http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Tag: Chris Hoy - Recent Posts en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:11:37 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152225 Tue, 06 May 2014 21:00:55 +0000 PS 152225@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Political leadership and measureable targets – as we’ve seen happen in London with Mayor Boris Johnson – are required to truly kick start a local transformation in the number of people getting on bikes.</em></p> <p>Think they're saying London is leading the way, which is probably fair enough, hence the lack of London-based authors.</p> <p>I did post a link to this this morning, but it got lost in all the class warfare. Thanks a lot, Citizen Smiths. ;o) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152204 Tue, 06 May 2014 19:24:37 +0000 Dave 152204@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>"... but if the ones brave enough to ride already are seen to transgress, it's important to attack them in the national press?"</em></p> <p>:) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152202 Tue, 06 May 2014 19:21:20 +0000 crowriver 152202@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well I never.</p> <p>Also:<br /> <em>Britain’s most successful Olympian Sir Chris Hoy has written to City of Edinburgh Council</em></p> <p>and<br /> <em>Current world champion Katie Archibald has written to Glasgow City Council</em></p> <p><em>No-one from London!?</em></p> <p>Wiggo lives up north now. He's not involved, I note. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152190 Tue, 06 May 2014 18:37:49 +0000 minus six 152190@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Britain’s most successful ever Olympian, Sir Chris Hoy, said:</p> <p><em>If we want to inspire a transformation in communities across Britain – making them happier and healthier - cycling needs to be prioritised. There has never been a better moment to do this and councils must make some bold decisions now before it’s too late. We desperately need Britain’s roads to accommodate the needs of cyclists to encourage people of all ages to get on bikes</em>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152181 Tue, 06 May 2014 18:02:45 +0000 chdot 152181@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/campaigning/article/cam20140502-Britain’s-famous-cyclists-call-on-councils-to--Choosecycling-0" rel="nofollow">http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/campaigning/article/cam20140502-Britain’s-famous-cyclists-call-on-councils-to--Choosecycling-0</a> </p> <p>Inc <em>him</em>.</p> <p>No-one from London!? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152173 Tue, 06 May 2014 17:45:43 +0000 crowriver 152173@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Presume Alan Bennett went to Grammar school, passed his 11+? State sector, but selective. Allowed a lot of bright kids from modest backgrounds to go up to university. </p> <p>All changed now: education more of a marketplace, especiall south of the border. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152161 Tue, 06 May 2014 16:57:53 +0000 gembo 152161@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>North Berwick pal that went private came in on the train. He was at primary in NB and there was a classmate whose name he says was shaleen warthog.</p> <p>Alan Bennett interview with nick hytner this week has his view on private education, he is against it </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152151 Tue, 06 May 2014 15:21:03 +0000 chdot 152151@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Parents are also being encouraged to leave the car at home for the school run. This follows international research which suggests children who walk or cycle to school have improved concentration, cognitive function and mood.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27294345" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27294345</a></p> <p>In a (small) way that further highlights the whole 'doing the best for my child(ren)'... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152125 Tue, 06 May 2014 13:21:27 +0000 crowriver 152125@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>if you want to create the illusion of wealth, "Executive" or flash cars are an easy way to do it.</em></p> <p>Which highlights my point in recurring threads passim about cars being status symbols, even in this day and age.</p> <p>Of course for the cognoscenti this can work for flash bikes too... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152114 Tue, 06 May 2014 12:51:18 +0000 Instography 152114@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm sure they have for individual employees. Lots of companies have done away with company car schemes and just give a 'car allowance' - money. Much of the benefit for employees disappeared because the assessment of personal benefit was increased and is taxed at the marginal rate, which for flash car driving employees would generally be 40%. </p> <p>I was talking about business leasing where you treat the car as a piece of capital. From my understanding of it you've leased a piece of business machinery and treat it like that for tax and VAT purposes. So the lease payments are wholly offset against profits (like paying for a company car from gross salary rather than net). That's a decent benefit to start with. You reclaim the VAT on the payments. </p> <p>You also need to pay tax on any personal benefit which seems to be assessed much the same as for employees and that is taxed at the marginal rate, which for a self-employed person with an accountant should be 20%. Otherwise, get a new accountant. