More Space For Cyclists And Pedestrians - Discuss

[Chrishazle]

Heard the Transport Sec this afternoon talking about adapting roads to make more space for cyclists and pedestrians - to the detriment of the motorist.

Consider : the motorist has payed mucho dinero (called RF) for the right to drive on the highway, has to be registered via licence and registration plate to do so, has to have as a minimum TPF&T insurance and, if his vehicle is more than 3 years old, has to have a certificate that it's fit to be on the road, and the police have ANPR systems so see if you comply (and feel you collar if you don't!!).

Consider : the cyclist has not paid a penny of RF, does not have to have any licence, registration or insurance, does not need any certification about his "vehicle" and the police have no system to check any of this.

Consider also that, although racing on the public highway is illegal, particularly in summer we often see cycling clubs holding racing events (whether time trials as on the A20 or "tour de france" type events on local B roads) complete with motorcycle outriders, forerunners etc and peletons blocking our local lanes, with plod doing nothing!

Part of me wishes I still had my RR with front bull bar and side HD step-ups!

 

[Fununcle]

Dont like bikes then?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Part of me wishes I still had my RR with front bull bar and side HD step-ups!

So you can commit murder?

Cycling produces zero pollution, takes huge number of cars off the road and makes people fitter.

Why are people so dead against it. I'm a petrol head, but I commute by bike. The more people who do it tjr better for everyone.

The 'cyclists don't pay road tax' is a useless argument. Do cyclists use the 1000s of miles of motorway network? Are you going to tax children cycling to school?

I've ended up in A&E before due to a car, at least once a month I am nearly knocked off. Just because someone in their huge SUV decides to drive in/across a Cycle lane.

I'm not one of the dickhead lycra brigade who cycle two abreast on the road BTW

Anything that can reduce pollution, ease congestion and make us all healthier has to be encouraged just look at Holland.

 

[190]

Provision for cyclists is a fine idea if it gets them out of the way of motorised traffic which will be safer for everyone, but it mustn't be at the expense of existing roads, This is all because the government are worried that public transport use will not recover after the lock down and more will take to their cars. If that's what transpires then stealing road space for cyclists is madness.

 

[ChrisEdu]

I'll stick to mountain biking, rather than roads, thanks. The state of roads today, it's probably smoother cycling off-road than on, anyway!

 

[Dryce]

I think there is an opportunity to in effect set out a balanced relationship here.

1. Cyclists need to carry personal ID and to be subject to enforcement including bans and fines.

2. Revision of the law and highway code - particularly to ensure cyclists are responsible for safety of pedestrians and to define better conventions by which cyclists interact with other road usrs such that cyclists are safe and other road uses not unnecessarily impeded (particularly at rush hour).

3. Spaces/routes for cyclists with an ongoing plan to also promote use of electrically assisted bicycles

4. Restrictions on cyclists with respect to use on pavements, precincts, and some paths (see 2) - ensuring that they are not unduly disadvantaged (see 3)

5. Clarification use of lighting by cyclists

6. A programme to make use of bicycles more compatible with public transport on specific routes (eg. enhanced bicycle compartments on designated train services and express bus routes)

7. Active encouragement of use of bicycles to get to school, college, university

8. Special licences to allow designated members of the public to carry tasers for use on cyclists who demonstrate thoughtlessess or selfishness towards pedestrians.

 

[ChipChop]

Uk governments of all political parties have never done anything much for cyclists so why now in the midst of a public health crisis do they want to do this? If they are so bothered about our health why no dietary advice during this crisis? Having a healthy immune system is a sound preventative measure but never mentioned in govt. advice.

I would suggest there are more important things to worry about than cycle lanes like ensuring the economy resumes as quickly as possible and our children get back to school. What about their futures?

Or is this the "new normal" where existential environmental issues are apparently more important than people earning money to house and feed their families.

It is almost as if Extinction Rebellion are now running the country.

BTW i am a cyclist so under normal circumstances i would welcome cycle paths etc.

 

[alabbasi]

Why are people so dead against it. I'm a petrol head, but I commute by bike. The more people who do it tjr better for everyone.

Just because he expressed frustration that he's being taxes out of the wazoo for using roads while facing increased usage restrictions due the the government desire to put in more cycle lanes, it does mean he is anti cycling. If you bought a house with a large back yard and hand it landscaped so that you and your family could enjoy it. I'm sure that you'd be pissed if some city official told you that it was such a nice yard, everybody should have the right to use it and then at the same time, charged you a premium in property taxes because you had a really nice back yard.

The reality is that London is a thousand year old city and also the capital of the country. It's impossible to grow and sustain commerce as expected from a country capital without expanding the roads if they want to support more cycle lanes.

In cities like Baltimore, they have fantastic cycle lanes built into the sidewalk and away from regular traffic.

Cost sharing is important. How about if everybody who wants cycle lanes in their city give up 3-5ft of their front yard so that cities can expand sidewalks to support cycle lanes and having a bicycle tax to pay for it?

 

[AMV]

Id like to think of myself as a petrol head of which i enjoy driving.

However for work i drive daily manual hack of which is used for short journeys as my lob is building surveyor. If the road network was safer and more segregated than i would probably be able to cycle everywhere that i need to.

So that means:
1. Healthier
2. Cheaper Cost to myself and employer.
3. A car off the road = more efficient for the cars that are on the road.

Where i live we have had a cycle/walking path installed nearby on both sides of the trunk road. What grinds my gears is that i see cyclists on the road when these wide paths are available and empty. If i had to count how many users were on the path when i drove past i would struggle to get even get one.


