Bollards

Ian

Those of you au fait with the traffic bollards at the junction of Regina Road and Tollington park will be aware that they are the subject of a long standing battle of wills between council and driver. Bollard is knocked down, bollard replaced, bollard is knocked down, bollard replaced. At some point one side will say enough is enough. Or perhaps not. Neither driver nor council will back down in the stand off between the two. Bollards have fallen, bravely in the service of the council and of residents that value ability to manoeuvre a tight turning into their street. Yet other brave bollards will still come forward to replace them. Today another new bollard was put in. I am putting this thread in place to see how long it lasts between it is knocked over again at which point I will update. Watch this space...

Ian

It managed more than a whole month. The replaced bollard went down on Friday, my money on it being a casualty of the Pickfords removal van. At the moment it rests forlornly by the wall, to be replaced soon to await its fate. Watch this space for when it is replaced so the clock can start again.

Philistine'sMonster

The myth of Sisyphus is dead: the bollard is the metaphor for all our lives. 

ADGS

It has long been my contention that only 1% at most of the world's population are actual people. The rest are just bollards given a vague semblance of life by a sorcerer's whimsy.

This is why everyone one meets, via whatever route, turns out also to be connected by other, entirely separate routes. There aren't that many of the real humans, so of course we all know each other via multiple routes.

WillM

presumably the routes we know people by are actual physical routes turned into metaphor by the same sorcerer?

Marquis

but then, who do we "know" after all?

ADGS

Magic is in large part the art of taking metaphors literally, or vice versa.

taff bach

Philistine talks a load of old bollards

Philistine'sMonster

AGDADS: "sorcerer's whimsy" fnarrr.

Taff Bach: Malu cachu!

ADGS

I hadn't intended it as a euphemism along the lines of 'wizard's sleeve', but congratulations on out-innuendoing me.

Though if I'm going to get those two extra letters, I'd rather have the futureworld implications of ADGS AD.

tosscat

Wizard's sleeve is my favourite.

taff bach

Phil: Didn't he play for Manu Chao?

Ian

Bollard was put back today. Clock starts again.

Ian

Bollard has been knocked off, but has not been knocked over. Same bollard again. It isn't fixed to the floor any more, and the light that should be beneath it is exposed. I predict on my walk into work tomorrow the bollard will once again be completely knocked over. Good run: over a month, although taking in the Christmas break.

dion

okay, now more than a month and I can't believe there hasn't been an update. I check every single day. Ian - is this true? or have you gone on holiday?

Ian

Bollard was put back pretty promptly. All quiet at the moment. I wonder if it is now a priority bollard for Islington council and they replace it immediately to avoid exposure on this link.

andy

I'd just like to say that I think you're performing an important public service here, Ian.

Arkady

Indeed. Ian, can you start a photo-diary?

Papa

Perhaps we could ask the pair of publicly employed layabouts in the council CCTV car to take the pictures for us

Ian

I like to think it could become our version of the Cambridge Trojan Room Coffee Machine, only without the webcam. I might start a photo diary then one day a spin off website in tribute, a sort of Laverne and Shirley to this site's Happy Days.

Ian

@PapaL I once saw one of those layabouts actually asleep in the car.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Papa

@Ian, I always tell them to turn off the engine they leave running all the time on my way past - obviously they look at me dismissively and as if I am mad but it makes me feel a tiny bit better to tell them that they are bad for the enivironment and costing us money

Emma

I like the updates too, I have no idea which bollard he is talking about but I'm really glad someone is looking out for its interests.

Ali

I like the google adds which come up with the thread. Nice combo of the Smart car and the bollard

Marquis

Massive bollard disaster at the Victoria Road end of Lorne Road. Must have been at least a lorry, with some of the foundation torn out as well! Hope all is ok at Regina Road.

Ian

All quiet at Regina Road, setting a new record. About two months ago there was a minor tip on axis that looked like it would develop but ultimately it looked like measures were taken to calm the situation down. I can't help thinking that the council have now secured the bollard so strongly that it would survive a second Blitz. Rest assured though, if there is a change in status you will all be the first to know.

Ali

The metal bollard at the SGR end of Lorne Road is also looking a bit sad. Something big must have hit it and also must have got quite a bit of damage itself

Marquis

I hope they don't clear it up to soon, it really looks like something out of a Caspar David Friedrich painting, could develop into a tourist attraction. Big drama. I also noticed somebody on Lorne Road has a bollard in their green bin (!?)

dion

Ian - I suspect all the helicopters are flying around to check on the Bollard. Can you confirm? Update please!

Detritus

Now this is a bollard lamp post thing. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012wc93>;