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=5#post-152107 Tue, 06 May 2014 12:34:15 +0000 chdot 152107@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/education/loretto-school-to-create-world-leading-golf-centre-1-3399973" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/education/loretto-school-to-create-world-leading-golf-centre-1-3399973</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152103 Tue, 06 May 2014 12:20:27 +0000 Dave 152103@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wow, if it wasn't for the fact we put oily bikes in it and throw kayaks on the roof, I'd be seriously tempted by a leased car.</p> <p>When you look at the costs, it makes you realise that the flash motors on the road aren't really displaying that much wealth.</p> <p>Ours is very modest for the neighbourhood and it would probably only cost another £100 - 150 pcm over existing costs to just lease a new German prestige model every couple of years.</p> <p>Hmm... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152100 Tue, 06 May 2014 12:03:06 +0000 neddie 152100@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I thought they'd solved the issue of large company cars racking up 100s of thousands of miles 'just for the tax benefit'.</p> <p>These days aren't the 'company car' incentives much greater for low emissions mid-sized vehicles?</p> <p>Perhaps I am wrong...? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152099 Tue, 06 May 2014 12:02:24 +0000 PS 152099@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Going back to Chris Hoy:</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/kayaburgess/status/463602087301890049">Hoy and Pendleton among 14 Olympic cycle stars calling on councils to back and fund #cyclesafe <a href="http://thetim.es/1iXKOZP" rel="nofollow">http://thetim.es/1iXKOZP</a> pic.twitter.com/3rL3ldvPxd</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152096 Tue, 06 May 2014 11:46:17 +0000 chdot 152096@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"It's one way that the tax system incentivises driving"</p> <p>Especially bigger cars(?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152094 Tue, 06 May 2014 11:44:21 +0000 Instography 152094@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I should say so, especially if you do a lot of company driving. You get to offset the business costs against tax and reclaim a proportion of the VAT payable on the lease cost. There's the taxable benefit of personal use that partially offsets those but on the whole it's still beneficial. It's one way that the tax system incentivises driving. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152084 Tue, 06 May 2014 11:19:16 +0000 chdot 152084@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"It's easy enough be a company so you need to have a decent income"</p> <p>I know company vehicle rules keep getting 'tightened', but presume still some degree of 'tax deductible' advantage(?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152081 Tue, 06 May 2014 11:16:22 +0000 Instography 152081@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@SRD<br /> Is that for me? No, I don't but I know what you mean. What I meant was that if you want to create the illusion of wealth, "Executive" or flash cars are an easy way to do it. </p> <p>Currently, through company leasing, you can have a Ford Mondeo for £244 a month, an E Class Mercedes for £299 or a Porsche Cayman for £450. It's easy enough to be a company so you need to have a decent income but you don't need to be a millionaire. Jaguar XF for £299? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152062 Tue, 06 May 2014 10:01:19 +0000 crowriver 152062@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>So you can go to the wrong sort of private school...</em></p> <p>Depends where the ex-pupil wants to go in life. Steiner schools reputedly good if you want to be an artist or an ecologist. Fettes good if you want to work in the City or become Prime Minister, apparently.</p> <p><em>I think Watson's (where CHoy went) is quite 'comprehensive' compared with some.</em></p> <p>Seems to be more of a middling school right enough, based on the Old Watsonians I've met over the years. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152054 Tue, 06 May 2014 09:47:19 +0000 chdot 152054@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"There's a hierarchy of private schools, a bit like universities"</p> <p>So you can go to the wrong sort of private school...</p> <p>I think Watson's (where CHoy went) is quite 'comprehensive' compared with some. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152051 Tue, 06 May 2014 09:38:57 +0000 Min 152051@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Here here. Or should I say, yaw yaw? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152050 Tue, 06 May 2014 09:28:11 +0000 crowriver 152050@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>the people travelling in to private school from North Berwick</em></p> <p>Loretto only a few stops away.</p> <p><em>it ain't all landed gentry</em></p> <p>Don't they tend to go to Fettes? There's a hierarchy of private schools, a bit like universities. There are the schools for the officer class, the ones for future government ministers and financiers, those for the arty bohemian set, and the ones for children of small business owners who've done well.