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Extinction Rebellion transport disruption from 17/04/2019

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radamfi

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Have they been protesting against the most unenvironmentally thing that humans do? I haven't seen that so far.
 

404250

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What's that having children? There would be no-one to save the planet for if we all stopped that.
 

radamfi

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What's that having children? There would be no-one to save the planet for if we all stopped that.

What about animals?

There's certainly no need to have billions of humans. If the population had only grown to one tenth of its current size, man made climate change might not be so noticeable and Extinction Rebellion probably wouldn't be a thing.
 

VioletEclipse

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If you are complaining about Extinction Rebellion for being a 'nuisance' for doing everything they can to save whatever they can from climate change then just wait a few years/decades for global warming to seriously hit the UK and then you will be inconvenienced.
 

Esker-pades

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Your use of emotive language is typical of someone who considers no compromise or consideration. There is always better ways as I believe everyone is aware of, and that includes the disruptive and inconsiderate behaviour of those self righteous idiotic protesters. I wonder how much extra pollution their protests actually cause (including their diesel generator) and what the cost to the taxpayer is. Their cause is lost in all of this

In the context, it is. Anything short of quick and radical change won't be enough. As a species, we've left it too late to make gradual changes. If we'd started in the 90s with a pledge to be carcon neutral in 3 decades, we may well be OK. Sadly, that was 20+ years ago and sod all has been done. If there was such a wealth of evidence that we didn't have to act so quickly (more than there is that shows we do), most people who are protesting wouldn't be.
 

reddragon

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The simple fact is that the School strikers and Extinction Rebellion have achieved more in the last year than all Governments, and Green groups such as Greenpeace have achieved in 30 years since we learnt of what was happening.

An opinion poll published yesterday said 78% of people supported XRs current actions and 99% the climate issue.

Today I read that XR has significant funding from wealthy benefactors in powerful places and that money is being divested away from fossil fuels at an astronomic rate.

The only inaction? Apart from the oil industry, it is Governments like ours who lie, delay and fudge, like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

I know a few supporters in XR. They have unlimited financial backing, a growth in support unmatched in the past and I can tell you, these demos will get much bigger and much more disruptive until something happens.

The deniers on here need to stop acting like idiots and accept that change is urgently required. It is not your fault that you drive a diesel, take short breaks flights all over Europe and buy cheap stuff from China because that is what you thought was right and good as did I a few years ago.

Now is time for change like it or not. Embrace it, go along with it. Take the train on holiday, you are all train nuts after all! Get an EV, yeah I know they are expensive but on PCP with no tax / fuel costs not much to go wrong and fix they are actually cheaper than a dodgy diesel. OK, I'd never go veggie or vegan, but I have reduced on meat. Do McD's instead of Burger King (who cause the Amazon to burn), lots of little changes that don't hurt your pocket or change your life for the worse!
 

OneOffDave

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During the summer protests I had to reschedule one fairly urgent medical appointment because of their road blocks and going to the rescheduled one I had to use a taxi rather than a bus as they'd severed the route I needed. So they are obviously happy with me using more polluting forms of transport. If I don't get the appropriate medical treatment then my lifespan will be shortened so climate change becomes purely academic to me as I'll be dead
 

DynamicSpirit

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The simple fact is that the School strikers and Extinction Rebellion have achieved more in the last year than all Governments, and Green groups such as Greenpeace have achieved in 30 years since we learnt of what was happening.

I don't think the bit I've bolded is at all correct. A lot has been achieved in the last 30 years, up to the point that Extinction Rebellion appeared. Transport and many industries are far more energy-efficient than 30 years ago, there was massively more public awareness of environment and climate change 1 year ago compared to 30 years ago. Work was already underway to figure out ways to reduce plastic pollution (a problem that had scarcely registered with anyone 30 years ago). Ditto biodiversity loss. And recycling rates are much higher these days too.

What ER and the School strikers have achieved is to raise public awareness even more than had been the case a year ago - and to do so in countries where there was previously less environmental awareness than there was in the UK. That's significant and good, but I wouldn't say that by itself it's anything like as much as the cumulative impact of everything that had been done in the previous 30 years.

(To be fair though, Greenpeace have for a long time been shooting themselves in the foot by devoting so much of their campaigning to opposing nuclear power, despite the obvious role that nuclear power can play in reducing greenhouse emissions).
 
