No Bicycles Left in London  

Another interesting post at TreeHugger from Sydney-sider Warren McLaren, this time about one reaction of many Londoners to the bombings - go and buy a bike.

As the traffic congestion has become worse in London over the years, bikes have probably become a better and better option for transport, as slow traffic is a lot less dangerous on narrow London roads than the quicker moving variety. During the brighter half of the year anyway.

It can be a struggle to find an uplifting story in the aftermath of tragedy. But tipster Wade M. has alerted us to news that central London has suddenly undergone a surge in cycle patronage, following the bombing of its public transport system.

According to bulletins here and here, cycle stores had doubled and tripled their sales of bicycles, in some cases even selling out of bikes. “Seasoned cyclists told of weary walkers offering them up to 300 pounds ($500) for their bikes as they headed home on Thursday, and of giving impromptu lessons to shaky beginners.” Or this: "We had people who hadn't ridden for over 10 years asking for refresher lessons -- we even had a judge." And “others, who had walked home, dug long-forgotten bikes from sheds and garages for Friday morning's commute. Fernando Gandioli said he noticed "a lot of rusty bikes and squeaky chains" as he cycled in to work at accountancy firm KPMG.”