traffic – Jules P Richards

Well done Leicester City Council: Close [thanks!]… but no cigar!

On 17 April 2012, I reported to Leicester City Council [via FixMyStreet.com] a seriously dangerous pothole, a serious danger to commuting cyclists.

By the 15 May the hole had been neatly filled with tarmac. √

Well done Leicester City Council!

But…

Also on 17 April 2012 I reported some eroded road surface around manhole cover LE4 9LG. Another nearby manhole was tidied-up [thanks LCC], but the worst culprit within 50 yards was left untouched.
I reported this again on the 23rd May, eroding road around a manhole which is causing danger to cyclists. It’s getting worse by the week, now [21st June] a hole 2 inch deep is a seriously dangerous hazard to cyclists.

Also 17 April 2012 I reported to Leicester City Council a serious multiple pothole situation.
There were half a dozen potholes and crumbling road surface. It was [and still is] a hazard to cyclists. It’s likely to either bring a bike down or cause a swerve into traffic. On the 15th May, these dangerous holes and broken road surface had not been fixed and is still a hazard to cyclists.
On the 23rd May I again reported to Leicester City Council, this Eroding Road surface on junction. This eroded road surface is just getting worse. It’s a danger to cyclists. To avoid this you need to swerve into overtaking traffic.

As of 21st June 2012, both of the above situations continue to get worse. I will approach them again.

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30th July 2012: Cyclists take care, 3 months it’s still there:

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30th August 2012: yeah! Eh? Think it’s being fixed.

In the handmade gaps within everyday-life, I’ve recently been in Africa, both ancient and modern. I’ve been escaping into another world created by Wilbur Smith. I’ve read most of his books, OK they may be a tad shallow but hey they’re entertaining and exciting. (I s’pose his reads are rather like a dream, detailed and gripping, but without sub-conscious / substance… I had a corker last night, but that’s another story). I am still away with the pharies but hope to finish this current dalliance soon.

While commuting recently, passions were again stirred (*trying to not get agitated again*) by other road-users’ *@%”$* ignorance. As you’re probably aware it was recently very foggy – the number of vehicles without lights on at 8am on fog-bound country roads was ridiculous! Combine that with people driving while speaking on handheld phones, again on fog-bound country bends – ignorant! I’m not going to get into the 5% of vehicles that don’t allow due-room for cyclists while passing them – inconsiderate and dangerous. Unless I’m mistaken, ignorance is a key trait here.

I have recently been pricked by the proverb “ignorance is bliss” and (again) the idea of “opiates” (in the sense of anything that causes dullness or inaction or that soothes the feelings).

Indeed, we all too readily ignore that which is beyond our perception or conception. We all enjoy a moment of bliss?

I believe the phrase “ignorance is bliss” originates from eighteenth-century poet Thomas Gray’s “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College” where he plays with ideas of innocence and adulthood… “Where ignorance is bliss, / ‘Tis folly to be wise.’”

Other learned quotations:

“The happiest life consists in ignorance, Before you learn to grieve and to rejoice.”
“From ignorance our comfort flows, The only wretched are the wise.”
“Since knowledge is but sorrow’s spy, ‘Twere better not to know.”

I find that music, food, art, knowledge and other opiates (as well as coffee and cheese) can all be stimulating and creative, however they can also act as a distracting eclipse and induce ignorance.

The ignorant might excuse themselves with the notion of innocence?

Ignorant? innocent? bliss? contentment? enchantment? joy? beatitude? well-being…

Heaven help us all!?