🇪🇺 citizen, 🇬🇧 passport, 🇩🇪 resident, often in 🇫🇷🇧🇪 Job: teaching people about EU politics and communication, inc. at College of Europe (Bruges) Purpose here: writing about #railways and #cycling and advocacy to improve #CrossBorderRail in the EU Posts might also cover UK and German politics, Brexit, and Eiffel Towers, and might contain flowcharts Member of Die Grünen in Neukölln
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npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt
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npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Show more details
Published at
2023-03-27T15:48:25+02:00 Event JSON
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Last Notes npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 Yep. Tbh this one was under priced, but knowing what we know now you could probably find a liveable house in Bourgogne for €50k. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth End of September I am abandoning Berlin to go and live in a village in Bourgogne Why I am doing this I explain in this blog post In short: it's financial https://jonworth.eu/so-long-berlin-im-off-to-a-bourgogne-village/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth After this evening’s headaches trying to use Jitsi for a webinar (and streaming onto YouTube) I need an alternative. Doing it on Zoom is super easy, but I’m not keen to pay €12.49/month My Teams account is connected to an employer of mine, so I can’t easily use that I need up to 6 participants in a call, with the rest following a stream (that can be YouTube) Question is: how best do this? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth A common misnomer In a market with scarce resources (track capacity in this case) then a capitalist charges what the market will bear to sell the limited amount of the product Competition only brings prices down if your infrastructure is good and there’s space capacity (see Milano - Roma or Wien - Salzburg) https://urbanists.social/@straphanger/112695367992333492 npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1hpc…hjn3 but it’s also not going to come out better for him I think? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth What the hell is Macron doing? FFS npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vu7…nmuv yes. But with passport controls in London not there. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth It was bitter-sweet to be at the demo in Breisach yesterday about the re-activation of the #CrossBorderRail line Freiburg-Breisach-Volgelsheim-Colmar Great that people are motivated by this Annoying that politicians pay lip service to fixing this line, and this is all set against the backdrop of problematic regional rail between France and Germany Blog post 👇 https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/france-and-germany-united-in-what-exactly-when-it-comes-to-public-transport/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth And if you live near Freiburg 🇩🇪 or Colmar 🇫🇷 come to the human chain protest tomorrow. 11am at Breisach. Groups depart 9am by bike from Freiburg (Theatre) and 10am by S-Bahn from Hbf. #CrossBorderRail https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/265/505/445/539/004/original/db731f8428fdd73d.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Seeing people I used to follow on Twitter bemoan that network's decline due to Musk... and then big up Meta's Threads as an alternative 🤦♂️ What is wrong with you? Have you learned *nothing*? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth I wrote a report for Jakop Dalunde MEP entitled “Simplifying European Ticketing – A chance for a green transformation of public and multimodal transport in the European Union” HTML and PDF versions of the report, and signup for a hybrid (online and Brussels EP) event about the conclusions on 30th April, 10:00-11:30 are here 👇 https://jonworth.eu/a-report-for-jakop-dalunde-mep-and-a-follow-up-event-about-rail-and-multimodal-ticketing-in-the-eu/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Crack in the stone. A little damp and warmth. And voila. Ravières, Bourgogne. https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/251/332/316/227/419/original/f7067a8ae3430aaa.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Zillertalbahn 🇦🇹 No more hydrogen trains, battery trains instead https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/zillertalbahn-hydrogen-plan-dropped-in-favour-of-battery-traction/66291.article LNVG 🇩🇪 Renews its commitment to battery trains, in the Land in Germany that was the pioneer of hydrogen trains https://railcolornews.com/2024/04/09/passenger-update-no-more-hydrogen-lower-saxony-and-lnvg-competes-bemu-units/ Both decisions make sense npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Please don’t post this into my timelines, Europeans, and draw any conclusion for Europe - a train trip across America isn’t green *because it’s all diesel*, and old diesel locomotives, heavy carriages, low capacity. Europe is better on this, thankfully. