This is all so, so true...

An old schoolfriend of mine became a "professional" road protester, who, with a load of others, travelled the country attempting to save the countryside from teh ever-encroaching roads...

I don't know how successful he and his friends were, but you gotta admire the spirit.

These things tend to be a foregone conclusion, sadly, and all you can do is lend your voice to the opposition, and maybe make it cost more to build than they'd budgeted for, making them think twice next time! Which they never do.

Twyford Down, just up the road from me, was a good example. it cos god knows how many more millions to build the M3 extension due to the protests. A tunnel (which many of the protesters wanted) would have been cheaper. But it didn't change anything. Sadly.

I'd struggle without a car - not for selfish reasons, but with a baby and a toddler, anything else would be impractical. And really fucking expensive!

That said, I have no regrets. I've seen things I'd otherwise probably not have got to see had I not had a car. And I need it to get to work. I don't need to justify it, really.

G x