BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[bobzmyunkle]

How bad did I say I expected it to be?

Bad, really bad.

 

[briantrumpet]

Bad, really bad.

Well it farked up my notions of retiring to France as easily as moving to Eastbourne. Actually, it would have been easier to retire to France, as I don't have a house in Eastbourne.

 

[PurplePenguin]

How bad did I say I expected it to be?

Zombie apocalypse whereas now you merely think it's an apocalypse (and the average person thinks it is occasionally inconvenient).

 

[briantrumpet]

Zombie apocalypse whereas now you merely think it's an apocalypse (and the average person thinks it is occasionally inconvenient).

I don't remember using those exact words, but if you say I did, the proof either way has evaporated into the ether.

Whatever, at least I got the general direction of travel right, unlike Brexiters and their unicorns.

 

[briantrumpet]

FWIW, one of the once 'too early to tell' but predictable Brexit consequences is on UK universities, which are running en masse into financial crisis. Not just because of Brexit, but that's had a major impact. It's likely a significant number of universities are going to go under, and even Russell Group Universities (one of which I happen to work a bit for) are having to make significant cuts. I think the word 'apocalypse' might actually not be too far off the mark, as it comes to a head over the next few years... and that's going to have an effect on the quality of UK graduates in for decades. Not good.

https://aulanews.uao.es/2025/03/01/brexits-impact-on-uk-universites/

Once major beneficiaries of EU funding and home to thousands of European students, UK universities are now facing significant financial strain in the wake of Brexit. Brexit's impact on Universities has led to funding gaps, a sharp decline in EU student enrollments, and increased barriers to international mobility. With the loss of Erasmus+ and rising tuition fees for European students, institutions are struggling to attract talent and maintain global partnerships. While the introduction of the Turing Scheme has provided alternative opportunities for study abroad, concerns remain over long-term financial sustainability and accessibility within UK higher education.

But hey, those students are leftie troublemakers, so we'd be better off without them, eh?

 

[PurplePenguin]

I don't remember using those exact words, but if you say I did, the proof either way has evaporated into the ether.

Whatever, at least I got the general direction of travel right, unlike Brexiters and their unicorns.

I may have embellished the words a little to make the point which is that you have not really reflected on your own position and have simply sought to prove that you were right. This is just the mirror of those you pour scorn on.

 

[briantrumpet]

I may have embellished the words a little to make the point which is that you have not really reflected on your own position and have simply sought to prove that you were right. This is just the mirror of those you pour scorn on.

I genuinely would be interested to see my specific predictions which have turned out not to be true. Obviously I said it would be shît, and as things are turning out over time, I don't think that that prediction is too far off. But if you can remember specifics, I'd be happy to review.

 

[briantrumpet]

I wonder what this is all about... no details in the article yet.

 

[briantrumpet]

More evidence that the 20mph limits in Wales are having a positive, erm, impact.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yqq5wwq5yo

Welsh police forces reported road collisions that caused 3,993 casualties in 2024 - these were the lowest figures recorded apart from 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The collisions on 20mph and 30mph roads resulted in 1,751 casualties, also the lowest figure ever recorded and down 20% from the previous year.

 

[BoldonLad]

Is that a function of their average age?

I have thought of that, it is one of my little "foibles" to always query "are my experiences "typical", but:

I have a lot (45+) of nieces and nephews, and, my own "children" who I see fairly regularly, typical age group 40-55)

My own adult grandchildren, their partners etc, are typically age 19 - 32

my drinking pals and associated acquaintances tend to be just slightly younger than myself, say, typically 73yo,

So all in all, a reasonable spread of ages, if there is a bias, I would say it is geographic.

 

[BoldonLad]

It's not easy to admit one's own blunders, especially when the things that people had warned would/might happen then actually happened. Very few of the problems were entirely unforeseen.

Yes, I understand that, could be I suppose. However, as foolish as it may be, the major reason for voting "leave" given (at the time) was the "rules and sovereignty" trope. Now, that may be just because people didnt want to openly appear racist, of course. But, most of the stuff I have read about who voted what and why does not match with my personal experience.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

So, it could be a self inflicted (financial) injury?

Absolutely, of course it could, but I was specifically talking about people who voted Brexit and were not affected financially, being apathetic towards those who have been badly affected. I have no issue with people who voted to leave, but to pretend it did not have financial consequences for some people, whether those impacted voted for it or not, is disingenuous IMO.

 

[briantrumpet]

The good news about 20mph limits just keeps on coming... these aren't marginal improvements.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tra...ries-collisions-tfl-will-norman-b1228903.html

Now research commissioned by TfL on the safety benefits of 20mph has given the green light for more speed cuts – especially as no evidence was found that 20mph limits increased congestion.
It found there were 35 per cent fewer collisions and 36 per cent fewer casualties on borough roads where 20mph zones had been introduced.
In particular, children were even less likely to be hurt – with a 50 per cent reduction in casualties and 75 per cent reduction in fatalities.

 

[First Aspect]

The good news about 20mph limits just keeps on coming... these aren't marginal improvements.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tra...ries-collisions-tfl-will-norman-b1228903.html

An architect BR forumite not of this new parish posted a graph, yes a graph, with a turning point of deaths/serious injuries at about 30 mph. It was really quite persuasive and tipped me personally from on the fence to being unable in good conscience to object.

At this point, opposition to 20 zones in residential and high pedestrian areas is up there with resistance to seatbelt use on the grounds that they prevent people from being safely thrown away from the vehicle.

 

[briantrumpet]

An architect BR forumite not of this new parish posted a graph, yes a graph, with a turning point of deaths/serious injuries at about 30 mph. It was really quite persuasive and tipped me personally from on the fence to being unable in good conscience to object.

At this point, opposition to 20 zones in residential and high pedestrian areas is up there with resistance to seatbelt use on the grounds that they prevent people from being safely thrown away from the vehicle.

There are plenty of graphics out there. (The one below is also quite stark.) The steepness of the curves also makes the point that even if a 10mph reduction the a speed limit doesn't equate to a 10mph reduction in average speeds (which is often used as an 'argument' against bothering), even a modest reduction can make a large difference in fatality rates, now borne out by these large-scale real-life statistics, replicated in several different places.