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/04/climate/trains-planes-carbon-footprint-pollution.html?smid=url-share npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth People are wonderful Since posting this - someone told me what happened to the Friesland tower and sent a video of it - someone helped me work out a tower in Korea had moved - I was sent details of a tower in Italy I was missing - I’ve been contacted about photos of the IJzendijke tower Keep the #EiffelTowers suggestions coming! https://gruene.social/@jon/112226234302225916 npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Right Now the #EiffelTowers map is ready as well! 💪 Now over 470 towers mapped Full zoomable map https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/eiffel-towers-derivatives-and-replicas_1006050#3/22.35/11.87 Can you help me confirm the status of the ones with the ? icons? Can you send me a picture to use for the ones without one? Any towers I am missing? Next: update the blog post about this (not today!) https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/226/234/056/699/979/original/7cd2c6200e830a42.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Garden centre has no bike racks. So we occupy one 🙂 🚲 🚲 https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/223/375/897/162/922/original/02914e3fd807544f.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Let me tell you a story about two railways in two large European countries In one, they’ve just completed the delivery of the biggest new fleet of high speed trains ever, and high speed trains run hourly on pretty much every line. Off peak tickets are cheap, and if you pay for a flexible ticket you can take any train. In this country regional trains run hourly, are cheap to take (there’s a cheap national monthly pass) and passenger numbers are steadily rising. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth A #mosstodon contribution from the hill above Ravières this evening https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/174/498/078/260/973/original/dfddca255bf0345b.jpeg https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/174/472/286/990/494/original/4def4163d8231f7c.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth The central problem on a bunch of international routes is *not* the cost of tickets - the demand *is there*. Trains *are full* The problem is an absence of capacity - both track, and a lack of trains. Explained here https://jonworth.eu/make-international-rail-cheaper-capacity-on-a-route-is-the-crucial-issue/ Generally if you make taking the train cheaper currently you will transport *different* passengers, rather than *more* passengers npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth With the €150m Wissing is contemplating giving to a flying taxi startup, the German state could purchase 60-70 night train carriages - enough for 2 night train routes. Put these in a state owned leasing pool, and lease them to operators Better for people, better for the environment, than a sodding flying taxi https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/162/043/270/443/076/original/b903741fa856d32b.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Want to book a Interrail seat reservation for a TGV, TGV Lyria or Eurostar? Don't bother using anything other than Rail Europe any more. Don't mess with ticket machines. Avoid extra booking fees. Just use Rail Europe. That's it. Explained in my updated Interrail Tips & Tricks post: https://jonworth.eu/interrail-tips-and-tricks/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Trying to get Photospheres into Google Maps is such a frustrating experience I have this one from my drone in - if you follow the link https://maps.app.goo.gl/jkbUJvH2v9BPF7eR7 But it has no title, and I cannot see how I can add one, and it doesn't show with the Photosphere dot where it actually is taken, despite it having geo-coordinates And I can't work out what I am doing wrong npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth And if you're interested how to fix the problems with EU-wide rail ticketing, I published a report about it for Jakop Dalunde MEP this week - PDF here https://jakopdalunde.se/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MDMS-Report-FINAL-WEB-reducedsize.pdf And a shorter sort of summary is on my blog here https://jonworth.eu/how-to-actually-build-europe-wide-multimodal-public-transport-booking-platforms/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Also given the number of passengers stranded in Köln, Eurostar could have let us on standing. But they don’t, because they’re 💩 Don’t tell me it’s not allowed on high speed lines. Anyone who’s ever taken a TGV on a strike day on TGVs filled to the roof can confirm they can let more on *when they want to* The problem is: they don’t care about getting me to my destination here today, only how much money they make from me #CrossBorderRail npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Why a Taktfahrplan *would be a great thing to France* You could run 2 trains an hour Bruxelles-Paris really easily, and profitably But Eurostar does not, because they’ve not invested in new trains, and would prefer to whack up prices As a result of there being no 16:43 departure, I end up with much more time than I need in Paris for my onward trip Germany, Switzerland or Austria would have thought of this. France doesn’t https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/099/346/598/323/251/original/3b48a2734b19d4ae.png https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/099/346/869/716/109/original/d038008bbda3dc16.