At the junction of Google and Ampitheater

Over in Waltham Forest, Freewheeler has been expressing some concerns about google.

We too have issues, which, during the teams visit to our strategic partners in California, also cause us to question our long term relationship with them.

Ampitheater Parkway. Like the Bristol M32 Parkway except less congested, and there's a bike lane in the hard shoulder for pickups to sideswipe. All is well.

Ahead, the centre of Google-land, with a little "google maps" pin to show you where the Google maps team is based. All is well.

But what's this we see from our SUV?

That's right: it's a Google employee, on a Google staff bicycle, cycling between offices, while holding a phone.

This is Google, not just encouraging their employees to ride bicycles, but to check their email as they do it. And they aren't even wearing a helmet!

It is unacceptable, and concerns us deeply. Is Google really on our side. We know Microsoft are, because they gave the internet the Comic Sans font, the official font of the Association of British Drivers, Drivers Protest and the like. But Google? By encouraging such reckless behaviour by their staffers, we now have doubts.

Threat #2, integration between the university and the town

Stanford University is on one side of El Camino Real, the town Palo Alto on the other. There is a road over El Camino, providing a safe way to walk or cycle over. But does it make people using such substandard transport options welcome?

Thankfully no.

There's an under-illuminated path for cyclists and pedestrians to share, creating fantastic conflict. If the US had the Daily Mail, this would be the kind of place they'd be using in their complaints.

Ignoring the four lanes of road alongside it.

This is wonderfully reminiscent of the Evening Post underpass, which exists to remind people cycling and walking into the city that they are not welcome. It's like being home again.

Are bicycles a threat to the US lifestyle

Recent studies say that Stanford University is the most bicycle friendly university in the US. We popped over to see if this was a serious risk to the US lifestyle, and hence the economic wellbeing of the entire US.

First, the bad news: there are adverts praising carpooling (organised car ride sharing), trains and cycling, with some happy people on the posters.

The good news: large 4x4s and SUVs block the posters from the gaze of other motorists.

Nothing to worry about at this, the junction of Stanford University (on the right) and El Camino Real, "the royal road"

The Flintstone House

There are some pretty weird buildings in St Werburgh's, but none of them have a decent view of a freeway, the way The Flintstone house does in California

This is why the house has an entry on wikipedia, but the odd houses in St Werburgh's don't: nobody sees them.

Away doing important things

In case people are wondering why the posting rate of this site has dropped, it is that team is off over easter doing Important Things with Important People. Just to make it clear, those readers who walk or cycle around Bristol or other cities: you are not important.

In our trip to the US, we have been with really important people, in a country where pedestrians know there place

Like here, where the crossing lights on the four lane road are taped over to stop people getting the mistaken idea that it is safe to cross. We look forward to this idea being adopted in the UK.

In the meantime, we shall have some photos covering how we, the important people, are important. We shall also consider whether cycling is becoming as much a threat in the US as the press makes out.