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One happy side effect of the response to terror attacks in the UK is that we've become quite good at bollards. For example, the Scottish Parliament has a numbe

One happy side effect of the response to terror attacks in the UK is that we've become quite good at bollards. For example, the Scottish Parliament has a number of benches and ornamental ponds: https://maps.app.goo.gl/biSpACmL1fSihqPL7 https://maps.app.goo.gl/biSpACmL1fSihqPL7. Or there's the classic ARSENAL: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xopzGGu8rUdWaTCe8 https://maps.app.goo.gl/xopzGGu8rUdWaTCe8. We're even getting better at providing more than merely paint as protection for cyclists: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VT3SbjrK27w72826 https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VT3SbjrK27w72826.

sleepybrett 2y ago
Unfortunately in the US cars aren't as easy to get as guns...
- bigstrat2003 2y ago
  That is utterly false.
  - sleepybrett 2y ago
    It is not, selling a car requires title transfer, buying a shotgun in most (i'm hedging a little here, it might be all) states requires passing an age gate (again 18 where i live which is the federal minimum (21 for semi auto)), maybe higher in other states). https://www.driveway.com/learn/selling-trading-in/what-paperwork-do-i-need-to-sell-a-car https://www.driveway.com/learn/selling-trading-in/what-paper...
    - kube-system 2y ago
      Not all states require a title to legally sell a car, and some have exemptions for older cars too.
- kube-system 2y ago
  I think when people say this, they are mistaking requirements of banks and/or their state government for 'US' laws. The use of cars in the US is almost entirely unregulated by the US government. And for the requirements imposed by state authorities, many of them are implemented as prerequisites for registration, not for ownership.
- Cthulhu_ 2y ago
  While I understand you have a beef with US gun policy and the like, unsubstantiated and incorrect claims like this are just wasteful and counter-productive. You can walk up to a dealership or car rental place and drive off in minutes. You can't walk into a Walmart and out with an AR-15, much as whatever propaganda you've been watching might imply that.
  - criddell 2y ago
    I can sell you my shotgun as easily as I can sell you my bicycle (I'm in Texas). Selling you my car is a more difficult because I have to file paperwork with the local tax office.
    - sleepybrett 2y ago
      BINGO
ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
> We're even getting better at providing more than merely paint as protection for cyclists: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VT3SbjrK27w72826 https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VT3SbjrK27w72826. I would say that the UK is awful at implementing separated infrastructure for cyclists (and e-scooters etc). That picture is an example as the cycle lane on the opposite side of the road appears to have had bollards removed. Also, there's no bollards where the traffic island is located and that's exactly where you'd want more protection from drivers as they're likely to be swerving in towards the cycle lane.
- andrewaylett 2y ago
  Getting better, but from such a poor starting point that we're still awful. "Not merely paint" is a really low bar.
  - ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
    I had cause to walk through Bristol centre the other evening (going to see Orbital play) and was shocked at how bad the cycle lanes are there. There's a big pedestrianised area with cycle lanes going through it, but the lanes just have a slightly different paving and the occasional bicycle symbol. As a pedestrian (I'd usually be a cyclist), it was tough to figure out where the bike lanes were and unless you deliberately looked for them, you wouldn't know. That's definitely one area where different colours are required. Not even paint. To make it worse, there's lots of places where pedestrians and cyclists would inevitably cross paths to get to the traffic lights and of course there's no indication of where people should cross the cycle lanes. Unfortunately, Google streetview is too old for me to provide an illustration of how bad it is.

sleepybrett 2y ago

Unfortunately in the US cars aren't as easy to get as guns...

bigstrat2003 2y ago
That is utterly false.
- sleepybrett 2y ago
  It is not, selling a car requires title transfer, buying a shotgun in most (i'm hedging a little here, it might be all) states requires passing an age gate (again 18 where i live which is the federal minimum (21 for semi auto)), maybe higher in other states). https://www.driveway.com/learn/selling-trading-in/what-paperwork-do-i-need-to-sell-a-car https://www.driveway.com/learn/selling-trading-in/what-paper...
  - kube-system 2y ago
    Not all states require a title to legally sell a car, and some have exemptions for older cars too.
kube-system 2y ago
I think when people say this, they are mistaking requirements of banks and/or their state government for 'US' laws. The use of cars in the US is almost entirely unregulated by the US government. And for the requirements imposed by state authorities, many of them are implemented as prerequisites for registration, not for ownership.
Cthulhu_ 2y ago
While I understand you have a beef with US gun policy and the like, unsubstantiated and incorrect claims like this are just wasteful and counter-productive. You can walk up to a dealership or car rental place and drive off in minutes. You can't walk into a Walmart and out with an AR-15, much as whatever propaganda you've been watching might imply that.
- criddell 2y ago
  I can sell you my shotgun as easily as I can sell you my bicycle (I'm in Texas). Selling you my car is a more difficult because I have to file paperwork with the local tax office.
  - sleepybrett 2y ago
    BINGO

ndsipa_pomu 2y ago

> We're even getting better at providing more than merely paint as protection for cyclists: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VT3SbjrK27w72826 https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VT3SbjrK27w72826. I would say that the UK is awful at implementing separated infrastructure for cyclists (and e-scooters etc). That picture is an example as the cycle lane on the opposite side of the road appears to have had bollards removed. Also, there's no bollards where the traffic island is located and that's exactly where you'd want more protection from drivers as they're likely to be swerving in towards the cycle lane.

andrewaylett 2y ago
Getting better, but from such a poor starting point that we're still awful. "Not merely paint" is a really low bar.
- ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
  I had cause to walk through Bristol centre the other evening (going to see Orbital play) and was shocked at how bad the cycle lanes are there. There's a big pedestrianised area with cycle lanes going through it, but the lanes just have a slightly different paving and the occasional bicycle symbol. As a pedestrian (I'd usually be a cyclist), it was tough to figure out where the bike lanes were and unless you deliberately looked for them, you wouldn't know. That's definitely one area where different colours are required. Not even paint. To make it worse, there's lots of places where pedestrians and cyclists would inevitably cross paths to get to the traffic lights and of course there's no indication of where people should cross the cycle lanes. Unfortunately, Google streetview is too old for me to provide an illustration of how bad it is.