Circus acts? The big question has to be: who are the real clowns?
This BBC story reveals that Bristol has introduced a “car-free Sunday” scheme, where certain city centre roads are closed to traffic. Bristol Mayor, 
George Ferguson – trying hard to look casual by not wearing a tie and sporting horrendous green trousers – appears proud of his “Make Sunday Special” initiative.
Apparently, it works in Bogota – a city with one of the worst traffic congestion problems in the known universe. And in Bordeaux – an ancient city which is somewhat closer to the equator, and which has wall-to-wall sunshine most of the year. So it just has to work in Bristol, right?
Instead of cars, Bristol’s streets are being turned over to jugglers, a few more jugglers, acrobats who can juggle… oh, and then some more jugglers. Proving clearly that George Ferguson hasn’t got a bloody clue. Believe me, juggling gets old very fast indeed. Once you’ve seen one dreadlocked hippy juggling, you’ve seen them all, and the idea that the average juggler is going to keep performing for free while you pretend Bristol is the same as Bordeaux is just silly. It isn’t something you want in your way when you’re trying to get to the bloody shops to buy some milk and bread.
As you’d expect, Bristol’s motorists aren’t particularly impressed. And who can blame them.
And frighteningly, the report claims that “other councils” are watching closely.