</p> <p>Frankly I find the whole phenomenon dreadful in its snobbery, class bias and self-perpetuating cronyism. It symbolises everything that is wrong with this country. I know that those who make use of the system feel the opposite way. Well they would, wouldn't they? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152045 Tue, 06 May 2014 09:16:51 +0000 SRD 152045@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>You obviously don't cycle past either heriots or watsons in the mornings. check out the kerbs at george square some day between 3 and 4. lined with massive new 4x4s. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152044 Tue, 06 May 2014 09:12:57 +0000 Instography 152044@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Invidious consumption. </p> <p>When M was sorting out her "company car" I was surprised at how cheap BMWs and Mercs are. I guess they hold their resale value because they weren't terrifically much more to lease than a Ford Mondeo. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152043 Tue, 06 May 2014 09:06:51 +0000 crowriver 152043@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Insto, <em>I've never been too sure of that statistic. If I remember correctly it is the percentage of pupils at Edinburgh private schools as a percentage of all pupils at school in Edinburgh. </em></p> <p>Yeah that's probably right. ISTR it was quoted verbally at me by a Council education officer. Also I think I saw the same figure in a report on Edinburgh catchments/school rolls a couple of years ago (probably from 2009/10). The one where they predicted Gillespie's HS catchment would be full by 2015 (the same report also proposed moving the Gaelic unit from Gillespie's to Tynecastle HS to relieve pressure on numbers but after being leaned on by aspirational parents that's been quietly shelved).</p> <p>Anyway anecdotally there does seem to be quite a high proportion of kids going to private secondary school. Our primary school is not in a particularly prosperous area (unless you count millionaire's row up on Calton Hill, but I don't think they send their kids to the local primary). It is also a small school, and was below capacity until a few years ago (when my son started, typical, his class is bursting full). A very small P7 last year, only around 12 kids (some having moved to better HS catchments in P5/P6). Of them, 3 went to private school, 2 of them on bursary places I understand. That's exactly 25%. As I say, anecdotal and may be a blip, but seems to bear out the Council figures. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152042 Tue, 06 May 2014 09:00:19 +0000 SRD 152042@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've always been baffled that that stat on private schools keeps being repeated, when - as insto illustrates - it clearly doesn't represent what people claim it does. </p> <p>The parents' houses may be modest but their cars sure don't tend to be.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152038 Tue, 06 May 2014 08:53:40 +0000 gembo 152038@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@insto</p> <p>si on mike the moustaches and si on that 25% represents the people travelling in to private school from North Berwick! modest houses in Dalgety bay where they don't answer the door after six and have spent all the money on their only child to get him the education they want. I am not criticising people for doing this I am just saying I am aware it ain't all landed gentry</p> <p>Young chap I know went to uni and met Edinburgh boys from private school. The lad I know of went compy. He was surprised when visiting his new pals parents houses to find them far more modest than his parents. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152033 Tue, 06 May 2014 08:44:47 +0000 Slug 152033@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@ DG145 " ... come the revolution (and I don't mean EBC's own brand bike stuff)"</p> <p>Thanks for clarifying that, DG. My initial reaction was to respond with some cheap comment regarding the word, 'Giant', but not associated with a bike brand! ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152023 Tue, 06 May 2014 01:24:01 +0000 gkgk 152023@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@ Nelly Quite right, 1000 apologies. No matter, I'm changing tack anyway - I've now thinking that suicides are very rare and extreme cases, happiness outliers, a poor indicator of general population happiness.</p> <p>After all, Finns were at their most suicidal during the 1965-90 economic boom. And we in the UK, went all suicidal when Angie on Eastenders did, then bounced back after a week or two. Just not a good population happiness indicator. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12742&page=4#post-152021 Mon, 05 May 2014 23:16:07 +0000 Instography 152021@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've never been too sure of that statistic. If I remember correctly it is the percentage of pupils at Edinburgh private schools as a percentage of all pupils at school in Edinburgh. It doesn't take account of where they live. Not sure how many kids travel into Edinburgh to go to private schools but since I don't know that many people in Limekilns, yet I know half a dozen families with daughters at Mary Erskines, I'm going to stick my neck out at say that the percentage would be much lower if it were Edinburgh resident kids at private school.</p> <p>But then the last time I had cause to look at this, the data on independent schools hadn't been updated since 2009. </p>