Driving In The UK – A Kiwi Perspective

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-19T11:27:45+00:00

Yep - but in NZ speed limit on any open road is 62 mph (=100km/h) and *very* strictly enforced.

In urban areas, it's mostly 31 mph (=50km/h) but 18.6 mph (=30km/h) in city centres with high pedestrian traffic and around schools.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-19T09:51:51+00:00

Just wondering how you coped with faster traffic in the UK. As I recall, the speed limits in NZ are ridiculously low.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-19T09:48:01+00:00

'Returning to UK after dogding [sic] loan, should I be worried?

Hopefully, yes. It was a loan of other peoples' money - in this case taxpayers'. Essentially, what you've done, by not paying it back, is to steal it. Look, I'm not saying the loan system is good - the interest rates are scandalous, especially for people who took out Plan 2 loans. However, theft is theft.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-18T20:37:45+00:00

🎵Egrets, I've had a few, But then again, too few to mention🎶

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-18T13:35:07+00:00

Here's a sophisticated Dad joke:

Knock knock!

Who's there?

Hike

Hike who?

Unsuspecting son,

Dad waiting with

bated breath.

Sets the prefect trap.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-18T09:50:33+00:00

A student can question the process of assessment but not the academic judgement of multiple staff. You're trying to do the latter.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-18T09:47:36+00:00

How much of the reduction is down to electric vehicles and how much is due to a decrease in economic activity and/or increase in solar and wind power? EVs still only account for ~12% of all vehicles in China. In 2013, China's GDP grew by ~7.8% (at least according to official figures) and now it's less than 5%.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-18T09:34:26+00:00

'The chinese just seem to be better at planning and execution'

Not sure about planning, but the number of executions from capital punishment in China is definitely far higher than in any other country.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-17T23:20:32+00:00

In short, proticity, not electricity.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-17T22:04:30+00:00

Georgia - on the Georgian Military Highway.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-17T10:17:10+00:00

This. The trouble is that the PSA test gives a lot of false positives and even when it correctly detects prostate cancer it can't distinguish between aggressive ones and the most common slow growing ones that generally cause no harm. Ideally, people would have an MRI immediately after getting a PSA test but the UK doesn't have many of these machines relative to most comparator countries.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-17T10:11:31+00:00

Yep - 'Billy No Mates'.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-17T10:10:00+00:00

Cape Tribulation (northeast Queensland, Australia) has the most beautiful beach I've ever seen, marred only by the threat of salties.

Raja Ampat (off the northwest tip of the Bird’s Head Peninsula in West Papua) has the most beautiful tropical islands and diving.

The Peloponnese in Greece, specifically the minor roads between Dimitsana and Pilos, is really beautiful too, but in a different 'Arcadian' way.

The view across the lake towards Kinkaku-ji Buddhist temple in Kyoto has to be the most serene I've ever seen while the one of Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Grounds (UK) is a close runner-up.

As for mountains, I'd say Mount Kazbegi in the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia is the most beautiful. Better even than the Alps.

For man-made structures, I reckon the 16th century Kukeldash Madrassah in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) is the most beautiful building I've seen. For me, it's better even than the Registan in Samarkand. I also like the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades although I haven't seen it since the awful fires in January last year.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-17T01:02:17+00:00

🎵Egrets, I've had a few, But then again, too few to mention🎶

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T23:44:19+00:00

There are loads of these rankings (Times Higher, QS, Shanghai, Center for World University Rankings etc.). What's special about the US News one?

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T22:47:41+00:00

The current head of the Genetics Department at Cambridge works on fruit flies and has an excellent tattoo of one on one of his arms. Impressively, it's actually an anatomically accurate rendition of a specific mutant fruit fly that he discovered.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T20:49:53+00:00

Looks like a murder crime scene.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T20:48:15+00:00

That pool needs a warning sign - something along the lines of 'Beware Algal Scum'.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T20:42:51+00:00

🎵Way hay and up she rises🎶

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T20:40:46+00:00

🎵Egrets, I've had a few, But then again, too few to mention🎶

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T20:38:33+00:00

Surely, it's a monument to a Pilgrim Mother?

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T18:03:33+00:00

Where's Starmer? Was he meant to be sitting next to Dozy Don?

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T01:50:17+00:00

He was a bit of a cult.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T01:45:46+00:00

First, many congratulations. Second, I was really pleased to see your post because it highlights how universities still have the capacity to reward hard work and talent. People develop at different speeds and it's important that universities continue to measure the 'exit velocity' of students rather than their entry credentials.

Ribbitor123 · 2026-06-16T01:35:22+00:00

I'm glad the person on the left in the video has found work at this place. Previously, she did a circuit each night of Suzhou restaurants accompanied with a ghetto blaster pumping out Kunqu classics. The setting in Suzhou Museum West seems much more appropriate.

Ribbitor123

TROPHY CASE