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The issue is that people cycle despite the conditions and pavement cycling is illegal in some countries (UK). Also pavement cycling is slow and tedious compared
by awjr 11y ago
The issue is that people cycle despite the conditions and pavement cycling is illegal in some countries (UK). Also pavement cycling is slow and tedious compared to on-road cycling or within a dedicated cycle track.
The idea of making a cycle route "child proof" is not to appeal to current cyclists, but to persuade people that want to cycle but feel the roads are just to dangerous to share them with buses, to get on a bike.
Taking Bath, UK as an example, the river to the west of Bath has a shared use traffic free child friendly path that connects that area to the heart of the city with 12% of people cycling to work. A similar area without that connection on the east side is about 5% http://datashine.org.uk/#table=QS701EW&col=QS701EW0010&ramp=YlOrRd&layers=BTTT&zoom=14&lon=-2.3701&lat=51.3868 http://datashine.org.uk/#table=QS701EW&col=QS701EW0010&ramp=...
This is all about persuading parents that it is safe to let their kids cycle to school as the roads are designed to accommodate that should a child fall off his bike they won't be killed by a car running them over. With that type of infrastructure in place you get a massive uptake.
- usrusr 11y agoCycling with children is slow and tedious, so it's a perfect fit. And yes, I was talking about changing the law. Here in Germany we are half way there, it's mandatory for children, but forbidden for their supervisors who are also not allowed to let younger children ride three unsupervised. Perfect catch 22.
- awjr 11y agoWho's talking about cycling with children? I'm talking about kicking them out on their bike and having them cycle to school on their own.
- more_original 11y agoIn Germany it's mandatory for children to ride on the sidewalk. But for an adult accompanying the child, it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk.
- wcummings 11y agoIs "pavement cycling" (cycling on the sidewalk) a really big problem in the UK? It's come up a few times in this thread. It's illegal in Boston, as well, but basically a non-issue. I occasionally see people doing it, but it's usually children or someone making a quick detour.