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A spoke in their wheels
• PERHAPS we should cautiously support London Mayor Boris Johnson for introducing the “rented bicycle” scheme, although it seems a similar scheme in Paris has led to the theft of some bicycles.
Thirty years ago, an even more radical scheme was dreamed up by the “Provos” of Amsterdam, who painted their bikes white and declared them to be public property.
There was little or no theft, more and more people joined the campaign and donated their own white bicycles to the citizens of the city.
The manufacturers of bicycles and the owners of bicycle shops grew seriously alarmed at the spread of this terrible cancer, until the burghers of the city voted to have the white bicycles “confiscated”, which duly took place, and dear old capitalism breathed a huge sigh of relief; normal service was resumed as soon as possible.
Timothy Bleach
Duncombe Road, N19 |
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