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth This one - and yes that’s parked like that across the pavement - needs a little more than birds pooing on it, so got reported to the Ordnungsamt https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/088/695/695/040/881/original/c9fb28c5994a6c81.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 In Germany it is, yes, because I have MitOst e.V. supporting me. How that would then work outside Germany I do not know. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Right then I am happy to confirm #CrossBorderRail South East Europe 2024 is *ON* 🎉 €3276 covers the costs of the project (tickets, accommodation, postcards, IT) and that's achieved Crowdfunding continues, as I would like to also be able to pay myself the minimum wage during the project too… https://www.betterplace.org/en/projects/134358-crossborderrail-2024-south-east-europe https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/087/633/779/470/211/original/5373791d2524c1e7.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth In May and June I am embarking on my most extreme #CrossBorderRail project yet - investigating the borders of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo, and their borders with the EU Crowdfunding for the project is now open - find out all about it here 👇 https://jonworth.eu/crossborderrail-south-east-europe-crowdfunding-now-open/ Only with individual donations can this project take place - do share the link widely! https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/078/459/701/283/729/original/83700aa40ba78d19.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth The Channel Tunnel is 30 this year Especially for long distance passenger services and freight the tunnel has never reached its potential In this piece for @npub1qfx…m69r I explain why, and what comes next https://eu.boell.org/en/2024/03/06/thirty-years-channel-tunnel npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1nqp…w9sy to be fair this is due for renovation soon. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Sorry @npub1zpd…0jvf @npub1rhh…l5ph - I know this is a piss take, but do Euronews and British media? Please, please, PLEASE folks, THIS IS A JOKE. Really! 🙂 (oh and you might gove @npub1m5l…zjzm a heart attack) https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/112/039/263/355/550/721/original/ede725bcd7439a8c.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth *IF* you want a flight ban that's MEANINGFUL, do this - 4 hours by train, not 2.5 hours - apply to ALL flights, inc. transfers and private jets - turn connecting flights into connecting trains with guaranteed passenger rights in case of delay Anything LESS than that and it's gesture politics npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 Well they could go to Pesa? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Polish rail logic! Hackers demonstrate NEWAG industrial sabotage of Impuls EMUs for Koleje Dolnośląskie https://jonworth.eu/newags-digital-sabotage-of-dolny-slasks-trains-what-were-they-thinking/ AND then Koleje Śląskie orders a bunch more of them anyway 🤦♂️ BEFORE we even have a resolution of the sabotage case https://railcolornews.com/2024/02/29/passenger-koleje-slaskie-places-second-order-for-newag-impuls-2-emus/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Yesterday: damn I need to solve the problems of my self-hosted WordPress sites loading slowly Today: well, better that than this if I used WordPress.com! https://www.404media.co/tumblr-and-wordpress-to-sell-users-data-to-train-ai-tools/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Note to self: never, ever comment on a post of a LinkedIn “influencer”, even one from the rail industry The slavish groupies trying to gain favour with the influencer will drown out any sensible discussion, and would sooner tell the influencer how great they are than engage with the topic npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Het teaserartikel staat dus al online https://vprogids.reader.e-pages.pub/vprogids/184/article/1993523/18/1/render/?token=481d1cb39edf99ee6d451fc011b8ad9b&appid=lees.vprogids.nl&appversion=2.22.1&vl_platform=desktopwebapp En "Europa spoort niet" waarin ik figureer is zondag om 2210 te zien op NPO2 https://www.vpro.nl/programmas/tegenlicht/service/vooruitblik.html Als u wilt praten over het programma of over iets dat met de EU-spoorwegen #CrossBorderRail te maken heeft, kom dan 6 maart om 20:00 naar Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam - ik zal er zijn! https://dezwijger.nl/programma/europa-spoort-niet npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Ah I see Spain sort of wanting to ban short haul flights is in the news again https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/02/23/spains-plan-to-ban-domestic-flights-where-you-can-take-a-train-in-under-two-and-half-hours Want to make this ban *actually work* and not fall into the trap of France's similar “ban” - here's how 👇 https://jonworth.eu/if-spain-wants-to-introduce-a-short-haul-flight-ban-heres-how-to-avoid-the-traps-of-frances-ban/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Ah. I’ve cracked it. SNCF has opened sales *for international trains only* to France this summer If in France - shock horror! 