Always interesting to live through a moment of real change – and I think this is one of them. Usually wrong when you make a statement like that – but … The oil price may dip a bit from its peak – whenever that may come. But the fundamental problem is that demand is increasing and there is no more supply to be had. So that means changes of behaviour for all of us. Blogstead is of course a rural idyll – but we have all the car-dependency problems of people who live in the countryside. I am starting to read the bus timetables. I am beginning to obsess about slow broadband which limits our ability to use e-conferencing. Soon everybody will have a Brompton Folding Bicycle and I shall have to find another way of asserting my individuality.
The other really interesting thing of course is how fragile our society appears in a moment like this. Of course the haulage industry is in trouble – but so is everybody else. Oil is a world market and there is next to nothing that an individual government can do about the price – other than with vastly expensive and un-green subsidies. But suddenly the potential for chaos looms .. Fragile indeed.
And then there is folding@home.
http://www.foldabikes.com/wnoframe/indexM.html
If I’ve got it right, half way down this page you’ll find a pretty picture of how the Brompton folds. There’s a whole way of life here – you might be interested in the Folding Society’s website at http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/ Folding caravans are of course a big thing – the folding dog is a challenge to the breeders.
Obviously as part of my episcopal duties, I deal with folding churches. Here in Perthshire, I believe that the folding Aga is becoming popular … excellent for slow-cooking folding pheasant …
Are Brompton sponsoring your blog by any chance? Since this is the second time in a week or so you have mentioned same I had to go to Google Images to see what one was. They do look quite cute actually and I can see why you are a fan. If I was to use one for work, it would take so long, I’d meet myself coming back, it would take so long. And for family stuff, where would I put the husband, four kids and dog? And could we tow a six-berth caravan with it? As I’ve not been abroad for 18 years I’m green as far as air travel goes, however.
I’m struck by the fragility you’ve drawn attention to in our society’s way of doing things. So true.