PSHE – revised

13 07 2017

I blogged about this 5 years ago and yesterday evening it reared its ugly head again.

In the comments on my previous post there were discussions of politics and washing symbols, and last night, having looked up that post because I didn’t understand my pension documents I had to read for work, I also realised that I’d googled washing symbols earlier that day when putting my sleeping bag in the machine.

So I’ve put together what I hope is a better list of things that NEED to be taught at school. When we were at school the only PSHE we did was: don’t smoke, don’t do drugs, don’t get drunk, and I think we maybe had one sex education lesson. Here’s my list of what I wish I’d learnt at school. (as an aside: part of my 30 before 30 this year is to write letters to MPs and companies about ethical issues and I think to some degree this might become one of those letters)

  • Politics. (This should be completely non-biased, just a basic outline of what the main parties stand for, and maybe a bit of history.)
  • Pensions.
  • Budgeting/Finances.
  • Insurance.
  • How to read washing instruction symbols on clothes.
  • Basic household cleaning.
  • You know what? These are teenagers we’re talking about: Personal hygiene.
  • I considered putting mortgages… but with each year that passes it seems fewer and fewer will manage it! Mortgages and renting combined maybe.

I appreciate some of these technically get taught in other subjects, eg you technically do clothing care labels in textiles, but it’s something we all need to know, not sure if we’re sewing!

I’m sure there’s more that could go on this list, maybe I’ll do a longer version again in another 5 years…. what else would you include?


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Categories : My big ideas

Big ideas: when someone beeps their horn

17 09 2015

So far three out of my four “big ideas” have been about driving related matters, and this post will make it four out of five!

This time it’s a plan to deal with those annoying people on the roads that beep their horns, purely because they’re impatient. This week I was trying to turn right off of a main road, onto a side road, on a relatively blind corner, so had to look very carefully before I moved. Just as I was about to go, the guy behind me beeped his horn as if that might make me hurry up

…and then it came to me:

Every time someone in the immediate vicinity beeps their horn, all drivers should stop for a full five seconds – not long enough to cause major problems, but definitely long enough to annoy someone impatient – before continuing with their journey.

The highway code says:

The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn

  • while stationary on the road
  • when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30 pm and 7.00 am

except when another road user poses a danger.

Technically, the fact that a horn has been beeped means that someone is letting us know they are around, so you could argue that stopping to look and see who is alerting us to their presence is the correct thing to do anyway.

If they do it when stationary then that’s a direct violation, but as the person “in their way”, we can take longer to assess our surroundings to make sure our decision to pull away is a safe one.


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Big Ideas: T-Plates

19 06 2013

It seems after a couple of years of driving I’m coming up with several ways to improve the roads in the UK… probably all have been thought of before but still! First there was the suggestion of colour coded paint markings to indicate speed limits, then earlier this week my compulsory indicators suggestion. I have been spending a lot more time than normal inside my car this week, so maybe that explains it!

Anyway, here’s a third – I actually wrote to the Department for Transport about this one when I passed my driving test.

When someone has an L plate, you know it means they’re a learner and so to give them a bit of extra space.
When someone has a P plate, you know it means they’ve recently passed their test and are getting used to driving on their own, and so, again, to give them a bit of extra space and have patience.

Now I don’t know about you, but when I’m driving somewhere new for the first time, I feel a bit like a new driver again, working out what lane to be in, which exit of the roundabout, and maybe making a few mistakes along the way. I think Tourists often need just as much space as a new driver – I’m still yet to try out driving in the centre of London, but the day I do (if ever) I know I’ll want people to have patience with me!

So that’s what I propose, we have L plates and P plates, what about T plates for Tourists? What do you think?!

And just because I think this has been one two many car related posts this week…

What colour should T Plates be?!


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Big ideas: Compulsory indicating

16 06 2013

What if a car steering wheel was locked other than a very small angle for road bends, unless you had your indicator on? So if you indicated left it’d let you steer left for the next 30 seconds, and the same for right, but otherwise you could just vary a little bit. It would make things far simpler!

Obviously there’s narrow angle junctions where people would get away with it, and I guess there’s some sharper bends in the road that may cause problems.

The other alternative, a little more expensive to implement is to tie car sat navs in with indicators… hmm maybe not!


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My big ideas: Colour Coded Road Markings

5 02 2013

When I was learning to drive (the second time) I had one thing I found really difficult, and that was simply remembering the currently speed limit! If it hadn’t changed recently, then I often had to ask my instructor, “Is this a 40 or a 30?” or “Should I be doing 40 or 60 here?!” – not ideal!

So my idea, which I happily mentioned to my instructor, was to have the lines down the middle of the roads colour coded, instead of their usual white, to indicate the speed limit zone you’re in, so no matter how far you are from a sign, you know how fast you should be going.

Now there’s a slight issue in that obviously this wouldn’t help everyone, eg if you were colour blind, but this would only be in addition to speed limit signs as an aide, not the only indicator. Another option would maybe be changing the pattern the paint is printed in?

Anyone else had this trouble? Any other solution ideas?


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Categories : My big ideas

My big ideas: New Week Format

2 02 2013

Do you ever have enough time to get everything done at the weekend? No? Me neither.
I have a theory I’d like to share with you.
What if we had a 3 day weekend?
I know we probably all consider this most Fridays and Mondays, but seriously.
Most weekends consist of a day of getting jobs done, and a day of rest/vegging out.
For those of us that attend church, these go a specific way round!
But what happens when there’s a wedding to go to one Saturday?
Or a party? Or a day out?
Then the jobs all get shoved to the Sunday afternoon, and there’s no time to rest.
So here’s what I propose.
A 3 day weekend – one day for fun, one day for jobs, one day for church and rest.
A four day working week would also create more jobs – there’d be lower unemployment!
These don’t have to be the same three days for everyone.
Maybe more companies could be open 6 days a week with overlapping staff?!
Or it could work like a BBC article suggested this week – 40 hours in 4 days
(See it’s not even me thinking this!)

**4/3/13 – EDIT** – Also, I can NEVER lie in on a Saturday as my body clock is still on work mode, then on Sunday I have to get up for Church, so Monday would be a great day for that much needed lie in!

So that’s my proposal – any takers?!


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Categories : My big ideas