Stabbings in London reach record high

[red marley]

The Mayor of London announced today that life-threatening stabbings in the capital have reached the highest levels recorded and the rate is currently the worst in Europe.

Those with vulnerable chest cavities who are not able to withstand penetration by a sharp steel object are asked not to place themselves in proximity to the thousands in the city currently stabbing people. This warning applies especially to children and older people although the prevalence of stabbings is currently so high that anyone who wishes not to be stabbed is at risk if they venture out of their home.

The mayor requested that anyone who has been stabbing people to consider not doing so today while the rate of stabbings remains so high.

[Kim]

The mayor requested that anyone who has been stabbing people to consider not doing so today while the rate of stabbings remains so high.

O Rly?

[Jurek]

The mayor requested that anyone who has been stabbing people to consider not doing so today while the rate of stabbings remains so high.

O Rly?

It is important to deal with the numbers.
Isn't it?

ETA - Jo, I'm struggling to ascertain how much Fe there is in your OP 

[hellymedic]

There is a high level of Fe.
It alludes to the spurious exhortations of how to avoid breathing 'London's Filthy Air' rather than addressing the cause.

[jsabine]

But just think of the economic damage if these stabbings - tragic though they undoubtedly are for the victims - had to stop. We're simply not equipped to get people and goods around the city without using sharp implements, and collateral damage is inevitable.

Besides, we'll be rid of these pesky EU stabbings limits once we've entered our red white and blue future.

[Moleman76]

Clearly there's a need for more sharp pointy things in circulation, since as the NRA tells us over here, the only way to stop stabbings is for the good guys to have the sharp pointy things too, and in abundance.

[red marley]

Having developed a permanent "London Cough" for being stupid enough to walk and cycle to work and with a partner who now has asthma that clears up whenever we leave London, this pisses me off mightily.



both the lack of bold action by the GLA and the complacency of those drivers who kid themselves that their motorised journey is more important than the lives of the 9500 people they are killing in London every year.

http://www.citylab.com/commute/2017/01/london-pollution-black-alert-dangerous-air-quality/514121

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Especially when compared with other cities that take more effective measures to avoid stabbings or indeed, mitigate air pollution.

Paris is the obvious example, making public transport free when air pollution is too high and actively restricting motor vehicle use.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/paris-public-transport-free-air-pollution-spike-a7460191.html

[Whitedown Man]

The only thing that stops a bad guy with a knife is a good guy with a knife: cyclists, take to your cars.

[hatler]

There's a fantastically circular discussion going on about this at Talk London. (Only view if you have time on your hands.)

[ian]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who read the official 'advice' to avoid breathing as insane. Do they genuinely not get it, or is saying anything about motor vehicle use now verboten?

[Pingu]

The grauniad article I read about this a couple of days ago did not mention traffic reduction at all.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Does the Mayor of London actually have the power to say "No cars today" as the equivalent positions in Paris and some other cities evidently do?

[Mr Larrington]

And meanwhile titanic prick Jacob Rees-Mogg tells us that Indian emissions regulations will be perfectly OK for London, from his stately home in Somerset.

[spindrift]

He just got several million in a government grant to do that place up. His mother in law's.

[The French Tandem]

Does the Mayor of London actually have the power to say "No cars today" as the equivalent positions in Paris and some other cities evidently do?

Traffic laws in Paris are often seen as mere suggestions, so when the Mayor of Paris says "No cars with even (or odd) numbered plates today", what you should understand is "It would be nice if people with even/odd numbered cars choose leave the car at home and take the metro".  A similar statement in London would probably have greater effects.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Seems unlikely, as in London it would be nothing more than a suggestion. I see Westminster are trying the traditional British way of tackling traffic-related problems, ie parking charges:

The charge will be introduced for a trial period from April. Drivers of diesel-powered cars and vans will pay an additional 50%, which at current rates would be an extra £2.45 an hour to park on the street in Marylebone, one of the most polluted areas of the borough.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/27/westminster-council-first-charge-extra-park-diesel-cars-air-pollution-emissions

How they're going to know which are diesel isn't stated.

The Vandergraph newserator mentions a new sort of congestion-plus charge the Mayor is supposed to be introducing later:

It also comes ahead of London Mayor Sadiq Khan introducing a “T-charge”, a toxicity levy, later this year, expected to be around £10-a-day, for the most polluting vehicles, diesel and petrol, to drive into central London.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/27/new-london-parking-surcharge-diesel-drivers-predicted-spread/

[rogerzilla]

Since it's an EU emissions limit that's been breached, Brexit will solve everything!

[Mr Larrington]

They tried that odd/even number plates malarkey in Athens a while back.  It didn't take the Bubbles long to notice that no-one cared if your second set of number plates was less than legit.

[Terry72]

Amazed more people are not infuriated by the terrible air pollution. Seems most are happy to let their Government poison them.

[ian]

They seem happy to poison themselves. I walked past the local school last week about kicking out time. No shortage of parents – despite all the warnings about high pollution levels – waiting for the offspring with their engines idling. Well, come on, poisoning your kids or being mildly cold for a few minutes?

[mattc]

It's like "traffic" - we are always held up by it, but never causing it.

double-think / cognitive dissonance. Or something.

[Kim]

It's not just mildly cold though.  The turbo-diesel wankpanzer won't have had time to heat up on the 0.5 mile journey from home, so if they don't leave the engine running they might as well have walked!

[Cudzoziemiec]

Walked past a school a couple of hours ago, there was a van outside, idling. With a notice in the window saying it was from school meals.

[Kim]

Walked past a school a couple of hours ago, there was a van outside, idling. With a notice in the window saying it was from school meals.

That possibly gets special dispensation for temperature-controlled contents.