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DynamicSpirit

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The deniers on here need to stop acting like idiots and accept that change is urgently required. It is not your fault that you drive a diesel, take short breaks flights all over Europe and buy cheap stuff from China because that is what you thought was right and good as did I a few years ago.

That's unfair. I don't see anyone posting here who is denying that change is urgently required. It's just that some people don't agree with XR's methods for pushing that change.
 

GB

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The simple fact is that the School strikers and Extinction Rebellion have achieved more in the last year than all Governments, and Green groups such as Greenpeace have achieved in 30 years since we learnt of what was happening.

An opinion poll published yesterday said 78% of people supported XRs current actions and 99% the climate issue.



The deniers on here need to stop acting like idiots and accept that change is urgently required. It is not your fault that you drive a diesel, take short breaks flights all over Europe and buy cheap stuff from China because that is what you thought was right and good as did I a few years ago.

Now is time for change like it or not. Embrace it, go along with it. Take the train on holiday, you are all train nuts after all! Get an EV, yeah I know they are expensive but on PCP with no tax / fuel costs not much to go wrong and fix they are actually cheaper than a dodgy diesel. OK, I'd never go veggie or vegan, but I have reduced on meat. Do McD's instead of Burger King (who cause the Amazon to burn), lots of little changes that don't hurt your pocket or change your life for the worse!

I think I have solved the crisis, just use all that wind you appear to be blowing.
 

HSTEd

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The simple fact is that the School strikers and Extinction Rebellion have achieved more in the last year than all Governments, and Green groups such as Greenpeace have achieved in 30 years since we learnt of what was happening.
Greenpeace has spent decades undermining zero carbon power with it's insane hatred of nuclear.
They helped put us in this mess.
 

AlterEgo

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The simple fact is that the School strikers and Extinction Rebellion have achieved more in the last year than all Governments, and Green groups such as Greenpeace have achieved in 30 years since we learnt of what was happening.

What did they achieve? Are they campaigning for nuclear power?
 

bb21

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I don't think the bit I've bolded is at all correct. A lot has been achieved in the last 30 years, up to the point that Extinction Rebellion appeared. Transport and many industries are far more energy-efficient than 30 years ago, there was massively more public awareness of environment and climate change 1 year ago compared to 30 years ago. Work was already underway to figure out ways to reduce plastic pollution (a problem that had scarcely registered with anyone 30 years ago). Ditto biodiversity loss. And recycling rates are much higher these days too.
You shush, no one likes facts. :lol:
 

Bantamzen

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The simple fact is that the School strikers and Extinction Rebellion have achieved more in the last year than all Governments, and Green groups such as Greenpeace have achieved in 30 years since we learnt of what was happening.

An opinion poll published yesterday said 78% of people supported XRs current actions and 99% the climate issue.

Today I read that XR has significant funding from wealthy benefactors in powerful places and that money is being divested away from fossil fuels at an astronomic rate.

The only inaction? Apart from the oil industry, it is Governments like ours who lie, delay and fudge, like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

I know a few supporters in XR. They have unlimited financial backing, a growth in support unmatched in the past and I can tell you, these demos will get much bigger and much more disruptive until something happens.

The deniers on here need to stop acting like idiots and accept that change is urgently required. It is not your fault that you drive a diesel, take short breaks flights all over Europe and buy cheap stuff from China because that is what you thought was right and good as did I a few years ago.

Now is time for change like it or not. Embrace it, go along with it. Take the train on holiday, you are all train nuts after all! Get an EV, yeah I know they are expensive but on PCP with no tax / fuel costs not much to go wrong and fix they are actually cheaper than a dodgy diesel. OK, I'd never go veggie or vegan, but I have reduced on meat. Do McD's instead of Burger King (who cause the Amazon to burn), lots of little changes that don't hurt your pocket or change your life for the worse!

What exactly have they achieved yet? Lots of noise, lots of people nodding & agreeing, but where's the action? You see you can shout all you like outside of Westminster, but the action takes place inside. Why are these benefactors not pushing an XR political party, after all an general election is likely sometime soon?

And in the meantime there is a delightfully simple way for everyone in this country to make a massive difference that doesn't involve lots of protests & shouting, and would save households significant amounts of money at the same time. Perhaps the next time you speak to your XR acquaintances you can ask why they are not protesting about the 30+% of food we waste in this country? A simple change that would have a huge effect, yet goes largely ignored. Perhaps its not cool & hip enough.....???
 

