The Paint Job
Room ventilation is in the news. It is a complex subject and cutting the bottom off doors as proposed in a report will not solve the problem. However, I am not certain if the story leaked out of Scotland, a system for all their schools, has been reported tongue in cheek, for a laugh, or if it is true.
Ventilation is a difficult problem and generally can be solved by inserting draft free vents, close to the ceiling or above the windows, normally in the frame.
However, I do not think that cutting the bottom off doors would get past ‘Health and Safety’ as they would immediately say ‘no, no.’ Doors in schools and other buildings, where masses of individuals are moving about, fit snugly closed so that, in the event of fire, or other horrors, gas for instance, the dangers would be prevented from spreading to other parts of the building.
The proposal in the report does also include fitting mechanical air filters and fans to the classrooms in the schools to help with air movement.
I think it is obvious that this has not been thought through, for it will now mean there will be school rooms where the students, with their heads down studying, and in almost total silence except for the whirring of a fan, or fans and air filters, will be subjected to uncomfortable air movement. I can just imagine the movement of air will have pupils’ arms stretched across desks trying to hold their work in place.
In the winter months the opposite will happen, heat in the room will cause the air to rise, dragging cold air from below the doors, causing an icy draft around the feet – I guess then they will need to spend a fortune fitting draft excluders.
I cannot help wondering why, after all the tens of years in the existence of the schools, it has now become a problem. I cannot help thinking it was because someone has complained. And a complaint must be dealt with!
It reminds me of the time when I was a school governor. We, that is the group of Governors, had been trying to get the school premises decorated, it had been close on thirty years since it had previously been refurbished, and all the paintwork was worn out and looked scruffy.
The Local Authority constantly refused our request, saying there was no money and it was not in the budget, so the request was out of the question. Maybe it could be done in five to ten years’ time.
After studying the original decorations, I pointed out the paint used was old and the type used at that time would have been a dangerous lead based.
The following week, the money was found, a large team of workers arrived from the council and the started work – scraping off the old and replacing it with the new.
Pedal Power
It had been some time since we had visited Benidorm. At first I was surprised to see the centre of the road was painted a different colour, some form of purple, then the signs told me it was for cyclists. This cycle lane takes up a fair portion of the road causing the traffic to be in single file. I expect it is safe for the cyclist once they get into it, but I wonder how many will get knocked over crossing the line of traffic trying to get into or out of the zone.
In London they have gone about it in a different way. The cycle lane, similar to Benidorm with few riders using it, has been laid next to the pedestrian walkway, forcing the traffic into single file.
I understand the changes to the road layout are to encourage people to get out of their cars and use a bike, as in ‘get on your bike.’ This, I am told is to cut down on the pollution which vehicles produce – unless they are electric!
In the meantime, with the new road layout, the response of the emergency is slowed down because of the congestion developed by the new systems for the cyclist.
In my mind this is old fashioned thoughts – cycle lanes were laid along the Eastern Avenue in the 1930’s and eventually crumbled into disrepair.
The current proposals are based on restrictions and heavy taxes for using a motorcar. The idea behind this is backward thinking – will commuters get out of their cars and get on a bike or use the pathetic and insignificant public transport? I do not think so.
It seems to me to creating restricted roads, plus the movement taxes on private cars, are the wrong answer, as it will create a worse problem. Also, it is inflationary – building rarely used cycle tracks.
It is a cold wet morning and Mr/Mrs average closes their front door and looks up at the sky – quickly takes their cycle helmet off retrieving car keys.
The situation has developed over many years and successive governments have not tackled the problem with their make and mend outlook. Surely the answer is clear roads with modern passenger transport running frequently with an avoidable fare structure, where the passengers can sit in air-conditioned comfort and a warm environment. Commuters would then be tempted out of their cars.
Trafalgar
There is a rumour spreading around the ‘woke’ brigade that they are planning to take out a prosecution against Lord Nelson, despite him being dead, for the deaths he caused to the Spanish and the French sailors at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
This will take place after they have prosecuted an Army General for events that happened in Northern Island fifty years ago when he was a second lieutenant. Okay, I made that up except for the last piece! Take care
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