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This (specifically car/bike traffic) may be the first real-life example of a Giffen Good I've come across: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giffen_good https://en.

This (specifically car/bike traffic) may be the first real-life example of a Giffen Good I've come across: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giffen_good https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giffen_good You'd think that people avoiding public transport would result in increased car traffic. But in a scenario where the roads were already at or near capacity, that's impossible. Not only would a number equivalent to those switching from public transport have to use bikes. Because bikes also need (some, but less) space on the roads, car traffic actually needs to decrease.

SECProto 7y ago
I'm having a lot of trouble trying to conceptualize how "car/bike traffic" could be a giffen good. "A product that people consume more of as the price rises". Raising/creating tolls for cars decreases usage. Raising bus prices also discourages use. Could you help clarify what you meant? As for road space usage, generally bike lanes are added by adjusting street parking, narrowing lanes, etc. Eg I worked on a recent project where two 4m lanes were turned into a 3m middle lane and 3.5m curb lane and a 0.5m buffer and a 1.0m bike lane. I can't think of many situations where bike lanes were added by removing capacity from roads that had usage approaching capacity.
- tobylane 7y ago
  London’s Embankment from Westminster to Blackfriars (and the rest of CS3 on other roads) added a bike lane by removing car capacity despite it being full every rush hour. The road as a whole has higher throughput now. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-cycle-lane-superhighway-embankment-new-thames-101637783.html https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-cycle-lane-superhighway-em...
  - madeofpalk 7y ago
    Oh, I recently rode through there the other day for the first time as I went from East London to Hyde Park! It was really nice to have a dedicated cycle way like that.
  - SECProto 7y ago
    That's great! Generally takes a lot of political capital to do something like that, so good work London.
  - naskwo 6y ago
    A safe bike route from SW to NE, e.g. Fulham to Shoreditch, would be lovely.
    - tobylane 6y ago
      Kensington and Chelsea don't like segregated bike lanes. One upcoming bike lane of CS3 quality is from the borough border (Olympia) towards Heathrow.

SECProto 7y ago

I'm having a lot of trouble trying to conceptualize how "car/bike traffic" could be a giffen good. "A product that people consume more of as the price rises". Raising/creating tolls for cars decreases usage. Raising bus prices also discourages use. Could you help clarify what you meant? As for road space usage, generally bike lanes are added by adjusting street parking, narrowing lanes, etc. Eg I worked on a recent project where two 4m lanes were turned into a 3m middle lane and 3.5m curb lane and a 0.5m buffer and a 1.0m bike lane. I can't think of many situations where bike lanes were added by removing capacity from roads that had usage approaching capacity.

tobylane 7y ago
London’s Embankment from Westminster to Blackfriars (and the rest of CS3 on other roads) added a bike lane by removing car capacity despite it being full every rush hour. The road as a whole has higher throughput now. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-cycle-lane-superhighway-embankment-new-thames-101637783.html https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-cycle-lane-superhighway-em...
- madeofpalk 7y ago
  Oh, I recently rode through there the other day for the first time as I went from East London to Hyde Park! It was really nice to have a dedicated cycle way like that.
- SECProto 7y ago
  That's great! Generally takes a lot of political capital to do something like that, so good work London.
- naskwo 6y ago
  A safe bike route from SW to NE, e.g. Fulham to Shoreditch, would be lovely.
  - tobylane 6y ago
    Kensington and Chelsea don't like segregated bike lanes. One upcoming bike lane of CS3 quality is from the borough border (Olympia) towards Heathrow.