Travels with Boris

Ken Livingstone once ridiculed Boris's plans to scrap parts of the congestion charge ("How will you make money?" he chortled, forgetting that the charge was brought in ostensibly with the sole purpose of reducing carbon emissions.) Well, Boris has gone one further and brought bikes into the capital. Which is great, and very nifty they are too. But why no helmets? If you don't own a bicycle and are wandering about in London, it seems unlikely that you'll be carrying your own hard hat. So, by not providing suitable attire for our bonces, the mayor is actually encouraging us to go bareheaded. This strikes me as somewhat suicidal, on London streets – although I'm informed that statistically, the helmetless have fewer accidents, as drivers are more wary of them and drive more cautiously as a result. But who wants to be an unlucky statistic? 

Fortunately for Mr Johnson, whether his policies work or not, people vote for him because it's funny to have him as our mayor, just as it's funny for Californians to have Arnie as their Governator. There is also something rather comforting and Enid Byton-ish about having a mayor who chases muggers and litter louts and calls them oiks. Whatever will he do next...? 

In other political news this week; I know one of the Miliband brothers has been crowned leader of the Labour party, but I don't think it makes much difference which one. Whenever I see them, all I can think about is Frasier and Niles and their race to be Corkmaster. No wonder Ma Miliband can't watch.