyclist coming along the road from behind us, you guessed it, he mounted the footpath to avoid waiting for the traffic lights to change.

When we got down to the next junction (opposite Asda Garage) we had passed another cyclist in St Martins Street, so I asked my good lady to just film the traffic lights while we were sat there waiting because I just knew he wasn't going to stop either!

Guess what? 

Well, I did warn you. 

 

Nigel Farage is on the money here and so is The Times

 

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The Times.jpeg

I am with you on this one Steve and have agreed since day one. They have opened Pandora's box and now look at the mess the EU is in...worrying times ahead still

They really don't have a clue do they at whichever office they are residing in this year. Why not make a feature of it? Clean it up, run guided walks along it, taking in the cathedral, duck pond, black and white house etc, nice little money earner if they are sensible with the charges, say £5 per head (obviously concessions as well).

 

It really is depressing seeing the city go down hill the way that it is.

 

When are you running for a council position Colin? You care more about the city than any of the over paid bods in Plough Lane

Thank you for your kind words. I have been asked several times to become a Councillor. This is something I would like to do but right now I really do not have the time with my work commitments but it is something I will be looking at in the future.   I will keep the buggers on their toes! 

You will obviously do what you are going to do and it does need a clean up but perhaps you need to consider that it is an Ancient Monument and you do not own it

We have already spoken with English Heritage and further discussions are planned.

It was good to meet with Keith Marston, Jim Kenton and Jess from the Hereford Times at the Duck Pond.

We have come up with the initial idea of a cleanup day or clean-up weekend. As many volunteers as possible, this will be a good start if we can all muck in clearing weeds and cutting back brush and removing any rubbish found along the way.  

The canoe club has offered to bring some boats down to help clean off the duckweed.

It will be good if we can also involve the local diving club too.

I have contacted Pets at Home and they have kindly offered to sponsor some new signs and a survey on the pond to establish as much as possible about what is going on below the surface as well as on top.

As soon as we have some dates I will inform you but we are probably looking at a clean-up day or weekend late September or early October.

Please find attached Safer Network Team August 2017 Newsletter.

SNT August 2017.pdf

Colin the little reminder of the City Councillors was a reminder to one and all.  Now I might be classed as a little controversial but I have to ask the question.  Why are these councillors (some of them fairly well known) and Hereford BID not picking up on the state of the city?   The City Walls the Duck Pond and Greenway cycle bridge - all issues that have been raised on these pages and other groups.  Why is HCC not taking the initiative and raising these matters?     

All good questions Denise and I have raised this with a City Councillor already and they are looking at this now.

I was pointing out that none of the immediate priorities had been addressed six years (not five as I previously said) after they had been identified and put in the public domain. One of the best-preserved major historic cities anywhere in England deserves to be properly managed.

I agree with you and I think a maintenance plan should have been in place a long time ago, this is something I am working to see if we can get in place going forward but before anything is set up, some immediate maintenance work is obviously required, ie weeds, cleaning and repairing.