😳 - you’d change onto another TGV… well they’ve not thought of that and those still aren’t bookable The only thing more stupid than opening bookings in blocks like this? Yep, different blocks for different types of trains 🤦♂️ https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/996/590/946/585/068/original/e81bfea90f16d198.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth The video is a bit nauseating, but the crux - that cycling in Germany is 'normalized but marginalized' is spot on. It sums it up well I think! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjTx2ALomfc npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth 🤬 The former head of Germany's Verfassungsschutz - Hans-Georg Maaßen - then pursues a career as a right wing populist politician https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Georg_Maa%C3%9Fen#Values_Union And now the former head of Frontex - Fabrice Leggeri - wants to get elected to the European Parliament on Le Pen's RN list https://www.nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1180116.frankreich-fabrice-leggeri-der-vertuscher.html npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Bad Muskau – Łęknica, and the joys and tensions at the Germany – Poland border - after having stumbled across a documentary about it, here I explain how I stumbled across the Polenmarkt during #CrossBorderRail If you have never been to Bad Muskau – Łęknica I can highly recommend it. https://jonworth.eu/bad-muskau-leknica-and-the-joys-and-tensions-at-the-germany-poland-border/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth OK, given I am outside the UK, don't play football and don't have kids, this one had passed me by until now https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/14/brexit-tackle-politics-children-football A “Brexit means Brexit" tackle “is a tackle that doesn’t get the ball, only takes out the player”. Now you shouldn't *ever* do that in football, but it's just perfect 🙂 npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth So rather than just rant in toots, here's a quick article about why hydrogen trams, and *especially* in Görlitz, make no sense at all https://jonworth.eu/a-hydrogen-tram-for-gorlitz-about-the-worst-idea-i-can-imagine/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth So my new, much improved, map of all the #EiffelTowers in the world is progressing So far 105 towers are in the new map (c. 200 more to go - moving them from my original blog post) Original post 👇 https://jonworth.eu/the-weird-and-wonderful-world-of-eiffel-tower-replicas-and-derivatives-geoguessr/ New zoomable map, with tower details when clicking pins 👇 https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/eiffel-towers-derivatives-and-replicas_1006050#3/27.14/17.58 https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/886/607/991/377/139/original/dc2aacd24e4c775e.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Until his death last week, I had no idea who #Natenom was - and now my social media feeds are full of news about him and a car driver having killed him Some thoughts about activism, and that we ought to look after our activists *when they are alive* 👇 https://jonworth.eu/please-look-after-your-activists-when-they-are-alive-the-natenom-case/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 trains are marked CZ-RJ. But if RegioJet owns them or leases somehow from CRRC we can’t know. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 you can easily put normal seats there - because normal seat + human would be lighter. No problem. Make it all heavier and you’d have a problem. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 RegioJet didn’t alter the interior at all? (Doesn’t make it right though, whoever did it) npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth O'Leary's latest idea for Ryanair? NO! It's a rail firm that's pioneering stand-up seats (sounds like a contradiction, but the picture shows it) These extra high capacity areas are in Regiojet's CRRC Chinese built EMUs that starting running in Czechia today Here's a story - in Polish - about the launch: https://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/wiadomosci/regiojet-rozpoczal-testowanie-chinskiego-pociagu-sirius--117273.html https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/881/019/667/190/793/original/44f27fc34c34ca99.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Always got their finger on the pulse, these railway associations CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies) and UNIFE have given a railway award to ex-Commissioner Violeta Bulc... who left office in autumn 2019! Don't get me wrong, Bulc was fine, but has done nothing for railways since, meaning this is weird https://www.europeanrailwayaward.eu/news/63-european-year-of-skills-celebrated-at-the-2024-european-railway-award.html npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Hmmm Good news: 54.54% of voters in Paris voted to triple parking charges for SUVs driving into the city (75) from outside the city Less good news: turnout was just 5.68% But I suppose that's what you get when you put to a referendum an issue so niche that politicians themselves ought to be able to vote on it… https://www.bfmtv.com/paris/direct-votation-sur-le-stationnement-des-suv-a-paris-les-bureaux-de-vote-ont-ouvert_LN-202402040118.html npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth “you start to become way too aware of things like posting schedules, and it’s impossible to be punk anymore” This Vox piece is about art and self promotion, but it could apply to any of us - including people trying to campaign about railways https://www.vox.com/culture/2024/2/1/24056883/tiktok-self-promotion-artist-career-how-to-build-following npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Did my bit at the anti-AfD demo in Berlin today After having lost my EU citizenship rights through Brexit, then regained them by becoming German, I don’t want my adopted country going the right wing populist route the one of my birth did! https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/795/653/144/939/866/original/d669d06837437dc0.