I think we need a balanced approach rather then this anti-car pro bicycle agenda being pottered about. Why can't all aspects of travel be improved. We're too selective in this country.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I've been cycling on the road since I was five and was very pleased to pass my cycling proficiency test a 6, getting the gold pennant at 9. (Heady days)

It's great to see these huge hoards of cyclists on the deserted roads again....but

We shouldn't kid ourselves that we can turn ourselves into the cycle loving hoards of Copenhagen and Utrecht anytime soon to overcome the overcrowding on the tubes and buses. A few gentle pedals in that direction: fine. But the sums of money they Government is waving around is nowhere near enough to finance the road rebuilding involved, and the cities / metroplexes are FAR too big to be converted to a Stockholm style cities where everyone can live within a 15 minute bike ride to work.

Why pour cold water? Well, it's not cold water, really, just a dollop of reality about what actually can be achieved. Yes you can encourage electric foldable scooters, you can encourage massive bike parks, but yummy mummy is still going to drive the kids to school in the Winter, and chubby 50 year olds aren't going to cycle in from Greenford or Beaconsfield into the City five days a week.

Be realistic. Set achievable targets, live a bit more local, and don't kid yourself that people are going to walk and cycle everywhere, especially in the 1500 sq kms of Greater London and all the other British cities

 

[baxlin]

It’s long been said that perfectly normal people turn into monsters the moment they get behind a steering wheel, and IMO this also applies to many as they start to pedal their bicycle.

But addressing Shapps’ proposal, is he expecting hundreds of delivery drivers to turn into ‘Granvilles’, and do their deliveries on shop bikes, as there won’t be room for their vans, let alone larger trucks?

 

[Steveml63]

Hi,
Once the government realised that public transport could only accommodate 10% of the normal number of people due to social distancing - they seem to have had an “oh sh*t“ moment.
Somebody then had the ill thought out brainwave that people should use cycles and walk to school and work - instead of using buses and trains.
This is in a country with few cycle lanes, loads of inconsiderate motorists, generally poor impression of cyclists and a climate that is not that great for cycling for many months of the year!
This is a totally useless knee jerk reaction from the government to paper over the cracks formed by the social distancing rules!
The only positive announcement was that they are looking to make electric scooters legal (although I am sure they are looking at ways to licence them and get some revenue out of users!)

I don’t have a magic answer - but I know it’s not cycling and walking - without a very big change to the UK infrastructure to safely separate and accommodate cyclists, pedestrians and motorists on our roads and pavements.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Nearly all other countries have proper cycle lanes.
It works.

The reason the OP will have the opinion he has is generally as a rule in the uk cyclist on the roads are selfish d!cks.

Overseas they have their own lanes and it all works in harmony, but getting the uk to get used to that will take some time, due to the attitude of the modern English cyclist.

I'm a bike bicycle fan, I have them hung as art in my house, I'm not anti bike, just anti modern day rider.

 

[Wolfie1]

I know this girl who bought a brand new ds3 when they first come out (she was very proud of it) with the colour coordinated roof and mirrors, anyway she was sitting in traffic cylist comes down the inside catches her mirror rips it off the car then it swung down and scratched the wing and door, cyclist looked round shrugged shoulders and cycled off, poor girl was left with a £500 bill too put right. Thats not right

 

[Wolfie1]

Good point about the road racing though why should cyclist be allowed to hold races on the public road!

 

[zipdip]

Well this is a little bit of Corona madness,we are paying peoples wages and industry has stopped it is costing a fortune and then up pops lets spend billions on cycle paths,of course it is a noble idea that people if there were cycle paths everywhere would cycle to work and conduct their whole lives in the saddle,but to be honest all the people who want to ride a bike and go to work on it if they can are already doing just that,my thoughts are that bike ownership is at a static stage,and so we get lets fast track these electric bikes and scooters for the people who do not want to actually push the pedals around,a smart move while all this virus is going around,because without more people doing the bike thing the movement starts to fade away,as for the should they have insurance and some way to be identified,well of course they should,will it happen I doubt it.

 

[Darrell]

Well this is a little bit of Corona madness,we are paying peoples wages and industry has stopped it is costing a fortune and then up pops lets spend billions on cycle paths,of course it is a noble idea that people if there were cycle paths everywhere would cycle to work and conduct their whole lives in the saddle,but to be honest all the people who want to ride a bike and go to work on it if they can are already doing just that,my thoughts are that bike ownership is at a static stage,and so we get lets fast track these electric bikes and scooters for the people who do not want to actually push the pedals around,a smart move while all this virus is going around,because without more people doing the bike thing the movement starts to fade away,as for the should they have insurance and some way to be identified,well of course they should,will it happen I doubt it.

And breathe!

 

[Darrell]

I know this girl who bought a brand new ds3 when they first come out (she was very proud of it) with the colour coordinated roof and mirrors, anyway she was sitting in traffic cylist comes down the inside catches her mirror rips it off the car then it swung down and scratched the wing and door, cyclist looked round shrugged shoulders and cycled off, poor girl was left with a £500 bill too put right. Thats not right

I know of a bloke on a Merc forum who wishes he still has his big 4x4 with a bull-bar and side steps. That’s not right either.

 

[artyman]

All of this is missing the fundamental problem, and that is the Corona Virus. Why after so many weeks of lockdown are we still seeing daily infection rates in the several thousand. Who is out there still spreading the virus, why aren't we quarantining anyone entering the country!!

 

[Wolfie1]

I know of a bloke on a Merc forum who wishes he still has his big 4x4 with a bull-bar and side steps. That’s not right either.

Well yea, murder is a tad bit higher on the unacceptable scale, may just have been a tongue in cheek comment, who knows