Stephen Gower
@sjgower.eurosky.social
Oxford. Mostly gets around by bike.
Marston St stub can be opened for emergency vehicles. This firefighter says they are often blocked by #badlyparkedcars. #dangerousparking
I've updated my previous work to make an unofficial map to help explain Oxford's traffic filters, due to start on 28th September. Please share if useful, but not for republication in news media, advertising or political/campaign material without further approval from me.
Stop considering it. Just ban them. Do it now. Disposable barbecues are (a) useless as BBQs, take ages, food often still raw in middle, (b) environmentally horrible, (c) incredibly good at starting massive fires. There is no good argument for them. Bin them off www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Burnham to consider ban on disposable barbecues as wildfires rage in UK
PM to look at imposing restriction in public spaces, though campaigners fear it does not go far enough
theguardian.com
I liked the excuse of taking our colander to the park to meet up with other people who had done the same. A bit like dog walking without needing the dog.
I don't think there should be a defibrilator on Snowdon. And that's a hill I'm prepared to die on
I know it's not new news that the French are generous with their bollards, but that doesn't stop me taking lots of photos of them.
Family holiday to Lille. I think @eurostarjustin.bsky.social might be our train manager 🚄🌊
Will Greater Oxford residents be limited to recycling at Redbridge? Lets hope the 3 month closure (originally set for spring 2025, now slipped to 2027) is complete before vesting day!
Confessions from a sandhill crane colt: Ugly mom was doing the best she could with what she had (chopsticks and a sock). #wildliferehab 🪶
My elderflower cordial is slightly sparkling. Lean in and make wine (I don't really drink any more, so probably not), heat it (80°C ?) and bottle, or use the very limited freezer space we have?
It reveals at the core of the American psyche they love vertical density and walkable neighborhoods with lots of amenities nearby.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕗 ℂ𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕒 ℙ𝕠𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕥@thoc.bsky.social · 4mo agook real question though: why are cruise ships still a fuckin thing?
"Bikes can replace car trips" ≠ "Everyone MUST replace their car and ride a bike for all trips."
I realised today that at some point in the last couple of years I've changed from thinking "that person will retire eventually and then I won't have to deal with them" to "I will retire eventually and then I won't have to deal with that person"
Undergrad: "We're going to build a subway network!" Grad student: "We can build light rail!" Early career planner: "BRT is a cost saving service as good as rail!" Grizzled planner: "What if we somewhat improved the existing bus service"
ellen teapot 🇨🇦🏳️⚧️@ellenteapot.ca · 5mo agowild how my transit fantasies have boiled all the way back down to “what if we somewhat improved the existing bus service”
1 Residents already get 100 day-passes 2 The schemes don't apply to anything other than cars 3 Exemptions for cars-as-goods-vehicle, care work, blue-badge, etc already 4 Journeys over 4 miles quicker by the Ring Road anyway Pledge is for those who want to drive <4 miles, more than 2 days a week.
Oxford Clarion@oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 6mo agoLabour has launched its 2026 Oxford manifesto with a pledge to exempt all 165,000 city residents from the congestion charge/traffic filters. Under the headline “Leading the way to zero carbon”, the party says “We have asked the LibDem County Council to give local Oxford residents free passes.”
In Neal Stephenson's book Zodiac, the protagonist is a bicyclist who wears all black and no lights on the theory that drivers are homicidal maniacs and if they cannot see him they will not try and kill him, and much as I want, I cannot fault this theory.
It feels like so much of what's going on in Oxford seems to come down to bridges, with Botley Road bridge, Donnington Road Bridge, the Ice Rink bridge, Kennington rail bridge and others. Anyway, I've made a whatsapp group for general Oxon bridge chat and fandom. HMU for the link!
Scholars may have decided that it's looking backwards over its wings, but have they considered it may instead be the earliest picture of @owlsintowels.org ?
Ferris Jabr@ferrisjabr.bsky.social · 7mo agoThe oldest known image of an owl: More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
The oldest known image of an owl: More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
What's the nicest model filter in terms of placemaking? I've gone off the planter thing a bit and am beginning to think a row of wooden bollards is as nice as anything, especially in a location that gets a lot of littering.
It's all go down at Oxford station. The old bridge decks have been removed, with work now focusing on removing the abutments.
I just like to say STAIR LTG EMG TEST KEY SW IN MAINS RM RISER
Sam's tactic was actually good for the team during the game. The shield was there to waste time as people looked for it rather than the answer. He completely nullified that in the first move. #TheTraitors #TheTraitorsUK
🚨 BREAKING: A legal bid to halt Oxford’s congestion charge has been turned down. The High Court today refused an application for judicial review by Open Roads For Oxford Ltd, which had raised £60,000 “from private donations, transfers from aligned funds, and our GoFundMe campaign” to bring the case.