Meerkat

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Would be interesting to see the non-correlation of income (and therefore broadly environmental impact) and support.
Lower income probably not so engaged (bigger, more immediate, concerns or just no interest, but lower impact due to fewer cars and less travel) whilst lots of noise from those with two cars (inc big SUVs) and far more travel and consumption. Will they reduce their own consumption/travel or just keep shouting at the government that “something must be done!!”
 

DynamicSpirit

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One other point that strikes me about the protests is that some people on this forum seem to be conflating Extinction Rebellion with Greta Thunberg and the school strikes. I think that's mistake as they are two very different forms of protest. To my mind, what Greta and the school strikes are doing is amazing: It's grabbed people's attention, really brought climate and environmental issues up the political agenda - and is doing so without causing any disruption (other than to those actually protesting). On the other hand, I'd strongly question whether XR are doing the right thing by unnecessarily disrupting the lives of many ordinary people (and in the process, actually disrupting some public transport).
 

baz962

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During the summer protests I had to reschedule one fairly urgent medical appointment because of their road blocks and going to the rescheduled one I had to use a taxi rather than a bus as they'd severed the route I needed. So they are obviously happy with me using more polluting forms of transport. If I don't get the appropriate medical treatment then my lifespan will be shortened so climate change becomes purely academic to me as I'll be dead
Where is the like button. I always wonder whether they actually think . What about fire engines , ambulances or lord forbid an attack of some sort the police couldn't quickly get to , due to these protesters.
 

Ianno87

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Where is the like button. I always wonder whether they actually think . What about fire engines , ambulances or lord forbid an attack of some sort the police couldn't quickly get to , due to these protesters.

They make nice noises like "of course we'll let ambulances through"...but they don't quite seem to grasp that their protests can seize up traffic over a wide area....

Someone dying in an ambulance as a result of their action would be horrendous PR for their cause.
 

Meerkat

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That weird X style symbol they have on their t-shirts.....am I the only one that it reminds of the uniform emblems on various fascist authoritarian footsoldiers in films about dystopian futures?
 

radamfi

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There are frequent traffic jams caused by ordinary people using cars unnecessarily which delay emergency vehicles. I wouldn't be surprised if deaths have occurred as a result.
 

Ianno87

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There are frequent traffic jams caused by ordinary people using cars unnecessarily which delay emergency vehicles. I wouldn't be surprised if deaths have occurred as a result.

Well yes, there is that too...
 

Geezertronic

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There are frequent traffic jams caused by ordinary people using cars unnecessarily which delay emergency vehicles. I wouldn't be surprised if deaths have occurred as a result.

If an emergency vehicle gets stuck in traffic, the blues and sirens come on and people try to manoeuvre out of the way. It is a lot more difficult to unglue someone or take down a makeshift blockade that is designed to be difficult to take down to get out of the way
 

Bikeman78

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So many of the objectors here seem to be finding ways of justifying that protest be held elsewhere (where it doesn't inconvenience them). We (as in UK consumers) are a significant part of the problem, - not as some would have it just 'suffering from protests' orchestrated by selfish hiipes. Whenever drivers queueing in traffic held by up protests are interviewed, the standard response is that the fact that they are being delayed increases emissions. They are usually sitting there in their vehicles with the engine running. Maybe if they were delayed every day for a week, some of them might think twice about making yet another delayed journey, - thereby reducing emissions, if their thought processes manage to escape from their own self pity.
The traffic in Cardiff is rubbish anyway. In the peak one can often stand in a queue for 10 minutes on New Road to join Newport Road. It takes me about one minute to cycle past the whole queue.
 

Bikeman78

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It is only not possible in most peoples minds, but technically, Engineering wise & scientifically it is possible.

My house is heated by a combination of solar & biomass, my house is powered by solar as is my car. I emit no CO2 for energy use. When I draw from the grid it is when there is real CO2 free power. It is unbelievable how much cheaper this has been.

Try it!
I have solar panels too. Averaged over the year my electricity supplier pays me more than I pay them.
 

Ianno87

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If an emergency vehicle gets stuck in traffic, the blues and sirens come on and people try to manoeuvre out of the way. It is a lot more difficult to unglue someone or take down a makeshift blockade that is designed to be difficult to take down to get out of the way

When it's causing effective gridlock of the roads in the area, moving anywhere out of the way becomes much more difficult.
 
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