World’s 280 million electric bikes and mopeds are cutting demand for oil far more than electric cars

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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I also like the way your hitch connects to your bike. Sadly, without a lathe I can't make a suitable ball.

I'm certain there are better solutions than the badly depicted below, but this is what I can knock up in a hurry using what I have to hand - square steel bar, the sides made with 5mm thick steel flat bar I have kicking around, the middle with 10 or 15mm thick. Green bits are bolts through; orange thick washers. Both Homcom and Carry Freedom hitches should work ok with this, for 100kg cargo anyway. For 200kg, I'd need to make a stronger hitch and towing arm.

View attachment 55168
Yes, that will work ok. Originally, before I gained the ball joint coupling, I used a truck / pickup type tow hitch, a simple pair of horizontal plates on the bike with a drop-in hitch pin, gapped enough to allow for a little bike banking. After all, I wasn't going to imitate Moto GP aces when towing. This sort of thing but simpler:


With the eye for the pin on the trailer:

 
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saneagle

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Oct 10, 2010
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I reckon the reason we have been binging on public debts is because of the status of the Pound as reserve currency.
Nice theory but not quite right. When I studied economics, they told me that debt is caused by spending too much money.

It can't be anything to do with the pound because my friend in USA is in debt, and so is his government, and they both use dollars, not pounds. Also my friend in Bali owes quite a lot to the bank and she uses indonesian Rupiahs.
 

Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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Nice theory but not quite right. When I studied economics, they told me that debt is caused by spending too much money.

It can't be anything to do with the pound because my friend in USA is in debt, and so is his government, and they both use dollars, not pounds. Also my friend in Bali owes quite a lot to the bank and she uses indonesian Rupiahs.
Don't you mean governments spend too much money instead of spending only what taxes bring in? Governments borrow from its citizens and from foreigners. Debts owing to foreigners, are called external debts. The US owes 25 trillions dollars externally. The UK 9.2 trillions Pounds. Not many countries are that much indebted.
 

guerney

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Sep 7, 2021
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The US owes 25 trillions dollars externally. The UK 9.2 trillions Pounds.
In 2021, population of USA was 331.9 million, population of the UK was 67.33 million - we owe 37% debt despite only having 20% of the population. But we'll get there. I believe in our ability to fail bigly.
 
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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The US owes 25 trillions dollars externally. The UK 9.2 trillions Pounds. Not many countries are that much indebted.
In 2021, population of USA was 331.9 million, population of the UK was 67.33 million - we owe 37% debt despite only having 20% of the population. But we'll get there. I believe in our ability to fail bigly.
Ultimately we won't fail, there will just be another big War, meaning we will just be able to print as much money as we like. No more non-employed, they will be in the factories producing armaments and correcting our low productivity.

It will solve the problem of the Boat People too, as Rishi promised he would. Once they realise that the moment they arrive they'll be sworn in, into uniform and packed off to the front line, all the enthusiasm to get here will vanish.
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Woosh

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I can't see how sunak can fail. The whole of uk freedom loving press will spread the message of tax cut far and wide before the next election.
Just read this:

Jeremy Hunt sought to raise more money in a similar way in March, by increasing the targets on NS&I premium and savings bonds for the 2023-24 financial year from £6billion to £7.5billion to help meet borrowing requirements.

He'll going to ask pensioners money to fund tax cut next.
 
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flecc

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Jeremy Hunt sought to raise more money in a similar way in March, by increasing the targets on NS&I premium and savings bonds for the 2023-24 financial year from £6billion to £7.5billion to help meet borrowing requirements.
Why does anyone accept 3.95% fron NS & I for a year fixed when a secure 5.9% is available from some protected banks?
.
 
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Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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Why does anyone accept 3.95% fron NS & I for a year fixed when a secure 5.9% is available from some protected banks?
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Hunt / nsandi offered 6.02% 1 year bond. That sold out quickly. Tax cuts will sadly work for the tories.