On 6 Nov, 15:32, wrote:
On 6 Nov, 15:04, Neil *Williams wrote:

It is a fact that a 4x4 causes no more of a traffic jam than a
normally-sized car. *A Land Rover Defender SWB, for instance, is as I
recall shorter and narrower then a Vauxhall Corsa.

Unfortunately a Land Rover Defender SWB is not representative of the
4x4 vehicles you see on the streets of London. Most 4x4 vehicles,
people carriers and other similar vehicles are that bit wider, longer
and higher and make a significant difference to other road users -
when parking, turning out of junctions, trying to move around in
queues, passing on narrow roads with parked cars. The other frequent
problem with these* is tinted windows that are too dark to see through
properly, so you can't make eye contact and you can't see through to
the other end/side.

And for cyclists, you can't easily see over these cars to anticipate
what's coming ahead.

disgoftunwells gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying:

And for cyclists, you can't easily see over these cars to anticipate
what's coming ahead.

Perhaps you shouldn't be sat so close behind them? I mean, it's not as if
vans/trucks/buses are any easier to see through/round/over than an SUV,
is it?

On 7 Nov, 11:29, Adrian wrote:

Perhaps you shouldn't be sat so close behind them? I mean, it's not as if
vans/trucks/buses are any easier to see through/round/over than an SUV,
is it?

Which is rather my point. If it is the mere size of 4x4s that is the
issue for congestion, not the pollution they may emit (that a small,
low sports car may also do), then this should apply to all vehicles of
that size, even electric vans.

The real objection I have to Ken's latest iteration of the Congestion
Charge is that it became a personal vendetta against the 4x4. Not
against large vehicles, not against polluting vehicles, but
specifically against the 4x4. Personal vendettas in politics are
never good, which is probably why I don't like the idea of mayors
anyway (and why I prefer parliamentary rather than presidential
democracy).

No, incidentally, I do not own a 4x4, and even if I did I wouldn't be
wanting to drive it in London.

Boris is as bad for his personal vendetta against the bendy bus.
There are routes in London where they aren't appropriate, of course,
but there are routes (the 73, the Red Arrows) where they are *very*
appropriate and do the job vastly better than any Routemaster ever
did.

Neil