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth I think I now have found the weirdest timetable yet Novska to Sunja in Croatia OK, probably not many people do that, but there is an electrified line between the two And 2 trains between 5 and 6am, and 2 trains *for the whole rest of the day* 👏 #CrossBorderRail https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/781/913/470/809/235/original/413c696acf591544.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth And sorry if I sound like some old fogey, but I don't give a damn about drone taxis I would simply like it that a family from Hagen who wants to NOT FLY to Tarragona for their summer holiday COULD GET THERE BY TRAIN, easily and for a decent price But that seems to damned radical and hard for EU policymakers to care about 🤬 npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth I read the European Commission (esp Commissioner Valean) has made a future mobility taskforce First reaction: oh maybe that’s not a bad idea Read who’s in it - see https://www.unmannedairspace.info/emerging-regulations/eu-launches-future-mobility-taskforce-recommendations-expected-in-spring-2024/ Second reaction: 🤪 It’s a bunch of taxi drone startups. And Flix. 16 companies, all private Sorry, but there’s also a social and public future of mobility npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vz5…qdta OK, but that's not really my concern. For me it's an awful place to wait because it's so overcrowded! npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vz5…qdta There is no space to upgrade it though - that's why I did not cover that. Maybe I ought to add a line stating that? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Thanks to loads of useful feedback, my answer everything about through trains through the Channel Tunnel post is now up to version 1.2.0 Now added: - more explanation on why reversing trains at Stratford International cannot work - Hitachi A-Train as a rolling stock option - explanation of problems with night trains to London The whole 9500 words are here 👇 https://jonworth.eu/the-future-of-long-distance-train-services-through-the-channel-tunnel/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Damn I am tired of rail "journalism" You job as a journalist writing is NOT to stick what the industry says in press releases in an article It is to check whether what is said is consistent with what others have said *AND* whether infra, finance and rolling stock would allow something to happen npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth I can't read the full story as it's paywalled @npub132s…cum4 but I am pretty damned sure natural gas is not renewable https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/744/181/130/439/110/original/d1fed31516f0815c.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1zye…ftsk although pretty much all cars have been automatic in the USA for ages. Perhaps that can explain some change in Europe though. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1zye…ftsk hard to say. The problem potentially is the lethally stronger acceleration of EVs I think. Case to make that legally limited? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth About the USA, but fascinating and worrying, and I wonder about how much a parallel would hold in Europe too? https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/magazine/dangerous-driving.html npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Do I have anyone in my network here who does (quasi-)academic research into how to get passengers to change their behaviour, and choose trains/bikes over planes/cars? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth 15 years ago 😳 https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/705/230/764/656/091/original/ee10d03dbe0439b2.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth German supermarket chain Tegut started some mini supermarkets without staff Now these have fallen foul of opening hours rules and have to close Sundays Of course if they were at ⛽️ petrol stations they’d be ok to stay open 🤷♂️ https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/hessen/hr-vgh-verbietet-mini-supermaerkten-von-tegut-oeffnung-an-sonn-und-feiertagen-100.html npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 1.050 MB/s reading. That's fast *enough*, and a hell of a lot better than a USB 3 HDD! My rationale: keep c. the last month of photos and videos on the Mac and iPhone (things I'm likely to need right away) and put the rest on the 4Tb external SSD - fast enough for when I need it, and portable enough too. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Further work today designing my workflow for the #CrossBorderYear ahead The problem: too many photos and videos, meaning I keep exceeding the internal storage on my Mac and I am often in places with crap internet, so cloud sync no good The solution (maybe?) - a 4Tb SandDisk external USB-C SSD - it's €239 https://www.amazon.de/SanDisk-Portable-Lesegeschwindigkeit-Schreibgeschwindigkeit-staubbest%C3%A4ndig/dp/B08RX4QKXS/ and importantly fast enough for everyday use. And it's small and light, and quite cheap npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth And a new version of the #CrossBorderRail board game is ready! Version 1.2.0 brings some adaptions to game to avoid players getting stuck in the remote corners of Europe - and this needs some changes to the board as well, which has been redesigned in some places Files to download and explanations: https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/boardgame/ https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/692/818/838/030/890/original/3164ed20f747e586.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth This is tragic One determined cyclist in Oberhausen keeps repeatedly reporting illegally parked cars in one street, and fines keep getting issued Everyone accepts the cars are illegally parked And the inhabitants are annoyed about the cyclist Why isn’t the Ordnungsamt doing what the cyclist is doing and reporting the infringements? https://www.tz.de/welt/strafe-anwohner-streit-eskaliert-radfahrer-aerger-falschparker-anzeige-92753980.html#google_vignette npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth 2 hours until midnight Number of fireworks heard in Ravières so far: ZERO NONE! AUCUN! KEINE! It’s paradise compared to Berlin (I’m not against fireworks per se, but I am against everyone setting them off and firing them at people - which is what happens in Germany) npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Romania & Bulgaria finally joining #Schengen in 2024 🎉 Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France continuing to undermine Schengen in 2024 🤬 npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Breaking DRM in Polish Trains The @npub1mxn…8xxm @npub1a24…9gzn @npub1l67…kdll #37c3 video is here: https://media.ccc.de/v/37c3-12142-breaking_drm_in_polish_trains It’s an amazing story, and they see the funny side in their presentation! npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth The first ever #CrossBorderRail board game and cards is printed and assembled and ready to test! Idea to a prototype in 8 days in my spare time 🙂 About the game: https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/boardgame/ https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/619/657/932/326/512/original/6ac3f13cec013a22.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Ah gee, thanks Eurostar! Just because I have my browser language set to English does *not* mean I want prices in dollars (oh and my IP address today is in France) 1) You still serve UK, so even English/£ would make more sense 2) You only offer English, French, Dutch and German as languages - have you possibly thought the rest of your European customers might like English/Euro as your default? https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/568/301/108/792/473/original/aaab590dc9101160.png npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth I need a way by public transport (bus?) from Florina 🇬🇷 to the Kristallopigi 🇬🇷 - Bilisht 🇦🇱 border crossing (or near it) in May 2024. Is there anything? (Please don't go "Use Deepl" - I have, but I don't know what I am looking FOR exactly - I need a human who understands the region) Edit: it's 1290m height climbing by bike, on a Greek national road. Sorry, but I am not doing that on a Birdy folding bike! npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 @npub1kvd…sle4 Waiving the infra fee is better, in that *anyone* can then, at least in theory, profit from the waiver. A bung to a state operator without a tender process - which is what this is - isn't correct IMHO. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 @npub1kvd…sle4 You're still missing the point. 1) That we don't know is a problem in itself, because that's just burning up public money, and 2) if you subsidise, you need to get an agreement on ticket prices in return - which obviously is not the case here. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 @npub1kvd…sle4 Look, let’s separate out the parts here. Leave the air, road etc. to one side. The economics of night train operations (and indeed to some extent other international trains too) might be financially fragile. BUT taking a load of subsidy AND hiking the prices massively AND being a monopoly operator is a pernicious combination. EITHER subsidise these services, and fix ticket prices cheaper, OR open up the market. Don't do the worst of both. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Setting today's #Nightjet price hikes in a wider context Can I see why ÖBB is doing this? Yes Does it make it right? No ÖBB isn't really the problem, the structure of our railways is "Stuck between an undeveloped market and the hangovers of state monopolies, rail passengers face the worst of both worlds” https://jonworth.eu/stuck-between-an-undeveloped-market-and-the-hangovers-of-state-monopolies-rail-passengers-face-the-worst-of-both-worlds/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub14k2…ed68 Agh. This sort of argument crops up over and over - there are ethics in our tech choices, just like there are in - say - what we eat. Why is it so hard to make people think about the ethics of tech? (Firefox user here, and on a one-person crusade to avoid WhatsApp) @npub1xzm…eykm npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth There’s no adequate digital tribute to someone who has died But Andreas Müllerleile - Kosmopolit on Twitter - was someone I predominantly built digital projects with, and so I should somehow write something He lost a years long battle with leukaemia last week, and today I have been at the funeral in Stuttgart Here is one of Andreas’s classics https://medium.com/kosmopolito/short-guide-to-lazy-eu-journalism-7fc7b60a7fc0 https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/187/715/583/798/465/original/385207472b3c8349.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth So tired I don’t care about Eurostar sustainability. What I care about is that *capacity is too low* and *prices too high* Fixing those are the only things that matter #WorldPassengerFestival npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Trainline dude saying they’re trying to solve the complex problems #WorldPassengerFestival Bordeaux-San Sebastián? 🤔 https://jonworth.eu/simple-international-trips-and-the-failures-of-ticket-booking-platforms/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth I’m at #WorldPassengerFestival today and tomorrow These ticket platforms are here: Raileurope Trainline Trip.com All aboard Tell me what international train trips you’ve struggled to find or book - and I’ll ask these platforms why they can’t solve these problems! npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Channeling The Who's “Won't Get Fooled Again" and The Rolling Stones "You Can’t Always Get What You Want” to explain why I do not trust Bluesky And it is not - contrary to @npub1hyk…3p33's view - that I fear what Jack Dorsey might do, and it might go the way of Twitter / Musk It is that I cannot (yet? ever?) trust how Bluesky and the AT Protocol are built and if it will be the network we need - in terms of design https://euroblog.jonworth.eu/from-the-who-to-the-rolling-stones-or-why-i-will-not-trust-bluesky-just-yet/ npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1hpc…hjn3 It was a valid point. I just don't know what to conclude from it! npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth I'd really welcome *technical* and NOT *political/ethical* answers to this question I am still trying to get my head around Bluesky Is the AT Protocol - in what it can do already, or in the short term will be able to do - better than ActivityPub that is behind Mastodon? I can find nothing decent that explains this in layperson's terms… npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth As I’m now German I’ve been reminded of this https://youtu.be/Afl9WFGJE0M npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Of course there’s something especially grim that *the worst* #CrossBorderRail ticketing absurdities I can find are TO STRASBOURG. Seat of the European Parliament. Sums up the whole sorry mess. How many MEPs or staff - and I know some do go by train - have been fleeced as a result of this insane ticket bug? npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vse…v7q2 @npub1vez…v0px bear in mind if there’s any country that doesn’t need extra branch lines it’s likely CZ! npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth @npub1vz5…qdta Whataboutism. npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth Lots of people sent me links to Greenpeace's study about the shrinking European rail network. It's an excellent piece of work, but it leaves me asking: HOW do we put this right? I've written up a short response here 👇 https://jonworth.eu/we-know-whats-wrong-with-european-railways-mostly-but-how-do-we-fix-it/ And I will begin to start listing up more concrete policy proposals in the coming weeks and months… npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth It’s done! At about 1040 CEST today I became a German citizen. And importantly also an EU Citizen once more 😊 https://gruene.social/system/media_attachments/files/111/090/946/088/732/438/original/16376975cef1c3a8.jpeg npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth 🎉 Got the “here's a form to fill in for the event we want you to attend in Santiago de Compostela” email Where do you live? Berlin Where are you travelling from? Lisboa S Apolonia How many nights hotel in Santiago? Well, 1. Because the trains don't connect from Lisboa. So can you book me Lisboa - Nine - Vigo, then a hotel, then Vigo - Santiago. Then 1 night Santiago, then trains back to... err, Porto. Which is not where I started from? Conference organisers gonna *love* #CrossBorderRail 🙂 npub14v4yh4nkp3g4arfkdnyd5t5e6xn3zt5jsn8t8kt9sez35s3vat8scn8jgt Jon Worth People pouring vinegar to kill plants in a temporary seating / plants project in Berlin Mitte. Because they're annoyed 12 parking spaces were removed. Cars are a symbol of freedom the old grumpy dudes who oppose the initiative say. FFS. https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/mensch-metropole/berlin-verkehr-autos-ackerstrasse-sommerstrasse-mitte-giftanschlag-aufs-strassengruen-wenn-die-verkehrsberuhigte-zone-zum-kampfplatz-wird-li.379284